prayer is as needlesse as to pray for the birth of Christ past or for the day of iudgment to come because euery one by his speciall faith belieues as certainly that his sinnes are forgiuen him as by his generall fayth that Christ was crucified for him as assuredly that he shall perseuer in fayth and come to heauen as that there shal be a day of iudgment and resurrection of his body therefore prayer for the one is as needlesse as for the other Againe if they pray for Gods grace to wash them from sin to keep Gods commandements to auoid concupiscence and lust and to loue God aboue all and not to offend him their prayer is as fruitlesse as to pray for Gods grace to keep them euer being sicke or euer dying or to leape ouer the sea or fly to the starres because according to them the one is as impossible as the other therefore as hopelesse to be obtained by prayer as the other 2. To pray for the preuenting of any euil whether it be malum culpae as sinne or malum poenae as punishment and whether it be punishment temporall as losse of goods affliction of body or death of friends or spirituall as losse of fayth of Gods fauour and of the ioyes of heauen or to pray for the obtayning of any good either temporal as riches health or the life of friends or spirituall as the good of Gods Church the remission of our sinnes and our perseuerance in state of grace or obtaining the kingdome of heauen is both needlesse and fruitlesse because all as well euill as good shall infallibly fall out as God hath according to his owne irrespectiue immutable ineuitable will pleasure decreed and appointed it therefore needlesse it is to pray for the obtaining of good and fruitlesse to pray for the preuenting of euill because both must fall certainly as God hath ordained decreed What end or vse therfore is there of prayer since the euent and the effect will be the same as well without prayer as with prayer all as God without any respect or foreseene consideration of vs or our deserts or prayers or other works hath according to his owne absolute will decreed and appointed to happen to vs. Thirdly willingly to do any act which is belieued and supposed to be a sinne and that mortall deseruing eternall damnation is vnlawfull sinnefull and damnable and so not to be done with a good conscience but such is all prayer euen the best and deuoutest we can vse according to their principles because euery worke euen the good workes of the best persons according to Luther Illyricus Caluin Beza Paraeus VVhitaker Tindall and others are sinnes mortall sinnnes damnable sinnes and nothing but sinne euen in the iust and elect though no more imputed to them then their bad workes of adultery murder c. which they say are not at al imputed to them Therefore all prayer how good or deuout soeuer is a sinne and that mortall and damnable so is vnlawfull sinnefull and damnable and not to be vsed more then swearing lying drinking both being sinnes and neither imputed punished as sinnes in the elect in whome they are couered and both imputed and punished as sinne in the reprobate in whome they are neuer forgiuen All which is confirmed diuers wayes by the expresse wordes first of Luther who affirmes 1. That no man obtaines any thing at Gods hand for any dignity either in his prayer or in himselfe but only by the bounty of God Also which he constantly auouches that the iust man doth sinne euen in praying according to that of Dauid Let his prayer be a sinne 2. By the wordes of Illyricus who affirmes that prayer is no good worke but a begging of wages And of Bucer and Caluin his scholler who both affirme that Christ did not prescribe vs to pray in these very wordes of the Pater noster but shewed to what end and with what affection we should pray 3. By the practise of many Precisians or Familists in England witnesse D. Smyth who vse to protest they will rather dye then say the Lords prayer 4. By the practise of the purer forte of Protestants who haue left off condemne all saying of canonicall houres and deuotion in the Church haue not only turned all publicke praying into preaching neuer vsing any at all in their meetings but also did for example in France pull downe destroy witnesse Richeâ—me in one six monthes no fewer then ten thousand houses of prayer or Churches in 400. Citties which they by rebellion kept froÌ„ their soueraigne King and Prince By all which is apparent not only how little they esteeme either Prayer or houses of prayer but also that according to their grounds all prayer in generall is needlesse and fruitlesse yea sinnefull and damnable and so not to be vsed and practised SVBDIV. 2. In particuler opposing all the seauen Petitions of the Pater Noster IN particuler that by this doctrine is oppugned all euery part and petition of the Pater noster shall likewise be proued For first in the preparation Our Father which art in heauen how can they call or esteeme him a louing Father whome they belieue to be a cruell and vniust iudge who decreed and created them to sinne that for that he might damne them Or what confidence can they haue in the mercy of this Father who is thus rigorous to them in his iustice and more then iustice How can they call or esteeme themselues his children by adoption from whome they receaue no inward grace of iustification How can they call him our Father or the Father of all whome they belieue as a Father to haue predestinated called and giuen meanes only to a few and as a cruell Iudge to haue excluded all the rest and the greatest part of which euery one may iustly feare himselfe to be one from any possibility of vocation grace or saluation How can they expect from him a crowne of glory in heauen of whome they belieue they cannot merit any reward in earth Why should they not feare a heauy hand of iustice yea despaire of any kind of mercy from him who beyond iustice hath proceeded so terribly as to predestinate so many to so great paines as are the paines of hell who had deserued or giuen no cause of any paines at all Who can imagine that God dwelleth in the iust and elect as in the heauens who are so fowly stayned in euery part of their soule with the deformity of all sinne and iniquity that no one part or action of them is cleare and vnstained from sinne Surely they who belieue this of God and his cruelty and of man and his deformity cannot confidently say neither Our Father which imports Gods mercy to man mans confidence in God or VVhich art in heauen which specifyes that as God dwels in the iust so they as the temple of God should be pure
it be contained among the chief articles of the Creed or plainly expressed in scripture 9. So sufficient that it be able to explicate determine all articles and doubtes in religion 10. So complet that it containe virtually be able to resolue plainly all questions and conclusions of Faith which may at any time vpon any occasion arise All which are necessary for such a rule and foundation vpon which so important a matter as faith and religion is grounded And this is the first thing to be obserued for the properties and conditions both of the Iudge and his rule of faith The whole body of the Church cannot be this Iudge SECT II. SECONDLY We may note that this infallible authority to iudge of controuersies of faith is giuen neither to the whole body and congregation of the Church of God as the rigid Lutherans with Brentius do hould nor to the secular Princes and Parlamentes as all the Lutherans at first and the State-Protestants of England do yet defend nor to the lay-people and priuate persons as Caluin and the Caluinists do maintaine nor yet is it residing in the wordes and text or scripture as the ordinary preachers pretend but only is giuen to the Pastours and Prelates of the Church of Christ who are lawfully by authority from Apostolicall succession ordained and Catholickly continue without diuision of heresy or schisme in the same and among them principally to the chiefe head and Pastour the successor of Peter and Bishop of Rome All which concerning euery one shall be briefly proued First therefore although the whole body of the Church collected haue the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost that it cannot erre or be deceaued in faith yet hath it not the same assistance that it may ought to be iudge determiner of faith For as in a naturall body the soule doth informe and giue life to the whole body and euery member of it but doth not discourse and giue vse of reason to the whole or euery part but only to the head so the spirit of God assistes the whole Church with the priuiledge of freedome from errour in faith but doth not likewise giue to it the priuiledg◠of authority to teach and iudge of faith and direct others in the same for which cause God hath giuen a measure of donation diuisions of graces and ministrations and made some not al Apostles Doctours Prophets that some may rule others be ruled some teach and others be taught some be superiours to iudge and direct others be inferiours to be iudged and directed and so an order and subordination a peace and vnity may be obserued and kept in the whole body among the members of Christs Church Whereof see more in the next fourth Section Secular Princes cannot be this Iudge SECT III. THIRDLY That this infallible authority is not in secular Princes or their Assemblies and Parlaments either as particuler members of the Church against Melancthon or as Princes and Superiours among the rest against Brentius so that they can and may lawfully and infallibly iudge of Controuersies make ecclesiasticall lawes giue authority to preach and prescribe a forme of doctrine a manner of seruice and an order of Sacraments and sacrifice though it be largely by many proued against the supremacy of Princes in causes Ecclesiasticall and requires a treatise more large yet in briefe it shall by these reasons be proued First because Kinges and Princes are in the Church of God and spirituall affaires as sheep to be ruled and ordered not as sheepheardes to rule and gouerne they are Lambes to be fed by Peter Sheep of the fold of Christ Members of the Church of God and seruants of the family of Christ Thus did the ancient and holy Fathers freely tell and admonish them and the Christian and good Emperours themselues acknowledged it S. Gregory Nazianzen told Valentinian That the law of Christ did subiect them Emperours to his power and Tribunall and that they were holy sheep of his holy fold S. Ambrose told Theodosius the Great that he was a sonne of the Church and that a good Emperour is within not aboue the Church Theodoret sayes of Constantine the Great that as a louing sonne he did propose busines to the Bishops and Priests as Fathers Constantine himselfe cōfesses that God gaue Priests power to iudge of Emperours witnesse Ruffinus that they were bishops within the Church he without it witnes Eusebius Valentinian the elder confesses that he as a laye man might not interpose himselfe in Church affaires but the Bishops and Priestes had care of such affaires witnes Sozom. And that himselfe was to submit himselfe to them witnes Paulus Diaconus And Theodosius the Great obeyed S. Ambrose his excommunication departed out of the Chancell at his command and cōfessed that thereby he had learned to know what difference there was betweene an Emperour and a Bishop witnes Theodoret and Nicephorus Secondly because the offices of the Bishops and Emperours are diuers and distinct the one of bodyes and goods the other of soules and fayth the one of life and death for offences against the King and common-wealth the other of sinnes and sacraments belonging to Gods lawes mans conscience the one is temporall of the kingdome and common-wealth the other is spirituall of the Church flocke of Christ which the hereticall Emperours forgetting were stoutly and zealously admonished and reprehended by the holy Bishops vnder them for the same As for example Cōstantius the Arian 1. by Hosius of Corduba willing him not to medle with Ecclesiasticall affaires nor to commaund them but to learne of them because to him God had committed the Empire but to them the Church 2. By Leontius of Tripolis because being ruler of military and politicke affaires he should not rule in thinges that belong only to Bishops 3. By S. Hilary of Arles wishing him to writ to Iudges of Prouincies that they should not presume or vsurpe to intermedle with the causes of Clergy men 4. By S. Athanasius of Alexandria that he and such who will be Presidents in ecclesiasticall iudgments who will make the Tribunals of the Court the seales of deciding ecclesiasticall causes themselues Princes and Authours of Church affaires are the abomination of desolation yea euen Antichrist himselfe Valentinian the yonger seduced by his wife was told by S. Ambrose of Milane That he had no Imperiall right in thinges that are diuine for the Court doth belong to the Emperour but the Church to the Priest And being called by the Emperour to reason with Auxentius the Arian he answered That if a conference was to be made of fayth it was to be made by the Priestes as it was vnder Constantine who prescribed no lawes but gaue free iudgement to Priests That it was neuer heard that in a cause of fayth Lay
God a mediatour and priest and both to pray and to be obedient to the father and distinguish in him a person of God distinct from the person of a mediatour and therby with Nestorius make him to haue two persons All which if it be true that is if the sonne or second person as God be not cōsubstantiall with the father if he be not God of God if he be passible the vicar and second after the father if he be a mediatour and priest obedient to the father if he haue two persons then is he not God coequall and coeternall and the same in substance with the father nor one only sonne of God but two persons And so this third article Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord is oppugned Fourthly In the fourth article attributed to S. Andrew is oppugned the humanity of Christ and virginity of his mother VVho was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 1. By the Vbiquitarians who make the humanity to haue omnipotency immensity all the properties of the deity so to do all to be all where and in all places which is proper to a diuine not humane nature 2. By the Anabaptists and others who make Christ to haue passed through the body of his mother as water doth through a conduct and not to haue taken flesh of her womb 3. By Molineus Bucer Beza Willet and others who affirme our B. Lady to haue suffered detriment of her virginity in the birth of our B. Sauiour and so make Christ not to be borne of a virgin which this article affirmes Fiftly In the fifth article attributed to S. Philip is oppugned the vertue of the death and passion of Christ Who suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried And that many wayes 1. In that the vertue of his passiō is not according to them generall for al sinners and wicked persons but particuler only for a few elect that is for some certaine Protestāts of some one sect who only are the faithful among them leauing all the rest destitut of any vertue from it or of any vocation or iustification by meanes of it 2. In that those elect it cures not from sinne but only couers their sinne remits not sinne but only imputes it not washes not away the guilt or offence of sin but only frees them from the punishment due to it and enables not a man to resist sinne but permits him in euery action to sinne strengthens him not to keep any one commandement but leaues him so that he must needes breake all 3. In that it giues to the soule of mā neither any life of grace by which it raises him from spirituall death to life nor any inherent iustice by which it makes him iust before God cleane from any sinne or solid in any perfection of vertue piety and good life nor any vertue by which it enables him to do any good worke to satisfy for any offence or to merit any reward of glory or increase of grace nor any inward vnction by which it adopts him to be and to be called the sonne of God or to be inheritour of the kingdome of heauen 4. It had in Christ as it was endured and offered by him no dignity from his diuine person which did giue an infinit valew and worth to euery action it had no vertue or validity to satisfy Gods iustice for any sin to pay a price sufficient equiualent for any sinne it could not by all the paines and torments which Christ suffered in body euen to the sheding of the last droppe of his bloud auaile any thing for mans redemption except he had suffered in soule also It could not redeeme man from any sinne except Christ besides had suffered all the paines due to sinne euen the same torments of Hell which any damned doth suffer for sin It so far ouercame Christ that it made him troubled inconsiderate abrupt effeminate doubtfull of Gods fauour and forgetfull of his office of a Redeemer It made him wauering staggering desperate renouncing his saluation It tormented him with horrour of conscience with anxiety of mind with sense of Gods wrath and with feeling of the sorrowes paines and torments of eternall death and hell All which as it is their doctrine of the death and passion of Christ in their owne particuler wordes before cyted so it derogates from the vertue of Christs bloud diminish◠the dignity of his passion and is dishonourable sacrilegious and blasphemous to his person and in all oppugnes this article of Christs suffering vnder Pontius Pilate All which is contrary in our Catholike doctrine as shal afterward be shewed which attributes to the vertue and passion of Christ that dignity validity and vertue that euery action any passion the least drop of his bloud was sufficient superaboundant to haue pacified Gods wrath satisfyed his iustice paid the price of sinne redeemed from sinne hell all the world and infinit worlds more and that it did de facto merit for all men inward grace to wash away remit the guilt of sinne to giue life and beauty to the soule to adopt it to the title of the sonne of God that it did giue strength to man to resist sinne before it be committed and satisfy for it in some sort after it be committed to keep Gods Commandmēts to merit a reward at Gods handes Of which doctrine whether doth giue more honour vertue to the death passion of Christ his suffering vnder Pontius Pilate for vs let the indifferent Reader be Iudge Sixthly in the sixth article attributed to S. Thomas is oppugned both the descension of Christ into hell his Resurrection from the dead He descended into hell and the third day rose againe from the dead And first his reall descending in soule to Limbus Patrum to free the Fathers there and make them blessed or which is propable to the place of the damned also not to suffer but to confound the Diuell shew his Maiesty is oppugned 1. By those who deny that any Limbus Patrum was euer at all and affirme that the soules of the dead Patriarches were locally in heauen though not beatifically blessed by the sight of God before Christ as Caluin Beza 2. By those who deny that as yet there is any locall place of hell at all or any reall fire and torments of the damned there as Luther Bucer Brentius Lobecius Perkins VVillet Caluin the Deuines of k Heidelberge 3. By those who deny his descension to haue been either in body or soule substantially but only in vertue and effect meritoriously in that he merited the freedome both of the Patriarches before him and of vs after him from the paines of hell as Bullinger Zuinglius the Diuines of VVittemberge and others 4. By those who affirme his descension to Hell to haue beene only in body not
of the same heere on earth In which we honour him belieuing that as man he is the head of men of the Church and of the visible monarchy of the Church which he established for euer and that euery knee ought to bow downe and adore him as the Sauior of it and that he hath dominion ouer all by his death and resurrection and did also leaue a visible Vicegerent after him by whom we should be gouerned visibly as by himselfe inuisibly Fourthly from his authority to make lawes and iudge vs they derogat and dishonour him in that they take from him al power to make any lawes or giue any precepts of true faith morall life or good manners for our instruction direction deny him as a iudge to haue exercised any iudgment vpon the liuing and faithfull In which we giue him the honour to haue beene our law maker our iudge and to haue made a new law of grace abrogating the old of Moyses and in it to haue prescribed vnto vs obedience to his precepts of faith and good life Fiftly From his Sanctity they derogatiue much and dishonour him greatly in that they call him truly and properly a sinner a great sinner and the greatest sinner of all sinners who sinned in discurtesy to his mother in inconsideration in his actions in forgetfulnesse of his function in staggering betweene praising and blaspheming God betweene hope and despaire and in renouncing his saluation for which he was execrable to God cursed with the damned being in all these properly a sinner and not only by the imputation of our sinnes to him as in their opinion euen man is iust by imputation of his iustice to him and so as truly sinfull as euer any man was iust All which we abhorre as blasphemy belieuing that he suffered paines and payed therby the price of our redemption but was innocent impolluted immaculate incontaminat and segregated from all sinners and sinfull actions bearing the punishment of our sinne in his body but being free from all imputation of the guilt of sinne in his soule Sixtly From his redemption of mankind they derogate and dishonour him 1. In that they deny the vertue of his death passion and precious blood to haue been any full satisfaction or redemption of mankind but only the inâ—ernal paines and suffering in his soule to haue been accepted as sufficient 2. In that they deny the vniuersality and fulnesse of his redemption to haue been offered for all men affirming him to haue dyed only for the elect and to haue offered or left no meanes of redemption for the wicked and reprobat 3. In that they deny the effect and efficacy of the same to haue extended to the abolishing and washing away of sinne to the inward sanctification of the soule by any inward and inherent grace and iustice which should enable it to keep the commandments of God and to auoid mortal offence against God In all which we honour him and his redemption in that 1. We belieue and professe that his pretious bloud shed vpon the crosse and his death and passion offered vp to God was a full price a perfect redemption from sinne 2. That the same was a full price satisfaction and redemption for all the sinnes of all persons in all the world 3. That the same purchased of his part for all sinners not only are imputatiue but also an inherent and reall iustification by grace which doth wash away the deformity of sinne cure the infirmity of the soule and giue strength to the keeping of Gods commandements and to the auoiding of sinne and so the meriting of a reward at Gods handes Seauenthly from his merit and satisfaction they derogate and dishonour him in that they deny him to haue by it satisfyed the iustice of God for any one sinne or to haue merited to himselfe his owne exaltation to glory or to our workes either any satisfaction for sinne or any merit of reward by his grace In all which we honour the same belieuing that he fully in iustice satisfyed and offered to God a sufficient price for our sinnes that he merited for himselfe his owne body the glory of his Resurrection and to vs not only for our sinnes a full price and satisfaction but also for our good works a vertue by grace both to satisfy in some sort for sinne and to merit a reward of more grace present and glory to come Eightly about his corporall death and passion they shamefully derogate and dishonour him in that they affirme he suffered both in body and soule the paines torments of Hell the death of the soule the separation of the soule from God the same infernall and eternall paines which the very Diuells and damned do suffer for the tyme and which in rigour are due to sinne and all sinners which except he had suffered he had not satisfyed for vs nor sufficiently redeemed vs. In all which we doe so honour his life and death that we attribute to euery action and passion of his euen to the least drop of his bloud that worth and valew arysing of the dignity of his diuine person that it was sufficient to haue satisfyed for an infinit world of sinnes and that the paines he suffered were only in the sensible and inferiour part of the soule and body but did not touch the superiour part of his soule that they were voluntarily sustained and offerred vp to God for vs and accepted by God for vs as being of more dignity then the offence of all our sinnes was of indignity whereby he neither suffered nor needed to suffer nor could in the dignity of his person suffer any paines ot hell but by the paines of the Crosse though by the tendernes of his coplexion more painefull to him then to any other did pay a sufficient price make a full attonement offer a perfect satisfaction and performe the part of a complete Redeemer and Sauiour for all mankind and the sinnes of all men Ninthly in the certainty of his saluation they blasphemously derogate from him and dishonour him more then themselues in that they affirme euery one of themselues to be infallibly certaine of his saluation and more certaine by his speciall faith of it then by his generall faith of the B. Trinity or incarnation of Christ and yet that our B. Sauiour was fearfull doubtfull wauering and vncertaine of his saluation did strugle with the horrour of death feared to be absorpt vp of eternall death was tormented with the anxiety of Gods wrath and indignation and that more then any man euer was or could be in which his horrour and desolation consists the summe of their consolation as their owne words more fully before related do expresse In all which we do so far honour him that we affirme and belieue that the painâ—s he suffered he willingly offered vp to God for vs that he was sure and secure that God his father did alwayes
and found and that by industry and reading of the words and text the spirit is to be found Whereupon they make the words of scripture as they are heard or read not only the organ or instrument of faith as much as wee make the Sacrament instrument of grace but also the sole instrument which with diligence read or heard they prescribe as the only meanes to receiue faith and saluation For first as a man consists of body and soule and the body of it selfe being senslesse dead is the inferiour â—â—rt the soule being life and giuing life is the principal part without which he is not man So the Scripture consists of the words or text which is read or heard and is only the body barke or couering of Gods word and of the sense and meaning which is vnderstood belieued and is the life soule and substance of the scripture Now the words as they are written or spoken consisting of letters syllables words are dead without life and common to Gentils Iewes and hereticks with the faithfull yea in the same manner as the law is called a law of sinne so are they by S. Paul said to Kill to be ministration of death Because according to S. August the letter read and not truly vnderstood or not performed is occasion of heresy and sinne some gathering out of it as out of the flower poison of heresy like the spider others hony of faith like the bee The sense and meaning as it is truly vnderstood belieued which is properly the word of God is an effectuall meanes more piercing theÌ„ any two-edged sword an operatiue vertue to saluation but to whome to all that belieue And to whom it is so proper that it is by faith only conceaued and attained and by faith only belieued vnderstood Secondly As the bare letter words and text of scripture without true sense are not the word of God so they do not containe the spirit of God or the holy ghost in them neither is the holy ghost thus inherent resident or to be sought found in the scripture but in the hart and soule of the writers of scripture that is the Prophets or Apostles in whom as it did remaine and dictate to them what they writ so did it reueale and manifest to them the true sense meaning of the same though perhaps not alwayes the whole complete meaning and all senses of the scripture for by reason of the fecundity of senses in Gods word many or al of them were not according to S. Augustine alwayes reuealed to the same Apostles or prophets but some reserued to the authour of it the holy ghost it selfe And as the spirit of God is not inherent or resident in the bare words sillables or text of scripture so the spirit or spiritual true sense of scripture is not to be sought or found only in or out of the bare words and their grammaticall signification but out of the rule of faith expounded according to the Ecclesiasticall and Catholike doctrine of beliefe Not by humane labour and industry of study but by the meane of faith and diuine reuelation For the words are translated into other languages different from that in which they were originally written and haue diuers and various significations and senses as litterall moral allegoricall and anagogicall and are by seuerall expositions drawne to suport diuers seuerall yea contrary faithes and religions Also great labour diligence and study haue beene vsed by many men of great wit learning and knowledge in the expounding seeking out the true sense of scripture who yet haue beene so far from finding it as that they haue inuented many false and heretical meanings and therupon grounded many wicked and damned heresies Out of al which it doth follow that the words of scripture and the diligent and frequent reading or hearing of it are so far from being a necessary meanes of faith much lesse the sole whole meanes to it that faith is a meanes necessary presupposed to the vnderstanding of scripture For if the scripture consist not in the words and letter only but in the sense vnderstanding principally and if the sense depend not vpon the bare words but vpoÌ„ the Ecclesiastical catholicke rule tradition of faith as is proued then must faith be prerequired as a help and meanes to find out the true sense of scripture And they who will read scripture must bring faith with them as a help and meanes to vnderstand the scripture and not ground their faith vpon their reading of scripture which being diligently read though it may serue to coÌ„firme and nourish faith in ones selfe or to illustrate and defend it to others and in both being according to the rule of faith interpreted a light to direct them in the way of piety and to enflame them with the heat of Charity yet it can neither be a first and firme ground to cause and produce first and certaine faith in any for a man must bring faith to belieue it nor a sufficient meanes to resolue all points of faith necessary to saluation as besids other reasons the practise of so many heresies diuided pretended to be grounded all vpon it doth conuince and the experience made for example of three persons Iews Turks or Pagans all ignorant of Christian religion all turned to a bare text of the bible all willed to seeke out and resolue in particular articles formerly or presently controuerted in Christian religion will no doubt by their seuerall contrary resolutions confirme the same And thus much of the rule of faith as a necessary meanes of expounding scripture The second meanes of expounding the holy scriprure is the generall practise or obseruation the publike Custome or tradition of the whole Church in the exercise of any religious seruice or worship or in the practise of any sacrifice sacrament or ceremony in which as the Church it selfe cannot erre so it may be a guide in expounding the scripture to keep others from errour that where the doctrine of the Church is not euident there the practise and obseruation of the same may serue This practise we will proue by the practise of the chiefe Doctours in Gods Church for by this did the ancient Fathers expound many places and conuince many Heretikes By this practise admitting the lapsed to pennaÌ„ce did Epiphanius conuince the Nouatians who reiected them By this practise of saying Glory be to the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost did S. Basil conuince Origen about the deity of the holy Ghost vrging his owne practise with the rest against Origens owne doctrine against the rest By this practise of baptizing in the name of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost did Theodoret conuince Arius who denyed the equality of the Sonne with the Father By this practise of exorcising breathing vpon Infants in the SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme did
of Christs body receaued only by the faythfull Elect. With many such like which hang vpon the former principle The third and next borne impe of this spirit is the doctrine of Originall sinne which against the Pelagians Luther admitting did yet against the Catholike Church maintaine to be naturall Concupiscence which in the state of corrupt nature remaining in man is very Originall sinne it selfe This Originall sinne say they doth corrupt and infect the whole man and all and euery action in man proceeding from it with sinne doth cause that a man in all euen in his best actions doth sinne and can do nothing but sinne and so can neither merit by any good worke nor satisfy for any sinne doth hinder all internall grace and iustification which should abolish sinne doth take away all ability of free-will all possibility of keeping the Commandements or so much as any one of them all obligation to performe any precept of the loue of God or man morall or diuine and so all endeauour and labour to do pennance to seeke perfection to take vp the crosse of Christ and mortify our passions and follow him as being needlesse fruitlesse and impossible by the infection of this concupiscence which they make to be originall sinne The last and youngest bastard-brood of this spirit is the doctrine of predestination of which though Luther layd the egge yet because Caluin did hatch the brood maintaine aboue any other before him it is imputed to him as the first hatcher of it and as his bastard is by many Lutherans and Arminians reiected The doctrine of which is this that God out of his absolute and irrespectiue will as he predestinated ordained and created some to saluation so by the same will he like wise predestinated ordained and created others to damnation the one because it was his will that they should be saued the other meerely because it was his will without any fault sinne or demerit in them foreseene that they should be damned To which damnation that he might bring them he did for that end create them and ordained that first Adam then all his posterity should sinne that for this sinne he might execute his sentence of damnation for which end he did cause Sathan to tempt them to sinne to moue and force them to sinne yea did himselfe take from them all liberty not to sinne and worke in them immediatly by his operation all their sinne and obdurate them in that sinne and for that end that they should haue no remedy or help against sinne he denyed them the benefit of the death of Christ and his merits the benefit of vocation to grace of sufficiency of grace of iustification by grace or of glorification by the meanes of grace to all those whome he had thus appointed to damnation and to sinne On the contrary to them whome he had ordained to be saued he ordayned likewise the death Passion of Christ as a meane for that end to them only and by it gaue effectuall vocation sanctification and glorification to them only and of these only who are his only children he maks his Church To these only let them do what they will he imputes no sinne but couers all their sinnes with the cloake of the iustice of Christ accounts them iust and notwithstanding all their sinnes loues them as his children esteemes them as his darlinges and enthrones them as heires in his Kingdome of heauen among his Saints and Angels All which and such like opinions in number infinit and in impiety horrible as so many swarmes of locusts and gnates engendred out of the corruption of all good christianity and conceaued in the wombe of double Apostacy and sacriledge between a Frier and a Nunne by the heat and smoke of this fiery spirit of frensy haue as so many clouds shaddowed the light of true Fayth as so many Foxes deuoured the Lambes of Christs sheepfould as so many rootes of ill weedes ouergrowne and choaked the haruest of Christs fields and as so many vipers poysoned the soules of an infinit number of Christians Whereby is left nothing but ruine and vastation of all ancient monuments of piety nothing but horrour and confusion in all discipline and orders of Religion nothing but impiety and desolation of all Fayth and beliefe in many flourishing kingdomes of Christianity Of which as any one in former ages would haue sufficed as a plague to haue infected any Country with heresy so al of them compiled in one bundell can bring no lesse then a general mortality of all goodnes in so many Countrys infected by thē Of absurdities which follow vpon the first head of contempt of all Church-authority and relying vpon the priuate spirit SECT II. BVT let vs proceed and consider in particuler what fruits and consequences and what absurdities contrary to all reason honesty and piety do flow and follow out of these principles positions And first to begin with their first principle and the issue following from it which is their contempt of Church-authority their condemning the Roman Church as Antichristian and theit bold affirming the true Church of Christ for so many ages to haue decayed perished and to haue beene inuisible not knowne wholy ouerwhelmed with errours of superstition idolatry Antichristianity 1. It followes that for so many ages that is 8.10.12 or 14. as before was neither true Church or congregation neither lawfull Pastours and Preachers neither right Sacramēts or Sacrifice neither any diuine seruice or worship of God among any visible company of people in any part of the Christian world 2. It followes that in all those ages all the Fathers and Doctours all the Bishops Prelates all the Confessours Virgins and Martyrs and all the Councels generall or prouinciall that all the foure Doctours of the Latin Church and the rest with them al the Doctours of the East Church all the learned among thē all ancient Bishops of the Primitiue church al the Cleargy vnder them all the foure first generall Councels and the other twelue after them with the prouinciall Councels confirmed by them the Bishops and Confessours in them that all the Holy Virgins Confessours and Martyrs in tyme of most of the ten persecutions and of the Arian and image-breaking Emperours that all the Emperours of Rome Constantinople or Germany of the East or West all the Kinges of Italy Spaine France England Scotland Swethland Denmarke or Poland all and euery one who before Luther were Christians and professed the christian Religion that all these with the people who professed the same Christianity with them vnder them were all seduced by a false fayth and false Christianity and all liued and dyed in the seruice not of Christ but Antichrist Into what heart of any Christian can it enter that for so many ages no Doctour with his penne no Prelate out of the pulpit no Cōfessour in prison no Martyr at his death no Councell by
and soule so was Christ to suffer and did suffer not only in body by shedding his bloud which as corporall auailed little but in soule also which for the sinnes of the soule was to suffer the paines due to the soule And as man was to suffer the paines of hell in body in soule so was Christ to suffer and did suffer all the same paines of hell which man should haue suffered and so was presented before the tribunall of God for man as guilty of sinne Feared the iudgment of God against this sinne doubted and feared the sentence of his damnation for this sinne and wauered betweene blessing and cursing of God betweene praysing and blaspheming of God vttered wordes not only of inconsideration and perturbation but euen of desperation and at last suffered all the paines and torments of hell in his soule vpon the Crosse which any damned doth suffer or ought to suffer in his soule for the same sinnes in hell In which 1. They deny the fulnesse and perfection of Christs redemption euen of the elect in that they deny the infinite excesse of dignity and value in euery action and passioÌ„ of Christ as proceeding from his diuine person aboue the malice of sinne 2. They doe derogate from the vertue of Christs bloud shed by his passion of which the Scripture affirmes that he iustified vs in his bloud that he redeemed vs in his bloud washed vs in his bloud pacifyed for vs in his bloud purchased vs with his bloud and made his new testâ—ment in his bloud in that they affirme nothing had beene done if Christ had dyed only a corporall death 3. They do extenuate the merit of Christ in that they auerre that in the iudgmeÌ„t of God there is no place of merit for Christ. 4. They do impose vpon our B. Sauiour horrible impiety blasphemy in that they auouch him to haue doubted feared and wauered in his saluation to haue beene ready to curse and blaspheme and to haue despaired and suffered all the torments of the damned in hell In all which as they impose this horrible blasphemy vpon our B. Sauiour Iesus and make him more sinnefull and vncertaine of his saluation then they are of theirs so they do most impiously derogate from the vertue of his death and passion and from the perfection of his redeÌ„ption and in the effect thereof euen in those elect who according to them he only by his death saued redeemed Secondly because to be a perfect and full Redeemer of the elect is requisite that he redeeme them from the seruitude and misery into which by sinne they fell which was the seruitude and misery 1. Of sinne into which being depriued of grace they of themselues cannot but fall and of themselues cannot ryse again you are seruants of sinne 2. Of Sathan to whome by sinne they are made captiue and cannot of themselues resist his will 3. Of sensuality and the law in the members repugning to the law of the mind which of themselues they cannot maister 4. Of the law of workes which of themselues they cannot performe but by it remaine vnder the curse 5. Of hell which for their owne demerit is due to them we haue made a couenant with hell But by this doctrine of sole fayth that Christ did not redeem euen the elect from any of these captiuityes and miseries especially of sinne Sathan sensuality and law of workes nor yet from Hell is proued Not from the seruitude of sin because the best man in his best workes according to Caluin and Luther cannot but sinne as before and because the iust hath no inherent grace or iustice to sanctify him from sinne but only imputatiue couering his sinne and making him seeme and shew iust Not from the seruitude of Sathan because he wants Free-will to resist him and so cannot but yield to his instigation and because he still remaines in sinne both originall and actuall and so by sinne remaines SathaÌ„s slaue Not from the concupiscence because it still remaynes in him infects euery action proceeding from him and because according to Caluin not to haue concupiscence is impossible and according to Luther to haue a VVoman is as necessary for a man as to eate drinke sleep or as to be a man Not froÌ„ the seruitude of the law because the performance of the law and the doing of good workes is impossible and because maÌ„ though iust remaines still guilty of the disobedience of the law Not from the misery of hell because while a man remaines a worker of sinne a seruer of concupiscence a transgressour of the law and a slaue of Sathan as according to the former confessed doctrine euen the iust and elect do he cannot but be subiect to hell and hell be due vnto him therefore if Christ redeeme not euen the elect and iust from the seruitude either of sinne Sathan sensuality the law or hell as by this their doctrine he doth not he cannot be a perfect and complete Redeemer euen of those elect whom only say they he came to redeeme Thirdly that this doctrine makes Christ a bad PhisitiaÌ„ worse Chirurgeon of soules to cure them of their sinnes is proued Because he infuses neither grace into our soares to cure them nor giues strength to our infirmityes to enable vs nor extinguishes the poyson of originall sinne which still infects our actions but only couers our soares and wounds with a faire cloake of his owne iustice presents vs thus couered before God as iust and imputes no sinnes vnto vs though inwardly indeed we remaine vniust and wicked in soule in hart and in all cogitations wordes or actions What doth Christ therfore Surely no more then a Chirurgeon who finding a man wounded and his woundes festered and infecting the rest of the body should only couer the same with a faire cloath produce and shew him to the people thus couered and for this cure accountes both the man safe and sound and also himselfe a perfect Chirurgeon or Phisitian worthy of honour and reward for his paines Such a Phisitian or Chirurgeon according to them is our Sauiour and such a cure doth he worke vpon all his elect whome he cures and redeemes no beter for he cures not by grace infused either the ignorance of the vnderstanding or the malice of the will or the concupiscence of the affections or the infirmity of the exteriour faculties but only couers and hides them with the cloake of his iustice and so imputes them for no sinnes and accounts the persons iust which is all the cure that our Phisitian Christ workes on vs in their new doctrine Fourthly that this doctrine makes Christ either no law-giuer at all contrary to the Prophets who call him a Law-giuer and to his disciple S. Iohn who sayes he gaue a new commandement or els such a law-giuer as makes lawes which are neither iust vpright nor
writinges let him peruse the foresaid Collation where he shall find at large Gods expresse wordes that God wills not iniquity their expresse wordes that God wills iniquity Gods words that God doth not worke iniquity their wordes that God doth worke iniquity Gods words that he doth not coÌ„mand man to sinne their words that God doth command a man to sinne Gods words that God doth not tempt to euill their wordes that he doth tempt to euill Gods wordes that God doth hate all who worke iniquity and their wordes that he dâ—tâ— noâ— haâ—e them Gods wordes that he doth not â—ustify a wicked man remaining wicked their wordes that he doth iustify such a one Gods word that he is angry with the faythfull when they sinne their word that he is not angry with them Gods word thâ—t God is delighted with good workes their wordes that he is not delighted with good workes Gods words that God is worshipped with good works their wordes that he is not worshipped with them Gods wordes that God is pacifyed pleased with good workes their wordes that he is not pacifyed nor pleased with them Gods words that God will haue his Commandments kept their wordes that he will not haue them kept Gods words that God will haue mercy vpon all men their wordes that he will not haue mercy on all men Gods wordes that God doth loue all men their wordes that he doth not loue all men Gods words that he will haue all men to be saued their wordes that he will not haue all men to be saued Gods wordes that God wills not the death of a sinner their words that God wils the death of a sinner Gods wordes that God made not death their wordes that he made death Gods wordes that God hath no need of sinners their wordes that God hath need of sinners Gods wordes that God damnes men for their sinnes their wordes that he doth not damne them for their sinnes Gods wordes that God can do all thinges their wordes that God cannot do all thinges All which contradictions being in the forecited booke place expressed in the wordes of God in Scripture in the wordes of the authours themselues out of their owne writings and that only in one article concerning God to omit many other such like contradictions concerning Christ Scripture Church Sacraments Fayth good Workes in generall and particuler Sinnes Iustification Free-will the Commandements Heauen Hell and others in particuler to the nuÌ„ber of 250. in the same authour expressed in the wordes of Scripture and the Protestant authours themselues do euidently conuince that in most points of controuersies expresse Scripture is against them of which also some particuler instances are giuen in the former part of this Treatise and that they doe make God who is truth it selfe a false lying or dissembling God in his holy word holy Scripture which they would seeme so much to esteeme and honour SVBDIV. 6 Protestant Doctrine of Predestination makes God a most cruell Tyrant THAT this Protestant doctrine doth make God cruel most cruell and more cruell then any Tyrant in this world shall by these their positions and doctrine before proued appeare 1. In that they affirme God to haue imposed vpon man lawes impossible by him to be performed as the ten Commandements and for the breach of them to haue inflicted paines intollerable as hell-fier 2. In that they affirme God to haue ordeined appointed and created that vpon his owne meere will and pleasure without any demerit so much as in them foreseene the greater part of mankind to be damned for euer in the torments of hell 3. In that he hath taken from these men freedome of will and ordained decreed forced and necessitated these men to sinne that for this siâ—ne he might damne them and for the same hath damned and doth still damne many By which doctrine is taken away from God his chiefest attribute of mercy which is aboue all his workes and is attributed to him the chiefest property of the Diuell which is extreme cruelty For first if God do make lawes which are impossible to be kept and inflict punishment which is intollerable to be endured for the breach of them then are Gods lawes more seuere then were the laws of Draco the Athenian who made lawes so cruell that he inflicted death equally vpon all offences as well lesse as greater as well for taking a bunch of grapes as for stealing a great treasure as well vpon those who were only idle as vpon those who were murderous because sayd he the least offence deserued death a great offence could not haue a greater punishment then death for which Demades sayd such lawes were to be writ not with inke but with bloud and Solon did after seauenteene yeares abrogate them all and made new but according to this doctrine Gods lawes inflict a death not temporall but eternall and paines not for an hower but for euer as well for euery idle word as for an horrible murder as well for stealing a penny as a thousand pounds as well for an vnuoluntary suggestion to sinne as a voluntary consent act or custome of sinne and which is more for not doing that which was impossible for them to do or for committing that which God himselfe forced them to commit Memorable are the tyrannies of the Herods in holy Scripture Of Herod the King who to kill one most innoceÌ„t kild all the innocent children about Bethleem Of Herod the Tetrarch who to please a dancing Wench cut off the head of a holy S. Iohn Baptist And of Herod â—grippa who to please the people kild S. Iames would haue kild S. Peter if the Angell had not freed him out of prison Memorable are the crueltyes of Adonibezec who cut off the fingars and toes of 70. Kinges and fed them with scraps vnder his table Of Abimelec who kild vpon one stone the seauenty sonnes of Ieroboall Of Amman who would haue kild all the Iewes in all the kingdome of assuerus in one day Memorable were the cruelties of Hannibal who of dead bodies of the Romans made a bridge and of his wife who said that a Ditch full of bloud was a gratefull spectacle Of Mythridates who with one letter caused foure score thousand Roman Merchants to be kild at one tyme in Asia Of the Hetrurians who tyed the bodies of the liuing Romans to the dead that the one might dye by corruptioÌ„ of the other Of Atrius who kild cut in peeces boiled and set before his brother Thyestas his owne children to eate Of Ptolomy of Aegypt who kild his owne sonne Memphis borne of his owne sister and wife Cleopatra and sent the head handes and feet to his mother for a present Of the Emperour Nerâ— who set Rome on fire desired to see all the world on the like fire and wished that all the Cittizens had but one head that he might cut it off at
one blow Of Caligula who held that it was lawfull for him to do what he list with any man Of Tiberius who kild the most of the Senatours of Rome and left Caligula his successour because he hoped he would kill the rest and exceed him in cruelty Memorable were the tyrannies of Phalaris of Aegrigentum who tormented men in a fiery bull Of Diomedes of Thrace and of Busciris of Aegypt who gaue their guests to be deuoured by their horses fed them commonly with mans flesh Of Dionysius of Syracusa of Anno of Carthage of Eliarcus of Heraclea of Hyparchus of Athens all who deuised torments the more cruelly to kill their subiects and of the persecuting Emperours who sought all new deuises of tormenting by racke wheels renting brusing and by lingring death the more cruelly to execute the bodyes of the innocent Christians Wherupon the Philosophers sayd Cruelty is hatefull to God a monster of madnesse and misery that cruelty and equity cannot be ioyned togeather that cruelty is a wickednesse not humane but bestiall and which cannot stand with equity But of all crueltyes the most memorable yea horrible and not imaginable if the Diuell himselfe had not inuented and deuised it is this cruelty which they impose vpon God who is a God so good so clement so pittifull and so mercifull that his mercy is aboue all his works and from generation to generation that he disposes all things in mercy and doth with good thinges fill the earth that he shouâ—d not only impose lawes vpon man aboue his ability for the breaking of these laws should inflict hell-paines but also that he should will ordaine decree predestinate yea and create and that certainly ineuitably and immutably as the prime and principal cause only because it was his mâ—ere will and pleasure the greatest parte of mankind that is al who are damned to eternal death destruction and damnation in those intollerable paines of hell-fier for all eternity And that he did will command worke yea and compell and necessitate man to sinne that for this sinne he might punish and damne him eternally in hell This certainly is such a cruelty that if it were true it would follow that this good God was more cruell then the former tyrants euer were for they put men to a temporall death God to an eternal They kild men whom they found in their kingdome God created and made men that he might damne them eternally They puld downe them whom they had exalted God exalted these to his liknesse for that end that he might cast them downe to the deepest hell They murdered a few oÌ„ly of their subiects God the greatest part of the world They kild them against whome they conceiued displeasure or such as had offended them God damnes theÌ„ who haue no way offended him or sinned yea whom he forces to sinne that for that sinne he may damne them They punished with great punishment small offences God with eternall punishment no offences They punished with death men who did otherwise one way or other both deserue death and must dy God damnes them who otherwise then for his will and pleasure were not to be damned as much therfore as the number is greater the punishment more grieuous and the cause of their damnation lesse so much is God by these doctours made more cruel and tyrannicall then any of the former tyrants If it were a horrible cruelty for a King to call thousands of his subiects out of the Country to the Court and there to grace and giue them dignity only for that end that when he had thus graced them he might presently without any fault committed by them torture torment and with all cruelty by his owne hands murder and butcher them alone after another then surely a greater cruelty it is in God to create and bring out of nothing so many millions of soules as are or shal be in hell tormented to exalte them to the dignity of his owne liknesse in memory will and vnderstanding and to enrich them with so many benefits of nature grace only for that end that without any desert or offence in them he may in those intollerable flames eternally himselfe torment them yea to cause compell and force them to commit such acts of sinne that for the same he may thus punish and damne them Surely this is a cruelty â—nd tyranny so great that a greater cannot be conceiued to be in the diuell nor yet be imagined by the diuell himselfe and yet these Protestant doctours do not only impute it vnto God but wil haue it to be a property of God and to stand with his mercy Indeed if to make lawes not impossible to be performed if to oblige men to do thinges impossible to be done if to command men to do a worke and then to deny them meanes to do it if to command and will men yea to force and compel them to do some action and then to punish them for doing the same and that with such horrible paines as of hell If this I say be mercy and mildnesse be grace and goodnes then what can be seuerity iniustice cruelty and tyranny If this be Gods mercy pitty clemency longanimity grace and goodnes to man what is his iustice and seuerity what is or can be cruelty and tyranny If these be his wayes of mercy what are his wayes of iustice If to punish cura condignum and to reward vltra condignum that is to punish lesse and reward more then is deserued be a property of mercy which all attribut to God then to punish without desert yea to cause and force a man to do euill and then to punish him for it is surely no mercy yea no iustice but vnspeakable cruelty and intollerable iniustice Surely if this may be accounted mercy it is a mercy which is mercilesse a mercy which brings all misery and makes millions most miserable A mercy which makes mercy steâ— more then seuere iustice mercy most extreme iniustice mercy and most inhumane cruelty all one for what greater iniustice and cruelty can there be in a tyrant or a diuell then to choose and picke out so many millions of soules and without any cause giuen by them to ordaine appoint and put them into eternall paines of hell-fire there to fry for all eternity and to debarre them of all meanes or ability either of the merits of Christ or of freedome in themselues or of any other helpes or meanes whatsoeuer to auoid the same so that vpon necessity they must sinne and deserue damnation vpon necessity must for that sinne be daÌ„ned O mercilesse mercy O vniust iustice nay O cruell cruelty of all cruelties the greâ—test that cruelty it selfe could conceiue or the Diuel himself can either deuise or execute Far be it from thee O God of mercy who works all in mercy and whose mercy is aboue all thy works SVBDIV. 7. Protestant doctrine of Predestination makes
detractiue in euery one And on the contrary how we and our doctrine do honour attribut to the same God and Christ all worthy and due respect of veneration honour in all which as it is affirmatiue in it selfe so it is honourable to God and agreable to reason in all and euery particular point and opinion in controuersy First therfore for God they dishonour and derogate 1. From the blessed Trinity in that as before some of them do deny the distinction of the three persons some the vnity of one nature some the consubstantiality of the Sonne with the Father some the deity of the Sonne from the Father as God of God some the deity of the holy Ghost as God some the prayer Holy Trinity one God haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs. We with the ancient Church acknowledge three persons and one God the second person God of God and consubstantiall with the father and the third person of the holy Ghost proceeding froÌ„ both the father the sonne in them one holy Trinity three persons and one God 2. They and their spirit derogate from the mercy of God in that according to them he is cruell and tyrannicall in that he will not haue all saued will not giue sufficient meanes to all to be saued hath willed appointed and ordained millions of soules to be damned and to sinne that for it he may damne them and accordingly torment theÌ„ for that sinne which he himselfe willed ordained wrought and compelled them vnto We and our Catholicke Church attribute honour to him and his mercy in that according to vs he would haue all saued giues to all sufficient meanes to be saued creates and ordaines all to be saued wils not the death and damnation of any nor doth damne any but those who for their owne fault and sinne by themselues willingly committed against him his good will and goodnesse do deserue 3. They their spirit do derogate from Gods goodnesse in that according to them he who is good al good yet is not pleased pacifyed worshipped or delighted with good works but doth will ordaine commande compell and necessitate bad works and so is the authour of all euill and all euill works in men and doth esteeme impute that which is wicked and sinfull in men for no sinne in them but accounts that which is bad good him that is wicked iust We our Catholik doctrine do attribute due honour to the same goodnesse of God in that according to it God hates detests forbids and punishes all sinne and sinfull actions conuerts sanctifies purifies and make cleane pure and iust all sinners by his grace duely disposing themselues so reputes them as they are become truely iust in that God is delighted pleased pacified and honoured by good workes which he doth will command and reward in man who according to his will by his grace workes them 4. They their priuate spirit derogates from his iustice in that according to their doctrine he is short of iustice in rewarding none who deserue well and do him seruice exceâ—ds all iustice in that he ordaines men to an eternall and intollerable paine who haue deserued none 2. In that he punisheth them for that which he himselfe not only willed and commanded theÌ„ to do but also wrought and effected in them 3. In that he creats and dignifies them with his gifts graces for that end that he may himselfe cruelly torture and torment them and that in hell for no other end but to shew his power iustice ouer them 4. In that he laies precepts vpon them which are impossible for them to performe and commands them to abstaine from that which himselfe forces them to do and wils them to practise that which he giues not power freedome or sufficient meanes to practise We and our Catholicke doctrine do honour and giue due respect to his Iustice 1. In that according to vs he rewards all who deserue well and punisheth none but those who deserue ill 2. In that he punisheth all for their owne fault which they themselues committed and none for that which himselfe willed 3. In that he created all to be saued and gaue them meanes sufficient to be saued in which he shewed his mercy and punisheth with hell those who would not vse those meanes in which he shewed his Iustice 4. In that he gaue precepts and made lawes easy gaue meanes to performe them sufficient punisheth only those who willingly breake them 5. They and their priuate spirit derogate from his omnipotency in that according to their doctrine he is not able to place one body in two places in the B. Sacrament nor two bodies in one place in his natiuity resurrection and ascension nor to draw a Cable rope or camell through a needles eye nor by his absolut power to worke any more theÌ„ already he hath wrought We and our Catholicke doctrine do attribut to his omnipotency that he is able to do all the former and what more he pleases to do which is not either wicked and so is against his goodnesse or not contradictory and so implies in it selfe an impossibility to be done And in these do the Protestants their spirit by their doctrine derogate from God and his Deity from his goodnesse his mercy his Iustice and his omnipotency and impute to him wickednesse cruelty iniustice and impotency In all which we in our doctrine do the contrary Secondly for Christ our blessed Sauiour they their doctrin of the priuate spirit do dishonour him derogate 1. From his felicity beatitude in this life denying him to be viator and comprehensor that is enduring the paine and miseries of mortall men in his body and enioying the felicity and blessednesse of glorious Saints in his soule In which we do honour him belieuing that from the first instant of his coÌ„ception his soule had in his body the same blessednesse as now it enioyes in heauen by the perfect vision fruition of God though by dispensation for our redemption the same did not redound to the glory of his body till after his resurrection 2. From his knowledge they derogate and dishonour him in making him ignorant and defectiue of knowledge in many things and as a scholler to haue profited in his booke and learning of sciences and trades as other children do In which we giue him the honour to haue had all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome to haue vnderstood all the perfection of all sciences and artes and to haue perfectly conceiued all things past present or to come by a diuine infused knowledge from the first instant of his conception in his mothers wombe Thirdly From his primacy and supremacy ouer his Church they derogate and dishonour him in that they deny him as a man sensible and visible to haue beene the head foundation of his Church and to haue had any perpetual visible monarchy