brought vnto pouertie FALSIL. How can our good works or our obedience towards the lawe of God be acceptable or pleasant vnto him VERIL. When our person is righteous or accepted vnto God by faith in Christ then our works please him as it is said of Abel Respexit Deus ad Abel sacrificia eius Genesi 4. The Lord regarded Abel and his sacrifices bicause the person of Abel was righteous through his faith in the promised séed therefore his sacrifices and workes were plesant vnto GOD. But Caines sacrifices pleased not God bicause his person was not righteous that is he was not accepted with God through his incredulitie and vnbeléefe For whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne and displeaseth God although it shine neuer so much in outward shew and séemeth to be good in the sight and iudgement of man FALSIL. What difference is there I praie you shew me betweene the spirit and the soule VERIL. The spirit representeth in vs the nature of God and worketh in vs a spirituall life or the renewing of our mind which is brought to passe by the Holie-ghost and the externall voice of the gospell and the spirit is one substance with the soule But in the soule there are manie powers as wit will and memorie yet the spirit is the most pure and furthest from corruption the most high and diuine portion of our soule Our soule is the cause of our naturall life of all the powers and actions thereof yet in vs she dooth neither good nor euill though she taketh part of the sensible wits and naturall motions but she maketh vs indifferent so that if she take part with the spirit then she is hir selfe become spirituall also and maketh vs vertuous and obedient to God but if she take part with the flesh she shall growe out of kind into the maner of the flesh and so to become disobedient and rebellious to God and his lawes The spirit desireth nothing but supernaturall and heauenlie things the flesh delighteth in worldlie pleasures and desireth to haue delicate things But our soule desireth to haue nothing but necessarie things Esai 26. Esaie maketh mention of the soule and spirit saieng My soule shall desire and long for thée in the night and in my spirit and my heart strings I will wake in the morning to please thée Daniel saieth also In cant 3. puerorum Spiritus animae iustorum laudent Dominum Let the spirits and soules of the iust men praise the Lord. Luke 1. The blessed virgine Marie in hir canticle reciteth the soule and the spirit In libro primo Saint Origen writing vpon the Epistle to the Romanes diuideth man into thrée parts to wit the spirit the soule and the flesh happilie following the opinion of S. Paule who writeth thus Vt integer spiritus vester 1. Thes 5. anima corpus sine querela in aduentu Domini nostri Iesu Christi conseruetur That your spirit your soule and your bodie may be kept cleane and vncorrupt that ye be not blamed or accused at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ This I hope is sufficient to prooue the three parts of man and also sufficeth for the description of the spirit and the soule of man FALSIL. Againe what difference is there betwéene Animus and Anima for I haue heard schoolemen saie there is a difference betwéene them VERIL. In déed the schoolemen doo saie that Animus is the mind the will of man affection delectation wrath and sometime they take it for the soule it selfe But Anima is life breath and the verie soule which is a substance created inuisible most like vnto our immortall God hauing none image or figure but onelie of hir immortall creator And they saie that Anima viuimus we liue by the soule Ac animo sapimus and are wise by the mind FALSIL. Are all men receiued of God into grace and so saued or no VERIL. All men are not receiued in the grace of God and so saued but onelie 〈◊〉 as doo acknowledge their sinnes and infirmâ—ties and doo flie for succour in all afflictions both of bodie and of mind vnto Christ our onlie mediatour Esaie 57. For the prophet dooth saie Vâ— habitat Dominus Where dwelleth the Lord Hâ— maketh answer himselfe and saieth In spirit contrito corde humiliato In a contrite spirâ—â— and an humble heart FALSIL. How manie sorts or degrées 〈◊〉 men are there touching acceptance wiâ—â— God VERIL. There are thrée kinds of sorts First prophane persons and Epicures whicâ— perseuere and continue in their wickednes contrarie to their owne conscience against whom the holie apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 6. Nolite errarâ— Be not deceiued Scortatores adulteri non possunt intrare in regnum Dei Whoremongers and adulterers cannot enter into the kingdome of God Rom. 5. Againe Si secundum carnem vixeritie moriemini If ye liue after the flesh ye shall die For carnall liuers cannot without true repentance receiue a spirituall reward after this life The second sort are proud persons and hypocrits which doo trust in their owne holinesse and wisedome and haue good opinion of themselues despising all others in respect of themselues perceiuing a moth in other mens eies that is Matt. 7. finding a small fault in an other mans life and yet not willing to sée the beame that is in their owne eies These two sorts of people carnall epicures and proud hypocrits as long as they be such and so continue they are not receiued of God and so saued in the end The third sort are conuerts such as turne vnto God acknowledging their owne infirmities and flie vnto him for succour in a sure confidence and trust of our mediatour Christ and such are they that Christ dooth call to him where he saieth Matth. 11. Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis onerati estis ego reficiam vos Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh you FALSIL. How manie things are requisite and necessarie for such as truelie repent and turne vnto God VERIL. They must haue two things first contrition or the acknowledging of their vnworthines as S. Peter acknowledged himselfe not to be worthie of the presence of Christ saieng Exi a me Domine Luke 5. Lord depart awaie from me and then he setteth downe a reason whie he would haue him depart Quia homo peccator sum Bicause I am saieth he a sinfull man Next they must haue faith whereby we are out of all doubt that God receiueth vs freelie for and by his sonne Christ and by confidence in him we come vnto God the father desiring his grace and aid as the apostle saieth Per hunc filium habemus accessum ad patrem Rom. 5. We haue accesse to God the father by his sonne and by faith in him we drawe nigh vnto God with a sure confidence Ephe. 2.3 knowing that God the father dooth heare
fruit and benefit of their repentance FALSIL. Christ saith Matt. 20. To sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to giue Therefore Christ is not omnipotent VERIL. The fallacie lieth in the consequent and we must answer herein by distinction First it is not Christes to giue this according to the time of his ministerie and humilitie Next it was not his to giue vnto Iames the lesse and his brother Iohn for the prerogatiue of their kindred supposing themselues to be Christes cousens bicause their mother Solome was Iosephs sister and therefore they were high-minded and would haue a principalitie before the rest of the apostles in the kingdome of Christ Further Christ speaketh not in this place of his diuine power wherein he is equall with his father and worketh all things as his father dooth for the euangelist saith Iohn 5. Pater meus ad hoc vsque tempus operatur ego operor My father worketh euen vnto this time and I worke also And as the father raiseth vp the dead and quickeneth them Sic filius quos vult viuificat So the sonne also quickeneth such as listeth him Iohn 10. saieng Ego do eis vitam aeternam I giue them eternall life Neque rapiet eos quisquam de manu mea And no man shall take them out of my hand FALSIL. Luke 7. Christ said to Marie Magdalen that hir sinnes were forgiuen hir bicause she loued much Therefore hir sinnes were forgiuen hir for hir loues sake VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause the figure Synecdoche is here vsed which is as much to saie as a part for the whole or the whole for a part for vnder the name of loue is conteined our whole conuersion and turning to God And Christ saieth afterward Fides tua saluam te fecit Thy faith hath made thée safe Also there is a double absolution the first is of our owne conscience before God which commeth onelie by our stedfast faith in Christ our mediatour The other absolution must be doone before the congregation where there must be declared the testimonies of true conuersion or repentance as Christ alledged and commended before the Pharisie and other his ghests the works of this conuertant Marie Luke 7. Therefore loue is the effect or the fruit of the remission of our sinnes and not the merit or the cause efficient FALSIL. Christ commended the false steward Luk. 16. The same steward was a théefe Therefore he commended a theefe VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause the fallacie lieth in the accident For he dooth not commend the Species that is the theft but the Genus that is the prouidence of the steward which he would haue euerie man to followe but in a contrarie matter to wit in the procuring and getting of eternall aids and helps vnto euerlasting life which men in the church that are called to the knowledge of the gospell doo more neglect than worldlie men which are out of the church doo these temporall goods For worldlie goods and temporall blessings which are séene tasted and perceiued with our outward senses bicause they are externall doo more mightilie mooue vs than heauenlie things which are onelie seene with the eie of faith being verie blind and dimme in carnall and worldlie minded men as the scripture saith ◠Cor. 2. Animalis homo non percipit ea quae spiritus Dei sunt A worldlie man perceiueth not the things which belong vnto the spirit of God FALSIL. Luke 16. Christ saith that the poore doo receiue their benefactors into euerlasting tabernacles Therefore saints shall receiue vs into euerlasting life and not Christ Also almesdéeds and good works shall merit and deserue eternall life FALSIL. I denie the consequent bicause Christ in this spéech vseth the figure Synecdoche which is a part for the whole or the whole for a part and therein he compriseth both himselfe and his saints Iohn 14.1 Coloss 3. For Christ receiueth them as the true authour and onelie giuer of eternall life But the saints or the congregation of Christ are as witnesses of our beneficence or liberalitie towards them whereby we haue declared our liuelie faith and they also praie together with vs in this world for vs for our parents for the politike gouernance and for all such as giue enterteinment to the afflicted members of Christ And God doth blesse and prosper both priuatlie and publikelie for the liberalitie extended to his church as the kingdome of Assyria fared the better Dan. 1. for that Daniel was well vsed there And all the land of Aegypt sped the better likewise for the fauour and courtesie that king Pharao shewed vnto Ioseph the sonne of Iacob and Rachael Ge. 3. 41. when he was in his countrie Therefore both Christ and his saints must néeds be comprised in both members of this sentence as Facite vobis amicos Make you fréends that is Christ and his congregation Vt recipiant vos That they receiue you that is that Christ both the authour and giuer and his saints the witnesses of your good works into euerlasting habitations And the apostle dooth sufficientlie testifie that good works cannot merit or deserue eternall life where he saith Vita aeterna est donum Dei Rom. 6. Eternall life is the gift of God so that there can be no deseruing in vs. We are saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues bicause Dei donum est Ephes 2. non ex operibus ne quis glorietur It is the gift of God and not of works least anie should boast of their works Thus now we plainelie sée how much the iusticiarie papists or rather Sadduces mistake this place which draw the words of Christ euen as it were by the haire of the head to prooue the valor of their works which they saie they haue of supererogation to wit such works as doo not onelie suffice to saue themselues but also their freends and such other as it shall please them to saue But note euer by the waie that they saue none without monie receiuing mens gold and returning them chaffe backe againe a verie bad exchange FALSIL. Againe the aduersarie reasoneth thus Christ said vnto the lawyer reciting the summe of the lawe Luke 10. consisting in the loue of God and of our neighbour Hoc fac viues Doo this and thou shalt liue Therefore eternall life is giuen vs for our works sake or for the fulfilling of the lawe VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause there is no man liuing for the corruption of our nature able perfectlie to fulfill the lawe of God which requireth of vs the full whole and perfect obedience of all our power strength And Christ saieng to the lawyer Hoc fac viues Doo this and thou shalt liue beateth downe his pride which had not fulfilled the lawe though he affirmed the contrarie for he was guiltie of transgressing both the tables of Gods commandements as all men
To the Right Worshipfull M. George Speke Esquier H. T wisheth this worlds blisse and in the world to come the life that is Christ Iesus SAint Paule right Worshipfull the elect and chosen vessell of God Acts. 9. to beare his name a farre off before the Gentiles among his sundrie and godlie counsels hath this good lesson also 1. Tim. 4. Ineptas aniles fabulas deuita exerce autem te ipsum ad pietatem Auoid foolish and old wiues fables and exercise thy selfe vnto godlines Wherin is plainelie set downe vnto vs what we must auoid refuse and eschue and also what we must follow imbrace and exercise In the first part of his counsell there is forbidden not onelie all foolish tales vaine speaches idle talke which is accomptable before God Matth. 12. but also all infamous papers and bookes filthie songs and sonnets vnchast fables tragedies which may be well comprised therein though some of late yeares are found so impudent and past shame that they haue nothing doubted to entitle their pamphlets the Castell of loue and Court of venus which doo not onelie offend the chast eares of the godlie reader but also giue an offense to his good conscience Bicause they be not to the mind of the holie Apostle which teacheth vs thus Ephes 4. Omnis sermo malus ex ore vestro non procedat Let no filthie communication proceede out of your mouths but that which is good to edifie withall as often as need is that it may minister grace vnto the hearers But what edifieng what ministring of grace is found and had in these the like works the Lord knoweth that it is too too pitious and lamentable And in the second clause of his counsell is conteined the onlie scope end whervnto all mens actions deeds ought to be directed namelie that they should exercise themselues vnto godlines all their life long as they promise in their new birth wrought by doctrine in the holie Ghost and faith at Baptisme Iohn 3. Coloss 2. which representeth in vs the renewing of the spirit mortifieng our members in Christ by the which we are buried in death with him And right blessed is he verelie that so walketh in godlie exercises in the course of his pilgrimage Psal 119. Psalm 41. that in the end he may be found vndefiled in the waie and not haue his sinnes imputed vnto him For the Lord shall deliuer all such in the time of trouble This considered and mine office remembred I was the more willing to deale as I could in these scripture questions and chalenges which ended dutie commanded me to offer the same vnto your tuition as a manifest token of good will knowing that you are a zelous louer of Gods holie word a diligent reader and a gladsome folower of the same euen from your childhood when you were deliuered to my gouernment to be instructed in good literature and induced to vertue And experience hath taught me that your courtesies are such that you allow of euerie mans good meaning though far your inferiours with fauourable acceptance The Lord therfore euer so preserue your Worship 1. Thess 5. that in nothing you may be blamed or accused in the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 1. when he shall shew him selfe from heauen with the Angels of his power and flaming fier Your VVorships in all loialtie HENRIE THORNE To the vnlatined Reader GEntle reader he that required these answers of me was by function and office such a one as had vowed and promised the promoting of Gods truth and gospell But when thou hast perused the summe the circumstance therof I doubt me will proue the old said sawe to be true Cauda de vulpe testatur That the foxe is knowne by his taile Yet the Lord forbid that we should rashlie iudge of anie man seeing that God hath ordeined one to be the iudge of the quicke and the dead the good and the euill Actes 10. Rom. 12. Iohn 8. to whom it is giuen to giue iudgement And as they were at diuerse times proponed in writing so they were at diuerse times of leasure againe answered and rescribed without obseruing anie good order of a catechisme Therfore thou must not looke to find anie such method or obseruation of an orderlie teaching herein It was done happilie to appose him which had beene much practised in the schoole of humanitie but latelie in comparison thereof called to the studie of diuinitie Wherby he was driuen to the more diligent turning and search of scripture bookes least he should haue appeared in his answers Asinus ad lyram positus as sit therevnto as an asse is to plaie on the harpe or else to haue said nothing but laid his finger on his lip as Harpocrates vsed when he would haue silence For as long as a foole is silent he differeth not among strangers from the wise And as it is easier for malignant Momus to find a fault somtimes than to mend it so is it easier alwaies to aske an hard question of anie man than to answer it discreetlie according to the truth And for that the whole consisteth in questions answers and syllogisticall obiections dialogwise I haue imagined Falsiloquus which is a speaker of falsehood to demand and obiect and Veriloquus a speaker of the truth to answer him againe The Lord giue vs his truth and peace Iohn 14. which giueth not his peace as the world giueth peace It was not ment at the first that this should haue come vnto thine hands but now if thou gentlie accept of it such as it is I am sufficientlie acquited and recompensed Farewell H.T. Ad candidum lectorem libelli Prosopopoeia NOn mea laethiferum cantabit pagina Martem Altáue victrici maenia rupta manu Non heroas auis reges atauÃsque potentes Sanguine non longo stemmata ducta canet Turpia deliri non tela Cupidinis arcus Non quae dementant pectora caeca faces Non Epicureae documenta nefanda culinae Non Ganimedaeo pocula plena mero Non vanos superos Scyllas vastósque Cyclopas Non fert gentilis mollia scripta chori Clauigeri non bis senos Alcidis honores Non vasto varios panderit orbe situs Non gelidas Hyades taurina per ora micantes Non vt vertenti voluitur axe polus Lurida non methodum sanandi vulnera rectam Non hîc dulcisonae musica plectra chelys Non Aesculapios placido medicamine claros Non bene Circeis toxica mista modis Spurca prophanorum breuiter non somnia vatum Non quicquid Stygio fundit Apollo vado Tale etenim crassum rudis haec mea chartula temnit Ne Iouis aeterni spreta sit ante thronum Sana ego sed sanctae doceo te dogmata vitae Me vt lecto sanctus sanctior esse queas Vale. H.T. The Confutation of Follie. FALSILOQVVS FIrst tell me freend Veriloquus what opinion ought men
Therefore God commanded carnall copulation VERIL. The inconuenience lieth in the consequent which ought to be denied For though the minor be true that God commanded them to encrease and multiplie and fill the world yet he would haue it to be doone by such lawfull meanes as he himselfe hath ordeined and not by euill anie other waies Because he cannot agree vnto sinne nor allowe thereof in anie case his commandement in these words was so holie Genesi 1. that he blessed them a litle before in the same chapter for that they should encrease and multiplie to acknowledge him and to yéeld him the more honor which was the finall end of their creation and must be the scope of all their actions And then he ordeined the honorable estate of matrimonie Hebru 13. Genesi 2. 1. Thes 4. and the bed vndefiled shortlie after that euerie one should knowe how to keepe his vessell in holinesse which he constituted in such a mysterie and vertue that man and wife are made thereby one flesh and so to encrease and multiplie and to liue togither in the feare of God Marke 10. and procreation of children in such a mutuall societie each to other Matt. 19. that they ought rather to forsake father and mother than to forsake each other Wherefore such as commit carnall copulation contrarie to this ordinance wresting the sacred scriptures therby to mainteine their sensualitie doo incur the heauie wrath of God and haue no part in the kingdome of heauen as it is written 1. Cor. 10. Hebru 13. Fornicatores adulteros iudicabit Deus God will iudge fornicators and adulterers and their children shall not prosper as it is likewise said Wisd 3. Filij adulterorū in consumatione erunt The children of adulterers shall come to an end So that they shall not onlie haue anie ioy and comfort of their children as other parents haue but they shall be a testimonie of their wickednesse against them as it is said Ex iniquis qui nascuntur testes sunt nequitiae aduersus parentes All the children that are borne of the wicked must beare record of the wickednes against their fathers and mothers And to conclude Eccle. 15. Nemini mandauit Dominus impiè agere The Lord hath commanded no man to doo euill FALSIL. Ought christian folkes children to be baptised or no VERIL. Yes verelie for though parents be themselues baptised before the birth of their children yet must their children be baptised likewise séeing that they be conceiued and borne in sinne originall which liueth in them as soone as they come into this world Bicause baptisme which is a wetting or washing is so necessarie to followe faith and beléefe that they two ioined togither haue the most certeine and sure promise by Christ Marc. 16. of saluation and eternall life And it is not the parents holines that can hallowe and sanctifie their children wherefore we must flie vnto faith and then baptisme must be had the outward signe whereof representeth in vs the renewing of the spirit Rom. 6. Colos 2. and mortifieng of our members in Christ Iesus as we are bound to doo whereby we are buried in death with him God ordeined baptisme and it was ministred by S. Iohn the baptist Iohn 1. yet it bringeth not grace with it as it appeareth by Simon Magus the southsaier and sorcerer Act. 8. But beléefe mercie grace and the Holie-ghost himselfe is receiued before baptisme as it appeared in S. Paule which beleeued and then receiued the Holie-ghost Act. 9. before he was baptised Cornelius the centurion capteine receiued the Holie-ghost Act. 10. before he was baptised And the gelded chamberlaine of Candace the quéene of the Aethiopians beléeued Act. 8. and therefore had grace before he was baptised But baptisme is so necessarie that Christ saith Iohn 3. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu non potest intrare in regnum Dei Except a man be borne againe of water and of the Holie-ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of God FALSIL. Christ said All they which beleeue and are baptised shall be saued Theeues and harlots beleeue and are baptised Marc. 16. New birth is in doctrine by the holie-ghost Therefore théeues harlots shall be saued VERIL. The consequent is false the minor may be answered by distinction There is a double faith and beleefe The one being grounded on the testimonie of a good conscience is not onelie the common beleefe of all the articles of our christian faith but it is also a sure confidence and trust of the mercie of God through our Lord Iesus Christ and a stedfast hope of all good things to be receiued at Gods hand for Christes sake This faith is a most strong brasen wall against the assaults of the diuell and is not idle but alwaies worketh in charitie and loue still readie to doo our brother good and seeketh oportunitie thereto wherefore it is a liuelie faith and comprehendeth all the merits and mercies of God bestowed on mankind as our creation redemption and sanctification But the other is the faith and beleefe of harlots and diuels Iacob 2. Qui credunt contremiscunt Which beleeue and tremble knowing that God is true and iust yet haue they no goodnes at all ioined with their faith but dooing all euill and nothing well therefore it is dead in it selfe whereby it commeth to passe that their faith and baptisme dooth nothing preuaile or further them vnto saluation bicause they haue no desire to continue in that estate of innocencie and perfection which they promise at the time of their new birth in baptisme but they reuolt from God Iohn 3. and turne awaie from his mercies And as Christ died for none but for such as laie hold on him by a liuelie faith for his death shall be rather to the death of infidels than to their life so the faith and beléefe of hypocrites théeues and harlots which haue an outward shew and nothing in substance couered ouer as it were with the smooth skinne of words is nothing worth For the people of Israel in the old time could saie Iere. 7. Matt. 7. Templum Domini templum Domini The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord. And we can saie now a daies Domine Domine Lord Lord and hypocrites will so saie to the worlds end But here is no new obedience to God nor his word which is required of the penitent here is no loue to God nor man which God commandeth here is no goodnes towards God nor man therefore it nothing auaileth them to their saluation FALSIL. How necessarie is inuocation and praier VERIL. So necessarie 1. Thes 5. Colos 4. that S. Paule saith Sine intermissione orate Praie without ceasing And againe Orationi instate vigilantes in ea Continue in praier and watch in the same meaning thereby that in all our actions and attempts we must still be prest
and readie to praie Luke 12. séeking after the kingdome of God first before all things in faith Rom. 10. For he calleth not truelie vpon the name of God which beleeueth not in him and without a sure confidence in God that he is both omnipotent whereby he is able to doo it and also mercifull whereby he is willing to doo it when it shall seeme good to his infinite wisedome and that our praier be so made in acknowledging of our sinnes that it may redound to Gods glorie to the furtherance of our saluation and the promoting of his church else is it but vaine and lippe labour Christ praieth for vs that be his Iohn 16.17 Hebr. 7.9 Iohn 11. Rom. 8. for he knoweth that he is heard of his father We manie times knowe not what to praie for but the spirit aideth our infirmitie And praier is of foure kinds Deprecation which is to beg either to mitigate the punishment due for our sinnes or else that God will turne awaie his heauie displeasure conceiued for our sinnes Supplications are requests whereby we craue such things as be necessarie either for the sustentation of this life or for the life to come Intercessions are praiers made in the behalfe of others And thanks giuing is when we praise God and celebrate his name for all his benefits conferred both vpon our soules and also vpon our bodies FALSIL. 1. Cor. 12. S. Paule writeth No man can saie that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holie-ghost Hypocrites theeues harlots doo saie that Iesus is the Lord Therefore hypocrites theeues and harlots haue the Holie-ghost and by a consequent doo beléeue and they calling vpon God doo please him are heard of him and so be saued VERIL. I answer by distinction for Paule speaketh of the true inuocation according to this saieng Zachar. 12. Effundam super eos spiritum gratiae preâ—â—m I will powre out vpon them the spirit of grace praier Againe Rom. 8. Accepistis spiritum adoptionis per quem clamamus Abba Pater Ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption wherby we crie Abba Father But the counterfeit and false inuocation nothing auaileth at all which is not doone by the confidence and in the knowledge of our mediator the sonne of God but in the trust of their owne merits and worthines as plainelie it appeareth in the gospell by the talke of the Pharisie Luc. 18. FALSIL. What is the gospell of Christ VERIL. It is the glad tidings of the forgiuenes of our sinnes the gift of grace and eternall life freelie by the death and passion of Christ the sonne of God and our mediator of the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is the power of God to saluation for all them that beléeue as S. Paule saith Rom. 1. Virtus Dei est in salutem omni credenti by the voice whereof the church and houshold of God is congregated and gathered together FALSIL. Christ said to his disciples Marc. 6. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospell to all creatures Beasts are Gods creatures comprised in the generalitie of all Therefore we may preach the gospell to brute beasts VERIL. The consequent much deceiueth and the minor may be answered by distinction For God made his creatures of two sorts namelie reasonable as men and angels and vnreasonable as brute beasts which though they be Gods creatures and haue manie senses common togither with man as their being moouing seeing tasting hearing smelling and féeling yet they can not in anie case be capeable of the gospell which is eternall life for all beléeuers and was ordeined onelie for the comfort of man that did beare the liuelie image of God which is most absolute righteousnes and most perfect holines vntill man by blots of sinne did marre that image and hath yet some semblance with God in the eternitie of the soule consisting of these powers will wit and memorie whereof beasts are depriued can neither haue abilitie of reason of number or of beléefe If such cauillers as propound these syllogisticall obiections and quarels had but a little more wit than beasts they might vnderstand by these words following Marc. 16. Qui crediderit baptisatus fuerit saluus erit He that beléeueth and is baptised shall be saued that this later clause cleane taketh awaie this cauill and expoundeth that which goeth before and that brute beasts haue no possibilitie of either of these two conditions as to beleeue or to be baptised But there are some happilie of the same follie as I read a learned mistres had who finding in S. Paules epistles these words Si vir dormierit mulier est liberata 1. Cor. 7. If the husband sleepe the wife is at libertie vsed by the authoritie of these words licentious and incontinent liuing when hir husband slept as well by night as by daie and being reprooued thereof by the Ordinarie she alleaged the same scripture affirming that she had doone nothing but that which was lawfull and allowable by the testimonie of Gods word Turne the leafe read furder saith the iudge and you shall see that by this word Sleepe is meant the naturall death Nay sir quoth she turne you and read you for I take that which best serueth for my purpose Thus we see that there be some Qui deprauant scripturas 2. Pet. 3. ad suam ipsorum perditionem which peruert the scriptures vnto there owne destruction And further though it be written that Fides ex auditu Rom. 10. auditus autem per verlum Dei Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Hebr 4. yet such as heare the word of God and couple it not with faith take no more profit thereby than the brute beasts doo by hearing which haue no proportion of reason in vnderstanding such mysteries The popes holy power And the old popish Sancters tooke vpon them to blesse consecrate hollow sanctifie crosses wood mettall stones belles and bones yea and whatsoeuer ye will by sprinkling ouer of holie water crossing annointing and blessing yet all these trumperies could take no more holines and goodnes by all their circumstance of charmings than beasts can by offering them the word of God For brute beasts haue no hearing with vnderstanding of such matters Dead and senseles things haue no hearing at all If they haue no hearing they haue no faith if they haue no faith they haue no goodnes if they haue no goodnes in them then sprinkling ouer of water crossing annointing blessing of words can not make them better than trumperies as they were before FALSIL. When and how was the Holie-ghost made manifest and knowne VERIL. First in the work of the creation where it is said Gen. 1. Spiritus Domini ferebatur super aquas The spirit of the Lord was caried vpon the waters that is to wit he nourished all the worke that was made as an hen nourisheth hir chickens