matters vve take away al order in the Church and open the gappe to al Heretikes Some say that euerie man by conference of one place of Scripture vvith another See part 2. cap. 5. sect 4. may attaine to the knowledge of the true sense I replie that euery mans discourse in such pointes may be false and erroneous And it is wel knowne that diuers of our aduersaries haue conferred the same places and haue gathered out of them different senses vvhich cannot al be true Yea the same man not seldome at distinst times out of the same places conferred inferreth distinct conclusions and altereth his beliefe touching some article or other vvhich is a manifest proofe that this conference is no infallible rule I adde also that experience teacheth vs that such a conference sometimes encreaseth the difficulty See part 2. cap. 1. sect 4. maketh some shewe of contradiction which before appeared not as I wil declare hereafter Others say that by praier euery man may obtaine of God the direction of the holy Ghost for the finding out of the true sense But where hath God promised this Moreouer our praier is of no force except we pray as we ought And what is more vncertaine then this How then can we certainly knowe when God inspireth vs and much lesse how can we possibly assure others that we haue such a diuine inspiration Further diuers haue vsed likewise this meane and yet haue falne into errour yea after their praiers they haue had different inspirations and one hath affirmed himselfe to haue beene inspired by God thus and another thus c. Finally al Heretikes may challenge to themselues these shiftes for the proofe of their owne priuate and false expositions wherefore we must needes finde out some other rule more certaine SECTION THE FOVRTH That the letter of holy Scripture falsly interpreted is not the word of God THIRDLY I am to proue that a false or wrong exposition erroneously gathered out of the letter of holy Scripture or made vpon the same is not the word of God but the word of man yea sometimes the word of the deuil and consequently that the said letter of Scripture so vnderstood is subject to the same censure This is apparant because the Scripture is the true word of God in that sense only which was intended at the penning of it by the holy Ghost For example like as no Catholike Christian wil deny but those wordes of Christ Ioh. 14. verse 28. The father is greater then I if we vnderstand them in this sense that God the father is greater then Christ according to his humanity containe the true word of God so euery Catholike Christian if they be vnderstood as Arius expounded them that Christ according to his diuinity is inferior to his father wil affirme them to be the word of the deuil Hence proceed diuers notable sentences of the auncient Fathers Tertul. de praescript ca. 17. see him also cap. 9. Hillar li. 2. de Triuitat ad Constantium Ambros lib. 2. ad Gratianū cap. 1. Vincē Lirin li. aduers propha haeres nouitates cap. 37. Math. 4. verse 6 Hieron in dial cōtra Lucifer See Math 10. Luke 10. Hieron in cap. 1. ad Galat. among the rest Tertullian telleth vs that the sense of holy Scripture adultered doth impugne the truth at much as the stile corrupted S. Hillarie affirmeth that heresie ariseth of the vnderstanding not of the Scripture that the fault is in the sense not in the word that there is not one of the Heretikes that doth not lie and say that he preacheth those thinges in which he blasphemeth according to the Scriptures For hence saith he Marcellus when he readeth the word of God knoweth it not hence Photinus c. they all speake Scriptures with out sense they al pretend faith without faith for the Scriptures are not in the reading but in the vnderstanding c. These and other like discourses hath S. Hillary S. Ambrose is of the same opinion for he saith that although the text or letter haue no error yet the Arrian interpretation hath errour Vincentius Lirinensis comparing the Heretikes alleaging Scripture against Catholikes with the deuils alleaging the same to Christ discourseth after this sort And if any man aske any Heretike perswading him such thinges that is to forsake the doctrine and tradition of the Church how prouest thou how declarest thou that I ought to forsake the vniuersal and ancient faith presently he for it is written and forthwith he alleageth out of the lawe the psalmes the Apostles the Prophets a thousand testimonies a thousand examples a thousand authorities by which being interpreted after a new and naughty manner the vnhappy soule may be cast downe head-long from the Catholike tower Thus farre Vincentius Lirinensis But let vs heare the opinion of S. Hierome in this matter who aboue al the rest was conuersant in the holy Scripture these are his wordes The Scriptures consist not in the reading but in the vnderstanding otherwise if we follow the letter we also may frame vnto our selues a new opinion and affirme that they who weare shoes or haue two coates are not to be receiued into the Church He addeth in another place Marcion and Basillides and the other heretical plagues haue not the Gospel of God because they haue not the holy Ghost without which the Gospel which is taught is made humane or of men He telleth vs also that whosoeuer interpreteth the Gospel with another spirit and minde then it was written troubleth the faithful and turneth the Gospel of Christ vpside-downe that we must not thinke that the Gospel is in the wordes of the Scripture It is not saith he in the wordes but in the sense not in the superficies or out-side but in the marrow not in the leaues of the speaches or wordes but in the roote of reason Hence he concludeth with these wordes It is a very dangerous matter to speake or teach in the Church least that by peruerse interpretation the Gospel of Christ be made the Gospel of man or that which is worse the Gospel of the deuil Thus farre S. Hierome And this is that which the Apostle himselfe instructeth vs of when he affirmeth that the letter killeth but the spirit quickneth for the vertue and substance of Scriptures consisteth in their meaning and interpretation and so it is that the bare vvordes thereof are no more Scripture vvithout the spirit that is to say vvithout that sense which vvas intended by the holy Ghost when they were vvritten then the body of man is a man vvithout the soule yea if they be vvrested to a contrary or vvrong sense they kil and become poison vvhereas rightly vnderstood they containe diuine and heauenly doctrine And so this sentence of the Apostle is expounded by S. Augustine in diuers places of his vvorkes but in one place among the rest thus he discourseth a Aug. de spiritu litera c. 4. 5. li.
vvhich is the right and straite rule by vvhich al our thoughts and actions are to be squared and tried Of my reader therefore if he be a Protestant I desire no more but that he bring his hart and wil to this disposition if it be not so disposed already that he be desirous to serue God in his true Church and casting off al obstinacy he be indifferent either to this or that so that he might be throughly informed of the truth Lastly that he humbly craue of God that if his beliefe be not right he wil mercifully vouchsafe to giue him grace and meanes vvhereby he may finde out the truth And because I esteeme this disposition in that Protestant vvhich intendeth to reade this Treatise to be a matter of great moment towardes his conuersion I thinke it conuenient briefly here to touch among diuers others which occurre some two motiues which in my judgement are very sufficient to drawe any man from obstinacy in the newe religion yea be he of what sect soeuer to make him doubtful of the sincerity of that faith and religion which he professeth Of these the first shal be that as many I may say more and as vertuous and as learned euen of the Protestant side condemne his said faith and religion as erroneous as there doe approue it as true For if he be a Zwinglian a Caluinist or an English Protestant although his temporal Magistrates and his learned Masters tel him that he is of a sound beliefe and a true member of Christs Church yet Luther and al the Lutherans affirme in plaine tearmes and that vvith great vehemency neuerthelesse deliberately and aduisedly that he is an Heretike and consequently is guilty of that crime which the * Apologie of the Church of EnglaÌ„d part 1. pa. 28. 29. Apologie of the Church of England auoucheth to be a forsaking of saluation a renouncing of Gods grace a departing from the body and spirit of Christ This not only the workes of Luther and the Lutherans but also of diuers Sacramentaries so the Zwinglians Caluinists and English Protestants are commonly called testifie to the whole world Luther in one place writeth thus a Luther thes 21. cont Louaniens to 7. in defiÌ„s ver borum coenae We seriously judge the Zwinglians and al Sacramentaries to be Heretikes and aliens from the Church of God In an other booke of the same sectaries he hath these wordes b Idem tom 7 in defens verborum coenae fol. 383. Touching the soule and matters spiritual we wil auoide them as long as we haue a day to liue we wil reproue and condemne them for Idolaters corrupters of Gods wordes blaspheamers and deceiuers and of them as of enemies of the Gospel we wil sustaine persecution and spoile of our goodes whatsoeuer they shal doe vnto vs so long as God wil permit Thus Luther Hence also the Zwinglians of Zuricke complaine that Luther c CoÌ„fessio Orthodoxa Eccles Tigurinae in praefat fol. 3. 4. inueigheth against them as against obstinate Heretikes and such as are guilty to themselues of al impiety as against prophaners of the Sacraments and the most vile and pestilent men that goe on the ground By his c Ibid. tract 3. fol. 108. last confession by them likewise recorded it appeareth that he continued in this minde euen to his dying day And who among al the Professors of the newe religion is generally preferred by the followers of al sects before Luther The Sacramentaries themselues vvhome he damned to the pit of hel most highly commend him The Apologie of the Church of England a booke written by M. Iewel and approued by the best English Protestants yea much d Martir ep ad IuelluÌ„ prae fixa Apolog. Eccles Angl. praised by Peter Martir and other forraine followers of Zwinglius and Caluin tearmeth him e Apologie of the Church of EnglaÌ„d part 4. pag. 124. printed anno 1600. a most excellent man euen sent of God to giue light to the world Whitakers affirmeth f Whitakers in his answer to Campians 3. reason pag. 85. his name is written in the booke of life and that his memory shal euer be sacred among al good men And he addeth g Idem in his answer to the 8. reason pag. 259. that they reuerence him as Father Field a Doctor of the English Church nowe liuing auerreth h Ficl booke 3 of the Church ch 42. p. 170. See also Whetenhal a PuritaÌ„ in his discourse of the abuses c. printed anno 1606. pag. 64. 65. he was a most worthy diuine as the world had any in those times wherein he liued or in many ages before whose happy memory saith he for the clearing of sundry points of greatest moment in our Christian religion al succeeding ages shal be bound to honour Seing then that this most excellent man sent by God to giue light to the world whose name is written in the booke of life and whose memory shal euer be sacred among al good men sendeth forth these glistering beames of light vnto vs that the Sacramentaries are damned Heretikes Idolaters blaspheamers corrupters of the word of God deceiuers and enemies of the Gospel Seing this most worthy diuine reuerenced by our English Protestants as a father pronounced this so hard a censure against his children vvhat Sacramentary being thus censured if he wil proceede according to the rules of reason can doe otherwise then mistrust the truth of his beliefe vvhich of the Sacramentaries hath deserued or obtained such commendations of the Lutherans as Luther hath here of the Sacramentaries Verily Caluin himselfe whose doctrine of the Sacrament our English Church and most Sacramentaries doe nowe embrace is most bitterly reuiled and condemned by them al. Nay one of them writeth that i Conradus Schlussel in Theolog. Caluinist lib. 2. fol. 72. God also in this world shewed his judgement against Caluin whome he visited saith he in the â—odde of his anger and horribly punished before the dreadful houre of his vnhappy death For God with his potent hand I vse his vvordes so strooke this Heretike that hauing despaired of his saluation hauing called vpon Diuels swearing cursing and blaspheaming most miserably be yeelded vp his wicked ghost but Caluin died of the lousie disease wormes so increasing in an impostume or most stinking vlcer about his priuy members that none of the standers by could any longer indure the stinke Thus Conradus Schlusselburge a Lutheran reporteth Caluins death as he auoucheth out of publike writings of which he sawe no sound refutation What Sacramentary then can justly coÌ„pare any one of his learned masters with Luther or thinke that Luther erred some one of them attained to the light of truth seing that Luther had and read the same Scriptures out of vvhich his masters affirme they haue drawne their doctrine and vsed in euery respect as good meanes to come to the true sense and interpretation of them as his said masters could
treatise which I intend I wil adde only a word or two of the manner of the nourishing of our bodies To make the foode which we receiue fit for our stomacke we haue in our mouthes two sortes of teeth some sharpe to deuide it others something flatte or plaine to grinde it with the tongue we remoue it from place to place when it is sufficiently chawed through the throate it is conueied into the stomacke where as in a pot or caldron by the heate of the hart and liuer it is boiled and brought al to one kinde of substance from thence the purest and best part thereof by subtil and smal passages is conueied to the liuer the grossest part which is not fit for nutriment is cast out at the fundament The liuer hauing receiued the said substance boileth it againe and turneth it into bloud that which is superfluous it sendeth it to other places as to the spleene and gal the rest it disperseth by the vaines throughout the whole body which is partly turned into flesh and bones a part of it is sent to the hart which being there purified is turned into vital spirits some is sent to the braine and turned into other spirits which we cal animales These considerations are sufficient to perswade euery man that there is one supreame God of infinite power and wisedome who hath created and most wisely and sweetely disposed al thinges Hence the Prophet Dauid cried out unto God in the Psalme Psal 103. ver 24. Howe high or wonderful O Lord are thy workes thou hast made al thinges in wisdome the earth is filled with thy possession or riches Surely if we looke into the nature and condition of any one creature whatsoeuer we shal not only see Eccles 3. ver 14. Galen lib. 3. de vsu partium lib. 5. Psal 99. vers 3. that as the wiseman saith we cannot adde to or take anythinge from the creatures of God and that God as Gallen the prince of al phisitions although a Pagan confesseth hath adorned and beautified the creatures of this world better then by any arte possible it could haue beene imagined but also if we demande of each creature who made it it wil seeme to make answere God made me and I made not my selfe according as the Psalme saith of vs men He made vs and we made not our selues Some Atheist perhaps wil say that al creatures are thus framed and ordered not by any supreame gouernor hauing vnderstanding and power to effect such matters but by chance I reply that like as it is impossible that a number of letters or charecters cast togither without any order of sillables wordes or sentences should make a perfect booke containing most wise learned and methodical discourses so it is impossible that the world should be so exquisitely ordered and thinges so ordained one to another by chance without the wisdome and disposition of almighty God And this confutation of this fond assertion was vsed longe since by Cicero an Ethnicke Wherefore Cicero lib. 3. de natura Deorum like as euery man would worthely account him a foole that should say that a booke containing wise and orderly discourses was made by chance by the casting togither of diuers charecters or letters or that a house most curiously and artificially built was made without the handy worke of any artificer by the accidentary concourse of stones morter timber and other such like stuffe so we may wel esteeme him a foole and voide of al reason and vnderstanding who denyeth that the world was created and ordered by almighty God Hence the Psalme saith The foole said in his hart Ps 13. v. 1 there is no God And note it is not said he said with his mouth but in his hart to signifie that this assertion is so absurde ridiculous and blasphemous that a foole although he thinke it true in his hart yet may be ashamed to vtter it with his mouth To the arguments already brought for the proofe of this matter I adde that this truth is manifestly deliuered vnto vs in the holy Scriptures in which is contained the history of the creation of the world by God and diuers other euident proofes are found of the being of his diuine Majesty This no Atheist wil or can denie But al of them answere that the Scriptures containe but fables and are of no authority I reply that it may easily be shewed that the authority of these diuine bookes ought to be great in any wisemans judgement in the world It is proued by diuers learned authors first by their antiquity for no volumes in the world are so auncient as the bookes of Moyses and consequently we may inferre that Moyses himselfe the first writer receiued the true history of those thinges which were done before his owne dayes by succession and tradition from his predecessors for which it maketh that Abraham the father of the Iewes might wel haue seene Sem the sonne of Noe Of other thinges he was an eie witnesse himselfe Secondly it is proued by the verity of diuers prophesies contained in the holy Scriptures which were fulfilled longe after that the bookes themselues were written which is a manifest demonstration that such thinges were foretold by God who only knoweth and can certainely fortel thinges contingent and depending of mans free wil of which it followeth that such prophesies and the bookes in which they are found were written by diuine inspiration Thirdly it is declared by the wonderful consent of al these bookes for although they were penned by diuers men in diuers places vpon diuers occasions and at sundry times yet no one of them containeth any one thinge contrary to the other Gre. praefat in Iob. Of which S. Gregory wel inferreth that the writers handes were the pennes of the holy Ghost The same is likewise demonstrated by the test mony of diuers miracles which haue beene wrought alwayes in the world for the confirmation of the doctrine which is taught vs in these bookes by the miraculous preseruation of them throughout al ages by the admirable consent of the seauenty two Interpreters which were appointed by Ptólomie King of Aegipt to translate them and sundrie other reasons which I cannot stand to relate Neither doe the miracles and prophesies aboue said and al other such like effects and actions only confirme the authority of the holy Scriptures but also euidently proue that there is a God who only is omnipotent and can worke effects surpassing the power and vertue of natural and created agents Such miracles and prophesies cannot be denied to haue beene found in the world in al ages of which we haue any large recordes except we wil obstinately reject the authority and testimony of al men I may joyne to this that although God be but one in essence yet he is three in persons for although the diuine essence be but one most pure and simple substance not deuided yet the selfe same is in three distinct
his holy spirit it must needes followe that vvhosoeuer is infected with any one such heresie is void of al spiritual life and in state of damnation and can haue no more life then a mans arme cut off from his body or a bough cut from a tree But of this matter I shal entreate more at large Chap. 1. Sect. 4. in my treatise of the definition and notes of the true Church vvhere I shal proue that the members of Christes Church are lincked together by the profession of the same vvhole summe of Christian doctrine and therefore for this present this shal suffice And lesse I thinke would haue satisfied any reasonable man for seing that there is but one true rule of beleefe Ephes 4. vers 4. and one faith according as vve are taught by the Apostle among Christians and this faith is so necessary to saluation as I haue proued before no wise-man wil prescribe himselfe a rule of faith according to his owne erroneous fancy and neglect the judgement of the Church whome truth it selfe hath warranted that she shal not erre from truth Chapter 7. Of the holy Scripture which is the first particuler ground of faith in the Catholike Church SECTION THE FIRST Howe the Scripture is knowne to be Canonical THE supreame authority and infallible judgement of the Church being thus established and proued it may wel in this place be demanded vvhat particuler groundes decrees or principles the Church doth deliuer vnto vs or we finde in the Church whereupon we may securely build our faith For the resolution of this question I haue affirmed in the title of this Chapter that the first such particuler ground is the holy Scripture And although there be no controuersie betweene vs and our aduersaries concerning the authority of diuers bookes of the said holy Scripture for most of them by vs al are confessed to be Canonical yet much difference there is betweene vs concerning the meanes by vvhich vve knowe the holie Scripture and euery parcel thereof to be the true vvord of God and vvho is to be judge of the true sence of these diuine volumes vvherefore these points are briefly to be handled and discussed Howe then doe vve knowe that the old and newe Testament are Canonical howe can vve certainely assure our selues that the Apostles and Disciples vvrote the newe vvhat proofe likevvise haue vve to perswade vs that no part of the holie Scripture hath beene in times past corrupted or depraued I answere in fewe vvordes that al this is infallibly knowne vnto vs by the authority and judgement of the Catholike Church vvho hath adjudged al such bookes to be Canonical and as Canonical receiued them and deliuered them to her children I denie not but the Scriptures before the definition and censure of the Church vvere true and contained the certaine and sincere vvord of God but this only I say that this truth and authority was first infallibly knowne vnto vs by the Church vvho adjudged and censured them to be as they are and as such commanded al Christians to esteeme and reuerence them Neither is this any waies prejudicial to the dignity and authority of the holie Scripture for this notwithstanding vve confesse that the said Scripture is of farre greater authority then the Church or her definitions be vvhich is manifest because although the holie Ghost assist and direct both the vvriters of holie Scripture and the Church yet certaine it is that hee hath assisted and directed the first after a farre more excellent manner then he doth the second because his assistance and direction in penning those sacred bookes vvas such that euery sentence in them contained is of most certaine verity but his assistance vnto the Church vvhether it be in a general Councel or otherwise in the decrees of the Bishop of Rome maketh only that vvhich the said Councel or Bishop intend to define of such an infallible truth Wherefore then doe vve proue the Scripture to be Canonical by the authority of the Church Surely for no other reason then because the Church is better knowne vnto vs then the Scripture For the Church hath alwaies beene as I vvil proue hereafter most visible and apparant to the vvhole vvorld euery man also before that the newe Testament vvas written before that it vvas generally receiued by the Church might haue knowne the Church for she vvas before any part of it was penned and consequently by her infallible judgement euery one might with farre more ease and certainety haue come to the knowledge of such bookes then by any other meanes or industry Wherefore to conclude although the Church maketh not Scripture yet of her we learne most certainely which is Scripture And this is no more disgrace vnto Scripture then it was vnto Christ that the Apostles gaue testimony of him because they were better knowne then he I adde also that euery one of them who aboue al others reprehend this our assertion taketh vpon himselfe as great authority ouer Scriptures as vve giue to the whole Church See part second chap. 5. Sect. 1. For euery newe sectarie out of his owne fancy judgeth this to be Scripture that to be none c. vvhich must needes be in euery mans judgement farre more absurd This assertion being thus explicated let vs nowe briefly proue the same And first because vve can assigne no other meanes by vvhich vve may say that vve certainely knowe the Scripture to be Canonical but the authority of the Church And as concerning the old Testament although vve graunt that the authority thereof vvas first partly approued by miracles partly by the testimony of Prophets and partly by the authority of the Church in those daies yet howe doe vve nowe infallibly knowe that it vvas so approued and that it is the selfe same nowe that vvas then approued but by the relation tradition and censure of the Church But let vs come to the newe Testament and demand vvho hath receiued it into the Canon of holie Scripture vvhat miracles haue beene vvrought to proue it Canonical who doth assure vs that it vvas penned by the Apostles and Disciples of Christ and that since their daies it hath not beene corrupted Verily the Church only resolueth vs of al these questions and telleth vs vvith assurance of truth that the said newe Testament vvas vvritten by the said sacred authours inspired and directed by the holy Ghost and that euer since their daies it hath beene preserued in her sacred bosome vvithout corruption And no other answere hauing any probability of truth and sufficient to satisfie a reasonable mans vnderstanding can be made This may also be confirmed by the continual practise of the Church For no man can deny but it vvas her doing that the foure Gospels of S. Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohn See part 2 chap. 5. Sect. 2. were receiued and the Gospel called of Nicodemus with others rejected She hath likwise now receiued as Canonical diuers bookes in times past of
wicked are included but be signifieth their miserable condition and extreame tortures and torments for the Papists so he tearmeth the schoole Diuines are foolish and ridiculous who subtillie dispute of the nature and quality of that fire and in explicating it diuersly vex themselues These grosse imaginations are to be hissed out seing that we vnderstand the Prophet to speake figuratiuelie hitherto are Caluins words And thus we see that Luther denieth any soules to be in hel or heauen before the day of judgment and that Caluin denieth both the place and fire of hel but of this point enough SECNION THE THIRD Of our aduersaries impious assertions concerning Christ and Christian religion I Come nowe to the third principal ground to wit the truth of Christian religion And first I affirme that generally al the sectaries of our time weaken this ground by that their common principle by which they auouch the holy scripture to be the only rule of faith among Christians for hence principally proceede Anabaptisme Zauchius in his epistle before his cōfes Beza volumi ne 3. 190. et 255. Hipor Method p. 5. Bez. l. de beret a ciuili magistr puniēd see hī also in ep theolo 81. p. 334. Libertinisme Arianisme Samosatenisme Marcionisme Eutichionisme Nestorianisme which as Zauchius a Protestant reporteth haue beene fetched out of hel by the ministers of Sathan in some of the reformed Churches Yea Beza himselfe confesseth that most foule and impudent errors of auncient Archeretiks being renued and polished are in these our daies by fanatical men recalled from Hel. Vpon this ground they build who reject the wordes Trinity Consubstantial and the like vvithout which as Beza confesseth the truth of the highest misteries of Christian religion cannot be explicated nor the aforesaid heresies soundly confuted And to discourse of these matters a litle more in particuler haue not diuers newe Sectaries in plaine tearmes oppugned the truth of Christianity It cannot be denied And to omit that which is credibly reported of Bucer Posseuinus in biblio selecta part 1. l. 8. c 8. that dying he professed the Messias vvas not yet borne I wil onlie report thinges knowne to the whole world And first what shal we say of Franciscus Dauid a Ederus ibid. c. 16. Frācis Daui ī Thess 69. Posseui ib. c. 14. et 16. who of a Catholik became first a Lutheran afterwardes a Caluinist lastly a publike denier of the blessed Trinitie made Christ a pure man willed al to burie the Gospel and to returne to Moises the lawe and circumcision affirmed that the truth of the wordes of Christ and the Apostles was to be tried by the lawe of Moises and by other books of the Prophets of that lawe which only said he b In dispu Albana Act. 3. di ei In defensi negotij de non inuocād Christo fol. 21. ought to be vnto vs the rule of manners life and diuine worshippe The same man being wished by some of his friends at the least to confes Christ to be our Sauiour answered What shal I confesse him a Sauiour who could not doe so much as saue himselfe Neither did this blasphemie die vvith the author for his c Cōfutat indicij Polonicarū Eccles disciples succeeding him mette as Iewes on the saturdaies and rejecting the Gospels read the prophecies of the old Testament The diuinity of Christ was likewise denied before by d Seruet lib. 1. de trinitat fol. 7. et 47. Michael Seruetus first also a Lutheran then as some say a Caluinist and at the same time and afterwards by e Georg. Blādrata in disp Albana act diei 6. Ochimus in dial 2. de trinit◠Sōmer aduersus Petrū Carolū l. 1. c. 4. de filio c. Aelianus li. Germ. Math. Ia. Georgius Blandrata Lelius Sozinus Bernardinus Ochinus Ioannes Sommerius Nathaniel Elianus Christianus Francus and other such like blaspheamous companions who were professors of the newe religion vnto whome I also adde the f Articles of the family of loue art 24. brethren of the familie of loue But a farre greater number of the new gospellers denied Christ to be equal and consubstantial to his Father the captaine of whom was g Valēt Gentil in protessibus Calu. aduers Gentil Beza in prefat ad dictūli Caluini Valentinus Gentilis a disciple of Caluin whom followed Matheus Gribaldus Franciscus Lismanius and an infinite number of others especiallie in Polonia yea some and that not without cause joine vnto these Melancton and Caluin himselfe of whom h Melāct in locis an 1535. Wittēb et Basil an 1541. the first affirmeth something of the diuinè nature or some diuine nature to be in Christ and auerred him according to his deity to haue been made inferior to his Father The i See Calu. ad c. 14. Gen. in Harmo Euang. ad c. 22. Mat. v. 44. et ad c. 26. Mat. v. 64. Lib. aduers Valēt Gētil refut 10. ep 2. ad Polonos c. second affirmed also this last and besides made Christ a Priest according to his diuinity placed him in the second or next degree to his Father as his vicar auouched the the name of God by excellency only to pertaine to the Father him only and properly to be the creator of heauen and earth made the Sonne subject to his Father and inferiour to him according to his diuinity Stancarus contra Caluī K. 4. see him also li. de trinitat c. And al this is justified by Stancarus himselfe a Protestant who vnto Caluin writeth thus What diuel O Caluin hath seduced thee to speake with Arius against the Sonne of God that thou mightest shewe him to be depriued of his glorie and nowe to aske to haue it giuen him as though he had not alwaies had it That Antechrist of the North whom thou doest impudently adore Melanchton the Gramarian hath done this And he concludeth Be ware O Christian reader and especially al you ministers beware of the bookes of Caluin and principally in the articles of the Trinity Incarnation Mediator the Sacrament of baptisme and predestination for they containe wicked doctrine and Arian blasphemies insomuch as the spirit or soule of Seruetus burnt according to the Platonist may seeme to haue entred into Caluin Againe Al the Churches Stancarus de trinitat K. 8. See Simlerus in praefat lib. de aeterno dei verbo which those men cal reformed by the Gospel and the Sonne of God and hold the faith of Geneua and Zurick concerning Christ are Arian neither can this be denied which I haue aboue demonstrated thus Stancarus Ioannes Modestus another Protestant wrote a book in the German tongue vvith this title A demonstration out of the holy scriptures that the Sacramentaries are no Christians but baptized Iewes and Turks Tubingae anno 1587. in quarto About the same time another booke was published by Phillipus Nicholaus a minister with this title A detection of the ground of the
deuised by the said author or done by the power of the deuil or by some natural causes wherfore may not then Atheists say that either it is a fable that e Iohn 11. Act. 9. Math. 9. v. 20. c. Christ raised Lazarus others or S. Peter Tabitha or that our sauiour cast out deuils or that a woman was healed of an issue of bloud by touching the hem of his garmēt or else that these things were done as the Iewes said by the power of Belzebub prīce of the deuils or by the application of some natural causes Surely he wil haue as litle regard of scriptures as they haue of the works of Sulpitius Seuerus and therefore if they grant it of the miracles of S. Martin and others he wil affirme it of al the rest although mentioned in the said scriptures In like sort f August lib. 22. de ciuit cap. 8. S. Augustine in his books de ciuitate Dei which no man wil denie to be of as great authoritie as any other of his vvorks g Sermo de diuersis 31. 32. 33. epist 103. and else where relateth diuers miracles vvrought by the reliques of S. Steeuen the first Martir as that by touching them a blinde vvoman receaued her sight that a Bishop by carying them in procession was cured of a fistula and that two by praying in the place where they were reserued were cured of a palsie And both S. Ambrose and S. Augustine doe the like Ambr. serm 5. de Sāct et l. 7 ep 53. 54. eau Romanae Aug. l. 9. confess c. et l. 22. de ciu c. 8 c. Lib. 4. or 2. Reg. cap. 13. Act. 19. v. 12. concerning the reliques of S. Geruasius and Protasius martirs as that a blind man was cured by touching of the beire or coffin wheron the reliques were caried vvhich miracles with the same answere are rejected by our aduersaries But who seeth not that an Atheist may with the like reason reject the miracle which was done by the reliques or dead body of Elisaeus by the touching of which as we reade in the bookes of the Kinges a dead man was raised to life and others wrought by napkins and handkerchers which had touched the body of S. Paul which are said to haue done miracles in the acts of Apostles The like discourse might be made concerning the cure of Naaman Sirus by washing himselfe seauen times in the riuer of Iordan at the commandment of Elizeus the prophet 4. Reg. 6. the said Prophets making of the iron of an hatchet to swimme vpon the vvater of the said riuer and diuers other miracles recorded both by holy writ the monuments of ecclesiastical writers of al ages against al which our aduersaries offer an occasion to Atheists to pronounce the selfe same censure Moreouer whereas the apparitions of soules departed according to the judgement of al the learned both auncient and moderne yeeldeth a most strong proofe of our soules immortallitie these Sectaries deny that euer there haue beene any such apparitions and consequently seeke to bereaue vs of this important argumēt their words are so plaine that this cannot be denied Luther himselfe writeth thus Luth. in explicat Euangelij de Diuite et Lazaro Idem in Euā dominicae 24. a Trinitate No mans soule euer since the beginning of the world hath appeared for neither doth God permit it Againe There is no doubt but it is wholy the Deuils worke or doing Quic quid vspiam est spirituum apparentium whatsoeuer is any where of soules or spirits appearing Zuinglius is of the same mind for these words he hath in his answere to one Valentinus a zuing resp ad Valentinū comparem Those things which thou babblest of the apparitions of soules are vaine and idle for the soules which are seperated from their bodies are in heauen or in hel Those which dwel in heauen neuer come downe those which are in hel cannot be deliuered the like hath b Bullīger decad 4. ser 10. Bullinger and others Finally their denial of freewil the merit of good works doe weaken the proofe of the immortallity of the soule the doctrine of the Apostle that god is a rewarder of our actions consequētly of the proofe also of heauen hel as euery man wil confes therefore I cōclude the whole discourse of this chapter that these Sectaries Church is a seminarie of Atheisme and that by their doctrine they shake and euen ouerthrowe the verie groundes of al religion vvhich their assertions being supposed as true they can neither proue nor defend against Atheists and enemies of Christianitie Chapter 2. The newe Sectaries debase the true Christian faith and in place of it extol a presumptuous faith by themselues inuented OVR aduersaries doe not only as I haue nowe shewed ouerthrowe or at the least weaken the principal grounds of al religion but also in some sort destroy the verie nature of faith it selfe by which we first come to a supernatural knowledge of God Chap. 5. For wheras in the first part of this treatise I haue proued that faith which concurreth to our justification and saluation and is the ground of religion and the foundation of spiritual life in this world to be a vertue infused by God into our vnderstanding by the helpe and force of which we giue a most firme assent vnto al those thinges vvhich are reuealed by God to his Church because they are so reuealed the followers of the newe religion I thinke partlie because as I haue noted in the chapter next before they haue weakned the authority of miracles which is the principal supernatural proofe of such misteries debase and as it were despise this faith and in place of it magnifie a newe inuention of man a Chimerical kinde of faith ful of presumption which hath neither ground in holy scripture nor in any approued author but is repugnant both to the vvord of God and the authoritie of al antiquity For they distinguish two especial kindes of faith the one say they is historical See Caluī Institut booke 3 § 9. 10. Calu. l. 3. Instit c. 2. § 7. by vvhich we beleeue the blessed Trinity the incarnation passion death resurrection and ascention of Christ and other articles of the Creed the other is a justifying faith vvhich Caluin defineth to be a stedfast and assured knowledg of Gods kindnesse or beneuolence towards vs which being grounded vpon the truth of the free promise in Christ is both reuealed to our minds sealed in our harts by the holy ghost Caluī ibid. § 16. see Luth. ī serm domī 2. quadrages In explicating this more at large the same Caluin affirmeth that there is none truly faithful but he who being perswaded with a sound assurednes that God is his merciful and louing father doth promise himselfe al things vpon trust of Gods goodnesse but he who leaning vpon the assurednesse of his owne saluation doth
art seene a manifest and common corrupter and peruerter of the holy Scripture which thing thou canst neuer deny before any creature How much are we ashamed of thee who hitherto haue esteemed thee beyond al measure and nowe trie thee to be such a false fellowe Bucer telleth vs Bucer Dial. cōt Melāch that in translating the Scriptures his errours are manifest and not fewe But is not Zwinglius himselfe although he so confidentlie reprehend Luther to be found guiltie of the same crime Certainelie to establish his doctrine against the Real presence he corrupted those vvordes of our Sauiour This is my bodie by translating them thus Mat. 26 26. Conr. Schluss in Theolog. Caluinist l. 2. cap. 6. fol. 43. 44. l. 2. art 1. Luther tom 7. in defens verborum coenae This signifieth my bodie Of this Conradus a Lutheran is a sufficient vvitnesse vvho affirmeth that he sawe those vvordes so translated in a Zwinglian Bible at Mundera in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and threescore and therefore he pronounceth this sentence against him that he was stroken with the spirit of giddinesse and blindnesse as al Heretikes are daring to corrupt the Testament of our Lord. Hence Luther also to requite Zwinglius called him and al his followers corrupters of the worde of God Caluin to proue his blaspheamous Doctrine that Christ despaired and suffered on the Crosse the very torments of the damned in hel whereas the Apostle saith Hebr. 5. vers 7. that Christ was heard for his reuerence Caluin in Catechis lib. 2. Instit cap. 16. §. 11. 12. maketh him say that Christ was heard from his owne feare vvhich translation is not only newe for Caluin as Beza confesseth in his Annotations vpon this place vvas the first Authour of it but also contrary to the true signification of the Greeke word as Beza likewise graunteth and it is apparently to be seene Act. 8. vers 2. vvhere the adjectiue of the same Greeke word is vsed to signifie deuout men Caluin lib. 4. Instit ca. 14. §. 23. 1. Cor. 10. v. 3 such as religiously reuerenced God In like sort the same Caluin to proue no difference betweene the Sacraments of the old and newe lawe affirmeth that the Apostle teacheth that our Fathers of the old lawe did eate the same spiritual meate which we eate vvhereas the said Apostle saith only that the Iewes among themselues did eate the same meate Beza annot in Math. 3. v. 2. Marc. 1. v. 4. Luc. 3 8 Beza annot in Rom. 5. Beza of set purpose as he himselfe confesseth in his translation auoideth the word penance and this sentence doe penance Wherefore Act. 26. vers 20. whereas the Greeke saith doing workes worthy of penance he readeth doing the fruits meete for them that amend their liues Also he graunteth that he added to the text of Scripture and altered the same to ouerthrowe as he tearmeth it the execrable errour of inherent justice Further those vvordes Act. 2. vers 27. thou wilt not leaue my soule in hel He wittingly and willingly according to his owne confession Beza annot in Act. 2. ver 27. 24. in 1. Petr. 1. vers 19. to improue Limbus Patrum Purgatory and Christs descent into hel vvhich he tearmeth foule errours translated in his edition of the new Testament of the yeare 1556. thus thou shalt not leaue my carcas in the graue And this not only against al Greeke copies in the world but also against the proper signification of the Hebrewe wordes in the 15. Psalme ver 10. whence this sentence is taken For the Hebrewe word which Beza translateth carcas signifieth only a soule and the other which he translateth graue vsually signifieth hel Hence in his latter edition he corrected somewhat the former and read thou shalt not leaue my soule in the graue but of this his corruption more hereafter Finally because these vvordes of our Lord spoken of the Chalice and recorded by S. Luke which is shedde for you as they are in the Greeke text Beza in Luc 22. vers 20. containe a manifest proofe of the real presence for as he saith according to their plaine construction and that in al his auncient bookes they appertaine of necessity not to the bloud but to the cuppe of the Chalice this Geneuian Doctor altered the text and made an other sense of the said wordes in this translation And why so but because they cannot as he affirmeth be vnderstood of the cuppe and that according to his beliefe Our English Sectaries cannot deny this fault in Beza for they in some places dare not be so bould as to followe him but thinke it best to forsake and reject him For example Iames 2. vers 22. whereas Beza readeth Bible printed anno 1592. 1595. Faith was a helper of his workes they reade with the Greeke Faith wrought with his deedes Againe whereas Beza readeth 1. Cor. 12. vers 30. in his newe Testament of the yeare 1556. Behold moreouer also I shewe you a way most diligently and in the editions of the yeare 1562. And besides I shewe you a way to excellency Bible 1595. vers 31. against the dignity of charitie aboue faith Our English sectaries according to the Greeke reade And yet shewe I vnto you a more excellent way Yea although in the newe Testament printed in the yeare 1580. they vndertake and professe to followe him yet in some places they reject him as for example Act. 1. vers 14. Beza readeth Bible 1595. Bible 1600. they put the worde wiues in the margēt Carolus Molinaeus in trāslat Test noui part 11. fol. 110. Idem part 26 30. 40. 64. 65. 66. 67. 74. 99. Humfred de ratione interpret and i. lib. 1. pag. 62. 63. 189. Al these were perseuering with one minde in praier with their wiues to the end to proue that the Apostles were married they read according to the Greeke with the women But I neede not labour to proue Caluin and Beza guiltie of this crime seing that one of their owne bretheren confesseth that Caluin made the text of holy Scripture leape vp and downe at his pleasure that he offered violence to the same and added of his owne to the very sacred letter it selfe to the end he might drawe it to his purpose He crieth likewise out against Beza and telleth vs that he actually altereth the text that he actually changeth the text retained by al Doctors and the like censure is pronounced against his translation by Selneccerus by the Vniuersity of Zena by Castalio and diuers other Protestants But the last of these named although a Sacramentary and a man much commended by Doctor Humfrey a Gesnerus in Bibliotheca and Gesnerus is more vehement then the rest For hauing noted certaine errors committed by Beza in his translation only of the first tenne Chapters of S. Mathewes Gospel thus he concludeth b Casta in def pa. 182. 183. I
may likewise belieue as we doe and be barred from neither and consequently it cannot be said that our faith is opposite to the vvord of God I may vrge this a little further for seing that the Sacramentaries beliefe is so hardly censured both by vs and the Lutherans and the Lutheran opinion both by vs and the Sacramentaries seing moreouer ours by the Lutherans is esteemed better then that of the Sacramentaries as al the vvorld knoweth and it appeareth true by this that the Lutherans condemne it not as heretical yea * Luth. de captiuit Babylon Itē serm de Eucharist serm de venerabili Sacramēto c. tom 7. Germ. fol. 20. in Visitat Saxonica Luther alloweth of it as tollerable and by the Sacramentaries preferred before that of the Lutherans a man according to the rules of wisdome is rather to thinke ours comformable to truth and the written word of God then that either of the Lutherans or Sacramentaries But it may be vrged against vs that diuers a See Whitakers reprehension against Martin p. 11. learned Sacramentaries censure our doctrine to be of thinges incredible and impossible I answere although some of this sect be so blaspheamous against the omnipotent power of God as so to affirme it yet others protest that they neuer doubted of Gods power herein that he is able to effect it but they say he neuer did it as may be seene in b Iewel in his reply against Harding art 10. §. 9. M. Iewel and others Wherefore according to these men our faith is of thinges by vs in this life incomprehensible and aboue the ordinary course of reason not of thinges impossible Neither is this peculiar and proper only to this mistery but also common to other articles of our faith as to our beliefe touching the most blessed Trinity the Incarnation of Christ the resurrection of our bodies c. Nay if Caluin and some of his disciples say true this is verified euen in their doctrine concerning the Eucharist For Caluin himselfe discourseth thus Although it seeme incredible Caluin Institut booke 4. cha 17 §. 10. that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs for they hold the body and bloud of our Lord to be alwaies as farre from vs as is the highest heauen yet let vs remember howe much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and howe foolish a thing it is to goe about to measure his vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore which our mind comprehendeth not let our faith conceiue c. Againe Ibid. §. 24. The doctrine it selfe which I haue declared doth clearely enough shewe that I doe not measure this mistery by the proportion of mans reason nor doe make it subject to the lawes of nature He addeth that he is more then senselesse that perceaueth not many miracles to be contained in this mistery as he deliuereth it and that nothing is more beside nature or more incredible Finally Ibid. §. 32. nowe if any man saith he aske me of the manner howe Christ is joyned to vs in the supper I wil not be ashamed to confesse that it is a higher secret then that it can either be comprehended with my wit or vttered with my wordes and to speake it more plainly I rather feele it then I can vnderstand it Therefore I doe herein without controuersie embrace the truth of God in which I may safely rest Hitherto are Caluins wordes The like hath the French Confession French cōfession art 36. in Harmony of confess sect 14. pag. 426. in which his disciples affirme that this mistery of our vnion with Christ in the supper is so high a thing that it surmounteth al our senses yea and the whole order of nature that it being diuine and heauenly cannot be perceaued nor apprehended but by faith Nowe if these thinges be so vvho can make any great difference betweene Caluins doctrine and ours in this that his is of thinges credible and possible ours of thinges incredible and impossible Are not both according to his sayings of thinges incomprehensible Verily whosoeuer considereth wel his vvordes and obserueth his rules vvil not be very much moued vvith any of the Sacramentaries arguments conuincing as they imagine the real presence by vs taught to be impossible Thus then we see that by the confession of our aduersaries the vvordes of our Lord This is my body according to their literal and plaine sense are an euident proofe of the real presence against which their sense no humane or Philosophical reasons as they likewise auouch are to be admitted Let vs nowe see howe our said aduersaries relate al our Predecessours especially the Christians of the first ages after Christ to haue expounded the said wordes And in this point I neede not be long or spend much labour because the Lutherans haue not beene altogither negligent in gathering such testimonies of antiquity against their enemies the Sacramentaries as make for the real presence and ouerthrowe the Sacramentary doctrine This appeareth in diuers of their * Se the Magdeburgians in their cēturies and others bookes published to the view of the vvhole vvorld in which they declare euen to the eie that al the auncient Fathers held and taught the true real and corporal presence of Christes body and bloud in the Eucharist Nay some of them grant certaine of the Fathers to haue belieued transubstantiation so the Century writers affirme a Centur. 5. c. 4. col 517. that S. Chrysostome seemeth to confirme it and that b Centur. 4. c. 4. col 294. see also ca. 6. col 480. S. Athanasius S. Ambrose and S. Gregory make for it Luther himselfe telleth vs that c Luth. tom 7. in defens verborum coenae fol. 391. this is worthy of admiration that none of the Fathers of whome there is an infinite number did euer speake of the Sacrament so as doe the Sacramentaries but cleane contrary And vvhat say the Sacramentaries d Martir in defens ad object Gardiner part 4. p. 724. See also his epist annexed to his cōmon places pag. 106. to Beza and p. 98 to Caluin Peter Martir plainely refuseth to subscribe to S. Cyrils doctrine touching this matter Beza auerreth that e Beza epist. Theolog. 8. pag. 73. 74. most of the most auncient Fathers thought it meete to hide or keepe secret the holy misteries of the Christians he meaneth the celebration of the Eucharist no otherwise then the misteries of Ceres in so much as they admitted not the Catechumenes that is such as belieued yet vvere not baptized to behold them And vvhy so if Christ be not really and corporally present in the Eucharist Field also confesseth that f Field booke 3. chap. 34. pag. 149. in the primatiue Church the manner of many was to receaue the Sacrament and not to be partakers of it presently but to carry it home with
Canonical Scripture But to reject those bookes of Scripture vvhich made against them was an old deuise among the auncient Heretikes vnto whome our aduersaries in this also as in other things conforme themselues For this fault S. Augustine noted in Faustus a Maenichee and reprehendeth it in him after this sort Whereas thou saiest this is Scripture or this is such an Apostles August contra Faustum lib. 11. cap. 2. Tertul. lib. de praescript Epiphan heres 30. 42. 69. this is not because this standeth forme and the other against me Thou then art the rule of faith whatsoeuer is against thee is not true Hitherto S. Augustine Tertullian in like manner and S. Epiphanius record that euen in their daies Heretikes rejected certaine bookes of Scripture Vnto this their rejecting and admitting of Scripture according to their owne fancy I adde also that out of their owne judgement vvithout any further vvarrant they alter or as they say correct the text For example although they esteeme the Greeke text of the newe testament aboue al others yet Beza in his translation of the same as it is noted before doth willingly and wittingly thrust out of it those vvordes Luke 3. vers 36 who was of Cainan Of the same fault I accuse also our English Protestants in their Bible of the yeare 1595. And this they doe notwithstanding that al Greeke copies both of the old Testament in the booke of Genesis and of the newe and al the Latin of the newe conspire against them If they answere that the Hebrewe of the old accordeth with them I reply that al the Scripture was penned by the instinct of the holy Ghost and consequently is true wherefore if something more be said in one thing more then is in another the one is not to be corrected or altered by the other for both may be very vvel consonant vnto truth Moreouer vvil these men say that the Hebrewe of the old testament is so true and sincere that it selfe needeth no correction vvhat warrant haue they more for the sincerity of this then for the Greeke of the newe If it be so sincere and they haue any such warrant wherefore doe they also correct and forsake it in their translations That they doe this it appeareth by their translation of the 17. vers of the 22. psalme vvhere they reade Bible 1595. they pierced my handes and my feete vvhereas the Hebrewe text word for word ought thus to be englished As a Lion my handes and my feete And vvhat diuine authority haue they for these their actions certainely none but they alter the sacred text of holy scripture according to their owne priuate liking and fancies SECTION THE SECOND The same is confirmed by their translations and expositions of holy Scripture AND like as in admitting rejecting and altering so they proceede in translating and expounding the word of God according to their owne judgement For first it is manifest See before part 1. ch 7. sect 2. part 2. cha 5. sect 4. that diuers sentences of the holy Scripture in the tongues in vvhich they vvere first vvritten the wordes being either of sundry significations or the sentences hard obscure and doubtful admit diuers translations yea in al tongues diuers interpretations as I haue proued before This I say is manifest both because no man skilful in the tongues can denie it and also because our learned sectaries cannot as yet agree concerning the translation and interpretation of those very bookes vvhich they al receiue Munster in praefat tom 1 Bibliorum Nay Munster a learned sectary affirmeth that sometimes euen among the Hebrews themselues he findeth diuers readinges For sometimes dissentions saith he are found among them some thinking this to be the true reading some thinking contrary Thus he And in very deed their translations euen through the variety of the signification of some Hebrew wordes and their like characters are very much different in sundry places Alias ps 110. I vvil exemplifie in one Psal 109. vers 3. the vulgar edition readeth thus Tecum principium in die virtutis tuae c. Some of them translate it out of the Hebrewe thus a English bible of the yeare 1592. Thy people shal come willingly at the time of assembling thine army in holy beauty the youth of thy wombe shal be as the morning dewe Others after this sort b Bible 1577. and that cōmonly read in Churches In the day of thy power shal the people offer thee free wil offerings with an holy worship the dewe of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning Others thus c Marloratus in psal 110. Bucer Musculus Caluin Pomerane Thy people with voluntary oblations in the day of thy army in beauty of sanctity Of the wombe from the morning the dewe of thy youth to thee And howe different are these translations The first saith youth of thy vvombe and the morning dewe the second dewe of thy birth and wombe of the morning c. For the d Lauath in hist Sacram. fol. 32. Zwinglius to 2. in respon ad Luther li. de Sacra Beza in annot noui testam passim Castalio in defen suae translationis Lutherans with Luther reject the translation and interpretation of Zwinglius and the Zwinglians The Zwinglians with Zwinglius admit not that of Luther and the Lutherans and the like proceedinges are betweene Beza and Castalio and other professors of this newe religion This therefore being presupposed that diuers sentences admit diuers translations let the newe sectary nowe tel me what diuine authority he hath mouing him rather to followe one sense then another the vvordes receiuing and sometimes being indifferent to both Euery priuate mans vnderstanding is subject to errour and there is but one truth howe then doth euery one of them knowe that truth is on his side vvhat diuine authority doth warrant him this Surely in following one translation and interpretation and not admitting others he must needes followe his owne fancy And this is almost in plaine tearmes confessed by Caluin himselfe concerning his owne expositions for explicating those vvordes of Christ Math. 26. vers 26. This is my body he affirmeth that hauing by diligent meditation examined the said sentence he doth imbrace that sense which the spirit telleth him And leaning to this saith he I despise the wisdome of al men which can be opposed against me Thus Caluin See part 1. cha 7. sect 3. part 2. ch 5. sect 4. And note vvel that he preferreth his owne priuate spirit for the holy Ghost as I haue proued infallibly directeth not euery priuate mans judgement before the testimony of al other men and plainely confesseth that he buildeth vpon it not vpon the vvord of God This also moued the translatour of the English Bible printed in the yeare 1589. 1592. and 1600. to protest in his preface that in the translating of it he hath in euery point and word according to the measure
of his knowledge faithfully rendred the text and in al hard places most sincerely expounded the same But to make this the more euident I adde further that they make the selfe same vvord sometimes to signifie one thing and at other times another thing as it best serueth their purpose For example our English Protestants whensoeuer the Scripture speaketh of euil traditions as Math. 15. vers 6. and in other places Bible 1595. translate the Greeke vvord vvhich signifieth properly a tradition truly as they ought But when mention is of Apostolike traditions they make the selfe same Greeke vvord signifie ordinances instructions Bible 1595. preachings or institutions as 2. Thess vers 15. c. And this they doe to bring traditions into contempt But of such examples see more in the sixt Chapter before Besides this although they vndertake to translate the Hebrewe text of the old testament and the Greeke of the newe yet vvhen the Hebrewe or Greeke maketh against them or not so much for them as the Latin they forsake the Hebrewe and Greeke and followe the Latin I vvil bring an example of both Hieremy 7. vers 18. and chap. 44. ver 19. the said Prophet inueigheth against those that offer sacrifice to strange Gods especially to the Moone And whereas according to the Hebrew they should read in the first place The women kneade the dowe to make cakes to offer to the heauens or planets they followe the Latin and say thus Bible 1595. The women kneade the dowe to make cakes for the Queene of heauen In like sort they proceede in the second place And by this meanes as they imagine they make a strong argument against vs vvho honour our blessed Lady and cal her Queene of heauen although we offer vp no sacrifice vnto her or any other creature In the newe testament whereas the Apostle according to the Greeke text saith only Rom. 8. v. 38 I am probably perswaded that neither death nor life c. shal be able to seperate vs from the charity of God they reade I am sure that neither death Bible 1595. c. And like as after this sort they serue their owne turnes in their translations so doe they also in their expositions of diuers wordes One example I haue touched aboue concerning the vvord Babilon which in S. Peters epistle to hinder the proofe of the said Apostles being at Rome 1. Pet. 5 13. Euseb lib. 2. histor c. 14. Hieron in li. descript Eccles verbo Marcus contrary to Eusebius and S. Hierome they vvil haue signifie the great City called Babilon in Assiria or Caldea contrariwise to make against the honour and dignity of Rome in the * Apocal. 17. vers 19. Bible 1592. Apocalipse they affirme the City of Rome by it to be vnderstood Let vs also consider that it must needes be granted that some of the learned sectaries haue erred in their translations and interpretations of holy Scripture for this is euident because there is but one true vvord of God which according to truth admitteth not opposite interpretations But our aduersaries translations and interpretations be diuers and much different yea repugnant one to another wherefore as I haue shewed they reject one anothers translation and interpretation and also alleage Scripture for their different doctrine They cannot therefore al be consonant to the true word of God vvhich if it be confessed it must needes follow that some of them in these matters haue erred and if some of them haue erred then some of them without al doubt haue not built vpon diuine authority which cannot be the ground of errour but vpon their owne judgement And seing that the warrant which they claime from God of al of them is the same and their ground alike we may wel inferre that none of them build vpon any other more sure foundation Adde vnto this that the selfe same sectaries oftentimes vpon further reading study and knowledge change their translations and interpretations of holy Scripture vvhich is apparent by the diuers editions of the Bibles and other their workes in which Scripture is alleaged and interpreted and of our English sectaries it is granted by the translatour of the Bible printed in the yeare 1585. 1592. and 1600. in the preface of which he confesseth that the former translations required greatly to be perused and reformed I haue also shewed in the sixt chapter that diuers places haue beene corrected and that as yet by the judgement of the best it is faulty of this followeth not seldome a change of belief and a difference from themselues in religion vvhich in the next chapter I vvil proue to haue fallen out in their first Captaines themselues And this is an inuincible argument seing that the Scriptures remaine alwaies the selfe same to proue that they varying build only vpon their owne fancies and are neuer certaine that they haue attained to the truth But this vvil be most apparent to him that shal set before his eies the manner of proceeding of our said learned sectaries in their discourses or disputations vvith their aduersaries For doe they in such conferences admit the text of holy Scripture as a supreame judge of al controuersies concerning matters of religion Surely no for although they seeme to recurre to the holy Scripture and vehemently pleade the word of God and by the authority thereof shewe themselues desirous to haue al difficulties decided yet in very truth it is not so as euery man may vvel judge because the letter of Scripture oftentimes doth not sufficiently interpret it selfe and they wil admit and allowe of no other translation or interpretation but their owne let vs declare this a litle more at large It is not vnknowne that the Catholikes receiue as Canonical the Hebrewe and Greeke text as wel as they and consequently those very places either in Hebrewe Greeke or both vvhich they alleage to establish their doctrine opposite to the beliefe of the Catholike Church Yea the Catholikes attribute more authority to the places alleaged as they are penned in the said tongues and to al bookes vvhich the newe sectaries receiue then they doe and further receiue fiue whole bookes at the least and diuers other parcels of holy Scripture into the Canon which they al commonly reject Wherefore the controuersie is not concerning the authority of the text either in Hebrewe or Greeke whither it be to be beleeued or no but vvhither the Catholikes building in this vpon the authority of the Church Traditions Councels and Fathers haue the true translation and exposition of the text or the Professours of the newe religion vvho alleage no other testimony for themselues then their owne priuate spirit and fancy To make this more euident by an example let vs suppose that a Catholike and a newe Sectary fal into disputation concerning Christs discent into hel The Catholike vsually for proofe of the affirmatiue part bringeth forth that sentence of holie Scripture Thou wilt not leaue
juices write the names of good holesome medicines whereby almost no man reading the good superscription any thing suspecteth the lurking poison of the self same thing Math. 7. Likewise our Sauiour crieth out to al Christians take ye heed of false prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening wolues What is meant else by sheepes cloathing but the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles which they with sheepe-like sincerity did weare c. And soone after But to the end they may more craftily set vpon the sheepe of Christ mistrusting nothing remaining stil cruel beasts they put of their woluish weed and shroud themselues with the wordes of Scripture as it were with certaine fleeces whereby it happeneth that when the silly sheepe feele the soft wool they litle feare their sharpe teeth Ambros in cap. vlt. ad Tit. hitherto Vincentius Lirinensis S. Ambrose likewise telleth vs that impiety seing authority to be esteemed couereth her selfe with the vaile of Scriptures that whereas by her selfe shee is not acceptable by Scriptures shee may seeme most commendable And of this matter I neede say no more Chapter 9. In which is proued by the newe Sectaries forsaking their owne supposed ground and flying to others also by their dissension and inconstancy that they build their faith and religion only vpon their owne fancies SECTION THE FIRST Concerning their flying to other groundes by themselues rejected and their dissension I HAVE nowe sufficientlie proued that our aduersaries build not their faith and religion vpon any one of those particular groundes which are found in the Church of Christ yea that in al matters the rule of their beliefe is principally their owne judgement and fancy For the confirmation of al vvhich my discourse I purpose in this chapter to set downe three manifest tokens and signes of this their vveake foundation to vvit their forsaking of their owne ground and flying to others when they confute their aduersaries their dissention or diuision and their inconstancy Concerning the first it is a thing most euident in al their proceedinges that although disputing against vs they pleade and demand only Scriptures and commonly reject al authority of the Church Councels and Fathers yea when they come to confute other Sectaries like vnto themselues they refuse such trial by scriptures and sometimes fly to other such groundes Thus Caluin although he referre al matters sometimes to Scripture affirming that we ought to hearken to the voice of Christ alone and that it is meete the mouthes of al men be shut after that our Lord hath once spoken Caluin lib. 4. instit cap. 8. § 7. 8. which by his ordinary courses he seemeth to approue as a sufficient argument to shew that the wordes themselues of Scripture as they are expounded by himself are without contradiction to be applauded and reuerenced yet at other times he desireth al sorts diligently to ponder and examine whether the word of God be truly or falsly alleaged and to try the spirits whether they be of God or no because the Deuil assaulted Christ by Scripture and his instruments daily practise the same art to depraue the truth and seduce silly soules This course he taketh against the Anabaptists as I haue shewed a litle before See before chap. 8. sect 5. Nay discoursing against the Lutherans he vseth these wordes Nowe againe I turne my speech to you godly readers whome I earnestly beseech that you suffer not your senses to be astonied with that tinckling wherein the Magdeburgians boast This voice alwaies soundeth in their mouthes Caluin admonit vltima ad Westphalum pag. 1147. that we must not dispute where Christ the only master and doctour hath clearely taught what is to be beleeued that we must not contend where the same supreame judge hath pronounced a plaine sentence thus Caluin to the Lutherans pleading hardly the scriptures against him in proofe of the real presence After this sort also Beza against the Arians Trinitarians Nestorians and Eutichians pleaded the authority of general Councels as I haue else where shewed Part. 1. chap. 9. Westphalus likewise wrote to a Caluini ibid. pag. 1098. Caluin that the consent of many Churches condemning him should satisfie him Finally our English Protestants although they pronounce so hard a censure against general Councels themselues and are so earnest for the sufficiency of only Scripture as we haue seene before yet against the Puritans plead hardly the authority of the Church Councels and Fathers as euery man may behold in their vvorkes of this argument Whitgift in his defence Belson in his treatise of the perpetual gouernement of the Church and such other examples are not wanting Touching their dissention and diuision a Tertul lib. de praescript Tertullian affirmeth that we may lawfuly judge that there is adulteration both of Scripture and expositions where there is found diuersity of doctrine And the reason of this is manifest because the truth vnto vvhich the Scriptures and their true interpretation is consonant and giue testimony is one wherefore they cannot approue diuers and opposite doctrines Nowe that diuision is found among our aduersaries no man of any sense and reading can deny b Stanislaus Rescius lib. de Acheismis Phalerismis haereticorum nostri tēporis Stanislaus Rescius numbreth of them an hundred seauenty distinct sects of which c Caspar Vlenbergius li. 22. Causarū causae 9. Caspar Vlenbergius reciteth diuers principal * See Hedio a Zwinglian epist ad Melancthonem others reckon farre more And this euery man may the better beleeue if he consider that it is a very hard matter to finde any two of the learned sort of them of one opinion touching al matters of religion Hence ariseth dissention in their Churches in which they proceede so farre that they feare not to censure and condemne one another of heresie If we beleeue d Luther thes 27. cont Louaniens tom 7. in defens verborum coenae c. Luther and the Lutherans Zwinglius Caluin and al the Sacramentaries are damned Heretikes If we credit e Zwinglius tom 2. in respōs ad Luth. l. de Sacram. fol. 411. 401. Caluin admonit 3. ad Westphalum Zwinglius Caluin and other Sacramentaries Luther and the Lutherans are guilty of the same crime And the like dissentions are betweene the inuentours and followers of other sectes But of this matter I shal haue a more fit opportunity to discourse in my treatise of the definition and notes of the Church vvherefore in this place passing ouer altogether with silence the domestical discord which is betweene our Protestants and Puritans touching the Lutherans and Caluinists abroad I vvil recite this only testimony of an f Relation of the state of religion in the West parts of the world §. 45. written as said by Sir Edwine Sans printed in the yeare 1605. English Protestant who hauing trauailed in those parts of their dissention writeth
in them so long as he seeth not apparantly his errour condemned by Scripture or plainely proued false by euident deduction out of those articles which are expresly to be knowne and beleeued But the truth of this mine assertion is gathered out of that which hath beene already proued For if the Church be the ground and piller of truth and cannot erre in faith it is manifest that al her beleefe may safely without danger of errour be receiued And moreouer because God hath reuealed such articles to the Church for no other end then that her children by the beleefe of them may attaine to euerlasting blisse it is also euident that euery one is bound to beleeue whatsoeuer she teacheth I adde also that whosoeuer beleeueth not al hath no faith and that he who thinketh it to be sufficient to saluation to beleeue certaine principal articles of Christian religion although the rest be denied must needes accuse the Church of errour and so according to his owne opinion cleane ouerthrowe her The first is easily proued because he that beleeueth not God and his Church in one point certainely beleeueth them in none For howe is it possible that he can reject them in any if he beleeue their authority to be infallible Wherefore by rejecting their judgement and sentence concerning one article he plainely declareth that he beleeueth not the rest because they are propounded vnto him by the Church and reuealed by God but because they please his owne fancy and in his owne judgement he thinketh them true and credible of which it followeth that he hath no faith which as I haue aboue declared maketh vs beleeue the misteries of our beleefe because they are reuealed by God And this we may gather out of those wordes of S. Iames the Apostle He that offendeth in one is made guilty of al. Iames 2. vers 10. For if by committing one mortal sinne we be said to be made guilty of al either because by breaking one commandement we shewe our selues not to regard the rest or else because one mortal sinne is as sufficiēt to bereaue vs of the grace of God as a thousand we may likewise wel inferre of this that a man refusing to beleeue one article of faith sheweth himselfe not to esteeme of the rest and by this only is bereaued of true faith that in very deede he beleeueth none and is guilty of infidelity touching al and consequently is no member of the Church of Christ whose members by faith principally are vnited and lincked together Further that whosoeuer thinketh it sufficient to saluation to beleeue certaine principal articles of Christian religion although the rest be denied accuseth the Church of errour thus I declare Galat. 5. vers 21. Tit. 3. vers 10. The Apostle teacheth vs that they that followe and embrace sectes or heresies shal not possesse the Kingdome of heauen Wherefore either the Church erreth both in defining such articles as some thinke not necessary to be beleeued to belong to the object of faith and also in condemning for heresies such opinions as they thinke may safely be defended or else such as despise her censure and embrace the said opinions are in state of damnation the first as I haue already proued ouerthroweth the Church the second is that which I intend to proue But let vs declare the truth of my first assertion out of the holy Scripture And first it cannot be denied but our Sauiour absolutely and that vnder paine of being censured as Etnickes and Publicans and consequently vnder paine of damnation commandeth vs to heare and obey the Church Math. 18. vers 17. if he wil not heare the Church saith he let him bee to thee as the Heathen and Publican And note that he biddeth vs not beleeue her onelie in principall matters but in all making no limitation or distinction In like sort in general tearmes he telleth vs that he that heareth his Apostles disciples which must be likewise verified in their successors heareth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him Finally he commanded his disciples to preach his Gospel and added that he that beleeueth it not shal be condemned which wordes cannot be vnderstood only of the principal articles of Catholike religion for his Gospel included the whole summe of Christian faith as I haue proued aboue Hence diuers in the first ages of the Church haue beene condemned and accursed as Heretikes for few errours in faith yea some time for one only and that in no principal point of beleef as I could exemplifie in the quarto decimani Epiphan haeres 50. who were so censured for keeping Easter day on the fourteenth day of the moone and others yea I may wel say that almost al Heretikes that euer haue risen haue beleeued certaine principal articles of Christian religion wherefore whosoeuer thinketh it sufficient to beleeue such articles openeth heauen almost to al Heretikes Moreouer howe shal we know which are these principal articles certainely euery man wil affirme if this liberty be giuen that the articles by him denied pertaine not to that number Lastly this errour is condemned by al the ancient Fathers S. Athanasius in his Creed receiued by the whole Church affirmeth that whosoeuer keepeth not entirely wholy without any corruption the Catholike faith without al doubt shal perish euerlastingly Theodor. li. 4. c. 17. Hooker booke 5. of ecclesiastical policy §. 42. pag. 88. Greg. Nazian tract de fide Aug. lib. de haeres in fine S. Basil being requested by the Prefect of Valens an Arrian Emperour to yeeld a litle to the time answered that they which are instructed in diuine doctrine doe not suffer one sillable of the diuine decrees to be corrupted or depraued but for the defence of it if it be needful and required embrace likewise of death Hooker also a Protestant telleth vs that the same S. Basil for changing some one or two sillables in the verse Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost was forced to write apologies and whole volumes in his owne defence S. Gregory Nazianzene hath this notable sentence Nothing can be more dangerous then these Heretikes who when they run soundly through al yet with one word as with a droppe of poison corrupt or staine that true and sincere faith of our Lord and of Apostolike tradition S. Augustine likewise hauing reckoned vp eightie distinct Heresies addeth that there may chance to lurke many other petty heresies vnknowne to him of which heresies saith he whosoeuer shal hold any one shal not be a Catholike Christian. Finally * Hier. li. 3. Apolog. contr Ruf. S. Hierome witnesseth that for one word or two contrary to the Catholike faith many heresies haue beene cast out of the Church This is the opinion of the ancient Fathers Wherefore seing that one only heresie be it neuer so smal bereaueth vs of faith and seperateth vs from the body of Christ his Church which is quickned with
my soule in hel Act. 2. v. 27. Psal 15 10. and auoucheth this to be the true translation of those wordes especially in this sentence in which they can beare no other sense seing that the soule of Christ was not detained in his graue The Sectary contrariwise affirmeth the vvordes cited not to be truely translated but wil haue the true translation of them to be Bible 1589. 1592. 1600. Thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue And howe shal this controuersie be decided The Catholike for his opinion and to proue that Christ truely descended into hel alleageth al the grounds of Catholike faith aboue set downe But what can his aduersary bring forth in defence of his doctrine Perhaps he wil runne to conference of other places of Scripture but what if those other places admit also diuers translations as wel as this and therefore he giue one sense of the said places and the Catholike another To what other judge wil the Sectary appeale verily to no other but to himselfe and his owne priuate judgement This is the ordinary course of proceeding of our aduersaries with vs and al others that doe impugne them And doe they in this case remit the controuersie to holy Scripture doe not the Catholikes aswel as they admit of the text cited both as it is found in the Hebrewe in the 15. psalme and also as it is in the Greeke in the second Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles this cannot be denied The difference then betweene vs them is concerning the translation of the last word which the Catholike affirmeth to signifie hel the Protestant graue And what moueth the Sectary to admit one translation rather then another Certainely his owne priuate opinion which he hath framed to himselfe contrary to al antiquity against Christs descent into hel August epist 99. Surely S. Augustine auoucheth that No man but an Infidel wil deny him to haue beene in that place and with him the rest of the Fathers consent SECTION THE THIRD Concerning the newe exposition of those wordes This is my body in particular BVT if it vvere not for being ouer-long in these discourses I could exemplifie in particular concerning sundry newe expositions of holy Scripture inuented by our aduersaries and shew to euery mans eye the inuentors of the same vvho framed them out of their owne braines One example I vvil bring among the rest vvhich shal be concerning those wordes of our Sauiour Math. 26 26 This is my body For vvho inuented in these our daies the first Sacramentary exposition of the said vvordes verily Carolostadius as al the vvriters of his daies beare vvitnesse And vvhat was he He was Archdeacon of Wittenberge Melanct. Sleidan others but as Melancthon himselfe a Sectary reporteth * Melanct. in epist ad Fredericū Myconiū praefat veterum senten de coena Domini a rude sauadge man without wit without learning vvithout common sense in whom neuer appeared any token or signe of the spirit of God But howe expounded he the said sentence Certainely not of the Sacrament which Christ deliuered to his Apostles but of the visible person of Christ sitting at the table as if Christ had said Eate and drinke for I am he that must suffer on the Crosse for your redemption so that he changed the sense of the word This into the word Here. Let vs farther demand what moued him to inuent this heresie and false interpretation Melancton aboue cited reporteth that it vvas only the hatred vvhich he had conceaued against Luther vvho rebuked and reproued him for breaking downe of Images in the Churches of the said City without his warrant and approbation The second principal Sacramentary vvas Zwinglius Zwingl l. de vera falsa relig vvho first affirmed the body of Christ to be present in the Eucharist but together with bread and wine and consequently denied only transubstantiation afterwardes he denied the real presence altogether and turned the word is into the vvordes doth signifie and made the sense to be This doth signifie my body The third was * Oecolāp in li. de genuina expos horum verborum Oecolampadius vvho altered the sense of the word body and would haue it signifie a figure of the body and therefore the sense of those wordes according to his judgement is This is a figure of my body The fourth was Caluin a Caluin l. 4. Instit c. 17. §. 10. 11. 24. 32. Idem lib. de coena Domini who although he confesse that Christ is really only in heauen yet he vvil haue vs truly to receiue him on earth in the Eucharist vvherefore he reprehendeth both Luther and Zwinglius and vvil haue the sense of the said wordes to be This bread is a figure of my body but a figure giuing my body it selfe so he in effect Howe this is brought to passe he confesseth himselfe ignorant But vvhat saith Luther their first parent to these his children he damneth them to the pit of hel and b Luth. thes 24 cont Louaniēs Itē in parua cōfes de coena Domini telleth vs that they treade vnder foote and ouerthrowe al. He addeth further c To. 7. in defensor verb◠coenae c. fol. 387. that the text can admit but one direct and true sense How then are the said wordes to be vnderstood in his iudgement Thus he vvriteth in an epistle to certaine of his followers concerning the interpretation of them Luther the Preacher and Euangelist of Wittenberge to the Christians of Strasburge Luther to 7. Wittenberg fol. 502. Thus much I neither can or wil deny that if Carolostadius or any other man fiue yeares since could haue perswaded me that in the Sacrament was nothing else but bread and wine be truly had bound me vnto him and I would haue accepted that as a very great benefit For in examining and debating that matter I tooke maruailous paines and strained euery veine of my body and soule to haue ridde and dispatched my selfe thereof because I sawe fulwel that thereby I might haue done notable harme and damage to the Papacy But I see my selfe taken fast and that there is no waies to escape For the text of the Gospel is so cleare and forcible which cannot easily be shaken much lesse ouerthrowen by wordes and glosses deuised by giddy braines Hitherto Luther both declaring the true cause which moued him to set a foote his newe Gospel to wit the hatred of the See of Rome and also the force of Scriptures for the real presence What then beleeued he touching this point First Luther lib. de captiuit Babilon cap. de Eucharist although he affirmed it to be no article of faith whither bread remained or no in the Eucharist togither with the body of Christ yet he esteemed the affirmatiue part most probable * Idē in serm de Sacra coenae Domini Et in li. quod verba Christi HOC EST CORPVS MEVM