father that euer put penne to paper namely they a Luk. 16.29 31. haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them And againe if they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they bee perswaded though one rise from the dead What will the Papists nay what can they or any man else liuing say to this will they tell vs that Moses and the prophets be hard to vnderstand and that they containe not an absolute and full doctrine of life and death vnlesse they be peeced out with traditions I am sure the rich glutton in hel durst not say so much yet it is to be presumed that he would haue sayd so if he had not vnderstood that it was not worth the propoūding in Abrahams presence thus much hee was bold to reply to the first part of Abrahams speech nay father Abraham but if one come to my brethren frō the dead they wil amēd their liues but the second part which exclusiuely refers them to Moses and the Prophets doth so stop his mouth that hee had no whit further to plead for his owne brethren It may be maruailed that he spake nothing neither of the imperfection of the scripture nor of Iewish traditions nor any such thing but only of such apparitions from the dead verily if any such plea had been of any moment hee would not haue fayled to doe his best endeauour for his brethren and to put Abraham in mind of the imperfection of his answere Howbeit that which he then durst not doe is thinking it to be little worth is now propounded and vrged by the Papists the Sonnes and heires of the rich Glutton who euen in despight of Abraham presume to reply that it is not inough to heare Moses and the Prophets and that they will heare such as rise from the dead Oh take heede of such desperate fellowes as these be that regard not the doctrine of Abraham and make themselues wiser now in shifting off the force of his speech than Hell it selfe was in the dayes of our Sauiour belike hell was not so wise then as it is now for now our Popish Gluttons can tell vs new tales of the darkenes of the imperfectnes of the ambiguitie of the corruptions of the Scripture they can prate of traditions and vnwritten verities which are not to bee found in Moses and the Prophets howbeit let him that hath any regard of his saluation consider with himselfe whether is the surer and the safer way to beleeue them or to beleeue Abraham for it is impossible to beleeue both Captaine Stapleton b Lib. 12. Cap. 8. tels vs after this wise manner that it is one thinge to heare Moses and the Prophets which Abraham requireth and another thing to heare them onely but what doth hee else in so doing but shew himselfe more impudent than the Deuil who when our Sauiour saith in Mathew c Math. 4.10 Luk. 4.8 It is written thou shalt worship thy lord thy God him only shalt thou serue durst not be so sawcie as to tell him that it is one thing to serue God as it is commaunded in d Deut. 6.13 10.20 Deuteronomie and another thing to serue him onely I am sure Cyprian e Lib. 2. epist 3. where God himselfe from heauen f Math. 17 5. saith Ipsum audite is bold to adde the word solum twise together in one place yet neuer durst any quarrelling hereticke tell Cyprian as Stapleton tels vs Aliud est Mosen Prophetas audire aliud solos audire It is one thing to heare them and another thing to heare them onely but to bee short doe but looke the words of Abraham g Cap. 16.29.31 in Saint Lukes Gospell and consider of the circumstances with an vpright religious heart and then blame me if thou finde not that the word onely may as rightly be added here in Luke as either Christ or Cyprian haue added it in Mathew Stapleton goeth on still and beareth vs in hand against Abraham that if Moses and the Prophets were onely to bee heard then the new Testament should be excluded as superfluous but by Stapletons good leaue that 's neither so nor so for h Deut. 18 15. Moses himselfe willeth vs to heare Christ in all things whatsoeuer he should say vnto vs so doth i Act. 3.22 Peter teach vs out of Moses and k Act. 7.37 Saint Stephen likewise witnesseth that Moses sayd vnto the children of Israel that the lord their God shuld raise vp vnto them a Prophet whō they shuld heare therfore Moses in the old Testament hath taught vs to heare Christ in the new and if thou make question of the writings of the Apostles l 2. cor 5.19.20 Paul saith they were the Ambassadors of Christ and preached the word of reconciliation in Christs stead if this yet stop not Stapletons mouth then let him know that the new Testament is not an addition but an exposition of the old but such an exposition as all the world together could not haue made without the extraordinarie inspiration of the spirite of Christ and heere for the full determination of this point hearken I pray thee what their owne Lyranus tels them in his Cōmentaries vpon Luke Habent Mosen qui docuit moralia agenda habent prophetas qui docuerunt mystica credenda ista sufficiunt ad salutem ideò sequitur audiant illos They haue Moses saith hee who hath taught morall things that ought to be done they haue the Prophets who haue taught mysticall things that ought to be beleeued and these be sufficient to saluation therefore it followeth heare them Thus is the doctrine of insufficiencie of the scripture and necessitie of Traditions condemned to death and must goe to the place of execution vnlesse a better pardon bee sued out for it than any that euer I could yet see registred in their Popish Cronicles howbeit wee haue not yet done with this question of traditions for there is no man so carelesse of his saluation that will set vp an Altar to these vnknowne fictions as a Act. 17.23 the Athenians did to the vnknowne God before he know how many they bee how few they be what they be and so consider with himselfe deliberately whether they be fish or flesh or good red herring herein then we call vpon them for resolution and it is good reason wee should so doe till we know whether they dreame or lye waking This makes a sort of them to vncase slouens absurdly to confesse themselues to be no better than heretickes b Lib. 3. ca. 3. fund 4. Canus a great Papist tels vs out of Origen and Hilarie that Moses did not write the secrecies of the law but deliuered them to Ioshua by Tradition and so infers that the Apostles committed the secrecies of the Gospel by tradition to a few wise and perfect men And Bellarmine as great a Papist as liues this day c Bellar. de
vnto you than to seeke so ridiculously f It is better prooued than you can proue your Traditions to prooue it by testimonie of Scripture The ancient Catholickes as you haue heard did vse the g They might better doe it then than you now authoritie of Tradition for the conuincing of Heresies yet was there neuer any of those Heretickes that denyed the authoritie of Traditions because the Catholicks did not obserue all the Traditions which were left by the Apostles Saint Augustine in the place by me aboue alleaged where he saith That we ought to beleeue many things which are not contained in the writings of the Apostles nor in the councels of their Successors as Traditions deliuered by the Apostles because they are obserued through the vniuersall Church doth giue vs an infallible rule for the true discerning of those Traditions of the Apostles which we are bound to follow embrace of which sort is all the doctrine of the Catholicke which is not found in the written Scriptures and surely this is so certaine and direct h This rule cracks the crowne of Poperie a rule that it cannot deceiue or mislead vs for can we imagine that a i The Apostles planted no weeds but the enuious man that loued Poperie Mat. 13.25 wéede not planted by the Apostles should spring vp ouer-spread the vniuersall Church remaine and continue from age to age be deliuered from Bishop to Bishop that so many generall Councels in the meane time should be assembled for the extirpation of such Bastard plants and that so many Catholicke Doctors in the meane time should write against heresies and yet that such a wéede should still k Antichrist did worke in Pauls time and must work still till he bee abolished by the brightnes of Christs comming 2. Thes 2 7.8 remaine without checke or contradiction Contrariwise these Traditions deliuered by the Apostles which are nowe generally abolished through the vniuersall Church as the Apostles who were directed by the Spirite of God did first institute them for the benefite of that state of the Church wherein they were ordained euen so when times haue altered the state of the Church the Apostles Successors directed by the same Spirit l Had they no other direction but the Spirite take heed you bee not an Anabaptist haue altered or abolished them for the like benefit of the Church In the Apostles time when the Ceremonies of the lawe were lately abolished the Iewes and the Gentiles intermingled and people flocked together from all parts of the world to heare the doctrine of the Apostles and to see the miracles which God did worke by them the communitie of all thinges the prohibition of eating of blood and the office of widowes was profitable for that state of the Church and m A grosâ—e ouersight vniuersally practised but when that state of the Church was altered all those ordinances were altered with no lesse benefite of the Church than before they were obserued Pro. If the generall practise of the vniuersall Church be the rule wherby to discerne the Doctrine which we ought to obserue by the Tradition then is all your Doctrine which is not grounded vpon the Scriptures not warranted by your owne rule because it is not practised vniuersally for the contrarie is practised by the greater part of Christendome Pap. This rule was sufficient before Martin Luthers time for then was the Catholicke Religion n It was neuer vniuersall and it was hereticall both before and after Luthers time vniuersall and therefore I desire to learne of you how since that time the sufficiencie thereof should be impaired for if then it was a fault in Luther to dissent from the vniuersall Church how can the same doctrine which was naught in him be good in his Disciples Pro. The Greeke Church did celebrate the Feast of Easter vpon the 14. day of the month of March by Tradition of the Apostles the Latine Church did celebrate the same feast vpon the Sunday nexte following after the fourteenth day of the Moone of March if the said 14. day happened not vpon the Sunday by Tradition also the like difference was betweene them for the vse of leauened or vnleauened bread in the administration of the Sacrament eyther of them grounding their doctrine vpon the Tradition now if you will confesse that the Traditions of the Apostles were not contrary vnto themselues you see how vncertaine and dangerous it is to ground our faith vpon vnwritten Traditions Pa. a A paultry cauill The Lutherans and Caluinists hold contrary opinions either of them grounding his doctrine vpon the word of God will you thereupon conclude that it is a dangerous matter for vs to ground our faith vpon the worde of God Pro. The comparison is not alike for in the one case the question is whether of them hath the true Tradition and in the other whether of them doth rightly interpret the Scripture which both parties do agree to be the word of God Pa. If I had said how dangerous it is for euery man to ground his faith vpon b VVhy not his owne as well as another mans I must like it and so make it my owne before I can beleeue it his owne interpretation you had béene preuented of this answere but you doe mistake the matter in part for it appeareth by Epiphanius haeres 70. that this difference betwéene the Latine and Greeke Church concerning the celebration of Easter did grow vpon c As though the Apostles did not pract se it in their owne persons in both Churches but onely deliuer it by TraditioÌ„ the interpretation of the Tradition but the rule before mentioned prescribed by Saint Augustine for the discerning of those Traditions which wée are bound to imbrace and follow doth frée you from all this supposed danger for if the question be of such a point of doctrine which is not conteined in the word of God and yet notwithstanding is practised of some particular Churches people or nations but not vniuersally through the whole world such a point of doctrine wée are not bound by the said rule to receiue as a Tradition left by the Apostles yet notwithstanding if such a point of doctrine bée not contrary to the word of God those churches or countries where such doctrine is practised ought to receiue and reuerence the same as a doctrine left vnto them by their spirituall pastors and superintendents for their spirituall benefit concerning which you shall finde sufficient for your satisfaction in those aduertisements set downe by S. Bede which Pope Gregory sent vnto S. Austine the Monke for answere of this very question concerning the diuersitie of customes vsed in diuers nations in matters of Church gouernement But let it bee d You cannot chuse but graunt it granted that it was doubtfull for a time whether the Greeke or the Latine Church did obserue the right Tradition the like doubt and question c You can be
so by consequent of the Churches of Asia notwithstanding all he said before of their spirituall Pastors and Superintendents shall I now tell you what I thinke verily if this Tradition of the feast of Easter and that other of the age of Christ so credibly reported so confidently auouched deliuered ouer to so few hands and so short a succession were found hollow and false at the heart in the very nexte age that followed the Apostles and at length as the receiued opinion is condemned for heresie I know not how a man should frame himselfe to beleeue such Traditions to be sound and vndefiled which haue no such pregnant euidence and haue runne through the hands of so many pitchmongers as haue liued successiuely so many hundred yeeres after the death of Victor and Irenaeus Yea but saith he this was not vniuersally receiued and obserued but onely of those Churches in Asia and therefore we are not bound by S. Austines rule to receiue it as a Tradition from the Apostles well then succession from hand to hand and Bishop to Bishop in particular Churches is not sufficient to make a Tradition apostolicall let him hold that without partialitie as well in Italy as in Asia Howbeit Polycrates and those worthy Bishops and Martyrs of Asia may not be ruled by S. Austines rule and if that Epistle of Polycrates subscribed Synodically by so great a multitude of Bishops may be credited this Tradition cannot chuse but be Apostolicall and so vniuersall in nature though particular in practise but what shall wee doe on the other side with the Tradition of the West Church which was further fetched then the other by so many winters and sommers as S. Iohn liued after Peter and Paul that is to say thirtie winters at the least and so many sommers wherein this westerne Tradition might well bee either Sunne-burnt or weather beaten shall we follow S. Austines rule here too and so beleeue neither the one nor the other to be Apostolicall ware that friend Papist if ye meane to goe for a good Catholicke yet it is cleare that the Tradition of the west Church was not vniuersally receiued no more then the other of the East before the Nicene Councell therefore either S. Austines rule was then no rule or else no Christian for the space of 300. yeeres was bound to beleeue that the one was left by S. Peter and S. Paul no more then the other by S. Philip and S. Iohn nay further we reade not that any Canon was made contra Quartadecimanos in the Nicene Councell whereby Epiphanius or any other father should score them vp for heretickes but onely that it was thought meete the Tessaredecatites beeing few Euseb in vita Constant. lib. 3 cap 13. 17. Socr. lib. 5. cap. 20. 21. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 18. 19. Can. 8. Apost should yeelde to the greater number now whether they yeelded or yeelded not we haue no sure euidence onely we may strongly coniecture they did not yeeld by that we reade of this matter in Socrates and Sozomen as for that peremptory magisterial Canon which casteth euery Bishop Presbyter and Deacon out of the Church if he celebrate his Easter ante vernum aequinoctium cum Iudaeis it is not knowne where or when or by whom or what it was enacted and so consequently where or when or by whom or what it should be obeyed Wherefore I for my part cannot disallow the resolution of Socrates that the feast of Easter was neuer imposed vpon the Church by the Apostles but brought to obseruation by the free choise and liking of Christian nations and so continued by long custome till by the brawling and immoderatenesse of some wayward men the Church was constrayned to worke out her owne peace by vniformitie Now to Augustines rule beside a number of instances which may be brought against it as namely the dignitie of Alexandria ouer Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis and the dignitie of Rome ouer the West prouinces which the Councell of Nice groundeth neither vpon Scripture Apostle Can. 6. Ierom ad Euagr in epist ad Tot. Aug. epist 19. nor Councell but old custome as also the appropriating of the name Bishop to the chiefe Ministers wherein the custome of the Church no Tradition or Councell generally preuayled to this rule I say that it cracks the very crowne of the popish church for nothing not conteined in the scriptures could be vniuersally obserued but eyther Traditions from the Apostles or else the Decrees of plenarie Councels it is cleere that the Popes vniuersall power is shutte out of doores and therefore to requite the intricate Dilemma he talkes of let me reason thus with your Papist The Pope either hath power to impose decrees and constitutions vpon the vniuersall Church of Christ or else he hath not if hee haue then Austines rule is crooked and may deceiue vs if he haue not then the Popes vniuersall shephardship ouer the whole Church is come to nothing Howbeit I beseech you marke further how hee hudleth vp contraries and so marreth the fashion of his owne rule for if all things obserued vniuersally must be followed and imbraced as Traditions from the Apostles if they bee not contained eyther in scriptures or Councels then no man may presume vpon any alteration of states and times to abolish them if they may abolish them and alter them then are they not bound to follow imbrace them adde hereunto that as the Apostles successors as hee saith might and haue alteted and abolished apostolicall Traditions generally practised in the vniuersall Church so I would see some reason why they may not stil vpon the like alteration of circumstances abolish more of them and so it will follow that all the doctrine of the Catholicks not found in scripture hangs vpon circumstances and may if it please the Apostles successors be quite abolished hath he not spun a faire threed thinke you that thus indangereth his owne religion yet he croweth lowd after all this fond feather-fluttering that all is as cleare as the Sunne yet neuer durst any Catholicke father or church one or other set downe this remnant of Traditions and vnite it to the body of the canonicall Scripture which infallibly demonstrateth that all is not as cleare as the Sunne and it is further to bee obserued how hee is faine to clowt out Saint Austines rule with a new patch which marres all for when he saw that vniuersall practise is not enough to proue a Tradition apostolicall vnlesse it be traced still downeward from the Apostles to our dayes Are kept he is not content with Custodiuntur which he findes in Austine but addeth haue bin vniuersally practised from age to age and from Bishop to Bishop which no man aliue is possibly able to make good in any one vnwritten Tradition popish or catholicke vnlesse the Church had continually appointed in euery age such an one as Sir Francis Drake that should trauell all the worlde ouer from
Canons c These Canons are in writing of the Apostles and to this effect could I alledge the testimony of all ancient fathers and doctors as it were with one mouth so that if you should deny S. Iohns gospell I could vse none other d The more vnwise you proofe against you for the one then I can for the other which is the testimony and consent of antiquitie and e Surety you are deceyued surely by denying of traditions you haue brought your selfe into a very intricate Dilemma for eyther you must proue f That is soone done by scripture that the first day of the wéeke ought to bee kept holy as the Sabbath of Christians c. and grant that all the ancient fathers who were Papists and held many things by tradition were damned g If they were Papists they were heretickes but they were neyther of both heretickes or else that you are hereticks your selfe The Answere NOw followeth as it were by the way a blind inartificiall proofe of Traditions out of the authoritie of men Lib. 3. cap. 2. Lib. 3. cap. 1. whereof Irenaeus is the first yet Irenaeus speaks not of Traditions but with this Preface non per alios dispositionem salutis nostrae cognouimus quam per eos per quos Euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quidem tunc preconiauerunt postea vero per Deivoluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum We haue knowne the manner or order of our saluation by none other men then by those by whom the Gospell came vnto vs which then indeed they preached and afterward by the will of God deliuered to vs in the scriptures to be vnto vs the foundation and piller of our faith Now hauing layd this foundation in the first Chapter and concluded withall that all heretickes dissent from the Scriptures hee begins the next Chapter after this sort Cum enim ex scripturis arguuntur in accusacionem conuertuntur ipsarum scripturarum quasi non recte habeant neque sint ex authoritate quia variè sint dictae quia non possit ex his inueniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem For when they are conuinced by the scriptures they fall to accusing the Scriptures as if they were not 〈…〉 set downe or not of sufficient authoritie and because things are diuersly spoken and because the trueth cannot be found in them by those which know not the tradition These hereticks are as like the Papists as if the one had bin spued out of the others mouth I trow you vnderstand who they be that call the scriptures of God dead incke a dead and a dumbe thing dumbe iudges the blacke Gospell inckehorne diuinitie a nose of waxe c. if you know them not reade Iewels Apology and there you shall find them Part. 4. cap. 19 di 1. Sectione 23. your owne Papist saith that the Scriptures without the helpe of church fathers and councels are the fountaine of all heresie and atheisme thus heretickes doe and haue done alwaies quia ex scripturis arguuntur saith Irenaeus and so eyther the scripture or their heresie must needs fall But to proceede Irenaeus tels you why these hereticks would not be ruled by the scriptures namely because Paul saith sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos and this is Bellarmines owne reason for vnwritten verities borrowed as you see 1. Cor. 2.6 De verbo Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 11. Tertullian of these old heretickes and confuted by Tertullian in his Prescriptions but thus the spirite of Antichrist goeth on still in these dayes as it did in Irenaeus and Tertullians time to make way to his owne dreames It was full time for our Papist here to draw the Readers mind awry to Iohn Caluin and I wot not what appeales and imaginations and braines and such like floures of popish rhetoricke otherwise it had bin easie to see that hee and his friendes are the sonnes and heires of Valentinus Marcion Cerinthus Basilides and Carpocrates all of them or some of them as Irenaeus teacheth vs and this may be yet better seene in that Irenaeus being driuen from scripture Iren. lib. 1. cap. 23. 24. lib. 3. cap. 2. which these heretickes contemned to Traditions which before they seemed to allow of he can no way fasten vpon them neither by Scripture nor Traditions vnlesse they might be masters of both as being wiser men in their owne conceites then eyther the Apostles that deliuered them or the Bishops that kept them Now iudge who bee the heires of these heretickes Iohn Caluin as this Papist prateth or the Pope and his dependants whose religion is called by Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 2. Thes 2 7 8 Ni◠Cusanus de auth eccles supra contrascript Albert. Pighius eccles hierarch lib. 6.13 such a mysterie as will be ruled by no law a mysterie of lawlesse iniquitie and the Pope himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a lawlesse man such as will stoope neyther to Scripture nor Tradition one of his Cardinals saith Nulla sunt Christi praecepta nisi quae per ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt There are no precepts of Christ but these which the Church accounteth to be such so the Church of Rome is aboue the Scripture And another Champion saith Papa virtualiter est tota ecclesia the Pope is in power the whole Church and so the Pope is aboue the Church Thus the Pope must be first the Church must be next and the scripture giuen of God by inspiration Must haue the third place must consistere in tertijs and be glad of such roome as these great masters will afford it Quapropter vndique resistendum est saith Irenaeus wherfore wee must set our selues against them euerie way If scripture will not serue we vse tradition and if both be contemned wee vse all other meanes that may bee thought of to draw them ad conuersionem veritatis This is Irenaeus his conclusion whole discourse in this Chapter which makes nothing at all for Popish traditions which are not alleaged as witnesses and backes to the truth of the scripture nor yet against such as denye the perfection of the worde written Epiphanius is next who if he had sayd Oportet traditione abuti We must abuse tradition our Papist and his friends had been beholding to him but Epiphanius saith else where That he gathered the truth of the doctrine of God Ex vniuersa scriptura out of the whole scripture to be an anchor-hold vnto vs Heres 69. Epip Anchor and in the beginning of his Anchorate thus we read De vide vobis scribam quum requiratis vos fratres nostri ea quae spectant ad vestram salutem ex diuina sancta scriptura firmum fundamentum fidei de patre filio spiritu sancto de reliqua vniuersa in Christo salute de resurrectione inquam
as they were warned of their errour so are you as they without repentance lost the benefite of Christs sacrifice so shall you if the Fathers had been as often and plainely admonished as you haue been they would being holy and sincere men haue reformed their iudgement and keeping the head though they erred in some part the Lord will not impute that error vnto them And againe they erred not so wilfully as you and therefore we account not of them as of you who haue multiplyed your errours and left almost no one ground of pure religion vnshaken This is a sufficient answere to such beggarly petitioners yet his mouth will not be stopt till wee shew some of the Popish reuolts from Gods ancient truth to the seuerall heresies whereof Poperie consisteth To this end therefore we may remember the double condemnation of Eustathius in two seuerall councels Socrat. Hyst lib. 2 cap. 33. Casaria and Gangra for such Catholicke Articles as runne currant among Papists at this day as for example forbidding to marry abstinence from meats sundring men from their wiues and seruants from their Maisters vnder colour of Religion abhorring the blessing and communion of a married Priest and such like articles as were condemned most of them of all Churches vnder heauen 200. yeeres before Eustathius was borne for thus writes Apollonius a Martyr Euseb hystor lib. 5. cap. 16. speaking of the hereticke Montanus Hic est qui coniugia dissoluere docuit ieiuniorum leges praescripsit qui Pepuzam ac Tinium modicas ciuitates Phrygiae Ierusalem vocauit vt cunctos vndique ad illas congregaret qui pecuniarum exactores constituit qui sub pretextu nomine oblationum numerum captationem artificiosè concutus est qui salaria doctrinae praedicatoribus subministrauit vt per ventris studium doctrina ipsius inualesceret This is he which dissolued mariages prescribed lawes of fasting which called Pepuza and Tinium two little Cities of Phrygia Ierusalem that hee might gather men from euerie place thither which appointed exactors of money which vnder the pretence and name of offering did cunningly deuise to get gifts who ministred stipends to the preachers of his doctrine that so for his bellies sake his doctrine might be euerie where declared The same Father and Martyr sayth that his Prophets and Martyrs did extort money not onely from the rich but also from the poore euen widowes and Orphanes Marcion and Appelles forbad mariage as appeareth in Tertullian The Manichies were condemned first by Pope Leo and then by Gelasius as the first Fathers of communicating vnder one kinde De prescrip ad haeret Serm. 4. de quadrag In decret pontif distinct in cap. comperimus In Catalog dogm Manich. lib. de anima in fine Dialog 2. Contra Eutyc Can. 36. Haeres 70. The same heretickes were the Fathers of monkish idlenesse and therefore Epiphanius cals them Desidentes vespae nihil operantes c. Idle Waspes and doing no worke The Doctrine of Purgatory was first recōmended to Tertullian by the paraclet of Montanus The hereticke in Theodorets dialogues saith as the Papists doe Symbola dominici corporis saguinis post inuocationem sacerdotis mutantur alia fiunt The Symboles of the Lords bodie and blood after the inuocation of the Priest are changed and made other things And Pope Gelasius tels the hereticke Eutiches Non desinit esse substantia panis naturavini There ceaseth not to bee the substance of bread and the nature of wine The Counsell of Eliberis enacted that that which is worshipped should not bee painted vpon wals thereby condemning Popish Imagerie Epiphanius faith of the Audians * They vse great store of Apocryphall writings Epiphanius haeres 46. 47. 61. c. De preser advers haeret libro de baptis in fine Euseb hystor lib. 3. cap. vlt. lib. 2. cap. 15. De prescript advers haeret Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 23. 24 lib. 3. cap. 2 Canus lib 3. cap. 3. fund 4. Bellarm. de verb. non script lib. 4. cap. 8. Vtuntur Apochryphis multis abunde The Tatians the Eucratifes the Apostolickes and such like heretickes were the first founders of single life and being so highly esteemed it tooke hold in time vpon the Church Womens baptisme which is currant in Poperie came first from heretickes wiues of whome Tertullian sayth that they were Procaces audentes docere contendere exercismos agere curationes repromittere forsitan tingere Malepart such as boldly tooke vpon them to teach to contend to exercise such as promised to cure diseases and perhaps also to baptize Papias a Chiliast was the first father and founder of Traditions and Peters primacie or Romish Episcopalitie Tertullian and Irenaeus tell vs that heretickes held the Apostles did not reueale Omnia omnibus sed quaedam palà m vniuersis quaedam secretò paucis All thinges to all men but some things openly and to all some thinges secretly to a few as namely Basilides Carpocrates Valentinus Marcion Carinthus And this is the opinion of Papists at this day This is sufficient for a tast that therby you may iudge how toothsome Poperie is that consisteth of these and many other such roots of bitternesse And that you may be yet better infourmed how the good corne of true religion may bee ouer-growne with the weeds of popish errours and heresies and yet in time get the victorie againe and ouer-maister them Cap. 2 19. the Church of Thyatira so highly commended in the Reuelation may bee a plaine document vnto vs which though it seemed to be euacuated by the Cataphrygian heresie Epipha haeres 51. yet a hundred yeeres after the Church reuiued againe and multiplyed and so by Gods mercie conquered the woman Iezabel and her hereticall Prophets euen so it fareth with the Church of God in generall for howsoeuer it pleased God for the punishment of our sinnes to giue Antichrist leaue by little and little to growe to such a height that at length hee ouer-shadowed and ouer-dropped all truth and sinceritie yet when God saw his time hee began to raise vp such worthy men as lopt off his braunches Daniel 4. and shooke off his leaues and scattered his fruit and so continueth and will continue to execute his iudgements vpon that man of sinne that in the end he will not leaue so much as the stumps of his roots in the earth Touching Puritanie which still this fellow quarrels withall when hee can prooue it to bee either a Church or a Religion by it selfe we will shape him an answere in the meane time let him know that no Protestant in England or out of England holds any doctrine necessarie to saluation but such as is warranted by Scripture neither are we left wholly to our selues in matters of discipline to appoint what wee thinke good Rom. 14.23 1. Cor. 14.26.40 but are guided by the generall rules of Gods word how to behaue our selues in the
house of God as for wresting the Scripture when any of you all can iustifie that the most witlesse Puritane in England doth wrest them more violently and ridiculously than your selues then will I be a Protestant no longer You Papists though your brawles bee endlesse one with another Canonists against Schoole-men Franciscans against Dominicks Nominals against Reals Thomas against Lombard Scotus against Thomas Occam against Scotus Alliacensis against Occam Peter Sot against Catharine Catharine against Caietan Caietan against Pighius Iesuites against Priests and Priests against Iesuites yet forsooth these dogs cats are of one Cage they are all members of the Romish Church but Protestants and Puritans being diuers names that differ not in the grounds of faith but in small points as Richard and Thomas or Iohn and Iames doe in colour and complexion and countenance they forsooth cannot bee both members of the same Church But what should I spend time with such a prater as dares face vs out that such a Religion as is now established in England was neuer heard of in the world before King Edwards time I am sure there is no other Religion established in England but that which is cleerely taught in the word of God brought hether first by Simon a Nicephor lib. 2. cap 4. Zelotes Ioseph b Ghildas of Arimathea Saint c Theodor. de cur graecor affect lib. 9. Paul the Apostle al of them or some of them watred stil on in the daies of d Lib contra Iudaeos Tertullian e In Ezec. ho. 4 Origen f Apolog. secunda Athanasius g Initio lib. de Synod contra Arian Hilarie h Homil. quod Christus sit Deus aduers gentil Chrysostome i Hyst eccles lib. 1. cap. 10. lib. 4. cap. 3 Theodoret all which ancient Fathers speake honourably of the Church and Religion and Prelates of Britaine Now whether this Church and this Religion so planted and so watred were the same that was restored and established in the happy daies of King Edward and Queene Elizabeth both Princes of blessed memorie it is so cleerely decided in the written word of God that the crying and yelling of our forlorne Papists shall neuer be able to perswade the contrarie Yea but Aerius you know as soone as hee denyed prayer for the dead was confuted and the first that impugned the reall presence was condemned in the Councell of Lateran and so were other of your opinion as they sprange vp in later yeeres This man you see will not giue ouer as long as hee can say any thing but goo too let vs not thinke much to answere these triflles Aerius indeed denyed prayer for the dead if Epiphanius mistake not the matter yet I denie that hee vnderstood such kinde of praying for the dead as the Popish Church vseth at this day Papists pray for the release of veniall offences punishable in Purgatorie but Aerius spake against the common errour of his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely that the forgiuenesse of incurable sinnes might bee procured to the dead by the prayers of the liuing if this be heresie then bee you heretickes your selues Touching the reall presence Bertram it is well knowne that Bertram wrote against it without any mans contradiction 400. yeeres before the Counsell of Lateran Aelfricus And so did Aelfricus Archbishop of Canterburie almost 200. yeeres after Bertram in a Sermon which was yeerely read in our Churches at the feast of Easter As for the time that followed in later yeeres after the Lat eran Councell wee say of it Luk. 22.53 as our Sauiour doth of the like time This is your verie houre and the power of darkenesse Thus haue I shewed you briefly but sufficiently when the great compound heresie of Poperie first sprange how it grew peece by peece till Antichrist was disclosed 2. Thes 2.8 I haue told you also how it hath been consumed by the breath of Gods mouth and when it shall be cut downe and wither As for Miracles and Martyrs Cath. 7.22 24 24. 2. Thes 2.9 Apoc. 16.14 the one prooueth you to bee th◠brood of Antichrist of whose lying wonders the scripture hath foretold vs the other namely Gods Martyrs they crie out for vengeance against blood-suckers for so we are taught in the Reuelation and such blood-suckers are you and haue euer beene as Master Foxe hath most truely set it downe to your euerlasting shame and confusion such Miracles as yours bee wee can shew none neither can wee make Martyrs as you can God giue vs all grace to keepe that way and path that leadeth and directeth to the Kingdome of heauen and graunt vs rather good Bishops without succession than succession without good Bishops that all of vs both Bishops and people high and low rich and poore one with another may glorifie God the Father of our lord Iesus Christ So be it Ierem. Cap. 49.10 I haue discouered Esau I haue vncouered his secrets and he shall not be able to hide himselfe Tertul. de prescript aduersus heretic Haereses de quorundam infirmitatibus habent quod valent nihil valentes si in bene valentem fidem incurrant Paraeneticum carmen Authoris ad Magistrum I. S. SI cupis ad superos per inania tecta domorum Altius horrendo scandere cum sonitu Consule Papistas hominum immanissima mōstra Qui scandendi alium non didicêre modum O scelus infandum nùm crudo sanguine pascit Italus ille suas Pontificaster oues Siccine pascendum vasto Polyphemus in antro Eructans saniem quam bibit ante docet Siccine scandendū ad superos docet vncta meretrix Quae tota innocuo mersa cruore rubet O fuge quid cessas meretricia desere castra Scandendique nouam disce tenere viam Eiusdem conclusio ad D. Doctorem Grimston medicum praestantissimum SI quid in hoc fuerit lectoribus vtile libro Non mihi sed cutae gratia danda tuae Et liber libri dominus paulò ante redemptus Libertus tuus est desijt esse suus Mortis serua tuo fit libera vita labore Libera vita tuo facta labore tua est Viuo igitur viuoque tuus viuamque per omnem Quam dederas vitam seu tua seu mea sit FINIS