were they in lyke authority with the Iewes whih after the vniuersall Church did authorize by the holy Ghost for authentical Scripture vpoÌ„ which authority S. Austen feared not to confirme the prayer for the dead as holy Canonicall Scripture with the Church OBIECTION LOng since of many it was doubted of the Epystle to the Hebrewes the second of S Peter the last of Daniel c. Therefore for this doubt they are not to be adiudged Hereticks who now eyther reiect them or put them in doubt ANSVVER THe consequent is denyed because the lyke raeson should follow in the lyke doubt whether they are to be baptized agayne whome Heretickes haue baptized which S. Cyprian with some others haue thought meet to be don And whether the Moysaicall law is to be obserued of Christians yea also who belieued of the Gen tils whereupon the counsell of Ierusalem was moued about these Heresies Lykwyse whether the grace of the Euagely did appertayn to the GeÌ„tils or to the Iewes only as is disputed in the Act. Apost cap. 11 For albeit the Church retayne all tymes the same one fayth yet notwithstanding by progresse of tyme and occasions as the church increaseth in her nomber so things pertinent to fayth may be amplifyed and made more ample then it was in the beginning For the Church at no tyme euer receaued for an opinion of Faith that which before she had once reiected Now those books once censured and approued by the Church it is not lawfull more to doubt of them and are in as great authority and veneration as the others bookes of Scriptures be for example For as a piece of gold in the beginning is suspected to be false and conterfeyt yet if afterwards it be tryed by the touch-stone of the Goldsmyth and found sufficient and approued of the Magistrat is receaued of the whole people goeth currant as other quoyne and is no lesse worth then any other peace of gould which was neuer suspect euen so these books of Scripture c. QVAESTIO XVII Of Traditions WHerefore are the Papists so simple as to belieue some thinges which are not expresly contayned in the Scriptures VVich they call traditions Calu. lib 4. inst cap. 8. § 8. Brent in prolog Kemnit in exam Conc. Trident. ANSVVER IT may be demanded in lyke manner wherfore Caluin lib 4. inst cap. 3. § 19. Alloweth and commendes traditions for in the ordination of the ministers of the Church he commandes as a precept the imposition of handes yet notwithstanding seing there is no commandement extant in the Scripture he himself protestes it to be necessary as his owne wordes recorde Albeit sayth he there is no commandement extant for the imposition of handes yet we doe see it to be in perpètuall vse from the Apostles and therfore that same diligent obseruation of theirs ought to be to vs as a commandement So that Caluin who before denyed traditions doth allowe of them as necessary in the ordination of the ministery whome for entrance we see led with the spirit of coÌ„tradictioÌ„ For I say that not only these things which plainly are conteyned in the Scripture are to be obserued but also many traditions and obseruations which haue flowed and comed from Christ his Apostles which are to be retayned necessary as it were in a manner the written word it selfe Because it is found in the Scriptures Christ and his Apostles to haue delyuered many things which are not written For in the 16 of S. Iohn Christ sayes I haue many things to say to you but you caÌ„not beare them now In which wordes he signifyeth that many things are necessary and needfull to be known to the Apostles which things out of doubt he made knowne when he appeared to them the fourty dayes speaking of the Kingdome of God his Church and of the gouernement of the Kingdome of grace and what the Apostles haue heard out of doubt they haue delyuered to the Church for her cause these were coÌ„municated of our Lord to them which although they be not expressed in the Scriptures yet by tradition are delyuered Of which S. Paul speaking to the Thess epist 2. cap. 2 v. 14. stand and hold fast sayth he the traditions which you haue receaued whether by word or by our Epistle that is to say the doctryne delyuered to you whether by the preaching viua voce or by an epistle written to you Which place these venerable fathers expoundes of traditions as S. Basil lib. de S. S. Chry. Oecom Theoph. and S. Aug. epist 174. to that now sayth he which I haue rehearsed it fal so that Homousion is not found in the writteÌ„ word and yet as an article of fayth the word is defended Lykewyse the Father is called vnbegotten which is not read in the Scriptures The Symbole of the Apostles is by tradition not by the writteÌ„ word Lykewyse the obseruance of Sondy for the Saboath the baptizing of infantes â—he receauing of the SacrameÌ„t fasting And S Luke acknowledgeth that he hath receaued by tradition what he hath written in his Euangely For if you reiect traditioÌ„s why not also the whole wrytten Scripture by what reason is there only four Euangelists and no more And wherefore are they receaued that neuer sawe Christ and these Euangelists reiected who did see heare and were conuersant with him as Nicodem S. Thomas Thaddeus S. Peter Bartholomewe and others who haue wrytren Euangelyes and yet their written Euangelyes are reiected and these other foure are receaued who neuer did see Christ And with vs you belieue theÌ„ which are not expressed by any written word but only belieued to be true Euangelists by tradition What can be more sayd for verification of the truth then the wordes of the Apostle 2. Thes cap. 2. v. 14. Which wordes all tend for the commendation of our belief Of which S Basil l. de S. S. cap. 29. I account it Apostolicall to continue and belieue firmely the vnwriten word To whom all the Fathers are conformable For when the old Heretickes as Gnostes Marcion Cerdone Arius Eunomius Aerius Nestorius c. opposed themselues against traditions disdayning and denying them were with the whole consent of the auncient Fathers condemned as Heretickes as witnes Iraen lib. 3. Tert. de praescript S. Basil lib. de S. S. cap. 27. Epiph. Haer. 53. S. Aug. lib. 5. cont Maxim Now brother Asill what can be denyed against traditions what argument haue you for your defence for you accept no Scripture as canonicall ergo yow must proue Scripture by tradition and the other Scripture which you reiect is named apochrypha and in so doing you must allow tradition and so on euery side tradition conuinceth you and yet ye wil be oppugners and denyers of tradition I demand this if you were to conuince any man of Heresie for denying the Canon of Scripture what argument would you vse to conuince him As for example Luther in the Preface of the new testament decreed to reiect the epistle
of S. Iames for Apochripha to conuince him of this error it cannot be done by the Scripture neyther of himself because he is iudge in his own cause neyther is he to be belieued by the reuelation of his priuat spirit for all do make for confirmation of his opinion therefâ—re to conuince him rightly they must haue recourse to the tradition of the Church as sayes S. Aug. Serm. 191. de temp We receaue the new and ould testament in the nomber of bookes the which by authority of the Catholik Church is delyuered to vs. Moreouer this other argument is to be obserued for the Church from the beginning of the world till Moyses two thowsand yeares was without Scripture only ruled by traditions and rites of the sacrifice In the new testameÌ„nt Christ hath written nothing neyther commaunded to wryte but well he sayth Marc. 16. vers 15. Preach you the Euangely to all creatures in which mission no precept is giuen of writing for saluation depends vpon the word of God and not vpon books neyther the written Scripture nor reuelation or prophesie c. For that cause Iraen lib. 3. cap. 4. wryteth that some nations in his tyme had the fayth of Christ and yet no Scripture Where is it found in the Scripture to reiect traditions But this is the cause why you withstand all traditioÌ„s for these being banished easily you may peruert and glosse the Scriptures and apply them to your own myndes which traditions of the holy Church staÌ„d out against you for the clearing of the verity and will not suffer the Scriptures to be corrupted with your fansies which corrupt interpretations permitted and suffered we shall see you follow traditions and consequently your owne inuentions to be for holy Scripture for the first part is probable for Caluin himself approueth the traditions of the Iewes commenting in the 104 Psal sec 18. Many things remayned amoÌ„gst them by successiue tradition which were godly and necessary for them of the which no mention is made in the Scriptures Out of which place it followeth that Caluin willingly would Iudaize and as concerning the following of their owne senses in reiecting the traditioÌ„s of the holy Ghost to erect their own traditions contrary to the written word I would most willingly be satiefyed by what reason eyther spirituall or morall why you Puritans vphold and set vp traditions as the pillar of repentance denigrate and made black and sinners to stand there to the spectacle of the whole Church with the showing of their heades at the crosse bound with yron chaynes in tyme of Market your sackcloth at the Church doore and carting of poor women thorow the city of whom haue you learned to punish fornicators by this ignominious punishement Others by the purse and to pardon some who are fatt and to execute rigor vpon the poor From whence haue you receaued that tradition in your prayers to hould your noses in others tailes and to ly groaning on the ground after the manner of the Iewes From vvhence is that tradition to fast on sondayes and feast on frydayes and to work on Christmas day and other Sainctes dayes and to obserue monday suter sonday for holy day These a thowsand more are the Puritanes traditions of their owne inuentioÌ„ vvithout any Scripture or vvritteÌ„ word and yet not vvithstanding they vvill abolishe and condemne all traditions and yet vvill set vp and authorize traditions of their owne authority contrary to the law of God and all Scripture and tradition of any age before passed OBIECTION THe Lord sayth Deut. 12. vers 32. What I coÌ„mand thee do thow that vnto the Lord only neyther shalt thou add any thing neyther diminish Therefore traditions are superfluous and in vaine ANSVVER IF this argument were auaileable neyther the Prophets nor the Apostles ought to haue writteÌ„ any thing after Moyses for vvhat the Prophets haue vvritten are not conteyned in Moyses neyther vvhat the Euangelists Apostles haue wryten are contayeed in the old testament but generally and implicite In lyke sorte traditions are contayned in the Scripture implicite vvheÌ„ Christ sayd Luc. 10 v. 16. Who heareth you heareth me Therfore the sense of these vvordes vvhich sayth that thou shall add nothing nor diminish is that thou shalt add nothing repugnaÌ„t vnto those things vvhich are commaunded in the Scripture In this same sense sayth S. Paul Gal. 1. v. 8. Whether we or an Angel froÌ„ Heauen euangelise to you otherwise then that which we haue euangelized let him be accursed For that praeposition praeter is asmuch to say as coÌ„trary for otherwaies should he be contrary to himself who added many things as his epistles witnes And lykewyse S. Iohn after he had written the Apocalyps and Euangely who threateneth the same curse should fall in the same sentenceÌ„ in adding to his Epistles in which are many precepts traditions which are not contayned in the Apocalyps and Euangely c. OBIECTION THE Scripture is a Rule to belieue therefore it ought to contayne all things which are to be belieued ANSVVER THe Scripture is a Rule to belieue but not adequat and a right Rule because the right Rule is the word of God whether written or delyuered by Tradition OBIECTION THese things are written that you may belieue that Iesus is the Sonne of God and that belieuing you may haue lyfe in his name But all things writen serue to belieue in Christ therefore all beliefe is written ANSVVER SAinct Paul sayes that Abel Enoch Noe Abraham Isac Iacob Heb. 11. had vndoubtedly true fayth yet they had no Scripture writen Againe the primitiue Church at least tenne yeares after Christ had no Scripture written who will say but that they had true faith Againe these are not conteyned in the written word to vvit the consubstantiality of the Trinity the procession of the holy Ghost the virginity of the most blessed Virgin Mary the baptising of children and the not rebaptising of them who are baptised of Heretickes the breaking of the Sabaoth keeping of Sonday the obseruing of Easter the receauing of the Sacraments fasting the eating of blood strangled meares prohibeted in the Law and EuaÌ„gely Act. 15 But I would know of the ProtestaÌ„tes what Scripture they haue for women to singe Psalmes and to glosse on the Scriptures in the Church at home and in the tauernes What Scripture haue you for your pillary crosse steeple repeÌ„tance seat carting and showing of poore women for the sinne of fornication for these things you haue no Scripture but must build vpon traditioÌ„s eyther true or false QVAESTIO XVIII Of the certitude of Hope WHerefore doe the Papists deny that our Hope is with certitude seing it is written that Hope maketh vs not ashamed but bringeth with it certitude and confidence Luth art 10 11. Caluin lib. 3. instit cap 2. § 16. ANSVVER WHat certitude assured hope can the Protestants haue in our Sauiour if they defend and abyde in the principall poincts of their
one new doctrin and of these som were called Marcionists Basilidanes other Saturnists others agane of late Lutheranes Thair names and profession is after the name of men and so faile to be called Catholik Caluinists Protestants Puritanes and therfor in this they faile to be called Christianes as sayes Athan. in apol secund Lact. firm lib. 4. c. 30. de vera sapientia Therfor heretikes and ther Reformed faith is not lerned of the Apostles fathers and predecessors of the Church but partly borrowed of som other heresie or partlie by phantasticall and new inuention and so no faith but inuention neither Apostolicall but Pharisaicall The reformed faith â—is lyk a painted man nether Catholik but particular which is no more faith in effect than a painted man is a man For this cause S. Hieron Epist. ad Pamach reproches taxes the heretiks saying Wheir for after fourhundrith years past labor ye to teach which befor we haue not knowne for vnto this present day The world wes Catholik Christian befor thair faith was knowne without your doctrin the world was Christian And Tertull. de praes haeretic repelles their vaine boast concerning any Catholik tytle saying who ar ye from whence and when cam ye where haue ye lurked so longe And S. August no lesse scornes them saying to the Donat. S. Aug. admiration from whence they ar come From whence haue ye apeared of what soile haue ye sprunge out ouer what sea haue ye comed or what heauen haue ye faln from And lykwise Opt. Melet. lib. 2. contr Parm. Sayes in dirision to the heretiks Opt. Mel. derides them asking the originall of thair church Show the original of your Church who would chalenge to you the holy Catholick-Church And as Valer. Max. lib. 6. in principio sayes for conclusion that as the name of God is a most certaine pledge of humane saluation As the name of God is a sauegard to saluation so is the Catholike name a sauegard to al beleueres and a sauegard for man so is this name Catholike a sauegard to al Christian belieuers and theirfor we haue great reason to adheere and ioyne our selfe to the Catholik-Church and not to your reformed which hath no affinitie nor any thing of a Catholik Church or name in it Morouer these and diuerse reasones persuade me Reasone persuades man to beleue the RomaÌ„-Church to be Catholik the only Roman Catholik faith to be accepted as true Apostolicall doctrin but yours and others suchlyk vnder pretext colour of reformation to be repudiat as very fleeting dregges of heresie Which shall not be difficill to proue For the Apostle sayes Ephes 4. that there is one comen and sauing faith in expressing these wordes there is one God one faith one Baptisme This Church is praised of the Apostles own mouch And first for that is the trew and Apostolicall faith which the Apostel praising God and writting the Romans cap. 1. doth say your faith is published through the whol world But our faith which is hated and dispraised by name of Papistry and proprie is that same Roman faith This Catholik church is hated of all heretikes and calumniated Seing no man as yet by any sure reason could shew the Roman Church from that tyme to discrepat or disagree in any substantiall point or that eyther Bishope counsell or any Catholick person do dissent from the Roman Church in essentialles or yet the pastors of our Church Amongst the pastors of the RomaÌ„ Church ther is no variaÌ„ce in essentialles at any tyme to varie from them in substantiall things yea in the smal-lest artickles what soeuer but all to accord and agree with the Catholik faith and to fauour no opinion of heresie Therefor our Papisticall and Roman faith hath obteined the title of the Catholick and Apostolicall name That richtly others sectes discouered this is only to be adiudged and belieued of all men for trew Catholick and Apostolicall and yours for heresie Trew faith most be receaued and belieued of hearing and not by reading of books or reuelations The second reason is the trew faith which who ordinarly declares or teaches to any other it must be first by the ear receaued of the Church of God by the preaching of Christ as the apostell affirmes Rom. 10. faith is by hearing and hearing is by the word of Christ as he would say trew faith is conceaued not immediatly by reuelation or reading of the Scriptures but by those things which are hard of the preacher and mediatly by external doctrin and the doctrin trewly that is harde or to be harde consistes in the word of God preached by the Church But the reformed faith teached by Luther and Caluin and their faith is not by hearing and externall doctrin which they euer receaued in the Church from any pastor doctor bishope or any other hauing authoritie of mission The ProtestaÌ„ts preiching is nether by the word of God nether of the church or euer had commission of any man to preach that reformed faith Therefor their reformed faith is no trew faith The minor is euident becaus they can not produce any doctor nor pastor if they can do it from whome they haue receaued their doctrin For the assertiones written by Luther him self declare the contrary Who in his book of Seruill libertie Luthers glorie him to dissent from all the fathers of the Church obiectes against Erasmus Rotterd in the cause of frewill publiquely to vant boast him to depart and dissent from the doctrin of all the former pastores of the Church and declared by the mouth of the Church and to oppose him self coÌ„traire to Dion Areop Iren. Clem. Cypr. Arnob. August c. Whos 's doctrin in the course of frewill deliuered of the elders to be trew Catholik doctrin and authorised of the mouth of the Church We sayes Luther beliue Luther adiudged all the fathers blind ignoraÌ„t in the Scriptures and preach that the fathers all these many ages past plainly haue ben blind and most vnexpert ignorant and vnlerned in the holly Scriptures And therefor for conclusion of this minor theyr preaching and doctrin is not of the Church nor of any pastor of the Church and consequentlie no faith nether word of God Trew faith should beginne at IerusaieÌ„ The thrid reason is the preaching of the trew faith ought to beginne at Ierusalem and after to go abrod through all the partes of the world as it is writen in S. Luc. 24. it behoued that penance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Ierusalem but the preaching of Luther and Caluins reformed faith hath not begonne at Ierusalem The reformed faith begane in Germany in Geneue in particulare cornes nether is it spred abrod through the world and therefor it is no trew faith The minor is euident for Luther begane in Wittemberg in Saxonie and Caluin in
begetts so many absurdities as a fewe we haue rehearsed for faith to no otherthing should leane to then to the word of God The word of God is from God and only faith from maÌ„ and by that nothing is to be belieued as the heretikes themselues confesse which word the Apostle declares whose word it is saying VVhen ye receaued the word of God which ye heard of vs ye receaued it not as the word of men but as it is indeede the word of God 1. Thess 2 Again faith is by hearing but hearing is by the word of God Roman 10. But there is no word in the Scriptures If only faith were found in the gospell the gospell it self should be nought saying to any man synnes to be remitted to him by only faith for the gospell is one and the same with all Nations and the gospell is generally proposed to all Nations But if the gospell should haue a particular annunciation of only faith thereby synnes to be remitted to the only belieuers it should be false and no Euangelie because it is not found in the gospell Onely faith is addâ—d contrary to the commaund of God in the Scriptures Moreouer God commaundes that thou shalt add nothing to his word least thou be rebuked and founde a lyar Prouerb 30. But they must confesse them to belieue this faith which God hath neyther spoken by his Prophets nor by his onely begotten sonne nor by his Apostles and to belieue the same as the word of God Only faith ouerthrowes all SacrameÌ„ts euery good wercke therefore they add to the word of God and for that cause are to be reproched and condemned lyars So that for conclusion I confesse this doctrine giues consolation and tranquillitie of mynde but full of perill for it doth subuert and ouerthrowe all the fortresses and strenghes of our saluation as the Sacraments good workes pennance prayer yea to repeat the Lords prayer is to doubt in the saith so that a man by this diuillish faith is come to that madnes that he feares not the diuine iudgment of God neyther his owne workes but passing ouer the time with securitie in the considence of this onely faith to be saued for Christs sake whome Christ acknowledgeth not As concerning iustifying faith it is not onely a certaine trust What is iustifying faith or firme hope of the mercyes of God in remitting synnes hauing for his obiect to obtaine a difficil good thing for that cause in the will subiected but it is a certaine facultie in the vnderstanding by which facultie we doe agree and consent to all those thinges which are proposed in the Church as true reuealed by God So that it is plainly a virtue distinct from trust confidence and hope of which these are begotten for who belieues God to be of infinite power and most excellent in goodnes easily by this Of the power goodnes of God we gather confidence conceaues and obtaines some benefit of trust confidence and hope for the Scripture doth manifest this distinction in separating faith hope and charitie so that they are not one thing as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 13. v. 13. The Protestants mingle al togeather as one But now remaineth faith Hope and Charitie Therefore the reformed are deceaued whilst they confound faith with hope as one virtue not making distinction betwixt them Secondly the Scripture teacheth hope and confidence as effects of faith as of one great cause to arise of a certaine effect Hope confidence are as effects of faith not to be the self faith but somewhat flowing from him as the Apostle affirmes Ephes 3. v. 13. In whome we haue trust to draw nere in confidence by his faith Which to wit begetteth confidence which the Apostle also affirmes 1. Timoth 3. v. 13 VVho haue well ministred doe purchase to themselues a good place and much confidence in faith which is in Christ Iesu Where plainly the Apostle deduceth from faith confidence as an effect from his cause because God is powerful and faithful in his promisses therefore we arise in hope and confidence Faith hath not alwayes confidence ioyned with it Thirdly faith hath not alwayes confidence conioyned to it as it doth plainly appeare in the Leapre who said to our Sauiour Matth. 8. v. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Iustifying faith sheweth no matter and obiect Fourthly the Scripture speaking of faith necessary to saluation doth not shewe the matter and his obiect to be any thing which is to be belieued or to be apprehended by vnderstanding neyther properly doth it fall in hope or confidence of will for what els doth our Sauiour say Ioan. 14. v. 10. Doe ye not belieue that I am in the father and the father in me Likewise Matth. 9. v. 28. Doe you belieue that I can doe these things to you Which now sometimes is present now also in the future apprehended by onely vnderstanding and not hoped Faith sometimes apprehende the present tense sometimes the future for hope and confidence respect and looke to the future All the ancient fathers are of this opinion who place faith and his action to be in consent Faith falls in the consent operation of the vnderstanding and not in the confidence of will and operation of the vnderstanding and not in confidence of wil as sayes S. Aug. lib. de praedest sanct Ipsum credere respondet nihil altud est quam cum assentione cogitare That is Him to beleue he answers it is no other than with assente to think for this greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth aswel signify consent as confidence as Matth. 9. v. 29. accordinge to your faith be it vnto you that is to say according to the thought of your myndes as the blindmen belieued Christ to be able to restore them their sightes but of the power to do is not confidence but an inherent qualitie persuadinge them to assent to this power in whom they belieued as ther prayer witnesseth The faith which Christ prayses is highly coÌ„mended of him self for vertue that is coÌ„ioyned with it But that faith which Christ so oft hath praised sayinge Thy faith hath made thee wholl as Luc. 7. v. 50. cap. 8. v. 48. Was not only faith or alone as the reformers this day goeth about to establishe hereupon laying downe the friuolous and weak foundation of their only faith who ar deceaued becaus they look not to the vertues that accompaned those persones as feruent loue towardes god with ernest prayeres confidence loue towardes ther neigkboures teares penitential workes humilitie shamfastnes confession of their sinnes perseueraÌ„ce gratitude in acknowledging of their receaued health many of these may be obserued and marked in the faith of Mary Magdalen and not only faith as they dreame of I know our sauiour to haue said to the archsynagogue asking health to his doughter feare not only belieue Marc. 5. v.
the Priestes keepe wisdome and they shall aske the law at his mouth and not of the reading of the Scriptures which rashnes S. Hier. epist. 103. reprehendes that euery one will chalenge Scripture this the chatting old wyfe this the doting aged this the babling sophister this euery one presumes to teach before he learne And lykewyse Tert. de Prasc sayes all are swelled vp all do professe knowledge yea euen very hereticall women how male pert and bould they are to teach and dispute in Scriptures therefore to auoyd these absurdities it is not lawfull to reade the Scriptures OBIECTION CHrist gaue thanks to his Father that he had hid these things from the wyse and prudent and had reuealed them to babes Matth. 11. which doth manifest the greater ostentation of Gods diuine righteousnes mercy and light of the Ghospell therefore the Scripture is no lesse commended to the vnlearned of spirituall vnderstanding then to the iudgement of the prudent and wyse but the Papists doe interdict the people this knowledge in reading the word of God in remitting them to the Doctores of their vniuersities ANSVVER I Admit the antecedent and deny the subsequēt for by litle ones is not vnderstood the vnlearned people but the humble and meke that is not puffed vp with vaine science such were the Apostles and Disciples fishers who altogeather were not vnlearned in that whole three years they were conuersant with Christ the Master of veritie who by his diuine doctrine illuminated their mynds and vnderstanding to haue knowledge of the Scriptures But such little ones were not old-doting-foles prating-old-wyfes Barbers Smythes c. who hauing alwayes false passadges search not the vnderstanding of them but prate bable and read them in their shopps esteeming more of their owne iudgement then all the Doctors and vniuersities in the world OBIECTION THE Scripture is the booke of the faithfull Therefore it is to be read and is plaine to euery mans mynd and vnderstanding ANSVVER I Graunt it is but not to be expounded of all because S. Ambrose calleth it the Priests booke neyther was it without a cause that the bookes of the old Testament were most surely kept in the Temple by the Priestes as relates S. Aug. lib. 16. de cruit cap. 13. And therefore the Priestes bookes are not bookes for the vulgar people OBIECTION THEY shal be all taught of God Ioa. 6. v. 45. Therefore there is no need of any other Doctor for the people then the Scripture ANSVVER I Deny the consequent for it is not there signifyed that all people shall vnderstand all Scriptures without any externall Doctours of God by his inspiration as they dreame but he sayes all shal be taught of God in the last tymes which doctrine is fulfilled by Christ and after him of the holy Ghost in powring in his Pastores of the Church true faith So that this doctrine of Christ and true faith is publickly denounced by the Catholicke Church whereby euery one may be taught in the knowledge of God and not by naked reading of the Scripture For the assumption maketh against themselues To what end are ministers and preichers admitted amongst the Protestantes if all men by reading the Byble may be sufficiently taught in the knowledge of God of God by inward inspiration and of his owne reading aswell as by their preaching OBIECTION THe Scripture is the Key of knowledge but this Key ought to be knowne to all Ergo. and the Scripture ANSVVER ORigine lib. 4. de princ cap. 2. sayes that the inter pretatiō of the church is the key of knowledge drawne from the self same Scriptures but the Scripture it selfe is not the Key of knowledge because the Scripture cannot warrant it self withour the authority of the Church and this authority and spirituall interpretation of the Church is the spirituall Key of knowledge and not the reading of Scripture OBIECTION THe reading of the Scripture bringeth consolation of the spirit to the people therefore it is good and necessary to be read of the vulgar for consolations cause ANSVVER IT is true but not to the purpose for there are many other things which giue consolation to the spirit as the expositions of the Scripture Sermons Meditation receiuing of the Sacraments and not the naked reading of the Bible Otherwise if it be of necessity how shall the poore miscrable and idiots who can not read haue any consolation for the word of God consisteth not only in externall sound but in the true sense and vnderstanding OBIECTION CHrist commanded the Iewes to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. vers 39. And the same lykewyse is commanded to Christians to try the doctrine of fayth according to the rule of scripture and that they may iudge of his interpretation ANSVVER THe word search both in Latin and Greeke may be in the indicatiue and imperatiue moode if it be in the indicatiue as D. Stapeltō saies the sense is you diligently inquyre the Scriptures and yet will not belieue that there you doe fynde of me and these were the bookes of the old Testament for there were none other then writiē If it be in the imperatiue Christ hath not here spoken to the vulgar sorte but to the Scrybes Psiests Leuites and Pharisies with whom was the Key of knowledge who had their dayly conuersation in the Scriptures the which for probability Herod affirmeth whill he assembled the Scrybs Matt. 2. to inquyre of them where Christ should be borne OBIECTION THe Beronenses doe search the Scriptures after the preaching of S. Paul and are commēded that they bestowed thēselues dayly in searching the Scriptures cōcerning those things which were affirmed by Paul and Silas Therefore it is necessary to read the Scriptures ANSVVER THe Beronenses search the Scriptures after the preaching of the Apostles not as doubting of the word but diligently attending least with new doctrines cōtrary to the scriptur they might also be deceaued for as yet the Beronenses had not made professiō of Christ name neyther were they boūd to credit the Apostles except their doctrine had ben proued with myracles or els by testimony of Scripture But farr other wayes the reformed vse to do who will mix their priuate interpretation with the Scripture repugnant to the Scripture Church in raysing new opinions and renewing old damned Heresies OBIECTION LVther de ser Arbit Teaches and constantly affirmes that the Scriptures in thēselues are easy of vnderstanding and need no interpretor yea all men are taught of God and his spirit need not to be taught of any other Therefore as they are facill in vnderstanding so should they be cōmon to all men without interdiction ANSVVER WHere difficulties are it is not plaine neyther facill to all men but the Scripture is full of difficulties for it is the storehouse of Gods Secrets Ergo. Moreouer the disciples hearing Christ disputing about the mysterie of his body And because they were his disciples should haue better digested Christs words thē the people
v. 28. Where Christ asked of the two blind men saying belieue yee that I can doe this to yow In which wordes he demaundes the consent of their vnderstanding which assent or consent and S. Aug. lib. de praed Sanct. sayth he would haue them belieue vertue to be existant in the power of Christ by which he would haue them belieue there health and restauring of their sight not that foolish special iustifying fayth which you dreame of your own inuention Neyther this confent as S. Aug. sayth fuffices not to the conseruation of righteousnes neyther to saluation but besides these are requisit good workes and the obseruance of the Commandemēts of God Good workes is very requisit to fayth by which the iust man groweth in righteousnes and charity according to that saying of S. Iames cap. 2. v. 21. That Abraham our Father was iustifyed of workes that is to say by works he is made more righteous What els mean other places of Scripture in demāding good fruict and greater abondance of righteousnes aboue the Pharisaicall righteousnes to this effect the yongman asken what worke was to be done needfull for him to enter into the Kingdome of Heauē our Sauiour answeres not saying belieue and thou shal be iust as the Protestants presupposition is but he sayth to him If thow wilt enter into the lyfe kept the commandements Matth. 19. v. 17. which commandements was the Decalogue as Christ expones vnto him Workes are the fruict of faith To what end is this speciall fayth when the true fayth suffices not to doe absolutely right well but charity ioyned with fayth doth make men iust and the sonnes of God because the Apostle sayth 1. cor 13. v. 1. Without charity all to be insufficient to saluation what a man can doe so consequently fayth of it self suffices not without workes which proceed of charity Luther moekes good workes Therefore let Luther be ashamed in making this wicked skoffagainst good workes in his sermon saying I say to thee because the way is strait and narrow it behoweth thee to bethin small if thou wilt come be that way but it followeth who are charged with works as we see ye pilgrims of S. Iames to be loden with there clam-shelles can no way enter into Heauen To conclude the counsell of Luther is different frō the counsell of Christ who commendes the frutes of righteousnes proceeding from fayth and the other discomendes all good workes to establish his naked only fayth OBIECTION IVstification oft in the Scripture is attributed to only fayth as Luc. 7. v. 50. Thy fayth hath made the whole and lykewise Rome 5. v 50. VVe are iustifyed of faith Therefore in vaine are workes ANSVVER AS the Scripture hath attributed iustification to fayth euen so lykewyse to hope to feare to pennance and to Almesse As Rom. 8. v. 24. By hope we are saued and Tob. 4. v. 11. Almesse delyuere from sinne and death also Eccl. 1. v. 27. The feare of the Lord expelleth sinne ergo it followeth these to iustify as well as only fayth and if there be rightly vnderstood ioyned with fayth Workes ioyned with faith iustify a man make iustification for they are the fruicts of fayth and so it is not only fayth that maketh a man iust for that word is not found in the Scripture only but because faith is the foundament and root from whence other vertues groweth Therefore righteousnes and saluation is attributed to him although mention is not made so ample of the vertues as of the foundation for what pulchritude and beauty is in a tree all dependes of the roote euen so what vertue and righteousnes groweth with man all is commended to proceed of fayth as of the roote and foundation of others OBIECTION THe Scripture speaking of the Euangely and explicating what it is as it were by a Emthesis sayth the Euangely which is to say Gods word saueth vs as 1. cor 15. v 2. The Euangely sayth he by which yee are saued and lykewyse Iacob 1. v. 18. VVillingly hath he begotten vs by the word of verity Therefore by fayth and not by workes we are iustifyed and for this cause we Protestants giue our selues to preaching of the word to the reading of the Bybel that by the word of fayth we may be feede and saued ANSVVER MIserable Protestāts how art thou deceaued in hearing preachings and in profitable reading of the Byble when thou vnderstandes it not For if thou would vnderstand thy owne proposition thou shall well know that the word of God saueth not formally but by way of Gods proponed grace and our obedience and not be only fayth as S. Iames cap. 2. v. 24. sayth in expresse wordes See sayth he how a man is iustifyed of workes and not of fayth only OBIECTION BVt how sayth S. Paul Rom. 3. vers 20. Gall. 2. vers 16. That no man by the vvorkes of the Law can be iustifyed ANSVVER WEll agreeth S Paul and S. Iames by diuers reasons for S. Paul sayth that the workes of the Law without relation to Christ auailleth not to righteousnes which S. Paul so hyghly disputes and againe the workes of the Law with relation to Christ conioyned with faith to auaille much so that S. Iames and S. Paul denyeth not good works done by fayth but teaches expresly the vtility of them as Gal. 5. v. 6. saying in Christ Iesu neyther is circumcision any thing neyther the preputie◠but faith which by charity is wrought and seing it is euident that the requyres demaundes good works which commeth of faith and charity that only fayth may be secluded OBIECTION YF Abraham is iustifyed of workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Rom. 4. v. 2. Therefore we cannot reioyce and boost of our workes ANSVVER I Say that neyther Abraham nor any other man could glory and reioyce of their workes in the mynde and sense of S. Paul that is to say in the merites of their workes done without fayth as the Iewes did reioyce of to wit of righteousnes done without grace by the knowledge of the Law which obseruation was very imperfect in them for that they keeped the Law but in a part to wit concerning certaine externall things OBIECTION CHrist hanging on the Crosse hath sayd it is finished Iohn 19. v. 20. Therefore there remaine no workes for all are done by Christ and no more is required no fasting pennance and satisfaction c. ANSVVER THe true sense of these wordes are that Christ hath finished the work of our redemption on the Crosse For if otherwyse the Protestant vnderstand this they ought not to baptyse nor be baptised frequent the Lords Supper Preach sing-psalmes pray nor fast c. OBIECTION ONly Fayth suffices as sayth Thomas de Aquino ergo ANSVVER SO it is in the mynd of the Doctor to the vnderstanding and conception of the mystery of the Eucharist and not to the conseruation of righteousnes and to the
Geneua in Sauoye their preachings They neuer saluted Ierusalem nether is their reformed faith farr spred abrode nether hath it ben in Asia Africk Grece Egypt nether in many Kingdomes of Europe and farlesse through the world nether to the middest of it And although the Church as they say is old and aged yet their Synagogue is more apparant to be at an end Diuisions and sectes are futer tokens of anâ— end for their own diuisiones and daily mutations are prognostications of an end for the Euangellist sayes Luc. c. 1. euery Kingdome diuided in it self shal be desolat this desolation appeares rightly in the propagation of sectes for some are Sacramentaries In what nomber of sectes the reformed fallin whil they forsake the Catholick Church some Confessionistes some fierce some slacker some contra-deuills some hellishe deuills some two Sacramentaries other thre Sacramentaries some superintendents some Luther-Caluinists some anti-Caluinists some new-Pelagians some new Manicheans some Puritans some Gomaristes contra-Puritanes Arminians c. What a rable and a degenerat crew of sectes ech one hath the new reformed Church and the new no faith In vaine they wold be called Catholickes wher Sathan hath his dominioÌ„ it tendes to desolation and are not ashamed to claime the Catholik name to them and the Church of Christ Where Antichrist hath his desolation abominable confusion of sectes And therefor their religion reformation and faith is nether religion faith nor Gospel The Protestants sayes without warrandes Ther exception here can not be omitted vndiscouered in that they affirme and say them to hold the same doctrin which begann at Ierusalem ther vpon to assume to them the Apostolicall and Catholik faith This exception is in vaine for when soeuer any heretik did appare he sayd and affirmed the same Christ answer e our Catholik beg nnâ—g but euill proued here vpon Christ â—eencounters their folish-cauilling-lies who hath not placed the doctrine but the beginning of the Euangelicall preaching to take place at Ierusalem for he sayes Trew doctrin is noâ— knowne but preaching and to preachers beginning at Ierusalem to wit the self preachers for the doctrin is not knowne except by preaching as the Apostel sayes how shall they belieue in him in whome they haue not heard and how shall they heare without preaching therefor the preacher and the doctrine must beginne first at Ierusalem The preacher the doctrin most beginne at Ierusalem Which the new reformed preachers haue not done therefor their doctrin and reformed faith is nether Apostolical nor Catholick All Churches hath one beginning of the Apostolicall preaching beginning at Ierusalem For all particular Churches haue one originall and commun beginning to wit the Apostolicall pr aching beginning at Ierusalem and after by the same Apostles spred abrod in diuerse nations It â—est now after so many ages that albeit the Churches of the other Apostles hath perished not w h standing only Peters the Prince of the Apostles to wit the Church of Rome Rome Church standes by singular priuiledge of God that in it is livly authoritie by the singular benefit of God to remain Wher many yeares he teached and in it ended his lyf which as S. Aug Epist 162. ad Glorium sayes hath euer bene resident with the authoritie of the apostolicall chayre And theirfor for verification of our mission doctrin and faith we make manifest and declare one originall to be of the Apostles for Peter him self first of all other hath preached in Ierusalem and also from this seate when as yet the seates of the other apostles weer extant The church of Rome is cheif of all other seates when the Apostles wer a-liue All the fathers defended ther originall by this church Trew faith should be vndouted in all thinges not with standing as cheif of all others and hereto many holy fathers and the trew Senatours of the world haue inferred and induced punctually the orignall of their churches against the heretikes of their tyme. As Tertull. de praesc haeret 2. con lib 3. c. 3. Epiph. haret 27. aug 4. The fourth reason is that the trew Catholick faith ought to be vndoubted in all things the which the Church proposes to be belieued so that it is most certain to vs the thing which we are commanded to belief to be such lyke for other wayes it should not be trew faith because faith is the substance of things hoped this is the trew proper and sure fundament and an argument of nothing seene Heb. 9. and this is the trew definition of our Catholik faith and the vndoubtenes there of to depend on the Church But the Reformed faith of Luther and Caluin is not vndoubted and first I proue The ProtestaÌ„ts faith is full of doutes because in matters of greatest importance and moment of faith they disagree one from the other extremly For Luther omitting many to touche a fewe discrepants in his booke de capt bap printed anno 1520. about the beginning doth acknowledge only one Sacrament if we do speke sayes he according to the custome of the Scripture Luther and Caluin varie in the number of the Sacraments notwithstanding after he takes occation for the tyme to place three bapt the Lords supper and pennance Far other wayes disputes Caluin in his Parnassus lib. 4. instit cap. 18. § 19 whil he reckneth two Sacraments saying besides these none other is institute of God and yet the Church of the faithfull ought not to acknowledge any other Notwithstanding a little after in the same booke Order a Sacrament acknowledged of Caluin cap. 19. § 31. he sings an other thing placeing order amongst the Sacraments ther rests imposition of handes sayes he which in trew and lawfull ordination I graunt to be a Sacrament Bread wyne to be turned in to the body blood of Christus is Luthers opinion Againe Luther in his book de abroganda miss pri plainly teacheth that Christ when he sayd this is my body and this is my blood changed the bread into his body the wyne into his blood likewyse in his Serm. de Euchar. it is not there bread sayes he and wyne but only the species of bread and wyne Caluin called bread wyne Sacramentall symboles Contrariwise Caluin denyed his body and blood corporally and essentially to be in the Eucharist but only spiritually and sacramentally as lib. 4 instit c. 17. § 5. for that we confesse him to be no other way in the Sacrament thaÌ„ by the eating of faith neither can he no other wayes be presupposed who in his first § sayes bread and wyne sayes he are signes which do represent the inuisible foode that we receiue of the flesh and blood of Christ by faith Morouer how variable and inconstant is Luther in the other artickles of the faith Luth. is so variable in the artikles of our faith that in one artkle he is noted of 36
consequentlie froÌ„ god him self for as S. August sayes he shall not haue god for his father that will not haue the church for his mother OBIECTION OVr faith is pure reformed and is Catholik forasmuch as it is free of the errors and superstitions of the papistis and therefor this our reformation is to be preferred and is more Catholik then the papistes faith is ANSVER TOo late hast thou spruÌ„g vp vaine boaster that with these vaine wordes and suchlyk illusiones thow labores to seduce and blind so many learned men in the church of God or perchance thou thinkest them to be children lying in craddles that in singing of such triflinge songs thow canst mak them slumber or rather stumble The protestants reformation admittes no power spirituall or temporall What puritie â—s in yowr faith how reformed and how long catholike that more iustlie it may be called deformed and the in bringer of all deformatioÌ„ and distruction of all ecclesiasticall powere the which reformation admits no policie and no ecclesiasticall forme but damnes the rites of all former ages Derides the cannones of the Church They deride the canons of the Church and Scoffes at the fathers mockes and scoffes the holy fathers howsoeuer they weer neere the tyme of the Apostles for euidence doth not Cal. lib. 3. instit cap. 4. § 38. condemne all the ancieÌ„t fathers whose bookes ar extant in speaking of satisfaction and that in his fourth booke of instit cap. 12. § 20. sayes he Caluin condeÌ„nes the ancieÌ„t fatheres and presseth them to haue sown superstition in the Church In all he will not excuse the ancient fathers but that they haue sowed the seede of superstition and haue giuen occasion to Tyrannie which therafter a rose in the church and than furth with beganne the superstitious obseruance of Lent thus he and thus is the beginning of the reformation and the puritie of the gospell to bolster heresie for treuth and veritie It may be called a renouation of old damned heresies harken good frends and I shall declare the assumtion and the effect of this reformatioÌ„ first the trew church of God visible in all the countries of the world in this reformed churches opinioÌ„ to haue perished and to remaine and a byde in som certaine places of the world obscure and hidde of this mynd was the Donatists as witnes Opt. meleu lib. 2. cont parm and S. Ang. lib. de Vnit. Eccl. cap. 12. this same doctrin of reformed faith The Church to haue perished was the old heretikes opinion with the reformers hath Caluin teached that the church of Christ hath perished and remaines inuisible aganst the plain tenor of the Scriptur Cal. lib. 4. cap. 2. § 2. Secondlie the Arrianes taught the sonne not to be aequall to the father in deitie as witnes Epiph. heresie 69. The sone is not equall with the father And the same groundes hath Caluin for his reformation lib. 2. inst c. 14. § 3. God is the author of sinne Thirdlie Florinus held opinion God to be the author of sinnes as Euseb lib. 5. c. 20. And the same opinion is stoutly defended of Caluin lib. 1. iust cap 18 § 4 5. lib. 1. cap. 15. § 16. Man is instified by onlie faith Fourtly man to be iustifyed and saued by only faith and not by workes was the opinion of Simon Magus and Eunomius as S. Aug. haer 54. Iren. lib. 1 cap. 20. The same doctrin teaches Luth. in Serm. de piscat Petri We should come only with Ysaac sayes he that is with faith and the seruantes and asses that is workes it behoweth to leave them below and a syde And in an other Sermon in that subiect Sic Deus dilexit munduÌ„ if thow com sayes he with Sackes full of good workes it behoveth thee to lay theÌ„ down otherwayes thow canst not enter into heauen And Caluin ther mak his bragg in his thrid book of inst cap 11. § 14. Now plainly the reader doth behold sayes he with what oequitie the Sophisticall papistes do cauill and iudge our religion when we say Aman is iustified by only faith Man hath no freewill Fyftlie Manicheus condemned and denyed frewill as S. Aug. haeres 49. The same hath Luther renewed as in his book of Servill will cont Eras and suchlyk Cal. lib. 2. cap. 2. § 4. This name of frewill hath euer beene extant with the Latines but with the Grekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word much more arrogant Mariadge and Virginitie is alyk in merit Sixtlie Iouinian made Mariage alyke in dignitie and merit to Virginitie and plainly to haue taught fasting and abstinence to be of no merit as S. Hier. obserues lib. 1. 2. cont Iouian These same subiectes teaches Luther and Caluin Luther in his epithalamio and Cal. lib. 4. c. 12. § 19. cap. 13. § 3. what if I should repeat the erroneous opinions of the Albigenses Waldens Wiclif Hussites Abailardes Baerâ—â— garians Almarik and suchlyk abominable sectes condemned long since of the Church and of all generall counsells accursed and yet not withstanding these are the patrones The old heretikes ar the patrones of the newe heretikes and Rabbies of the reformed who weer renewers of Heresie inuentors of noualties whose begininge and progresse is knowen to be wrapped in errore and superstitioÌ„ while they think to be free ar snared in blindnese of vnderstanding and in hardnes of hart They ar blind through the hardnes of ther hart and indured goeth headlonge to perditioÌ„ as reprobated of God through the hardnes of their own hart and therfore if any maÌ„ censure and iudge with equitie the reformed they haue no faith no religion no name but the name of particular men as Caluinists and Lutherans and of suchlyk monsters already condemned And therfore for conclusion let the catholik RomaÌ„ faith liue and reigne to whose campe I admon she all aduersaries not to approch for treuely it is plesant and delectable to be a protestant but more Secure to die a Catholik therfore let euery good Christian eschewe and flee from the Lutherans and Galuinistes who ar particular sectes seing each Gentell reader flee the heretikes for they promise much and porforme but little one of them promisseth with Faustus Manicheus to giue a new illumination and a new reformation euery on of them endeuoreth to draw the into his sect but take heed and be warned and cry with S. Hieron epist ad Damas Meletius Vitalis and Paulinus also Luther Caluin and Rotman and all other sectaries doe say that they haue the trew and Christian faith so said the heretikes of old so sayes the moderne perchance aman might beleue if one said it but two and three do say and they all do lie what hunting mak they to mak a proselite and a child of hell o tymes o maneres o monsters what absurdities followeth this new reformation as is rehersed that Christian men are
brought in that perplexitie of mynd to stad hummering and in consultation with them selues what syde to be on what religion to imbrace what faith to beleue A conclusion descrybinge them to whoÌ„ they ar lyk for they them selues that ar the rabbies of this reformation are departed from the testament of the Catholik church to wit from vnitie peace and holy obedience and ar Ioyned to the gentilles to do the very workes of the gentilles and ar sold to do euill 1. Machab. 1. v. 16. Matth. 26. mantein the euill and to condemne the righteous and to bring perdition to the soules of men throw their filthy and damnable persuations Matth. 7. O frindly enimies kissing with a venemous mouth hauing sugered lippes to ly O wolfes hypocrisie vnder a lambes countenance to deceave Genes 3. O cruell wound vnder pretext of a charitable medicine Iudicum 14. O serpents narration full of envy and malice to our first parentes O desembled sighes 2. Reg. c. 20. and gronings the hypocritall Teares of Dalila 2. Mach. c. 13. O Ioabs trechorous salutation to Amaza O Triphons wicked banquet to Ionathas O Gabonit policy to deceave Israell what ells ar all the heretikes do they not pretend simplicitie innocency perfection religion and cloth theÌ„ selues with the catholik name when all is falsehood and wickednes that they pretend and thus the prophet sayes they protect them selues putting their hope in an vntreuth and falshoode Isa 68. being men void of grace and destitute of the fear of the Lord and ar become the children of this world to be wyse in their generation and to be destitute of all knowledge concerning God and so in the end to perish miserablie QVAESTIO II. Of the damnable and speciall faith of the Heretikes WHerfore doe the Papistes reiect our speciall faith which giues secure consolation to the faithfull Luth. art 10.11.12 Cal. lib. 3. inst cap 2. § 16.17 ANSVVER THAT speciall faith by whiche ariseth sure confidence by reasone of Christes imputatiue iustice merit and satisfaction in beleueing with your selues sinnes to be remitted and to be iust and of God predestinat to eternall lyffe as also vndoubtedly to obteine the inheritance of the kâ—ngdome of God This securitie Only faith is deadly and fight against God and the Scriptures and confidence is false and full of deadlie poyson and seales your obcecat and blinde conscience to go forwarde temeÌ„rously in presumption against God and his wisdome reuealed in holy Scriptures which reclames this assertion to be false vaine With standes nothinge and foolishe and by consequence accursed As these euident testimonies witnesse And first Ecclesiast sayes that a man knowes not Mans ryghâ—eousnes and predestination is vncertaine in this lyf whether he is worthy of Love or hatred but all thinges ar kept vncertaine to the end Eccl. cap. 9. v. 1. The which wordes ar spoken of righteous-men who ar not guyltie of any sinne in them selues for the preacher hathe saide a little before that there ar ryghteous iust and wyse men whose state of rychteousnes in this lyfe and predestination is vncertain Secondlie the same preacher pronunceth plainlie to reconcyled persones with God Reconciled persones at not without fear of the remitted sinne saying of the forgiuen sinne be not without feare Eccles 5. v 5. therfore what certaintie and securitie can be presupposed when we are commanded to feare the forgiuen sinne Thridly S. Paull 1. Cor. cap. 4. v. 4. Speakinge of the iudgment of conscience sayes as touckinge me I passe little to be iudged of yow or mans iudgment nor I iudge not my self Iustification is a hiden secret so that of hide things no man is sure and farrles secur and certaine For I know no thing by my self yet am I not therby iustified which all do sounde incertantie in iustification and no confident securitie as though he would say the iustification of man is so hidde and secret that albeit no man be guiltie and faultie of sinne in him self yet notwithstanding a man may not therefore promise to him self vndoubted iustification as all the fathers do expounde this place as Ambr. Chryso Theoph. Theod. Anselm c. Vnto which accordes S. Chry. oper imperf in Mat. hom 38. No man sayes he is vnder-propped and vpholden with so great firmnesse and strength that he can be secure of his iustification A presuÌ„ptious temeritie in the protestantes thus he thair for all heretikos puritanes and whatsoeuer sectaries may be ashamed of their temerous presuÌ„ption in persuadinge and assuringe to them selues predestination and iustification which neither the Apostles neither fathers nor holy Church hath euer presumed to ascribe to them selues The temeritie of this only faith detected doth demonstrate the presumption Speciall faith is no wayes reuealed of God as a thing certaine to be belieued and foolishnes of them in this formall argument No man can belieue any thing surely in the certaintie of faith except the self same be reuealed of God Therfore in particular me to be iust with habituall righteousnes at no tyme is reuealed excluding the singular priuiledge of Gods diuyne reuelation which is geuin to veriefewe therfor it can not be that I can belieue the certaintie of suchlyk faith to be reuealed of God which sightes against him self as an axioÌ„ to an impossibilitie In treue faith no man can belieue false thinges Moreouer no man can or may belieue falslie in heauenly faith but this is falslie belieued of many them selues to be iust For the verification of the same doth not the Lutheranes belieue them selues to be iust but the Caluinistes iniust But the protestantes faith beliues falstie many things and treuly coÌ„trary wise the Caluinistes beleue theÌ„ selues to be iust and the Lutheranes iniust For euery sect belieueth their ovne to be iust but others vniust Therfor it is of necessitie this speciall faith to be iniust and false for wherfore is it trewer which the Lutheranes doth beleue than that which the Caluinistes beleue for euery one of theÌ„ obiectes to the other the inspiratioÌ„ of the spirit and each one chaleÌ„dge an other of error Therfor only and speciall-faith is no faith and no thing els but deceipt Only faith is inuented for the libertie of the flesh Eunomius opinion about only faith his policie good lyf that many were deceaued by him and Sathans subtiltie to cosen and deceaue the simple and only inuented to defend the libertie of the flesh Of this opinion was Eunomius as sayes S. August lib. de haeres ad quod vult Deum to affirme this presumption of securitie of Saluation by only faith which this day the moderne sectaries defende yea S. Aug. sayes that the enimie was so subtill and of good maners of lif that many belieued him Moreouer he affirmed that no euill could harme any man nether perseuerance in sinne if he were participant of that faith which of him was teached and defended
therfor it followes by this only faith Only faith brings no effect with it no remission of sinnes no iustification no securitie for what profites the doctrine of this faith when the effect profits not the effect is remission of sinnes and when this faith conferres not remission of sinnes to what end is it for an heretick hath not thereby remission of sinnes I proue the argument thus Fals religion is an highe offence to God God is highlie offended with false religion and with them that belieue and follow the same nether haue they forgiunesse with God but it is well known that the Lutherans and Caluinistes in matters most important in Christian religion do disagre and varie wonderfully amonge them selues The Lutherās Caluenists varie greatly amonge them selues about iustification and remission of sinnes consequentlie the one part is opposit to the other striuing and contending about religion therfor they in so belieuing this only faith which is false in it self offende God and ar in the wrath of God so that in this offence and wrath they can haue no forgeuenesse of their sinnes and yet all heretikes teach constantlie this point to all mē that they belieue securely and persuade them selues of the remission of their sinnes and by this presumption and arrogant confidence they belieue false religion to the offendinge of God and to their own iust iudgment Only faith is satanicall and deuilishe for ech heretik followeth his own inspiration and is cōtrary one to and other Morouer the doctrine of this only faith is Sathanicall and deuilish for Luther belieueth his sinnes to be fogiuen him and it is so according to his faith the Caluiniste lykwise beleues his sinnes to be remitted to him and it is so accordinge to his faith but Luther denyes them to by remitted to Calnin behold how they accord in belieueing one thinge and subuerte their owne Gospell and both these heretikes haue receaued that doctrin which aperteineth not to the Euangell of Christ therfor of their own mouth they ar conuniced For seing the Caluinistes sayes Belieue God to be appeased and reconciled with thee and he is appeased and thy sinnes ar forgiuen and this same the Lutheranes belieue According to their own censure one of thē erres and in Veritie both erres Only faith takes away the fear of God and yet according to their own censure and iudgmēt the one erres and both peruert the worde of God in teaching false religion do haynouslie offend God and abyde in his wrath and consequently obtaine no remission of sinnes Moroner this only faith takes away fear frō men and settes the seueritie of Gods iudgment at nought becaus it induceth men to persuade them selues assuredly of Gods mercy and commandes securitie and peace of conscience The heretik by this only faith reaches men to be secure for God is not to be feared as a iudge but as a father for they ar bold to say God is to be feared not as a rigorous iudge and not as a reuenger of sinnes but as a benigne father for Caluin sayes if we think God a seuere iudge than is faith torne and rent with the memory of diuine iudgment and therefor iustifying faith should be lame if we think God to be such a iudge whome we beleue to be a benigne father and this their doctrin of only faith is to free and exempt God of his iustice contrary to the holy Scriptur which declareth the mercy and iudgmentes of God as Psalm .. 110. and in the first commandiment he declaires him selfe a reuenger of sinne Exod. 20. saying The Scriptur declaires God to be a iust iudge and Zealous I am the Lord thy God Zealous visitinge iniquitie for if he be not to be feared as a reuenger of sinne to what effect ar these places in Scripture Eccles 5. the most highest is a patient rewarder and suchlyk if the forgiuen sinne be without feare Againe Matth. 10. feare him who may destroy both soule and body in hellfyre and Malach. 1. The sonne doth honor his father and the seruant his maister if therfor I be a father wheer is my honor and if I be a Lord and maister where is my feare and Sal. Pronerb 28. sayes blessed is the man that is euer fearfull by other places as Hier. cap. 5.1 Cor. 9. Psal 2. Psal 37. Psal 50. Psal 118 Psal 82. Eccles 7. Eccles 1. Which passadges condemne this only faith which would bring the fear of God and his iudgmentes in obliuion They teach the iudgmentes of God at but to fraye vs and not to fear vs. And to be of no validitie and force as a thinge to fraye vs and not bo fear vs. And in this maner all heretikes in the begininge teache to approach and mount to the supreame fruite of faith to wit securitie forgiuenes of sinnes peace of conscience and the settinge of all fear of God a syde frō one extremitie to an other without ony middest and whill they place sinners in the starres in presumption and ambition with Lucifer Heretikes are false iustifyers trew neck-breakers in iustifyinge them by only faith they percipitat them in condemnation and so proue false iustifyers and treue-neckebreekeres for as S. August in Psal 5. sayes Fear is a great saueguarde to them that goe forwarde to saluation yet not in securitie in this lyf for if the Apostell who knew nothing in him selfe reprehensible or sinfull was not secure much lesse any heretik following his own reprobat sense Only faith vsurpeth the office of Christ to iudge of the hidde thoughts of men Morouer this only faith doth vsurpe the office of Christ our iudge in pronouncinge iudgmēte of the thoughts of men which only God dothe search for whosoeuer in mynd doth serue the fleshe and sinne can not please God Rom. 8. Who ar in the fleshe and walk accordinge to the fleshe they can not please God but no man is certaine whether sinne reigne in him or no No man is certaine of his own perfectiō nether can iustify him self albeit he be innocent to him selfe or to walk after the fleshe their for no man is certaine that he pleaseth God if any be certaine that he walketh after the fleshe he is more certaine of this vertue than the Apostle Paull 1. Corinth 4. Who was not bould to iudge him selfe whose conscience accused him in no thing guyltie or reprehensible of sinne for he did read of the Prophet Delicta quis intelligit that is who knowes his sinnes Psal 18. Therefor he prayes to be cleansed of his hidde sinnes againe Sal. Prouerb 21. Ther is away that seemes to a man iust and the end thereof leadeth to deathe and cap. 15. all wayes of a man seemes right to him self but God knowes the hart therefor the Apostell did temperat his sayings The Apostles modestie in his own iudgment of iustification The hart of man is a depth vnsearchable to man with
feare least perchance by ignorance he had sinned for the hart of man is a depth and what is more profound then this depth Psal 41. for men may speak and may be seene mouinge and workinge and harde speake but of whome is his hart penetrated of whome is his thoughtes beholden what he meanes within him self What within he may think what he would what he would not who shall comprehend this depth hearing the Apostell saying I know nothing in my self yet do I not iudge my self would any beleue such a profunditie to be in man that this depth to him self is not known in wkome it is this profunditie of infirmitie appeared not to S. Peter S. Peter knew not his own weaknes in his rashe promises how shall a man know of his full perfection which is iustificatiō when he knew not what was to be done in him self when rashlie he promissed to dye for our Lord Matth. 26. Therefor is any man secure in this lyf which is called a warrfaire and temptation and as Hierem. 17. sayes the hart of man is froward and inscrutable who shall know it so that no man knoweth what is in man except the spirit of man which is in him and yet treuly the spirit him selfe not fully for when the Apostle sayes I esteme litle to be iudged of yow or of man but addinge therto nether do I iudge my self wherfore becaus I cānot giue a treu sentēce of my self for although I am nothing guyltie yet in this I am not iustifyed God knowes in man that he knowes not in him selfe for God heares and sees in the hart of the thinker that he nether heares nor sees in him self that thinketh For this cause Hier. 17. sayes thow knowest I haue not desyred the day of man and if this my day smyled on me nether iudge I my self because nether do I know my self sufficient therefor is our Lord Iesus worthily constitut iudge of the liuing the dead who knowes the thoughtes of all mens hartes and vnderstandeth their workes so that all good Catholikes doe attende the iudge whome we acknowledge our only iustifyer No mā should be temerous iudge of him selfe And therfor I do not vsurpe and tak vpon me being a Seruant the authoritie of the sonne nether do I nomber me with these solifidianes without knowledge of their oun weaknes and the hidde secretes of their hartes to iustifye themselues to iustify my self against whome the Prophet complianes Men heaue taken from me my iudgment God complaines on man that vsurpes the office which is gods Iob nor S. Paul would not iustifye them selues and therfor it is euident when the Apostle did say nether do I iudge my selfe rightlie he doth imitate Iob cap. 9. Who treuely in this same maner speaks of him self howbeit if I should haue any thing iust I shal not answere but I shall pray my iudge and when he shall hear me call I beleue not that he heares my voyce also if I be simple this same my soul is ignorant of and I was affraide of all my workes knowing that thow sparest not the sinner are not these sufficient scrupulous testimonies in so holy men as Iob and S. Paul doth not all men clearlie see that this their vaine solifidian faith The protestantes do plain cōtrary to all good rules and presumptuous persuasion and lykewise their sinfull securitie and impious iustification to be contrary to the holy Scriptures doctrine of holy fatheres from the primitiue church to iustify them selues while they ar conuersant in the fleshe and this verdict of iustification all heretikes vsurpe to them which is properly the office of Christ Iesus Iudge of the liuing and of the dead and not mans office Only faith anulls the lords prayer Morouer this doctrine of only faith taketh away and a bolisheth the Lordes prayer in which we pray that our sinnes be forgiuen vs for seing it is certaine that no man rightly askes in prayer that he hath assuredlie in him self but by this only faith a man persuades him self certaine Caluin mockes thē that do say the Lords prayer of the forgiunes of sinnes therfor it followeth according to Caluins saying that the faithfull man scornes God while he prayes forgiue vs our trespasses for what shall he pray for remission that hath already obtained remission of sinnes and is by only faith iustifyed Only faith anulles baptisme Moreouer the doctrine of this only faith is contrary to the Scripture concerninge baptisme for no man can be admitted in full yeares to baptisme except those who haue the Christian faith according to that sayinge of Philippe to the Eunuch Act. 5. if thow beleeue from thy whole hart it is lawfull to baptise but according to the doctrin of this only faith by assured persuasion If a man only beleue hee needes not baptisme a man in perfect yeares by belieuing this faith he is certaine in him self that he is the sonne of God that now in apprehensiō of this faith God is merciful to him and hath forgiuen him his sinnes and therfor consequently it is not need to baptise or to giue baptisme that sinnes may be forgiuen or to be borne againe of the water and the spirit So that this doctrin is contrary to the symboll of our profession which sayes I confesse on baptisme in the remission of sinnes and in lycksort to that Sermon of S. Peter to the Iewes in the day of Pentecost Act. 2. let euery one be baptised in the remission of sinnes as also to our Lords cōmaund Ioan. 3. saying except a man be borne of the water and the spirit he can not enter into the kingdome of heauen but this doctrin of only faith is false Who would persuade men of iustification and remission of sinnes without mediation Only faith is against the doctrin of the Apostle in the receauing of the Lords supper Moreouer this doctrine of only faith is against the doctrine of the Apostle concerning the right vse of the Eucharist for he sayes who soeuer shall eat of this bread and drinck of this cuppe of the Lord vnworthilie shal be guyltie of the body and blood of our Lord but let a man proue him self and so let him eat and drink of this cuppe for he that drincketh ad eateth vnworthily eates and drinkes to his own iudgment not iudging the Lordes body But this doctrine of only faith commandes thee to be certaine and to persuade thy self and firmly deere with thy selfe that thow shal be nether guyltie nether shall incurre iudgment and shall escape all perrill If we only belieue it suffices although we neuer examine our conscience if that thow only belieue but the Apostle teached the faithfull Corrinthians to proue thē selues least they should tak the holy Eucharist vnworthily to their gvyltines and therby be condemned but Luther Caluin and all the rest teach by only faith securitie and assurednes of the mercies of God and
so thou takest it not vnworthily or art any wayes guiltie but shalt obtaine grace thereby so that thou belieue The Apostle teacheth Examining of conscience Luther affirmeth that in receauing the Sacramēt with guiltie conscience a man receaues grace if he but only belieue to goe before but Luther and the rest teach only faith to suffise and belieuing doth assure him self of grace and that he doth obtaine the same in the Communion and so by disswading men from the examen and probation of themselues before they receaue the holy Sacrament and teaching them only faith to looke only on the mercyes of God and not on his iudgment doth make men guiltie of iudgment and so throwes them into perdition Moreouer this doctrine of only faith doth subuert ouerthrow the preaching of true repentance Only faith disanulleth repētance conuersiō to God and of our conuersion to God for the Scripture saith Psal 84. Conuert vs our God of saluation and turne away thy wrath from vs. And Isai 1. Let the wicked leaue his way the iniust man his cogitations and returne vnto the Lord and he wil be merciful vnto him Againe VVash you and be ye cleane take away your euil cogitations from before myne eyes cease to doe euil and learne to doe well come and reason with me saith the Lord. If your synnes were as scarlett as snowe they shal be made white Again Do pennance and be baptised enery one of you Pennance and conuersiō are before remission of synnes in the remission of synnes Act 2 Seeing the Scripture is euident witnes which declares and shewes true pennance and conuersion to God to goe before remission of synnes Contrarywise by this doctrine of only faith remission of synnes is obtained But the Protestants make remission of synnes to anticipate all meanes without any other meanes going before only by faith and then followeth forthwith true repentance and conuersion to God this Luther affirmes in Bulla Leon art 11.12 Who belieueth himself to be absolued saith he is absolued whatsoeuer be spoken of contrition and pennance Only faith disannulleth the iurisdiction of the Church concerning the loosing and binding of synne Moreouer the doctrine of only faith is contrary to the power of binding and looseing in remitting and retayning of synnes which power our Lord gaue to Peter and the other Apostles for our Lord did auouch synnes to he remitted to those to whome they remitted synne and those to be loosed in heauen whome they loosed vpon the earth Matth. 26. Ioan. 20. But this onely faith teacheth that synnes are remitted by only faith yea though no looser nor remitter be present or cōdescend thereto yea that hauing this faith euen when they shall come to the Pastors of the Church to be absolued their synnes be remitted to them and they haue obtained and purchased now already by only faith remission of their synnes that it is now ridiculous to stand to the promisses and wordes of our Lord which he hath said to his disciples VVhose synnes ye remitt they are remitted to them seeing their synnes are remitted to themselues before they come to the Apostles or their Successors Yea also no more power is left to the Apostles at the least in this parte then to any Christian man yea also children for after the foolish opinions of these Rabbies that belieuing the preaching of only faith anone receaues forgiuenes of synns Therefore of this maxime is that wonderfull saying of Luther Luthers absurd iudgmēt that women children and ech lay man may remitt synnes aswell as the Priestes of the Church That in the Sacrament of pennance and in the remission of the fault no more doth the Pope or Bisshop then the lowest Priest and when there is not a Priest each Christian may doe the same yea women and children may doe the same if they be present aswell as Pope Bisshop or Priest in Bulla Leon. sent 13. Moreouer the doctrine of this only faith is contrary to it self for no man agreeth and consenteth to any thing This doctrine is contrary to it self No man condescendes and Yeildes to any vnknowne thing but onely faith is belieued as an vnknowne thing which is contrary to al reason The gospell was not belieued without trial and miracles except he iudge it true first before he condescend to it for out of a natural loue of veritie and the hatred of falsehood moralitie teacheth that before we condescend to any thing we doe trye it whether that which is reported to vs be true and when we haue found the same to be in it self true then next we giue consent The same argument appeareth in the Gospell that many receaued and belieued the same by reason of the sygnes and miracles which they sawe done and likewise in searching of the old scriptures found the same thinges prophecyed to be fulfilled in the time of the gospell and to be true miracles but this doctrine of only faith and assured confidence that a man belieues his synnes to be remitted to him is by the same only faith which he belieues so it followes of necessitie that he hath remission of synnes before he belieued by the same faith and therefore the remission A filthie absurditie the effect to be before the cause is behinde the remission which is beliued to be of this only faith so that the effect is first before the cause which is very absurde For truly the Christian faith goeth before iustification as the Apostle sayes The hart belieues to richteousnes Roman 10. Likewise a man is iustifyed by faith Gal. 2. An other absurditie that only faith goeth before the word of God But it is most absurde that faith goeth before the word of God and the self same word of God faith to giue credit to the word it self seeing the word of God is not faith but faith dependes vpon the word of God it is therefore necessary that the testimony of God precede before his testimony may be belieued But the Christian Catholique Church knowes that before any belieue in Christ that he is a child of wrath and the wrath of God to abide on him Ephes 2. Ioan. 3. And also knowes that the vngodly man should leaue his wayes and the wicked man his cogitations Isai 55. and turne vnto God by true pennance and faith in Christ in hope and prayer and by frequent receauing of the Sacraments that so at last God may haue mercy on him This Catholique faith is farr from the other only saith which only doth belieue synnes to be remitted excluding all mediation apprehending the effect before the cause Onely faith doth peruert the word of God Again this doctrine of only faith peruerteth the word for this assured persuasion to belieue doth procede from the vnderstanding of a strange gospell and not of the word of God So that by the same doctrine of only faith the word of God is peruerted wherefore it is to be reiected which
of firme and assured hope that they receaue in the present remission of synnes and in the futur eternall lyfe ANSVVER I Deny the assumption for nothing is to be belieued of vs rightly and Catholickly which may be any way false for faith is the substance of things hoped and an argument of no appearance because the reason of faith is placed in the veritie reuealed of God which for that cause may neither deceaue or be deceaued Yea also we hope these things rightly which otherwayes may happen for the cheifest reason of hope consists in the possibilitie of the acquiring and seeking of these things which we haue hoped according to the commandement and promise of God and for this cause we are exhorted after the exemple of Abrâ—ham that in hope against hope we should labuor and belieue to mak our caling and election sure 1 Pet. 2. The differeÌ„ce betwixt hope and faith For many vnder pretence of this only faith being loaden with the weight of ther synnes and charged in conscience vnthankfull to their Creator and yet apeare externally to work the workes of the righteous and walk securely perswadinge them selfes to be in grace and fauour of God and at last to obteine eternall lyf when without hope they are condemned Because hope lookes to the promisses and coÌ„mandement of God which only faith annulles And therefore we are more commanded and exhorted to hope then beleue because hope hath euer actuall rychteousnes adioyned with him and only faith is lyk an Irishmans in his trowses which is without any conformity to the habit of any other nation so for conclusion only faith is no faith and is playne opposit anu contrary to the article of our creed I beleeue the remission of sinnes QVESTIO IIII. Of the informall fayth of Synners WHerfore doe the Papistes affirme teach fayth to remaine in Synners seperated from loue contrary to the tenour of the Scriptures Fathers Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 2. § 8.9.10 in Antid Con. Trid. ANSVVER IT is the vniuersal doctrine of holy Church that trew fayth which the Apostles defynes to be the substance of thinges which are hoped for Faith may be without loue aswell as with it and the euidence of things which are not seene may successiuely stand with loue and charity or without it soe that fayth may be in the same specie and nomber notwithstanding with diuersity of tyme formall or informall Faith is formall and informall Calu. Scornes all diuyne and humane sciences Howsoeuer to the contrary Caluin laboures but to no effect albeyt he goeth about to scorne this distinctioÌ„ of faith made in the Theologicall Schooles but if this scorner of diuyne and humane sciences would approach to the fountayne of holy wryt and gust with wholsome taste truely he should fynde the same habit of fayth and nomber to haue the place of merit and of demerit that the scorner may be at rest For first Christ Matth c. 7. vers 22. acknowledgeth fayth in Synners for in the day of iudgment or in the hour of death as in a particular iudgment many shall say to him Faith may be in great sinners to the working of myracles Lord we haue prophesied in thy name and in thy name we haue cast out diuels and haue wrought many miracles to whome he shall answer saying I neuer knew yow For this nunquam giues to vnderstand that euen then when they wrought miracles in fayth and by faith in my name euen then I knew you not because you lyued a wycked and deformed lyfe with your faith Sinne is opposite to the merit of faith and was so defyled in sinne lyke to the conditioÌ„ of a most expert Phisitian who is not ignorant of art and science which he professes and vnderstandes and yet notwithstanding by fragility of nature by intemperancy and bad liuing a similytude doth violate the science and medecyne albeit he doth not loose and quitte the science of medecine euen so a Christian man a Prophet Religious Faythfull or els whatsoeuer morall man instructed in the faith sinning in the precepts of fayth Fayth profits nothing without workes doth not loose or is destitute of his faith nether faithfulnes or ceases to be a Christian and yet notwithstanding is excluded from the Kingdome of God for onely want and defect of charity good workes The naughty banquetter had faith with out his garment Secondly he who entered to the banquet of the King not hauing his weddinge garmeÌ„t Matth. 25.15 was cast into vtter darckenes not because of his faith or of his baptisme by which he entered and abode in the Church but because of only the waÌ„t of his wedding garment that is to say the want of charity So expoundes this place all the Fathers of the Church as S. Greg. in euang hom 78. Thirdly to conclud all doubtes the Apostle sayd if I should haue all faith so that I could remoue mountaynes and want charity I am nothing what it is to haue all faith without charity Calu. Glosse discouered to wit not to be in grace neyther auailles the glosse of Rabbi-Caluin in this place saying that the Apostle speakes not of the Catholyck faith but of the faith of miracles or the vertue of confidence to worck miracles but this euation is naught for when the Apostle sayes if he had all faith absolutly he concludeth all both intensiue and extensiue perfect and imperfect for in the end of the same chapter 1. cor 1 he concludeth that there doe remayne fayth hope and charity these three but the cheifest is charity only so out of doubt he speakes of that faith which before in the same chapter he made mention of Faith is compared with charity and charity to faith as he did speake of that same charity before therfore it followes that he hath compared the Catholicke faith with Charity Fourthly S. Iacob c. 2. v. 14. sayd Bretheren what helpeth it if a man say he hath fayth but hath no workes can his faith saue him Is any Christian so absurd of iudgment Faith may be without workes although it profit not that thinkes faith to iustify a man without workes to the defence of the verity the whole Fathers affirme and haue taught faith cannot iustify any man without workes as Iren. lib. 4. cap. 25. expounding the same saying of the Apostle sayth neyther knowledge nor wisdome towards God neyther the comprehension of diuyne mysteries neyther fayth neyther prophesie helpe without charity but are voide and of no merite before God And lykewyse S. Aug. lib. 15. de Trinit cap. 18. sayth without charity faith may be but not to profit What need we yet witnesses seying reason teaches that by true faith the faithfull are distinguished and discerned from Infidels Heretycks albeit defacto they are separated out of the Church yet in name and shew they are within yet damned and yet notwithstanding if synners fall from
their faith and be separated froÌ„ the Church as Ethnikes and Infidels dâ—facto neuerthelesse in name and externall showe they are within as holy Scripture makes mention as Matth. 13 in the feyld of corne was togeather tares and wheat in the net good fysh and bad in an hous foolish and wyse virgines Euen so such persones hauing faith without workes not obscurly but plainly doe pertayn to the Church howbeit they are damned therefore it happeth to faith without charity eyther to be formall or informall but the effect and Vertue depends in his will in whome charity is and for this cause The effect of faith depends in his will in whome is charity the Heretickes forceing falsy the contrary are deceaued for whilst they presuppose and iudge with themselues that trew faith cheifly is placed in only persuation by which a man may persuade certainly assure himself because of the imputatiue righteousnes of Christ de facto that his sinnes be remitted to him and that graces and charity concomitanter are infused into his soule with his assured persuasion of only faith The hereticks folish persuasion concerning faith that this persuasion in their iudgmeÌ„t is a most trew thing neyther think they euer at any tyme that this can be separated from grace charity which is false and absurde as we haue before proued for they lay great weight vpon a weake foundatioÌ„ and build castelles vpon a sandy-mount for it is not only fayth that iustifyes a man nether is it euer annexed conioyned with charity grace but is separated OBIECTIO FAith consists in the knowledge of Christ but Christ cannot be knowne but by sanctification of his spirit Therfore faith can no way be separated froÌ„ charity For the Apostle sayth Rom 10 v. 10. VVith the hart man belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation ANSVVER THE Apostle vnderstandes not in these words sanctification of the spirit including charity but he sayth the hart belieueth to ryghteousnes in which wordes he plainly signifyeth that faith is way and mean to gett and obtaine righteousnes but this faith doth not euer include necessarily the actuall stat of righteousnes and charity and therefore the knowledg of Christ may be in man without charity and so it is separated Other expounde this place of the good affection of will requisit in man to belieue and not annexed absolutly to the action of loue and charity OBIECTIO FAict without workes is dead as the Apostle sayes Iac. 2. Therfore as a dead man is not a trewe man so neyther is fayth in sinneres a true faith without workes and charity ergo faith and charity cannot be separated ANSVVER THE Apostle to the contrary assimilated and compared faith not to a dead man but he assimilated and compared such to a dead body as v. 26. for as the body sayth he without the spirâ—t is dead concerning the vitall operatioÌ„s whereby it failes not to be a trew body euen so without workes faith is dead concerning the vtility meryt and saluation albeyt it failes not to be trew faith for the Apostel affirmeth the Diuels to belieue albeyt not to saluation how much more a sinner may belieue and haue true faith and yet not to his saluation Because it is without workes which are the operations of the vytall spirit and so faith is separated from charity and compared to a dead man without the spirit when he wanted the operatioÌ„ of the vitall spirit and yet cannot be called otherwyse then a body Ergo and so is fayth OBIECTION THE Fathers in whose doctrine thow Papist so oft dost boast teach faith without workes not to be true faith as S. Cyp de simplic pral Beda in cap. 2. Iac. c. Ergo â—rew faith is neuer without workes ANSVVER THE Fathers deny such to be true faith that is not liuely and perfyt and to be such as it ought to be as laughter is not full ioy yet it is accounted for ioy and gladnes So S Hier. cap. 5. ad Gal. When charity is farr of and suchlyke fayth is remote and absent we say it is not perfect charity and true faith not that it is farr of and absent as concerning his essence but concerning his perfection operation and lyfe And hereupon the Fathers teache the verity and the Heretikes lye and teache false doctrine QVAESTIO V. Of the necessity of myracles WHerefore require the Papists myracles of vs for confirmation of our reformed faith seyng long since it was maruelously confirmed of the Apostels Martyres Confessores So that there is no neede of newe myracles Caluin praef instit ad Franc. gal reg ANSVVER Luther atteÌ„ptâ— to rayse the dead He also attemptes to cast out diuels If their doctrine be trew from the Apostles how flee they to extraordinary things Caluin makes for a myracle of a liuing maÌ„ a dead He would haue wrought a myracle for confirming his doctrine of predestination I Aske wherefore Luther that great Prophete Elias and a cheif Apostle yea the Angel of God so called of his successores for confirmation of his Euangel made his recourse to myracles whilst he assayed and attempted to rayse from death one William Nesone drowned in the ryuer of Albus as Staph. in respons vlt. beareth witnes Also he attempted to work a myracle in the casting out of a Deuill out of the possessed but in vayne Wherfore I say went Luther to vse an extraordinary meane if his doctrine be the doctrine of the auncient tymes that myracles are not now necessary Lykewyse to the same effect wherfore attempted Caluin to work a myracle to rayse a dead man who by caluines policy dissembled himself dead for the confirmation of his doctrine of predestinatioÌ„ and the preordination of God concerning the fall of man as Bols in vita Calu. lib. 13. Againe I ask if Caluin was scrupulous to sowe the doctrine of the Catholyk faith yet wherfore induces he a new faith and if he hath purged the error of the Paptsts Church wherfore runnes he to working of a false myracle wonderfull to the world Lykwyse a certayn ringleader of the Anabaptists attempted to worke a myracle in the kingdome of Polonia who inuyted all his fellow compagnions to be present at his baptisme promysing to them that they should see the holy Ghost come downe from the heauen to confirme his baptisme An Anabaptist in Polonia attempted to cause the holy Ghost appeare to proue his doctrine from heauen to be from heauen the day is prefixed the place is appointed the rumor spred abroade all are desyrous to see this myracle and first of all this Arch-heretick entreth into the water but in place of the holy-Ghost and of the spirit of truth anone the Diuell appared with a horrible and fearfull countenance offering himself to them all The Anabaptist is beaten of the diuell and taking the Heretick by the hair of his head lifteth and caryeth him in the ayre letting
Church and approued by authority for trew doctrine according to the iudgment of men and of them who haue authority to iudge in matters of Fayth Otherwayes their mission and doctrine cannot be receaued nor belieued who without this ordinary authoritie by thēselues approue doctrine to be sufficient or insufficient and must be moued thēselues by some other preacher and his authority to belieue and therfore if there want myracles I know not how they shall approue their doctrine discusse ambiguities resolue doubtes neuer I say by their owne reasoning and vnderstanding of their priuie spirit but their doctrine shall euer be held suspect No doctrine can be known trew without myracles zuing affi mes the same And for the verity of this assertion Zuing. Tom. 2. eccl sayes how many haue vsurped the function to Preach and teach or to worke myracles were called of God cōfirmed by eléctiō of the pastores of the Church Thus he I hope Zuingl hath sayd as much as I would say that ordinary vocation is necessaey that therby God workes often tymes myracles for the maitayning of the same and therefore both lawfull mission and myracles are of God The heretycks make themselues Pastors without ordination to their shame and ignominie who sitting in the Chayre of pestilence contemne and blaspheme all lawful succession and ecclesiasticall ordination calling themselues and presuming to gouerne vvithout lawfull ordination and taking the name of Byshop on them and no man gyuing it to them as sayth S. Cyp. de Simpl. prael They succeed to none but beginne at themselues Hereticks are prophane persones Calu. flyeth to extraordinary vocation and are prophane and enemies to our Lords peace and his diuyne vnity But Caluin teaches in his book de vera eccl reform That God rayseth vp pastores extraordinarily by the inspiration of his owne spirit who should restore his decaying and ruinous Church as long since he did in the Synagogue of the Prophets And so in our tyme by the ordinary vocation of man he hath raysed Prophets and Pastors for the building of his Church as Luther Zuingl c. Whose commendations of their owne Bretheren of the Gospel is wonderfull and first The commendation of the extraordinary Pastores Towit luth and zuingl Bez. to Sanctezij calles Luther the wonderfull instrument of God most heauenly inspyred and an admirable seruant of God in whom who acknowledgeth not the spirit of God knowes nothing Iewell calls him the most excellent man of God sent of him to lyghten the world Apoc. part 4. cap. 4. § 2. Mathesius calles him the Supreme Father of the Church con 8. de lut pag. 88. Amdorff sayes that there was none lyke in the world in spirit and faith vvisdome and profunde knowledge of the Scriptures Amdorff praef tom 1. Luther Albertus calls him a trew Paul and Elyas and a man sufficient to appease and diuerte the vvrath of God from men to whō Augustin myght think no shame to be his Scholler lib. cont Carollost lib. 7. Some other call him the Angell of God Austen might haue bene Luther Scholler flying throw the myddest of heauen hauing the eternall Ghospel in his hand Illiricus in apoc cap. 14. Schussinburge sayth that Elyas and Iohn Baptist vvere but figures of Luther Elias Iohn baptist were figures of Luther Luther vituperation and disprayse of his owne professors Theol. cal lib. 2. fol. 124. in the end this extraordinary Prophet is descrybed of his owne for Schulss lib. 2. art 12. de Theol. cal calles him proude furious intolerable full of errour impudent a forger and a deprauer of Gods word deceyptfull a seducer a false Prophet lunatyck presumptuous a crucifyer and a murtherer of Christ Lykewyse Zuing. calles him a drunken dreamer and a head full of lyes Moreouer Caluin vvould be numbred amongst these Prophets Caluin would be accounted a Prophet and extraordinaryly called as is obserued in diuerse of his sermons saying I am a Prophet I haue the spirit of God am sent of God I cannot erre if I erre it is God that deceaues me and puts me in errour for the synnes of the people His myracles and lyf his Propheticall extraordinary vocatiō is rehersed of Schlussinburge one of their owne professiō His myracles and vocatiō is commēded of the professors of the Gospel lib. 2. art 12. fol. 72. de Theol. Calu. who sayes that God would not be mocked by men hath shewed his iudgment in the world against Caluin visyting him in the scourge of his fury punishing him before the day of his death for he strok this sacramētal heretyck in such sorte that he dyed desperate swearing and inuocating the diuells to whom he randered his spirit vvhich isued out of his priuy members and out of his vlcerous soores and lay so stincking that the people was notable to endure the stinck and thus miserably ended his lyf Besides this he vvas infamous by sodomy Calu. dieth desperat cursing God and inuocating the diuels his bad lyfe The Catholyckes haue registred the myracles of the Sainctes for a memory all as S. Luc did the actes of the Apostles cruell bloody tyrannous deceytfull treacherous a babler a contemner a sophist an epicure and a tosser of the Scriptures as Quid in his metamorphosis thus he So that this way they haue made their extraordinary vocation conformable to their extraordinary myracles but for the Catholyck part all the holy Fathers haue accounted of myracles and haue written the admirable lyues of the Sanctes and haue them in regyster from Christ tyme imitating S. Luc admirable and miraculous relation of the actes of the Apostles and Dauid praysing God in his Sainctes as also to follow their deuotion and holynes of because the Prophet sayes Ps 14. He that glorisyeth them that fearour Lord shall dwell in his tabernacle and rest in his holy hill For their myracles done on earth haue made them glorious in heauen for Caluin confesseth In heb 2.4 2. cor v. 12. That myracles are seales of doctrine Calu. is contrary to himselfe for now he sayes that myracles are seales of trew doctrine The Heretyks wāt myracles Myracles The ouerthrow of Idolatrie Myracls were the cause of the conuersiō of Scotland and do establish faith and Scripture Wherupon all the Sectaries haue great cause to distrust their faith as a nouelty vnsealed and vnestablished by the vertue of God for they are knowne altogeather to want myracle as also good lyfe Far otherwayes was the conuersion of Scotland from Idolatry to the Catholycke fayth which was not only by the preaching of the vvord but also was in the working of myracles as trew faith reuealed and approued from heauen with admirable holynes of lyfe and modest conuersation both in clergie and lay persons that many ages after death and solution of mortality we see and read the lyuing Lord honoured and worshipped in them whose bodyes whilst they liued were the temples of the holy Ghost
is out of a malignaÌ„t spirit and a synne against the holy Ghost to attribute the myracles wrought by the Saincts of God vnto the power of the Diuell OBIECTIO IN Belzebub in the power of the Diuels the Papists cast out Diuels worke myracles Ergo their myracles are of the Diuell and not of God ANSVVER THE proposition is false for if at the touching of the relyckes of Sainctes or in visiting their Sepulturs Chapells or to goe pilgrimagie to their relycks and places or make prayers and inuocations to them or applications of the Sacraments in honour and deuotion towards them the myracles wrought and done in the Catholycke Church are to be attributed and ascrybed to the power and vertue of the Diuell Of this proposition should followe two great absurdities First that the Diuell with all power and force should honour Christ and his Sainctes which is most contrary by the absurditie for then the Diuell should distroy himself and his kingdome in promoting the worshipe and honour of God and his Sainctes vnto whome he will giue none nor acknovvledge any due eyther to God or his Sainctes Secondly that the name of Christ his Saincts should serue for the working the workes of the Diuell and the diuyne power and vertue of God should serue to the obsequie of the Diuell Which assertion by the absurditie is horrible blasphemy against the holy Ghost OBIECTIO WHen those and such lyck myracles fall out they are not to be attributed and ascrybed to come of the Sainctes or of their merytes or by their intercessions or praeyers but because it fortuned so ANSVVER IT is an open blasphemy eyther to speake or thinke to straine the bodyes and soules of men to the course of the planets and to the hid influences of the heauens so that Leo affirmes Epistol ad Astoricensem VVho followeth these there is no more place left for him in the Church of God because sayth he who once haue giuen themselues vnto the constellations and persuade themselues after their owne opinion departe and cut themselues from the bodye of Christ Vnto this the counsell of Braccar cap. 1. If any belieue that the souls and bodyes of men are astricted and gouerned of the fatall signes with the Priscilianists let him be accursed Moreouer myracles and prodigious thinges oft fal out and are wrought when the relyckes of the Sainctes are of the people reuerenced and applyed and when these Sainctes are inuocated by their ernest deuotion and to beare witnes of their reuerence and honour to Gods Saincts they receaue the holy Sacraments euen then especially myracles are done rather then any other tyme therefore seing at the deuotion of the people the application of the relykes of the Sainctes myracles are done they cannot be attributed to come of fortune or influeÌ„ces of the planets but of God the author of all goodnes and the gouernour of this world for if the fishe-poole Probatica in Ierusalem had vertue giuen to it to cure diseases at a certayne season of the year by the descending of an Angell mouing the water which vertue and working of myracles in the Probatica of IerusaleÌ„ cannot be attributed to the influences of the planets neyther to fortune but to God and mediatly to the ministery of the Angell euen so myracles done by the relyques of his Sainctes or at their Sepultures or Alters cannot be attributed to fortune or any fatall starâ—e but to God and by the mediat miniâ—tery intercession of his Sainctes by whose ministery God is honoured QVAESTIO VII The Pope is taken of the reformed for Antichrist WHerefore doe the simple and ignorant Papists obey the Pope in maâ—ters of religâ—on seing he is but a man anâ—â—â—uely Antichrist Luther ass art 27. Smalchald de pot paâ—ae Caluin in 2 Thes cap. 2. Illir de primat papae ANSVVER VPon this proposition I demaunde and aske wherefore doe your mynisteres of your Churches in spirituall things in vvhatsoeuer Kingdome The Protestants minysters are subiect in matters of faith to lay-men or Comonwealth they are in obey men and that lay-men of no ecclesiasticall function neyther of ecclesiasticall authority Is not this euident and known to all Europe how the Caluinistes of Ingland gaue their homage sure obedience in matters of faith vnto Queene Elizabeth and instituted hir head of their reformed Synagogue lykwyse by hir ordinances and statutes we know and vnderstand that these mynisters were compelled The minysters made Queen Elysabeth head of the Church swore obedience in maters of fayth contrary to their owne conscience The scripture forbyds wemen in church matters The hereticks wrytes against the lawfull temporall gouernment of wemen and bound to diuerse ecclesiasticall ceremonies repugnant to their iudgments and yet of necessity must rest contented and also must subiect themselues obedient to her statutes What absurditie what basenes what indignity and what madnes of mynd to giue to a woman the primacy of the Church whom the Apostle 1. Timoth. cap. 2. v. n. 12. commaundes to learne with silence with all subiection who is neyther permitted to teach neyther to rule ouer a man How much more preposterous to rule the charge of the Church For if Buchanan and Knox writ books against the regiment of a woman in which bookes they excluded his maiesties mother of happy memory from the temporall gouernment and as a thing most vnworthy that a woman should haue any temporall gouernment ouer man How much more indecent to rule ouer Preists in the Church of God In the begynning of this heresie both in Ingland and Scotland so long as the two most Catholyck Maryes Princesses liued the Heretickes opposed wrot against their gouernement in temporall things vvhich was by the law of God Hereticks doe allowe the gouernement of wemen for their purpose and nature lavvfull for them Notvvithstanding when Queen Elizabeth obteined the crowne then it vvas lawfull for her to rule not only in temporall thinges but also in ecclesiasticall causes as head of the Church Therfore it is farr lesse strange It is not against the law of God or reason to obey a man neyther contrary to the tenor of reason neyther to holy Scripture to be subiect to a man then to a vvoman howbeit in lay-men this prehemineÌ„ce was neuer giuen of our Lord neyther was it euer permitted to them to haue the primacy of his Church For if as the Protestants sayes Christ neuer commited the iuriâ—diction of his Church to lay men vvhy are the Papists so simple and ignorant to obey a man in matters of religion May it not be ansvvered with the lyke humanity vvhat is his Maiesty King of great Britany a man or no I hope they will not call him a Prophet neyther Euangelist The King of Britanie is not a prophet nor an apostle nor an angel but a man neyther Patriarch nor Angell yea a man and head of the Church vnto whom all his good dutifull subiects are
and coÌ„pell man to Idolatrâ— and to worship himself and his image in all Churches and approued Religion And where as the Apostles sayes 2. Thes 2. That God shall send them not only the worker of error but the very fountaine of errour For as S. Ambros in Luc c. 21. sayes that he shall dispute out of the Scriptures that he his Christ and he shall teach that he himself is God also he shall leade not only men to Idolatrye bus also shall persuade and compell all men to follow and obey him he shall also commauÌ„d himself to be worhhipped and adored and his image to be placed in the temple of God not only in Ierusalem but in all other Churches also For Antichrist knowing sayes the Apostle Antichrist shall vsurpe the name of Christ because he knowneth Christ shall come and beat him downe He shall call himself God The Pope can not be Antichrist because he belieues the articles of his creed which Antichrist shall abolish 2. Thess 2. That our Lord shall come to beat him down in the meane tyme will vsurpe his name vnto himself to that ende that his kingdome may seeme true he will leade with him such as may perish togeather with him that he may sit in the house of our Lord in the seat of Christ affirme himself very God And therfore seing Antichrist is noted properly to be a singular man and as yet not come whose power lyf is against Christ that consequently the Popes of Rome cannot be this Antichrist who long since are come for the difference which is betwixt them may decerne which of them is with or against God for this sayd Antichrist shall oppose against Christ and abolish the faith of Christ And contrary wâ—â—e the Pope forbideâ—h no man to belieue in Christ neyther denyeth any part of holy Scripture Antichrist will do openly against the faith of Christ and shal call himself God but the Pope did neâ—er against the faith of Christ neyther priuatly nor publickly nor neuer did call himself God The differeÌ„ce betwixt the Pope and Antichrist and by what notes they may be knowne Antichrist will not only be called God of o her men but will extoll himself aboue God that is he will extoll himself aboue the blessed Trinity But this extolling no Pope euer did think of much-lesseprofâ—sse it but professe and confesse themselues to be seruants of them who serue God and therefore the Pope is not Antichrist Antichrist thallbe receaued of the Iewes for the Messias Antichrist shal be receaued specially of the Iewes S. Hier. ad Algas Chrys Hom 4 in Iohn But the Iewes haue not receaued the Pope at any time and if they receaued not Christ far lesse the Pope but shall receaue Antichrist as Christ fortold Ioh. 5. Which place all the Fathers expouÌ„d of Antichrist as Ambros in 2. Thess 2. Cyril lib. 3. in Iohn cap. 6. Theod. in 2. Thes 2. Antichrist shall come circumcised Antichrist shal come circumcised of the circumcision and of the circumcision that the Iewes may haue some confidence in belieuing him as S. Hier. sayes sup He shall do all those things not by his owne power but by the permission of God for the Iewes sake And Theod. vt sup sayes that the Iewes do looke for him and when he cometh they will belieue in him But to this day the Pope is not of the circumcision neyther circumcised neyther is he expected of the Iewes neyther of them is belieued ergo neyther is he Antichrist Moreouer Daniell cap. 7. After the description of the four Empyres it is said Daniels prophesie of Antichrist that the fourth beast which is the Roman Empyre had ten hornes and I considered the hornes and behold an other littel horne sprange out of the middest of them and three of the first hornes were pulled vp before his face and behold the eys as it were of a man were in his horne and a mouth speaking great things In which place S. Hier. in Dan cap. 7. Let vs say sayes he Before Antichrist come ten kings shall deuide the Roman Empyre and the eleuenth king shall humble three principal of the ten as a token of the comming of Antichrist Before the comming of Antichrist the Euangelly must be preached tâ—rough the world That all the Ecclesiasticall wryters haue lest by tradition that in the consummation of the world when the Empyre of the Romans must be distroyed there shal be ten Kings who will deuyde the Roman Empyre amongst themselues and there shall arise the eleuenth being a very little King who shall ouercome three of these ten Kings that is to say the Kings of Egypt Africk and Ethiopia this witnes Hippol Hom. de Antichrist and Theod. 2. Thess 2. But the Pope hath not conquered to him the Kingdomes of Egypt Africk Ethiopergo he is not Antichrist Moreouer before the comming of Antichrist the Euangely is to be preached through the whole world as Christ hath sayd Matt 24. v. 14. This euangely of the Kingdome halbe preached in the whole world for a testimony to all nations then shall come the consummation But this liberty of the Euangely is not fulfilled as yet as a certaine signe of the comming of Antichrist when he shall appeare seing Antichrist is not as yet come as of this signe may be gathered Ergo the Pope is not Antichrist Before Antichrist come Henoch and Elias must come when they come they will withstand him in their preachings Moreouer the preaching of Henoch and Elias is not yet fulfilled who by their preachings shall oppose themselues against Antichrist for confirming of the faithfull in the Catholik and Apostolicall Faith as witnes S. Ioh. Apoc. 11. I shall giue my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundrith and sixtie dayes clothed in saâ—hcloth as witnesseth this place in their commentaries Primas Bed Richard Aret. in Apoc. Damasc lib. 4. cap. 18. Greg. lib. 4. cap. 11. D. Aug. in Gen. ad lit lib. 9 cap. 6. But Elias and Enocâ— shall not come but in the tyme of Antichrist and as yet Antichrist is not comed Ergo the Pope is not Antichrist Hippol. serm de Antich Aug. de ciuit lib. 20. cap. 19. Chry. in 2. Thes cap 2. Moreouer Antichrist shal be borne of the trybe of Dan as witnes Iren. lib 5. aduers Haeres Hippol serm de Antichrist Theod. in 2 Thes 2 Greg. Moâ—al lib 14 in 106. cap. 11. Antichrist shal be borne of the trybe of Dan. But the Popes are not borne neyther deriued from such a trybe ergo not Antichrist Morouer Antichrist commeth a litle before the end of the world as the forsayd Authors make mention but if the Pope were Antichrist the world should haue byn finished long since ergo the Pope is not Antichrist The tyme of Antichrist shal be three yeares and an half he shal reigne in Ierusalem and sit in the teÌ„ple of God Moreouer
that rock was the reward of the confession The prayer of Christ for Peters faith was the warrand of perpetuity of his strong confession The prayer of Christ is a warrant of pâ—rpetuity Peters primacy The power to feede Christ sheepe was to make Peter such a rock as should stay vp his Church by teaching and ruling the faithfull whose voyce we are bound to hear as Chry. in Iohn hom 18. Cyril in Ioh. l. 2. c. 12. Hill de Trin. l. 6. Tertul. de praesc aduers Haeret. Hippol. de consum mundi Origen hom 5. in exod Cyp l. 1. Epist 3. l. 4. Epist 9. Hil. c. 16. in Matth. S. Amb. 68. S. Bas in conc de paenit S. Hier in 16. Matth. Epiph. in anchoratu Theod. in cant cant Damasc in Iosaphat Barlaam Theoph. in 22. Luc Euthym. in 26. Mat. Aug. retract l. 1. c. 21. cont Epist Don. Prosp de vocat geÌ„t lib. 2 c. 28. S. Greg. epist l. 6. epist. 37. In fine we haue many reasons why S. Peter aboue all others was this rock to wit the excellency of his faith The excelleÌ„cy of Peters confession and faith is the cause that he is the rock In Peter is vnity and an euerlasting Preisthood the auoyding of Schisme an ecclesiasticall iorisdictâ—oÌ„ These are Peters prerogatiues which declare him head of the Church and are collected and conferred of the Scripture set in order as followes Peters prerogatiue of primacy The keyes of heauens are promised to him Christ compares Peter with himself in paying tribut Christ made choise oâ— Peters but to preach in and the excelleÌ„cy of his glory the vnity of the church built on him are a lone the signifying of Christ to be the only euerlasting sheepheard And last for the eschwing of Schisme and for receauing of ecclsiasticall power for the whole Church So that the Apostle Peter passeth farr the other Apostles in ecclesiasticall dignity in so much that these his prerogatiues may be easly gathered out of the Scripture it selfe as first he is only named first of all the twelue Matt. 10. For asmuch as he had the promise to be called Cephas that is to say a rock and this promiss was made before the twelue were choosen and was really named Peter at the tyme of his choise Ioh. 1. For asmuch that although both S. Iohn Baptist had confessed Christs Godhead before and Naâ—hanieli had sayd Thow art the sone of God thow art the King of Israel Marâ— 3. Ioh. 1. Yet only Peters confession being made after was most heighly esteemed and rewarded For asmuch as he is called Peter and Christ doth say to him Matt. 16. Thow art Peter vpon this rock I will build my Church For asmuch as the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen are namely promised to Peter alone Matt. 16. And for asmuch That the tribut of didragma was dewe for the first begotten of euery famille num 3. loseph de antiq lib. 18. cap. 12. Yet Christ payed both for himself for Peter also as being the vnderhead and first begotten of his family the Church Chry. in Matt. Hom. 59. For asmuch as also Christ although an other boate was a hand yet he taught the people out of Peters boate Luc. 5. to shewe that in Peters chayre his doctrine should alwaies be firmely professed Christ prayeth for Peters faith Peter entered first into the sepulture of Christ Peter of the Angel is nominated specially Peter walkes on the sea as aprerogatiue to rule the world Peter more then others loued Christ and is commaunded to feed his sheepe Christ fortelleth Peter that he shall suffer death on the crosse for christs sake Peter answered for the rest of the Apostles Peter giues sentence on iudas to depose him Peter after receipt of the holy Ghost taught the faith to the multitude Amb. in 5. cap. Luc. For so much as the Apostles were sure to be sifted of Sathan Yet the faith of Peter allone is prayed for that he being once conuerted might strenghthen his bretheren Luc. 22. Leo serm 2. de nat Pet. Paul For so much as when the tidings of Christs resurrection was sent to his disciples Peter was first that entred into the sepulâ—hre Luc. 24. For asmuch as he was not coprehended with the rest but was seuerally named by himselfe whil the Angel sayd Teil his disciples and Peter Marc. 16. For asmuch as the other Apostes sayled in the sea in a boat yet Peter alone walked in the sea without a boate as a token that the whole world was as a sea and was to be subiect to his turisdiction Iohn 22. Bern. de considerat lib. 2. For asmuch as some other Apostles standing by Peter alone is shewed to haue loued Christ more then they Ioh. 21. And he alone is commaunded to seed Christs sheepe and to rule his lambes Aug. ibid. For asmuch as it is sayd to Peter alone Thow shalt strech-forth thy handes and foâ— ow thow me which way in following was by suffering death on the Crosse prophesied by Christ Ioh. 21 For asmuch as Peter answered alwayes for the Apostles as being the mouth of them all Iohn 6. Matth. 16. For asmuch as after Christs ascention Peter allone gaue sentence vpon Iudas and pronunced him deposed Act. 1. And an other to be choosen in his place Act. 1. Chry in act Apost hom 3. For asmuch as when the Holy Ghost came downe Peter aboue all the test first of aâ— taught the faith and the multitude being conuerted saye to Peter and to none other what shall we do c Act 2 Peter exhortes the conuerted to peÌ„nance and baptisme Peter wrought the 1. miracle Peter first publickly confessed Christ before the counsell Peter knew the secrets of Ananias and Saphiras harts Peters shadow wrought myracles Peter excommunicated enioyned pennance to SimoÌ„ Magus For asmuch as Peter made answere for all that they should repent and be baptized Act. 2. For somuch as Peter did the first miracle after the comming of the holy Ghost and first healed the seete of the lame because he being the head shewed mistically that he established the feete of others Act. 3. Amb. serm 68. For so much as Peter confessed Christ first not only before priuat men but also at the seat of iudgment Act. 4. For asmuch as Peter perceaued the secrets of the hartes of men some to do in simplicitie and some in deceipt He therefore extended his power on Anania and Saphira stryking them dead with one word Act. 5. Greg. lib. 1. Epist 24. For asmuch as all the Apostles did miracles yet Peter was so famous aboue the rest that his shaddowe wrought myracles Act. 5. For asmuch as Peter excommunicated and enioyned pennance to Simon Magus the first Heretick Act 8. For asmuch as he was the first after Christs AscentioÌ„ who rayted a dead persone to lyfe called Tabitha Act. 9. Peter by visioÌ„ is made to know of the conuersion of the gentils For
straitly that that which is once iudged in a Synode and rightly disposed let no man call it againe in question seeking thereby occasion of tumult or of falshood for it is wicked and sacrilegious after the iudgement of so many Priests to leaue any thing to his owne opinion to be discussed Emperours nor Kings nor no lay-men are admitted in generall counsels to defyne matters of faith Morouer neyther are Emperours nor any lay-men howsoeuer learned in holy Scriptures admitted in a generall counsell to defyne matters of faith or at any tyme haue been admitted as the Byshops be who assist the Pope not only as counsellers but also as iudges and for that cause they say so the holy Synode hath decreed For what is more contrary to reason then wher is treated of saluation damnation of good and euill and in defyning of the wholsome doctrin from errour Byshops are both counsellers iudges It is contrary to reason that in matters of saluation damnation lay-meÌ„ should be iudges to commit the iudgmeÌ„t of these things to lay-men which appertaine to the dutie of the Pastor according to Hier. saying cap. 3. I shall giue you Pastors according to my hart and they shall feede you with science and doctrine and S. Paul sayes Eph. 4. He hath giuen some to be Pastors and Doctores But the Emperours from the beginning of the Church vsed to followe and heare the iudgement of the Apostolicall seat and the generall counsells and not to argue or to giue verdâ—cte or pronuÌ„ce sentence with the Byshops of the Church whereupon S. August apud possid in vita eius cap. 18. sayes That the Byshops of the Apostolicall seat Innocent and Zozimus accursed the Pelagians cut theÌ„ of from being members of the Church and wrot letters to the Affrican Churches of the Orient and Occident signifying theÌ„ to be accursed and to be eschewed of all Catholickes Also the most godly Emperor Honorius hearing Pelagius and his fellowers accursed decreed them also by his owne law damned adiudged for Heretickes Emperors and Kings haue made concurrence to the counsels for obedience haue made lawes for obedience to be done for receauing their decrees Lykewise S. August epist 166. maketh mention of the decrees of Constantine the Great to haue the lyk strength against Hereticks So that these godly Emperours neuer medled themselues to be examiners of the counsell farreles iudges but what was decreed in the counsel we read them to haue made lawes for the execution of the counsell Popes verdict and sentence and euer haue shewed themselues as nourses in the Church of God rendering all reuerence and submitting themselues to the Churches authorities as witnesse Ruff. lih 10. Eccl. Hist cap. 2. Valentin Emper. ad Synod Chalc. Martianus Act. 3. Concil Chalced S. Ambros epist. 32. S. Aug. hom de Paschal in ps cont part donat epist 48. Philo. libro de Victimis Athanasius in Epistol ad Solit. vitam agente Epistol idem Suâ—idas in vita Leontij Theodor. lib. 4. cap. 17.18 lib. 4. cap. 5. But contrarywise it is proper to all Heretickes The germanes contemned the counsell of Trent to their great ignominie to contemne all generall counsels of the Church as did most filthyly the ProtestaÌ„ts of Germanie the last of Febu 1537. with ignominy to their nation for dispysing the counsell set and appointed by the Pope whom they will not acknowledge to haue power to iudge nor yet the Byshopes with him but the vniuersall Church But more plainly they may say it doth appertaine also to barbers taylors coblers bakers brewers wolspynners botchers cookes apotecharies and euery mechanicall and all trashkynde of people to whome God neuer gaue authority to iudge neyther were admitted to come in the place of iudgement to hear what was iudged in matters of faith but only to Prelates is committed the authority of feeding as S. Pet. saies 1. Pet. cap. 5. v. 2. Feed the stock of God which is amongst you No Emperour may call a generall counsell lawfully neyther doth his power extend in all partes to be obeyed and depending vpon you thus he Moreouer neyther Emperours of themselues may command a counsell the reason is euident because it is not sayd to the Emperor feed my sheepe but only to Peter and his successors neyther is the Emperor or King head of the Church neyther haue they commandement ouer all Byshopes seing many Byshops remaine out of their iurisdiction and commandement But a generall counsell should be commaunded of him who may coÌ„maund that they assemble otherwise the indictioÌ„ and command shal be of no value or effect and seing the Emperour or King is only a generall defender of the Church to whome for that cause that iurisdiction to commaund a counsell was neuer lawfull neyther at any tyme hath been instituted of the Emperors by authority of theÌ„selues And albeit some de facto haue indicted couÌ„sels notwithstaÌ„ding no otherwayes Whatsoeuer Emperours hath done was by consent of the Pope of Rome theÌ„ with the authority and consent of the Byshop of Rome neyther did the first Byshops in those tymes indicte any counsell without the helpe of the Emperors so that euer the authority of the Pope was ioyned with the Emperor as for example that great couÌ„sell of Nyce was not only gathered of Constantyne Emperor but also of Siluester Pope as it is sayd in the sixt Synod Act. 8. to whome agreeth Ruff. lib. 10. Hist. cap. 1. saying Constantine to haue gathered that great counsell by iudgment of the Pope and Priestes of the Church and not of his owne authority and commandement Moreouer this authority of the Emperor was very necessary for the Byshops to be gathered at one counsell First The authority of the Emperour is necessary for diuers respectes that the Prelates of the Church might by their authority be defended from paganes in the way Secondly that they might be transported with publique charges for then they were poore and might not beare so great chardges of themselues Thirdly because in that tyme the old lawes of the Emperors did rule and were in effect obserued which inhibited all great meetings and couentions without the authority of the Emperor for fear of sedition and coniurations leg conuent cod de epist. cop presb which lawes haue now ceased OBIECTION IT is sayd Iohn 5. search the Scriptures therefore the certaine way to compose controuersies of religion is by the searching of the Scriptures and not by decition and senteÌ„ce of counsell ANSVVER THe Scripture kept the place of a witnes and not of a iudge For Christ hath not sayd search the Scriptures because they bear iudgemeÌ„t of me but he sayth search the scriptures by the indicatiue word because they beare witnes of me for it is not the office of a witnes to giue sentence but only to giue testimonie but it is the iudges part to hear search and examine the witnes
the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. I beseech you BrethereÌ„ by the name of our Lord IESVS Christ that ye say all one thing and that there be no Schismes among you but be you perfect in one sense and in the same knowledge Againe 1. Cor. 14. God is not a god of dissention but of peace Againe Rome 15. Now the God of patience and consolation giue you to think the same thing one with another according to Iesus Christ that with one mynd and one mouth yow may honour God Againe Rom. 12. Be not high minded and be not wise in your selues Againe Phil. 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioye that ye be lyke minded hauing the same loue being of one vnity and of one iudgement Therefore to descrybe this One with her vnity she is called the body of Christ and his Spouse the Kingdome of Heauen his only doue and perfect one his elect and sister new Ierusalem the arck of Noe. as witnesse these following Eph. 4. 5.1 Cor. 11. Rom. 12. Cant. 6 4. Apoc. 21. Gen. 8. Psalm 79. Cant 2. Esa 5. Ier. 2 12. Matth. 20. Marc. 12. Apoc. 14. Luc. 5. Matth. 13. Therefore as the Church is One so hath she vnity the reason is because first she is directed by the holy Ghost The causes of vnity in the Church â—s the holy Ghost the teacher of the truth a visible head to fâ—llow the truth and the definitioÌ„s of â—he Church for conseruing of the truth which is the God of loue and peace and alwayes teacheth the truth which is but One. Secondly the high Pastor and head of the Church who vnder Christ gouernes this Church in a visible manner is an other cause because whilest all obey one who cannot swarue froÌ„ the truth because he is the head of the church for whome Christ hath prayed Matth. 16 Luc 22. For faith and truth must agree in one because faith truth are but one Thirdly the definition of the Church as a square rule by which the truth and religâ—on is tryed and Scriptures are expounded which rules are the cause of vnitie loue peace in the Church of Christ Noe such lyke thing can be sayd of the protestantes where is this one Church amongst theÌ„ where is vnity which is a vertue proceeding of the holy Ghost who teacheth the truth for the conseruation of vnitie where is the head vnto whome all concurres where are the definitions for the keeping of vnity Are these effects among the sectaries Moreouer in the article of faith nombers of SacrameÌ„ts exposition of the Scripture the vse and effectes of the Sacramentes such jarres emulations and discords are amongst themselues that Nicol. gall superintendent in Rhensburgein thesibus hypoth sayth Our contention is not in small matters neyther of trifles How variable is the vnitie of the protestants and irreconciliable but in the highest articles of the Christian religion to wit of the law of the Ghospel of iustification and good workes of the Sacraments and vse of them of diuyne worshipe and ceremonies Which by no meanes can be appeased hidden or dissembled for they are plaine contradictions which can not be accorded thus he So that by their owne professors they are conuinced of discord and sectes Lykewyse Sturnius de rat contrad inaeundae pag. 24. Doth verisie this discentioÌ„ in so much that the Lutherans in their bookes published doe condemne the Churches of Ingland France Scotland Szuitzerland as Heretickes Lykewyse in his Epitome colloq Malbrug an 1564. pag. 82. discouering the Zuinglians who clame vnitie and fraternall peace with the Lutherans saying that the Zuinglians wryte that they account themselues bretheren with vs it is an impudent lye and vainely forged by them that we cannot sufficiently admire their impudency for we account them Hereticks not in the Church of God farrelesse to repute them our bretheren whom we finde transported with the spirit of falshood and to be contumelious to the sonne of God Againe Schluss in Theol. Cal. lib. 3. cap. 6. sayes that the Caluinistes would account vs Lutherans as their bretheren whom notwithstanding they condemne as Hereticks This discord Iezler Zuinglio Caluinist lib. de diuturnit bellâ— euch pag. 25. 80. Discoueres more at length saying there is no end of chiding writting accusing disputing condeÌ„ning and excommunicating one another betwixt the Lutherans and Caluinistes To the same effect sayes Schluss lib. 2. art 15. Theol. cal That it is most cleare no definition eyther of generall or particular counsel is expected for vnity in religioÌ„ because it is impossible to theÌ„ to agree in matters of religion except the great day of the Lord hasteÌ„ and close vp this variance Lykewyse Carlil in his book how Christ descended into Hell affirmes their vnity is to wrest the Scriptures from their right sense and to showe themselues to loue darknes more then the light Whereupon Cal. in praf non test gall 1567. I confesse sayth he that Sathan hath gained more by these new Gospellers then was in popery by keeping the word from the people Is not this the vnitie of these professors of discoâ—d Schisme and variable opinioÌ„s as Greg. maior in orat de conf dogm The Papistes saies he doe obiect the scandalls and discordes which are amongst vs I confesse they are greater then can be deplored with any teares I confesse the weake myndes of many to be so troubled thereby that they haue begun to doubt wher the truth is or whether there be any Church of God or no. Lykewyse Chytreus in thema deprau Aug. conf The Euangelicall Doctors are more barbarous and lyk cruell beastes contending among themselues then barbarous souldiours Lykewyse Nil Selueccerus sayth that the professors of the Ghospel are loathsome to the world their chayrs pulpites and seates begunne to displease all men in which no other doctrine is heard then venemous debates contentions and varieties of opinions For as says Vigand lib. de errorib maior It is neyther woll nor flax that they contend about but the very capitall pointes of Christian doctrine vntil the great day of the Lord they shall neuer better agree Therefore for conclusion no vnity in heresie but this vnity is in the Catholicke Church because the multitude of belieuers are of one hart In conclusion no vnity is in haeresie As the Catholicke Church is one so is vnity and loue in her One is the Church and in vnity for diuerse reasoÌ„s and one mynd Therefore our Roman Catholik Church is that one and keepes vnitie that same with the Churches which are from the primitiue tymes which may easely appeare by the profession of our faith and in the circumstaÌ„ces of all former antiquitie which also remaines one and in keeping vnity in the continuall succession of the selfe visible head not in nomber but by successiue succession and moreouer it is
contrary is with the Protestants no constancy no stability in their doctrin as witnes Zuingl Tom. 2. comm de vera falsa relig cap. de euch fol. 202. We recant here what we sayd there with this condition that that which we delyuer the 42 yeare of our age take place of what was taught in the 40. yeare In this same mynd is Beza in colloq mompel pag. 1â—0 268 388 I confesse me to haue written many things which I wish had not been written I would to God the memory of them all were abolished Moreouer they impugne this article and fall in misbeliefe who appeall to an inuisible Church remoued from all senses lyk a Platonicall Idea separated from all knowledge neyther extant in any country neyther read of in any history in which there is no Euangelicall Annunciation no Sacraments minystred no persones knowne and this is done because their conscience informed them that the true visible auncient and vniuersall Church in which Christs name Scriptures and Sacraments were preserued stood with vs agaynst them in auouching the same It is a desperat opinion proceeding from profound infidelitie As concerning that article The communion of Saints the forgiuenes of sinnes Against the 10 Article By this article it is euident that there should be a communion betwixt the liuing and the dead who liue and die in one faith hope and charity But this article is misbelâ—eued of the Protestants who deny all corespondence betwixt the Saincts in Heauen and men in earth As also they misblieue impugne Scriptures which iustify this controuersie of the inuocation of Saincts conformable to this article Moreouer this article disalloweth the discordes amongst the Protestants themselues For Sturn di ratiâ— contradict ineundae pag. 24. sayes that the Lutherans in their published bookes do condemne the Churches of England Fraunce Flanders Scotland c. And call their martyres Martyres of the Diuel And Iester Zuingl Caluinist lib. de diuturm belli eucha pag. 25.80 There is no end of chiding wryting accusing disputing condemning excoÌ„municating betwixt the Lutherans and the Caluinistes and this is the communion of the Saincts in the reformed Church Morouer they fall in misbeliefe and impugne this Article who affirme it blasphemie to giue tytles to Saincts in Heauen which they themselues vsurpe and giue to sinners on earth in this madde humor is Caluin who not induring any honour towards Saincts or images yet could permit his owne picture to be borne about the necks of them in Geneua and when some thought it insolent arrogancy and reprehensible admonished that the people might sinne thereby because they esteemed it as a remedy against mischances answered them grieue at it till yow burst and after hange your selues Bols in vita Calu. cap. 12. Morouer as concerning the forgiuenes of synnes all protestants remayne in this misbeliefe and are repugnant to this article partly affirming only fayth to iustifye and consequently being once in this Protestants fayth which once had can neuer be lost they can neuer after synne what should they belieue which they already haue as we haue declared in the second question at length Partly by making God the author of euil and themselues but bare instruments and consequently not themselues but that God hath need of the remission of sinnes Partly in saying a man hath no frewill and consequently cannot synne Partly by saying that synnes caÌ„not be forgiueÌ„ in the Church contrary to Christs doctrin Iob 20 For if the Protestant will not deny but there is remission of sinnes in baptisme whey not in pennance to the remission of sinnes for if the one be a washing of the spotted the other is also a lowsing of the bound and the one as necessary as the other Against the 2â— article Moreouer as concerning the resurrection of the dead this article is misbelieued and impugned amongst themselues For Luther sayth of the Caluinists that they intend to a manifest Apostasie coÌ„cerning this article Tom. 7. VVitt. defend Verb. Caen. fol. 390. The same Villagaignon epist ad Geneu in praef lib. 1 de euch affirmes that with his eares he hard it preached of the Caluinistes that the hope of lyf did not beloÌ„g to the bodyes but to the soules Lykwyse Almaricus on of Foxes Martyres as Caesar lib dial dial 5 affirmes sayd that there was no resurrection of the bodyes Caluin is of this same opinion in his epist ad Farell fol. 194. saying In that the resurrection of the flesh seemeth incredible to thee it is no thing admirable Moreouer they misbelieue this Article who deny mens soules to be immortall vnto which opinion Luther is inclyned Tom. 4 in Eccles cap. 9â— 5 10. It appears sayth he out of this place that the dead feel nothing Lykewyse Calu in praef Psiâ—hrinachiae in praef Gallasij sayes that he knew certayne good men to whome this opinion of the souls sleeping seemed sound It followes that he himself is one of these good meÌ„ who in the ps 130. sayes that the soules of the wicked are anihillated and not in hell lib. 3. iust cap. 25. § 12. and the residue to be but shadowes imaginations fantasies idoles dead And consequently no immortality Whereupon it was concluded in a solemne disputation at Geneua when they had long consulted how to auoyd purgatory to say Let vs affirme the soule to be extinguished togeather with the body Purgatorie is abolished by denying the article of the â—â—eed and so purgatory wil be spedely abolished For this doctrine is so vrgent that they are persuaded that it cannot well be denyed vntill the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soule also be denyed But why is purgatorie so annexed to this article that the Protestants are driuen to his extremity because they obserued that God oft forgiueth the offenses and yet reserueth a chastisment for satisfaction as in Adam in Moyses in Dauid whose offenses being forgiuen yet Adam remayned subiect to death This place serueth for the proofe of Purgatory and indured all other myseries Moyses neuer entred into the land of promise Dauids ch ld begotten in sinne dyed So lykewyse because God is euer one and lyk himself such as repent late or slakly might be forgiuen at their death and yet for satisfaction remayne in purgatory therefore it is the rediest way to deny purgatory by the denyall of the resurrection of the dead and mortality of the soule Against the 12 article And as for that Article the lyfe euerlasting So many are in misbeliefe and impugne this as deny God Heauen the resurrection of the dead the immortality of the soule and our redemption by Christ c. And this is the great aboundaÌ„t light of truth that hath sprung with the reformed who in the blindnes and night of darkenes wherein they are wrapped do vant and glorifie as in the clearnes of the light Greg. lib. 1. Mor cap. 26. who wil be more curious to know how
deformed the Protestantes profession is concerning the articles of our creed let him read Quirinus Cnoglerus de Symbolo Caluin Luther and he shall fynde a thowsand pointes of misbeliefe and filthy absurd errors and negations in the twelfue articles of our fayth that rightly they conclude their proposition to be true to haue indeed in their reformation reiected all papisticall doctrine God and all true fayth and therefore iustly may be called deformeres and no reformers QVAESTIO XIIII Of the stability of the visible Church WHerefore affirme the Papists the Church of God euer to be visible seing sometymes tho hath perished and hath remayned altogeather inuisible Luth lib. de Abrogand miss Caluin lib. 4. instit cap. 1. § 7. Melanch in loc com loc 12. alij ANSVVER GOod friends I belieue you suppose that Christ hath two churches seing it is oÌ„ly one which according to the prophesies is visible and spreed abroad through the whole world and that her citizins shyne in the midest of a crooked peruerse nation lyke stares in the firmament The Church is visible and doth remayne glorious in euery nation shewing themselues members in professing the doctrine and Sacraments of this visible Church Therfore one it is and not many publict and not hid the kingdome of Christ is visible the tabernacle of God is placed in the sonne Nether shall this seeme marueâ—ll to any if all that appertaine to the Church would take heed to the last end vnto which all doth tende and to the same principales mediates if all I say would coÌ„curre with one mynde to wit in fayth hope and charity for it cannot be that there be two Churches otherwayse there should be two last endes distinct and two kynds of principall mediates to obtayne these endes Therefore it is to be belieued of fayth that the Church of Christ hath euer bene visible as may appeare of her notes and by many places of the holy Scripture of the which two shall suffice for breuities sake first in the ps 18. It is sayd that he had placed his tabernacle in the foune that is to say he had placed the Church in the pure light that it may be visible to all the world For as S. Aug Tract 2. in Epist. Ioh. sayes he hath placed his Church in the sonne not in the night but in the day Agayne he sayeth what more am I to say theÌ„ that he is blind that sieth not so great a mountaine and that he shuttes and closseth his eyes against the candell sette on the candelstick Matth. 5. Againe S. Aug vpon the 18. of Matth. v. 15 our Sauiour admonishes if they brother sinne against thee goe and reproue him betwixt thee him if he hear thâ—â— thow hast wonne thy brother but if he hear thâ—e not yet take owne witnes with thee or two that in the mouth of two or thee â—itnesses euery word may stand but if he hear thee nâ—t â—hen tell the Châ—rch if he hear not the Church let him be to thee as an heathen and publican I hope if reason be with man the reformed will here consider diligently the wordes of Christ be-because these wordes specially tell the Churcâ— is to recure to the Church as iudge the which must be visible for no iudge can be inuisible if he execute the office of a iudge for how shall I finde her that is inuisible how shall I declare to the Church if it be not visible who hath euer institute recourse to an inuisible iudge Lykewyse I ask how long hath your reformed Church bene inuisible what minysters of the diuyne word haue you had with you what Sacraments and how are they minystred in all ages past who of yow hath opposed against Vprysing heresies For somuch as the spouse of Christ hath ben oppugned in euery age Answere for her inuisibility if you can As for the Catholickes and to their purpose many places of the Scriptures serue as the parable of the banquet The Thresking floor and the fishers net the sheepfold c. All which doth proue the Church to be visible In the name of the other Senatours of the world compereth S. Aug. in his Epist 161. ad Hon. Danat making meÌ„tion of the visibility of the Church and belieues it of fayth and as it were with his finger pointing the Church of God euer to be visible For so much as S Paul in all his Epistles putteth the names of these Cities Kingdomes and Nations as Macedonia Achaia IerusaleÌ„ Romanes Hebrues Corinth Colloss Philip Gallat Ephes Lykewyse S. Iohn in his Apocal. wryttes to the seauen Churches in Asia c. Which Churches vndoubtedly were visible as the other Churches rehearsed thorefore the Churche is not inuisible and mathematicall vnknown to the world but only to God Are Christian men so blind as yet not to see thâ—s Church before your doctrine which of necessity must make a visible Church for if the Church he inuisible how are you become visible for Pastores are the representation of a visible Church and not of an inuisible who is so blind to â—ollow your imaginary opinioÌ„s against the mount of God the glorious sonn the burning laÌ„p to make the churche obscured and darkned through your idle opinions obserue this for a true note we are all obliged vnder payne of eternal damnation to coÌ„ioyne our selues to the true Church of God to perseuere in her that is to say to obey her head to coÌ„municate with the rest of the meÌ„bers Lyke as S. Hier. sayes Epist ad Dam. Vnto thy holynes that is to say I ioyne and concord with the chayr of S. Peter I know the Church is builded vpon a rock whosoeuer is without this hous shal not eat of the Lamb and he is prophane And if any man be not within the Ark of Noe. he shall perish induring the deluge Now truely it is impossible to any to eat of this lamb out of the right house or to be out of the ark of Noe who desyres to be saued or to communicat with the true Church if it be inuisible Therefore as the Israelites in the old testameÌ„t had the visible signe of circumsition as a sacrameÌ„t of a visible Church euen so in the new testameÌ„t the holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles in visible signes as a Sacrament of a visible Church for if in the law of nature there was euer certaine externall Symboles visible for humane society obseruance of deuty euen so in the law of grace Christ hath instituted the Sacraments for vnity and charity of the members of his Church For as S. Aug. lib. 19 cont Faust. cap. 11. sayes in no religion true or false men can be vnited without visible signes and Sacraments Moreouer the visible Church from the tyme it began it neuer fayled neyther may fayl because before the incarnation of Christ the true fayth of God was euer and lykewyse the worship of God was in some men who made vp a Church
of God lykewyse that Church which was after Christ hath neuer fayled or might fayle according to that stait in which it was instituted of himself It is euideÌ„t by testimony of holy Scripture in which Christ kingdomes is fortold to be eternall as psal 47 v. 9. Is sayd as we haue hard so we haue we seen in the city of our God and God hath established it for euer Which psalme is spoken altogeather of the Church and her perpetuity lykewyse her visibility is also meÌ„tioned whyl the prophet sayes as we haue hard and seene therefore it is not obscurly designed or inuisible Also Dan. 2. v. 44. sayes That in the dayes of those Kings the God of Heauen shall set vp a Kingdome which shall neuer be distroyed and this Kingdome shall not be giuen to another people but it shall break and distroy all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for euer Moreouer S. Matth. 16. v. 18. sayes That the gates of Hell shall not preuayle against her for as there is a visible head there must be a visible body and seing Christ was seen in earth did conuerse with men shall not his body and members therof also be visible if the foundameÌ„t be visible it behoweth also the house to be visible and seing the Apostles and prophets are foundament of his Church Ephes 2. who can deny the building not to be visible Lykewyse our coniunction with Christ is not only spirituall but also is bodily that we may be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh the Apostle calleth it a great Sacraments Eph. 5. And seing by Sacramentes we are vnited and knowne togeather which are visible things and therfore appertayne to a visible body which is his Church also which hath a visible head that the Church of God may euer appeare visible wherupon Chrysest Tom. 5. orat de non rontemnend Eccles What is more stronger then the Church of God the barbarous may pull downe the walles but the infernall diuels cannot ouercome it When she is battered she is victor and when she is inuaded with deceipt ouercommeth thus he And S. Bernard Serm. 79. neyther by the verbositie of Philosophers neyther cauillations of heretyckes neyther by the sword of the persecutors might the Church at any tyme be separat from the loue of God thus he Moreouer it is sayd Eph. 4. v. 11. He gane some to be Apostles and some Prophets some Euangelistes and some Pastors and â—eachers for the â—â—summation of the Saincts for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ whyll we all meer togeather in the vnity of faith and in knowledge of the sone of God vnto a perfyt man and vnto the measur of the age of the fulnes of Christ In which words the Apostle rehearsing these offices Apostles Pastors and Doctors to abyd in the Church to the end of the world declares the Church to be visible which no ways caÌ„ be vnderstood of an inuisible church by reason that there is no such offices that Moreouer it implicates a contradition the visible Church sometyme to haue fayled and the inuisible to remayne for somuch as the wonders of the world are noted partly by Scripture as the deludge Gen. 6 4 Reg 17 Matth. 25. the going back of the sonne the sonne mone to haue lost their light and darkenesse to haue ouer shaddowed the whole face of the earth at the death of Christ Lykwyse Historiographers and Chronologies make mention of erthquakes fyre tempestes pestilence and such lyke prodigious things which are registred and are extant in euery mans hand and yet what tyme the Church fayled and became inuisible there is no Scripture no chronologie no witnes euer to be found but only clamorous mens voyces to say it once it was visible this they graunt but how in fayled it is improbable For if the visible Church hath fayled and the inuisible remaine and was not seene there followe to wyld absurdities for eyther she professed her fayth and yelded not to the persecutions of the Gentills or Heceticks and in so doing it followeth that she was visible as the primitue Church in the tyme of the Apostles and Martyres in tyme of persecutors for in profession suffering sho appeared and was a spectacle to the world and contrary wise if she professed not her sayth but lurked and retayned it inwardly in the hart and outwardly by dissimulation accommodated hirself to the tyme in following of false worship as the Helchesiâ—nes did as witnes Euse lib. 6. cap. 31. In so doing sho cannot be accounted the true Church of Christ For Christ sayes Matth. 10. â— 33 VVho shall deny me before men him shall I deny before my Father in Heauen Therefore the Church in vigor and subsistance cannot want a signe of visibility Morouer the Church contayning alswell the vniuersality of faithfull as of Byshops absolutely cannot err in matters of fayth which vniuersally eyther are to be belieued of fayth or propounded vnto vs to be done for good manners whether expressely they be found in the Scripture or noe because the Church is gouerned of Christ the head as S. Paul sayes Ephes 1. u 22. He hath giuen him to be head of all the Church which is his body And therefore if sho may err it redounds vnto Christ which according to the verity it self no manner of way may fall because God is true and because the Church is the pillar and foundament of verity 1. Tim. 3 v. 15. Therefore sho cannot err lykewyse Christ promissed to his Apostles and to the whole Church The spirit of verity to abyd with hir for euer and to leade hir in all verity S Ioan. 14. 16. It is not to be vnderstood of simple verity because the Scripture speakes generally of all verity descrybing the holy spirit to teach the Church and sho to be a pillar of verity that in nothing sho should err otherwayes if the Church may erre in teachings things necessary to saluation no man shall know wher the verity is and the holy Ghost shall be found the lyar For haue not all the Fathers in whatsoeuer question and controuersie of fayth fled to the church as vnto the ancher of verity They would neuer haue taken this refuge if they thought that the Church might erre To this effect S. Aug. lib. 1. contra Cresc c. 33. sayth the verity of the Scriptures is kept of vs seing we doe that thing which hath pleased the vniuersall Church the which doth commend the authority of the selfe Scripture forsomuch the holy Scripture may deceaue none but whosoeuer hath feared to be deceaued by obscurity of any question let him consult with the Church which without any ambiguâ—ty doth demonstrate and shaw the holy Scripture Againe Epist 118. To dispute against that thing sayes he which the vniuersall Church belieues it is most insolent madnes Againe in psal 57. In the bowells of the Church sayes he veritie remaynes
number and place Moreouer that Christ breathing on his Apostles sayd receaue yee the holy Ghost Now if he gaue them the holy Ghost before his Ascention what needeth he to send them the holy Ghost after his ascention seing they had receaued the holy Ghost already Hidib quaest 9 Lykewyse S. Paul sayes Rom. 3. We thinke a man to be iustifyed by fayth without the workes of the law And contrariwyse S. Iames cap. 2. sayes what auayleth it though a man say he hath fayth if he haue no workes can his fayth saue him for without workes faith is dead Moreouer it is sayd Rom. 5. That fayth was reckned to Abraham for righteousnes And contrariwyse S. Iac. 2. sayes that Abraham our Father was iustifyed by workes Lykewyse S. Paul Rom. 10. declaring the reiection of the Iewes and vocation of the Gentiles alledgeth the Prophet Isai saying I am found of them that sought me not and manifested to them that asked not for me but vnto Israell all the day long I haue streached forth my handes vnto a people that belieueth me not but speaketh against me And after this he sayes hath God cast away his people God forbid if the Casting away of thē be the reconciliation of the world Haue they so offended and stumbled that they should fall he answeres saying God forbid And yet after this he argumentes the contrary saying because of vnbeliefe they are broken and cast away I pray yow is this place by reading the plaine text easily vnderstood How opposite is the Apostle to the readers iudgement Lykwyse about predestination Rom. 9. where he sayes that it lyeth not in the will of man neyther in the running of man but in the mercy of God Againe the Apostle is contrary to himselfe Rom. 7. saying will is present with me Moreouer in the first Epistle Timoth. cap. 2. it is sayd that God will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth If God so willeth who can gainstand his will why then doe so many perish amongst Christians and others remayne in infidility Lykewyse the Apostle Rom. 9. wished to be accursed for his bretheren the Iewes yet he saies that nothing could separate him from the loue of Christ Roman 8. what may be gathered of these wordes but that he loued the Iewes better then Christ Algasia ad Hier. q 9. Lykewyse S Paule cor 15. sayes when al things are subdued vnder him then shall the sonne also himself be subiect vnto him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all this place fits well Caluin with the Arians to make Christ inferior to his Father Lykwyse the Apostle sayes Coll. 1. that he doth fullfill that lacked of Christs sufferings in his body This place seemes to make the passiō of Christ insufficient if we vnderstand it according to the letter Lykewyse to the Hebrues 6. saying it is impossible that those who once are illuminated haue Gusted the Heauenly gift and are made participant of the holy spirit and haue tasted of the good word of God of the ioyes of the world to come if they fall away The Scripture is of difficill vnderstāding should be renewed againe by pennance VVhich in cap. 10. For sinning willingly after the receipt of the knowledge of verity there is not left now for sinne any sacrifyce but a terrible expectation of indgement and burning fyre If these places were not fauourably interpreted by the literall sense no man can be saued that if a man sinne after he is Christened and hath receaued the gifts of God that after he cannot be reconciled with pennance and by this all hope of mercy for remissiō of sinnes is takē away which argument was the cause of Nouatus heresie Moreouer S. Hier. ad Algas quest 7. sayes what was the Apostles meaning What wonderful heresies hath rysen of the Scripture that scharcely wil any man die for the righteous man peraduenture for a good man durst a man die The words seemes to be plaine and easie of vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding for lack of knowledge two great Heresies arose of this sentence For Marcion by this defended that there were two Gods one iust creator of Heauen and earth and author of the Law and Prophets The other a good God the God of the Ghospell and Apostles whose sonne is Christ For the iust God few or none haue dyed for the good God innumerable martyres haue dyed thus Marcion Lykewyse Arius was in the contrary opinion that Christ was the iust God by this argument ps 71. Giue the King thy Iudgments o God and thy righteousnes to the Kings Sonne And the other good God he calleth the Father God of Heauen by reason by the Euangelist Luc. 18. why cal yow me good seing there is none good but God the Father All these being well considered is the Scripture easy of vnderstanding Think with your selues and iudge equally and if so be why haue your chief Rabbines written so many prolix cōmentaries on the Scripture and chiefly on the wordes of Christs institution which are so plaine and clear in themselues and yet there hath rysen aboue two hundrith diuerse opinions to interpret them For the words of a testament ought to be plaine without obscurity ambiguity doubt or equiuocation as the nature and condition of a testament requyres Therefore iudicious Reader obserue diligētly what facility is in the whole Scripture when in one word there is aboue two hundrith explications they go about to giue yow the light of Gods word whyll they inferre darknes and shut vp the verity from yow they will haue you vnderstand the hid misteryes of God by reading and yet they will be interpreters of the meaning of it and not delyuer it according to the spirit of God and his Church but according to the reuelatiō of ther priuy spirit as Cal. l. ◠inst c. 7 § 2. who sayes the obscurity and hard places of the Scripture in their sense and vnderstanding is no more difficill to iudge them then to iudge the colours of things blake and whyte swet and bitter which of the spirit and sense are iudged So that the reading of the Scripture in a vulgar tongue giues occasion to subuert the faith of Christ and giues place to euery Heresie and to make it a store-house of ech dogmaticall opinion as Luth. postilla dom post pent There is no heresie hovvsoeuer euill or grosse it be which will not defend it self by the Scriptures Lykwyse Tert. lib. de praesc the Scripture sayes he is the booke of Heretickes not of it self but occasionally OBIECTION THE Scripture is the food of the soule therefore the faithfull are not to be depriued of it by interdiction not to read the Scriptures ANSVVER IT is true the Scriptures are the food of the soule but this food is to be eaten by the mouth of the Pastors and teachers of the Church as Mal. 2. v. 7. the lyps of
who notwithstaÌ„ding grosly sayd how can he giue his flesh to be eaten this is a hard saying so that neyther the Iewes nor his disciples who should exceede others did attaine to the vnderstanding of Christs words as noteth Chrys in c. 6. Iohn What theÌ„ is this word hard and a saying not easy of vnderstanding which was full of dread that their imbecillitie could not bear it c. For if the Scriptures were easy it was no great benefite that Christ did to his Apostles in opening their wits that they might vnderstand the Scriptures neyther was it any great matter that he hid to his two Disciples going to Emaus vnto whome beginning at Moyses and the Prophets he interpreted in all Scriptures which were written of him for this action of Christ argueth difficulties otherwayes why did he labor to much to make them vnderstand them The Enuch of the Queene of Candy reading the Scriptures confesseth that he vnderstood them not and yet a man of good experience To this effect Philâ—p is moued of the holy Ghost to ioyne him to his chariot who hard him read I say the prophet and asking him if he vnderstood what he read he answered how can I except I had a guy de Wherefore when Philip was with him in his chariot and the Scripture was read the Enuch asked him saying I pray thee of whome speaketh the Prophet of himself or some other man Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached vnto him Iesus For the work of the holy Ghost in placing Philip to him had been in vaine if there had not been difficultie in the Scripture and if this man could not vnderstand without a guyde for all his experience no more can other men do Moreouer when Christ spake of his passion and resurrection his Apostles vnderstood him not saying after a little whyle and ye shall not see me and agayne after a whyle and you shall see me for Igoe to the Father Ioan. 16. If the liuely voyce of Christ was obscure and darke to the Apostles so the same is now being written in dead letters for the liuely voyce of Christ is of greater force then the letter Lykewyse S. Paul numbring the Giftes of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 12. to one sayes he is giuen the vtterance of wisdome and to another the gift of knowledge to another the gift of fayth to another the gift of healling to another the gift of miracles to another the gift of prophesie to another the gift of iudgement to discerne spirits to another the gifte of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues and all these things worketh one and he self same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will Therefore seing euery one hath not the gift of vtterance of knowledge of Prophesying c. and consequeÌ„tly also no more vnderstanding of the Scriptures And as these gifts are not coÌ„mon to all men euen so the vnderstaÌ„ding of the Scriptures is not easy to al men S. Paul proueth this well by the order and disposition of a naturall body from which he deduces an argument to proue an order in the mysticall body the Church 1. Cor. 12. You are sayes he the body of Christ and members of his body and therefore God hath ordayned in the Church first Apostles next Prophets thirdly Teachers fourthly theÌ„ that doe miracles fifthly the gifts of healling c. For if the Scripture be easy of vnderstanding then these giftes are superfluous for where euery one vnderstandeth there needeth no Apostle Prophet Teacher c. And if euery man vnderstand then euery one hath all these giftes contrary to the Apostles meaning who sayes all be not Prophets and Teachers c. Moreouer S. Hier. in praef sup Ezech. sayes that the Iewes might not read the bookes of Genesis before they ere thirthy years of age but the Protestants as new-hatched chikeÌ„s pipes out of their mothers belly pratle of the Scriptures as experience teaches in Scotland it will not serue the Puritane ministers to haue long grace but also the chapter must be read with his Glosse after the spirit and Iok Genny and Mady c. must gather and repeate longe notes old and young must do the same otherwayes they haue not the spirit and are weake in the fayth and soe play the hobly-horse in the Scriptures QVAESTIO XVI Of the adulterating of the Byble WHerefore do the Papistes condemne our reformed Bybles Iohn Wigand lib de bonis malis Germ. Brent Kemn Cent. Magdeburg ANSVVER THe reason is iust on the Catholick part for each on of the sectaries condeÌ„ne on anothers Byble therfore iustly they may be condemned of the Catholicks Each Heretick condemnes one anothers Byble for euill translatioÌ„ For Luther coÌ„demnes the Zwinglians and contrariwyse the Zuinglians the Lutherans lykewyse Beza Castalion and lykewyse Castalion Beza c. Lykwyse did not King Henry the 8 condeÌ„ne his 1. traslatioÌ„ made a new traÌ„slatioÌ„ published it by authority of ParlameÌ„t as witnesseth Calu. Turc lib. 4. cap. 7. Wherefore not vniustly are they condemned of vs Catholickes from whom your grand-Father Lvther had receaued the true coppies who hath corrupted them in mutilating and adulterating the whole text from his originall It is the Protestants reformatioÌ„ to deny many bookes in the Scriptur For what reformation is it to take away from the Canon of Scriptures To bias Iudith the booke of wisdome Ecclesiastes and the Machabies which bookes were receaued for Canon Scripture of the famous and ancient Counsels as Carthage Florence and Trent Of which sacred books Innocent the 1 maketh meÌ„tion of theÌ„ for Canon Scripture in epist ad exuperant Lykewyse Gelatius in his couÌ„sell of seueÌ„ty Byshops Lykwise the Fathers who cyte these books for diuine scripture as at lenght are rehearsed a Sixt Senens lib 8. S. Bibliothecae If this be your reformation let the world be iudge to blot out S Iames epistle calling it a straw-epistle which contrarywise is receaued of the Caluinists Lykwyse to call in doubt the second epistle of S. Peter with the first epistle and the second of S. Iohn Iude the Apocalyps which places were euer in authority with the Greeks and Latines Lykewyse in adding to the Scripture they think no sinne for when S. Paul Rom. 3. v. 22. sayes that the righteousnes of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ is vnto all and vpon all that belieue the reformed traslatioÌ„ add this word only as it were that by only faith the Christian righteousnes falls to vs to exclude all good workes Lykewyse is it an honest translation of the Zuinglians in Turingne to change the wordes of Christ Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. cor 11. where it is sayd This is my Body and this is my Blood to chaÌ„ge it say this signifyeth my body blood For which causes of trumpery the Heretickes cannot suffer the Roman Catholicke Bybles and therfore iustly may the Catholicks say
Ianuar. So that what is instituted of the whole Church for the publicke vtility of fayth it is nōt to be changed Secondly because of the iudgement of the people who are naturally inclyned to Heresie and nouelties whilst in reading of the Scripture and not vnderstāding it they take occasiō to hold opinions against the doctrine of faith the precepts of manners least they should deryde sinistrously interprete these thinges which are religiously instituted and albeit many things be put in the vulgar tongue as the psalmes and other partes of the Scripture notwithstanding the people cannot attayne to the sense and meaning of them for euen these who are expert in the Latin tongue finde difficultie to vnderstād the Scriptures It is not needfull that the people vnderstand what is songe or said in the church except first they consult with commentaries and holy Fathers of the Church Neyther is it needfull that the vulgar people vnderstand what is songe or is celebrated in the Church more then the people vnderstood what the heygh Priest did in Sancta Sanctorum Hebrue 9. Luke 2. For the Ecclesiasticall songs are not instituted to instruct the people in their vnderstanding with wordes but it is instituted to awake and sturr vp their myndes to the worship of God by swet Harmony Reuerence Maiesty and solemne actions What if perchance it come to passe that eyther we trauaile in a strāge coūtry or that a stranger come where Religion is if Gods seruice be not in a vulgar language as Latin is how shall he vnderstand whether they serue God or mocke him how shall he that is ignorant say a men to thy benediction as the Apostle sayth Therefore publicke priuate prayers in a strange tongue albeit they be not vnderstood of him that prayeth yet are acceptable to God haue vertue to impetrate and obtayne blessings because God his saincts vnderstand all tongues which is probable Praiers in the latin tongue are acceptable to God for that common people with the chyldren cryed Matth. 21. v. 9. Osanna filio Dauid which wordes neyther the peoole nor the chyldren vnderstood and yet Christ commendes and prayseth the children neyther reprehendeth he the cry of the people Whereupon Greg. hom 20. in Iosua speaking of a strange tongue sayth If thow hearest somtyme to be read in thy eares that thow vnderstandest not yet in the meane tyme know thow that thou hast receaued vtility thereby in that the only hearing is to thee as it were a certayne charme to expell the deadly poyson dāmage euill spirits who ly snares and go about beseygning Christian souls Which grounds Caluin contradicteth who sayth in his Catechisme to pray in an vnknown tongue it is to mocke God and peruerse hypocrisie Contrary to this who is of sound iudgement A similitude conuinting Caluin will easily esteeme him no hypocryte and mocker who offereth a supplication in an vnknown tongue to the King who is expert in the tongue through dayly vse yet vnknown to the delyuerer It is to be thought that all nations had a common tongue as Gen. 19. in which God was serued but cōfusion of tōgues being made three speciall tongues are separat institute for the diuine seruice of God whereupō this custome followeth that in the occidentall Churches the vse of the latin tōgue was euer with them which was a naturall tongue to them and althought it was not altogeather common to all nations for diuerse nations and tongues were included in the occidentall Churche and yet for diuine seruice this tongue is most frequently vsed So the Greek church vseth the Greek and chaldaick and yet the Greek and chaldaick is another tongue different from the cōmon tongue which the people vseth in their meettings but the others were vsed only amongst the learned and with the Priests in diuyne seruice For it was neuer a custome through the vniuersall world that the vse of the vulgar country tongue should be admitted in diuyne seruice but that which is most cōmon vniuersally to all nations Vt omnis spiritus laudet Dominum And as concerning the reading praying in a vulgar nationall tongue it is no perfection to do so for then the vse of the better tongue failes as Hebrew Greek and Latin which were sanctified on the crosse of Christ And as Latin is common to all it is vsed much more specially it is cōmon to the seruice of God and seing God requireth the best of euery thing to be offered to him as soueraine Lord and most louing Father who doubteth but a learned holy and commō tongue is more honourable then a barbarous prophane priuate tongue is And moreouer in respect of the whole body of the Church with whom specially we cōmunicat in our seruice in prayers that we may say all one thing the vulgar tongues are counted strange and vnknowne which strange tongues S. Paul doth litle regard I. Cor. 14. and preferreth the common tongues which were delyuered to the first Christiās sanctified of Christ and delyuered by the Apostles in the East and West parts of the world not regarding the multitude of vulgar tongues which were vsed in particular prouinces For vsually the Greek tongue was specially in the East and the Latin in the West Church For Christ being on the Crosse from whome is the paterne of all prayers and oblatiōs who knew right well that the common people of the Iewes could not vnderstand him because the true Hebrue tongue was eyther lost or much decayed in the comon speach and euery day more and more failed after the captiuity of Babilon did recyte the beginnig of the Psal 21. in Hebreu my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And did not eyther then or any other tyme interprete it in a vulgar tongue Therfore out of doubt after his example we may do the lyke in these tōgues in our seruice and prayers which Priests and clerkes vnderstand albeit the common people do not vnderstand the same for this good aryseth to the whole Church by the vse of the latin tongue to wit learning and deuotion wheras the Protestants hauing once had the Latin seruice changing it into their particular vulgar tōgue haue lost both learning and deuotion for Amen Alleluia builded many Churches Hospitalles Bridges c. and augmented the deuotion of the people contrary wise So be it hath pulled downe the Churches c. and banished deuotion So that falling from the Latin to the vulgar they haue fallen from the better to the Worse and from vnity into heresy and so to deuyding the coate of Christ into many partes which thing the barbarous and prophane souldiers were affrayed to do Iohn 19. OBIECTION SAinct Paul I. Cor. 14. sayes let no man speake a strange tongue in the Church which is not vnderstood for sayth he who shall supply the place of the Idiot how shall he say Amen vpon thy benediction because he knoweth not what thow sayest but
if we read our seruice prayer in latin the vulgar people vnderstand it not and so there is no more fruit of the hearing of it then if a man should speake to the wall ANSVVER THE Apostles saying contaynes a threefold prayer to wit the prayer of the mouth of the spirit and mynd to which these three concurre the tongue the will and vnderstanding therefore if any pray with his mouth in an vnknowne tongue he prayeth with mouth and wil if he do it for Gods cause but his mynd is without fruit to wit that he vnderstandes not because what he prayeth he vnderstandes not in the meane tyme his prayer is not without fruit for it is meritorious to him that prayeth and acceptable to God albeit it be destitute of that fruit which men conceaue by vnderstanding And therefore S. Paul striueth to declare the gift of Prophesie which is the gift of the exposition of holy Scriptures of the wordes of prayer to be more excellent then the gift of the tongue For seing dayly the nomber of the faithful increased both amōgst Ethnicks Iewes to the fayth of Christ it was not requisit to the faithfull to speake before them with many tongues but then it was their part to speak with interpretation of the Scriptures without which they vnderstood not the Scriptures But now when men are taught in the faith of Christ and with continuall preaching of the word what seruice or prayers are in the Church that men are ignorant of Therefore to what end should diuyne seruice be done in a vulgar tongue seing it is not vnknowne to the vulgar what is done in the Masse or songes of the Church whilst they cōforme their gestures to the wordes of the Priest now to stand now to bowe their kne now to left vp their handes and eyes now to knok on their briests c But to the argument which the heretick propoundeth against the Masse and Church mattens we answere that S. Paul speakes of a Prophet Preacher or Doctor to interprete the Scriptures as Hierome Austen witnes in this place Secondly that albeit the lay-men vnderstād not the wordes yet notwithstanding they vnderstād all the mysteries by preaching Therfore the hearing of masse and matines and euen songe is not vnprofitable c. howbeit they vnderstand not the wordes for these reasons Because in the diuyne seruice of the Church vsually is read the holy Scripture by which the holy Ghost speaketh to vs and powreth some grace in our hartes tongues to expresse our affection and loue towardes God Thirdely the Priest in the masse or collect is comon minister of the whole Church and therfore all hearers of Gods seruice should repose in the faith of the Catholick Church for she more pleaseth God is more acceptable to him as a most beloued spouse to her husband then the fayth of any priuat men Fourthly the end of masse and diuyne seruice is common to all whether he vnderstand or no for the end of the masse the Churches intentiō is knowne to all to wit that the sacrifice is offered for the liuing and the dead in remembrance of the death and passion of Christ to the honour of God and edification of his Church and to the honour of the Blessed Virgin Marie all his Saincts and therefore it sufficeth that we haue diuyne seruice in Latin seing it is one of the three chiefe tongues which Christ sanctifyed on the Crosse and that we appertayne to the latin Church c. QVAESTIO XX. Of the Aue Maria. HOw doth the simple Papists think that they pray when they rehearse the Angelicall salutation saying Aue Maria Aue Maria. Caluin in Harm Euang. c. ANSVVER THe Catholick Papists commit no foolishnes while they repeat the Angelical salutation as a true prayer The reason is because prayer consisteth in two partes the on is in giuing of thanks and the other in prayer therefore it is not affected folly or superstition The maior is euident because there are many Psalmes of Dauid that are only actions of thankes and yet are nombered amongst Ecclesiasticall prayers also they are nōbred by their owne iudgement in the Psalmists in this manner were Paul and Sylas at midnyght praysing and praying our Lord. Act. 16. v. 25. For the petitions desyres are included in the prayer it self Moreouer the minor is euident first because while we repeat that prayer we commemorat the benefit of our redemption by the incarnation of the sonne of God by way of thankes giuing therfore it is to be thought and adiudged for a prayer Secondly it is a prayer implicit by way of insinuation as was the prayer of the leprous-man to Christ saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Matth. 8 v 2. To whom Christ answered condiscending to his inward desyre and priuat prayer saying I will be thou clean Euen so in lyke manner whyl we repeat this salutation we pray-the Mother of God to haue a care of vs implicitly Thirdely the holy Church hath put to this a formall and expresse prayer in the end of the Salutation saying holy Mother of God pray for vs now and in the houre of our death Therefore it is a true prayer howsoeuer the ennemies of God and of his blessed Mother whisper and murmure against her OBIECTION YF the Angelicall Salutation be allowed of the Catholickes for a prayer Ergo when the Angell saluted the Virgin he prayed to her ANSVVER THe sequel is absurd for altough he saluted her it followes not that he prayed to her as whē the action of a thing is of a diuerse intentiō end it acquires a diuerse name and action according to philosophicall axiomes saying Actus accepit speciē ab obiecto that is to say the deede taketh his forme of the obiect As for example when any man shal giue an almes for the succour of his nyghbour this intention and end of his worke is obserued of the forme of the obiect in that he is his nyghbour poore and in the other when any man shall giue an almes to deceaue his nyghbour the first is meritorious but in the second he demerites Euen so the intention and end of the Angels salutation it was congratulatory in that she was chosen to be the Mother of Christ And therefore he is not cōuinced in this to haue prayed to her but by the same axiom to haue saluted her OBIECTION THe Papists vsurpe an others office which is wronge whyle they salut the Blessed Virgin Mary they vsurpe the office of the Angell therefore they sinne in making this salutation which is not proper for them to do but the Angell ANSVVER I Deny the vsurping of an others office this is inuented of Caluins owne head But Athan. in Euāgel de dei para sayth that all the Spirits of the celestiall Hierarchies doe incessantly sing in Heauen this glorious and vnspeakable hymne and for this cause it followeth that not only this
they make euery man as good and as holy as Christ himself in which absurditie follow this conclusion if we haue no inherent iustice but are iust by Christs iustice imputed to vs it followeth that so sunne as we apprehend Christ iustice by fayth as our owne we are in a full perfection at the first for in all graces Christ was perfect that as the first Adam was perfect so is the second in a moment now if we be lykewyse iust by his grace imputed to vs then are we as perfect as he is and so are all iust alyke By imputatiue iustice no difference betwixt Christ and vs. and consequently shall all receaue the lyke glory with him neyther shall there be any difference betwixt Christ and vs in the Heauens which argument was affirmed by the Beguards Iouinian old damned Hereticks which the moderne Sectaries now a dayes defendes for hence it followeth that we are all as iust as Christ for seing we are made iust by his iustice then his and ours are all one herupon hath commed the bouldnesse of some villanous mynded folck to compare themselues with Christ and the Virgin Mary that euery on is al 's holy as our Blessed Lady yee or Christ himself What Luciferan pryd is in this dectrine to make themselues fellow-compagnions with Christ yee with God himselfe OBIECTION ALbeit sinne be within vs notwithstanding it maketh not the belieuer vnrighteous because the righteousnes of Christ is imputed and therefore sinne is not imputed ANSVVER YF sinne remayne and is not imputed as Calum sayth lib. 4 inst cap. 15. § 10. To what end is the article of our creed faying I belieue the remission of sinnes what fruit reape we of the blood passiō of Christ seing by imputatiue iustice Christ passion is made in such inefficacy that it cānot bloot out any sinne against whome the Scripture reclames the contrary saying Iohn 1. v. 29. Behold him who takes away the sinnes of the world And lykewyse Rom. 6. v. 18. Being delyuered from sinne yow are made the seruands of righteousnes And 1. Iohn 1. v. 7. sayth That the Blood of Iesus Christ his sonne doth purge vs of all sinne Secondly it implicates a contradiction sinne to be and not imputed for a fault for vpon this maxim followeth that God will not haue or iudge sinne for a fault and so not to haue a fault neyther to hate it as a fault which is opposed to the Scripture who sayth That the vngodly and his vngodlynes are both alykhated of God Sap. 14. v. 9 Lykwyse it implicates that God doth not censure iudge a man of sinne in that he is neyther culpaple nor sinner for to be culpable affaulter is the formall effect of sinne therefore this imputatiue iustice implicates contradition against God and Christ his sone OBIECTION CHrist is sayd to be made vnto vs righteousnes Sanctification and Redemption 1. cor 1. v. 30. Therefore it is imputed to vs these graces of Christ ANSVVER CHrist is our righteousnes not formally but efficiently because to wit he is the meritorious cause In the same manner of way is vnderstood that place of the Apostle to the Rom. cap. 8. v. 32. saying VVho hath giuen his sonne how not also with him hath he giuen all things to vs So that of their sentences may be obserued that the Righteousnes Wisdome and Sanctificatiō of Christs are so ours not by imputatiue iustice but in the contrary Christ is made to vs these vertues and els whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation that by the merit and benefit of Christ death and passion these may be giuen and possessed by vs and to remaine inherent in vs therefore the righteousnes of God is the self internall righteousnes poured freely in vs for the merites of Christ OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth that the fayth of Abraham is imputed for righteousnes and therefore our righteousnes is nothing other then imputatiue righteousnes apprehended by fayth ANSVVER THe Apostle speaketh of Abrahams fayth by which he belieued God who promised him seed in his old age but not of that fayth by which he apprehended the righteousnes of Christ which fayth was hidde in Abraham and in belieuing God it is sayd that this fayth was reputed for righteousnes for by that he was made more iust so that Abraham with extrinsecall and intrinsecall righteousnes is iust for his extrinsecall fayth is reputed to righteousnes as wadges is reputed according to the debt as the Apostle sayth ibid. 2. saying but the wadges is not imputed according to the debt except it be true debt and true wadges euen so is fayth not reputed to righteousnes except it be true righteousnes truely iustifying a mā and not according to the extrinsecal existimation for this cause Dauid in psal 31. v. 2. sayth Blessed is the man to whome our Lord hath not imputed sinne that is to say whome God no more iudgeth a sinner and so hath forgiuen him that he acknowledge no more sinne in him and hath so taken it away that there remaine nothing of that turpitude in him but a resplendent purity in his place OBIECTION OVr righteousnes is so litle that men cannot suffer the iudgement of God therefore it is necessare that the righteousnes of Christ be imputed to vs by which the imperfection of our righteousnes may be taken away which seemeth to be done in the Sacraments where Christ merites are applyed to vs that in some māner of way they are ours for by these merites we are made iust albeit the reall gifts be absent ANSVVER THe righteousnes which should and ought suffer the iugement of God is the righteousnes of workes and not habituall righteousnes of which is the question for albeit our righteousnes by words be imperfect of thēselfes yet notwithstanding are not so imperfect but that we may doe many good workes throw the merits of Christ not imputed to vs but freely giuen QVAESTIO XXVIII Of good Workes WHerefore to the conseruation and sauety of righteousues by fayth leane the Papists to good workes seeing of their owne Thomas de Aquino it is written that only faith suffices Luth. Ser. Sic Deus dilexit mnndū lib de captiu Babylon cap. de Baptis Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 11. § 19. cap. 17. § 10.11 18. ANSVVER NOw rightly haue we discouered and detected your speciall fayth by which you affirm assure you selues sinnes to be remitted for Christ sake and that his promisses assuredly are applicated vnto you and so by you apprehended vnto iustification Iustification be only fayth is an inuētion of the diuell which altogeather is a true inuention of the Diuell and excogitat for the nourishing the liberty of the flesh Which is probable because the Scripture neyther demandes neyther teaches vs of such a fayth by which we may belieue vs to be iustifyed by only fayth but well the Scripture teaches vs to haue fayth to belieue the diuinity of Christ as Matt. 9
sinne and loue of God yet notwithstanding not without feare and trembling if they consider their owne infirmity and weaknes And as concerning that saying of S. Iohn 1. cap. v. 10. who belieues in the sonne of God hath the testimony of God in himself It is true to wit by fayth belieuing the verity which God witnesses so that this place doth not speake of the testimony of righteousnes but beaâ—e witnesse and giues testimony of the diuinity of the sonne of God which the Father exhibites of his Sonne and is belieued of man OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth 1. cor 13 v. 8. That charity neuer failles but we haue this charity in baptisme which we are certaine neuer to lease Therefore we are certaine of grace and consequently of righteousnes ANSVVER SAinct Paul denyeth not but that charity may faill in this lyfe but in the other world to come it shall not faill For if fayth and hope may faile why not also charity Ergo we are not certaine of our righteousnes OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth 2. cor 1. v. 12. This is our glory the testimony of our consciences but a testimony is none except it be certaine ANSVVER THe testimony of conscience in which the Apostle glories and reioyses or by whose example we may glory the lyke to wit is not to be guilty in our selues of sinne and to liue confidently vs to stand in grace Which testimony of conscience consistes not in righteousnes of workes but in sanctification and holines of lyfe for all reioysing anexed with feare is not assured and certaine For it it sayd ps 2 serue the Lord with feare and reioyce in him with trembling OBIECTION MAny are certaine in themselues to haue walked righteously and to haue eshewed all mortall sinnes which cannot be without iustifying grace therefore must certainely and assuredly any man may know himself to be in grace and consequently certaine of his saluation ANSVVER THe Minor is false for it is sayd ps 18. v. 13. who doth know his sinnes And S. Peter 2. Epist cap. 1. v. 10 Exhorteth by the flying of sinne to make our calling and election sure by good workes That we be not in vaine called for whosoeuer perseueres not in vaine is his vocation consequently a man is neyther certayne of iustifying grace neyther of saluation OBIECTION TO Deny this certitude of grace makes men to doubt and dispayre Ergo. ANSVVER ALbeit his certitude of Grace and only fayth be excluded and denyed there is no occasion of anxiety doubt because there is many things that brings consolation to go fordward in righteousnes in the feare of God as loue charity contrition the Eucharist tribulations as witnes the Apostle saying 2. cor 7. v 4 Aboue measure I reioyce in all our tribulations c. QVAESTIO XXX Of the Purenesse of good Workes WHerefore extolleth the Papists so much the workes of Righteousnes seing all good workes whatsomeuer whosoeuer done of any man are sinne and blotted with impurity of the corrupted flesh and are made imperfect with a perpetuall affection of imperfections So that as our Arch-Rabbies teaches that the very elect are Guilty of sinne before God and of the feare of the iudgement of death Luth art 31. 32. Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 11. § 11. cap. 14 § 9.10.11 lib. 4 cap. 15 § 11. ANSVVER VVHat execrable assertion is affirmed be there Ghospellers who being empte of all good workes and holynes following the flesh must sauour of the impurity of the flesh consequently wyld sinners and as brutish creatures to follow their owne imaginations concerning righteousnes and good workes Many good workes are without sinne and glorifyeth God Which we defend and confesseth that good men de facto may performe and exhibit by the help of Gods grace many good workes meritorious and verily to be without any spot of sinne as vndoubted fayth teaches and holy Scriptures beare witnesse For to what end doth Christ exhort men to good workes if they be sinne in themselues saying Matth. 5 v 16. Let your light thyne before men that they may see your good workes and glorify your Father which is in Heauen But wicked and sinfull workes are not good neyther is God glorifyed of them but in the contrary what is good and glorifyeth God are not siâ—ne neyther polluted of the flesh which is verifyed secondly of the doctrine of the Apolste who exhorting them to follow good workes shewing what offect follow them saying 2. Pet. cap. 1. v. 10. In doing of these things you shall not sinne which â—â—hey had been sinne the Apostle Peter so foolishly world not haue bidden vs to make our calling electioÌ„ sure by good workes if they had not profited vs and glorifyed God Moreouer the Apostle 1. cor 7. v. 38. speaking of Virginity sa yt Who giues his virgin to Matrimony doth well and who doth not doe better if this positiue gifte Mariadge be not sinne How much more excellent a worke is Virginitie to be a worke without a sinne Lykewyse the Apostle commending the dignitie of a Byshop sayes 1. Tim. 3. v. 1. If any man desyre to be a Byshop he desyreth a good workeâ— And last of all it is sayd to the great prayse of Iob that in all his afflictions he had not sinned in his lippes cap. 1. v. 22. Therefore it is euident that many good workes by the helpe of Gods grace may be accomplished and done without any spot of sinne or any quality appertayning to sinne both to the glory of God and profyt of the doer If good works were sinne God should be a prayser of sinne And therfore to say that our good workes are defayled and spoted with sinne it should follow that God should prayse euill workes which is opposed to the nature of his owne goodnesse Moreouer reason accordeth with the Scripture because there is no quality in man that necessitates and forces him that he should defayle and contaminat his owne workes with sinne neyther is he moued of God nor of his owne nature to that euill seing that God is no tempter of euill neyther doth nature desyre of it selfe or worketh force or any violence neyther the Diuell because he cannot compell violently the freewill of man neyther bowe it or fraime it to his disposition and desyre For if a man can doe no good woâ—â—â— without the blot and euill effect of sinne it should follow that the grace of God and the whole merits of Christ should be vnprofitable and without effect to abolish sinne And againe in the day of iudgement there shal be neyther merite nor demerite rewarded in the present tyme it is all a lyke to spoill and robe as to giue almesse consequently mortall sinne and habituall grace shall dwell and exist togeather and moreouer in vaine are all the exhortations monitions perused in the Scriptures to moue men to pennance mortification and satisfaction of lâ—fe if a man can doe no good thing but sinne And
properly of worth and right merite eternall lyfe without any preiudice of gods diuine Maiesty Which doctrine of fayth is valled with stroÌ„g reasons of holy Scriptures which no man will deny that is not preuented with a malicious mynd and carnall passion who hath the smalest taest in the diuine Scriptures shall easily defyne this argument so that Eccl 16 v. 15. sayth all mercy maketh a place to euery one according to the merite of his worke How euident is merite expressed to be a consequent of mercy what in this word is to be hated and abhorred of the Protestantes if they loue the Scripture for if they deteste the one they must detested the other and so the Scripture is as abominable to them as the word merite and goode workes are next to Ecclesiasticus S. Paul auouches the same saying Heb. 13. v. 16. doe good and to distribute forget not for with sacrifice God is promerited And lykewyse of these places in which it is sayd that God giueth to euery maÌ„ a rewarde wadges according to the measure condition and dignity of the worke which is nothing other then according to the good merite of the worke or the euill as it is sayd Psal 6. v. 13. That God giues to euery one according to his workes And lykewyse S. Matth. 16. v. 27. sayth That when the sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels then shall he giue to euery one according to his workes And lykewyse S. Paul 1. cor 3. v. 8. sayth That euery one shall receaue his proper wadges according to his labour What is else merit but wadges and a reward and a condigne recompensation of euery mans laboures workes But now if there be no mention of merit which word the Protestantes abhorreth how are wadges and rewards distributed and giuen and lykewyse punishements For doth not God punish man for euill according to the euill and remunerates man with eternall lyfe for good workes accordâ—ng as they are good workes and therefore seing euill workes of worth ex condigno merites this punishement which is eternall shall not good workes and welldoing merite eternall lyfe as a reward and a remuneration of good things for if we obserue peculiarly the name of wadges and rewarde alleadged of the Apostle it giueth vs to vnderstand that wadges hath no place but where is merite for they are correlatiues one with the other for there is due no wadges where there is no merite neyther followeth merite but where there is workes OBIECTION CAluin lib. 3. inst cap. 15. § 2. sayth that the Kingdome of God improperly is called wadges seing it is the inheritaÌ„ce of the children ergo ANSVVER VVHerefore is it rather improperly sayd waidges then inheritance seing the same be waidges and inheritance and the same with diuerse titles may be debt to vs as appeareth euidently in Christ to whome the accideÌ„tall glory of his body was true waidges as sayth the Apostle Phil. 2. v. 8.9 He hath humbled himself and is made obedient to the death euen to the death of the Crosse for which God hath exalted him and hath giuen him a name which is aboue all name c. For that he promerited the same through his humility and passion for if he had not promerited this accidentall glory to his body as waidges the Apostle had not sayd this word propter quod which waidges was also in heritance due to him by reason of his hypostaticall vnion euen so lyfe eternall is inheritance to the iust and innocent for somuch as they are adopted sonnes of God by habituall grace which only title is dewe to baptised infantes And lykewyse lyfe eternall is waidges to the children of adoption forsomuch as they merit it with good workes done in the state of Grace And therfore it is not called improperly waidges more then inheritance seing both the inheritance and waidge depende on the merite of good vvorkes OBIECTION THe Lutherans argue that lyfe eternall is called waidges not that it is giuen or due for good workes but because it is anexed to the promises of God and therefore it is due to vs by promise and not of no merite ANSVVER I Say a man instructed confirmed with habituall grace of God may exhibet and doe a work condigne and worthy of eternall lyfe because he is moued with the spirit of God whose supernaturall motion intendes to lyfe eternall and therefore for that cause these good workes are so high and excellent as is the selfe life eternall And therfore with diuyne promise ioyned lyfe eternall shal be debtfull to that worke and for that cause that vvork shall merite truely and properly lyfe eternall as a merite and so our merites draw their owne condition which are done and wrought by the grace of God OBIECTION THe Apostle sayth Rom. 6. v. 23. That the grace of God is lyfe eternall but that which is of grace is not debtfull to vs by way of wadges of righteousnes And for this cause it is sayd Psal 102 v. 4 That God hath crowned vs vvith mercy and compassion ergo of grace and not of vvorkes is lyfe eternall ANSVVER WHo is so ignoraÌ„t that knoweth not that lyfe eternall is called grace because the coÌ„dâ—gne merites of lyfe eternall are of the grace of God as sayth S. Aug. Epist 105. For if S. Paul calleth death the stipeÌ„d of sinne eueÌ„ so the stipeÌ„d of righteousnes may be called lyfe eternal or the stipend of death stipend of lyfe is merite demerit as correlatiues are for in this the Apostle hath changed a kynd of speach that he might exclud ambition and pryd out of the hart of man and especially such as would that lyfe eternall should be due and properly giuen for their owne righteousnes without the grace of God as witnes S. Aug. in Epist 105. And therefore the Apostle calleth lyfe eternall the grace of God because it is giuen for the revvard of workes done in the state of grace and seing our vvorkes without grace as vnto the lyfe eternall it is attributed to grace as vnto the principall cause that our vvorks merits lyfe eternall And consequently is the exposition of the Psalme that he hath crovvned vs in mercy and compassion not that lyfe eternall is our true waidges of due righteousnes to our vvorkes but because the same vvorkes are done in the mercy of God albeit others expoundes this place so that God vvith his mercy and benefits compasses the iust man about as vvith a crovvne OBIECTION WHen we haue done all which is commanded say we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„ds what we ought to haue done â—e haue done it Therfore to vnprofitable seruands wadges is not due of righteousnes ANSVVER OVr owne workes of themselues in a part to vs are vnprofitable and of no value without God because they draw all their dignity and worth of his grace notwithstaÌ„ding good works layde and ioyned vvith diuine grace are very profitable according to that