a due reformation he should not designe honourable and condigne Instruments for such an excellent purpose 2. Where is the difficulty and impediment in this case Is it in his Prescience that he cannot foresee what is to come or is it in his Power that he cannot effectuate what he desireth Not in the First for I haue his owne testimony by the mouth of Samuell his prophet saying 1. Reg. 13.14 QVAESIVIT c. God hath sought a man according vnto his heart to witt Dauid his seruant What he sought he found and yet he found no good thing in Dauid which was not his owne gift Not in the SecoÌ„d for I am ascertayned by the Forerunner of my Lord Luc. 3.2 POTENS c. God is able euen of theis stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham 3. And if Caesar could say in the pride of his mortall heart Inueniam aut faciam viam either I shall find a way or I will make one did it not concerne the VVisedome of God to speake no more of his Prouidence which we Protestants haue already destroyed by inforcing a damnable errour vpon his vniuersall Church either to finde out some man already indued with conuenient gifts or els to prepare some in case none were yet adorned by him to vndertake such a royall and incomparable work of REFORMATION 4. For how can I suppose or once imagin without iniury vnto my Lord expectation of his reuendge that any base and detestable Caitifs falling away from the sweete communion of the Church into accursed heresies and being therevpon the Prophetts of hell should then also and neuer before be stirred vp and excited by God to redresse his Church the Pillar Firmament of truth Is it probable nay is it possible that they who remayned not in the duty of hir Sonnes should be aduanced vnto the dignity of hir Fathers Are men actually inspired by God and by the Diuell to impugne and to defend hir to destroy and to maintayn hir to infect and to preserue hir Were hir sworne enimies more tender of hir good then hir best friends and were vile Rebells more respectiue of Gods honour then his dearest Seruants 5. You that haue the common instinct of morall reason and the ordinary light of humane vnderstanding iudge I pray you iudge vnpartially in this case Luther thou art the scourdge of God c. See Sir Th. More coÌ„tra Luth. de Sacram. whether such disastrous Reformers as Henricus Aërius and the like were not rather ministers to execute the Iustice of God then counsellours to promulgate his will and whether he doth not rather correct then direct punish then prescribe by such men It was a tyranny in Mezentius to bind liuing men vnto dead carcasses But the VVisedome of God doth assure me that he will not tythe liuing body of his Church vnto the dead and putrified members thereof 6. The consideration of which poynt was of great power and efficacy in my heart to make me disclayme and abandon the proceedings of our GREAT Reformer M. Luther in whom there was no true resemblance of a pious and diuine Spirit Witnesse his furious declamations against Zuinglius and all Sacramentaries the Patriarch and Brethren of our ghospell his rude and vnsaintlike inuectiues against King Henry the eight his hereticall and grieuous assertions his contemptuous * This is peremptorily denied by D. Abbot against D. Hill pag. 307 with a marginall reference vnto VVhitak answ to Camp But VVhitak in his answ 10 Raindas c 7. being better aduised in this matter maketh some confession thereof howbeit he interlaceth dishonest euasions and grosse vntruths reiection of some Canonicall Scriptures his beastly and vnchristian positions his light and vayn imaginations his familiar conuersation with Diuells All which and many more odious things are extant in his owne workes things incredible vnto such as do not yet know them and fearfull vnto such as haue experience therein * Iuueâ—al Felicia tempora quae te Moribus opponant habeat iam Roma pudorem O happy times that brought thee forth to thunder out complaynt Now Rome may blush to see hir self opposd by such a Saint 7. But I will omitt the work of our late Reformation transacted by this boysterous Friar and returne vnto my other reforming gentlemen with whom I made this brief conclusion 9. The admirable WISEDOME of God doth confirme and ought to establish me in the doctrine of Purgatory and Prayer for the dead inasmuch as the first aduersaries thereof were desperately affected against his Truth and exercised open hostility against his Church There is an Aërius and an Henricus here is an Augustine and a Bernard the first deny it follow their peculiar imaginations the second affirme it rely vpon the conformable iudgement of the Catholick Church choose now whom thou wilt follow in this case and with which of theis thou wilt aduenture the eternity of thy soule 9. Shall I answere and say I respect not what the first or second haue deliuered but what the Scripture it self hath taught herein A poore euasion for the Scripture is clearely against me in this poynt and I can not gainsay it vnlesse I will come forth with a non obstante of mine owne sense and yet I am bound in all humility to subordinate my vnderstanding vnto the instruction of my Superiours But if in pride and insolency as S. * Furiosus mente clatus opinione c. See EpiphaÌ„ haer 75. The same censure belongeth vnto the rest Aërius Henricus Luther and others haue done I should preferr mine owne iudgement before the learned Fathers and renounce that due and conuenient subiection which I should haue toward the ancient Catholick Church she that must and shall iudge me and all my Protestanticall Doctours oh what monsters of opinion might I conceiue and what certainty of truth can I bring forth Truly as Aaron formed many pretious iewells into the similitude of a calf Exod. 32.4 so I might haply fashion vnto my self many foolish conceipts by casting the pretious word of God into the mould of my priuate and misguided fancy CHAP. III. The TRVTH of God hath confirmed this doctrine by a renowned Miracle An exception of Protestants refelled §. 1. The nature and Vse of Miracles 1. I Considered first that as a Miracle is a Diuine work in its nature because it can not be wrought without the speciall concurrency of Gods power so in its vse it is a Diuine testimonie because it hath a reference vnto some truth and principally when it is exhibited vnto that purpose for it procureth an inward conuiction of the vnderstanding A mystery is secret hidden and so it differeth from a miracle in respect of the VSE though it agree with it in the NATVRE thereof by an outward demonstration vnto the sense In which respect I may truly say that a Miracle is the broad Seale of Heauen affixed vnto some writing or euidence of
Berengarius in a Synod at Rome o Admonit vltaâ—d We stphilum yet Iohn Caluin protesteth that he doth and will follow Berengarius in his opinion and it is cleare that our English Church concurreth with them both which brought many FRIVOLOVS reasons the very same which we now produce and alleadge at this day against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar deliuereth his mind herein fully and saieth that VVe ought to belieue this truth Transubstantiation and to giue creditt vnto Gods word without any pledges or depositions as Miracles are But if any man will desire theis things for his assurance he may haue a thousand and a thousand persons of most holy life and profound knowledge who haue testified this truth vnto death by a thousand and a thousand * Some are remeÌ„bred by Claud. de Sainct de Euchar. Also by Bellarm. de Euchar. l. 3. cap. â— MIRACLES 10. Wherefore being thus incompassed on euery side and hauing no possibility to escape the pressure of this difficulty nor to withstand the singular and effectuall power of this euidence for one of the greatest mysteries of popish Religion is now confirmed by many Miracles euen in Gersons testimony which I was bound to admitt because as his Person deserueth high respect so it deserueth farr greater with them that will so graciously applaud him I was forced either to disclayme D. Fields booke or to renounce my Protestanticall belief but yet the later seemed a more reasonable course because that Religion can not be good which is so falsely and absurdly defended by him and all the chiefest Authours that euer applied their paynes vnto this seruice 11. What remayned now but that I should conclude with S. AVGVSTINE the * D. Field greatest Diuine which euer liued since the Apostles time and the * Caluin best witnesse of Antiquity and say with p De vtilit credones cap. 17. him Since we behold such a speciall assistance of God such progresse and such fruict shall we doubt to hide ourselues within the lapp of * Not of Donatists Aërians Berengarians Lutherans c. that Church which hath obtayned the height of authority partly by the iudgement of the people partly by the grauity of Councells partly by the Maiesty of MIRACLES and is descended by the succession of Bishoppes in the APOSTOLIQVE Seate of S. Peter at Rome a poynt which * Velenus Funccius c. See Bellarm de Pontifice Rom. l. 2. c. 2. 4. c. some men filled with a spiritt of contradiction deny without honesty witt or learning frustrà circumlatrantibus haereticis the hereticks barking round about in vayn 12. Let your owne consciences kind Readers make a secret application of theis things in the closett of your hearts Which that you may more easily and effectually do I shall intreat you to cast back your eyes of consideration with me and to reflect vpon the premisses ingenious Academicks as it becommeth men that rather haue a care to see the truth then a desire to impugne the same CHAP. IIII. A Reflexion vpon the premisses contayned in this booke §. 1. Of the grounds which I followed in this discourse 1. FIRST I considered that the grounds and authorities vpon which I buylded my discourse were so cleare and solid that no witt could dissolue or impeach their strength For if I accepted the Fathers they did conuince me if I reiected them my folly would be great and my dispute vncertayn And thus I saw that the iudgement of q Ret. 5. Edm Campian must necessarily take place viz. AEternam causae maculam coguntur Protestantes inurere siue recusent patres siue deposcant nam in altero fugam adornant in altero suffocantur Which points I prosecuted yet farther though briefly in this manner 2. If I ACCEPT the Fathers to be be my Iudges as they are Churches VVitnesses I haue the face of all Antiquity confronting me and speciallly S. Augustine whom for some iust respects I do specially esteeme Was he a Protestant and a Papist then two different Religions are compatible in one soule whence must ensue as great a strife Genes 25.22.23 and colluctation as Rebecca felt in hir womb when two Nations contended in hir body Or was he a Protestant and not a Papist why then is he so perspicuous against me in this matter Or was he a Papist and not a Protestant why then do we so triumph and glory in his name Or finally was he neither Papist nor Protestant Then both theis Religions in all probability are false and then perhapps none is true Thus from an vncertainty men runne into a nullity of faith and so the end of heresy is Atheisme because there can be no other issue vnto which it doth finally propend And verily who doth not conceiue vpon due ponderation that if the CATHOLICK Religion being so spectable in dignity so continued in succession so enlardged in diffusion and so eminent in all respects should notwithstanding seeme false or dubious by reason of some cauillations framed against it by hir enimies it will rather come to passe that no Religion should be true then that the Protestants faith which hath such a late entrance such base founders such vncertayn grounds such infinite diuisions should be more credible and probable then the said CATHOLICK belief 3. I proceed Since I was so powerfully expugned by the Fathers as you haue seene how could I elude the grauity of their testimonies which pressed and oppressed me on euery side Should I Alexander-like cutt the knott insunder with violence which I could neuer vntye with skill 4. There remayned one principall shift for me but yet it was of no value or substance For though later ages speake more copiously in this particular and in many others then the former yet I saw that it was by way of explication not innouation of declaration not alteration of exposition not addition c. For it is an excelleÌ„t prescription which Lirinensis deliuereth in this case viz. Fides habet profectum 1 Cap. 29.30 non permutationem faith hath a progresse or increase but without any chandge Matters of Ceremony are in their nature indifferent and in their vse dispensable and herein no priuate man may prescribe vnto the wisedome of the Church or limit hir power Matters of Doctrine haue their inlardgement and amplification but yet so as that no other fundation be layed then the same which we receiued in the beginning Thus Pelagians may not complayn if the doctrine of Grace were more clearely illustrated by S. Augustine then euer it was discussed before Thus the Arrians may not complayn if the doctrine of Homousia were more fully explicated by the Fathers of Nice then euer it was vnfolded vntill that time Thus also we Protestants cannot iustly complayn if the Catholick doctrine in this particular were more abundantly expressed by S. Augustine and by succeding ages then euer it was resolued vnto his dayes Lirinens Intelligatur
See afterward Part. 2. chap. 1. §. 2. For all Papists are of this opinion viz. that no sinnes but veniall onely shall be expiated in Purgatory fire Secondly the imputation of POPERY fastened vpon him from whom we English-men receiued our first instruction in the faith This was a good motiue vnto me to embrace Popery as passionate Sir Martin Luther phraseth the Catholick Religion whom I might more justly call a foule mouthed dogg then b Against D. Bishopp Part. 1. D. Abbott bestoweth this homely courtesy vpon a very learned * T. W. Priest since we were translated immediately from Paganisme vnto this belief by the wonderfull and gracious operation of almighty God Thirdly his confession of S. Gregories judgement concerning the remission of some sinnes after this life which D. Field would infrindge as you see by misinforcing his testimony against his euident purpose in that * Lib. 4. dial 39. place and his resolution elswhere 8. For in his exposition of the penitentiall Psalmes he deliuereth in * Psal 1. 3. in the beginning of each two seuerall places and strengtheneth himself in the first with the authority of S. AVGVSTINE whom he there expressly nameth that some men passe into heauen by the fire of purgation and are expiated thereby in the future life Could I desire a more copious satisfaction in the truth of this matter Or could I wish a more abundant redargution of D. Fields falsehood in traducing the Testaments of the dead for so their works are to establish that doctrine which they did wholly disclayme 9. Now a word or two concerning S. Bernard whom he coupleth very plausibly with S. Gregory as you may see to inferr a conclusion against that faith which they both professed I turned vnto the place in S. Bernard which truly can by no meanes admitt such an interpretation as M. Doctor doth colourably pretend For it is not the meaning of S. Bernard to deny that God doth at any time inflict a temporall payn after the remission of the guilt of sinne because this position were extreamely repugnant vnto Scriptures and Fathers and Reason as I shall briefly declare * Part. 2. chap. 1. §. 2. afterward and vnto the very condition of the Sacrament of Pennance it self wherein S. Bernard knew right well that sinne is remitted and yet all future punishment is not thereby taken away This was the conforme doctrine of the Catholicks in his time and who is so meanely skilled in S. Bernards faith as to conceiue that he would oppugne a matter of such sublimity and so correspondently intertayned by the Church 10. But the truth is this S. Bernard perswadeth men to flye from the contagion of sinne the effect whereof is such that as by naturall death it seuereth the soule from the body so by spirituall death it sundreth God from the soule And as sinne brought forth punishment so the cessation from sinne preuenteth punishment because no punishment doth follow where no sinne is gone before What then doth no effect of sinne remayn where the guylt of sinne is remitted S. Bernard * He esteemeth death it self to be a punishment of sinne as you may see by the sequele denieth it and therefore shewing in what sense he there intendeth that VVhen ALL sinne shall be * Prorsus D. Field himself coÌ„fesseth pag. 98. that Death tyrannizeth ouer the body c. Serm. in â—bitu Huberti VVHOLLY taken out of the way then shall no effect of it remayn he subnecteth this sentence in his sweet and diuine manner viz. Happy is our expectation and blessed is our hope whose Resurrection shall be much more glorious then our first estate of creation before our fall forasmuch as neither sinne nor punishment neither euill nor scourdge shall raigne or dwell or haue possibility to raigne or dwell either in our bodies or soules 11. To conclude it may please you to read and to ponderate this one little saying of S. Bernard by which you may take an estimate of his iudgement in theis matters My brethren while you think to auoyd a very small punishment in this world you incurr a greater in the next For you must vnderstand that you shall pay an hundred fold in * In purgabilibus locis Purgatory for those things which you neglect in this life 12. I know most kind Readers that you meruayle no lesse now then I did by what art D. Field can distill his Church out of the writings of theis worthy and learned men or how their authorities may be honestly alleadged to prooue that Papists are nothing els but a faction in the Church forasmuch as those Authors generally whom he produceth in his glorious Appendix are really interessed in that faction and enimies of our Protestanticall Church Wherefore I did now sufficiently vnderstand that we Protestants assuming the name of Israell vnto our selues and imputing the name of Philistims vnto the Papists could not iustify our affectation therein by any better resemblance then this viz. As the poore 1. Sam. 13.19.20 distressed Israelites were constrayned to repayr vnto the Philistims for the sharpening of their dulled tooles so we miserable Protestants hauing no better meanes are inforced to go vnto the Papists to procure some weapons for our defence from them which we turne vngratefully and vniustly against their owne bowells §. 2. S. AVGVSTINE abused by D. Field 1. YOu haue * Pag. 13. seene the goodly pretense of D. Field assuring you that the Protestants honour and reuerence the Fathers much more then the Papists do Which venditation if it did proceede from a syncere heart then D. Field should not stand in need of his inflexions and corruptions to sustayn his cause with their disgrace and much lesse with infaming the greatest of them all in this manner which I will here represent vnto your Christian view 2. The Romish manner of praying for the dead saith c Pag. 99. he hath no certayn testimony of Antiquity for NO MAN euer thought of Purgatory TILL Augustine to auoyd a worse errour did DOVBTINGLY runne into it d And none before that is false after whom e And not all that is false many in the Latin Church embraced the same opinion but the * See befor pag. 54. Greek Church neuer receiued it to this day 3. He is yet more seuere vnto S. Augustine vnto the Papists and vnto this doctrine saying that f Pag. 79. Augustine doubtfully broached that opinion which gaue occasion to the Papists of their HERESY touching Purgatory This imputation of heresy doth cleaue as strongly vnto the Fathers whom he pretendeth to honour and reuerence as vnto any Papist at this day for what should I speake of g Part. 4. Serm. de defunct in Querelâ defunct GERSONS heresy in this point whom he honoureth and reuerenceth so farr as to intitle him a * Pag. 85. worthy guide of Gods Church c. 4. Now though I obserued many
God grant you grace to hate the one and so you shall escape the other 19. The second consideration is more important then the first For though the riuers of our late ghospell are issued from VVickliffs fountayn yet Melancthon himself no small Saint in Iohn Fox his Calendar shall testify that there is no correspondency betwixt him and your Euangelicall Churches euen in some principall articles of your faith Melancth in ep ad Fâ—eder Micon I haue looked sayth he into VVickliffe who behaueth himself very tumultuously in this controuersy of the Lords supper and more then this I haue found many errours in him by which a man may take iudgement of his spiritt It is certayn that he did neither hold nor vnderstand the iustice of faith he doth make a foolish confusion of the ghospell and temporall affayres He brawleth sophistically and seditiously concerning the ciuill Magistrate c. Theis things being duly and conscionably waighed I see not what aduantadge the Protestants can take from such a base and vnworthy progenitouâ— of their Religion But whereas D. Field doth artificially pretend smaller things and conceale the greater you may see with what skill and subtility he laboureth to sustayn an euill cause which can admitt no competent defence 20. Concerning the FOVRTH particular I will not say much though in this also the Doctour hath vsed a very cunning deprauation For as before he layed the condemnation of Husse and VVickliff vpon other persons but not vpon Gerson and alleadgeth no other reason thereof but onely his positions against the Clergy so now he addeth farther as a parcell of Gersons continuate discourse in the same * in dialog apologetic place that many of those positions might carry a good and Catholick sense if they might haue found a fauourable construction 21. Good Reader haue a little patience in thy admiration of this faithlesse dealing for I assure thee that Gerson in all that discourse hath not one syllable directly or indirectly sounding vnto this purpose neither doth the learned Doctour insinuate vnto vs whence he tooke or where we may find that extenuation of VVickliffs crime Howbeit perusing the workes of Gerson almost from the α to the ω thereof D. Fields maruaylous suggestions inuiting me first vnto that happy labour I * Part. 1. Serm. pro Viâ—gio Regis Romsecundâ— parte principali directione 3. found this assertion deliuered by him viz. A generall Councell may condemne many propositions with their authours though they may haue some glosses or expositions or true logicall senses This rule was practised by this Councell in many articles of VVickliffe and Husse some whereof might receiue some defence either by the force of logick or grammer c. But the Councell did carefully attend that speach of Hilary saying intelligentia dictorum ex causis est assumenda dicendi c. and that of Augustine saying Theologis ad certam regulam loqui fas est c. 22. I remitt you vnto the authour for the rest onely I will now intreate you to consider theis three points First the Doctours craft in conuaighing those things into one sentence which are dispersed in sundry places and thus he intangleth his Reader with perplexed and obscure deuices Secondly he pretendeth that the positions of VVickliffe which might beare a Catholick sense by a fauourable construction were such as seemed to derogate from the state of the Clergy But as Gerson giueth no signification thereof by any one instance so it is euident that those positions can not possibly receiue a fauourable construction to yeald any Catholick sense as you may iudge by your owne wisedome and discretion and for a iust experiment hereof I report me vnto the * num 15. precedents Thirdly and lastly you see that though D. Field would exaggerate the seuerity of the Councell herein forasmuch as it did not condescend vnto a fauourable interpretation c. yeâ— Gerson himself whom he would seeme to follow in this matter doth approoue the Councells prudency and he prescribeth it as a direction also in the like cases And thus gentle Readers I haue compeÌ„diously noted forth vnto you many fraudes and corruptions of this Doctour in his FIRST passadge the farther prosecution whereof I leaue vnto your wise and religious hearts nor doubting but that you will remember my aduise for your soules health TRY BEFORE YOV TRVST 23. I come now vnto his SECOND passadge wherein I might abound and furnish you with plentifull matter but I must not forgett that I write an Appendix onely at this time and therefore I shall be inforced to contract my self and to draw my discourse into a narrow compasse 24. You must remember that in this passadge the Doctour hath found a meanes how the disgrace of that hostility which raigneth betwixt the Lutheran and Caluinian factions may be deriued vpon the Papists yea this diuersity sayth he is to be imputed wholly vnto them because a Reformation was to be effected in the Church and the faction of the Popes flatterers being an impediment thereunto so that it could not be done in a generall Councell as * Parte 3. in dialog apologetic Gerson foresaw out of his experience it was necessarily to be assayed in the particular kingdomes of the world Whence some diuersity could not but ensue while one knew not nor expected to know what an other did 25. That Gerson did earnestly desire a Reformation his owne testimony will euince I see sayth * ibid in fine he that the Reformation of the Church will neuer be made by a Councell without the presidency of a well affected Guyde wise and constant Let the members therefore prouide for themselues throughout all kingdomes and prouinces when they shall be able and know how to compasse this work Here D. Field triumpheth See before § 1. num 4. c. applying this counsayle of Gerson vnto the tumultuations of Luther and Zwinglius and such disastrous Reformers But with what conscience with what honesty with what respect of God or man could D. Field thus depraue the intention of Gerson and thus obscure the light of the truth and thus abuse the credulity of his Reader For doth not Gerson in the words immediately subsequent most abundantly demonstrate that there is no proportion nor conformity betwixt his desire and their fact Compare therefore their proceedings with his prescrition and the difference will soone appeare They must atchieue this Reformation sayth he not by multiplying new constitutions which is rather an hinderance then an aduantadge but by a liuely and couradgious execution of the lawes al ready made in great plenty the superuacaneous being either cutt of or quite omitted 26. I must intreate you now to consider the resemblance betwixt Gerson and Luther in this issue The first referreth vs vnto the prouision of the lawes but what lawes did the second follow in his disordered innouations The first requireth an execution of the Ecclesiasticall decrees but what decrees were
Church When Ioab pursued Absalom in his rebellion 2. Sam. 18 5. he had a chardge from Dauid saying Seruate mihi puerum Absalom c. Saue my sonne Absalom and the people heard the King when he gaue this commandement vnto his Princes so Gerson did most strictly prescribe vnto all men that they should not reueale heir Fathers nakednesse nor disleize him of his rightfull inheritance howsoeuer his euill manners might deserue a iust reproof nor putt their hand to violate the sacred ordinance of Christ and all the world may take notice of this injunction But as Ioabs sanguinaâ—ious heart neither respected the compassion of a father nor the commandement of a maister to Luther in his insatiable fury regarded not his Sauiours institution his Churches safety the judgement of Fathers the decree of Councells but trampled all theiâ— vnder his feete and insulted against our Lords anoynted with diabolicall contempt Pardon me good Sir if I seeme earnest against him who was so singularly opposite vnto the worthy guides of Gods Church I remember that Sueton diuiding the gests of Caligula into two parts giueth this censure of him that in the former he had spoken tanquam de homine as of a man but in the rest be is to speake tanquam de monstro as of a monster and of no man Likewise whensoeuer I make mention of your other Reformers as you call them I will speake of them all as of men participating humane nature with me but I cannot conceiue a thought of Luther which doth not represent a very monster vnto my vnderstanding so vnlike I find him in all his courses vnto the worthy guides of Gods Church and consequently your Reformation most dissonant from the purity of their faith and contrary vnto their designements notwithstanding all the shaddowes colours and gloriations of D. Field §. 4. The name and authority of GROSTHEAD abused by D. Field to iustify the Lutheran pretensed Reformation 1. IS not the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim better then the vintage of Abiezer Iudiâ— 8.2 Though D. Field hath placed Gerson in the front of his battell against the Papists and seâ—teâ—h him forth in complete armour as you haue seeme yet a principall yea the greatest part of his victory may seeme to depend vpon Grosthead whose name is gratious vnto vs for contrey sake and venerable also in respect of that dignity which he enioyed in the Church Wherefore a little a very little signification of his mind warping toward this late pretensed Reformation may iustly preuayle with vs much more then the profuse and copious discourses of other men not so much indeared vnto vs as this worthy guide of Gods Church concerning whom you haue receiued this instruction from D. Field * pag. 84. When the Pope resolued to accurse anathematize and excommunicate GROSTHEAD the renowned B. of Lincolne because he contemned his Papall Bulles and Letters who was therefore in his time named Romanorum malleus contemptor the Cardinalls opposed themselues saying that he was a right good man and holier then any of them that the things wherewith he chardged the Pope were most true c. 2. To deale with euery particular in this artificiall passadge it requireth much payne and the summe thereof would exceed that quaÌ„tity vnto which I am now coÌ„fined But I will direct my self first vnto the mayn issue and then I may draw you vnto a consideration of the inferiour poynts 3. You know that the scope and purpose of D. Field is to iustify your Reformation by the testimonies and verdicts of Gerson of Grosthead of Sauanarola and the like Now if this worthy guide of Gods Church were a true formall essentiall Papist I appeale vnto your conscience whether it be probable or possible that he could wish or tolerate the Reformation of Luth. Zuingl c. which D. Field pretendeth to be conformable vnto his desire To satisfy you in this matter vnto the full I pray you good Sir take notice that a * D. Godwyn in his catalogue of BB. Bishopp of your owne hath freed this worthy guide from all suspition of propending vnto your reformed Church For thus he writeth †pag. 240. The Pope hauing read the letters of Bishopp Grosthead grew into great choller and breathing out many threates intended some terrible reuendge of this so intolerable reproach as he tooke it vntill such time as one Giles a Cardinall of Spayn stepping vnto him vsed theis words Holy Father it shall not do well in my opinion to take any hard or extreame course against this man it is but too true that he hath written he is for Religion NOTA. a CATHOLICK as well as we c. 4. Here you may demand of your highly esteemed Doctour first Whether the Cardinalls of Rome were not reall members of the Antichristian Synagogue and whether to be a Catholick AS WELL AS THEY it be not identically as much as to say a proud Romanist a factious Papist c. termes much affected by himself You may demand of him secondly Whether they or any man participating with them substantially in the same Religion could euer cast a fauourable and propitious eye toward the Lutheran or Zwinglian ReformatioÌ„ of the Church You may demand of him thirdly Whether it were ingenuous and honest dealing in him to geue such a singular applause vnto the excellency of Grostheads virtues that so dissembling his correspondency in faith with the Romane Church he might colour and beautify his euill cause with fictions exaggerations and other pretenses of the same nature 5. Consider a few of them and by theis you may conceiue the quality of the rest Your Doctour for his owne aduantadge doth liberally permitt the title of a renewned Bishopp vnto this worthy guide Truly Sir I doubt not but if Grosthead were now suruiuing and knew by what manner of men he is thus praised he would say what euill haue I done that they should speake well of me But this is a triuiall art in Protestants to eleuate men and to depresse them agayn as their humours do propell them and therefore their language is alwayes varied according to their occasions Hence it is de Antichr pag. 23. that M. Powell hath a trick to place William Wickam in the catalogue of his Euangelicall fathers and to stile him a most godly Bishopp howbeit Iohn Fox knowing him to be a most infense aduersary vnto the ghospell of VVickliffe phraseth him the wicked Bishopp of VVinchester c. But forasmuch as my originall discourse is concerning a Bishopp of Lincolne I will exemplify rather in Rich. Flemming sometimes à Prelate of that See ibid. pag. 42 to whom M. Powell doth afford very speciall commendation for his euangelicall truth for his affection vnto the word of God c. To conclude he also did rerceiue that there must be a Reformation of the Church Notwithstanding * in his catalogue of BB. D. Godwyn may informe you that B. Flemming
and other hereticks 8. And here you may perceiue the singular falsehood of M. †in apolog Iewell pretending that they whom Papists do contumeliously call Lutherans and Zwinglians are truly FRIENDS and BRETHREN For as S. Luther himself would by no meanes permitt the name of BRETHREN vnto the Zwinglian but repelled them for hereticks as he testifieth in a certain * cited by Brentius in Recognit c. pag. 276. epistle so †ibid. pag. 282. Brentius and Melancthon resolued that they could not acknowledge them to be their brethren in regard of their impious and vayn opinions And though the judgement of Melancthon chandged as the moone whence his name is * See the examen of Fox his calendar chap. 16. num 72. 7â— c. odious vnto the truest disciples of Luther yet the Lutheran part of the Synod holden at Maulbrune 1564. make this declaration Whereas the Zwinglians haue deliuered abroad that we agnize them to be our BRETHREN this is fayned by them so impudently that we cannot sufficiently admire their impudency herein For as we grant them no place in the Church so we do not take them to be our brethren whom we haue found to be caried with the spiritt of lies and to be contumelious against the Sonne of man 9. Theis things are very playn and therefore I referr the decision of this whole matter vnto your self let your owne heart be the oracle whence you may assume a faithfull resolution And if your conscience shall assure you that the LIKE differences were not betwixt the ancients as are and were betwixt the primitiue fathers and brethren of your ghospell then iudge of your Doctours fidelity wherein you haue formerly had such a firme repose 10. I come vnto a SECOND pretense of your learned Doctour saying that the Papists themselues haue diuisions and differences pag. 168. c. and that therefore nothing can be concluded against the Protestants or for the Papists from the note of Vnity or from diuision which is opposite thereunto 11. But this poore recrimination can yeald you no defence For if the ey may be a iudge in this case we see a comfortable harmony in the Catholick Church the same doctrine preached the same Sacraments administred the same gouernment established But as your Ecclesiasticall gouerment in England in Scotland in Heluetia in Saxony is distinct so the doctrines betwixt your sayd Churches conspire not in some essentiall poynts In a word The Catholicks in Asia Africk Europe America haue a iust correspondency in faith but the Protestants in Europe for in it and some part of it alone are they confined haue great diuersity in faith and one faction doth prosecute the other with Vatinian hatred 12. Wherefore a THIRD pretense which your learned Doctour doth affect against the certainty of our experience will easily refute itself VVe want not a most certayn rule sayth * D. Field pag. 169. he whereby to iudge of all matters of controuersy and difference to witt the Scripture or written word of God expounded according to the rule of faith practise of the Saints and the due †Ad alium scripturae locum recurrendum est non expectanda hominis sententia ad liteÌ„ dirimendam sayth Zwingl tom 2. in responsâ—ad epist Eckij comparing of one part of it with an other in the publick confessions of faith published by the Churches of our confession In all which there is a full consent whatsoeuer our malicious aduersaries clamorously pretend to the contrary c. 13. If this rule be most certayn how commeth it to passe that the difference betwixt Lutherans and Caluinists standeth vncoÌ„posed at this day Why did * See loc coÌ„ Luth. part 5. pag. 52. Luther pronounce so seuerely that the Anabaptists and Sacramentaries contemne the WORD howsoeuer they make a shew of religion Why did Zwinglius so peremptorily affirme that Luther oppressed the Euangelicall truth Why did M. Cartwright so constantly protest that the Church of England is destitute of one moity of the word Finally why do all your sects as well the supreame of Lutherans and Caluinists as the subordinate factious in each cry out continually the word the word and yet no rule hath drawen them vnto a conformity of sense therein 14. Giue me leaue therefore to except against the pretended rule of D. Field for three respects FIRST because the Principle of your religion excludeth the meanes of reconciliation viz. the grauity of Councells the dignity of Fathers the authority of the Church For though D. Field in his epistle vnto the Archb. of Cant. doth iudiciously aduise all men to rest in the iudgement of the Church and sayth elswhere that you admitt a triall by the Fathers yet your ghospellers haue not accepted nor practised this direction It is not accepted by you for Clebitius to name one amongst many setting downe the lawes of a Synod betwixt the Lutherans and Zwinglians sayth precisely Solum Dei verbum sit iudex let the word of God be the onely iudge Likewise Zwinglius deliuereth this assertion against the Catholicks we will endure no other iudge but the word alone Now where is the meanes to define the questions of religion See F. Camâ— piaÌ„s fourth reason and compare it with the assertion of D. Field pag. 168. viz. the authority of a Councell is not the if the Church of God represented in a lawfull Councell hath not authority to iudge of the sense of Scripture and to oblige men to rest in hir decision But this prescription is not practised by you for you receiue the ancient Oecumenicall Councells with this restriction as farr as they agree with the scripture and so euery man is left vnto his owne choyce to determine whether this or that particular in the Councell be agreable vnto the scripture or not Notwithstanding this liberty is not permitted by your Bishopps vnto their owne inferiours for they know what inconuenience would follow by leauing the * Ministers vnto that vncertayn limitation and so they presume to require more duty of their children then they dare yeald vnto their Fathers but with what equity and indifferency your wisedome may easily conceiue as also how the vnity such as it is in your Church proceedeth onely from the vigour of law and not from the principles of Religion 15. My SECOND exception against D. Fields pretended rule is taken from a consideration of your persons which haue not that subordination which is requisite in this behalf For lib. 1. ep 3. whereas S. Cyprian doth excellently obserue that heresies arise from no other cause then that the Priest of God is not obayed and that men think not of one Priest and Iuge in stead of Christ it is most euident that heresies will increase daily in your Churches and no conclusion of peace can possibly ensue because there is not submission of judgement nor subjection of spirit nor vnion of members vnto their head Lutherans seeke
an HERETICK and no member of hir communion For which consideration I am as tenderly affected in this article as in any other of my Creed esteeming my self obliged thereunto for two respects FIRST because the essentiall truth thereof is clearely reuealed vnto me by God both in his word written and by Apostolicall Tradition In his word written for what can be more perspicuous then this saying * Act. 2.27 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell c. By Apostolicall Tradition for what can be more playn then this article He descended into hell That the common Creed is an Apostolicall Tradition your chiefest writer H. †de PedeÌ„pt Zanch us doth confesse and as I conceiue * pag. 238. D. Field dissenteth not from his iudgement therein What †de Antichr pag. 48. M. Powell or his proud Peacock or some precipitate Spiritts imagine to the contrary I am not to regard But if this Creed be an Apostolicall Tradition then it is * See D. Fields rule which I haue cited before Booke 1. part 1. c. 2. §. 2. num 3. equall vnto the written word of God euen for that cause For it proceedeth from diuine inspiration and so it hath sufficient authority of it self Wherefore it was not respectiuely decreed by your †Artic. Relig 8. Bishopps that this Creed ought throughly to be receiued BECAVSE it may be prooued by most certayn warrants of holy Scripture 3. SECONDLY I am mooued by the authority of the Church For who sayth * epist 99. S. Augustine denieth that Christ descended into hell vnlesse he be an INFIDELL And for the sense of this article †Tract 78. in Ioh. he hath this cleare resolution Who is he that was not left in hell Christ Iesus but in his SOVLE onely Who is he that lay in the graue Christ Iesus but in his FLESH onely For the NATVRALL vnion of his body and soule was dissolued but not the HYPOSTATICALL vnion of either with his Person 4. This truth being so potent and perspicuous I aske you now what reason haue you for any part of your faith if you haue not assurance in this And if you fall from this See Luthers saying before pag. 40. what certainty haue you in any other poynt Therefore it importeth your Church to shew a due conformity in this article of the Creed Finally you may remember that S. Athanasius in his Creed which your †Artic. Relig 8. Church pretendeth to admitt throughly c. hauing premised this denunciatioÌ„ Whosoeuer keepeth not the Catholick faith entire and inuiolate without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly doth afterward subnect this article of Christ his descent into hell as parcell of that CATHOLICK faith §. 2. D. Mortons pretense of his Churches vnity in this poynt is clearely refuted 1. NOw see your Doctours syncerity who may call God to reuendge it vpon his soule if he deceyue any man with his knowledge First he citeth the opinion of * l. 4. de Christo cap. 15. Bellarmine in theis wordes Opinio Catholica haec est CHRISTVM VERE SECVNDVM ESSENTIAM FVISSE IN INFERNO As much as to say Christ in his soule substaÌ„tially did descend into hell Then he addeth Hanc vestram sententiam NOS quoque iuxià cum Augustana confessione libentissimè profitemur non tamen quatenus vestram sed quatenus veram WE also together with the Augustane confession do most willingly professe this opinion c. 2. It is well that he left out the Scottish French Belgian and Heluetian confessions for he knoweth that the true Caluinists are hereticks in this behalf And this is an incuitable conclusion because they do obstinately and wilfully reiect the true and Catholick opinion and so defending an opinion CONTRARY vnto CATHOLICK verity they can not be exempted from the crime of heresy which casteth them into a damnable estate But I beseech you do YOV that is to say your Church of England most willingly professe this Catholick opinion Alas that your Apologist hath so iustly called God to reuendge this falsehood vpon his soule let him intreate our Lord to pardon that prouocation of his iudgement and in the meane time I will demonstrate his falsehood by foure euidences FIRST if YOV be of this opinion as he pretendeth why are your Bibles infected with this absurd Translation Act. 2.27 some say life or person some body or carrasse Thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue Is this to submitt your sense vnto the Scripture or is it not rather to draw it vnto your preiudicate opinion This is to measure the yard by the cloth and thus while you should be faithfull Translatours you become corrupt Interpreters of the Scripture SECONDLY why was your Church so distracted in this matter vpon the Sermon and Treatise of D. Bilson How came it to passe that D. Rainolds his Caluinian resolution in this matter was confuted by M Perks and why did M. VVillet the Synopticall Theologue as he is phrased by †in his epist prefixed before the booke of ConfereÌ„ce at Hampton Court D. Barlow oppose himself against M. Perks his answere Why do your Ministers publiquely in Sermons and in print impugne this true and Catholick opinion THIRDLY Why is no Minister punished for his repugnancy vnto this truth which is of greater consequence then crosse cap surplice or any ceremonious thing or whatsoeuer institution of your Church for which many haue suffered depriuation of their liuings FOVRTHLY the testimony of M. Rogers whose booke hath a speciall approbation as you may see * pag. 160. before will conuince D. Morton of notorious falsehood For though his purpose was to deliuer the †that is the title of all his pages Catholick doctrine of YOVR Church yet when * pag. 16. he commeth vnto this article he sayth that in the interpretation of it there is not that consent which were to be wished some holding one opinion thereof and some an other Wherefore yealding no certayn doctrine but leauing men vnto their choyce he addeth TILL we know the natiue and vndoubted * Faith coÌ„sisteth not in the words but in the sense sense of this article c. 3. If this be not a sensible conuiction of M. Doctours singular vntruth I must confesse that I haue done him iniury and will be ready to make any satisfaction that he can reasonably demand Meane while he must giue me leaue to detect an other of his excellent sleights and then I will referr him vnto his best thoughts As it was a notable vanity in him to affirme that YOV do willingly embrace the Catholick opinion in this article so that is a delicate collusion which ensueth within the compasse of three lines viz. à VOBIS c. WE in England differ from YOV Papists concerning the place vnto which Christ descended For WE say that he descended vnto the hell of the damned but YOV say that he descended onely ad limbum Patrum the region of the Fathers 4. The authour cited by him is * Theomach l. 7. c. 1. Feuardentius whose opinion he imputeth here as generally vnto the Papists as he applied the other vnto your English Church But forasmuch as M. Doctour doth continually deale with BELLARMINE and in the words immediately precedent alleadged him particularly also in this matter as you †num 1. see why did he now pretermitt him and select an other I will shew you the reason for Bellarmine himself in the very next chapter is of a contrary opinion vnto that which M. Doctour deriueth generally vpon the Papists What piety then or humanity was in this preposterous deuise 5. Know you therefore FIRST that the opinion which he here imputeth vnto VS without exception is as falsely attributed vnto all Catholicks as the other vnto YOVR English Church SECONDLY that your difference is in the substantiall sense and meaning of this article but our difference is a scholasticall disceptation in a matter of greater or lesser probability which being a doubt not resolued by the Church may be indifferently accepted by hir children without breach of charity or violation of faith 6. Thus I haue giuen you a little signification of those many vntruths which I haue obserued in this Doctour If it consist not with his credit or profitt to yeald yet it concerneth you to beware of his Sirenicall incantations Your benefitt shall be my reward if not so yet this schedule may be a token of my loue and be you well assured that either by following my counsayle TRY BEFORE YOV TRVST you shall preuent an heauy doome or by neglecting it you shall increase your iudgement FINIS A TABLE OF THE GENERALL CONTENTS IN THE FIRST PART CHAP. 1. § 1. GERSONS testimony alleadged by D. Field to iustify the pretensed REFORMATION § 2. It is impossible that GERSON could wish or tolerate this REFORMATION § 3. A detection of D. Fields vntruths in citing the testimonyes of GERSON § 4. The name and authority of GROSTHEAD abused by D. Field to the same effect CHAP. 2. § 1. D. Fields vntrue suggestion concerning the vnity of Lutherans and Caluinists is refuted Their difference touching Vbiquity the Sacrament § 2. D. Fields excuse of their litigation is refelled They neither haue nor can haue any conclusion of peace CHAP. 3. § 1. D. Field deuiseth criminations against Bellarmine § 2. His inciuility toward the CARDINALL whose excellent parts are briefly noted IN THE SECOND PART CHAP. 1. § 1. D. Mortons vntruth in defence of Luther § 2. His vntruth in protection of Caluin CHAP. 2. § 1. Of the article concerning Christ his descent into hell § 2. D. Morton doth vntruly pretend the vnity of his English Church in the sense thereof The PARTICVLAR contents are many which I referr vnto the diligence of the courteous Reader THE CORRECTION OF FAVLTES PASSED IN SOME COPIES P. signifieth page I line M. mâ—â—gent p. 10. l. 40. reade the same p. 12. â—â— num 15. p. 22. l â— proceed p. 26. l. 6. brimtione p. 60. l. 27 â—â—dery p. 44 l. 15. 〈◊〉 p. â—5 l 4. improbation 12. l. â—â—ist 17. 〈◊〉 p. 48. l. 1â— Iudes p. 5â—â—â— with any p. â—â— l. 8. his stile and sayd pag. 58. l. 15 what 〈◊〉 p. 59. l. 22. your p. 64. l. 26. â—â—clâ—sastiâ—