Priest is q Mal. 2.7 the messenger of the Lord of hosts The Priest though he be by calling the messenger of the Lord yet sometimes neglecteth his calling and forbeareth to doe the message wherewith hee is sent and so the church though by duty it be the pillar and ground of truth appointed to vphold and maintaine the same yet sometimes forgetteth this duery and followeth lies in stead of truth For as the church is now so hath it euer beene from the beginning the pillar and ground of truth and yet we finde that very often the church of the Iewes in the time of the Iudges and vnder the wicked Kings of Iudah and Israel did forsake t Mal. 2.6 the law of truth which God had giuen vnto them went a whooring after strange and false gods and many waies prouoked him by their abominations For no longer doth the church continue to be as it ought to be the pillar and ground of truth than it continueth built vpon the foundations of truth ſ Eph. 2.20 vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets as Saint Paul speaketh t Ambros in Eph. 2. Hoc est supra nouum vetus teslamentum collocati that is vpon the new and old Testament as Ambrose expoundeth it If it once go awry from those foundations truth falleth to the ground and it becommeth a pillar and fortresse of errour and vntruth Thus hath it come to passe in M. Bishops church of Rome which in her pride hath cast off the yoke which she at first tooke vpon her and hath magnified herselfe to be a Queene to giue lawes of her owne in stead of the lawes of Iesus Christ Shee is indeede by duety as all other churches are a pillar and ground of truth but being become the minion of Antichrist and prostituted to his adulterous desires shee hath learned for his sake and for her owne sake by him u 1. Tim. 4.2 to speake lies in hypocrisie and x 2. Pet. 2.3 through couetousnesse with feined words to make merchandise of y Reu. 18.13 the soules of men All which hypocrisie and feined words shee fairly gloseth and cōmendeth to men with this perswasion that she can not erre because she hath a promise of Christ to be alwaies directed and guided by his spirit into all trueth But where hath Christ made any such promise to the Church of Rome Whom and how the spirit of Christ leadeth into all truth Wee read that Christ said to his Apostles z Ioh. 16.13 When he is come which is the spirit of truth he will lead you into all trueth and wee beleeue that what hee spake to his Apostles he intended to the whole Church and to all the faithfull but neither doe we reade nor haue any cause to beleeue that Christ therein intended any thing in speciall to the church of Rome neither did euer any ancient Father or Councell gather any such thing out of those words And surely no otherwise doe they alleage this Scripture for themselues than the Manichees did for themselues and the Montanists for themselues For as the Manichees alleaging these words to colour their heresies against the Scripture appropriated the spirit of truth here spoken of to their Patriarch a August cont Faust Manich. lib. 32. cap. 17. Dicere soletis Ipse vos inducet in omnem veritatem c. de vestro Manichao esse praedictum Manicheus and the Montanistes in like sort to b Tertull. de Veland virginib sub initio Montanus as if in them and by them the spirit should direct the Church into all truth Euen so the Papists howsoeuer they talke of the Church directed by the spirit yet doe indeed put ouer the Church to the Pope placing the residence of the spirit in him that he may bee to the Church the infallible oracle of all truth In which fancie if they will expect to haue more credit than those heretikes had they must bring better warrant for themselues than those heretikes did But because they can bring vs none therefore we reiect them all alike as coseners and deceiuers of the Church pretending the spirit of truth for the maintenance of lies and claiming that credit to be giuen to an vsurping wretch which our Sauiour reserueth as proper to the holy Ghost The promise of the spirit as I said before belongeth to all the faithfull and of them all S. Iohn saith c 1 Ioh. 2.27 The anointing which yee haue receiued of him that is saith Austin d August in 1. Ioan. tract 4. Eadem vnctio id est ipse spiritus domini the spirit of the Lord teacheth you of all things Albeit when it is said all things and all truth we are not to vnderstand absolutely all for the spirit doth not teach vs to know e Idem in actis cum Felice Manich. lib. 1. cap. 10. Si hanc doctrinam putas ad illam veritatem pertinere c. interrogo te qunt sint stellae Ibid. Ego tibi possum dicere ea quae pertinent ad doctrinam Christianam how many starres there be as Austin opposeth to Felix the Manichee but he teacheth all things belonging to the doctrine of Christ as the same Austin there expoundeth Yea and yet further he excepteth by the words of the Apostle f Idem cap. 11. Dicebat Apostolus Ex parte scimus c. quia in i st a vita homo cum est non potest assequi omnia sed ex parte assequitur in hac vita ipse autem spiritus qui ex parte docet in hac vita post hanc vitam introducet in omnem veritatem Vide eund in Ioan. tract 96. We know in part and we prophecie in part that whilest a man is in this life he cannot attaine to all things but attaineth onely in part but the holy Ghost saith he which in this life teacheth in part shall after this life bring vs into all truth Hee therefore giueth vs to vnderstand that notwithstanding this promise of the spirit of truth it is incident to them to whom the same appertaineth to be ignorant in this life of many truthes to be subiect to mistaking and errour albeit the same spirit faileth not to enlighten them to that necessary truth which serueth for introduction finally to all truth And heerein the Apostle comforteth vs that g Phil. 3.15 that if any man be otherwise minded than is right God will reueale the same to him so long as in that whereunto we are come we proceed by one rule that we may minde one thing But wee are specially to note the reason which our Sauiour addeth to the words alleaged When he is come which is the spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall beare shall he speake meaning thereby the same that he hath before said h Ioh. 14.26 He shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your remembrance that I haue told you and which he saith presently after i cap. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shall shew it vnto you For hereby it is manifest that the holy Ghost which shall leade vs into all truth because he shall speake nothing of himselfe shall therefore k Thophylact in Ioan. 16. Nihil docturus est extra ea quae Christus docuit speake nothing but what Christ hath before spoken As therefore when Christ saith of himselfe l Ioh. 14.10 I speake not of my selfe hee would import that he spake nothing but what the father had before spoken in the Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets as m Chrysost de sanct orando spiritu Quia seductor est habitus dicit Ego à meipso non loquor sed de lege de Prophet is Chrysostome expoundeth it euen so when he saith of the holy Ghost that he shall speake nothing of himselfe we are likewise to conceiue that the holy Ghost shall teach nothing but what Christ himselfe hath first taught in the Scriptures of the Euangelists and Apostles Whereupon we conclude as Chrysostome doth n Ibid. Siquem videritis dicentem spiritum sanctum habee non loquentem Euangelica sed propria is à seipso loquitur non est spiritus sanctus in ipso Et paulò post Siquis eorum qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctum dicat aliquid à seipso non ex Euangelijs ne credite c. Ex quo non legit haec scripta sed ex seipso loquitur manifestum est quod non habet spiritum sanctum If yee see a man saying I haue the holy Ghost and not speaking the things of the Gospell but matters of his owne he speaketh of himselfe and the holy Ghost is not in him If any of them who are said to haue the holy Ghost do speake any thing of himselfe and not out of the Gospell beleeue him not For that he readeth not those things which he saith in the Scriptures it is manifest that he hath not the holy Ghost Now therefore seeing M. Bishops church contrary to the ordinance of God seuereth o Esay 59.21 the spirit of truth from p Eph. 1 13. Col. 1.5 the word of truth and speaketh many things of her-felfe whereof Christ hath said nothing whereof wee reade nothing in the Scriptures it is manifest that they play the Sycophants as other heretikes haue done pretending to speake by the spirit of Christ when they speake wholly either by their owne or by a woorse spirit But M. Bishop not content with one corruption in substituting his church of Rome in the place of the Catholike Church of Christ addeth another in saying that that article of our Creede doth teach vs to beleeue the Catholike church Which words although being truely meant they expresse the same in English which wee say in Greeke and Latin yet being by the drift of his speech caried to a verie partiall and false construction doe shew him to be a leaud peruerter of our Christian faith For whereas we saie Credo sanctam ecclesiam Catholicam in the accusatiue case the meaning is I beleeue that there is a holy Catholike church namely that God the Father in all ages and at all times and amidst all the defections and corruptions of the world hath still had and shall haue his number of elect and chosen people to whom the benefite of Christs death and resurrection on standeth effectuall and good by the sanctification of the holy Ghost and the same now not of one nation or people onely but of all nations and peoples thorowout the whole world But M. Bishop by the currant of his speech turneth the accusatiue case into the datiue as if it were said in our Creed Credo ecclesiae sanctae Catholicae I giue credit to the holy Catholike church I beleeue it to be true whatsoeuer is taught me by the holy Catholike church that so his Reader thinkeing himselfe bound to beleeue the Catholike church and taking this Catholike church to be meant of the church of Rome may hold himselfe bound by the articles of his Creed in all things to beleeue the church of Rome Thus he and his fellowes most treacherously and leaudly against their owne knowledge and conscience delude simple and ignorant soules and make them slaues to their impious and wicked deuices by bearing them in hand that they are bound thus to obey the Catholike church Now heereof Master PERKINS iustly inferreth that the eternall truth of God the Creatour is heereby made to depend vpon the determination of the creature For let God say what he will wee shall not stand bound to take it for truth if the church shall say the contrary or vnlesse that which he saith be approoned by the Church Verily as Tertullian vpbraided of old the Senate of Rome that q Tertul. Apologet cap. 5. Apud vos de humano arbitratu diuinitas pensitatur nisi homini deus placuerit deus non erit with them Godhead stood at the discretion of men and vnlesse God did please man he should be no God so may it well be said now of the church of Rome that with them the religion of God standeth at their discretion and that onely shall be religion that pleaseth them For the Bishop of Rome whilest hee taketh vpon him to make declaration of Christian faith maketh what he list of Christian faith and hath verified of himselfe that which Hierome said of Antichrist that r Hieron in Daniel 7. Eleuatur supra omne quod dicitur deu◠cunctam religionem suae subijciens potestati he should subiect all religion to his owne power For the colouring of which iniquity M. Bishop according to their maner vseth guilefull words of notable hypocrisie and with a faire tale gloseth a grosse indignity and damnable presumption against God He telleth vs that Gods truth is sincere and certaine in it selfe before any declaration of the Church Well and what hath the church then to doe with this sincere and certaine truth Forsooth we poore creatures are subiect to mistaking and errour and doe not so certainly vnderstand that truth of God But who are those poore creatures of whom he speaketh Marry M. Bishop and such other petites who are but dij minorum gentium they are poore creatures but the Pope and his Cardinals and the Bishops that comply to him they are rich creatures they are the Church they are exempted from mistaking and errour we must thinke all perfection of wit to be lodged in their braines and that they certainely vnderstand and know the truth of God But what assurance can they giue vs in this behalfe Surely the Scribes and Pharisees the high Priests and Elders of the lewes had as much to say for themselues and a great deale more than they They could plead for themselues ſ Ioh. 8.33 We are the
other children are with breach of his Mothers virginity as Bucer and Molineus in Vnione Euangelij part 3. and Caluin signifieth no lesse in harmo sup 2. Math. vers 13. 4. Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate crucified dead and buried Friar Luther with a great band of his followers doth toughly defend that the God-head it selfe suffered which to be blasphemy Musculus doth prooue in his booke of the errours of Luthers Schollers yet Beza with all them that hold Christ to haue beene our Mediatour according to his diuine nature can hardly saue themselues from the same blasphemy For the chiefest ast of Christs mediation consisteth in his death if then the God-head did not suffer that death it had no part in the principal point of Christs mediation Hither also appertaine all these their blasphemies to wit that Christ was so frighted with the apprehension of death that he forgot himselfe to be our Mediatour yea refused as much as in him lay to be our redeemer Item that he thought himselfe forsaken of God and finally despaired Se the Preface Caluin denieth not the Creed to be Apostolike R. ABBOT Whether M. Bishop deale honestly with Caluin as touching his opinion of the Creed let it appeare by the very words of Caluin in the very place alleaged Where hauing named it the Apostles Creed he taketh occasion therupon thus to say a Caluin Institut lib. 2. cap. 16. sect 18. Apostolicum autem nuncupo de authore interim minime solicitus Apostolis certè magno veterum Scriptorum consensu ascribitur siue quod ab illis in commune conscriptum editum existimabant siue quòd compendium istud ex doctrina per corum manus tradita bona fide collectum tali elogiâ— confirmandum censuerunt Neque verò mihi dubium est quina prima flatim ecclesiae origine ad ecque ab ipso Apostolorum seculo instar publicae omnium calculis receptae confessionis obtinuerit vndecunque undem initio fuerit profectum Nec ab vno aliquo priuatim fuisse conscriptum verisimile est â—â—m ab vltima vsque memoria sacrosanctae inter pios omnes authoritatu fuâ—sse constet Quod vnicè curandum est id extra omnem controuersiâ—m positum habemus totam in eo fidei nostrae historier saccinctè distinctâ—quâ— ordine recenseri nihil autent contineri quod solidis Scripturae testimocijs mâ— sit consignatum Quo intelâ—ecto de anthâ—re vel anxiè laborare vel cum alique digladiari nihil attinet I call it Apostolike not making any great scruple who was the authour of it Surely by the generall consent of the ancient writers it is ascribed to the Apostles either for that they thought it in common written and set foorth by them or for that they thought good by such a title to confirme this Briefe which is faithfully gathered out of the doctrine deliuered by their hands Neither doe I doubt whencesoeuer it first began but that from the first originall of the Christian Church and from the very time of the Apostles it tooke place as a publicke and generally approoued confession Neither is it likely to haue beene written in priuate by any one because it is certaine that from the very beginning it hath beene of sacred authority amongst all godly men That which we are entirely to regard is without all controuersie or doubt that the whole story of our faith is therein briefely and distinctly set downe and nothing contained in it but what is confirmed by sound testimonies of the Scripture Which vnderstood and knowen it is bootlesse for a man either much to trouble himselfe or to contend with any other concerning the authour of it Which words of Caluin conteining both his owne iudgement and ours concerning the authority of the Creed doe sufficiently refell the malicious cauils of this vaine and absurd wrangler By our doctrine he saith it is not necessary to beleeue the Creed yea it is wholly to be reiected because it is no part of the written word Indeed formally it is no part of the written word because it is not a part of the very text of Scripture there set downe in that frame of words wherein we vse it but doe we any where say that whatsoeuer is not so a part of the written word is wholly to be reiected or not necessary to be beleeued Nay we are so farre from saying or thinking so as that we hold many things in M. Bishops bookes necessary to be beleeued which notwithstanding are so farre from being a part of the written word as that for the manifold vaine cauillations and impudent falsehoods therein contained they deserue rather to goe for wall paper than to be read for learned bookes As touching the matter and doctrine of the Creed Caluin affirmeth that it is taken out of the doctrine of the Apostles set downe in the written word and therefore it is no more to be reiected than the word it selfe from whence it is taken He denieth not but that the Apostles might be and were the authours of it though he cannot certainly affirme that they were so Hee acknowledgeth the consent of ancient writers that it was composed by the Apostles He confesseth the antiquity thereof euen from their very time He holdeth it vnlikely to haue beene published by any priuate man and therefore leaueth it most likely to be done by them By whomsoeuer it was done because it is consonant to the Apostolike spirit and doctrine he acknowledgeth all sacreed authoritie and opinion as heeretofore so now to be attributed vnto it What is there heere that malice it selfe could blame but that Popish malice aboue other is blinde and cannot see it owne shame Let vs now goe along with him to the particulars and see what wise worke he maketh to prooue that which he saith the Protestant Doctours doe foully mangle and in manner ouerturne the greatest part of the Creed Concerning the first article he saith we erre many waies But how I pray you first saith he they doe destroy the most simple vnity of the Godhead by teaching the diuine essence to be really distinguished into three persons But how doth that follow One essence of God distinguished really into three persons for if vnity of essence in this distinction bee terminus a quo and triality of persons be terminus ad quem and the reality of distinction be vnderstood not in the essence for it selfe but onely in the persons how shall it destroy the simple vnity of the God head to say that one diuine essence is really distinguished into three persons What will M. Bishop say that the distinction of the persons is intellectuall only and not reall Let him then set vp a schoole for Sabellius and Praxeas the heretickes and teach as they did that b August de haeres ad Quod vultd c. 41. Dicunt eundem ipsum esse patrem filium sp sanctum the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are but one
that which goeth into the body is not the reall body of Christ which is the bread of eternall life What hap had M. Bishop heere to speake of the reall presence hauing no better witnesse to plead for it 45. W. BISHOP And touching forgiuenesse of their debts to God and sins they are so assured of that before hand by the certaintie of their new faith that they can no more request of God forgiuenesse of their sinnes then they can aske that God will make them reasonable creatures which they see that hee hath done already And they holding the first motions to euill in temptation to be mortall sinnes which no mortall man ordinarily can now auoid how can they pray God not to suffer them to be lead into temptation when they teach it to bee impossible to escape the venime of it And if they vnderstand it so as M. PERKINS teacheth to wit that they there pray not to be left to the malice of Satan they cannot without losse of the certainty of their faith pray so because they hold themselues assured of that before hand Neithey can they pray God generally to deliuer them from all euill affirming as they doe that wee must needs fall into mortall sinne at euery step almost which is the greatest of all other euill And finally if it belong to God to deliuer vs from sinne and all other euill then Caluin and his followers doe wickedly blaspheme who teach God to be the author and worker in vs of all errour sinne and wickednesse Thus much of the Pater noster R. ABBOT Our beleefe and assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes is that when we begge the same of God by faithfull praier he granteth vs our desire and therefore doe wee praie for it because he hath promised and wee beleeue his promise that in praying we shall obteine it Of this idle Sophisme of his there hath beene enough said a Of the certainty of saluation sect 5.18 How we pray not to be led into temptation but deliuered from euill before We pray that we be not led into temptation in such meaning as before hath beene said vnderstanding simply temptation so as to be left of God therein without the assistance of his grace This hindereth not but that the first motions of lust wherewith wee are tempted are in their owne nature mortall sinnes though by the mercy of God they become not so to vs. For we doe not say as hee vntruely alleageth that it is impossible to escape the venime of temptation nay we say that the faithfull do escape the venime and poison of it because b Rom. 8.28 See before sect 41. all things euen temptation and sinne worke together for good vnto them that loue God And thus do we praie also to bee deliuered from euill that though we be not as yet set free from temptation yet the same by his ouerruling prouidence may be so ordered as that by his mercy we may be free from the euill and danger therof And what should let but that we may pray God generally to deliuer vs from all euill euen from that c Rom. 7.21 euill which is alwaies present with vs when we would do good from d vers 23. the law of sinne that is in our members from e Gal. 5.17 the flesh that lusteth against the spirit because wee beleeue that God heareth vs when we so pray and will deliuer vs from that bondage wherein we are forced for the time to serue Yea this he hath begun to doe alreadie destroying by the power of his spirit more and more the bodie of sinne and yeelding f 2. Cor. 4.16 the outward man to bee corrupted that the inner man may be renued from day to day vntill perfect newnesse shall come and all euils shall bee fully abolished because g 1. Cor. 15.28 God who is all good shall be all in all And if wee cannot pray generally to bee deliuered from all euill because wee affirme the first motions of sinne which are euill to continue still in vs let M. Bishop tell vs how they pray to be deliuered generally from all euill who though they acknowledge not the first motions to bee sinne yet acknowledge them to be euil as wel as we and that from this euil no man is set free so long as hee continueth in the warfare of this life As for the certainty of saluation wee loose it not by these praiers but are rather thereby confirmed in it because we beleeue as hath beene said that God heareth vs when we so pray and therefore rest assured according to the measure of our faith that God will guide vs in safety through the middest of all temptations and will finally deliuer vs from all euill and bring vs to bee partakers of his kingdome for euer That which hee saith of Caluin is an odious repetition of an impudent slander which is cleered before in the answer to his Preface the tenth sect 46. W. BISHOP Now before I come to the Sacraments I may not omit to speake a word of the Aue-Maria which in old Catechismes followeth immediately after the Pater noster The Protestants haue cassierd it and may not abide to heare it once said but therein as much as in any other such matter they disgrace their doctrine and discredite themselues For all the words vsed of old therin are the very words of the holy Ghost registred in S. Lukes Gospell and therefore they bewray either great ignorance or a wicked spirit to dwell in them that cannot indure to heare the words of Gods spirit Besides in holy Scripture it is prophesied Luk. 1. that from henceforth all generations should call the Virgin MARY blessed In what termes then can wee more conueniently so call her then in the verie same that were composed by an Archangell are penned by the Euangelists and by them commended vnto all good Christians besides the sence of them is comfortable vnto vs as containing a remembrance of the incarnation of the Sonne of God for our redemption and we on our parts doe thereby giue thanks to God for that inestimable benefit and congratulate our Sauiour with humble thanks therefore saying Blessed be the fruit of thy wombe IESVS I need not in such cleere euidence of Gods word alleage the testimonie of any ancient father hee that list to see how it hath beene vsed in the purest antiquity let him reade S. Athanasius in Euang. de deipara S. Ephem de laudibus B. Mariae S. Basils and S. Chrysostomes lyturgies which can with no more reason be denied to be theirs then the rest of their works One short sentence I will set downe in commendations of it out of that most reuerend and deuout Bernard The Angels triumph and the heauens doe congratulate with them the earth leapeth for ioy and hell trembleth when the Aue-Maria is deuoutly said Apud Dionisi Corinth 1. part in Euan. c. 5.17 Good Christians then must needs take great delight
towards mankinde for he neuer refused to redeeme vs and therefore neuer failed in his loue towards mankinde But in the last question he most of all plaieth the wretch and vnder colour of an imputation to vs vttereth a wicked blasphemie of his owne If the first motions to euill be deadly sinnes in vs as the Protestants hold what will they make of such tumultuous and vnbrideled passions in him who had a greater command ouer them then wee haue The Protestants doe hold indeed that the first motions to euil are deadly sinnes if God weigh them in iudgement as they are but the Protestants doe not hold in Christ any first motions to euill and much lesse any such passions as are woorse then those motions that this absurd man should thus argue as from the lesse to the greater from euill motions in vs to tumultuous and vnbrideled passions in him We acknowledge a difference of will in Christ testified by most passionate and effectuall words and wee acknowledge it as the Fathers did out of the same words against the heretikes the Monothelites but in this difference we deny any thing to haue been tumultuous or vnbridled but all dulie composed and ordered so that the discord was a concord and the difference made no other but harmony and conformitie as before was said 14. W. BISHOP But we are not yet come vnto the height of his blasphemies which he powreth foorth more abundantly vpon those our Sauiours words Matt. 27.46 My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken me saying when this kinde of temptation was proposed to Christ as though God being auerted from him he had beene appointed to vtter destruction hee was seised with horror * Li. 2. Instit c. 16. sess 11. And in his Institutes treating of the same subiect saith Christ feared to haue beene swallowed vp of death as a sinner And there can be no more dreadfull bottomelesse gulfe then for a man to feele himselfe forsaken and estranged from God and not to be heard when he calleth vpon him euen as if God had conspired his destruction euen thither we see that Christ was throwne downe so that by enforcement of distresse he was compelled to crie out my GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken me In the Paragraffe before he speaketh more plainly that Christ did hand in hand wrestle with the armies of hell and the horror of eternall death finally that in his soule he suffered the torments of the damned and all those punishments that are due to wicked men in hell He then belike was the traytour Iudas companion for the while he was in the Diuels hands to be tormented he dispaired and fared as men doe in these hellish torments What greater blasphemy can bee inuented then to condemne the King of heauen that came to redeeme vs all from hell euen to the very pit of hell it selfe Beza not willing to come behinde his master Caluin in this kinde of impiety whereas Caluin craftily admitted onely that Christ then despaired In cap. 5. ad Heb. vers 7. he affirmeth plainely that from Christ stroocken with the horror of Gods curse escaped the word of desperation And else-where that Christ was with the huge heauy burden of Gods wrath ouerwhelmed and adiudged to the flames of hell yea In c. 27. Mata 22. Luc. buried and drowned in the bottome of the infernall gulfe This man you see desires to lodge Christ low enough that would haue him drowned in the very bottome of hell This their pestilent venime they might haue sucked out of theire good grandsire Luthers writinges who vpon the very same wordes doth make this goodly commentary What shall we therefore say In Psal 22. v. 1. Christ to haue been together both the most iust and greatest sinner both the most notorious lier and truest teacher at the same instant both the most highly glorying and deepely despairing both happy in the highest degree and most miserably damned Vnlesse we say this I see not saith this Oracle of the new Gospel how Christ was forsaken of God See him also vpon the third chapter to the Galatians where he vttereth yet more detestable speeches of Christ to wit that all the Prophets did in the spirit foresee him to be the greatest theefe robber murtherer adulterer sacrilegious person and blasphemer that euer liued I could cite you diuers others of the same opinion but I had rather note their extreame blindnesse who neglecting the ancient Fathers learned expositions of the holy Scriptures were led away with such horrible extrauagant conceites of our Sauiour vpon so small occasion For he at that very time hanging on the Crosse declared himselfe to be most farre off from all such hellish torments yea he shewed all possible signes of a most quiet and peaceable minde praying for the saluation euen of his persecutors he was not then belike in doubt of his owne promising also to the good theefe that the same day he should be with him in Paradise wherefore hee doubted nothing of being there himselfe recommending his Mother vnto his beloued Disciple and him likewise to her and to fulfill the Scriptures both saying I thurst and citing euen those very words that they are scandalized at out of one of the Psalmes of Dauid And finally aduisedly considering all things belonging to his passion to be accomplished commended his spirit vnto his Fathers hands so that there could not possibly be more calme setled iudgement more valiant constancy and resolution then there was But what meant he then to say My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken me Forsooth nothing else but to signifie that in all these torments which he suffered he had not any comfort or consolation at that time from God who is wont to giue extraordinary aide and comfort to all those that suffer for his names sake but that Christ might as he himselfe desired be put to suffer all kinde of extremity all manner of inward consolation was wholly with-holden from him which it pleased him then to expresse by manner of complaint in those most pittifull words Christ suffered for vs both in bodie and soule My GOD my GOD c. the more to mooue vs to compassion Thus much of their impieties against Christs person now to those that they teach against the office of his mediatorship R. ABBOT Theodoret citeth it as a memorable sentence out of Irenaeus that a Theodoret. dialog 3. ex Iren. adu haer lib. 5. Câ—â—â—ergò proprio sanguine nos Christus redemerit animaÌ„ suam pro animis nostris dederit carnem suam pro nostru carnibus c. Christ gaue his soule for our soules and his body for our bodies So doe we hold that by Christian faith we are bound to beleeue that b Hieron in Esai 53. li. 14. Ex quo perspicuum est sicut corpus flagellatum laceratum signa inâ—uriae in vibicibus liuore portabat â—ta animam verè doluisse pro noâ—is
as he is a priuate man may erre but as Pope and in his consistory and iudiciall sentence hee cannot erre But what is the church now become an asse to carry a priuiledge for the Pope onely To returne vpon himselfe the skiruie terme that he hath vsed in the former section Is not heere a huge great mill-post fairely thwited into a poore pudding pricke that whereas we are told that it was the effect of the inestimable price of Christs bloud to purchase a church free from all errours in matter of faith The word of God the rule and square of Christian religion we haue this great prerogatiue of the Church resolued finally into a drunken dreame concerning the Pope that it is he onely that cannot erre This is the vpshot of all and to this issue the matter commeth that the church may erre the general councell may erre be the persons neuer so learned neuer so faithfull neuer so holy onely the Pope though hee bee an ignorant beast a very he hound and incarnate diuell yet sitting downe in his chaire of Pestilence to decree a sentence receiueth presently like the Prophets of Apollo some Enthusiasticall impression whereby he pronounceth infallibly a truth howsoeuer he himselfe in his owne priuate opinion bee perswaded otherwise Which being a ridiculous presumption a meere nouelty most impudently deuised by sycophants and parasites a matter which hath no shadow of defense from the beliefe or practise of the ancient church deserueth rather to be reiected with scorne than to haue any question made of it As for that other matter which he adioineth concerning the word of God and interpretation thereof he saith rightlie that we hold for so we doe the holy word of God to be the onely rule and square of Christian religion u Iren adu haeres lib 3. cap. 1. Euangelium per dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum For it was the will of God that the Apostles should commit the Gospell to writing To be the pillar and foundation of our faith and x Aug. in epist. Ioan. tract 3. contra insidiosos errores ponere voluit deus firmamentum in Scripturis sanctis in the scriptures to appoint vs a fortresse against deceitfull errours so as that y Chrysost op imperfect hom 49. Christiani qui sunt in Christianitate volentes accipere firmitatem fidei ad nullam rem aliam fugiant nisi tantummodo ad scripturas Christians being desirous to receiue assurance of their faith are no whither else to flie but onely to the Scriptures But wheras he affirmeth that we say that Christ hath left his holy word to be vnderstood of euery man as his own knowledge and spirit shall direct him and that in doubtfull questions arising he hath taken no order for the deciding of them but that euery one may be his own Iudge they are but silly deuices of obiection against vs to colour the nouelties absurdities which we in the same behalfe iustly condemne in them Wee euery man vnderstand the Scriptures as his owne knowledge and spirit doth direct him and why Because we reiect that course of vnderstanding the Scripture which they factiously and partiallie haue of late deuised for the seruing of their owne turne z Hosius de expresso dei verbe Siquis habeat interpretatisnem ecclesiae Romanae de loco aliquo scripturae etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo cum scripturae verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum verbum dei If a man forsooth haue the interpretation of the church of Rome concerning any place of Scripture albeit he seeth not how it accordeth with the words yet he hath the very word of God We leaue euery man in doubtfull questions to be his owne Iudge but why Because we refuse the triall of a Iudge presumptuously aduanced and authorised by them Forsooth the Pope being accused of hainous abominations and sacriledge against God must sit as Iudge whether he be guiltie or not and whether they doe iustly that haue accused him But what Scripture what Councell what Father or storie or practise of the Church hath tied the interpretation of the Scriptures to the church of Rome or the deciding of controuersies to the Bishop of Rome And whereas their course in this behalfe hath no maner of iustification from the ancient Church I challenge him on the other side to alleage any course entertained by the same Church for the interpretation of Scriptures and iudgement of controuersies which is not approued and practised by vs. Which because he cannot do he doth but waste his wit by trifling in this sort and renuing idle cauils which a Of Traditions sect 21.22 before haue beene troden vnder foote being not able to relieue them with any further defense or strength 18. W. BISHOP To fold vp this part let me entreate thee courteous reader to be an vpright Iudge betweene the Protestants doctrine and ours in this most weighty matter of Christs dignity vertues and mediation and if thou see most euidently that ours doth more aduance them why shouldest thou not giue sentence on our side They make Christ ignorant many yeares of his life we hold him from the first instant of his conception to haue beene replenished with most perfect knowledge They that he spake and taught now and then as other men did and was subiect to disordinate passions We that he was most free from all such and that he taught alwaies most diuinely They make his very death not sufficient to redeeme vs we hold that the least thing that euer he suffered in his life deserued the redemption of many worlds They that he died onely for the elect we that he died for all though many through their owne fault doe not receiue any benefit by his death They that thereby we are not purged from our sinnes but by imputation we that all are by the vertue thereof inwardly cleansed They that Christ purchased a Church consisting of few not to continue long and subiect to many errours we that he established a Church that should be spread ouer all the world and that should continue to the end of the world visibly and alwaies free from any errour in any matter of faith Finally they hold that Christ left his holy word to the disputation of men not taking any certaine order for the ending of controuersies that should arise about it we teach that he hath established a most assured meanes to decide all doubts in religion and to hold all obedient Christians inperfect vniformity of both faith and manners And because I am entred into these comparisons giue mee leaue to persist yet a little longer in them Consider also I pray you who goe neerer to Atheisme either we that thinke and speake of the most sacred Trinity as the blessed Fathers in the first Councell of Nice taught or they who directly crosse them and by the nouelty