after this discourse I wil referr the reader to mine answere to D. Sand. booke against images c1 13. or 12. after y e error of his print where Calfhil thinketh it not meete y t should be restrained to that whereof there is no precept in scripture nor they them selues yeld lawful cause Marti telleth him y t he must be restrained if he will be good Christian. For there is no precept in expresse scripture to beleue three persons one God in y e blessed Trinitie y e equalitie of substance of Christ with his father in his godhead c. The pertual virginitie of Marie y e keping of y e Sunday y e sacrament receiuing fasting y e baptisme of infants c. you see what an Atheist he is y t can find no more certaintie in y e scriptures for y e blessed Trinitie then for S. Maries virginitie for the godhed of Christ then for receiuing y e Cōmunion before other meates If Papistes haue no ground to their faith out of the scriptures yet we can proue what so euer is necessarie for vs to beleeue It he dalie vpō y e word expresse scripture either he answereth not to y e same thing wherof he is demanded or else he knoweth not y t an argument rightly concluded out of holy scripture is as good as y e very words of y e scripture as when I say if Peter beleued was baptized ergo he was saued is as true as these words whosoeuer beleueth is baptized shall be saued To y e second demand whether y e ancient fathers did attribute such vertue to the wagging of a finger y t the holy Ghost could be called downe y e diuell driuen away by it Mart. answereth it is most euident that as soone as praier is duly made the signe of the crosse made the holy Ghost according to the promise of Christ commeth downe sanctifieth c. and the diuel is driuē away This is Mart. euidence other reason he bringeth If he referre the promise and comming of the holy Ghost to prayer he playeth the palterer that being demanded of the crosse answereth of praier Otherwise let him shewe what promise Christ hath made to the signe of the crosse or to prayer with the signe of the crosse more then without it If he can not you may easily see his pouertie To the thirde whether they would haue refused the Church and sacraments for want of a crosse He beleeueth verily they would not for the sacraments lacketh not the vertue if the signe of the crosse be omitted yet the fault is great when the tradition of the Apostles is wilfully reiected Whether it be like they deliuered any needlesse or vnprofitable ceremonie let wise men iudge After this followeth a long and foolish dialogisme about the interpretation of Cyprians wordes What so euer the ministers of the sacraments be what so euer the handes are that dippe those that come to baptisme what so euer the brest is out of which the holy wordes proceede the authoritie of operation giueth effect to all sacraments in the figure of the crosse and the name which is aboue all names being called vpon by dispensers of the sacraments doth all Martial so scanneth these wordes as though M. Calfhil knewe not the difference betweene the power of God and the ministerie of man in the sacraments whiche Cyprian doth plainly distinguish in these wordes But to the purpose Cyprian seemeth to make the figure of the crosse a meane by which God worketh in the sacraments But in deede hee meaneth that all sacraments take their effect of the passion of Christ as a bare signe and token whereof they vsed the figure of the crosse and not as a meane whereby God worketh seeing it is confessed by Martial that the sacraments if the signe of the crosse be omitted lacke not their vertue An other foolish brable and vsherlike construing he maketh of Cyprians words de baptismo Verborum solemnitas sacri inuocatio nominis signa attributa institutionibus Apostolicis sacerdotum ministerijs visibile sacramentum celebrant For reprouing Master Calfhil for translating signa attributa institutionibus apostolicis signes attributed to the institutions of the Apostles he teacheth him to conster signes attributed by the Apostolicall institutions through the ministerie of the priestes Wherein I maruell that such an auncient student will nowe suffer the word attributa to goe without a datiue case which I thinke he would not haue done in his pettite schoole at Winchester But if I might be bolde vnder y e correction of such a grounded grammarian to conster the lesson ouer againe I would giue the Latine this English The solemnitie of wordes and inuocation of the holy name and the signes appointed by the institutions of the Apostles for the ministerie of the priestes doth make the visible sacramēt And what be those signes By M. Martials leaue the elements as water breade and wine But then M. Grindal whom I laugh to see this wise Dialogue maker to bring in swearing once or twise in this deuised talke as though out Bishops vsed that veine as commonly as Popish prelats M. Grindal I say must send me to Saint Anthonies schoole bicause the elements of the sacraments be of Christes owne institution and not of his Apostles wherfore those signes must be other goodly ceremonies and the signe of the crosse must not be lest But if Martial euer were a scholler in that schoole or any other of any value he might haue learned long agoe that institutio signifieth not onely the first beginning of an ordinance but also a teaching or doctrine and so doth Cyprian meane that by the doctrine of the Apostles y e Priestes are appointed to vse those signes which if Martials Vshership will not admit Cyprian in telling what maketh y e visible sacramēt hath left out the principal part thereof namely the element and that which in deede in it is onely visible for the solemnitie of wordes and inuocation are audible rather then visible But in this foolish Dialogue is cited Iustinus Apol. 2. to proue that the olde Fathers vsed the signe of the crosse in all sacraments Iustinus Martyr saith he in the place of M. Grindal talking of the crosse biddeth vs viewe in our mindes and consider with reason all thinges that are in the worlde and see whether sine haec figura administrentur they may be done without this signe How like it is that M. G. shold say Iustinus biddeth vs when he biddeth y e Gentiles I leaue to speake of But that he speaketh of our sacramentes how will Martiall prooue When both he speaketh to the Heathen and of Heathenishe customes and ceremonies or els ciuill and naturall matters As of sayling plowing digging and all handie craftes whose tooles had some figure of the crosse in which the Gentiles did so fondely abhorre and despise Christ for it Whereas it was to be found euen in the shape of man in the trophees and standerdes
of the East Church haue been and are stil at vtter defyance with the Pope of Rome You see therefore by plaine demonstration that this reason holdeth no further then Augustines authoritie extendeth who in other places appealeth onely to the Scriptures and euen against the Manichees confesseth that the playne demonstration of the trueth which is to be founde in the holye Scriptures is to be preferred before the consent of nations authoritie of miracles succession of Bishops vniuersalitie consent name of the Catholike Church and whatsoeuer can be taught beside Contra Epist. Manich. quam vocant fundamenti Cap. 4. The thirde reason why the Church must alwayes be a known multitude is for keeping out of wolues and heretikes which must be y t they which are tryed may be made manifest which cannot bee in a secrete congregation Yes M. Stapleton very well The Church was neuer so secrete but it was knowne to the members of it which might vse the authoritie thereof for trying auoyding and excommunicating of heretikes according to the holye scriptures But euermore you do wilfully deceiue your selfe when you affirme that there was no Christians knowen in the worlde by the space of 900. yeares but Papistes You cannot denye but Brytannie Scotlande Irelande had Christians at and since the comming of Augustine which were no Papistes as by the history of Beda is manifest What should I here name so many nations of Europe Asia and Africa which yet to this day continue in profession of Christianitie neuer were subiect to the tyrannye of the Romishe byshop and from whome the Romish byshop with his sect of Papistes hath clearely departed many hundreth yeares agoe Wherefore according to Augustines sentence the Catholike church is not a particuler sect in Europe but an vniuersall gathering of y e dispersed ouer all the world where God hath his elect in all places Or if you vnderstande the Church for a visible multitude professing Christ there is no reason why the churches of the East so many so large so ancient should be excluded and the multitude of Papists holding of one citie in Italy only to be receiued CAP. XV. A number of shamelesse shiftes and seely surmises which Protestants haue inuented to establish their variable doctrine and to confounde the authoritie of the Church In deede a number of these which he rehearseth as shamelesse shiftes are shamelesse lies and impudent slaunders deuised by the diuell to bring the trueth in disdaine but yet so openly proued to be false that they neede no confutation First he sayeth that Luther condemned all councels and fathers yea al learning of Philosophy and humanitie so that bookes were burned and common schooles ceased for certein yeares in Germany with other like monstrous lyes alledging for his author that beastly Apostata Staphylus This slaunder deserueth no aunswere being raysed by one shamelesse lyer against an hundreth thousand witnesses The seconde shift is that Luther did afterwarde receiue Philosophy and bookes of humanitie yea diuines of 500. or 600. yeares and some Councels also with this perilous condition so farre as they repugned not to holy Scripture This seemeth an vnreasonable condition to Stapleton who belike would haue all gentylitie and many heresies absolutely receyed The thirde The fathers should not be admitted when they taught any thing beside the expresse scripture As worshipping of Images praying to Saints c. which they had by tradition If such things came from the Apostles why were they not written by them as well as such fathers of later time yea why did the Apostles write that which is contrary to such traditions The fourth The first 600. yeares they did admit because they knewe there was litle in them against them cleare open because fewe bookes were writen in that time and many lost that were written And yet there remaine more writen in that time then a man can well reade ouer in seuen yeares Agayne cities being stuffed with heathen Iewes and heretikes euery mystery was not opened in pulpit nor committed to writing These belike were greater mysteries then the Apostles and Euangelistes haue committed to writing But I marueile howe they were taught if neither in pulpit nor in writing belike in secrete confession but our Sauiour Christe woulde haue his mysteries preached in the house toppes Last of all for that many controuersies nowe in hand were neuer heard of in those dayes Therefore M. Iewell made his challenge of the first 600. yeres which Stapleton thinketh he was not able to abyde by and that M. Nowel suspected no lesse because he accounted it a very large scope But howe he hath abyden by it is sufficiently proued to the glory of the trueth and the confusion of Papistrie The fifth They reiect the latter 900. yeares because Paynims yelding to the faith and heretikes to the Church the mysteries of our faith were more openly published in Pulpits writings It appeareth and that in recordes of the latter 900. yeares that many old heretiks still remained in the cities beside the Iewes remaining vntil this day of which he made the fathers of the first 600 years so much afraide for vttering the mysteries a◠of Paynims and heretikes The sixt Some holde that all the Church might erre for a time None euer helde that all the Church might erre so farre as that they fell away from Christ. The seuenth Other said there was a Church all this 900 yeares but oppressed by the miscreants being priuie and vnknowen This he sayth is vaine blasphemous being against holy Scripture and good reason as he hath proued What he hath proued you haue seene and howe the Scripture must be fulfilled which prophecyeth of the comming of Antichrist and the apostasie of men from the faith which cannot be if the Church should alwayes florish in multitude externall appearing of visible glory The eyght That Protestants bookes haue beene lost The ninth Bookes of holy fathers haue beene corrupted The tenth False writings haue beene deuised and fathered vpon the first Popes of Rome All these he compteth to be but suspitions surmises which are yet so manifest truthes that euen Thomas the vnbeleeuing Apostle without the iudgement of his senses might feale them with both his hands and be satisfyed although Thomas the Apostata from God and traytour to his Prince countrey will neither see nor handle them But all these surmises he will ouerthrow with supposing one case If a man haue continued in possession and coulde bring recordes of his right from William the Conquerour and all his neighbours to say for his quiet possession without checke or nay as the Papistes can deduct the possession of their religiō from 800. yeares c. were it a good plee against such a man to say his recordes are false his euidences forged his possession iniurious c. without bringing in any affirmatiue proofes recordes euidence or witnesse c. I answere it were no good plee But firste I
world was without thes doctrine I wil hold that faith an olde man in which I was borne a childe A worthie saying of Hierome which may be rightly applied against the Papistes which teach such doctrine as neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach nor the Christian world knewe for 600. yeares after Christe yea for almost a thousand yeares after Christ in many pointes The like force is in the saying of Gregorie Nazianzen against the Arrian Ep. 2. ad Clidon Si ante hos triginti c. If our faith beganne but 30. yeares agoe when there are almost 400. yeares since Christe was shewed and the Gospell hath for so long space bene in vaine our faith also hath bene in vaine and they which haue giuen witnesse thereto haue testifid in vaine so many and so worthie prelates in vaine haue gouerned the people This saying is verified of Christian faith which had cōtinued in the world sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeares before Papistrie in many pointes began Christ hath bene preached and yet Papistrie neuer heard of yea what so euer doctrine had a latter beginning then Christ and his Apostles this father condemneth of error Euen as the same man writeth in the other place by M. Stapl. cited De Theod. li. 2. Vt haec praesidia omittam c. To omit these helpes yet it should satisfie vs that none of those which haue bene inspired with the spirite of God hath hitherto either pronounced this sentence or allowed it being vttered by any other and the doctrine of our church doth abhor it He braggeth not vpon the present opinion of y e Church but as the same hath alwayes bene allowed of al the Apostles and their successors and y e contrarie neuer receiued Therfore wheras Theodoret reporteth y t that confession of the faith was admitted in y e Councel of Nice which preuailed was published throughout y e world he meaneth not y t the Fathers folowed either y e multitude or the cōmon opinion of men which were reputed for the Church in that time but bicause y e same confession had alwaies euen from the beginning bene receiued and continued in y e Church as consonant agreeable to y e word of God by which the Church must be tried to be y e true Church wheras articles of faith are not proued true bicause they be helde by thē y ◠are commonly taken to be of y e Church To conclude The prescription of Tertullian against Hermogenes we do willingly admit offer to be tried therby y t whether of our religion or theirs is y e more auncient y t vndoubtedly must be truth But thē y e prescriptiō of 900. yeres wherof Stapl. so often so much doth cackle will not serue y e Papists as they cannot prescribe scarse halfe so long for many of their opinions For except we be able to proue our religion as auncient as the time of Christ and his Apostles we refuse not to be accounted heretikes If we teach nothing but that we can iustifie by manifest demonstration out of the holy Scriptures y ◠same also in the most principall points being confirmed with the testimonie of the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church the Papistes which accuse vs of heresie shall be found not onely to be heretikes but blasphemers of God and slaunderers of his Saints CAP. XIX It is proued by three reasons or arguments deducted out of holy Scripture that all the time of Papistrie can be no schisme on heresie and therefore was true Christianitie The first reason is this No heresie or schisme is vniuersall The faith of England these 900. yeares was vniuersall ergo it was no schisme or heresie The minor which is false he would proue by this reason The faith of England was the faith of France Spaine Italie Germanie and of all other Christian countries therefore it was vniuersall This antecedent is false for beside y t in England Fraunce Spaine Italie c. since the Church of Rome ceased to be the Church of Christ there were alwayes true Christians which yelded not to Papistrie as many regions as he hath named of the East countrie helde not the faith which was then openly receiued in England in many principall articles namely in that which they make to be y e chiefe of all y e article of the Popes supremacie and subiection to the Church of Rome therfore al Christened coūtries were not of y e same faith of Papistrie these 900. yeres He laboreth like a wise man to proue y t no sect is vniuersal but that Poperie was vniuersall it is sufficient for Papistes to say bicause they are neuer able to proue it The second reason is that no heresie is of long continuance to preuaile ouer true beleeuers to oppresse the trueth c. Papistrie hath continued these 900. yeares therefore Papistrie is no heresie Although the minor be not simply true yet y e maior is vtterly false But he would proue the maior out of S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. saying of such as should withstand the trueth like Iannes and Iambres that they should not further preuaile for their foolishnesse shall be made knowne to all men euen as theirs was Admit that this were spoken of those which should forbid marriage and meates which he would haue to be the Manichees 1. Tim. 4. as it is spoken of hypocrites which shall be in the Church to the end of the world yet here is no shortnesse of time prescribed for the continuance of their errour for he saide before 2. Tim. 2. vers 16. That they shall increase vnto more vngodlinesse and their word shall fret as a canker He meaneth therefore that they shall not long continue vnknowne not to all men but to all faithfull and godly men as the follie of Iannes and Iambres was not made manifest to all the Egyptians but vnto the Israelites Likewise whereas Peter saith 2 Peter 2. That the destruction of false Prophetes sleepeth not he meaneth not but that they may haue by succession a long continuance in the world for he him selfe admonisheth vs that we may not count the Lordes delaying of iudgement to be slacknesse as Stapleton doth if it should be deferred 900. yeares for one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day Heretikes therfore shal haue a quicke iudgement heresie shall shortly haue an end for that neither of both shal cōtinue alway vncondemned But that his maior proposition is vtterly false which is No heresie is of long continuance I shewe by these instances The heresie of them that ioyned Circumcision with the Gospell is more then 1500. yeares olde and yet it continueth in Affrica among Aethiopians as witnesseth Munster and other writers of Geographie as also the heresie of the Nestorians which is 1200. yeares olde and yet continueth among the Georgians Finally so auncient as the full tyrannie of the Pope is so auncient is the departure of
Babylon before the time of Donus the Pope which was almoste seuentie yeres after that Maister Stapleton misnameth Martianus in steede of Mauritius I will impute it to no ignorance although if such a faulte escape any of vs we are by and by cried out vpon to be ignorant in all antiquity c. Thus haue I aunswered Maister Stapletons demaunde concerning the principall foundation and rocke of Papistrie although no necessitie suche as hee supposeth doeth moue mee For albeit the precise time of the entring of any heresie can not be named yet it followeth not that the same heresie is a trueth therefore The second demaunde is when and by whome Luther was called when he begunne to preache the Gospell I aunswere if calling of the Popishe Churche be lawfull as the Papistes will not denye Luther had suche ordinary calling as the Churche where he liued did allowe for he was called to be a publike teacher before the Popes pardoner came into Saxony against whose moste impudent blasphemies and shamelesse errours he first inueyghed in his publike sermons Wherefore concerning his vocation the mouthes of Papistes ought to be stopped But Stapleton will not be so satisfied for he sayeth that the Popish Churche would neuer call him to preache against her selfe that is not materiall the Popishe Churche gaue him such authority as she had to preache whiche he vsed first to seeke her reformation if she had bene reformable but when he sawe her oppose her selfe against the manifest trueth he had iust cause to departe from her vnto the Catholike Churche of CHRISTE It sufficeth not Stapleton that hee learned by the Scriptures that the Churche erred bycause all heretikes abuse the Scriptures as thoughe there were no certainty of trueth to be founde in the Scriptures which blasphemie derogateth all authoritie from the holy Scriptures inspired of GOD whiche the Apostle sayeth to bee able to reprooue all errours that the man of GOD may be perfecte prepared to all good workes 2. Tim. 3. ver 16. Againe where hee affirmeth that he had the interpretation of the Scriptures from heauen Stapleton vrgeth that then he must shewe some miracle as if the ordinary inspiration of Gods spirite without the which no man can vnderstand any of Gods mysteries of necessitie requireth confirmation of miracles But Luther him selfe he sayeth requireth miracles of Muncer whiche boasted of Reuelation and so ought we to doe of Luther No sir Muncer boasted of an extraordinary Reuelation and taught a doctrine directly contrary to the worde of GOD written and therefore the case is nothing lyke After this hee telleth a slaunderous fable out of that runnagate Baldwine of the conference at Poissie that Beza and Martyr could not agree whether their calling was ordinary or extraordinary the conclusion whereof was this that Beza was ordeined of Caluine and Caluine as Beza sayde of none Which how impudent and shamelesse a lye it is that Beza should reprote of Caluine it is manifest to all men that knowe the storie of that Churche and citie of Geneua that Caluine was called and ordeyned by the Churche there when he was altogether vnwilling to remaine in that Citie but in a manner compelled by the earnest obtestation of Farellus Cal. in Praefa in Psalm Beza in vita Caluini And yet more monstruous is that lye that Beza should grant the rebellion that followed to be a signe of his vocation when the worlde knoweth that the beginning of these ciuill warres came altogether from the Papistes the Duke of Guise giuing the occasion by the Diuelishe slaughter and buchery of Vassie But to the principall matter in question that Luther and some other hauing an extraordinary calling from God to teach and reforme the Church need not to conâ—irme their calling by miracles when they teach nothing but that is confirmed by manifest authoritie of holy Scriptures in the consciences of all men that wilfully oppose not themselues against the trueth either y â— they will not knowe it or that they will not obey it It is euident by so many prophets as God stirred vp in the olde time which had no extraordinary calling of the Church being not of the tribe of Leui yet being only interpreters of the lawe needed no signes or miracle to confirme their calling Our Sauiour Christ himselfe confirmeth the extraordinary calling of the Scribes and Pharisees when he willeth them to be heard sitting in Moses chaire of which yet a great number and almost all were no Leuites nor Priestes therefore had no ordinary calling Yet Gregory himselfe in the history of Bede at the first planting of the particular Church in Englande alloweth extraordinary ordeyning of Bishops Lib. 1. Cap. 27. Wherefore if Luthers calling were altogether extraordinary as Papistes can not say except they deny the calling of their owne Churche he is not bound to approue his calling by miracles when his doctrine and all things in which hee departeth from the Church of Rome is proued true and agreeable to the word of God The third demaunde is that we must shewe a succession from the Apostles as the Scripture witnesseth the Churche to haue and the auncient fathers exacted of Heretikes The Scripture requireth no succession of names persons or places but of faith and doctrine and that wee prooue when we approue our faith and doctrine by the doctrine of the Apostles Neither had the fathers any other meaning in calling vpon newe vpstart heresies for their succession but of a succession of doctrine as well as of persons Which is manifest by Tertullian De praescript Ita per successiones c. So comming downe by successions from the beginning that their first bishop haue for his authors and antecessours one of the Apostles or Apostolike men but yet such a one as hath continued with the Apostles These wordes of Tertullian are manifest that succession of Bishoppes euen to the Apostles helpeth not excepte there be a continuance in the doctrine of the Apostles whiche when the Papistes can shewe we will gladly yeld vnto them In the meane time it is not the continual succession of persons in any place which teach contrary to their antecessours which haue taught in that place that can carry away the credite of the whole doctrine and religion of Christe CAP. II. An Introduction to the proofes which followe in the seconde part of this fortresse Repeating what he fantasieth he hath fortified before which howe weake it is I haue sufficiently discouered in this Chapter hee promiseth first to declare by diuerse sure and necessary tokens whiche protestantes doe lacke that the faith then planted was a right faith which in many principall pointes we doe not denye but that it was a right faith Secondly repeating the difference in doctrine gouernement ceremonies course and consequence of both the religions he will prooue all that they had differring from vs partly by Scripture and partly by the faith of the first sixe hundreth yeares To which I replye
knewe that he were a Iewe. So wise he is to compare the superstition of the wicked Turkes with the obseruation of the lawe by the godly Iewes Nay hee is yet more eloquent and sheweth that the Protestantes are like the Turkes in condemning of images in allowing marriage after deuorce c. as though we might not acknowledge one God lest we should be like the Turkes and Iewes nor honour vertue nor dispraise vice because they do so nor obey magistrates nor eat and drinke because the Turkes and Iewes doe so O deepe learning of a lawyer diuine That Images do not teach he sayeth it is a position more boldly aduouched then wisely proued then quoteth Gregorie Ep. 9. lib. 9. c. but he is deceiued if he thinke we holde that images teach not for we affirme with the Prophet Abacuc that they teache lyes Cap. 2. ver 18. vanitie Ier. 10. ver 8. As for the story of Amadis the Goldsmith and the Epistle of Eleutherius fetched out of the guild hall in London as M. Calfhill maketh no great accompt of them so I passe them ouer although Martiall would haue men thinke they be the strongest arguments the Protestants haue against the superstition of the crosse and the vsurped tyrannie of the Pope Finally the excuse he maketh of his railing by M. Calfhils example how honest it is I referre to wise men to consider If M. Calfhill had passed the bondes of modestie it were small praise in Martiall to follow him yea to passe him But if M. Calfhill as indifferent menâ—â—ay thinke hath not greatly exceeded in termes of â—eate against Martials person whatsoeuer he hath spoken against his heresies the continuall scorning both of M. Calfhils name and his person vsed so often in euery leafe of his reply in the iudgement of all reasonable persons will cause Martiall to be taken for a lawlesse wrangler rather then a sober and Christian lawyer The first Article This article hath no title and in effect it hath no matter For 13. leaues are spent about a needelesse impertinent controuersie of the Authoritie of y e holy Scriptures and of the Church of God whereof the one is the rule of faith the other is the thing ruled and directed thereby Nowe whether ought to bee y e Iudge the rule or the thing ruled is the question The rule say wee as the lawe the Church sayeth he as the Iusticier And then we are at as great controuersie what or where the Church is In effect the coÌ„trouersie commeth to this issue whether he be a Iusticier or an iniusticier which pronounceth sentence contrary to the lawe I would think that common reason might decide these questions That he which giueth sentence against the lawe may haue the name and occupy the place of a Iusticier but a true Iusticier he cannot be in deede Right so the Popish Church which condemneth the trueth for heresie hath vsurped as the Iudge but in deede is a cruell tyrant But the controuersie is not of the worde but of the meaning and where shall that be founde but in the mouth of the Iudge sayeth he if this were true I woulde neuer be a Bachiler of lawe if I were as Martiall nor yet a doctor thereof except it were to deceiue poore clyantes for their money if there were not a sence or meaning of the lawe which other men might vnderstande as well as he that occupyeth the place of the Iudge that I might appeale when I sawe he gaue wrong sentence But let vs briefely runne ouer his Achillean arguments The Eunomians Arrians Eutychians and Maximus the heretike reiected the testimonies of the fathers and the authoritie of the Church and appealed to Scriptures So doeth manye â— wrangling lawyer to continue his fee from his clyant appeale when he hath no cause but receyued right sentence according to the lawe ergo no appeale is to be admitted This is Martials lawe or logyke I knowe not whether But what was this Maximus you name so often Master Martial that S. Augustine writ against Could you reade your note booke no better Against Maximinus the Arrian he writeth that neither of them both was to be holden by the authoritie of Councels the Nicen or the Ariminense but by the authorities of the Scripture lib. 3. Cap. 4. But Tertullian would haue heretikes conuinced by the authoritie of the Church and not of the Scriptures Yea verely but such heretikes as denyed certeine scriptures and peruerteth the rest by their false interpretations Such are the Protestantes sayeth Martial for Luther denyeth the Epistle to the Hebrues the Apocalipse the Epistle of S. Iames and S. Iude. But Luther is not all Protestants neyther did Luther alwayes or altogether denye them Neither do the Protestantes affirme anye thing in matters of controuersie in their interpretations but the same is affirmed by writers of the most auncient and pure Church Martiall obiecteth that Christe sent not his disciples alwayes to the Scriptures but sometimes to the figge tree to the flowers of the fielde to the fowles of the ayre c. Paul alledgeth the heathen Poet also customs tradition And we also vse similitudes of Gods creatures and alledge custome and condition but so that the scripture be the onely rule of trueth whereto whatsoeuer in the worlde agreeth is true whatsoeuer disagreeth from it is false The traditions of the Apostles which by their writings wee knowe to be theirs we reuerently receiue not as mens traditions but as the doctrine of God for wee heare them euen as God Also we heare the voice of the Church admonishing vs if we giue offence Finally y e Patriarks Prophets Apostles EuaÌ„gelists Pastors and doctors we all reuerence and heare as the messengers of God but so that they approue vnto vs their sayings out of the worde of God and doctrine of Christ. Likewise we admit the writings of the fathers so farre as they agree with the writings of God and further to be credited they them selues required not The sayings of the doctors that Martiall citeth for the credite of old writers you shall finde satisfied in mine answere to Hoskins almost in order as they be here set downe for one Papist boroweth of another and fewe of them haue any thing of their owne reading The saying of Clemens is aunswered lib. 1. Cap. 8. Eusebius concerning Pâ—â— and Gregory and Hieronime Cap. 7. The sayâ—â—â— of Irenaeus and Athanasius that we ought to hauâ—â—course to the Apostolike Churches which reteine the doctrine of the Apostles against newe heresies as also of Tertullian to the like effect we acknowledge to be true but seeing the Church of Rome reteineth not the Apostolike doctrine at this day we deny it to be an Apostolike Church Therefore as many as build vppon it or vpon any auncient writers wordes which hath not the holy scriptures for his warrant as M. Cal. sayde buyldeth vpon an euill ground For if an Angell from heauen teach otherwise then the
from the Gospell and doctrin of saluation in setting vp a newe sacrifice in seeking iustification by workes in ouerthrowing the true and spiritual worship of God As for the two Iudges the worde and the spirite he denyeth them finding manye defectes in the worde As that it is sencelesse dombe deafe not able to prooue it selfe to be the worde of God hauing no more power to be Iudge and decide controuersies then the booke of statutes to put on my lorde chiefe Iustices robes and to come to the Kings bench and giue sentence I thinke there is no Christian man but abhorreth to reade these blasphemies But let vs see whether the booke of statutes although it put on no robes is not iudge even ouer my lorde chiefe Iustice him selfe who is a minister seruing to pronounce the lawe not a King to alter the lawe for he him selfe must be obedient to the lawe Nowe in all controuersies that be de iure either the lawe is plaine to be vnderstoode or it is obscure If it be plane as that a felone must be hanged or the sonne must inherite his father c. the Iudge pronouncing the lawe with authoritie and execution following his sentence brydleth the obstinate person that will not obey the lawe which he knoweth as well as the Iudge If the lawe be hard to be vnderstoode the Iudge must seeke the interpretation thereof according to the minde of the law-maker and not according to the his owne fantasie So that in all cases the Iudge hath no authoritie ouer the lawe but vnder the lawe so that if the giue wrong sentence both he and his sentence are to bee iudged by lawe Or else why doe you Martiall in your ciuill lawe courtes so often crye out sit liber iudex let the booke be Iudge If you will not allow the booke of Gods law to be Iudge euen ouer them which haue authoritie as Iustices haue in the common lawe to pronounce it and to declare it The Spirite he refuseth to be Iudge because it is inuisible secreate vnknowen vnable to be gone to but in the Church therefore the Church is the Iudge and neyther the worde nor the Spirite But the Spirite by his owne substance incomprehensible is by his effects in the holy Scriptures visible reuealed knowen and able to be gone vnto therefore a sufficient Iudge taking witnesse of the Scriptures and bearing witnesse vnto them For that maiestie of trueth that power of working that vniforme consent which is in all the Scriptures inspired of God maketh a wonderfull difference of them from all writings of men of all sortes But let vs see Martials arguments against the Spirite of God to be iudge of the interpretation of the Scriptures Paul and Barnabas in the controuersie of circumcision went not to the word and Spirit but to the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem O blocke-head and shamelesse asse Paul and Barnabas doubted not of the question but sought the generally quiet of the whole Church by consent of Councell But whether went the Apostles and Elders for decision of the question but to the worde and Spirite Reade Act. 15. Againe he citeth Deuteronom 17. that the people in controuersies should resort to the priestes for iudgement but where should they fetche their iudgement but of the lawe of God as it is in the same place Againe Christ hath appointed Apostles Euangelistes c. therefore it is not a generall precept for all men to trie all men to iudge what doctrine they receiue bicause all be not Apostles Euangelistes c. Then in vaine saide Christ to all men search the scriptures in vaine the Apostles trie the spirites neither did the Boerheans well that daily sought the Scriptures to see if those things were so as the Apostles taught Martiall is to be pitied if he knowe no difference betweene authoritie of publike teaching and the triall and examination of doctrine whereof this pertaineth to all men the other to such onely as are called thereto But Martiall proceedeth to shewe that as GOD appointed one high Priest to the Iewes to avoide schismes so he appointed Peter among the Christians and for this purpose he citeth diuers sentences of the auncient Fathers which all in order almost the reader shall finde cited and satisfied in myne aunswere to Doctor Sanders booke of the rocke of the Church Cap. 5. except one place of Tertullian De pudicitia which I maruell this Popish Lawyer would alledge being so contrarie to his purpose but that the poore man vnderstoode it not Qualis es c. What art thou ouerthrowing and changing the intention of our Lorde giuing this personally to Peter Vpon thee saide he I will builde my Church If it were personally saide to Peter Syr Bacheler counsel with Baldus and Bertholdus whether it goe by succession to the Pope or no Which Tertullian denyeth to pertaine to euery Elder of the Church bicause it was spoken personally to Peter And nowe at the length beginneth he to come to the argument of his booke the signe of the crosse Which he saide was the fourth signification of the word Crosse in Scripture and calleth it the materiall and mysticall signe of the crosse which Master Calfhill denieth to be once mentioned in Scripture in that sense that Martiall taketh it Martiall repeateth that which he had saide before that Esaye cap. 49. saith I will set out myne signe on high to the people which Hierome vpon that place expoundeth to be the standard of the crosse that it may be fulfilled which is written the earth is full of his praise Et iterum c. And againe In all the earth his name is wonderfull Which wordes following immediately Martiall craftily suppresseth and falleth into a brabbling matter that preaching which Master Calfhill saide was this standard is not the onely standard or signe lifted vp by GOD for conuersion of the Gentiles but miracles and good examples of life c. Whereas the question is whether the Popish signe of the crosse be the signe spoken by Esay and Hierome And the exposition added by Hierome sheweth plainely that he meaneth not a red or blue crosse banner but the preaching of Christe crucified whereby the earth is filled with the praise of GOD and his name is wonderfull in all the earth But Martiall in the end concludeth that it hath pleased the auncient Fathers to appoint and ordeine the signe of the crosse to he one meane among many by which the praise of GOD is set foorth Where he should haue proued that the signe of the crosse as he taketh it is mentioned in the scriptures Other cauils and slaunders not more false then foolish I will clearely omit as I purposed in the beginning and followe onely such matter as is proper to the question in controuersie namely the signe of the crosse The second text to proue that the signe of the crosse is mentioned in the scripture he citeth out of Iere. 4. Lift vp a signe in Sion which
Deuill against whome it is needefull to vse all weapons that be of any force The quarrell of altering Saint Peters wordes I omitte as childish Maister Calfhill rehearseth his meaning and not his wordes The other argument that followeth of heretikes resembling Antichrist in denying you shall finde answered in my confutation of D. Sanders Rocke Cap. 18. in the eleuenth mark of an Antichristian But Martial is not content that his error in citing the 39. question for the 38. of Athanasius Ad Antiochum should be noted In deede the errour of number is a smal matter but when a man will followe wilfully a corruption for a truth it cannot be excused That diuels flie when they see the crosse is question 15. in the best reformed printes whatsoeuer Martiall doth followe But to the purpose except Martial can declare vnto vs with what eyes the diuelles beholde the crosse he shall haue much a doe to perswade vs that this author speaketh of his signe of the crosse in this place Otherwise I doubt not but when diuels consider the conquest of of Christ vpon the crosse they tremble and flee away and are miserably tormented as Athanasius saith but not when so euer they see the crosse borne in procession or set vp in the market place or pointed in the aire either by a superstitious Papist or by a diuelish coniurer Saint Antonies councel as great and as good as you make him may well be suspected seeing it hath no ground in the holy scriptures That Chrysostome aloweth signing with y e crosse in the body is confessed but that he accounteth it an idle ceremony where faith in the crucified is not Martial can not deny Nor yet y t faith in the death of Christ is sufficient without the signe of the crosse in the body yet wil he not graunt it to be superfluous but resembleth it to the incarnation and passion of Christe without whiche we might be saued by the absolute power of God to the vse of ministers good workes c. Whereas we ought to say y t all these thinges are necessary because God hath so ordeyned them but the crossing of the body is no ordinance of God but of men That Origine in cap. 6. Ad Rom. li. 6. speaketh not of Martials crosse but of the passion of Christ the whole cōtext of his words proueth as M. Calfhil sheweth But Martiall replyeth that he saith So great is the vertue of the crosse of Christ that if it be set before our eyes and faithfully reteyned in our minde so that we looke still vppon the death of Christe with the eyes of our minde no concupiscence c. can ouercome vs. These words saith he proue two crosses one before the eyes the other before the minde but if he would shore vp his eyes he might see that Origen speaketh not of the eyes of the body but of the eyes of the minde As for the tantologie that he would auoyde it may please his wisedome to vnderstand that the explaning of a Metaphore is not tantologie or vaine repetition That Cassiodorus and Lactantius speake of the signe of the crosse it is granted but because they speak of it beside the Booke of God Maister Calfhill doth well to disprooue their reasons as where Cassiodore compareth that signe of the crosse vpon the faithful to the Princes stampe on the coyne the comparison is naught for the signe of the crosse which is vpon hypocrites sheweth them not to be Christes seruaunts Neither did Christ giue any such outwarde signe by which they should be knowen that would professe to be his seruantes but baptisme How good Christians the Friers that are the greatest crossers be I will not stande to discusse their hypocrisie is too well knowen in the worlde Againe where Lactantius ioyneth the signe of the crosse with the name of Christ to be of force to driue away deuils he doth as if a man should ioyne a strawe with a speare to runne at tilt withall For the name of Christ is sufficient and needeth none assistance of the signe of the crosse to cast out deuils where Christe hath giuen that power and faith Yet Martial obiecteth that the name of Christ was not sufficient to cast out some kinde of deuils as in example of the mans sonne Matt 17. But it was not for want of the signe of the crosse but for want of faith which must be obteyned at the handes of God by prayer and fasting He would haue scripture whereby the signe of the crosse is forbidden to be vsed as though euery indifferent thing that may be abused is expressed by name To make a signe or figure of the crosse is an indifferent thing to make it for a defence against deuils is a superstitious thing and forbidden by all such textes of Scripture forbidde superstition and confidence reposed in any thing sauing in God onely by such meanes as he hath appointed That young nouices in the faith were crossed before they were baptised in Augustines time it neede to be no question and yet it followeth not that those wordes of Augustine which Martiall citeth De Symb. ad Catech. lib. 2. cap. 1. were spoken of the signing but of that which was signified by the signe as Maister Calfhil answereth The rest of this article is spent in friuolous quarrels in which is no argument to vphold the superstitious vse of the crosse but that deuils are afraide of it as in the story of Iulian and a Iewe in which God declared what force it had Ex opere operato of the worke wrought euen without faith but this he maketh extraordinarie A simple force that the Deuill should seeme to flie from them in whose heartes he dwelled still But Martiall would knowe how Maister Calfhill is assured that the Deuil did counterfet feare and was not afraide in deede Verily I thinke there neede to be no better reason giuen then that in outward appearance he pretended to flie from their bodily presence from whose heartes he departed not at all or rather for their wicked coniuring entired with greater force How little the diuel is afraide of the signe of the crosse where faith is not the story of the seuen sonnes of Sceua declareth Act. 19. where the Deuil being coniured by the name of Iesus whome Paule preached fel vpon the coniurers and tormented them vnlesse Martiall thinke it was because they lacked the signe of the crosse which would haue made them flie away when the name of Iesus and Paule preuailed not against thē To conclude it cānot be denied but diuers of y e ancient fathers affirm more of y e signe of y e crosse then they can iustifie by the holy Scripture and yet they are abused oftentimes by Martial and such as he is as though they spake of the signe when they had respect onely to the death and passion of Christ as before is shewed and more remaineth afterwarde to be shewed The second Article That the crosse of Christ was
iustificatioÌ„ by which God purifieth our harts sufficiently proueth that the signe of the crosse is no worker in these cases Chrysostome speaking of our conuersion c. saith Hom. 14. in Ep. ad Rom. Vnum hoc c. We haue offered this one only gift of GOD that we giue credite to him promising vs thinges to come and by this onely way we are saued This Doctor ascribeth all to faith therefore nothing to the signe of the crosse Whether the Parisiens approue Erasmus his censure it is not materiall the censure is true and approued by as wise and well learned as they Touching the next quarell that Cyrillus acknowledgeth it no fault of the Christians to make the signe of the crosse at their doores it is very foolish as all the rest be for although he defend it as a good deede and in his time tollerable yet if any did worship the wood of the crosse as Iulian charged them it was a fault which Cyrillus doth excuse and seeke to couer but of that matter you may reade more in mine aunswere to D. Sanders booke of images cap. 4. or 3. after the errour of his print That S. Basil alloweth images in Churches he citeth his sermon vpon Barlaaâ— where he exhorteth painters to set foorth the valiant conflictes of the martyr by their art but of setting vp those tables in Churches there is no word Neither do I perceiue he speaketh of other Painters then eloquent Rhetoricians For immediately before he saith Quin magnificentioribus 〈◊〉 ipsius lingâ—is Cedâ—â—us Sonantiores doctorum tubas ad illius praeconia aduocemus Exurgite nunc ô praeclari athleticorâ—m gestorum pictores c. But let vs giue place to more magnificent tongues vtterers of his praises Let vs call hether the lowder sounding trumpets of learned men Arise nowe ô ye noble Painters of the valiant actes of champions c. And it is vsuall among learned men to compare good Orators to cunning Painters The counterfet oration of Athanasius brought in the idolatrous Councel of Nice we reiect as a matter forged by heretikes and idolaters The other Doctors places whome he quoteth are all considered and aunswered in seuerall places of mine aunswere to Doctor Sanders booke of images before mentioned Whether an image may be made of Christ which is both God and man you shall finde it more at large intreated in my saide aunswere cap. 7. or 6. That the crosse in the time of Cyrillus had none image vpon it it is to be proued by this reason 〈◊〉 Iulian would not haue omitted to obiect the worshipping of images vnto Christians which they condemned in the Heathens if any images had bene vpon their crosses which he charged them to haue worshipped Concerning the calling of Churches by the name of Saints we haue spoken alreadie That S. Paul ioyneth not pictures with scriptures to be our instruction and comfort it is an argument of better force then Martiall hath wit to aunswere For if any such instruction comfort or commoditie had any wayes come to Christians by pictures he would not haue written that the scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes 2. Tim. 3. vers 17. Articl 3. The tenth Article The adoration and worship of the crosse allowed by the ancient Fathers Martial thinketh it not reason that he should proue the adoration of the crosse by some testimonie of scripture bicause God hath not so tied him selfe to the written letter of the scripture that nothing can be taken for trueth which is not written in scripture But God hath so tied vs to the written letter of the scripture that we are bound to beleeue nothing but that which may be proued thereby The baptisme by heretikes the baptisme of infants the authoritie of the Epistle to the Hebrues of Saint Iames and Iude and of all the canonicall scriptures haue proofe and approbation out of the holy scriputres and are not receiued of vs by the onely tradition and authoritie of the church which yet we doe not refuse when it is warranted by the holy scriptures inspired of God The auncient Fathers Athanasius Chrysostome c. were not exempted from the infirmitie of men that they could so order their termes as no heretikes shuld take occasion of error by them when euen the termes of holy scripture are often times abused by theÌ„ cleane contrarie to the meaning of the spirite by which they were written But Martial like a proud foole disdaineth to be called to define adoration bicause euery terme is not necessarie to be defined And yet I suppose he would claw his poll twise or euer he could make a true definition of it or a description either At the least wise seeing the word of adoration is taken so many wayes but that he would walke vnder a cloud of ambiguitie he shuld haue expressed what manner of adoration he doeth speake of But he is content to take adoration for bowing downe prostrating putting off the cap c. which he thinketh may be done to a sensllesse image as well as to the Queenes cloth of estate her priuie seale c. as though there were no difference betweene ciuil reuerence and religious worship and yet I weene no man doeth this honour to those senslesse things although he shewe reuerence to the Prince at the sight of them The second coÌ„mandement Exod. 20 he saith toucheth not Popish images more then politike images of Dragons Eagles Owles c in armes or other pictures So good a lawyer he is that he can not interprete the lawe according to the matter wherevpon it is made namely religioÌ„ but fantasieth that bicause images out of the vse of religion be not forbidden to be made by a lawe of religion therefore they be not forbidden to be made no not in the vse of religion The Prophets he saith cry out against the images of Gentiles and by his leaue against the images of the Israelites also The image of the brasen Serpent was a figure of Christ and yet the Prophets condemned and Ezechias destroyed the worship of the brasen Serpent For the examination of the sentence of Ambrose de â—bitu Theodosij I referre the reader to mine aunswere to D. Sander of images cap. 13. or 12. Augustine in Ioan. T. 36. sheweth howe reuerently y e crosse was esteemed of the Romaines that now malefactors were no more punished vpon it least it should be thought they were honoured if they sâ—ffered that kinde of death which our sauiour Christe died As among vs if rascall theeues should be beheaded at the Tower hill where only honourable persoâ—ages vse to suffer it might be saide they were honoued with that kinde of execution Herevpon Martial both foolishly and lewdly dreameth that if theeues had bene put to death vpon the crosse the people were likely to haue honoured them for the crosses sake Hierome saith that Paula worshipped lying before y e crosse as though she had seene Christe hanging