Protestants deny three articles of our creed and the Puritanes fiue I say that you affirme much and proue little But first you might well ynough haue forborne this distinction of Protestants Puritanes for although some haue differd in some outward matters concerning ceremonies externall orders in the Church yet these all greatly agree and consent in all points of the doctrine of faith and Articles of Christian Religion Neither do I know any that deserue so well of this name of Puritanes as you who glory that you after Baptisme bee pure from all sinne and for actuall sinnes after committed can make so full satisfaction to God for them that hee can request no more of you as hereafter I will shew and therefor it is you that may well be called Puritanes of whome that saying of Sollomon may be well verified There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines Prou 30. But let vs come to the examination of your proofe of this your absurd and slaunderous assertion The first you fay is the Catholike Church Credo Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam doe wee deny this Article Why doe wee then not onely print it and rehearse it in our Creed but also expound it in our preachings and Catechising I haue said before that which may seeme sufficient concerning this matter andd article yet the better to satisfie the Christian Reader and to stop the mouth of this malicious accuser I say againe that by the holy Catholike Church mentioned in the Creede is ment the company of all Gods elected and faithfull people whome he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth to be vessels of his mercy and heires of his kingdome of glory which is the body of Christ and he the head the spouse of Christ and he the bridegrome the house of Christ and he the foundation the flocke of Christ and hee the shepehard And this Church wee confesse to bee Catholike that is to say vniuersall both in respect of time for that it consisteth of all them that are written in the booke of life which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end thereof and also of place for that it is not now contained in any one country Act. â—o 35. but as S. Peter saith In euery nation be that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him and is a true meÌ„ber of this Catholike church That this is the holy Catholike Church which we confesse and beleeue wherof the prophane wicked hypocrites and reprobates bee no part besides that which I haue said before I will further proue it by the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers Saint Paul saith Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp Ephes 4. 15. vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increace of the body vnto the edifying of it sefe in loue Againe Christ loued â—he Church Chap. 5. 25. and gaue himselfe for it that be might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it to him selfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame These things belong onely to the elect people of God who shall raigne with him in his eternall kingdome of glory For they onely be the body of Christ knit together in him sanctified here to bee without spot or blemish hereafter The Apostle to the Hebrues saith Whose house we are if we Heb. 3. 6. hold fast that confidence and that reioycing of hope vnto the end Where he sheweth that they belong to the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and 1. Timth 3. 15 stay of truth which vnto the end hold fast their confident faith and hope of Gods glory wherof they reioyce which belongeth onely to the faithfull and chosen children of God This is that Church whereof he speaketh after But Heb. 12. 22. ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citty of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men To whom can these Galat. 4. things pertaine but onely to the Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesiaest non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco pertotum orbem terrarum nec August in Psal 81. illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in ChristuÌ„ totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caput est Christus The body of this head is the Church not which is in this place only but that which is in this place through the whole would neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ eueÌ„ the whole company of Saints pertaining to one citty which city is the body of Christ wherof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius Idem in Psa 62 est ipse caput Non solum qutem fideles quâ— modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes adcorpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his body whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue beene before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath Idem de Catech rud c. 20. ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes saâ—ctificati homines qui fuerunt qui sunt qui futuri sunt All sanctified men which haue beene which are and which shall bee Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. Christo discedit ii sunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei pâ—rmanent The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they bee the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Jdem de
the one saying and some the other so weake that some alledge the one and some the other and I haue not read any one that doth vse them both T W. in a discourse of this matter alledged the former words of the Angell and Ecchius the latter To the which I will briefly answer By the Angel is ment Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant as Malachie calleth him and the Angell of the great councell of God So doth Aloisius Lipomanus that great Catholike Bishop of Verona both out of Cyrillus and of him-selfe expound it in these Cyrillus Alois Lipoma catena in Genes 48. words Cyrillus Iacob pueris benedicens deum paâ—rem nutrientem se Angelum liberantem nominat illum nempe Angelum qui Angelus magni consilij ab Esaia dicitur quia omnis benedictio omnis gratia non aliter quà m à deo per Iesum Christum in homines descendit ConsideraÌ„dum quòd dictio hagoel vel redimens vel qui redimit propriè reddi potest quo loquendi modo clarissimè filius dei mundi generalis redemptor denotatur Et si diâ—igenter aduerseris tacitè propheta domini sanctissimam inuocat trinitatem patrem scilicet spiritum S. sub nomine dei bis repititi vnigenitum verò dei filiuÌ„ sub nomine Angeli Angelum verò intelligit redemptorem verbum diuinum saluatorem nostrum vel auxilij aispensationis diuinae ministrum ipse inquam ille benedicat pueris istis That is Cyrill Iacob blessing thy children doth name God both the father which did nourish him and the Angell which did deliuer him to wit that Angell whom Esay calleth the Angell of great counsell because all blessing and all grace descendeth no other wayes from God vpon men but by Iesus Christ Wee must consider that the word Hagoel may bee translated either redeeming or he that redeemeth by which phrase of speech the sonn of God the generall redeemer of the worlde is most manifestly signified and if thou dilligently marke thou maist perceiue that the prophet in secret sort calleth vpon the most holy Trinitie to wit the father and the holy Ghost vnder the name of God twise repeated and the onely begotten sonne of GOD vnder the name of the Angell For by the Angell he vnderstandeth the redeemer the word of GOD our Sauiour or the minister of GODS helpe and dispensation euen he I say blesse these children Hitherto Lipomanus who with that ancient Father Cyrill truely vnderstand by this angell Iesus Christ and not any other ministring spirit or created Angell And therefore this place proueth the inuocation of Christ but not of other Angels By the other words Let my name be called vpon them c. Iacob meant nothing else but that Manasses and Ephraim Iosephs sonnes should bee counted amongst his sonnes to make vp the twelue tribes of Israel And euen so Frier Lyra doth Lyra in 48. cap Genes truely expound it in these words Inuocetur super eos nomen meum quia vocati sunt filij adoptiue Iacob facti sunt capita duarum tribuum sicut alij filij Iacob that is Let my name be called vpon them because they were called the adopt sonnes of Iacob and were made the heads of two tribes as were his other sonnes This phrase of speech is so vsed in other places of Scripture as Isa 41. In that day seuen women shall lay hold of one man saying we will eate our owe bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let thy name be called vpon vs and take away our reproch Whereby is meant that hee should bee their husband and they counted and called his wiues The like phrase is 2. Sam. 12. 28. Hierem. 7. 10. c. And therefore that this exposition of this place whereby they go about to proue inuocation of Saints is a priuat and false exposition any man may easily perceiue And this is the more euident for that some great Papists are forced to confesse that inuocation of Saints is not commended nor commaunded in all the Scriptures There is one Francis Hamilton a Scot a Papist and fugitiue prior of S. Iames at Herbipolis in Gemany who in a discourse concerning inuocation of Saints writeth thus Porro libenter hîc concedimus disertis scripturarum verbis ipsam inuocationem sanctorum non commendari Quibus enim cuius authoris cuius libri cuius instrumenti Noui an veteris commendantur Sancti commendatur oratio quam pro nobis ad deuÌ„ faciunt vt ipsos inuocemus atque vt pro nobis orent rogemus Francist Hamiltonius de Iunocat Sanct. demonstrat priore in appendice pag. 3â— 81. nullo loco commendatur Vbi consulatur locus demonstrari non potest Sed neque couâ—eniebat vt aut commendaretur aut consuleretur nascentis maxime ecclesiae exordiis ne plures sibi deos more gentium fingere aut constituere existimarentur christiani quando etiam in suspitionem Idolatriae venerunt duÌ„ sub specie panis vini verum deum colerent 83. praecepta ne est Non est praecepta c. that is Moreouer we doe heere willingly graunt that inuocation of Saints is not commended to vs by expresse words of the Scriptures For by what words of what authors of what booke of which testament the new or the old Saints are commended prayer which they make to God for vs is commended but that wee should call vpon them and that wee should intreate them to pray for vs is in no place commended No place caÌ„ be shewed where it is counselled Neither was it couenient that it should be either commended or counselled especially in the beginning of the Church arising lest christians should be thought to make vnto themselues after the maner of the gentiles moe Gods seeing they were suspected of Idolatry for worshipping the true GOD vnder the forme of bread and wine 83. Is it commaunded It is not commaunded Hitherto the words of this Papist Hamilton by which it appeareth that inuocation of Saints is not commaunded nor councelled in the Scriptures and therefore they doe wrest them and bring a priuate and faulse exposition to them which seeke to proue it by them You quoate also in the margent Apoc. 1. 4. whereat a man might well wonder that you would quote a place so impertinent for this purpose but that it is euer vsuall amongst you and your fellowes in such sort to abuse the word of God The words of Saint Iohn be these Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne and from Iesus Christ c. What meaneth this man to alledge this for inuocation of Saints will he by these seauen spirits vnderstand the Saints either he knoweth little or he cannot be ignorant that this is expounded of the holy Ghost who although he be in person one
Quae enim in occulto fiunt ab episcopis turpe est dicere How doe the Bishoppes and Priests of this time keepe holy chastity both in heart and bodie without which no man shall see God Being giuen vp into a reprobate minde they doe the things that are not conuenient for what things bee done of Bishoppes in secret it is a shame for to speake Againe Tolle de ecclesia honorabile Supra Cantica ser 86. connubium c. Take from the Church honorable marriage and the bed vndefiled and thou shalt fill it full of whoremongers incestuous persons buggerers and all kind of vncleane ones Againe hee sheweth that there Bernardus de persecutione sustinenda cap. 29. were very many who abstayning from the remedy of marriage fell afterwards into all kind of wickednesse About that time the Pope sent a Cardinall called Ioannes Cremensis into England to disolue Priests marriages who in a synod hauing inueyed against their marriage saying that it was a shameful thing that a Priest should arise from his wife to consecrate the body of Christ was the same Fabian part 7 cap. 229. fol. 154. night after taken with a whore as Fabian and other writers doe witnes And I reade the same story in an ould written booke which I thinke was the story of Henry Huntington where these words were added Celari non potuit taceri non debuit It could not bee kept secret and it ought not to be suppressed in silence In the glosse vpon Distinct 81. Maximinus in glossa Gratians decrees it is said that a Priest for simple fornication is not to be deposed from his benefice and the reason is because Pauci sine illo vitio inueniuntur i. Few were found without that vice Robert Holkoth an English man a Dominike Frier who liued about the yeere of our Lord. 1340. writeth of the Priests in his time in these words Sed proh dolor Rober. Holkoth supra lib. Sapient lecti 173 his diebus verificatur nimis illud Iob. cap 3. Ecce qui seruiunt ei id est Domino non sunt stabiles in Angelis suis reperit prauitateÌ„ Sunt enim quidaÌ„ de modernis sacerdotibus Angeli Satanae per discordiaÌ„ quidaÌ„ Angeli Apostatici per superbiam quidaÌ„ incubâ— per luxuriam quidam Angeli abyssi per auaritiam i. But alas in these daies that saying of Iob cap. 3. is too true Behold they that serue the Lord are not stable or constant and in his Angels he hath found naughtines For of the Priests of these daies some be Angels of Satan by discord and contention some Apostaticall Angels by pride some be filthy spirits by riotousnes and vncleanesse and some the Angels of the bottomles pit by couetousnes Againe Hunc vilissimum deum Priapum excolunt non pauci Idem ibidem sacerdotes moderni discipuli illius magni Angeli de quo loquitur Paulus 2. Cor. 12. Datus est mihi Angelus Satanae c. This most vile and filthy God Priapus not a few Priests of these daies doe serue being the disciples of that great Angell of whome Paul speaketh 2. Cor. 12. The Angell of Satan was giuen vnto me c. Auentinus writing of Pope Hildebrand called Gregory the seuenth who earnestly forbad Priests marriage saith Maxima pars sub honesto nomine Auentinus in Annalibus Boiorum lib. 5. pag 56 â— ex cusi Ingolstadiiâ— 1554. castimoniae stupra incestus adulteria passim impunè committunt A great number of Priests vnder the honest name of chastitie committed euery where and without punishment Whoredome Incest and adulteries Yea what other great mischiefes were committed he there declareth There is a treatise in the second tome of the Councels intituled Opusculum Tripartitum in the second part Concil tom 2. pag. 1002. whereof are these words Tâ—nta immunditia luxuriae notoria est in multis partibus mundi non solum in Clericis sed etiam in sacerdotibus imo quod horribile est audire in praelatis maioribus So great vncleanesse is notorious in many parts of the world not only in Clearks but also in Priestes and that which is horrible to heare in great Prelates Panormitane who liued anno 1431. and was a great dooer in the Councell of Basile hauing shewed that the vow of continencie is not of the order of Priesthood nor holdeth by the law of God but is a constitution of the Church Panormita parte 3. de clericis coniuga cap cum olim addeth these wordes Credo quod pro bono salute animarum c. I beleeue that it were a wholesome ordinance for the good and saluation of soules to leaue it to their owne wils that would liue continently and merite more and that they which could not conteine might marry because that experience doth teach that a cleane contrary effect doth follow that law of continencie for that now adaies they doe not liue spiritually nor be cleane but bee defiled by vnlawfull copulation to their most grieuous sin whereas they might liue chastly with their owne wife John Gerson Tom. 1. declar defectuum virorum eccles as the Nicene Councell said Iohn Gerson in his time complayned that some Cloysters of Nunnes were become stewes of strumpets and whores his words be these Rursus occulos aperite inquirite Si quae hodie Claustra monialium facta sunt quasi prostibula meretricum Mantuan the Carmelite Italian Frier who was an excellent learned man and liued an hundred yeares past writing of this vow the fruites thereof saith thus Propterea leges quae sunt connubia contra Lib. 1. fastor Esse malas quidam perhibent prudentia patrum Non satis aduertit dicunt quid ferre recuset Quid valeat natura pati cerâ—icibus aiunt Hoc insuaue ingum nostris imponere Christus Noluit istud onus quod adhuc quà m plurima moÌ„stra Fecit ab audaci dicunt pietate repertum Tutius esse volunt qua lex diuina sinebat Isse via voterumque sequi vestigia patrum QuoruÌ„ vita fuit melior cum coniuge quà m nunc Nostra sit exclusis thalamis coniugis vsu Mantuan here sheweth first that many in those daies misliked that law of vowing single life Secondly that it had bred many monsters that is to say such as for their wickednesse did lead a monstrous life Thirdly that the life of the auncient Fathers that liued in marriage was better then of these which vowed chastitie Polidorus Virgilius an Italian and gatherer of the Popes Peter pense here in England writeth thus Illud tamen dixerim tantum abfuisse Polidor Virg de inuent rerum lib 5. cap 4. vt ista coacta castitas illam coniugalem viterit c. Yet this I will say that this enforced chastitie is so far from excelling that chastitie of marriage that no crime and sin hath brought more shame to the order of Priesthood more euill to religion
of it did earnestly desire to haue it I haue now passed it as at the first I did write it without addition or alteration This I confesse that thou good Reader mayst reade these things namely those of Aerius Vigilantius c. obiected to vs more learnedly and largely answered by others especially by that reuerend and learned man M. D. Abbot in his learned answere to D. Bishops Epistle Notwithstanding if this my simple labour herein bestowed may serue in some measure to the confirmation of the truth and confutation of errour to the instruction and edification of the faithfull that reade and receiue it and if not to reclaime the seduced yet to be a testimonie and witnesse against them that will be more ready to reiect it then to reade and examine it I know that God shall thereby be glorified and his Church profited the which is the onely thing I seeke and desire Aprill 22. 1608. Thine in Iesus Christ ED. BRILKLEY I receiued of a good Christian Gentlewoman the 14. of Iune 1592. a paper containing three questions with other things hereafter following the title of which writing was set downe in these words Three questions moued to M. Goodman a Preacher in Westchester by a Catholique Gentlewoman to the which hee could giue no answere THis title seemeth partly to containe an vntruth and partly to shew a proud and arrogant spirit Whether this be not an vntruth or in plaine words a Lye that M. Goodman so auncient and learned a man who aboue fortie yeares past was publique professour and reader of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and since hath beene a continuall and painfull Preacher could not answere these friuolous and fond questions let the indifferent Reader iudge And whether this proceedeth not of a proud spirit that this Catholike gentlewoman as she is termed should propound such pithie and profound questions that M. Goodman could not answere them let the reader vprightly consider But this is the manner of all these counterfait Catholiques to despiseâ—â— as vnlearned and to thinke highly of themselues and then fauourers But let such take heede that the saying of the Prophet take not holde on them Woe be to them which are voise in their Esay 5. 21. owne eyes and prudent in their owne sight I would with Salomon exhort this Gentlewoman not to be vvise in her Prou. 3. 7. owne eyes but to feare God and to depart from euills and rather humbly to submit her selfe to learne of M. Goodman then proudly to think that she is able to propound such questions in Diuinitie as he is not able to answere Now whereas this Gentlewoman is called a Catholique a title which the enemies of Gods truth whom for distinction sake wee call Papists doe falsly arrogate to themselues and vainely bragge of let vs a little consider how truly or falsly they take this title vpon them That godly father S. Chrysostome hath a good saying Satis sufficere credimus Homil. de Adam Euae quicquid secùndum praedictat regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur Catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis sentent ijs contrarium i. Wee beleeue to be sufficient whatsoeuer the vvritings of the Apostles haue taught vs according to the aforesaid rules so that vvee doe not at all thinke that to be Catholique vvhich shall appeare to be contrarie to the foresaid sentences Chrysostome here sheweth vs that the Apostles writings doe sufficiently teach vs Gods truth and that that is not to be called or counted Catholique which doth appeare to be contrarie to those Apostolicall writings Now if wee can plamely prooue that sundry points of doctrine which these Catholiques doe Falsly so called hold be contrarie to the writings of the Apostles as their 1. Cor 14. Rom. 10 14. 1. Tim. 2. 5. prayers in a strange vnknowne tongue their prayers to Saints their making of other Mediators Intercessours besides Iesus Christ their mangling of Christs holy supper in taking away the cup from Gods people their offering of Iesus Christ for a propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead their Images their Pilgrimages their Popes supremacie sundry such others then neither is their doctrine Catholique nor they true Catholiques Vincentius Lyrinensis an Author greatly esteemed of these men and not misliked of mee writeth thus In ipsa etiam Catholica Ecclesia magnopere curandum Vincen. Lyrinen aduersus prosu omn. Haeresion Nouati est vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ad omnibus creditum est hoc est etenâ—m verè proprteque Catholicum quod ipsa vis nominis ratioque declarat i. Also in the Catholique Church it selfe vvee ought to be carefull that vvee holde that vvhith hath beene beleeued in all places in all times and of all persons for that is truly and properly Catholique vvhich the force and reason of the name doth declare Now if these called Catholiques can proue that their Romish doctrine hath euery where in all ages of all persons been beleeued then we will grant it to be Catholike and them to be Catholiques But this they shall neuer be able to doe for as it is most certaine that the primitiue Church neuer taught nor beleeued the doctrine now taught in the Romish Church so the Greeke Church the Muscouites the Christians in Aethiopia Aâ—menia and other countries where Christianitie hath continued haue neither submitted themselues to the Church of Rome nor haue beleeued and accepted all the doctrine therein professed In the Councell called Agathense it was thus decreed Concil Agathen Canon 18. distinct 2 cap. Secula and is also recorded in the Popes decrees Seculares qui in narali Domini Pasche Peutecoste non communicauerint Catholici non credantur nec inter Catholicos habeantur i. Those secular on vvorldly men vvhich communicate not al the feast of the Natiuitie of Christ at Easter and Whitsontide let them not be beleeued to be Catholiques nor counted to be among Catholiques By the which this Gentlewoman and many other her fauourers will be prooued to be no Catholiques But to conclude this point those which beleeue and obey the true doctrine of almightie God contained in the holy canonicall Scriptures be true and sincere Catholiques and those which maintaine false and damnable doctrine not agreeable to the same bee indeede Heritiques And whether they or wee doe holde the saide true doctrine of God let euery one that hath care of his owne saluation carefully seeke and wisely in the feare of God consider and let them not be caried away with naked names and bare titles wherewith the enemies of Gods truth haue in all ages seduced the simple There were in the time of our Sauiour Christ a sect and sort of men which held that there was no resurrection Act. 23. 8. of the dead neither Angell nor spirit and yet these Monsters had got them a glorious title and