onely begotten sonne of God and not he in deede Againe he sayeth Cùm fecisset quasi flagellum when he had made as it were a scourge master Vsher will conster it so that was not a scourge in deede because he sayeth as it were a scourge But Martiall will still vrge the fact of Paula in worshipping the crosse of Christ vntill it be shewed out of Epiphanius by better euidence then yet is shewed that he woulde haue no crosse no crucifixe nor image in the Church A mā would thinke this were sufficient euidence when hee sayeth Cùm ergo hoc vidissem in ecclesia Christi contra authoritatem scripturarum hominis pendere imaginem c. Wherefore when I sawe this that in the Church of Christe did hang an image of a man contrary to the authoritie of the scriptures I rent it c. Further euidence out of Epiphanius you may see in the place before cited Martiall would haue vs make a Kalender of Christian men that refused to blesse them selues with the crosse which were 〈◊〉 infinite matter seeing from the Apostles vnto the Valentinian heretikes it is not read that any such estimation was of the crosse y t it should be any blessing or confirmation Master Calfhils rule that we must liue not after examples but after lawes meaning not followe what soeuer hath beene done by good men but whatsoeuer was well done according to the lawe of God Martiall reiecteth vpō vaine foolish and friuolous reasons as that some examples are to be followed that the lawe serueth not for a iust man that custome must be followed where lawe faileth c. Beside that he slaundereth Luther as one that would haue all lawes and orders of Princes put awaye Againe whereas M. Calfhill sheweth that the fathers taught other things more oft more earnestly then the vse of the crosse As that it was a wickednesse to fast on Sonday or to pray on our knees beside the oblations on birthdayes milke and hony with the communion giuen to infants c. Martiall answereth these are abrogated by the church this is not But seing none of them hath ben in worse abuse then this custome of crossing this ought to be abrogated of euery church as well as those But whereas Martiall compareth the doctrine of S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. for couering or vncouering of men womens heads and the decree of y e Apostles for bloud and strangled Act. 15. with those abrogated customes he doth verye lewdly for beside y t the authoritie of y e one is certeine the other vncerteine of some forged the doctrine of S. Paul as he there deliuereth it is perpetuall the decree of the Apostles was neuer ment of them but to be temporall for auoiding offence of the Iewes As touching the credit of the olde writers who had all their errors we like well y e councell of Vincentius Lyrinensis y t we should stil haue recourse for triall to y e most ancient in which we must needes accompt y e writings of the Apostles both of moste antiquitie and of greatest authoritie Wherefore seeing the manner of blessing with the crosse is not found either in the writings of the Apostles or in the most auncient fathers Iustinus Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus by Vincentius councel we may iustly accompt it for a corrupt custome crept into the church either by aemulation of heretikes or in contention against the Paganes But Martiall slaundereth vs and the Apollogie of the church of England that the chiefe cause of our seperation from the Church of Rome was the euill life of the gouernours thereof and vainly spendeth time to proue out of Ciprian Augustine and Caluine that for that cause wee ought not to separate our selues whereas we are departed out of Babylon not so much for the abhominable life thereof as for the corrupt false doctrine taught therein by which it is shewed to be y e Synagogue of sathan not the church of Christ. And here Martiall hudleth vp a nomber of quotations for the authoritie of the Pope and of the church of Rome which seeing they haue beene all often times answered and by mee also in aunswere to D. Saunders rocke it were folly here to stand vpon thē But he will not be counted a falsifier of Tertullian when of diuerse copyes and impressions he wilfully chooseth the worst that he might wring it to his purpose although the matter be not worth the strife about it For Tertullians iudgement of tradition without scripture in that place is corrupt for Martiall him selfe confesseth that a tradition vnwritten should be reasonable and agreable to the scriptures and so he saith the tradition of blessing with y e crosse is because the Apostles by the holy ghoste deliuered it But who shall assure vs thereof Tertullian Basil are not sufficient warrant for so worthie a matter seeing S. Paul leaueth it out of the vniuersall armour of God But where M. Calfhill distinguisheth traditions into some necessary as necessarily inferred of the scripture some contrary to the worde and some indifferent Martial like an impudent Asse calleth on him to shewe in what scripture doctor or councell he findeth this distinction of traditions As though a man might not make a true distinction in disputation but the same must be founde in so many wordes in scripture doctor or councell when he him selfe cannot deny but y e distinction is true euery part to be founde in y e scriptures doctors councels But the examples please him not for the couering of women and their silence in the church are taught in expresse words of scripture and therfore are not necessarily inferred of scripture Therefore there is one lye quod Martiall Who would think such a block worthie of answere which thinketh a trueth may not be inferred of the expresse words of scripture when of nothing it can be better in ferred Againe he calleth it another lye y t S. Paul proueth his tradition by y e scripture for he bringeth no text nor sentence of scripture to proue y t women shuld be couered in the church But Martiall doth not onely belye M. Calfhill but also slaunder S. Paul seeing he alledgeth out of Genesis both y t the man is the image glory of God y t the woman was made for man The examples of the second sort as Latine seruice worshipping of images c. Martiall will not allowe but the scripture is plaine to them that haue eyes and be not like the images whome they worship Againe he liketh not that there should be any limitation in obseruing traditions of the church in things indifferent as if cases of necessitie of offence might not make a limitation without contempt of the churches authoritie But he will learne in which kinde of traditions we place the signing with y e crosse y e rest named by Basil. I aunswere y t marking with the crosse in some respect as it was first vsed of y e old
Apostles haue preached vnto vs be he accursed Here the quarreling lawyer findeth fault with his translation because Euangelizauimus may be referred as well to the Disciples as to y e Apostles so that y e Disciples preachings are to be credited as well as y e Apostles No doubt if they preach the doctrine of the Apostles of which the controuersie is and not of the persons that preach it But these quarels sir Bacheler are more meete for the bomme courtes where perhaps you are a prating proctor then for the schooles of diuinitie Wee are gone out you say and that we confesse in our apologie Yea wee are gone out of Babylon but not out of the church of God but abyde in the doctrine of Christ. And you are gone out of the Church of God which remaine in the synke of Rome that is departed frō that which was heard from the beginning and was sacrosanctum apud Apostolorum Ecclesias moste holy in the Apostles Churches You cannot abyde to be charged with the saying of Christ. They worship mee in vaine that teache the doctrine and precepts of men First you saye the Apostles were men whose traditions the Church must receiue yea sir but they deliuered no doctrine of their owne Secondly Christ speaketh of the Scribes Pharisees and their fonde traditions and not of the Church and her Catholike traditions and customes And they be Scribes and Pharisees which euen in the Church teach a false worshipping of God according to the doctrines and traditions of men disanulling the commaundements of God as the Popish teachers in their doctrine of Images communion in one kind priuate Masse c. That Augustine framing a perfect preacher willeth him to conferre the places of Scripture together you say it is a profounde conclusion to inferre that he sendeth him not to doctours distinctions censure of the Church Canons of the Popes nor traditions of the fathers but onely to quyet and content him selfe with the worde of God And these last wordes you saye are not found in Augustine de doct Chr. Cap. 9. sequentibus as though Master Calfhil recited the words not the sense for which he referreth you not only to that Chapter but to the rest following in al which there is no mention of doctors distinctions Popes Canons c. But this is an argument ab authoritate negatiuè Make as much and as little as you will of Augustines authoritie Master Calfhill hath rightly inferred vppon Augustines iudgement that if conference of Scriptures wil make a perfect preacher which you graunt he needeth neyther doctors distinctions nor Church censures c. but may quyet and content him selfe with the onely worde of God But it would make an horse to breake his halter to see howe Martiall prooueth out of Augustine that God teacheth vs by men and not by Angels and that knowledge of the tongues and instructions of men is profitable for a preacher yea the consent of moste of the Catholike Churches and the interpretations of learned men as though all those were not to be referred to the dewe conference of scriptures where onely resteth the substance of doctrine and the authoritie of faith and not in doctours distinctions Church censures Popes Canons c. which haue no grounde in the Scriptures or else be contrary to them Where Master Calfhill sheweth that as before the newe testament was written all things were examined according to the wordes and Sermons of the Apostles so after the newe testament was written all thinges ought to be examined according to their writings because there is none other testimonie of credite extant of their sermons writings Martiall replyeth out of Saint Augustine that wee haue many thinges by tradition which are not writen which being vniuersally obserued it were madnesse to breake Ep. 118. But Augustine speaketh not of doctrine but of ceremonyes or obseruations Out of Hierom ad Pam. he obiecteth that our Creede is not written in the Scriptures which is vtterly false although the fourme of the symbole be not set downe as wee rehearse it Thirdly out of Epiphanius contra Apostolic li. 2. Heres 61. that wee must vse tradition because all thinges cannot be taken out of the holy Scriptures Therefore the holy Apostles deliuered certeine things in writing and certeine things in tradition c. But they deliuered nothing in tradition contrary to their writinges neyther omitted they to write any thing that was necessarie for our saluation The matter whereof Epiphanius speaketh is that it is a tradition of the Apostles that it is sinne to marry after virginitie decreed and yet he holdeth that it is better to marrye after virginitie decreed then to burne contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes But Martiall frankely graunteth that no doctour is to be credited against the Scripture and the content of the whole Church Yet where Master Calfhill sayde that no man in any age was so perfect that a certeine trueth was to be buylded on him bringing examples of Aaron and Peter the one the high Priest of the Iewes the other affirmed by the Papistes to be the same of the Christians He quarreleth at his induction because he sayeth not sic de singulis where as his argument followeth not of the fourme of induction but of the place a maiore ad minus After this as he doeth nothing but cauill hee chargeth Master Calfhill for corrupting Saint Augustine saying Truth mee not nor credite my writings c. Proem lib. 3. de Trinit For Saint Augustine sayeth not trust mee not But he confesseth that he sayeth Do not addict thy selfe to my writings as to the Canonicall Scriptures See what a corruption here is when Master Calfhill rendereth not the words but the meaning of Augustine Againe saint Basil he sayeth is vilely abused because Master Calfhill sayeth Saint Basil setteth forth by a proper similitude with what iudgement the fathers of the Church should be read Conc. ad Adol wheras Basil speaketh of prophane writers As though Basils similitude may not serue to shewe howe both should bee read because he speaketh but of one sorte Likewise he cryeth out that Saint Hierome is not truely alledged because the Printer in the English translation of Hieroms words hath omitted this word not which he hath set downe in the Latine The 4. pretie persons he putteth vppon Master Calfhill as foolishe and childishe I omitt onely the slaunderers persons I will touche In saying that the fathers declyned all from the simplicitie of the Gospell in ceremonies He chargeth M. Calfhill to be a slaunderer Because God hath not suffered all the fathers to declyne lest hell gates should haue preuailed against his Church Although M. Calfhill speake of those fathers onely whose writings are extant yet the gates of hell in ydle ceremonies did but assault they did not preuaile against the Church And these fathers departed not from the Gospell but declined from the simplicitie thereof But you Papistes haue departed
of their Emperour in the consecration of their dead Emperours images whom they worshipped as Gods For which causes Iustinus thought it vnreasonable that they should contemne Christ for his crosses sake But of vsing the signe of the crosse in all sacramentes there is no mention in Iustinus That in Chrysostomes time other more ancient fathers y e signe of y e crosse was vsed at the celebration of the sacramentes M. Calfhil granteth as a ceremonie you confesse It is but a ceremonie and that our sacramentes lacking the signe of the crosse and that vsual ceremonie be perfect notwithstanding And yet you exclaime against vs for omitting a needelesse ceremonie where we see it hath bene turned from that indifferent vsage of the forefathers into an idolatrous custome opinioÌ„ of necessitie The credite of Dionysiê° for so ancient a scholler of S. Paul as you would make him it too much cracked by Erasmus to be cured by Martial Where M. Calfhil truly faith you can not deny but he hath as good authoritie for honie mike wine to be restored in baptisme and the communion to be giuen to children as you haue for the crosse you aunswere these were altered by the Church of Rome which hath authoritie so to do y e crosse stil remaineth but marke what you say were these traditions of the Apostles if you say no y e like wil I say of the crosse for y e same authoritie coÌ„mendeth theÌ„ al a like for traditions of the Apostles Wel if they were traditions of y e Apostles by the holy Ghost which you hold to be of equal authoritie w t y t scriptures y e Church of Rome hath abolished the one why may she not abolish the other so y t your answer conteineth manifest blasphemie To fortifie your traditions you alledge y t Iesus did many thinges which are not written c. but you leaue of y t which foloweth but these are written y t you might be leeue in beleeuing haue eternal life Io. 20. yet S. Iohn speketh of miracles not of ceremonies to be vsed in baptisme wherunto you apply it But Iesus himself saith he hath many things to say that y e apostles could not then beare c. Ioan. 16. And you would know in what worke of the Apostles those thinges are written yea you would haue the Chapter noted Pleaseth it you to looke your selfe in the Actes of the Apostles and in their Epistles c. And you shall finde that the scriptures will instruct the man of God vnto all good works make him wise vnto saluation if these wil not serue your turn seeke where you wil find y e deuil eternal damnatioÌ„ But I pray you could not y e apostles beare y t hearing of the signe of the crosse of salt oyle spittle in baptisme were these such harde lessons to learn or heauy to beare if you think they were I enuy not vnto you so wise a thought But you will teach vs how we shal know y t these are traditions of y e apostles to this inquire you answer euen as we know y e gospels epistles to be y e Canonical scriptures by authoritie of y e church which you think sufficient for y t purpose But so do not we for although we receiue the testimony of y e Church yet we haue greater authoritie out of y e scriptures of y e old TestameÌ„t y t spirit by which they were writeÌ„ being alwais y e same by which we are perswaded y t y e gospels epistles are the holy scriptures Againe y e vniuersal Church of all times places giueth witnes to those writings so doeth it not to these traditions Therefore we are neuer the neare to knowe Apostolical traditions by authoritie of the Popish church whiche ascribeth thinges manifestly contrary to the worde of God and writinges of the Apostles to Apostolike traditions as Images halfe communion priuate Masse c. After this brabbling of traditions followeth a long brawle about numbers which the Papistes do superstitiously obserue and of the authoritie of the seuentie interpreters whose translation if it were extant no doubt but it were worthie of great reuerence but seeing these questions are fruitelesse and impertinent vnto the article I wil clearely omit them Martial returning to proue that the signe of the crosse was vsed in consecrating the body and bloud of Christ findeth himselfe greatly greeued that M. Calfhil calleth the Masse the sacrifice of the deuil wherein be so many good things as the Collets Gospel epistle Gloria in Excelsis c. by which reasoÌ„ I might proue a diuelish coniuration in which be so many names of God and good words to be an holy peece of worke Therfore it is not many good parts abused to make a wicked thing good that can iustifie the Masse which is an hurrible blasphemie against the death and onely sacrifice of Christ. But M. Calfhil doth not satisfie him where he citing out of Albertus Magnus That Christ did blesse the sacrament with a certeine signe of his hand as Iacob laide his hands on Iosephs sons and Christ laid his hands vpon the children lifted vp his hands blessed his Apostles c. asketh why we might not say Christ made a signe of y e crosse considering that Chrisostome Augustine and Euthymus testifie that in their time the signe of y e crosse was vsed in consecration this question he saith is not soluted This is sone answered because laying on of hands and lifting vp of handes which be sometime vsed in blessing doth not proue a crossing with the finger of ones hand as the Papistes vse and because the Euangelistes which describe all that he then saide or did for vs to followe make no mention of any such signe of hand made by him in blessing The long discourse that followeth of blessing and giuing of thankes is needelesse for we know and confesse that as they somtimes signifie all one thing so they differ sometimes we confesse that the bread and wine in the Lords supper were blessed that is to say sanctified and consecrated but not with any signe of hand which is the mater in question but with the worde of God and with prayer not onely as bodily meates but as heauenly and spirituall mysteries to feede the soule But it is a sport to see how Martiall when he hath prooued that which was not in question that the bread wine were blessed sanctified by Christ that they must nowe be so consecrated by the Church he runneth away with the signe of the Crosse whereof he hath brought no proofe of the vse by Christ saying There must be consecration by honouring the wordes of Christ and calling vpon his name making the signe of the crosse which maner of coÌ„secration the Church learned of Christ hath continued euer since so that we may boldly say with Albertus He blest it with a certeine signe of his
it was laide wherevppon as soone as it touched her she recouered This report of Rustinus seemeth to be vncertaine first because Ambrose sayeth the crosse was knowen by the title without speaking of any miracle secondly because the reporte of other writers is that the miracle was of a dead woman and some of two dead persons wherof to see more I referre the reader to mine answere to D. Sanders booke of Images cap. 13. or 12. Concerning the rest of the Miracles reported by Paulinus Epiphanius Augustine and others let thē haue such credite as their authors deserue which is not to build faith or doctrine vpon them or their writinges let it be that some were true and wrought by God yet followeth it not that al that haue bene since reported in the Popishe Legendes were either true or not wrought by the deuil whereabout Martiall maketh much wrangling but neither affirmeth nor concludeth any thing vniuersally None vse more crossing then witches and coniurers the deuil seemeth to be afraide to come neare them certaine strange works are brought to passe by them Let Martial affirme any vertue included in the crosse or signe thereof absolutely then we may deale with him accordingly For while he telleth vs what may be done by faith y e signe of y e crosse and what God hath done by good men with that signe it is nothing to the authorizing of that signe seeing the deuil by credulitie in wicked men hath don the like by the same signe And this is a true position of M. Calfhil though Martiall will not vnderstand it That it is not a sufficient proofe to make a thing good or to shew it to be good because he cauilleth like a calfe a◠the worde of making to say that miracles were wrought by it Martial asketh first whether the miracles of Christ were not a sufficient proofe of his diuine power Where he flyeth from the position which speaketh not of the principal efficient cause out of a ceremonie a meane or instrument More pertinently he asketh of the hemme of Christs coate Saint Paules napkins whether they had not a vertue by his body I answere no. No more then Iudas lippes that kissed Christe and Peters shadowe which could neither be holy nor efficient of any thing because it was nothing but the priuation of the light by comming betweene of his body So I say of coates napkins ashes of Martyrs and signe of the crosse if any miracles were done by meanes of them they are not thereby holy neither haue they any vertue in them The Lord hath giuen vs a generall rule to examine all miracles and miracle workers by the doctrine they teache Deut. 13. If there arise among you a prophet or dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder and y ◠signe the wonder which he hath told thee come to passe if he say let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowen and let vs serue them thou shal not hearken vnto the words of that prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames for the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with al your heart and with all your soule Ye shal walk after the Lord your God and feare him and kepe his cōmandements and hearken vnto his voyce and ye shall serue him and cleaue vnto him By this scripture we are taught to examine all miracles whether they tende to the honour of the only true God and the maintenance of his true worshippe according to his worde whiche Martiall him selfe in a manner confesseth saying that miracles done by heretikes are not able to commende a thing But he findeth great fault with Maister Calfhil for coupling the generation of a childe in adultery or feeding by stollen breade to be miracles because they be not extraordinarily miracles and yet he can not deny but they be great wonders and the reason of the meanes is all one in both Nowe let vs see howe he aunswereth those three reasons of Maister Calfhils why miracles make not for the crosse And first he aunswereth to a question Why the durt in the streete by whiche Christe wrought a miracle should not be honoured as well as the crosse on the altar He aunswereth because the crosse was an instrument by which all the worlde was saued So was Iudas so was Pilate The second He saith the crosse is a liuely representation of Christes death Nay a dombe and dead idoll which is good for nothing Abacuc 2. The thirde The crosse is effectuous euer since A deed efficient The crosse is commaunded of God to be made and vsed by diuers Reuelations from heauen Nay by the diuell from hell and yet if Angels from heauen had taught the crosse to be made and vsed as another Gospell as it is accounted of the Papists as great as circumcisiō was of y e Iewes not preached by the Apostles not conteyned in the Scriptures we might safely accurse them But now to the reasons the first is Why should not such external meanes as Christ and his Apostles vsed scripture mentioneth be had in administration rather then the idle deuice of man of which there is no lawfull president Martiall answereth the crosse is no idle deuise but a tradition of the Apostles whereof they haue lawful presidentes But seeing no president is lawfull to builde our faith vpon but the holy scriptures which the Papistes haue not for their crosse the reason standeth vntouched The second reason If miracles were done by the signe of the crosse yet not onely by it therefore the crosse should not only be magnified without the rest Martial affirmeth that hee would not haue the crosse magnified without the rest as prayer and faith How doeth he then magnifie the crosse in Iulians storie which was without prayer and faith The third reason If miracles were done by the crosse yet it should not be had in estimation except all other thinges by which miracles were wrought as the he◠of Christes garment the spitle and clay the shadowe of Peter and napkins of Paule were likewise honoured and esteemed Martial aunswereth this is but his assertion for which he hath neither scripture councel nor Doctor As though an argument A paribus were not good except the conclusion were expressed in Scriptur doctor or councel Yet he replieth that the crosse is the principall meane by which miracles haue ben wrought But the Scripture is against that for Christ wrought no miracle by the signe of y ◠crosse Nay I slander him for he reasoneth not ad idem but the crosse is the cheefe and principal instrumente of our redemption yet not holier then the speare the reede and the sponge as Athanasius affirmeth Ad Antioch que 16. But euen the hemme the spettle and clay if he had them Martial would honor worship esteeme for his sake whose pretious body they touched Then let him worship the sunne that touched him with his beams of light or
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
Homely lately translated into English and imprinted The diuersitie of opinions concerning the sacrament maketh no alteration of faith in them that agree in al other necessarie articles Besides that it is most false which he saith that Luther of the Protestants is counted a very Papist 5 Their Apostles taught such a faith as putteth thinges by the beleefe and practise whereof we may be saued The faith of the Protestants is a deniall of Popish faith and hath no affirmaâ—iue doctrine but that which Papistes had before The Protestantes faith affirmeth that a man is iustified by it only That the sacrifice of Christes death is our onely propitiatorie sacrifice That Christ is our onely mediatour of redemption and intercession c. Generally it affirmeth what so euer the Scripture teacheth and denieth the contrarie Then followe 39. differences in doctrine 6 Their Apostles saide Masse which the Protestantes abhorre The Popish Masse was not then all made therefore they could not say it They ministred y â— communion which Bede and other writers called Missa they saide no priuate Masse such as the Papistes nowe defend 7 In the Masse is an externall sacrifice offered to GOD the father the blessed body and bloud of Christ him selfe lib. 5. cap. 22. This doctrine is expresly reported This seemeth blasphemie to the Protestantes The wordes of Bede according to M. Stapletons owne translation are these out of the Epislte of Ceolfride to Naitan king of the Pictes All Christian Churches throughout the whole world which al ioyned together make but one Catholike Church should prepare bread and wine for the mysterie of the flesh precious bloud of that immaculat lambe which tooke away the sinnes of the world when all lessons prayers rytes and ceremonies vsed in the solemne feast of Easter were done should offer the same to God the father in hope of their redemption to come Here is no sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ but of bread and wine for the mysterie thereof no sacrifice propitiatorie for sinnes but of thankesgiuing and remembrance of the propitiation made by the lambe himselfe in hope of eternall redemption No oblation by by the priest only but by the whole Church and euery member thereof as was the oblation of the Paschall lambe wherevnto he compareth this sacrifice interpreting those wordes of Exod. 12. Euery man shal take a lambe according to their families and housholdes offer him in sacrifice at the euening That is to say saith Ceolfride all Christian Churches c. as before By which wordes it is manifest that the Papistes nowe adayes are departed euen from that faith of the sacrament and sacrifice thereof that Augustine brought from Rome 8 This sacrifice is taught to be propitiatorie lib. 4. c. 22. which Protestants abhorre There is no mention of propitiatorie sacrifice in that chapter but there is told a tale of a prisoner that was loosed from his bonds so oft as his brother which was a Priest saide Masse for his soule supposing he had bene slaine in battel by which many were persuaded that the wholesome blessed sacrifice was effectuous to the euerlasting redemption and ransoming both of soul and body So were they worthie to be deceiued that would build a doctrine without the word of God vpon the vncertaine report of men who either deuised this tale as being false or else if it were so could not discerne the illusions of Sathan seeking to mainteine an errour contrarie to the glorie of Christ. 9 Confession of sinnes made to the priest lib. 4. cap. 25. 27. This sacrament of the Protestantes is abolished In neither of these chapters is mentioned the Popish auricular confession as a sacrament necessarie to saluation In the 25. mention is made of one which being troubled with conscience of an haynous sinne came to a learned priest to aske counsell of remedie and shewed what his offence was In the 27. chapter it is expresly saide that all the people did openly declare vnto S. Cutbert in confession the things that they had done Such confession as either of both these were the Protestants haue not abolished although they number not confession among the sacraments 10 Satisfaction and penance for sinne enioyned appeareth lib. 4. cap. 25. which the Protestants court admitteth not There is no word of satisfaction for his sinnes but of fasting and prayers as fruites of repentance wherevnto he was first exhorted by the priest according to his power and abilitie but he not content herewith vrged the priest to appoint him a certaine time of fasting for a whole weeke together to whose infirmitie the priest somwhat yelding willed him to fast two or three dayes in a weeke vntill he returned to giue him farther aduice Euery man may see broad difference betwixt this counsel and Popish satisfaction and penance 11 Merite of good workes in this storie is eftsoones iustified lib. 4. cap. 14. 15. which the Protestants count preiudidiciall to Gods glorie In the 14. chapter there is no mention of the merite of good workes but that after the brethren had fasted and prayed God deliuered them of the pestilence We neuer denied but that God regardeth our praier and fasting though not as meritorious but as our obedience which he requireth of vs and saueth vs onely for his mercy sake The 15. chapter scarse toucheth any matter of religion and therefore I knowe not what he meaneth to quote it except it be a error of y â— Printer 12 Intercession of Saints Protectants abhorre the practise whereof appeareth lib. 1. cap. 20. lib. 4. cop 14. In the former place Beda supposeth that God gaue the Britaines victorie at the intercession of S. Albane but where learned he this kinde of intercession out of the holy scriptures In the latter place a boy being sicke of the plague reporteth that God would cease the plague at the intercession of S. Oswald as the Apostles Peter and Paul declared to him in a vision But seeing the Apostles haue taught no such doctrine in their writings they haue admonished vs to beware of such fantasticall visions Gal. 1. 2 Thessa. 2. 13 The Clergie of their primitiue Church after holy orders taken doe not marrie lib. 1. cap. 27. Nowe after holy orders and vowe to the contrarie priestes doe marrie The Counsell of Gregorie to Augustine is this If there be any among the Cleargie out of holy orders which can not liue chast they shall take wiues These wordes coÌ„maund some of the Cleargie to take wiues they forbid not the rest to marrie For what shall they that are in holy orders doe if they can not liue chast Againe the histories are plentifull that Priestes were married in England three or foure hundreth yeares after Augustine 14 In their primitiue Church the vow of chastitie was thought godly and practised now they are counted damnable broken Such vowes as were made without consideration of mens abilitie to performe them are iustly accounted rash and presumptuous Such
Monkes are most vnlearned and fewe preachers out of their dens 35 In those dayes euery Priest and Clearke was a preacher so that when any came to any towne y e people would resort to them to be taught of them Bed lib. 4. cap. 16. The greatest number of Popish Priestes in these latter dayes are most ignorant Asses and void of all spirituall vnderstanding 36 Vnlearned Priestes were forbidden to serue in the Church Bed lib. 5. cap. 6. in so much that S. Iohn of Beuerley baptized againe a young man which was baptized of an vnlearned Priest The Papistes allowe vnlearned Priestes to baptise and say Masse that can not cathechise and instruct their hearers 37 Songes and Hymnes out of the holy Scriptures were made meete for religion in the mother tongue Bed lib. 4. cap. 24. Papistes can abide no songs of scripture in the English tongue 38 Anchorets of that time laboured with their handes Bed lib. 4. cap. 28. Popish Anchorets liue idly and labour not with their hands 39 Dirige and Masse was saide for Saint Oswaldes soule by which it is manifest that they esteemed the Masse to be a sacrifice of thankesgiuing lib. 3. cap. 2. 40 Bega a Nunne after she sawe the soule of the Abbesse Hilda carried into heauen exhorted her sisters to be occupied in prayers and Psalmes for her soule Whereby it appeareth that the doctrine of purgatory was not yet confirmed among them Lib. 4. ca. 23. Nothing is so certainly defended among Papistes as purgatorie 41 Holy men fasted then with eating of milke as Egbert Bed lib. 3. ca. 27. and Cedda fasted lent with egges and milk lib. 3. ca. 23. Papists of later times haue vtterly forbidden all white meates in Lent and fasting dayes 42 There was a Church of Christ in Britaine before the comming of Augustine not subiect to the see of Rome which continued long after his comming lib. 2. cap. 4. The Papistes account none Christians but such as be bondslaues to the see of Rome 43 Laurence the 2. Archbishop of Canter accompteth the Bishops of the Scottes and Britaines for Bishops although they were not subiect to the see nor Church of Rome Bed lib. 3 cap. 4. The Papistes take none for Bishops that be not vnder the see of Rome 44 The Churches of the Britaines were builded after another forme then the Churches of the Romish obedience Bed lib. 3. cap. 4. The Papistes affirme there were no Churches euer builded but in fashion and vse of poperie 45 The Schottish Churche instructed from Ireland obserued all such workes of deuotion as they could finde in the Prophetes Gospels and Apostles writings and therefore of Bede and the Englishe Church were acknowledged for Christians although they would not become members of the Churche of Rome Bed li. 3. ca. 4. The Papistes hold that there is no saluation out of the Church of Rome which is a newe Church in England in comparison of the elder that was before Augustines time 46 Aidanus a preaching Bishop hauing no possessions labouring to fulfill all that was written in the holy scriptures the prophets and Apostles shining in miracles both in his life time and after his death was neuer subiect to the Church of Rome yet accounted a Saint of the Church in those dayes Bed lib. 3. cap. 16. The Papistes allowe no saintes but canonized by their Pope 47 The exercise of Aidanus company both shorne and lay men was reading of the Scriptures and learning of the Psalmes Bed lib. 3. cap. 5. The exercise of Popish Bishops servants is nothing lesse 48 The greatest parte of the English Saxons were converted to Christianitie by the Britaines Scottes that were no members of the Church of Rome As all the kingdome of Northumberland both Bernicians Deires were conuerted by Aidanus except a fewe persons whom Paulmus the Romaine in long time had gained The whole kingdome of Mercia which was the greatest part of England receiued the faith and baptisme of Finanus the Scot the successour of Aidanus Bed lib. 3. cap. 21. The East Saxons by Cedda that was also of the Scottishe ordering lib. 3. cap. 22. The Papistes affirme that all our religion came from Rome 49 Ceadda was consecrated by Wini bishop of the West Saxons assisted by two Britain Bishops that were not subiect to the see of Rome was neuerthelesse accompted for a lawfull bishop Bed lib 3. 28. 50 Beda accounted Gregorie for the Apostle of the Englishmen lib. 2. cap. 1. The Papistes nowe take Augustine for their Apostle I omit many other opinions and ordinances of that age as Augustine would haue none forced to religion that Wednesday should be fasting day The bishop of London should haue a pall as well as Yorke c. wherein the Papistes differ from them that bragge of nothing but antiquity vniuersalitie and consent AN OVERTHROW of Stapletons Fortresse or as he calleth it himselfe the piller of Papistrie The first Booke CAP. I. AN introduction declaring the necessitie of the matter to be treated vpon and the order which the auothour wil take in treating thereof OMitting the necessitie of the mater his order which he promiseth to keepe is this First he wil proue if he can that Papistrie is the only true Christianitie This proposition he will followe by two principall partes In the former he will proue by authority of Scriptures and answering of the aduersaries obiections that the Church cannot possibly erre Secondly that this Church must be a knowne Church that no malignant Church can preuaile against it that Papistrie can be no schisme nor heresie In the latter part after a fewe reasonable demandes that protestantes must not refuse to answere putting the case that the knowne Church of 900. yeares is a kinde of papistry he will proue that the faith of protestants is differing from that was first planted among Englishe men in more then fortie pointes and that in all those pointes of difference he wil shew they agree with the first 600. yeares which he saith but falsely that protestants offer to be tried by For although the Bishop of Sarum made challenge of many articles nowe holden of the Papistes not to be founde within the compasse of the first 600. yeares and therefore to be newe and false doctrines yet neither he nor any protestant liuing or dead did euer agree to receiue what doctrine so euer was taught within the first sixe hundreth yeares But this I dare avowe that what article of doctrine so euer we do affirme that same hath bene affirmed of the godly fathers of the primitiue Church what so euer we denie the same can not be proued to haue ben vniuersally affirmed and receiued of all the godly fathers by the space of the 600. yeares together CAP. II. That protestantes doe condemne the vuiuersal Church of Christ of these many hundreth yeares and the reason of the whole disputation following grounded therevpon To prooue that the Protestants condemne the uniuersall Church of
Donatistes we affirme that the Catholike church of Christ is and hath beene euen in the most darke times of Antichristes kingdome dispersed throughout the whole world nothing doubting but God which preserued 7000. in one corner of Israel not much greater then some shyere of England hath preserued seuen thousand thousande in all partes of the wyde world which neuer bowed their knees to the Romish Baal nor kissed him with their mouth CAP. IIII. Proofes and testimonies one of the Prophet Esay that the Church of the Messias continueth for euer vnto the worlds end assisted alwayes by God himselfe The testimonies of the perpetuitie of the Church out of the Prophet Esay with the exposition of Hieronyme vpon them maketh nothing against vs which willingly acknowledge the same But denye that they perteine to the Popish Church which had her beginning long after Christe and his Apostles and her full tyranny confirmed more than 1000. yeares after Christe The same Hierome disputeth against the custome of the particular Church of Rome and appealeth to the Church of all the worlde Si auctoritas quaeritur orbis maior est vrbe c. If authoritie be sought the world is greater then a citie And againe Quid mihi profers vnius vrbis consuetudinem What bringest thou forth to mee the costome of one citie Euagr. We stand for the Catholike Church of Christ dispersed ouer all the world against the particular schismaticall hereticall and Antichristian church of Rome which though shee haue inuaded by tyranny ouer a great part of Europe yet neuer did shee preuaile ouer the whole Church throughout the world not yet ouer all Europe CAP. V. The doctrine of Caluine touching the Church is examined to the touchstone of the holy Scriptures alledged Wherein also is treated and disputed by what markes the Church may be known First he confesseth that Caluine hath learnedly largely and truely treated of the vnitie authoritie and obedience of the Church He affirmeth also that he acknowledgeth a visible Church in the worlde whose communion we ought to keepe and of her to receiue the spirituall foode of doctrine and sacraments which ought not to be forsaken for the euil life of the members thereof All this he commendeth and alloweth But herein he sheweth his malicious cauilling stomak that he supposeth Caluine to affirme that the vniuersall Church of Christ is visible where he speaketh but of particular congregations members of the whole which are visible not to the world always but to the members of the same The markes of the Church which Caluine sayeth to be true preaching of the worde of God and due administration of the sacraments although he confesseth them to be in the Church yet he denyeth them to be the markes of the Church For the marke must be better knowne then the thing whereof it is a marke but the Church is more euident then those markes ergo they be no true markes The minor he proueth by that which Caluine teacheth that wee must learne of the Church the true meaning of the Scripture But hereof it followeth not that y e Church is better known then these markes For there is a farther tryal which ought to be better known by which both are to be knowne namely the worde of God whereunto wee must haue recourse to trye whether those things that are preached are euen so in deede as the Thessalonians did by the preaching of Paul Barnabas Act. 17. ver 11. The vnmouable trueth is to be sought in the Scriptures what preaching or Church agreeth with that trueth is to be receiued none other And whereas he sayeth that Heretikes challenge these markes as well as Catholiks I grant they do so but no more do they challenge these markes then they challenge the Church to be on their side for there was neuer heresie but they bragged as much of the Church as of the trueth Therefore the Church is not more cleare then these markes but these marks tryed by y e worde of God are more cleare then the Church which is therefore the Church because it maintaineth true doctrin The doctrine is not true because the Church maintaineth it The cause is better known then the effect for knowledge is to vnderstand by causes But M. Stapl. hath two better markes then Caluine describeth To wit the vniuersalitie and communion of all nations The continuance and euer-remaining thereof among Christians These markes by no Logyke can be causes of the Church but adiuncts vnto it and therefore the worst arguments that can be to knowe it by euen such as the foolish mans argument was that knew his horse by the brydle But admitt these to be proper adiuncts of the Church yet shall not the popish Church be able to prooue those to be her markes For Popery neither doth neither euer did possesse all the worlde except a peece of Europe be all the world The Church of Christ is Catholike although there were but three of foure persons in all the worlde that mainteined true doctrine as there was not many when Christ his Apostles and a fewe other were the onely Church in all the world and the Catholike Church before they were dispersed into many nations For y e Church is called Catholike or vniuersall not because all men or most men do pertaine vno it but because all that be members of Christ howe many or howe fewe so euer they be and wheresoeuer they be are members of that Church But M. Stapl. sayth The vniuersalitie of the Church is a matter euident to the eye therefore the Catholike Church is alwayes visible To this I answer that if the Catholike Church or the vniuersalitie thereof were alwayes visible or at any time visible or the vniuersalitie thereof euident to the eye it should be no article of faith for faith is of such things as are not seen with the eye but beleued with the heart Heb. 11. ver 1. We agree with Augustine against the Donatists that no heresie was in all countreys in all ages For Papistrie which is the greatest heresie apostasye was neuer in all countryes all ages But if an heresie were in all countries and ages yet proueth it not it self to be a Catholike trueth Idolatrie hath beene in all countries and ages yet is it not thereby prooued to be a Catholike trueth The Church of Christe whereof we are members hath bene in al partes of the world and in all ages though not alwayes not euer receiued of the greatest part of men And if this be a most cleare and euident marke as he saith that no heretike can pretende to be ioyned in communion with all Christian countries The Popish Church hath not this marke which is not ioyned in communion with the Greekes Armenians Chaldeans Aethiopians and so many nations as at this day and since the Apostles times haue bene Christened Countries But nowe wee come to the seconde marke of the Church The continuance thereof
point at it with his finger Let him I say point out with his finger what Kinges in euery age for the space of the first three hundreth yeares did walke in the brightnesse of the Churches arising It will not serue him to name Algarus of Edessa or Lucius of Britaine But he must shewe a continuall succession of Kinges for all that time or if he can not let him confesse that the externall glorie and brightnesse of the Church is not in all ages to be seene as the spirituall magnificence and light thereof is euerlasting His nexte reason is of the continuance of Pastours and teachers in the Churche which he imagineth to haue fayled in our Church for nine hundreth yeares but he is altogether deceiued For when the state of the Romishe Churche was growen to be such a confuse Babylon that it was necessary for GODS people to goe out of it Apoc. Chap. 18. verse 4. Which came not to the full ripenesse of iniquitie vntill a thousande yeares after Christe GOD sent Pastours and teachers to his Churche so departed out of Babylon in these partes of Europe which continued by succession euen vntill GOD restored his Gospell into open light of the worlde againe Beside that a great number of Easterne Churches haue continued euen from the Apostles time vnto this day though not in soundnesse of all opinions yet in open profession of Christianitie among whome doubtlesse some reteyned the foundation alwayes which were neuer obedient to the see of Rome neither partakers of a greate nomber of her horrible heresies so that if it were graunted that the Churche must alwayes be visible yet the Papistes are neuer the neare to proue their faction to be the Church because the Greeke Church for outward shewe of a Churche hath bene alwayes as notorious in the East as the Latine Church in the West Finally where Augustine sayeth although vpon a text wrongly interpreted that the Churche is placed in the sunne that is a manifest place of the worlde not in a corner like the conuenticles of heretikes He meaneth not that the Church is alwayes seene of all men but that it seeketh no corners or couerture of darkenesse as heretikes doe to shrowd their falshoode in although in the time of persecution it be driuen into streightes and is content to be hidden from the aduersaries thereof except in some cases where the glorie of CHRISTE requireth an open confession The same Augustine would haue the Churche to be known onely by the Scriptures De vnitate Ecclesiae Cap. 16. Sed utrum ipst Ecclesiam teneant non nisi divinarum scripturarrum Canonicis libris ostendunt But whether they holde the Church let them shewe by none otherwayes but by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures If the Papistes were able to proue their doctrine by the scriptures they would not labour so muche for the title of the Church which of necessitie would followe them if they taught nothing but that and all that which the holy Scriptures doe teache CAP. XIIII Three reasons why the Church of Christ ought of necessitie alwayes to be a cleare euident visible and knowen Church In the seconde of which reasons a sensible disputation is made to trie whether our countrie among other might possiblie haue attayned to the right Faith without the helpe of a knowne Church in all this pretensed time of Papistrie The first reason is that except the Church and true pastors thereof might be openly knowne the infidell seeking for Christianitie shall come from paganisme to heresie c. the grace and gift of Christ shoulde bee vnprofitable as a riche treasure fast locked vp c. which were inconuenient in many respects c. therefore the Church must be openly knowne and euident c. I aunswere this reason sauoreth of Pelagianisme which is enimie to the grace of God presupposing that Infidels of their owne good motion without the grace of God may seeke Christianitie But if wee remember what our Sauiour Christ saith No man commeth vnto me except my father drawe him Ioan. 6. ver 44. Wee must acknowledge that as it is the onely grace of God that moueth in infidels a desire to seeke Christ so the same grace and no outward appearance to be iudged by carnall reason shall directe them whom he hath chosen to eternall life among so many sectes in the worlde to finde see and acknowledge the onely true Church and piller of trueth out of which there is no saluation Wherefore this reason hath no grounde but vppon a supposition of Pelagianisme that GOD hath onely reuealed his trueth vnto men of the worlde and lefte men to their owne reason to find it out by external notes such as Infidels not lightened by Gods grace by the light of naturall reason may descerne The seconde reason is that it hath pleased God that because The seconde reason is that it hath pleased God that because faith leaneth vpon authoritie and authoritie is strong in a multitude although in the primitiue Church by miracles euident giftes of the holy ghost the authoritie of a fewe drewe whole countryes to the faith yet miracles ceasing to keepe the Church alwayes in a knowen multitude whose authoritie might drawe the simple persuade the learned and keepe out the heretikes If this carnal reason were good there were smal or no vse of the scriptures at all The authoritie of the Church and that alwayes knowne might suffice for all matters But Augustine saith hee in his booke de vxilitate credendi ad Honoratum Cap. 14. vseth this reason to bring Honoratus from the Manichees to the Catholikes out of whome he citeth a long discourse to this effect That as the common multitude and fame moueth a man to beleeue that there was such a one as Christ and that his writings and scriptures are to be credited so of the head rulers of that multitude and not of any priuie and newe sect such as the Manichees was he must learne the vnderstanding of this booke and scriptures This he taketh vppon him to exemplifie by the state of our countrey at the firste conuersion thereof by Augustine Although this carnal reason might haue some shew with Honoratê° a straunger from the Church and one not lightened with the spirite of God yet howe vaine it is being applyed to the Papistes you may easily see by this that since the Church of Rome hath been the Church of Antichrist as great a multitude which might and hath moued many infidels to receuie the profession of Christianitie hath beene seperated from it as hath cleaued to it Put the case then of an infidell in the East which moued by the fame and consent of many nations hath thought well of Christ hath giuen credite to the Scriptures to what head rulers shoulde be resort for instruction in the Scriptures to the rulers of that multitude by which he was first moued to beleeue then shoulde he neuer become a Papist For all the Patriarches
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
are 4. of Stapletons apostolik marks also techeth many things that before were vnknowen which is the fifth marke Whereas Protestants haue added nothing to the faith of Christ but taken many things away from it I answere if Augustine with him brought in all trueth and besides that some errours which haue encreased in processe of time thicke and threefolde Protestants were worthie of thankes for remouing the errours though they brought in no new matters of faith as he is thankes worthie which weedeth a garden or feelde although he sowe no newe seedes therein But it is most vntrue that Papistes had all trueth before we discouered their errours for the doctrine of iustification of the worship of God of the vse of good workes and of the sacraments was either almost or altogether lacking in Popery which by the doctrine of the Gospell is restored But now let vs see what Protestants haue taken away Forsooth From the quicke from the dead from faith from the Church from Saints from God From the quicke free will state of perfection and all merite of good workes Yea sir Pelagian the Scripture sayeth No quicke man shalbe iustified in the sight of God Psalm 143. v. 2. which taketh away all that you haue giuen him From the dead all prayer intercession for them When you can allow the dead these things out of the Scripture we will not denye it to them From the faith an article of Christes discention into hell A lewd lye of a slaunderous Papist From the Church as it is the whole bodye fiue sacraments Three more then Christ instituted The continuall assistance of Gods holy spirite promised by our Sauiour A shamefull lye And the visible sight in this world assured vnto vs by holy scripture That Scripture is yet to shewe whereby the Churche should be promised alwayes to be in open sight of y ◠greatest parte of the worlde From the Church as the spirituall parte they haue taken supreme gouernement in matters Ecclesiasticall None other then such as is against the Scripture Let euery soule submit it selfe to the higher powers Rom. 13. ver 1. Authoritie of making that which Christ had them to make in his last supper If you saye you make the body of Christ in such sence as you affirme the sacrament to be the bodye of Christe Gods cursse light on you The doing of all that Christe commaunded to be done in remembrance of him we take not away The power of binding and loosing with most of the authoritie due vnto that estate and vocation A very slaunder From the Church they take Altars crosses Images c. Because the temple of God hath nothing to doe with Images 2. Cor. 6. ver 16. From God him selfe an externall sacrifice the true proper seruice due to God onely and continually as Saint Augustine prooueth at large De ciuitate Dei A slaunder of Augustine which lib. 10. Cap. 20. calleth the Lordes supper a sacrament of the oblation of Christe the onely singuler sacrifice so that nowe there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne for by one sacrifice once offered he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified Heb. 10. ver 14. by which only sacrifice there was forgiuenesse of our sinnes and where there is forgiuenesse of sinnes there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 10. 18. You see what sure and stedfast apostolike markes these are which are founde in Mahomet as much as in Augustine so that if Augustine had not the worde of God to warrant the principall partes of the faith which he preached in Englande by these fiue markes he might neither be proued to bee an Apostle nor yet a true preacher CAP. IIII. Differences in doctrine betweene the primitiue faith of Englande and the heresie of Protestants And first of Masse of the propitiation thereof of intercession of Saintes of their commemoration at Masse time of confession of sinnes and of merite of good workes Concerning the differences I haue written alreadie in answere to his table of differences Nowe must we see how he proueth them by testimonye of y ◠firste 600. yeares The first in this Chapter and sixth in number is the Masse whose name he may in deede finde within the compasse of 600. yeares although otherwise taken then it is of papistes but yet frō Christ vntill 400. yeares be complete the name of Missa is not founde in any auncient authenticall writer And therefore he beginneth with Ambrose in his Epistle E. 33. which place you shall finde discussed in mine aunswere to Heskins lib. 3. Cap. 32. letting you to vnderstande by the way that he citeth the wordes otherwise then they be and so doeth M. Heskins and yet neither of thē both as they be in Ambrose by which it appeareth that neither of them both read them in Ambrose Stapleton citeth them thus Missam facere caepi Dwum offerrem nuntiatum est c. I began to say Masse whyle I offred worde was brought to me c. Ambrose saith somewhat otherwise The next testimonies he citeth are out of Augustine Ser. 251. 237. de tempore which all learned men knowe to be none of Augustines but if they were they be after 400. yeares beforesaide The next is Leo Ep. 81. Cap. 2. which in mine answere to Heskins before quoted you shall finde handled at large After this followe the Canons of 7. or 8. councels prouinciall in which the name of Missa is found but all kept aboue 400. yeares after Christ and therfore proue not a perpetuall continuance of that name from Christ vntill the first 600. yeares ended Besides that the Masses so named were neither informe nor matter that which the popish Masse is For concerning y ◠forme it was patched together in many partes long after the first 600. yeares as their own Pontificall and other histories witnesse Concerning the matter it was not the Popish Masse for that there was in it a Communion and the naturall bodye of Christe was not offered therein which within the first 600. yeares was not beleeued to be really and corporally in the Sacrament The seuenth difference is that the Masse is a propitiatorie sacrifice and was so beleeued in the first 600. yeares Whereof he reporteth him to Cyprian Ser. 5. De lapsis who sayth The conscience of sinners is purged with the sacrifice of the priest But Cyprians words are not so he speaketh of them which being fallen in time of persecution made hast to the communion without dewe repentance and publike satisfaction to y ◠church and prayer of the priestes made for their sinnes Ante exomologesin factam criminis ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio manu sacerdotis before confession of their offence being made before their conscience be purged by sacrifice hand of the Priest c. These words do shewe y t he meaneth none other purging of their conscience by sacrifice then by imposition of y ◠priests hands which can be no propitiatorie
de Britannia aequaliter patet aula coelestis The court of heauen is open equally from Ierusalem and from Britain Againe Beatus Hilarion cùm Palestinus esset in Palestina viueret vno tantùm die vidit Hierosolimam vt nec contemnere loca sancta propter vicinitatem nec rursus dominum loco claudere videretur Blessed Hilarion when he was a Palestine borne and liued in Palestine sawe Ierusalem but one day only that neither he might seeme to contemne the holy places because of neerenesse nor againe to shut vp the Lorde in a place And because Master Stapleton maketh pilgrimage a matter of faith he sayth further After hee hath shewed how many excellent men neuer came at Ierusalem c. Quorsum inquies haec tam longo repetita principio Videlicet ne quicquam fidei tuae deesse putes quia Hierosolymam non vidisti Thou wilt say to what ende are these thinges fetched from so long a beginning verely that thou shouldest not thinke any thing to be wanting to thy faith because thou hast not seene Ierusalem Thus Hierome albeit it was much vsed yet iudged peregrination vnto Ierusalem to be a matter of small importance By Chrysostom sayeth Hom. 5. de beato Iob that if strength of body did serue that he were not letted with the charge of his Church he would haue trauelled to Rome to see the cheines wherewith Saint Paul was bound And this Stapleton wil warrant to haue beene done without superstition I would faine knowe howe he will discharge this saying of his in the same homely eyther of superstition or of an excessiue commendation Si quis me coelo condonet omni vel ea qua pauli manus vinciebatur catena illam ego honore praeponerem If any man coulde giue mee all heauen or else that chayne wherewith Saint Paules hande was bounde I woulde preferre that chaine in honour Excuse this if you can so it be not with a rethoricall exornation for y e you cannot abyde Neuerthelesse the same Chrisostom sheweth y t it was not needefull for obtaining remissiō of finnes to take in hande any pilgrimage In Epist. ad Phil. Hom. Non opus est in longinqua peregrinando transire nec ad remotissimas ire nationes non pericula non labores tolerare sed velle tantummodo There is no neede to go a pilgrimage into farre countryes nor to go to the furthest nations nor to suffer perils nor trauels but onely to be willing Now let the wisedome of the Papistes take heede as he admonisheth the wisdome of the Protestantes that they charge not Chrysostome with the heresie of sola fides or licentious libertie more then wee checke him for superstition The like of remission of sinnes without pilgrimage he sayeth Hom. de Anima educatione Samuelis which is as contrary to y ◠draffe of popish pilgrimage as the peregrination vsed in this day is out of vse with vs. For Papists were wont to make pilgrimage a meritorious worke and many had it in penance persuaded by their ghostly father they could not otherwise haue remission of their sinnes except perhaps by a Popes pardon with a commutation of penance Concerning the place of Augustine which he citeth Ep. 137. It proueth no ordinary pilgrimage then in vse but onely sheweth Augustines deuise in a case of such doubt as he coulde not finde out the trueth betweene one that was accused and his accuser that it was not amisse they shuld both trauell to some such place where miracles are sayed to be wrought if happely there in such place the trueth might be reuealed by miracle And yet I confesse not vrged by any thing Stapleton sayth that Augustine else where speaketh of peregrination to Rome in Psal. 85. Quales isti principes venerunt de Babylone Principes credentes de saeculo principes venerunt ad vrbem Roman quasi caput Babylonis non ierunt ad templum imperatoris sed ad memoriam piscatoris What are these princes that came from Babylon Princes of the world that beleeue the princes came to Rome as to the head of Babylon they went not to the temple of the Emperour but to the memorie of a Fisher To conclude as there was vsed Peregrination to Ierusalem and other places to the memories of Martyrs so was there neuer any pilgrimage to images which is the greatest pilgrimage of Papistes within the 600. yeres mentioned wherein Papists differ as much from their practise as we and more also The 23. difference is the reuerence of reliques vsed within the 600. yeres as witnesseth Basil Chrysostome and other The reliques or bodyes of the Saints we reuerence so farre as we haue any warrant out of the holy Scriptures Neither did those auncient fathers although immoderate in that kinde of reuerence yet make idols of them nor set them bare to be seene or handled and worshipped but laide vp in the earth as I haue before shewed out of Cyrillus Lib. 10. Contra Iulianum But what inconuenience grewe by that excessiue esteeming of the dead bodyes of the Saints Sozomenus sheweth Li. 7. ca. 10. Pauli Constantinopolitani Episcopi corpus in Ecclesia repositum est id quod multos veritatis ignaros praesertim mulieres ac plures è plebe in eam opinionem induxit vt Apostolum Paulum ibi conditum esse putent The body of Paul Bishop of Constantinople was buried in the Church which thing brought many ignorant of the trueth especially women and many of the common people into this opinion that they thinke the Apostle Paul to be buried there But whereas in the end he wold haue vs restore so many holy reliques of Abbeyes and Churches as haue bene spoiled and prophaned it is needlesse seeing the Papistes can make as many when they list Euen by the same cunning that they make some of the Apostles to haue two or three bodyes a piece beside heades armes ribbes and other partes in infinite places whereof he that will heare more let him reade Caluines booke of reliques and credite him but as a reporter of that which all the world is able to reproue him of if he would wilfully feigne any thing The 24. difference is Alters for proofe whereof he bringeth Chrysostome and Augustine which speake of Alters whome also he confesseth to call the same tables but that neither in matter nor fourme they were like Popish Alters but tables in deede made of boordes and remoueable and standing in the middest of the Church I haue shewed sufficiently in mine aunswere to Doctor Heskins lib. 3. cap. 31. by which it is proued that the Papistes and not we differ from the primitiue Church in this point The 25. difference is Latine seruice which he would proue out of Bede by the bookes that Gregorie sent to Augustine which could be none other but Latine But howe proue you that those bookes were seruice bookes or that if they were seruice bookes thei were not translated into the vulgare tongue As for the
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
Hierome likewise expoundeth Lift vp the standard of the crosse in an high tower that is in the height of the Church Concerning this interpretation of Hierome how apt it is for the place I will spend no time with Master Martiall onely this is sufficient for the purpose that Saint Hierome meaneth not the crosse on the toppe of the steeple but the passion of Christ whereto he exhorteth the people to runne for aide as to a standard of comfort against the enimie that was comming vpon them The third text is Matth. 24. The signe of the sonne of man shall appeare in the cloudes which diuers of the olde writers expound to be the signe of the crosse Some to be Christ him selfe as Chrysostome in Matt. 24. Hom. 49. Some to be the crosse it selfe on which he dyed as Chrysost in Matt. Hom. 77. and Theophilact in 24. Matth. Some other the passion or signe of the crosse as Hierome vpon that place so that the Doctors being in diuers opinions speaking doutfully there is no certaintie of y e matter That the signe of the sonne of man is Christ him selfe as Chrysostome rehearseth some to haue thought in his time is the most probable opinion bicause both Marke cap. 13. and Luke 21. do seeme so to expound that signe of the sonne of man in Matthewe But Martiall is such a perillous Logician that he will admit nothing but necessarie consequences which we must be bolde to vrge and require of him for the mention of the signe of the crosse in such varietie of Doctors opinions and a matter so obscure The fourth text is Ezechiel 9. the signe Thau set on the foreheads of them that should be preserued from destruction But what argument or authoritie hath he to proue that this marke was the signe of the crosse None at all onely he quarelleth after his manner against M. Calfhils reasons which shewe it was not the signe of the crosse but an inward spirituall marke And least he should flee to the figure of the Samaritane letter Thau which Hierome saith in his time was somwat like a crosse Hierome himselfe sheweth that the Septuagintes Aquila and Symmachus translate Thaua marke as the word signifieth only Theodotion left the Hebrue word vntranslated which bicause it is the name of the last Hebrue letter diuers thought to signifie Thorah the lawe whereof they were obseruers that were so marked Cyprian also taketh it for a marke without naming the letter Thau Contra demetrianum Wherefore seeing here is nothing whereby the fashion of the marke may be gathered fondly doeth Martiall gather that it was the signe of the crosse The fift text is the marke commaunded to be set vpon all Gods seruants in the Apoc. 7. which Martiall out of Thomas Aquinas concludeth to be the signe of of the crosse but that is disproued by M. Calfhils three reasons which Martiall like an impudent wrangler will vnderstand onely of the place of Ezechiel 1. The spirite of life and faith is not giuen with the signe of the crosse 2. Which is not sufficient to discerne the good from the badde 3. But is receiued of all sortes therefore the seale spoken of in those places is not the signe of the crosse Martials crosse not being found in the holy Scriptures hath yet often remembrance among the auncient Fathers whome M. Calfhill doth iustly reproue in this behalfe so highly to extoll that signe which hath no ground in the word of God either in contention against the Gentiles that disdained it or in aemulation of the heretikes that first vsed it For if all records of ecclesiasticall antiquitie be sought that are authenticall and not manifestly counterfeted there shall no mention be found of Martials crosse in the fourth signification before the superstition of the Valentinian heretikes which called the crosse Horon confirmatiuam crucem which Iraeneus lib. 1. ca. 1. doth speake of So doth Epiphanius Contra Valent. Haer. 31. But against this reproofe of the olde writers Martiall hath a plausible common place to sporte him selfe in which notwithstanding euery wise man can see howe fondly he behaueth him selfe to be patrone to them which either neede not his defence where they write well or can not be iustified by him where they write amisse I will therefore passe ouer all such fruitlesse controuersies and keepe me onely to the argument That Chrysostome was immoderate somtimes in extolling the signe of the crosse and such like matters either Martial must confesse or else excuse it by a rethorical hyperbole as where he saith of Saint Pauls chaine Si quis me coelo condonet omni vel ea qua Pauli manus vinciebatur catena illam ego honore praeponerem If any man could reward me with al heauen or else with y t chaine wherewith Pauls handes were bound I would preferre that chaine in honour Such are many excessiue speaches in Chrysostome both of the signe of the crosse of the Lordes Supper of Baptisme and other thinges In Tertullians time the signe of the crosse was vsed among Christians to shewe them selues to be Christians against the Gentiles if it were not a piece of Montanus superstition But whereas Martiall citeth Constantinus for the commendation of his crosse he sheweth him selfe an egregious ignorant person both in antiquitie and in the historie For the signe which Constantine commended to be a healthfull signe and true token of vertue by which he deliuered the citie from tyrants was not the signe of the crosse but the character of the name of Christe which was shewed to him from heauen with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this GOD not in this signe thou shalt ouercome And least Martiall should cauill at the signe of the crosse named by Eusebius De Vit. Const. lib. 1. you shall vnderstand that he describeth the standard of Constantine to haue bene a long speare in the top whereof a barre went ouerthwart like a crosse to hang the banner vpon which euen the Heathen Emperours vsed But in the banner was set foorth in golde and precious stones that signe which Constantine did see which was the Greeke letter P with the letter X in the middest thereof after this manner which is to be seene in many hundrethes of auncient coynes both of Constantine and other Christian Emperours which is the Caracter of the name of Christ. Agreeing with the wordes of Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which you may see howe ridiculously Martiall and the Papistes looke onely to the crosse staffe vppon whiche the banner hanged and see not the very wholesome signe in deede which was described in the banner namely in the name of Christ by whom Constantine had so glorious victories But Martial omitting to speake of the crosse vsed among the Heathen Priestes of Serapis will discusse Maister Calfhils two rules The one that whatsoeuer is brought in vnder the cloake of good intent is not straightway allowable To this he sayeth that some thinges are brought in by priuate
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
prefigured in the law of nature foreshewen by the figures of Moses lawe denounced by the prophetes and shewed from heauen in the time of grace Maister Calfhil saide that the signe of the crosse was neither prefigured in the lawe of nature nor foreshewed by the figures of Moses law nor denounced by the prophetes nor shewed from heauen in the time of grace but the passion of Christ manner of his death Against whom commeth forth Martiall and offereth to prooue that the crosse whereon Christe died was prefigured c. which is no contradiction of M. Calfhils assertion Although the fathers rather dallie in trifling allegories then soundly to prooue that the crosse was prefigured in those places which he alledgeth as August Contra Faust. lib. 12. cap. 34. that the two stickes which the widowe of Sarepta gathered did prefigure the crosse whereon Christ died not only by the name of wood but by the number of the stickes Et de 5. heres ad quod vult de cap. 2. that Moses lifting vp his handes to heauen did prefigure the crosse whereby Christ should redeeme the worlde So saith Tertullian and Augustine in diuers places All which proue not that the image or signe of the crosse but that y e crosse it selfe whereon Christ died was prefigured whereof we make no question but it might be seeing it was in Gods determination that Christe should die on the crosse although we would wish sounder proofes then these for such prefiguration Here would Martiall excuse his ridiculous argument because it is not in mode and figure but in deede it fayleth both in forme and matter for his minor is false y t the signe of y e crosse was prefigured by y e hands of Moses As though there were no difference between the crosse on which Christ suffered a superstitious signe of the crosse y t a Papist maketh Concerning the signe Thau in Ezechiel cap. 9. I haue spoken sufficiently in the first article that it was not the figure of any letter like a crosse but a marke vnnamed or described as Apo. 7. And wheras Hierome saith that the Samaritanes had a letter somewhat like a crosse it is not to be throught y t the Samaritanes had the true forme of letters and the Iewes lost it Chrysostome draweth it to the Greeke letter and trifleth of the number which the letter Tau signifieth Tertulliā is indifferent betweene the Latine latter and y e Greeke setteth this T for the marke of his forehead differing somewhat from our Popishe ✚ for which cause Martiall calleth the character of the Latine letter Tau saying Our Tau is a signe of the crosse But of this marke more Art 1. and in my answere to D. Sanders booke of Images Cap. 13. or 12. Concerning the figure of y e crosse that was in the olde time in the idol Serapis wherunto he thinketh scorne to be sent for the antiquity of that signe he answereth out of Socrates that it was there set by the prouidence of God as the inscription of the altar in Athens and among the Hyeroglyphical letters of the Aegyptian priestes signified life to come But this proueth no more y e superstitious vse therof then y e alter in Athens proueth that we should set vp such altars and dedicate them to the vnknowen God Next followeth the brawle about the story of Constantines crosse which should be the figure of the crosse shewed from heauen in the time of grace wherein Martial noteth no lesse then sixe contradictions foure lyes in in M. Calfhil but of them let the reader iudge The signe shewed I haue prooued before not to haue bene Martials crosse but the Character of the name of Christ and so doth Constantinus himselfe cal it speaking to Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Holding forth thy Character I haue ouercome c. meaning the standerd in which that Character was imbrodered But of this I haue spoken sufficient Art 1. and against D. Sanders booke of images cap. 13. Ar. or after the errour of his print After much wrangling and brabbling about M. Calfhils principles wherein it were easie to displaye Martials follie but that I haue professed to omit such by matters he cōmeth to the signe of the crosse shewed to Iulian marked in his souldiers apparell which if it were true as Sozomenus reporteth it yet proueth it not y t the signe of the crosse was shewed from heauen that it should be vsed of Christians and the lesse because it was shewed to none but Iewes and forsakers of Christian religion as Maister Calfhill noteth which might probably be thought to be the marke of persecuters rather then of Christians But seeing the Signe of the crosse hath very often times appeared not onely in cloudes but also on mennes apparell with diuers other sightes as Conradus Lycosthenes in his booke De Prodigijs obserueth whether the cause of those apparitions be naturall or supernaturall or sometime perhaps artificiall the appearing of that signe from heauen doeth no more argue an allowance of the Popish ceremonie of crossing in religion then the appearing of other shapes and sightes in heauen doe teache vs to frame ceremonies of armour of horsemen of beastes of trees of pillers of circles and such like because the figures of them haue ben shewed from heauē So that hitherto the signe of the crosse hath not bene prooued to haue bene prefigured in the lawe of nature nor of Moses neither denounced by the prophetes nor vsed by the Apostles nor shewed from heauen to be a pattern of y e allowance of superstitious crossing among y e Papistes The thirde Article That euery Church Chappell and Oratorie erected to the honour and seruice of God should haue the signe of the crosse First it is to be remembred that for this position he hath no shewe of the authoritie of the holy scriptures nor yet the testimony of any auncient writer that any Church Chappell or Oratory should haue any crosse grauen or painted within it or vpon it for 500. yeares after Christ. Eusebius describing diuerse Churches builded in his time sheweth no such necessary furniture of a Christian Church although he set foorth euen the fashion of the stalles or stooles where the ministers should sit lib. 10. cap. 4. But Martial to haue shewe of antiquitie beginneth with a newe found olde doctour called Abdias whose authoritie seeing Maister Calfhill reiecteth as a meere countefet Martial spendeth certaine leaues in quarrelling at some of his reasons and the rest he passeth ouer because he can say nothing against them But touching the credite of this Abdias if any man be not satisfied with M. Calfhils reasons I referre him further to the Bishop of Sarums booke against Harding Art 1. Diu. 5. p. 8. To speake of the vowe of virginitie supposed to be made by the virgine Marie it is impertinent to the cause It commeth somewhat nearer that he defendeth building of Churches
seruati sumus lest euery popish woman might see that the Canon speaketh not of honour giuen to the image of the crosse whereby we are not saued but to the passion of Christ. But Martiall reiecteth the Councell of Constantinople condemning images as M. Calfhill doth the 2. of Nice allowing them The best way then as Augustine conncelleth y e heretike Maximinus were to giue ouer the hold of Councels on both sides try y e matter by the word of God It is a fond quarrel y t he picketh to M. Calfhill of y e time when y e Eliberine councel was kept if it be auncienter then hee supposeth it is of greater credite for y e latter times were more corrupt And whereas he giâ—deth at y e marriage of ministers because in the 27. Canon of y t Councel the bishop or priest was forbidden to haue any woman to dwell with him but either his sister or his daughter being a virgine professed to God he sheweth both his falshod his folly his falshod for y t he translateth extraneam which is a strange woman no other woman His folly in seeing y e priests daughter he cannot see his wife but the 33. Canon coÌ„mandeth them abstinence as from their wiues begetting of children I answere if y e Canon were not to be vnderstood of a temporal abstinence the generall Councell of Nice decreed against it as appeareth in Socrat. lib. 1. Cap. 11. But touching the Canon against Images Placuit we decree that pictures ought not to be in the Church lest that which is worshipped adored should be painted on the walles First he repeteth his principle of law before set downe for prohibition y â— pictures are only forbidden not other images as though he y â— forbiddeth wounding permitteth murthering beside that they shuld be simple images in which were no picture or painting Secondly he saith that pictures on walles only are forbidden but therin he lyeth for they are generally forbidden in y e church ergo not in walles only Thirdly he saith here is an euident proofe that pictures were then worshipped For this argument followeth necessarily vpoÌ„ these words That was worshipped that was forbidden to be paynted in the walles but pictures were forbidden to be painted vpon walles ergo pictures were worshipped Answere M. Calfhill Who would haue thought y â— an Vsher of Winchester student in Louaine that teacheth vs an old lawyers poynt would also teach vs a new Logike point to coÌ„clude affirmatiuely in y e second figure y t all vpoÌ„ particulers Answere M. Calf quod Martial Nay answere goose to such an argument And reason who will any longer with such an asse about this matter for I will harken to his law seeing his Logike is no better For the better vnderstanding of a statute or a Canon diuerse circumstances are to be considered This was lawe ynough to make him a bachiler Well the circumstances are these The authors of this Canon were Catholike wise bishops the place Granata a citie in Spain which had then many infidels that thought Christians to commit idolatrie by hauing of Images The time when they feared persecution as appeareth by the 59 60. Canon But if we beleeue Garanza your author it was about y e time of y e Nicene councel when no persecution could be feared therfore your cause which you make y e fourth circuÌ„stance is forged y t they feared lest those images should haue ben despitefully abused by y e Pagans when they were fled neither are you able to proue it therfore in y e end you coÌ„clude it was but a synod of 19. Bishops whose decre was vndone by y e second Nicen general councel y e Councel at Frankford c. That y e councel of Frankfort y t coÌ„demned y e councel of Nice he only denyeth y t it did so but answereth not y e authoritie cited by M. Calfhill The booke of Carolus Magnus against images he condeÌ„neth for a forged tale although ancient writers make mention of it the style of the book doth argue y e it was written in that time if not by the Emperour yet by his appointment But seeing he referreth vs to the confutation of the Apologie fol. 328. I wil referre the readers to the defence of the Apologie for the same matter After this he spendeth certaine leaues in defending the credite of Irenee the idolatrous Empresse and in defacing those Emperours that were enimies to images wherein he hath the idolatrous historians fauourable not sparing to report what so euer their malicious enimies could inuent to slaunder them But hereof I haue written somewhat in myne aunswere to D. Sanders booke of images cap. 4. or 3. cap. 15. or 14. Nowe commeth in S. Ambrose extolling the crosse Ser. 56. As a Church cannot stand without a crosse so a ship is weake without a mast For by and by the diuell doth disquiet it and the wind doth squat it but when y e signe of the crosse is set vp by and by both the iniquitie of the diuell is beaten backe and the tempest of wind is appeased Here Martial triumpheth against M. Calfhil that the author speaketh not of a crosse beame in the Church but of the signe of the crosse But he lyeth shamefully for this writer speaketh not of a materiall Church Chappel or Oratorie but of the congregation of Christe in which the crosse and passion of Christ hath y e same force that the mast in a ship which is made after the figure of the crosse and the plough beame in tillage c. His other sentence Serm. 55. is yet more plaine against him Arbor enim quaedam in naui est crux in ecclesia quae inter totius saeculi blaÌ„da perniciosa naufragia incolumis sola seruatur In hac ergo naui quisquis aut arbori crucis se religauerie aut aures suas scripturit diuinis clauserit dulcem procellam luxuriae non timebit For the crosse in the Church is as it were a certaine tree in a ship which among y e flattring pernitious shipwracks of y e whole world alone is preserued in safetie In this ship therefore who so euer shal either bind him selfe to y â— tree of the crosse or stop his eares with the holy Scriptures he shall not feare the sweete storme of luxuriousnesse c. He alludeth to the fable of Vlysses which tyed him selfe to the mast and stopped his eares with waxe that he might not heare the song of the Mermaydes This sentence whereof Martial durst cite but three or foure wordes declareth that his authour maketh nothing for the title of this Article of erecting the crosse in Churches Chappels c. And yet when all is done I must confesse with the learned that these Sermons were not written by S. Ambrose but by one Maximus of latter time Bishop either of Taurinum or of Millain Concerning the tale that you father vpon syr Ambrose
Caue of an Island by Rhodes and a rode there where no anchor nor cable will holde the ship vnlesse the mariner make the signe of the crosse ouer y e place where he casteth anchor It may be he reported it as a fond persuasion of superstitious people but I thinke no that he gaue any credit to it Poperie is full of such tales But why doe you charge M. Calfhil with a lye for saying that in the Popish catholike time the churche of Pauls was twise burned within 50. yeares space Marie bicause it was not on Corpus Christie eue nor the Communion table was burned with al the foure yles within the compasse of three or foure houres therefore it was no the like plague But howe often hath the sacrament of the alter your God bene burned when Churches were fiered Moe thinges in which there is any diuersitie shall be like by Martials logike or lawe I can not tell whether it is by which he condemneth M. Calfhil for a lyer Touching Lactantius he reasoneth to and fro of his authoritie him selfe and yet chargeth M. Calfhil for so doing Our iudgement of Lactantius as of all olde writers is this that what so euer they speake contrarie to the trueth of the holy Scriptures we may boldly reiect it what so euer they say agreeable vnto them we doe willingly admit it The chiefe matter touching this article is this that certaine verses are ascribed to Lactantius exhorting men to worship the crosse which verses M. Calfhil denieth to haue bene written by Lactantius First bicause S. Hierome in the Catalogue of his works maketh no mention of them but they might be vnknowne to Hierome saith Martiall It is not like they could be vnknowne to Hierome and knowne to Martial Secondly bicause he speaketh of Churches that were scarsly builded in Lactantius time but Martial proueth that Christians had churches euen in the Apostles time and euer since as though any man doth doubt of y t but of such churches as this versifier speaketh of Thirdly bicause the doctrine of these verses cōcerning images is contrarie to y t Lactantius taught and was generally receiued in his dayes Martiall replyeth that all which Lactantius did write against images was against the false images of the heathen and not against the holy images of the Christians But Christians in his time had no images as holy in any vse of religion and his argumēts are generall against all images in religion Finally it is also manifest that his versifier making a Poeticall prosopopeia induceth Christe hanging vpon the crosse and speaking to him that commeth into the Church and therfore no argument of crosse or image may be rightly gathered out of the poeme who so euer was the author For immediatly after this verse Flecte genu lignúmque crucis venerabile adora followeth Flebilis innocuo terrámque cruore madentem Ore petens humilis lachrymis suffunde subortis Bowe thy knee worship the venerable wood of y e crosse And lamentably kissing with humble mouth the earth which is moyst with myne innocent bloud wash it ouer with teares flowing out By these verses then Martial may as wel proue that the Church floore was moyst with the bloud of Christe as that there was a crosse in the Church To Lactantius he ioineth Augustine De Sanctis Hom. 19. saying that Churches are dedicated with the signe of the crosse where he not onely chaunged the worde charactere into mysterio but also translated the worde mysterio by the signe where he confesseth his fault he may be pardoned but where he iustifieth mysterio and sign◠to be all one he sheweth him selfe as he is But howe will he persuade vs that those Homilies de tempore and de Sanctis of which some one is ascribed to so many authours were either written by Augustine or by any of those times the stile is so dissonant that any man learned and of indifferent iudgement will confesse Although it is not to be denyed but the signe of the crosse was superstitiously abused even in the dayes of Augustine and long before Whereas Augustine reporteth of a woman called Innocentia which had a canker healed in her brest by the signe of the crosse if it were a miracle it proueth not that euery Church Chappell and Oratorie should haue a crosse Great miracles were done by imposition of handes yet it followeth not therefore that euery Church must haue imposition of handes Againe not onely Cankers but also Fistulaes tooth ache and many other diseases haue bene healed by charmes And yet these charmes are not iustifiable thereby much lesse to be brought into the Church as wholesome ceremonies and prayers But albeit the crosse be no ordinarie meane whereby God vseth to conserue health saith Martial yet may you not conclude that he hath not ordained it to remaine in the Church for any remembrance of his death and passion For thinke you saith he he hath left no more meanes but the preaching of his worde which euery one can heare Yes it hath pleased his maiestie to ordaine by general Councels the signe of the crosse and images to be a meane to put vs in remembrance of Christes death c. But seeing y e Church flourished 300. yeares without a general Councel and neither that general Councel which was first holden not three other which folowed make mention of any such matter where was the ordinance of God by generall Councels for the crosse He will say it had the appointment of the prelates of the Church Which and when euery idle ceremonie and vngodly heresie that preuailed had y e prelates of the Church either for the authors or for the approuers But Christ committed to the prelates saith Martial the charge and gouernment of his Church Yea syr to feede them with his word and not with dombe signes and dead images which things he hath forbidden Now come we to Paulinus Bish. of Nola by whom it appeareth that y e signe of the crosse was set vp 1100. yeres agoe in some churches but the title of the Article is that it should be set vp in al Churches But Martial wil proue that it was wel done by Paulinus to set vp the signe of the crosse in his Church bicause he was an holy and learned Bishop and no Catholike Bishop or generall councel did find fault with him for whatsoeuer any holy learned father did at any time and was not controlled of any Catholike father for his doing was well done and must be so taken I denye this maior For Augustine was an holy and learned Bishop which did giue the Communion to infants and thought it necessarie for their euerlasting saluation neither was he controlled therefore yet did he not well neither was his opinion true And where Martial taketh vpon him the defence of Paulinus in commending a woman that separated her selfe from her husband vnder pretence of religion he playeth the prattling proctor picking of quarels against M. Calfhil without all
honestie or shame For he feigneth that the fault is alledged for want of consent of her husband whereas such separation as he coÌ„mendeth w tout consent is directly contrarie to the doctrine of y e holy Ghost 1. Cor. 7. v. 5. Likewise where M. Calfhil nameth a booke that the Apostles wrote Martial saith it was but of Pauls Epistles where he saith it was laide vnto diseases M. Martial saith it saued a man from drowning but of these quarels too much Martiall coÌ„fesseth that were a Doctor swarueth froÌ„ scripture no man ought to followe him But if Paulinus swerued not from Scripture when he brought images into the Church we neede not doubt that any man swerued from Scripture seeing nothing is more plaine in all the Scriptures then forbidding of images and similitudes of any thing to be made or had in any vse of religion Where M. Chlfhil aunswereth to the decree of Iustinian that no Church should be builded before the place were consecrated and a crosse set vp by the Bishop that this was a constitution of the externall pollicie Martial laboureth to proue that it was religious and yet at length graunteth that it was a matter of externall policie wherevpon I inferre that it was not of necessitie and so the article is not proued thereby that euery church should c. But it commeth of great wisdome that he will defend the time of Iustinian from ignorance and barbaritie bicause the ciuill lawe was then gathered and a fewe learned men were found in the whole world All this notwithstanding the Barbarians had ouercome a great part of the Empire and filled the world with ignorance and barbarousnesse Against the decree of Valentinian and Theodosius cited out of Crinitus he hath many quarells First against Petrus Crinitus who was as good a cleark as Martial Then at the Homily against images where the Printer calleth him Petrus Erinilus yet againe y e Valentinian not being writteÌ„ at large is mistakeÌ„ for Valens where it should be Valentinianus And if Valens and Theodosius had made such a lâ—â—e what an ouersight was it of Eusebius to suppresse it When Eusebius was deade before any of them were borne it was a great ouerfight in Martials iudgement to suppresse in his storie a lawe made by them which liued neare an hundreth yeare after him so that belike he would haue Eusebius to write stories of thinges to come But concerning that lawe of Valentinianus and Theodosius you shall see more in mine aunswere to D. Sanders booke of images cap. 13. or 12. The rest of this chapter is spent in commending the Church of Rome whose custome it hath bene saith Martial these twelue hundreth yeares to set the signe of the crosse in the Church and Pope Pius the fourth did it him selfe of late c. Concerning the Church of Rome so long as she continued in true religion and so far foorth as she mainteined the trueth as she was greatly commended of auncient writers whome Martiall nameth so nowe it is to her greater reproch and shame earum laudum gloriae degenerem esse that she is growen out of kinde and desert of all such prayses as the Cleargie of Rome writing to Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 7. To conclude therefore there is nothing shewed to proue that euery Church Chappel or Oratorie should haue a crosse although in the latter and more corrupt times of the Church it is declared that some Churches had a crosse and at length grewe to a custome in those parts of the world that euerie church had one and was thought necessarie that it should haue one The fourth Article That the signe of the crosse was vsed in all sacraments c. That it hath bene vsed in the later declining times we will not stande with Martiall but that in the best and purest age of the Church by the Apostles and their imediate successors it was vsed or allowed before the Valentinian heretikes I affirme that Martiall can not proue by any auncient authenticall writer betweene the Apostles and Irenaeus Wherefore Master Calfhil aunswereth well that the ceremonie once taken vppe of good intent being growen into so horrible abuse is iustly refused of vs. Martiall will knowe what our vocation is as though we were not able to proue our calling both before God and men Our Synodes he refuseth bicause no Councel can be kept without the consent of the Bishop of Rome in which point as many of Papistes are against him which holde that euen a generall Councel may be kept to depose an euill Pope against his will so he mistaketh the Tripartite historie and Iulian Bishop of Rome where they speake of generall Councels and Synodes to determine of matters of faith from which the Bishop of Rome while he was a Bishop was not to be excluded bicause those cases touch all Bishops dreaming that they speake of all Councels But long after their times it was practised as lawfull for Kinges and Bishops of seuerall prouinces to gather and holde prouincial synods for the state of their seueral Churches without the consent or knowledge of the Bishop of Rome In which some things haue bene determined against the will of the Bishop of Rome as in the councels of Carthage and Affrike and in generall Councels also as in that of Calcedon Constantinople the 5. 6. the Councels of Constans and Basil. But signing with the crosse is a tradition of the Apostles and so accounted by S. Basil therefore we ought not to forsake it for any abuse saith Martial But howe will S. Basil persuade vs of that when we finde it not in their writings it is more safe therefore to followe his counsell in his short definitioÌ„s q. 1. where he affirmeth y t it is not lawfull for any man to permit him selfe to doe or say any thing without the testimonie of the holy scriptures And this we will hold euen with Basils good leaue against all pretended traditions of the Apostles what so euer We Knowe the Apostle willeth vs to hold the traditions either learned by his Epistles or by his SermoÌ„s But what he deliuered in his sermons we can not tell but by his Epistles Yes saith Martial the church telleth you of y e signe of the crosse but seeing y e church telleth vs of other things which are left and forsaken auouching them likewise to be traditions of the Apostles which ought not to haue ben so giueÌ„ ouer if they had ben Apostolike traditions in deed we see no cause why we may not refuse these aswel as those hauing no ground of certaintie for apostolike traditions but only y e Apostolike writings Tertullian couÌ„teth y e tasting of milke hony after baptisme for an Apostolike tradition bicause it was a ceremonie in his time as wel as crossing y e one was left long ago why may not y e other be forsakeÌ„ y t hath no better ground hath ben worse abused Concerning the tale of Probianus which foloweth next
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
hand But I pray you sir where learned you this signe vsed by Christ How proue you that it hath bene vsed ever since It is inough for Martiall to say that all the learning in English Doctours will neuer be able to proue this assertion of his to be friuolous But seeing he is so Greekish to teach M. Calfhil to conster Saint Paules wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and findeth fault with him for giuing the aoristes the signification of the present temps let him looke in his lexicon where I weene al his Greeke is how he will abide by this saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint Paule haue relation to the bread and wine and answere to the question whom or what seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no verbe transitiue although the Christian writers as Iustinus Martir hath fayned a passiue vnto it Again in the saying of Chrysostom Ho. 24. in 1. Cor. Cap. 10. where Martiall will haue vs marke that the body of Christ is seeene vpon the altar let him his felowes marke that if it be none otherwise there then as it is seene it is present onely to the faith by whose eye it is seene After this tedious treatise of bleassing and thankesgiuing he commeth to his olde petition or principle that the signing with the crosse is a tradition of the Apostles and angry he is that he should be called on to proue y t it is a tradition of the Apostles whereof he can finde no mention in Ecclesiastical writers before y e Valentinian heretikes And wheras Cyprian Ad Panpeium calleth all traditions to the writings commandement of the Apostles he crieth out y t Cyprian is slandered because he him selfe alledgeth the tradition of Christ for mingling of water with y e wine If Cyprian breake his own rule who can excuse him But if he had ben vrged as much for the necessitie of water as he was for the necessitie of wine in y e sacrament he wold haue better considered of the matter FroÌ„ this matter he descendeth to proue the number of sacramentes to be seuen because matrimony is of some olde writers called a sacrament when they meane not a sacrament in y t sense that baptisme is a sacrament but generally a mistery And because M. Calfhil saith that sacramentes were signes ordeined of God to confirme our faith he wil proue y t we haue no sacraments at all because baptisme if it be ministred to men of yeares confirmeth not their faith for they must haue their faith coÌ„firmed before they be baptised so must they that receiue y e communion But when infantes be baptised they haue no faith but the faith of the Church therefore their faith can not be confirmed Did you euer heare such a filthy hogge grunt so beastly of the holy sacraments that they shold be no helps of our father We beleue y t infants although they haue no faith wheÌ„ they are baptised yet haue their faith coÌ„firmed by their baptisme eueÌ„ to their liues end And y t they which come to y e Lordes â—able w t a true faith in Gods promises haue y e same coÌ„firmed by the seale of his word which is that holy sacrament Martial calleth for scriptures Among a thousand texts this one shal serue AbrahaÌ„ receiued y t signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of faith which he had being vncircumcised Rom. 4. v. 11. Tell vs Martiall by thy lawe wherefore a seale serueth if not for confirmation But what should I talke with them of faith which as they haue none in the promises of God so they knowe not what in meaneth To that reason of Master Calfhill that Matrimonie bath no promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes he answereth denying that euery sacrament hath a promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes annexed and afterward he asketh where hath the supper of our Lorde a promise of remission of sinnes for sinnes are forgiuen before the sacrament be receiued Is this y e diuinitie of Louaine is the holy supper auayleable neither for confirmation of faith nor to forgiuenesse of sinnes Wherfore saith Christ of the cupp This is my bloud of the newe Testament which is shed for many vnto forgiuenesse of sinnes Nay sayth Martiall if there be a remission of sines then is it a sacrament propitiatorie contrary to your owne doctrine Nothing the sooner so long as remission of sinnes be not tyed to the work wrought according to your heresie but sealed vnto the faith of the worthie receiuer Likewise he quarrelleth against that reason that Matrimonie conferreth no grace which is easily proued by this that Matrimony is good being contracted among Gentyles heathen persons And whereas he bringeth in the blessing of God to married persons either they be such as pertein to all men in general so proue no grace of mariage in y e church or else to y e faithful only so pertaine to faith not to marriage as y t the faithful woman shall be saued by bringing forth of children The questioÌ„ of marriage after deuorcement because it pertaineth not to y e Crosse I wil not meddle with it M. Calfhill hath sayd more then Martial can answere Touching the popish sacrament of penance which Martiall and not S. Hierome calleth the second table after shipwracke M. Calfhil hath likewise proued effectually that it is no sacrament of Christs Church Against which Martiall bringeth nothing but certein sentences of scripture to proue how necessary repentance is after men haue sinned to obteine remission of sinnes Whereof S. Hierome speaketh and not of Popish penance consisting of contrition confession and satisfaction with their blasphemous absolution Concerning extreme vnction that it is no perpetual sacrament of the Church it is plaine by scripture because the gift of healing which was annexed vnto y e annoynting of oyle spoken of in S. Iames hath long agoe ceased Wherefore it followeth that the same ceremonie of annoynting was temporall euen as the promise of bodily health that was ioyned to it was temporall Finally touching the Councel of Trent that hath allowed all these for sacraments how lawfull it was wheÌ„ he that was accused for heresie should be the onely Iudge I thinke Martiall by his lawe could discusse if he list And as for the saueconduit graunted to the Protestants they haue learned by the case of I. Hus and Hierom of Prage to trust the faith of Papistes as much as they like their religion To conclude there is nothing prooued in this article which pretended that the crosse was alwayes vsed in the sacraments And it is confessed that when it is vsed it is but a ceremonie and such as the want therof taketh not away the effect of the sacraments wherfore seeing the sacraments are perfect without it they are not to be condemned which vpon good grounde and sufficient authoritie haue refused it The fifth Article That the
Apostles fathers of the primitiue Church blessed them selues with the signe of the crosse councelled all Christian men to do the same and that in those dayes a crosse was set vp in euery place conuenient for it The first controuersie is of the signification of this worde benedicere which with Martiall is all one with signare For although he finde not in the olde writers benedicebant se signo crucis they did blesse them selues with the signe of the crosse yet he findeth signabant se signo crucis they marked them selues with the signe of the crosse which is all one with him But not so with vs for there was another vse of marking at the firste then for blessing The Christians among the Pagans marked them selues with the signe of the crosse in token that they professed him that was crucified Afterward to put them selues in minde of the death of Christ. These were tollerable vses of an indifferent ceremonie The opinion of blessing with the crosse as M. Calfhil sayeth was taken as the terme from superstitious olde women And Martiall cannot denye but the terme of blessing in that sence is a newe signification of the worde and therefore not vsed of the auncient fathers which that he might obscure with brabling as his custome is he repeateth his former iangling of the significations of this worde benedicere and howe it sometime signifieth to blesse with the handes as when Christe blessed his Apostles and the children As though to vse a ceremonie of lifting vp or laying on of hands when he blesseth is to blesse with a bare ceremonie of the handes as they do with their crosse Nay he sayeth to blesse with the crosse is as olde as Iacob who with his handes acrosse blessed Iosephs children The Papistes are wise in their generation when they would not haue vnlearned meÌ„ to reade the scriptures For euerye childe of seuen yeares age reading the storie of Iacobs blessing will easely perceiue y t his laying of his hands ouerthwart was not for any blessing with the crosse but because he was to lay his right hand vpon the yonger and his left vpon the elder contrary to their fathers placing of them which would haue had his elder sonne preferred But seeing Martiall maketh himselfe so cunning in the significations of benedicere to blesse which he will not haue to say well or pray for only c. but to sanctifie Let him remember that in his own sence the Apostle sayeth to the Hebrues cap. 7. ver 7. y t which is lesse or inferior is blessed of the superior by which argument he proueth Melchisedech to be greater then Abraham If then the Apostles and fathers did blesse them selues with the signe of the crosse to sanctifie themselues I demaunde whether the signe of y e crosse was greater then the Apostles For no man wil saye that the Apostles were greater then themselues If it were not greater then surely they were not blessed by it Wherein also the fable of Abdias is conuinced which sayth of S. Paul muniens se signo crucis arming himselfe with the signe of the crosse was the signe of the crosse stronger then S. Paul for men arm them selues with harnesse of defence which is stronger then them selues Was not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vniuersal armour or complete harnes which he exhorteth other men to put on as sufficient to withstande all the assaultes of the diuell sufficient for him selfe without the signe of the crosse But seing y e Apostle there describeth y e whole armor of God whereof the signe of y e crosse is not piece It is certaine that it is no armour meete for the defence of a Christian man wherefore your fabling Abdias and counterfait Clement can carry no credit with wise learned Christians Nor yet the examples of Antony Martin Donatus Paula reported of credible writers yet no Euangelists which armed themselues with the signe of the crosse doeth either force or moue vs to imitatioÌ„ further then they had warrant for their doing out of the holy scriptures Where M. Calfhill sayeth that the diuel delighted in the signe of the crosse fayned him selfe to be afrayd of it that the heremit might runne to that sory succour and men put more affiance in it He meaneth that the diuel delighted in the superstitious opinion of it for otherwise he doth neither feare nor loue the signe of the crosse of it selfe for if it had beene so terrible to the diuell as Martial and others do thinke Saint Paul would not haue left it out of the complet harnes of God whereby all the deceites fiery darts of the diuell are withstood And although the elder and better age vsed and receiued that signe tolerably yet considering the shamfull abuse thereof it ought now of right conscience to be condemned as M. Calfhill sayeth But Martiall wil none of that for things good of their own nature must not be taken away not condemned for y e abuse Very true but who will graunt him that the signe of the crosse is good of it selfe It is as much as may be borne to grant it to be a thing indifferent And wheras Martial wil acknowledge none abuse of that signe what else should we say but who is so blind as he y t wil not see Concerning the authoritie of the Epistle of Epiphanius translated by S. Hierome his fact in rending a vaile wherein was painted an image as it were of Christ or some saint c. I will referre y e reader to mine answere to D. Sanders booke of images Cap. 4. or according to the error of his print Cap. 3. where he shal see all Martials cauils shaken of except one which I thinke no man euer espyed before this wylye lawyer and that is of the words quasi hauing an image as it were of Christ or some saint but not an image of Christ or of some saint in deede for then he woulde not haue rent it but perhaps in was an image of Iupiter or Hercules c. But vnder correction of Master Vsher this is but a quasy argument that is grounded vpon quasi as though it should signifie always a thing y t is not true but as it were so yet not so For Cicero y t knew y e nature of y e word quasi as wel as Martial vseth it otherwise Illos qui oiÌ„a incerâ—â— dicunt quasi desperatos aliquos relinquamus As for them that saye all things are vncerteine let vs leaue as meÌ„ past hope Wil Martiall say they were not past hope in deede S. Marke sayeth that Christ did teache quasi potestatem habens as one that had authoritie wil he say he had not authoritie in deede S. Iohn saith of Christ who haue seene his glory quasi vnigeniti as the glorye of the onely begotten sonne of God Let Martiall saye with the Arrians he was but quasi vnigenitus as it were the
if that be too farre of let him worship Iudas lippes that kissed him if he can come by them Concerning the person of Helena I would wish nothing to be spoken of her but to her honour except in case where her honour should be an hinderance of the honor of Christ. Martial to iustifie her in al things raileth vpon M. Calfhil for charging her with superstition as though he had bene the first y t had so written of her when it is reported of her that she was vsque ad superstitionem pia deuout euen to superstition And yet her superstition appeareth not so great in any thing as in this supposed inuention of the crosse The varietie in time that is in the witnesses of the inuention of the crosse the blasphemous beast is not ashamed to compare with the apparence of varietie which is in the Euangelistes where in deede there is none wheras this discord can not be reconciled Yet will he not haue the tale discredited for the discorde in time as though there were none other discorde The manifest contradiction that is betweene Ruffinus saying Titulus non satis evidentâ—r dominici prodebaâ— signa patibuli The title did not shewe euidently the signe of our Lordes gibbet And Ambrose saying Titulo crux salutaris patuit by the title the healthfull crosse was manifestly knowen This contradiction I say he denyeth to bee any affirming that a simple Logitian would proue it to be none Thinking that sâ—tis euidenter euidently inough would excuse the matter as though we knewe not what patet doeth signifie as well as Maister vsher of Winchester That a shippe would not carrie the peeces of the crosse that are shewed in so many places he counteth it an impudent lye of Caluine whome he rayleth vpon like a ruffian and slaundereth like a diuel Yet Erasmus affirmeth the same in his Peregrinat relig erg And he that will beleeue neither of them both let him consider beside so many whole crosses as are shewed in steede of that one and of great boardes y t are kept in many places as part of it so many thousand churches Abbeys as either now shew or haue shewed chips pieces of it he shall not think their report to be in credible The talk of the nayles which were but three at y e first al bestowed at the time of y e inuention yet are now multiplyed to 13. or 14. which bewrayeth an horrible impudencie in the Popish idolaters Martiall refuseth as impertinent yet will he not confesse y e forgerie which is a token of a wicked diuelish conscience Where M. Calfhill sayeth that miracles were not done by the crosse to establish a worshipping or hauing of it Martiall requireth proofe by scriptures Councels or Doctors I reason thus a paribus out of the scripture myracles were done by oyle shadowe other things not to establish a worshipping or hauing of them the like reason is of myracles done by the crosse Beside that y â— scripture is plentiful in challenging all honour worship to the author not to the meanes or instruments Peter and Iohn meanes of the healing of the lame man refused all honour and worship in respect of his healing Act. 3. vers 12. yet were they other manner of meanes then y e crosse euer was in doing of myracles That M. Calfhill sayeth myracles teach vs not to do the like but to beleeue the like Martiall sayeth they teach vs to do the like if we may and he proueth it by him that teacheth that almes couereth sinne who thereby teacheth to do almes c. Thus the wise man compareth miracles men together facts doctrin act possibilitie euen as right as a rammes horne But how shal we come by this power to worke miracles by the signe of y e crosse for to assay without assurance of Gods power is to tempt God Therefore wee may no more crosse vs against diuels because God hath sometime chased theÌ„ away by y â— signe then wee may annoynt blind mens eyes with clay to proue if they will see after it because Christ wrought a myracle by y â— meane which as Martial saith teacheth vs to do the like if we may What estimatioÌ„ Paulinus a superstitious man had in his piece of the crosse which was perhaps a piece of another tree then euer came in Iewry Wee haue not to followe him in his follye That myracles wrought of holy men by the signe of the crosse c. is not a sufficient reason to proue that y e figne of the crosse should be had kept set vp and honoured I haue alreadie proued out of the scripture by y e like or equall yet it is against reason when we deny your arguments whose consequence you ought to proue y â— we should be driueÌ„ to proue that they follow not Where M. Calfhill sayeth y â— myracles onely ought not or may not coÌ„mend a thing you pick quarels to him without cause obiecting the miracles of Christ who tooke witnesse not only of his miracles but also of y e holy scriptures When you haue vrged the miracle done by y e signe of y e crosse out of Epiphanius as much as you can yet proueth it not y e honouring and setting vp of y e signe of y e crosse in these days as M. Calfhill telleth you seing y â— we liue not among Turkes or Sarazens y â— we need to haue any such signe whereby we might be knowen to be worshippers of Christ. But you would faine learne what if a Portingal or one of y e new conuerted IlaÌ„ds of India coÌ„ming by chance into England of which he neuer heard before seing neither images nor crosses in church nor streate how he should knowe in whome wee beleeue And I would learne of you what skilleth it if such a man as neuer came here nor euer by any likelyhood shall come hither yet supposed to be driuen on a boarde out of India into Englande what skilleth it I say if he know not in whom we beleue and so depart as wise as he came What remedy but we must haue al places filled with images crosses for such a man to knowe what we holde of who shalbe neuer the better thereby nor the worse if he know not But you think that happily strangers of Greece CoÌ„stantinople Iewry India may come to our coastes and therfore wee ought to haue the signe of the crosse in churches chapels high wayes to signifie of whome we hold We haue not many such strangers but when they arryue we haue bookes of the holy scripture in Greeke Hebrue Chaldee Syrian Arabike Sclauonian tongues in which they may be instructed that are desirous to vnderstand what religion we professe The Lorde God thought it sufficient to haue his lawe written vppon great stones at the entrance into the holy land to let all strangers knowe both whome after what manner the people of Israell did honour and
serue their God Deut. 27. 3. But as for images and pillers he vtterly forbad them to set vp any for any vse of religion Deut. 12. 1. 16. ver 2. The ninth Article What commoditie euery Christian man hath or may haue by the signe of the Crosse. Whereas M. Calfhil detesteth the Idolatrous councell of Nice the 2. by the example of Ambrose who abhorred the hereticall councell of Ariminum Martiall willing to iustifie y t rable of Idolators assembled at Nice wold shew great difference not only between the councels but also betwene him Ambrose saying y t he was a catholike bishop acknowledging obedience subiection to the Popes holynes As though the bishop of Rome in his time either required such obedience subiection or y ◠Ambrose acknowledged any But concerning that assembly of Nice and y e authoritie thereof how they determined contrary to the worde of God not onely in the matter of hauing and worshipping of images but also in other things I referre y e reader to mine answer vnto M. Sanders booke of images Cap. 15. or 14. Of all y t M. Calfhill saith against that councel of Nice Martial chooseth but one saying of Germanus to defend wherin he picketh two quarels against M. Calfhil one y t he should misvnderstand the saying of Germanus as though he meant y t grace were dispensed by Images where he sayth an image is a figuring of holy vertue dispensation of grace But if grace be not dispensed by images whether Germanus said so or no I pray you to what purpose are they set vp in the churches or what profit may a Christian man haue by the signe of the crosse when Martial denyeth y t any grace is dispensed by images The seconde quarel he picketh is y t M. Calfhill denyeth y ◠the vertues of saints can be seen in their images which could not be seene in their persons Martial sayth this reason condemneth the scripture as well as images for the ynke and paper hath no mynde or sense to hold the power of Christ vertue of the Apostles more then images haue As though the scripture were nothing but ynke paper or as though y t all things y ◠may be learned vnderstood by hearing may be discerned by the eye which conceiueth only bodily shapes of things cannot attain to see faith holines vertue c. wherof no images can be made When M. Calfhill sayeth that the image of Mars or S. George Venus or the mother of Christ cannot be discerned asunder Martial hath nothing to reply but that we must not suppose to finde any images among the Christians but of Christ his saintes so that images be wise bookes which cannot teache their schollers what or whereof they are but they must learne of the common opinion how to esteeme of them That images be teachers of pride auarice wantonnesse c. as the Prophet sayeth they are the doctrine of vanitie lyes Abac. 2. Martiall sayth blasphemously y t images giue no more occasion of vices then the holy scriptures of which some wicked men take occasion of dronkennes whoredome vsury c. But seeing the scripture directly plainly condēneth al these other vices as occasion is giuē by thē howsoeuer any is taken by vngodly persons whereas images which teach no goodnes but being gorgeously whorishly decked with golde precious stones otherwise then the saintes delighted euen as in holy scripture they are counted as stumbling blocks so they teach men vainly affected to delight in such things as they see to please the saints But Martiall sayeth that gylded images make men thinke of the ioyes of heauen O ridiculous fantasie They may sooner make men thinke of the vanitie of the worlde to delight in it But when the holy ghost by y e mouth of his Prophets hath determined that images are the doctrine of lying vanitie it were lost labour to dispute any longer what good thinges they can teache Ier. 10. ver 8. Abac. 2. ver 18. The examples of Ezechias Iosias Salomon he sayth are brought to no purpose against images amōgest Christians As though it were more lawfull for Christians then for Israelites to commit idolatrie But y ◠Christians saith he direct their hearts offer their prayers to God therfore there is no mistrust of idolatry amongest them Why Martiall haue not y e Papistes in England made do they not yet still in other places make vowes to the images that are in such a place and such a place Do they not trauaile thither and offer vp both prayers and sacrifice of candels money Iewels and other things vnto the Images Haue not your idols giuen aunswer haue they not wagged their heades and lips c. O shamelesse dogges blasphemous idolaters The Lord so deal with you as you know in your own consciences y ◠the ignorant people haue made their prayers euen to the stockes stones thinking them to haue a life diuinitie in them and yet you say there is no mistrust of idolatrie lest you should be driuen by exāple of Ezechias to destroy break your images although otherwise they were not against Gods cōmandment but euen made by his appointment as y e brasen Serpent was That fond quarell of yours that Salomon was not abused by images but by women I leaue to women to laugh at your vanity when they reade that by women he was brought to be an idolater and worshipper of images And euery childe that readeth Chrysostome Hom. 54. in 8. Tom. can vnderstand that although occasioned by obstinate Iewes yet he speaketh generally of al obstinat minds whether they be professors of Christianity or no. Animo desperato c. There is nothing worse thē a desperate mind although he see signes although miracles be wrought yet he standeth still in the self same frowardnesse For an obstinate sinner that hath professed Christianitie is no more moued with miracles and the signe of the crosse then a Iewe or Pharao was It hath more colour but not more trueth that Athanasius ascribeth not all effectes of conuersion of wicked men c. wholy and solie to the faith of Christe when he saith who hath done this c. but the faith of Christ and signe of the crosse Martial confesseth that faith is able to do it w tout the crosse but y ◠God would haue y ◠signe of the crosse common with faith if ye aske in what scripture God hath reuealed this will he hath nothing to say Only he denieth M. Calfhils exposition of Athanasius that the signe of y e crosse was ioined to faith not as a fellow worker but as a witnesse signe of y ◠faith against the Gentiles bicause he hath neither scripture Doctor nor Councel for it Wherin he lieth shamefully for y e scripture shewing y ◠faith onely as y e instrumēt by which we apprehend Gods mercy our