per gratiam He would not therefore say eternall life is the stipend of iustice but he had rather say eternall life is the grace of God because the same merits to which it is rendered are not of our selues but wrought in our selues by God through grace The second text of holy scripture is contained in these wordes I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the future glory which shall be reuealed toward vs. Loe all our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all our passions afflictions and penalties that we are able to endure in this life are so farre from being meritorious of eternall life that they are in no wise comparable to the same Theoderetus doth liuely expresse this verietie in these most golden wordes Superant certamina coronae non comparantur cum laboribus remunerationes labor enim paruus est sed magnum lucrum speratur Et propterea non mercedem sed gloriam vocauit ea quae expectantur The conflicts of the crowne doe remaine the labours are not comparable to the rewards for the labour is small but the gaine hoped for is great And therefore the things expected are not called a reward but glory Anselmus hath these wordes Hoc est si quis pateretur omnes paenarum acerbitates quae in tempore presentis vitae sufferri possunt non essent omnes illae passiones dignum meritum ad consequutionem futurae gloriae quae ablato omni velamine reuelabitur in nobis If one should suffer all kindes of torment which can bee endured in this life yet would not all those afflictions torments or passions be a sufficient and condigne merite to atteine the future glory which when euery vaile is taken out of the way shal be reuealed in vs. Marke well these wordes in this famous popish writer because they are most important for seeing he was a great papist his proofe must needes be good against the papists Againe his words are so cleere and manifest that no euasion can haue place For he saith in plaine and expresse tearmes that all which is possible to be done or endured in this world can not be a worthy or condigne merite of eternall life No answere in truth can be made hereunto it iumpeth in deed with the true sense and meaning of Saint Paul The third place of holy scripture is contained in these words Not by the works of iustice which we haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holy Ghost These are the Apostles words euen as our Rhemists haue alledged them By which words it is most cleere and apparant that we are not onely iustified but also saued of meere mercie and the free gift of God And consequently that eternall life hath no merite on the behalfe of man For after saluation once accomplished all merite is vaine and needlesse Anselmus hath these golden words Tunc saluos nos fecit qui nostris meritis eramus perditione digni non enim ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos processit haec salus quia nulla opera iustitiae feceramus vnde salutem meruissemus sed ipse secundum misericordiam suam saluos nos fecit non secundum merita nostra nobis hanc salutem dedit Then did he saue vs who by our owne merites deserued perdition For this saluation came not from the workes of iustice which we haue done because we had done no workes of iustice by which wee should merite saluation but hee according to his mercie saued vs and not according to our merites gaue hee vs this saluation The famous papist Dionysius Carthusianus expoundeth Saint Paul euen as Anselmus did These are his wordes Non ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos id est non propter merita nostra quae nulla fuerunt quia predictis peccatis eramus obnoxij sed secundam suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit à potestate diaboli reatuaeterui tormenti merito suae conuersations passionis Not of the works of righteousnesse which we haue done that is not for our merites which were none at all because we were subiect to the afore named sinnes but according to his mercie hath he saued vs from the power of the deuill and guilt of eternall torment by the merit of his holy conuersation and passion Loe our saluation commeth not of mans merits but of the merits of the sonne of God This shall suffice for the first reason which is drawne from the authortiie of holy writ The second reason drawne from the authoritie of the holy fathers SAint Austen hath many excellent testimonies in his workes which doe euidently approoue and confirme this my doctrine against the popish supposed condigne merit of works but I will content my selfe with one or two at this present Thus doth he write Virtus est charitas quaid quod diligenduÌ„ est diligitur haec in alijs maior in alijs minor in alijs nulla est plenissima vero quae iam non possit augeri quandiu hic homo viuit estin nemine quandiu autem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quaÌ„ debit ex vitio est Ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet Ex quo vitio non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis viuens Propter quod vitium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nos met ipsos seducimus veritas in nobis non est Propter quod etiam quantum libet pâ—ofecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra cum iam omnia in baptismo dicta facta cogitata dimissa sint Charitie is a vertue with which we lout that that ought to be loued This in some is more in others lesse in others none at all but the perfect charitie which cannot be increased while a man here liueth is found in none so long as it can be increased that doubtlesse which is lesse then it should be proceedeth of sinne by reason of which sinne there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs by reason of which sinne how much soeuer we profit yet must we say of necessitie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen after that all our thoughts words and workes are forgiuen in baptisme Thus writeth Saint Austen that mightie piller of Christs Church out of whose most golden wordes I note sundrie excellent documents to the great comfort of the faithfull and to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists For first Saint Austen saith that no man can haue charitie in that perfect degree which the law requireth Secondly that the want thereof proceedeth of that vice that is inherent in vs. Thirdlie that by reason of this vice euery man is a sinner Fourthly that by
reason thereof none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight Fiftly that by reason thereof whosoeuer saith he hath no sinne is a flat lier Sixtly that how vertuously soeuer we liue yet must we desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes by reason of this inherent vice Seauenthly that we must thus pray euen after all sinnes be forgiuen vs in our baptisme Againe the same Saint Austen in another place hath these wordes Iustitia modo nostra ex fide iustitia perfecta non est nisi in angelis vixin angelis si Deo comparentur tamen si qua perfecta iustitia anim arum spirituum est quos Deus creauit in angelis sanctis iustis bonis nullo lapsu auersis nulla superbia cadentibus sed manentibus semper in contemplatione verbi Dei nihil aliud dulce habentibus nisi à quo creati sunt in ipsis perfecta iustitia est in nobis autem ex fide coepit esse secundum spiritum Our iustice is now of faith there is no perfect iustice but in the angels and scarce in the angels if they be compared to God Yet if there be any perfect iustice of soules and spispirits which God hath created in the holy Angels iust good by no lapse auerted by no pride falling but euer abiding in the contemplation of the word of God and thinking nothing sweet but him onely which created them in them iustice is perfect but in vs it is not perfect it is onely begun of faith according to the spirit Thus saith Saint Austen telling vs very plainely that there is no perfect iustice in man but doubtlesse where no perfect iustice is there can be no condigne merite of eternall life S. Ambrose is consonant to S. Austen who writeth in this manner Caro contra spiritum contra carnem spiritus concupiscit nec inuenitur in vllo hominum tant a concordia vt legi mentis lex quae membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium sanctorum persona accipitur quod Ioannes Apostolus ait si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus nos ipsos seducimus verit as in nobis non est The flesh saith S. Ambrose coueteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh neither can there be found in any man such concord or agreement that the law which is ingrafted in the members fighteth not against the law of the mind And for that cause Saint Iohns words are taken as spoken in the person of all Saints If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Thus writeth S. Ambrose out of whose words I note first that concupiscence mooueth rebellion against the spirit in the holiest man vpon earth Secondly that this rebellion is sinne in euery one for S. Iohn speaketh of sinne indeed Thirdly that no man liuing is free from sinne and consequently that none liuing in this pilgrimage of mortalitie can condignely merite eternall life S. Chrysostome is consonant to S. Ambrose and S. Austen these are his words Etsi millies moriamur etsi omnes virtutes animi expleamus nibil dignum gerimus adea quae ipsi percepimus à deo Though we die a thousand times and though we accomplish all vertues of the mind yet doe we nothing worthie of those things which we receiue of God Theophilact saith in this manner Seruauit nos aeternum non ex operibus quae fecimus hoc est neque secimus opera iustitiae neque per haec conseruati sumus sed vniuersam salutem bonit as ipsius atque elementia operata est He hath saued vs eternally not of the works which we haue done that is neither haue we done the workes of iustice neither are we saued by them but his goodnesse and his clemencie hath wrought our saluation wholly Now to knit vp this reason with all consents in one I will here set downe the flat and plaine report of a famous Frier and popish bishop in that booke which he dedicated to Pope Sixtus the fift Post humillim am sanctorum pedum deosculationem These are the words Eodem etiam modo considerantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solum modo bonorum operum valorem illum à valore iusta vitae aeterae aestimatione longissimè distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aeterna Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna illi aequalia quae seclusa illa dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis reperitur fuissent tanto premio prorsus indigna All other holy doctors also considering after the same manner the naturall value onely of good workes and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the value and iust estimation of eternall life said wisely That our works are not meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Yet for the couenant and promise made vnto vs the good workes of man with the helpe of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in the Scripture set aside were altogether vnworthie of so great reward Thus saith our popish bishop our holy Frier euen to the Pope himselfe after the humble kissing of his most holy feet VVho though he bestirre himselfe more than a little to establish the condigne merite of mans workes yet doth he in his owne kind of dispute and reasoning vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he graunteth that not onely S. Chrysostome but all the rest of the holy fathers with him marke well gentle reader affirme constantly and vniformely with one voice and assent a testimonie almost incredible to proceed from the mouth of a papist so deere to the Pope That good workes neither are meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Secondly he graunteth freely that the best workes considered in their owne nature and kind are vnworthy of eternall life Thirdly he graunteth willingly and telleth the Pope roundly post deosculationem pedum but after the kissing of his feet that good workes euen as they proceed of grace and assistance of the holyghost are for all that altogether vnworthie of eternall life if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart VVhich three points doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the doctrine of good workes And consequently though the papists neuer cease to impeach accuse slaunder and condemne vs in this behalfe yet doe we defend nothing herein as is euident to the indifferent reader but euen that which their owne best doctors in their printed bookes doe teach vs yea in those very bookes which are dedicate to the Pope himselfe and that with the solemne and religious deosculation of his holy feet The conceits which bishop Frier Ioseph alledgeth to make good his imagined
the authoritie of the holy Fathers DIonysius Areopagita who liued in the daies of the Apostles doth liuely deliuer this truth vnto vs in these expresse words Omnino igitur non audendum est quicquam de summa abstrusaque diuinitate aut dicere aut cogitare praeter ea quae nobis diuinitus scripturae diuinae countiarunt In no wise therfore may we make bold to speake or thinke any thing of the most high and ineffable diuinitie saue that only which holy writ hath reuealed to vs from heauen S. Augustine that glistering beame and strong pillar of Christs church auoucheth plainely that all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word as is alreadie prooued in the former reason and he confirmeth the same doctrine in another place where he hath these expresse words In his enim quae apertè in scriptura posita sunt inueniunter illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet atque charitatem For in those things which are plainely set downe in the holy Scripture all things are found which containe faith and manners that is to say hope and charitie The same S. Austen in another place hath these expresse words Credo quod etiam hinc diuinorum eloquiorum clarissima authoritas esset si homo sine dispendio promissae salutis illud ignorare non posset I beleeue that euen in this point also we should haue most cleere testimonie of holy writ if a man could not be ignorant thereof without the losse of his saluation S. Irenaeus hath these words Non emim per alios dispositionem salutis nostrae cognouimus quam per eos per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quidem tunc preconiauerunt postea vero per dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum For we know the dispensation of our saluation by them onely by whom the Gospell came to our hands which Gospell they first preached but afterward by Gods appointment they deliuered the same vnto vs in writing that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith Tertullianus an auncient writer who liued aboue 1300 yeeres agoe hath these expresse wordes Adoro scripturae plenitudinem quae mihi factorem manifestat facta An autem ex aliqua subiacenti materia facta sint omnia nusquam adhuc legi Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis offiicina si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I reuerence the plenitude fulnesse and perfection of the scripture as which sheweth to me both the maker and the things which are made But that all things are made of some subiacent matter I neuer could yet read any where Let Hermogenes his shop shew vs where it is written If it be no where written let him be afraid of that woe which is prouided for them that adde or take away from the Scripture Loe gentle reader these three most auntient fathers doe teach vs many very excellent documents First that we know the dispensation of our saluation by Christs Apostles Secondly that we receiued the Gospell from them Thirdly that they first preached the mysteries of our saluation deliuering the Gospell by word of mouth Fourthly that afterward they committed the same to writing Fiftly that the Scripture was written by Gods owne appointment Sixtly that it was written for this end and purpose That it might be the pillar and foundation of our faith Seuenthly that we may not speake or thinke any thing of God which we find not written in Gods booke Eightly that the holy Scripture is perfect and containeth all things necessarie for vs to know Ninthly that all such as teach or beleeue any doctrine not contained in the Scriptures must drinke of the cup of eternall woe for their paines Let vs proceed and see what other fathers of later times tell vs. S. Cyprian who liued about 249 yeares after Christ viz. aboue 1300 yeares agoe hath these words Vnde ista traditio Vtrumne de dominica euangelica authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum mandatis epistolis veniens Ea enim facienda esse quae scripta sunt deus testatur proponit ad Iesum Nave dicens Non recedet liber legis huius ex ore tuo sed meditaberis in eo die ac nocte vt obserues facere omnia quae scripta sunt in eo Si ergo aut euangelio precipitur aut in Apostolorum epistolis aut astibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio From whence came this tradition Did it descend from the authoritie of our Lord or his Gospell Or came it from the mandates of the Apostles or their epistles For that those things must be done which are written God himselfe doth witnesse and propose to Iesus Naue saying The booke of this law shall not depart from thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou maiest obserue to doe all things which are written in it If therefore it be either commaunded in the Gospell or be contained in the Epistles or in the Acts of the Apostles let this diuine and holy tradition be obserued Thus writeth S. Cyprian shewing plainely that all traditions ought to be examined by the written word and nothing to be admitted which is not contained in the same or grounded thereupon VVhere I note by the way for the helpe of the reader that though Cornelius then bishop of Rome whom now the papists tearme Pope and his holinesse together with the whole nationall synode of all the bishops of Italie had made a flat decree touching rebaptization and though also Pope Stephanus his holinesse had confirmed the same decree and commaunded it to be obserued and thirdly though our papists of late daies doe obstinately affirme that their Pope cannot erre when he defineth iudicially Yet this notwithstanding S. Cyprian teacheth and telleth vs plainly and roundly that in his time the bishop of Rome had no such authoritie as this day he proudly and antichristianly taketh vpon him for he roundly withstood the decree of Pope Stephanus who then was bishop of Rome and both sharpely reprooued him and contemned his falsely pretended authoritie And for all that S. Cyprian was euer reputed an holy bishop in his life time and a glorious martyr being dead But if the bishop of Rome had beene Christs vicar and so priuiledged as our papists beare the world in hand he is then doubtlesse S. Cyprian must needs haue beene an hereticke and so reputed and esteemed in the Church of God For if any Christian shall this day doe or affirme as S. Cyprian did or publickely denie the Popes falsely pretended prymacie in any place countrey territories or dominions where poperie beareth the sway then without all peraduenture he must be burnt at a stake with fire and faggot for his paines S. Athanasius hath these words Sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspiratae
scripturae ad veritatis iuditionem The holy scriptures inspired of God are sufficient for the discussion and manifestation of the truth VVhere the reader must obserue with me that Athanasius contending against the Gentiles that their idols were not gods and proouing that Christ was true God and true man by the Scriptures and withall auouching that the Scriptures were sufficient to decide and determine the controuersie should haue made a very foolish argument and haue concluded nothing at all if any necessarie truth had beene wanting and not fully contained in the holy scriptures S. Epiphanius hath these words Nos vniuscuiusque quaestionis inuentionem non ex proprijs ratiocinationibus dicere possumus sed ex scripturarum consequentia VVe cannot shew the inuention of euery question out of our owne proper reasons but by consequence of the scriptures S. Cyrill hath these words Necessarium nobis est diuinas sequi literas in nullo ab earum prescripto discedere It is necessarie for vs to follow the holy scriptures and not in the least iot to depart from the prescript rule thereof S. Chrysostome hath these words Si quid dicatur absque scriptura auditorum cogitatio claudicat nunc annuens nunc haesitans interdum sermonem vt friuolum aduersans interdum vt probabilem recipiens Verum vbi è scriptura diuinae vocis prodijt testimonium loquentis sermonem audientis animum confirmat If any thing be spoken without the scripture the cogitation of the auditours faileth sometime yeelding sometime staggering and sometime reiecting the speech as friuolous sometime receiuing it as probable But so soone as the testimonie of Gods voice is heard out of the scripture it confirmeth both the word of the speaker and the mind of the hearer The same S. Chrysostome in another place hath these words Quicquid quaeritur ad salutem totum iam adimpletum est in scripturis Loe these holy fathers and auntient writers who all of them liued aboue a thousand and one hundred yeeres agoe teach the selfesame doctrine with the former fathers They tell vs first that the holy scripture is sufficient to decide all controuersies Secondly that we must affirme or hold no doctrine but that which we find in the scriptures Thirdly that we must not in the least point of doctrine depart or swarue from the rule of holy scripture Fourthly that in the holy scripture is fully comprised whatsoeuer is necessarie for mans saluation But let vs yet heare the verdict of some others S. Ambrose hath these words Non negamus imò potius horremus hanc vocem Sed nolo argumento credas sancte imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus interrogemus apostolos interrogemus prophetas interrogemus Christum VVe denie not but rather abhorre the word Yet holy emperour I would neither haue you beleeue our argument nor our disputation Let vs aske counsell vpon the scriptures let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ himselfe and so know what is the truth S. Basill hath these words Si quicquid ex fide non est peccatum est sicut dicit apostolus fides vero ex auditu auditus autem per verbum dei ergo quicquid extra diuinam scripturam est cum ex fide non sit peccatum est If whatsoeuer is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and if also faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God then doubtlesse whatsoeuer is not in the holy scripture the same is sinne because it is not of faith The same S Basill in another place hath these words Stemus arbitratu in spiratae à deo scripturae apud quos inueniuntur dogmata diuinis oraculis consona illis omnino veritatis adiudicetur sententia Let vs be iudged by the scripture which came from God by inspiration and whose doctrine shall be found consonant to Gods Oracles let the truth be iudged to be on their side S. Hierome hath these words Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur This opinion is as easily reiected as it is affirmed because it hath no authoritie from the scriptures The same S. Hierome in another place hath these words Quomodo narrabit non verbo sed scriptura Videte quid dicat qui fuerunt non qui sunt vt exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud postea decatur abscindatur non habeat postea authoritatē Quamuis ergo sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habeat authoritatē Quoniā dominus narrat inscriptura populorū principū horam qui fuerunt in ea How shall he shew it not by word but by the holy scripture Marke what he saith who were but not who are to the end that the Apostles being excepted whatsoeuer other thing be afterward spokē it must be reiected it must haue no authority at all Wherfore though a man be holy though he be learned yet seeing he commeth after the Apostles let him be of no authoritie For our Lord speaketh to vs in the scripture of his people and of the princes that were therein The same Saint Hierome in an other place hath these wordes Erog nec parentum nec maiorum error sequendus est sed authoritas scripturarum Dei docentis imperium Therefore we must neither follow the errour of our parents nor of our auncestours but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God teaching vs. The third reason drawne from the authoritie of famous popish writers IOhn frier the late bishop of Rochester one highly renowmed amongst the papists and with them canonized for a Saint and glorious Martyr so as his authoritie must perforce be of credit against them hath these expresse words Scriptura sacra conclaue quoddam est omnium veritatum quae Christianis scitu necessaria sunt The holy scripture is a certaine store-house of all truths which are needfull to be knowne of Christians In another place the same famous papist hath these wordes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereticis nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam scripturae sacrae Therefore when heretiques contend with vs wee must defend our cause by other meanes than by the holy scripture These are the very expresse words of their owne famous popish bishop of their holy Saint of their glorious matyr who laboured with might and maine for the Popes vsurped soueraintie and defended the same in the best manner he was able And yet for all that he hath bolted out vnawares and against his will such is the force of truth which must needs in time preuaile so much in plaine tearmes as is sufficient to ouerthrow all poperie for euer and to cause all people that haue any care of their saluation to renounce the Pope and his abhominable doctrine to their liues end For first our popish bishop telleth
organicall bodie be there as popish faith auoucheth then must the papists beleeue euident contradictions contrarie to Iesuit Bellarmines resolution yea contrarie to all power all Logicke all reason All the papists in England are not able to solue this reason I challenge them all and aduise them to consult together and to craue helpe of their friends elswhere and then to let me haue their speedie answere hereunto Cardinall Caietane affirmeth boldly that no text in the whole Gospell doth prooue effectually and conuince the reader to vnderstand these words properly This is my bodie For which respect frier Ioseph aduiseth grauely to read their Cardinall caute warily Aquinas affirmeth constantly Corpus Christi non esse in pluribus locis simul secundū proprias dimensiones that Christs bodie is not in many places at once according to the proper dimensions thereof whose assertion is my flat position For Christs naturall bodie cannot be without those dimensions which naturally pertaine vnto it Durandus holdeth the very same opinion S. Austine saith plainely that Christs true bodie can be but in one onely place of heauen Vbi totum presentem esse non dubites tanquam deum in codem templo dei esse tanquam inhabitantem deum in loco aliquo coeli propter veri corporis modum Thou must not doubt saith S. Austen that Christ is wholly present euery where as God and in the same temple of God as God inhabiting it and in some one place of heauen for the manner of a true bodie Lo this graue father telleth vs that Christ as God is euery where but yet in respect of his true bodie he is onely in heauen and in some certaine place of heauen Only in heauen because the Scripture saith That he shall be there till the worlds end in some certaine place of heauen to declare the nature and veritie of a true bodie indeed So then if he were present as the papists would haue him his bodie should lose the nature and veritie of a true bodie indeed Againe in another place S. Austen hath these words Donec seculum finiatur sursum est dominus sed tamen etiam hic nobiscum est veritas domini corpus enim in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet veritas autem eius vbique diffusa est Our Lord is aboue vntill the worlds end but yet his truth is with vs here for the bodie of our Lord wherein he rose againe must needs be in one place but this truth is diffused euery where Againe the same S. Austen writing against Faustus the Manichee hath these expresse words Secundum presentiam corporalem simul in Sole in Luna in cruce esse non posset According to his corporall presence it was not possible for him to be both in the Sunne and in the Moone and on the crosse at one and the same time O papists answere if you can if not recant for shame The second Member Of the Sacrifice of the Popish Masse THe Papists teach and beleeue as an article of Christian faith That in their masse Christs true and reall bodie is truly and really sacrificed to God the father vnder the forme of bread as also his true and reall bloud vnder the forme of wine Yet this implieth horrible impietie and brutish crueltie as shall be prooued and consequently popish Masse is to be abhorred First where the Apostle telleth vs that Christ rising againe from the dead henceforth dieth no more because death hath no more dominion ouer him the papists tell vs a contrarie tale that Christ dieth euery day nay a thousand times a day in the daily sacrifice of their masse for with them all priests the Pope Cardinals and some others excepted doe ordinarily say masse euery day and three masses vpon euery Christmas day VVhich being so and three hundred Iesuits and seminarie priests being this day in England and Scotland as the Iesuites tell vs an huge multitude of masses must be said daily in these realmes and many times must Christ be put to death so farre forth as in them lieth though they pretend to honour him thereby For as Cardinall Bellarmine graunteth freely a sacrifice implieth intrinsecally the consumption of the thing that is sacrificed I will not auouch any vntruth vpon any man gentle reader these are his owne words Sacrificium enim preter oblationem requirit mutationem consumptionem rei quae offertur For saith Bellarmine a sacrifice besides the oblation requires an alteration and a consumption of the thing which is offered Againe Bellarmine in another place telleth vs that the bodie and bloud of Christ are offered in the masse verè propriè truly and properly vnder the formes of bread and wine Againe Bellarmine saith in another place that flesh and bloud are not fit for meat nisi prius animal moriatur vnlesse the beast first die and be slaine Againe the same Bellarmine teacheth the same doctrin yet more plainely in another place Thus doth he write Sacrificium enim verum reale veram realem occisionem exigit quando in occisione ponitur essentia sacrificij For a true and reall sacrifice requireth a true and reall killing seeing that the essence of the sacrifice consisteth in the killing thereof And in very deed this is that constant doctrine which S. Paule doth inculcate to the Hebrewes So then we see it cleare and euident by popish faith and doctrine that Iesus Christ our sweet redeemer must first be killed then offered lastly torne and consumed by the teeth of the sacrificing masse-priest or els the popish masse cannot be perfect as their most perfect doctor telleth vs. For confirmation of this popish doctrine it is a constant position and generally receiued axiome in the popish church that by vertue of their consecratorie words Christs bodie is put apart from his bloud and his bloud apart from his bodie and so Christ is there slaine by force of their consecration though he still liue indeed because the priests words haue not so much force as they imagin You shall heare Bellarmines owne words Nam inprimis ideo in coena seorsim consecratur corpus seorsim sanguis vt intelligamus presentiam corporis sanguinis in coena esse ad modum occisi mortui corporis For first therfore is the bodie consecrate apart in the supper and the bloud asunder that we may vnderstand the presence of the bodie and bloud in the supper to be there after the manner of a bodie slaine and dead These are his words and this which he thus deliuereth is the constant doctrine of the Popish Church VVhereupon it followeth of necessitie that if any papist should haue said masse in triduo mortis Christi during Christs death then Christs bodie by vertue there of should haue been dead in one place and his bloud in another place for otherwise Christ should haue been both quicke and dead at
once which implieth contradiction Aquinas graunteth this illation these are his words Ideo si in illo triduo mortis fuisset hoc sacramentum celebratum non fuisset ibi anima Christi Therefore during Christs death if this sacrament had been celebrated the soule of Christ should not haue been in it Secondly if this popish kind of doctrine were true these absurdities and grosse impieties must perforce follow hereupon viz. that Christ the night before he was crucified was both sitting at the table and borne in his own hands both liuing and dead both visible and inuisible both long and short both broad and narrow both light and heauie that he was a sacrifice for our sinnes before he died for our sinnes that his sacrifice was either vnperfect in the former oblation in his last supper or els that it was needlesse in his bitter immolation vpon the altar of the crosse For as the Apostle telleth vs Christ was not to offer himselfe often as the high priest did but once to the destruction of sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe These are his words as the papists our English Rhemists I meane haue put them downe and as it is appointed to men to die once and after this the iudgement so also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sinnes of many Loe Christ died but once and that one oblation was sufficient to take away all sinnes in the world The word exhaust which the Rhemists vse doth significantly expresse so much But the words of S. Paul in another place are most manifest and doe plainely conuince this truth In the which will saith S. Paule we are made holy euen by the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once for all Againe thus But this man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set downe for euer on the right hand of God Againe in these words For with one offering hath he made perfect for euer them that are sanctified Loe gentle reader Christ saith Christs apostle made but one oblation Christ say the papists hath made many and still maketh moe oblations Christ saith Christs Apostle died but once on the crosse Christ say the papists dieth euery day in the masse Christ saith Christ apostle made perfect finished and consummated mans redemption with one onely sacrifice Christ say the papists doth perfect and consummate his with the daily sacrifice of the masse Now whether Christs apostle or our papists be of better credit let the indifferent reader iudge Thirdly the cup is the new testament in my bloud saith Christ which is shed for you But a testament is not of force without the death of the testator as S. Paul teacheth vs. And consequently either Christs bodie was not really offered in his supper or at least it was a sacrifice of no force value or efficacie at all for that it was not yet ratified by the death of the testator Hereupon it followeth of necessitie that when Christ saith in S. Luke This cup is the new testament in my bloud and in S. Matthew This is my bloud of the new Testament the sence is all one most plaine and cleare viz. that the cup is a sacrament of the bloud of Christ and of the new Testament confirmed thereby but indeed is no more really the bloud of Christ it selfe than it is really the new testament it selfe For the expresse mention of remission of sinnes is referred to the bloud of Christ shed vpon the crosse and not to the sacrament of his bloud seeing his bloud was not shed in his supper but in his bitter passion Fourthly the Apostle saith flatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is not henceforth any oblation for sinne But if Saint Paule say truly that there is no oblation for sinne after Christs death on the crosse then doubtlesse the papists must needs say falsely that they haue a daily propitiatorie sacrifice in their popish masse Neither will it serue their turne to answere that it is the selfesame sacrifice of the crosse but offered in another manner for if that were true then should their masse-sacrifice be of infinit value which for all that no papist dareth auouch Nay Bellarmine saith in plaine tearmes Valor sacrificij missae finitus est The value or worth of the masse is finit not infinit And yet if the value of the masse be not infinit then doubtlesse that sacrifice cannot be the sonne of God for he is of infinit power of infinit maiestie of infinit value Yea whosoeuer denieth Christs bodie and bloud subsisting in the person of God by hypostaticall vnion to be of infinit value he is become a flat Arrian beleeuing Christ to be pure man and not God And consequently the papists howsoeuer they thinke or speake of their masse yet in making it a sacrifice they must perforce be blasphemous against the sonne of God Again Bellarmine confesseth against himselfe vnawares and against an article of popish faith That their popish masse is not verè propriè truly and properly propitiarie Quod Christus nunc immortalis nec mereri nec satisfacere potest Because saith Bellarmine Christ now being immortall can neither merit nor satisfie But I am well assured that their holy late councell of Trent teacheth otherwise These are the words Et quoniam in diuino hoc sacrificio quod in missa peragitur idem ille Christus continetur incruentè immolatur qui in ara crucis semel seipsum cruentè obtulit docet sanctasynodus sacrificium istud verè propitiatorium esse And because in this diuine sacrifice which is made in the masse that same Christ is contained and offered vnbloudily who on the altar of the crosse once offered himselfe bloudily the holy councell teacheth it to be a propitiatorie sacrifice truly indeed Loe how the papists say and vnsay one while it is truly a propitiatorie sacrifice another while it cannot truly be so called VVell the Pope hath allowed Bellarmines doctrine and he hath also allowed the Councell and yet wise men can see how they flatly disagree and that in the highest point of their melodie Fiftly the Popes owne decrees doe seale vp this truth against the Pope these are his words Sicut ergo coelestis panis qui Christi caro est suo modo vocatur corpus Christi cum reuera sit sacramentum corporis Christi illius viz. quod visibile quod palpabile mortale in cruce positum est vocaturque ipso immolatio carnis quae sacerdotis manibus fit Christi passio mors crucifixio non rei veritate sed significante mysterio sic sacrum fidei quod baptismus intelligitur fides est As therefore the heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ is after it manner called the bodie of Christ when indeed it is the sacrament of Christs bodie of that bodie which is visible which is palpable mortall and nailed on the crosse and that oblation of flesh which is made
by the hands of the priest is called Christs passion death crucifixion not in the truth of the thing but in a mysterie which signifieth the thing so the sacrament of faith by which baptisme is vnderstood is faith Thus saith the text Let vs now heare their own glosse vpon the same text these are the expresse words Coeleste sacramentum quod verè representat Christi carnem dicitur corpus Christi sed improprie vnde dicitur suo modo sed non rei veritate sed significate mysterio vt sit sensus vocatur Christi corpus id est significatur The heauenly sacrament which representeth Christs flesh truly is called the bodie of Christ but vnproperly wherefore it is said suo modo after it manner but not in the truth of the thing but in the mysterie of the thing signified that this may be the sence it is called Christs bodie that is to say it signifieth his bodie Out of these golden words deliuered as God would haue it by the pens of papists to the confusion of all papists I note first that the holy and blessed bread of the Eucharist or Lords supper is called the bodie of Christ. Secondly that it is also called the passion death of Christ. Thirdly that it is not Christs bodie truly properly and in the truth of the thing Fourthly that it is Christs body as the sacrament of baptisme is faith Fifthly that it is not Christs bodie in truth but in signification Sixtly that it is only called Christs bodie because it is the sacrament of his body as baptisme is called faith being only the sacrament of faith Seuenthly that it is Christs bodie impropriè suo modo significat◠mysterio improperly after a sort in the mysterie of the thing signified which words must be well remembred and marked Lastly that it is said negatiuely non rei veritate it is not Christs bodie in truth in deed or in the veritie of the thing These words are the very vpshot of the controuersie they can admit no solution For if Christs bodie were in the sacrament really and substantially with bodie flesh bloud sinews bones and quantitie as the papists say and beleeue then doubtlesse he should be there in rei veritate in the truth of the thing euen in that true bodie which was borne of the blessed virgin the true mother of true God and true man Answere papists if ye can or els come home and yeeld to the truth for shame The third Member Of the barbarous and plaine villanous proceeding against Berengarius for deniall of the abouenamed popish sacrifice POpish decrees tell vs a long tale of one Berengarius sometime deacon of a church in Gaunt who held a doctrine surely grounded vpon the holy scriptures but wholie opposite to the late popish faith viz. That the bread and wine in the holy Eucharist after Christs words vttered which they call consecration are onely the sacrament and not the true bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and that they cannot sensuallie or sensibly for so their owne word sensualiter signifieth bee handled or broken with the hands of the priests or torne with the teeth of the faithfull For this opinion so setled vpon Gods word as all the cursed Romish brood are not able in truth to gainesay the same Pope Nicholas with his Romish synod did so cruelly proceed against the sillie deacon as he must needs either abiure and renounce the truth or else betake himselfe to be burnt with popish fire and faggot out of hand In regard whereof the poore deacon ouercome with humane frailtie yeelded at least in shew of wordes to their most wicked cruell and very barbarous or rather villanous suggestion Then the Pope and Councell set downe the forme of words which he should pronounce the summe whereof I haue alreadie alleaged who as list may read the words at large in the place quoted in the margent I omit the wordes because they are long and tedious onely I wish the reader to obserue seriously with me for this reason can neuer be answered till the worlds end that it is an article of popish faith oh horrible blasphemie That the true and reall body of the sonne of God which was borne of the vigin Marie and sitteth at the right hand of God the father omnipotent and all sufficient is torne in pieces with the teeth of the faithfull and broken asunder with the hands of the priest in their idolatrous masse For these are the words of the popish synod Manibus sacerdotum frangi fidelium dentibus atteri Which wordes are so fully farced with blasphemie and repugnant to the truth that neither Melchior Canus nor the popish glosse nor Bellarmine can tell how to shuffle vp the same but with shame inough they passe it ouer as they can Bellarmine who is as it were the Popes owne mouth writeth in this manner Respondeo nunquam fuisse quaestionem an Christi corpus vere vt est in se frangeretur manibus dentibus tereretur certum enim est semper fuit Christi corpus incorruptibile nunc existens non posse frangi teri nisi in signo siue sacramento ita vt dicatur frangi ac teri cum signum eius id est species panis frangitur teritur I answere saith the Iesuite that question was neuer made if the body of Christ as it is in it selfe were truely broken with hands and torne with teeth for it is and and euer was certaine and sure that Christs bodie being now incorruptible cannot be broken and torne saue only in a signe or sacrament so as it may be said to be broken and torne when the signe thereof that is to say the forme of bread is broken and torne Out of these words I note first that by the Popes owne doctrine for the Iesuites doctrine is the doctrine of the Pope seeing the Pope hath approoued it Christs bodie cannot be broken or torne truely and indeede I note secondly that the Pope and his Councell decreed the contrarie doctrine and that as an article of popish faith when they compelled Berengarius to confesse it with his mouth and to beleeue it with his heart and did also publish the same per vrbes Italiae Germaniae Galliae through the cities of Italie France and Germanie for so saith the decree Ego Berengarius I note thirdly that it is truely said Christs bodie is broken because the forme of the bread is broken as popish doctrine teacheth vs. For we see here that this is all that the papists can say for themselues and vpon this strong foundation and inuincible bulwarke I inferre this golden and euident corollarie viz. That if it be true to say Christs bodie is broken and torne because the signe of his bodie is broken and torne then truely may wee say and truelie doe we say that Christs bodie is in the Eucharist because the signe of his bodie is there because the sacrament of his bodie
and told the people that he had consecrated the said bread VVhereupon consultation was had out of hand among the learned and sentence giuen that euery loafe was God almightie and the bread was caried away with great solemnitie reuerence and such adoration as was due to the sonne of the euerliuing God Now would I know when the priest hath pronounced three of the said words viz. hoc est corpus what is become of the bread afore him For if they answere that it is Christs bodie then will it follow to their shame that one of the words of their consecration is of no force which to die for it the papists may not admit If they say that a part of Christs bodie is then wrought really by vertue of the said words then will it follow to their greater shame that Christs bodie is really torne in pieces by force of their bloodie and most cruell masse If they say that nought is indeed effected vntill the last sillable of the last word be pronounced then will it follow to their confusion that of foure words wherein consisteth their whole consecration three are of no vertue force or efficacie but stand as cyphers to fill vp the place and to make a shew of that which is not Fiftlie Durandus telleth vs that onely the forme of bread is chaunged and that the matter of bread remaineth still in the Eucharist Rupertus the popish Abbot holdeth that the bread is vnited hypostaticallie to the son of God Caietanus Henricus and Capreolus are of another opinion Iohanncs Parisiensis held also that the bread was assumpted but in a different manner from the opinion of Rupertus Another opinion affirmeth the annihilation of the bread but the Iesuit Bellarmine holdeth with their Councell of Trent that the bread is transubstantiated into the bodie of Christ. Sixtly the papists tell vs that when the priest is at masse then all spectators must adore that which he holdeth ouer his head and constantly beleeue it to be their maker and redeemer of the world and if any hold contrarie opinion or teach the contrarie doctrine that person must be burnt with fire and faggot for his paines But yet for all this the popish faith telleth vs that if either the priest want intention to consecrate which often chaunceth or at least may chaunce by reason of wandering imaginations or of purpose meaneth not to consecrate or of negligence omitteth or miscalleth any word of consecration then by popish doctrine faith and religion the thing adored for God almightie is but pure bakers bread and consequently the adorers there of become idolaters worshipping a piece of bread for the euerliuing God Seuenthly the papists tell vs that many priests are appointed at once to pronounce the words of consecration in the Romish Church Lateran when they are made priests But they cannot tell vs how many gods or how many times God is made in one and the same piece or cake of bread in and at that masse of the newlie made priests For they are all appointed to consecrate they doe all pronounce the wordes they are all bounden to haue intention and they all haue the fit and requisite matter to worke vpon but when the principall actor and chiefe agent to wit the bishop is at the last syllable then some of the rest be in the middest some toward the end some in one place some in an other neuer one iumping with other in that instant in which they should their bread-god make For of this dreadfull mysterie there are three solemne dissonant opinions Pope Innocentius holdeth that they all doe consecrate Durandus auoucheth that that priest onely consecrateth which with greatest speed first commeth to the end but Cardinall Caietanus hath a different consideration Now would I know how these so different popish opinions in a matter of so great importance can be reconciled and salued from contradiction Answere papists if you can or else relent and yeeld to the truth for shame The third Article Of popish dispensations ANtoninus sometime archbishop of Florence comming as ambassadour from the Pope telleth vs if wee may beleeue him that the Pope is Christs vicar vpon earth and hath equall power with God almightie These are his owne expresse words Cum autē vicarius Christi sit Papa nullus potest seipsum subtrahere ab obedientia eius de iure sicut nullus de iure potest se subtrahere abobedientia Dei. Et sicut recepit Christus a patre ducatum sceptrum ecclesiae gentium ex Israel egrediens super omnem principatum potestatem super omne quodcunque est vt ei genua cuncta curuentur sic ipse Petro successoribus eius plenissimam potestatem commisit For seeing the Pope is the vicar of Christ none can lawfully withdraw himselfe from his obedience as none can lawfully withdraw himselfe from Gods obedience And as Christ receiued of his father the dukedome and scepter of the Church of the gentiles arising of Israel ouer all principalitie and power and aboue euery thing that hath being that to him euery knee may bend euen so Christ hath committed most full power to Peter and his successors The famous popish frier Augustinus de Ancona in that booke which he dedicated to Pope Iohn the twelft of that name singeth the same song and affirmeth the Pope to haue the same power These are his expresse words Papa tanquam vicarius Dei filij caelestis imperatoris iurisdictionem habet vniuersalem super omniaregna imperia The Pope as he that is the vicar of the sonne of God the heauenly emperour hath vniuersall iurisdiction ouer all kingdoms empires Many other papists haue the like testimonies but they are needlesse seeing the Pope is a sufficient witnes against himselfe hauing often reduced their assertions to actuall execution For the Pope hath often by his wicked and execrable dispensations taken vpon him to dissolue that matrimonie which is firme and stable by Christs owne institution The former part is prooued by their learned canonist Martinus Nauarrus in these expresse wordes Diuiditur matrimonium ante consummationem per dispensationem papae iusta de causa factam Matrimonie is dissolued before consummation by the Popes dispensation vpon iust cause graunted Now to prooue that the Pope may this doe Nauarre taketh it for a good ground that the Pope hath practised the same Thus doth he write Quorum opinio adeo obseruatur quod etiam ter vel quater ad petitiones consilio meo antequam in vrbem venissem oblatas Paulus 3. Pius 4. per suas dispensationes dissoluerant quaedam matrimonia omnino clandestina nondum consummata in remedium animarum alioquin probabiliter periturarum VVhose opinion he speaketh of the Canonists is so obserued that three or foure times before my comming to Rome vpon petitions made by mine aduise Pope Paulus the third and Pope Pius the fourth with their dispensations dissolued certaine secret matrimonies not
falsly supposed ground For it is as vnuoluntarie in the one as it is in the other neither can it bee any more auoided in the one than in the other This is the gordian knot which the papists are neuer able to loose or vntie Bellarmine himselfe is enforced to confesse that Saint Austen acknowledgeth all the motions of concupiscence euen those which be inuoluntarie to be properly sinne and flatly condemned by the tenth commaundement These are his expresse wordes Haec dicta sunt ad mentem S. Augustini qui precepto non concupisces intelligit prohiberi aliquo modo motus omnes concupiscentiae etiam inuoluntarios assensum vero his motibus prohibere docet illo alio precepto post concupiscentias tuas non eas These things are spoken after Saint Austens mind who by this precept Thou shalt not lust vnderstandeth all the motions of concupiscence euen the inuoluntarie to be prohibited in some sort and that the consent to these motions is forbidden by that other precept Follow not thy concupiscence Thus writeth the Iesuiticall Cardinall by whose doctrine it is euident that Saint Austen affirmeth the first motions of concupiscence which preuent reason cannot be auoyded to bee condemned by Saint Paul as sinfull and against the law of God Which doctrine of Saint Austen doth so sting and confound all papists that Bellarmine knoweth not in the world what he shall answere to the same And therefore deceitfully he addeth in his exposition of Saint Austens words the word quodammodo after a sort which word neither is in Saint Austen nor yet agreeable to his meaning For Saint Austen saith plainely simply and absolutely without all ands or ifs or other qualifications that such motions are forbidden by this commandement non concupisces And for the consummation of this doctrine which ouerthroweth the best part of poperie I will here adde to Saint Pauls doctrine and the exposition of Saint Austen the flat testimonie of Saint Iohn an other Apostle who singeth the same song with Saint Paul Saint Iohn in his first epistle hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euery one that sinneth transgresseth the law And sinne is the transgression of the law These are S. Iohns words truly translated out of the originall Greeke But before we proceed any further in the discourse hereof let vs take a view of that doctrine which our papists of Rhemes haue sent vs. These are their words Iniquitie is not taken here for wickednesse as it is commonly vsed both in Latin and in our language as is plaine by the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying nothing else but swaruing or declining from the straight line of the law of God or nature So that the Apostle meaneth that euery sinne is an obliquitie or defect from the rule of the law but not contrarie that euery such swaruing from the law should be properly a sinne as the heretikes doe vntruly gather to proue that concupiscence remaining after baptisme is a very sinne though we neuer giue our consent vnto it Thus they write Out of whose words I gather two notable documēts the one that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a defect and swaruing from the law but not properly a sinne the other that if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be proued to be sinne properly then wil it also follow of necessity by S. Iohns doctrine that concupiscence in the regenerate is properly sinne Let this doctrine be wel marked as which is no lesse apparant then important Now it only remaineth for the victorie truth of this article That I proue against our papists the Rhemists that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie sinne properly behold the proofe A very famous papist and great linguist Ben. Arias Montanus saith plainely in expresse teames that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is transgressio legis the transgression of the law Now that the transgression of Gods law is properly sinne none is so sottish that he doth not vnderstand it none so impious that he will denie it none so peeuish that he will not acknowledge it But I proue the same S. Ambrose hath these words Quid est enim peccatum nisi preuaricatio legis diuine coelestium inobedientia preceptorum For what is sinne but the transgression of Gods law and disobedience to his heauenly precepts Loe sinne saith S. Ambrose is nothing els but the transgression of Gods law that is to say nothing els but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Iohn tearmeth it and as Arias Montanus doth interprete it S. Austen hath these words Peccatum est transgressio legis Sinne is a transgression of the law Loe S. Austen concludeth with S. Ambrose and they both agree with S. Iohn The same S. Austen in another place defineth sinne in this manner Peccatum est dictum vel factum vel concupitum aliquid contra legem aternam Sinne is a word deed thought or desire against the eternall law of God And what the eternall law is he sheweth in these words next following in the same place Lex aeterna est ratio diuina vel voluntas Dei ordinem naturalem conseruari iubens perturbari vetans The eternall law is the reason or will of God which commaundeth the naturall order to be obserued and forbiddeth the same to be perturbed Thus writeth this auntient graue and learned father by whose iudgement it is properly sinne whatsoeuer is against the will of God So then Gods will is that law and rule by which euery sinne must be measured and tried And consequently whatsoeuer deflecteth declineth or swarueth from the will of God the same is most properlie sinne The reason hereof is euident because not to be correspondent and agreeable to Gods will is the very intrinsecall reason essence and nature of sinne But so it is that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorder and concupiscence in the regenerate is repugnant and disagreeable to the will of God and consequently it must be sinne indeed S. Bede who for his learning and vertue was renowned throughout the whole Christian world and thereupon surnamed venerabilis hath these expresse words Virtus huius sententiae facilius in lingua Graecorum qua edita est epistola comprehenditur Si quidem apud eos iniquitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocatur quod significat quasi contra legem vel sine lege factum Si quidem lex Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatur sequitur sed latinum nomen eidem rationi congruit quod iniquitas quasi aequitati aduersa nuncupatur Quia quicunque peccat contarius nimirum aequitati diuinae legis peccando existit The force and efficacie of this sentence is more easily perceiued in the Greeke tongue in which the epistle was written For iniquitie with them is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth As done against law or without law For the law is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The
negligence or of ignorance corrupt the innocencie of the law of Nature which we all receiue in the Protoplast Adam S. Ambrose in another place iumpeth with Bede in these words Non discreuit concupiscentiam hanc à peccato sed miscuit hoc significans quia cum nec suspicio quidem esset istud non licerè apud deum cognoui inquit esse peccatum Sub sua persona quasi generalem agit causam Lexitaque concupiscentiam prohibet quae propterea quod oblectamento est non putabatur esse peccatum He hath not discerned this concupiscence from sinne but hath coupled it with sinne signifying thereby that when there was not so much as any suspition that this thing was not lawfull before God I knew saith he that it is sinne Vnder his own person he pleadeth as it were the generall cause The law therefore forbiddeth concupiscence which because it delighteth seemeth not to be sinne Thus writeth S. Ambrose whose words cannot possibly be vnderstood of any other concupiscence than of that which is inuoluntarie and originall Thirdly that their owne vulgar Latine text which the late councell of Trent preferreth before both the Hebrew and the Greeke and commandeth all papists to vse it as authenticall and none other hath the word iniquitas in both places and doth call as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ininiquitie these are the expresse words omnis iniquitas peccatum est All iniquitie is sinne Loe their owne translation to which all papists are tied as a Beare to a stake doth flatlie confound them all and saith plainelie and expressely That euerie iniquitie is a sinne And yet the papists of Rhemes bluntishly and impudently defend the contrarie crying out with open mouthes That some iniquitie is not sinne The truth is this that they are driuen to a non plus and cannot tell in the world what to say against this doctrine of concupiscence in the regenerate For both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is truly and fitly tearmed iniquitas or iniquitie VVhich but that I studie to be briefe I could shew by a thousand testimonies out of S. Austen S. Ambrose and S. Bede Answere therefore ô papist if ye can or if ye dare not because ye cannot then reclaime your selues and yeeld vnto the truth for shame I challenge you and adiure you if your hearts faile you not and if your owne consciences condemne you not to send me an answere to this short challenge which I haue compiled very briefely so once to prouoke you to the open combat which I haue now many years expected at your hands and could neuer yet find so much courage in any of you all VVherefore to seale vp the veritie of this article as an vndoubted truth I will here adde for the complement as amost delicat post-past to satisfie the longing appetites of the Iesuit Parsons the arch priest Blackwell and all the traiterous crew of that Iesuited brotherhood the flat testimonie of their saint Thomas Aquinas whose doctrine they are bound to defend beleeue and approue and may not in any case refuse or denie the same these are his expresse words Dicendū quod illud quod homo facit sine deliberatione rationisnon perfectè ipse facit quia nihil operatur ibi id quod est principale in homine vnde non est perfectè actus humanus per consequens non potest esse perfectè actus virtutis vel peccati sed aliquid imperfectum ingenere horum Vnde talis motus sensualitatis rationem perueniens est peccatum veniale quod est quiddam imperfectum in genere peccati VVe must answere that that which man doth without the deliberation of reason he doth it not perfectly because that which is the chiefest in man worketh nothing there wherefore it is not perfectly mans act and consequently it cannot be perfectly the act of vertue or of sinne but some vnperfect thing in this kind VVhereupon it commeth that such a motion of sensualitie preuenting reason is a veniall sinne which is a certaine imperfect thing in the nature of sinne Thus writeth Aquinas out of whose words I note these important obseruations First that this Aquinas is a popish canonized saint Secondly that for his great learning he was surnamed Doctor Angelicus The Angelicall Doctor Thirdly that Pope Vrbanus the fourth and Pope Innocentius the fift did so admire and reuerence the excellent learning of this famous schoole-doctor who was a learned clarke indeed that they confirmed his doctrine for authenticall and gaue it the first place after the canonicall Scripture Fourthly that this great doctor so highly renowned in the Romish church that no papist may denie or gainesay that which he hath written graunteeth freely teacheth plainely and auoucheth constantly that the inordinate motion of sensualitie which goeth before reason is properly a sinne though but a veniall sinne as he tearmeth it For it is one thing to be a sinne perfectly another thing to be a sinne properly A veniall and little sinne is as well and as truly a sinne as a mortall and great sinne as the papists tearme them For he is as truly and properly a theefe that stealeth a lambe or a goose as he that stealeth an oxe or a horse though not a theefe in so high degree For mortall and veniall sinnes as the papists tearm them doe onely differ Secundum magis minus according to more and lesse But in truth euery sinne is mortall as I haue alreadie proued in my booke of Motiues Answer ô papists if ye can if not repent for shame The fift Article Of the condigne so supposed merite of workes THe papists either of ignorance or of malice doe most vnchristianlie slander the professors of Christs Gospell as though they were enemies to good workes when in deed they both thinke preach and write more Christianly more religiously and more sincerely than the papists doe of and concerning godlie actions and good workes In regard hereof before I come to the maine point of that which I purpose to oppugne in this article I graunt first of all that though good workes neither doe nor can goe before iustification yet they euer follow as the fruits follow the tree the persons that are freely iustified by Gods mercie in Christ Iesus for his merits and condigne deserts I graunt secondly that though good workes goe not before iustification yet doe they so necessarilie goe before saluation that no man without them can attaine eternall life when possibilitie is graunted to doe them I graunt thirdly that good workes are the true effects of predestination by which the children of God make their saluation sure vnto themselues and manifest vnto the world Yet this notwithstanding I hold constantlie beleeue stedfastly and affirme Christianlie that albeit good workes are the effects of predestination and necessarie fruits of faith and iustification yet neither are they the cause of predestination nor of iustification neither
condign merite of workes are very childish and too too friuolous For first where he saith that the fathers speake of good workes onely in respect of their naturall value as he tearmeth it I answere that that silly glosse is onely inuented by him and his fellowes to saue the life of their beggerly doctrine if it would be For no such thing can be found in any one of all their bookes Nay our Frier bishop confuteth himselfe vnawares of such force is the truth when he graunteth that good workes done in grace are vtterly vnworthie of heauen if Gods promise bee set apart Where I wish the reader to obserue seriously the word prorsus vtterly which is indeed his owne and most emphaticall against himselfe Their highly renowned Abbot and cononized saint Bernardus shall tell them the truth and giue the vpshot of the game these are his expresse words Iam vero de aeterna vita scimus quâ—non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam nec si vnus omnes sustineat Neque enim talia sunt hominum merita vt propter ea vita aeterna debeatur ex iure aut deus iniuriam aliquam faceret nisi eam donaret Now touching eternall life we know that the sufferings of this time are not worthie of the glorie to come no not if one man could sustaine all For the merits of men are not such that for them eternall life is due by right or that God should doe some iniurie if he gaue it not The same Bernard in another place hath these expresse words Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deput 13. Nolo meritum quod gratiam excludat Horreo quicquid de meo est vt sim meus nist quod illud magis forsit an meum est quod me meum facit Gratiae reddit memihi iustificatum gratis sie liberatum à seruitute peccats It derogateth from grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest to merite I will haue no merite that excludeth grace I abhorre whatsoeuer is of mine owne that I may be mine owne vnlesse perchance that is more mine owne which maketh me mine owne Grace iustifieth me to my selfe freely and so deliuereth me from the bondage of sinne The same Bernard in another place hath these expresse words Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona presertim cum audias apud prophetam non propter vos sed propterme ego faciam dicit dominus Sufficit admeritum scire quod non sufficiant merita Sed vt ad meritum satis est demeritis non presumere sic carere meritis satis ad iudicium est So there is no cause that thou shouldest now aske by what merits we hope for glorie especially since thou hearest the prophet say I will doe it saith the Lord not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient But as it is ynough to merite not to presume of merites so to want merites is ynough to iudgement Out of the most excellent testimonies of this famous papist I note many worthie lessons for the benefit of the reader First that nothing which man can doe or suffer in this life is worthie of the ioies of heauen Secondly that heauen is not due to any man for his owne deserts Thirdly that God should doe no man wrong no not the best liuer on earth if he should debarre him from the ioyes of heauen Fourthly that whatsoeuer is ascribed to mans merite the same is derogatorie to Gods grace Fiftly that Bernard renounceth all merit which excludeth grace that is to say all merit of mans workes whatsoeuer for so himselfe expoundeth himselfe Sixtly that he abhorreth whatsoeuer is his owne and so he denieth any thing within himselfe to be meritorious or worthie of eternall life Seuenthly that the most sufficient merit in man is this viz. to know and confesse that our merits are no merits indeed Eightly that to want merits is ynough for mans condemnation VVhich last obseruation doth fitly expound that which I vttered in the beginning of this article to wit that the word merit in that sence in which the fathers vse it is not to be reiected though in these our daies it commonly be abused For to want merits in their sence as Bernard here declareth euidently is to haue no good workes which good works I affirme willingly both with the old and late writers of best account to be so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the vsuall ordinarie and vndoubted means by which God decreed from eternitie freely for his owne name sake to bring his chosen and elect to saluation that without the same none haue beene are or shall be saued world without end if as I said in the beginning time be graunted to doe them The third reason drawne from the doctrine of best approoued Papists and their renowned schoole-doctors THomas Aquinas whose doctrine no papist may gainesay or refuse hath these expresse words Manifestum est autem quod inter deum hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum enim distant totum quod est hominis bonum est à deo vnde non potest hominis à deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportienem quandam in quantum scilicet vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem mensura humanae virtutis homini est à Deo ideo merituÌ„ hominis apud deum esse non potest nisi secundum presuppositionem diuinae ordinationis ita scilicet vt id homo consequatur à Deo persuam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei virtute operandi destinauit It is manifest that between God and man there is exceeding great inequalitie as which doe differ in infinit all the good that man hath is of God VVherefore mans iustice receiued of God cannot be according to absolute equalitie but after a certaine proportion to wit in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his vertue from God and therefore mans merit cannot be with God saue onely according to the supposall of Gods holy ordinance so forsooth that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as a reward to which God hath designed to him the facultie and power of working Thus writeth their grand master papist Aquilias who vtterly ouerthroweth all popish merit as it is this day defended and beleeued in the Church of Rome For first Aquinas telleth vs marke well for this is a weightie point that where there is not perfect equalitie there can be no merit properly Secondly he graunteth freely that there is infinit inequalitie betweene God and man as euery child knoweth to be true Thirdly he freely confesseth that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he graunteth willingly that man doth merit nothing in Gods sight saue onely by way of his free acceptation Fiftly he confesseth in like
may not onely truly but also iustly require reward at Gods hands in regard of his promise freely made vnto vs. But I euer denie withall that any reward is due to our best workes for any condigne merit or desert of or in our workes Gods free acceptation mercie and promise set apart For as Saint Austen grauely saith Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe euen to the best liuer vpon earth if thou examine his life thy mercy set apart Answere ô papists if ye can and if ye cannot then repent and yeeld vnto the truth for shame I challenge you I prouoke you to the combat I adiure you all ioyntlie and euery one of you seuerally for the credite of your cause for the honour of your Pope and the life of popish doctrine which now lieth bleeding and wil shortly yeeld vp the Ghost if some soueraigne remedie bee not speedily prouided for the same The sixt Article Of the Popish distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes ALthough it be true that all sinnes are not equall but one greater than another and although it be also true that in a good and godly sence some sinne may be tearmed mortall and some veniall which yet may more fitly be called sinnes regnant and not regnant neuerthelesse most true it is to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists that euery sinne is mortall of it owne nature and onely veniall by way of Gods free acceptation and mercie for his owne name sake and merits of his deare sonne our Lord Iesus I prooue it first both briefely and euidently For Christ himselfe telleth vs in his holy Gospell that we must giue a straight account of euery idle word in the generall day of iudgement And for no other end doubtlesse must this account be made but onely because euery idle word is flatly against the law of God This the papists can neuer denie it is euident to euery child And yet must they likewise confesse that idle words be those sinnes which they call venials And consequently they must confesse against their wils and against their professed Romish doctrine that all sinnes are mortall that is to say against the law of God This doctrine of our Sauiour Christ Iesus is confirmed by the testimonie of S. Iohn his beloued Apostle where he telleth vs that euery sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the transgression of Gods law as is alreadie prooued at large in the fourth article of concupiscence And the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a declining from the right way doth plainely confirme the same Secondly because our popish Rhemists confesse in plaine tearms that euery sinne is a swaruing from the law of God For doubtlesse that which swarueth from the law is truly said to be against the law but not agreeable to the law Thirdly because the famous popish Frier and Romish bishop Iosephus Angles teacheth the same doctrine in his booke dedicated to the Pope himselfe These are his own expresse words Omne peccatum veniale est alicuius legis transgressio Patet quia omne veniale est contra rectam rationem agere contra rectam rationeÌ„ est agere contra legem naturalem precipientem non esse à regula rectae rationis deuiandum Euery sinne veniall is the transgression of some law This is cleere because euery veniall sinne is against right reason and to doe against right reason is to doe against the law of nature which commaundeth vs not to depart or swarue from the rule of right reason Loe euery veniall sinne is against right reason and against the law of nature which is giuen to euery one in his creation in his birth or natiuitie Fourthly because Durandus another famous papist confuteth the late receiued popish opinion of Thomas Aquinas which the Pope and his Iesuits hold to wit that veniall sinnes are preter legem non contra Besides the law but not against the law These are Duâ—ands owne words Ad argumentum dicendum quod omne peccatum est contra legem dei naturalem vel inspiratam vel ab eis deriuatam To the argument answere must be made that euery sinne is against the law of God either naturall or inspired or deriued from them And this opinion of M. Durand is this day commonly defended in the popish vniuersities and schooles So saith Frier Ioseph these are his words D. Thomas eius sectatores tenent peccatum veniale non tam esse contra legem quam preter legem Sequitur Durandus tamen alij permulti hanc sententiam impugnant affirmantes peccata venialia esse contra mandata Et haec opinio modo in scbolis videtur communior S. Thomas and his followers hold that a veniall sinne is not so much against the law as besides the law But Durand and many others impugne this opinion auouching veniall sinnes to be against the commaundements And this opinion seemeth now adaies to be more common in the schooles Here I wish the reader to note by the way out of the word modo now adaies the mutabilitie of Romish religion For in that he saith modo now adaies he giueth vs to vnderstand that their doctrine is now otherwise than it was of old and in former ages A note worthie to be remembred For the old Romane religion was catholicke pure and sound and with it doe not I contend but I impugne late Romish faith and doctrine which the Pope and his Romish Schoole-men haue brought into the Church Fiftly because their canonized martyr Iohn Fisher the late bishop of Rochester teacheth the same doctrine so plainely as euery child must needs perceiue the truth in that behalfe These are his expresse words Quod peccatum veniale solum ex dei misericordia veniale sit in hoc tecum sentio That a veniall sinne is onely veniall through the mercie of God and not of it owne nature therein doe I agree vnto you Thus saith our bishop And as he telleth me that he agreeth with Luther therein so doe I tell our Iesuites that I agree with him with Durand Almaine and the other papists that teach the same doctrine Sixtly because Gerson another famous popish writer holdeth the same opinion These are his expresse words Nulla offensa dei est venialis de se nisi tantum modo per respectum ad diuinam misericordiam qui non vult de facto quamlibet offensam imputare ad mortem cum illud posset iustissimè Et ita concluditur quod peccatum mortale veniale in esse tali non distinguuntur intrinsecè essentialiter sed solum per respectum ad diuinam gratiam quae peccatum istud imputat ad poenam mortis aliud non No offence of God is veniall of it owne nature but onely in respect of Gods mercie who will not de facto imputa euery offence to death though he might doe it most iustly And
not the scriptures onely but the fathers also doe denie Locus secundus Non enim subterfugi quo minus annuntiarum vobis omne consilium Dei For I haue not spared to shew vnto you the whole counsell of God This portion of scripture is vnderstood of things pertaining to our saluation as two famous popish writers Nicholaus Lyranus and Dyonisius Carthusianus doe contest with me Carthusiauus hath these wordes Sed cum alibi scriptum sit quis consiliarius eius fuit sapiens quoque dixerit quis homini poterit scire consilium Dei quomodo potuit Paulus omne consilium Dei annuntiare hominibus respondendum quod non simpliciter de omni consiliâ—â— Dei intendit sed de omni consilio Dei quantum ad humanam spectai salutem Quemadmodum etiam ait saluator omnia audiui à patre meo nota feci vobis But seeing it is written else where who hath beene his counseller and seeing the wise man also saith what man can know the counsell of God how could Paul shew vnto men all the counsell of God answere must bee made that he meaneth not simply of all the counsell of God but of all the counsell of God so farre foorth as appertaineth to mans saluation As our sauiour also saith all things which I heard my father I haue notified vnto you Lyra teacheth the very same doctrine I omit his words for the regard I haue to breuitie By whose iudgement it is most euident that the whole counsell of God touching our saluation is contained in the holy Scriptures And it will not helpe the papists to answere or say that all the counsell of God was preached but not written For first the Apostle saith he was called to be an Apostle seuered into the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy Scriptures Secondly he auoucheth plainely that he taught none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to passe Thirdly Lyranus and Carthusianus two renowmed papists tell vs that all necessarie doctrine is contained in the precepts of loue Carthusianus hath these words Omnia precepta documenta hortamenta legis ac prophetarum ordinantur ad horum obseruantiam mandatorum virtualiter continentur in cis sicut conclusiones in primis principijs All precepts documents and exhortations of the law and the prophets are ordained to the keeping of these coÌ„mandements and are virtually contained in them as conclusions in the first principles Lyranus hath these words Propter hoc omnia mandata legis monitiones non sunt nisi quaedam explicationes istorum duorum mandatoruÌ„ Quia omnia ordinantur ad dilectionem dei proximi similiter doctrina prophetarum ad hoc ordinatur For this cause all the commandements of the law and all admonitions are nothing els but certaine explications of these two commaundements Because all things are ordained to the loue of God and of our neighbour and in like manner the doctrine of the prophets is referred to the same end Fourthly the Iesuit Bellarmine telleth vs that the books of the prophets and Apostles are the infallible rule of faith These are his expresse words Illud in primis statuendum erit Propheticos Apostolicos libros iuxta mentem ecclesiae Cath. olim in Conc. 3. Carthag nuper in Conc. Trid. explicatam verum esse verbum dei certam ac stabilem regulam fidei This must be set downe for a ground and sure foundation that the bookes of the prophets and Apostles according to the mind of the Catholike Church declared aforetime in the third counsell of Carthage and of late in the counsell of Trent is the true word of God and the sure and stable rule of our faith The same Iesuit in another place hath yet more manifast and cleere words which are these Quare cum sacra scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimaque sit sanus profecto non erit qui ea neglecta spiritus interniâ—soepe fallacis semper incerti iudicio se commiserit VVherefore seeing the holy Scripture is the most certaine and most secure rule of faith he is not well in his wits doubtlesse who hauing neglected the same shall commit himselfe to the iudgement of the internall spirit which often deceiueth and neuer is sure or found These words of our Iesuiticall Cardinall if they be well marked will not onely confound himselfe who elswhere teacheth the contrarie doctrine but also euidently proue the controuersie now in hand For first he saith that the bookes of the Apostles and Prophets rightly expounded are the infallible rule of faith Secondly that the holy Scripture is the most safe and most secure rule how to beleeue Thirdly that he is mad whosoeuer will giue credit to the inward spirit and not stay himselfe vpon the written word All which doubtlesse confound him and his Iesuiticall broode as who will not relie vpon the written testimonies of Gods truth but seeke after vnwritten falshoods and vanities and ground their faith vpon the same Fiftly S. Austen teacheth the selfesame truth when he telleth vs flatly that nothing is contained in the Gospell and epistles of the Apostles which is not also comprised in the law and the Prophets These are his expresse words In eo tanta praedicatio prenuntiatio noui testamenti est vt nulla in euangelica atque Apostolica disciplina reperiantur quaâ—uis ardua diuina proecepta promissa quae illis etiam libris veteribus desint In the old testament the new testament is so largely preached and foreshewed that nothing can be found in the discipline or doctrine of the Gospell and of the Apostles although they be hard and diuine precepts and promises which are wanting in those old bookes This being so it followeth of necessitie that all things needfull to saluation are contained in the Scriptures For S. Paule preached all the counsell of God S. Paules preachings are contained in the doctrine of the prophets the doctrine of the prophets is contained in the law the law was written with the finger of God Ergo à primo ad vltimum all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word of God Locus tertius Because from thine infancie thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhich are able to make thee wise vnto saluatioÌ„ throgh faith which is in Christ Iesus Thus saith S. Paul But doubtlesse if so much be written as is able to make vs wise to saluation we stand in need of no more it is ynough Let the papists keepe their vnwritten traditions to themselues let vs relie vpon the written truth Let vs be wise vnto saluation contenting our selues with that which it pleased God to reueale in his written word and let them be presumptuous and curious to follow mans inuentions and to beleeue vnwritten vanities The second reason drawne from
vs plainely and without all dissimulation his mouth being now opened by him that caused Balaams asse to speake That in the holy scripture as in a plentifull storehouse is laid vp for vs and our instruction all knowledge necessarie for mans saluation Againe the same popish bishop Saint and Martyr of papists so esteemed and reputed telleth vs roundly That they must not because forsooth they cannot defend and maintaine their poperie by the authoritie of the scripture but by some other way and meanes to wit by mans inuentions and popish vnwritten vanities which they tearme the Churches traditions Now gentle reader how can any papist who is not giuen vp in reprobum sensum for his iust deserts read such testimonies against poperie freely confessed and published to the world by papists euen when they bestirre themsulues busily to maintaine their Pope and his popish doctrine and for all that continue papists still and bee carried away headlong into perdition beleeuing and obeying that doctrine which cannot be defended by the written word of God which is the store-house of all necessarie knowledge They doubtlesse are either very senselesse or so blinded for their former sinnes that they cannot behold the sunne shining at noone tide me thinks they should be ashamed to hold and beleeue that doctrine in defence whereof they can yeeld no better reasons But let vs yet heare what other renowned popish writers tel vs who doubtlesse will not bewray their owne cause but against their wils Howbeit as the wise man saith Magnaest veritas praeualet The truth is of such force as it must needes preuaile and in time haue the vpper hand Melchior Canus another popish bishop and a very learned schoole-doctor hath these expresse words Cum sit perfectus scripturarum canon sibique ad omnia satis superque sufficiat quid opus est vt ei sanctorum intelligentia iungatur authoritas Seeing the canon of the scripture is perfect and most sufficient of it selfe to euery end and in euery respect what need haue we to ioyne therewith either the exposition or the authoritie of the fathers Thus writeth this great learned papist not denying the sufficiencie of the holy scripture but requiring the commentaries of the fathers for the better vnderstanding of the same VVhose opinion I doe approue and commend in that respect as is euident to all that shall peruse my booke of Motiues Thomas Aquinas whom the Pope hath cannonized for a Saint and his doctrine for authenticall teacheth vs not to beleeue any thing concerning God sauing that only which is contained in the scripture expresly or at least significantly These are his owne words Dicendum quod de Deo dicere non debemus quod in sacra scriptura non inuenitur vel per verba vel per sensum VVe must answere that nothing is to be verified of God which is not contained in holy writ either expresly or in sense The same popish doctour in an other place hath these wordes Quicquid enim ille Christus de suis factis dictis nos legere voluit hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis manibus imperauit For whatsoeuer Christ would haue vs to read of his doings and sayings the same he commaunded his Apostles to write as if he had done it with his owne hands Loe in these wordes Aquinas auoucheth very plainely that all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the scriptures For in Christs deeds are contained his myracles his life his conuersation in his sayings semblably are contained his preaching his teaching his doctrine and consequently whatsoeuer is necessary for vs to know If then this be true as it is most true for the papists neither will nor can denie the doctrine of Aquinas that whatsoeuer Christ would haue vs to know of his miracles of his life of his conuersation of his preaching of his teaching of his doctrine the same is now written in the scriptures no man doubtlesse but he that will cum ratione insanire can denie all things necessarie for our saluation to be contained in the holy scriptures To this doctrine deliuered by Aquinas agreeth their owne renowmed professor and most learned schoole-doctor Franciscus a victoria that Spanish frier His expresse wordes are these Non est mihi certum licet omnes dicant quod in scriptura non continetur I doe not thinke it certaine and sure although all writers affirme it which is not contained in the scripture The same popish doctor and frier in another place hath these words Propter quas opiniones nullo modo debemus discedere à regula synceritate scripturarum For which opinions we must by no meanes depart from the rule and synceritie of the holy scriptures Loe gentle reader our popish frier will beleeue no doctrine which is not contained in the scripture although all writers teach the same Mad men therefore may they be deemed that will beleeue whatsoeuer the Pope telleth them though it be neuer so repugnant to the scripture Anselmus and Lyra two other famous popish writers doe teach vs the selfe same doctrine The second Proposition All persons of what sexe state calling or condition soeuer they be may lawfully and ought seriously to read the holy scriptures as out of which euen the simplest of all may gather so much as is necessarie for their saluation This I say against that popish ridiculous vnchristian and verie pestilent abuse where the Pope deliuereth to the people as it were by was of apostolicall traditon the scriptures sacraments and church-seruice in a strange tongue to them vnknowne VVhich to be flatly against the practise of the primitiue Church I haue proued copiously in my booke of Suruey Here therefore I will onely shew that it is both lawfull and necessarie for all sorts of people that desire to attaine eternall life to read diligently the holy scriptures S. Chrysostome discourseth at large of this subiect in many places of his workes but I will content my selfe with some few for the present In his commentaries vpon Saint Paul he hath these words Et vos itaque si lectioni cum animi alacritate volueritis attendere nullo alio preterea opus habebitis Verus enim est sermo Christi cum dicit quaerite inuenietis pulsate aperietur Verum quia plures exijs qui huc conuenere liberorum educationem vxoris curam gubernandaeque domus insesereceperunt atque ideo non sustinent totos se labori isti addicere saltem ad percipienda quae alij collegerunt excitamini tantum ijs quae dicuntur audiendis impendite diligentiae quantum colligendis pecunijs Tam etsi enim turpe sit non nisi tantum a vobis exigere tamen contenti erimus si vel tantum prestetis Nam hinc iunumera mala nata sunt quod scripturae ignorantur Hinc erupit multa illa haereseon pernicies hinc vita dissoluta hinc
enim fere de illis obscurit atibus eruitnr quod non planissime dictum alibi reperiatur For almost nothing is contained in obscure places which is not most plainely vttered in some other place The same father in an other place hath these wordes Nec solum vobis sufficiat quod in ecclesia diuinas lectiones auditis sed etiam in domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requirite libenter audite Let it not be enough for you onely to heare Gods word in the Church but also read it your selues in your houses or else procure others to read it and heare you them willing Out of these wordes of this holy writer and antient father we may learne many godly lessons First that all things needfull for our saluation are plainely set downe in the scriptures Secondly that things which are obscurely touched in some places are plainelie handled in other places Thirdly that the scriptures are obscure in some places to exercise our wits and to cleanse the loathsomenesse of our stomackes Fourthly that we must read the scriptures at home in our houses not heare them read in the Churches Fiftly that if we cannot read them our selues then must we procure others to read them to vs and marke diligently what they read and heare them with desire and alacritie of mind Saint Hierome is consonant to Saint Austen and Saint Chysostome affirming that in his time which was about 1200 yeeres agoe both monkes men and women did contend who could learne moe scriptures without book These are his expresse wordes Solent viri solent monachi solent mulierculae hoc inter se habere certamen vt plures ediscant scripturas in eose putant esse meliores si plures edidicerint Men women and monkes vse to contend one with another who can learne moe scriptures and herein they thinke themselues better if they can learne more The same Saint Hierome in an other place speaking of the education of a yoong maid of seuen yeeres old hath these wordes Matris nutum pro verbis ac monitis pro imperio habeat Amet vt parentem subijciatur vt dominae timeat vt magistram Cum autem virgunculam rudem edentulam septimus aetatis annus exceperit caeperit erubescere scire quid taceat dubitare quid dicat discat memoriter psalterium vsque ad annos pubertatis libros Salomonis euangelia Apostolos prophetas sui cordis thesaurum faciat Let her mothers beck to her be in steed of wordes admonitions and commaunds Let her loue her as her parent obey her as her ladie and feare her as her mistris And when the rude and toothlesse girle shall bee seuen yeere old and shall begin to be bashfull to know when to be silent and when to speake then let her learne the Psames by heart and without booke and till she be twelue yeeres of age or marriageable let her make the bookes of Salomon the Gospels Apostles and Prophets the treasure of her heart Thus writeth Saint Hierome out of whose golden words I note these golden obseruations First that both men and women in his dayes did studie and read the scriptures as diligently and painfully as the monkes Secondly that in his time they thought themselues the happiest people who could con by heart the most texts of holy scripture Wheras amongst the papists they are deemed most holy that can by heart no scripture at all but absteine from the reading thereof as from the poyson of their soules Thirdly that yong women being but seuen yeeres of age must be acquainted with the holy scriptures learne by heart the booke of Psalmes Fourthly that from seuen yeeres vpward vntill puberty that is to say vntill the twelft yere of their age they must read seriously the bookes of Salomon the Gospels Apostles and Prophets and set their whole delite therein And the same holy father in his Epistle to the godly matrone Celantia doth perswade her for the best course of her life to be continually conuersant in the holy scriptures These are his wordes Sint ergo diuinae scipturae semper in manibus tuis iugiter mente voluantur Let therefore the holy scriptures be alwayes in thy hands and let them be vncessantly tossed or rolled in thy mind Saint Theodoretus telleth vs with good liking thereof that in his time the scriptures were translated into all maner of languages that they were not onely vnderstood of doctors masters of the Church but euen of the lay-people and common artificers His expresse wordes I will alledge which are these Hebraici vero libri non modo in Graecum idioma conuersi sunt sed in Romanam quoque linguam Aegyptiam Persicam Indicam Armenicaque Scythicam atque adeo Sauromaticam semelque vt dicam in linguas omnes quibus ad hanc diem nationes vtuntur Sequitur paulò inferius fossoresque adeo ac bubulcos inuenias plant arumque consitores de diuina trinitate rerumque omnium creatione discertantes The Hebrew bookes are turned not onely into the Greeke tongue but also into the Roman language also into the Aegyptian Persian Indians Armenian and Scythian as also into the Sauromatick tongue to speake all in a word into all tongues which this day are in vse amongst nations And after hee hath told vs that the Church-doctrine is knowne to all maner artizans of both sexes he addeth that we may find ditchers deluers neatheards and gardiners disputing euen of the blessed trinitie and of the creation of all things VVhereupon it is euident that in the auncient Church and in the time of old religion as the sillie foolish papists call their Romish inuentions which is in deed a newly inuented religion as I haue proued in my Suruey of poperie euery nation had the holy scriptures in their vulgar language and that in those dayes all the Christians did read the holy scriptures so seriously that both men and women of all trades and conditions were able to dispute of the holy trinitie and of the creation of the world VVhich two points doubtlesse are the most difficult obscure hard and intricate articles in the whole course of theologie The Iesuit Bellarmine a wonderfull thing to be heard and a most incredible sauing that the truth must needes in time haue the vpper hand confesseth so much vnawares as is able sufficiently to prooue and conclude my intended scope and proposition These are his expresse wordes His notatis dico illa omnia scripta esse ab apostolis quae sunt omnibus necessariae quaeipsipalam omnibus vulgo praedicauerant alia autem non omnia scripta esse These obseruations being marked I answere that all those things were written by the Apostles which are necessarie for all men and which the Apostles preached openly to all the vulgar people but that all other things were not written Thus writeth our skilfull Iesuit who
in the name of all papists being as it were their mouth saith all that can be said in defence of late Romish religion Out of whose words I note first that all thing necessarie for all men and all women old men yoong men maids and babes rich and poore noble and ignoble are set downe and conteined in the holy scriptures Secondly that all things contained in the written word are necessarie for all people Thirdly that those things which are not contained in the written word were neuer preached openly to all people but secretly to some few persons in secret corners peraduenture to our Iesuits and Iesuited popelings sauing that their sect was not then hatched as which is not yet eighty yeeres old Fourthly that those things which are not contained in the scriptures and written word are not necessarie for all people but onely for Iesuits and papists to bring them to perdition Fiftly that seeing on the one side all things needfull for all men and all women for yong and old rich and poore noble and ignoble are contained in the scriptures and seeing withall on the other side that all things in the written word are necessarie for all people marke well what I say gentle reader for I build my worke vpon that foundation which the Iesuit hath laid it followeth by necessarie consequution that all people ought seriously to read the holy scripture as also that they may safely contemne all vnwritten traditions as nothing needfull or pertaining to them But let vs heare our Cardinall Iesuit once again speake for himselfe and for the honour of this holy father the Pope These are his expresse words At in nouo testamento quia Christus impleuit figuras prophetias etsi multi non intelligant sententias scripturarum intelligunt tamen ipsa mysteria redemptionis etiam rustici mulieres But in the new testament because Christ hath fulfilled the figures and the prophesies although many doe not vnderstand the sentences of the scriptures yet doe they vnderstand the mysteries of our redemption euen the common countrey fellowes and the very women Thus writeth our Iesuit affirming that euen women and the very rustickes of the countrey doe vnderstand the scriptures so farre forth as pertaineth to the mysteries of their redemption and I pray you why then doth the Pope debarre them from the reading thereof VVhat more knowledge is needfull ouer and besides the mysteries of mans redemption It is all the knowledge which Saint Paule desired to haue who as he saith of himselfe esteemed not to know any thing among them saue Iesus Christ him crucified I therfore conclude by our Iesuits owne free graunt that it behooueth all men and women children and maids diligently to read the holy scriptures seeing they may vnderstand therein all the mysteries of their redemption viz. all knowledge necessarie for their saluation VVhich knowledge is so necessarie as nothing can be more Ye saith God by the mouth of his seruant Moses shall lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule and bind them for a signe vpon your hand that they may be as a frontlet betweene your eyes And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them whē thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates But our papists obiect against vs that when the fathers exhort all men and women to read the scriptures they speake as pulpit-men agreeably to their audience and the peoples default but not as teachers in the schoole making exact and generall rules to be obserued in all places and times To which I answere first that the truth must be spoken as well in the pulpit as in the schoole Secondly that the doctrine in pulpit is and ought to be as exact absolute and necessarie as the doctrine in schoole The sole and onely difference is or ought to be this viz. that the pulpit hath euer the pricke of exhortation annexed which the schoole wanteth For the preacher may not speake at randon in the pulpit but euen there must he haue the girdle of truth about his loynes Thirdly that holy Dauid regarded no such popish distinction when asking whereby a yong man shal clense his waies he answereth thus By studie meditation and keeping of the law of God Neither the godly men in Berhaea when they daily searched the scriptures euen to examine the doctrine of the Apostles by them Our papists obiect likewise that S. Paule will haue women to liue in silence and not to chat and prattle of the scriptures I answere that though S. Paule will not permit women to teach publickely before men yet doth he neither forbid them to read the scriptures nor yet to teach priuately when due circumstances doe occurre For the same Apostle elswhere commaundeth mothers to teach godly things to their children So Salomon the wisest child that euer was among the sonnes of Adam one Christ euer excepted confesseth plainely and humbly what doctrine his mother Bethsheba taught him So Priscilla wife to Aquila the Iew born in Pontus expounded the scriptures to the Iew Apollo borne at Alexandria a very eloquent man So Timothie was throughly instructed in the scriptures by his mother Eunice and by his grandmother Lois By which notable example it is euident and cleare to euery one that neither mothers must forbeare to teach nor yet young babes forbeare to learne the holy scriptures The third Proposition Traditions must be examined by the holy scriptures which is the true touchstone of veritie and then onely admitted when they are found to be consonant to the same For proofe of this proposition the very name or word Canonicall is of it selfe sufficient For Canon is a Greek word which signifieth a rule and there upon those bookes are called the Canonicall scriptures which are the rule of our faith And consequently whatsoeuer is not consonant to the scriptures the same ought to be reiected as pernitious and swaruing from the rule of our faith For this cause doth the Prophet Esay send vs to the law and to the testimonie there to trie the truth For this cause doth the Prophet Malachie exhort the people euer to be mindfull of the law of Moses For this cause doth the Prophet Dauid tell vs That Gods word is a lanterne to our feet For this cause saith S. Peter That Gods word is a light shining in darke places vntill the day-starre arise in our hearts For this cause did Christ himselfe exhort the Iewes to reade seriously the holy scriptures For this cause said Christ That the Pharisies erred because they knew not the scriptures For this cause did the men at Berhaea trie the truth of S. Paules doctrine by the scriptures For this cause doth S. Iohn exhort vs not to beleeue euery
spirit but to trie the spirits if they be of God For this cause doth S. Paule pronounce him accursed that preacheth any doctrine not contained in the scriptures For both S. Austen and S. Basill doe expound that place of the written word And the truth thereof is alreadie prooued because the Apostles taught no needfull doctrine which they did not after commit to writing S. Cyprian would not yeeld to Stephanus then bishop of Rome in the controuersie concerning rebaptization but sharpely reprooued him for leaning to tradition and demaunded of him by what scripture he could prooue his tradition For in his daies it was not ynough to alleadge tradition for the proofe of any doctrine And much lesse was it a rule in Saint Cyprians time to follow the bishop of Romes definitiue sentence in matters of faith and doctrin Though our sottish and blind papists in these latter dayes doe admit and reuerence his sentence euen as the holy Gospell See S. Cyprians words in the first proposition VVhen the Arrians would not admit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not found in the scriptures the fathers of the counsell did not then alleadge traditions for proofe thereof neither did they say that many things must be beleeued which are not written but they answered simply That though that word were not expressely written yet was it virtually and effectually contained in the scriptures This assertion is euident by the testimonie of Saint Athanasius whose words are these Sed tamen cognoscat quisquis est studiosioris animi has voces tametsi in scripturis non reperiantur habere tamen eas eam sententiam quam scripturae volunt Although the expresse words be not found in the scripture yet haue they that meaning and sence which the scripture approoueth and intendeth as euery one that studieth the scripture seriously may easily vnderstand Origen giueth counsell to trie all doctrines by the scriptures euen as pure gold is tried by the touchstone His words are set downe at large in my booke of Motiues and they are well worth the reading Tertullian hath these words Id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius VVe must know that that it is the truth whatsoeuer was first and that that is counterfeit whatsoeuer commeth after the first S. Austen hath many golden sentences and worthie testimonies to this end and purpose One only I will here recount where he hath these wordes Nemo mihi dicat ô quid dixit Donatus aut quid dixit Parmenianus aut Pontius aut quilibet illorum quia nec Catholicis episcopis consentiendum est sicubi forte falluntur vt contra canonicas dei scripturas aliquid sentiant Let no man say to me oh what said Donatus or what said Parmenianus or Pontius or any of them because wee must not consent euen to Catholicke bishops if it so fall out that they erre in any point and speake against the canonicall scriptures Saint Chrysostome surnamed the golden mouthed doctor agreeth vniformely vnto the other fathers in many places of his workes One onely period shall for the present suffice where he hath these golden wordes Quomodo autem non absurdum est propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare prorebus autem amphoribus aliorum sententiam sequi simpliciter presertim cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem acregulam diuinarum inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro omnes vos vt relinquatis quidnam hinc vel illi videatur deque his à scripturishaec etiam iniquirite et veras diuitias difcentes eas sectemur vt aeterna bona assequamur How can it but be absurd that in money matters we will not credite others but will tell the money our selues and for all that in affaires of greater importance which concerne the health aud saluation of our soules we can be content simply to follow the iudgement and opinion of others especially when wee haue the most exact ballance squire and rule of all things I meane the plaine testimonie of Gods lawes I therefore pray and beseech you all that you will reiect what this man or that man thinketh and search the truth out of the scriptures that learning true riches we may follow them and so attaine eternall life Behold here gentle reader a most excellent and Christian exhortation a very godly and golden aduiso giuen vs by this holy father If wee will not saith he trust others to tell our money but for surenesse will tell it our selues much lesse should wee trust others and much lesse depend vpon their iudgements and sayings in matters touching our saluation but our selues must learne and know such things by diligent reading of the holy scriptures Neither must we beleeue what this or that man saith but what we find to be true by painefull studie of the holy scriptures Now let vs heare attentiuely what the best approoued papists teach vs concerning this important and most weightie controuersie Franciscus à victoria a learned schoole-man and Spanish popish frier yeelds his opinion in these expresse wordes Propter quas opiniones nullo modo debeà us discedere à regula synceritate scripturarum For which opinions we may in no wise depart from the rule and synceritie of the scriptures Againe in another place he hath these words Non est mihi certum licet in hoc conueniant omnes quia in scriptura non habetur I doe not thinke it sure and certaine although all writers agree thereunto because it is not to be found in the holy scriptures Melchior Canus another learned schoole-doctor and renowned popish bishop confirmeth the same doctrine in these words Fatemur non audiendos esse sacerdotes nisi docuerint iuxta legem domiui VVe graunt that we must not giue eare or hearken to the priests except they shall teach vs according to Gods law Loe the papists affirme plainely that no doctrine is sound or to be receiued but that onely which is tried to be true by Gods word Neither may we beleeue the doctrin of any popish priest vnlesse it be agreeable to Gods law Now doubtlesse if the Pope will be tried and iudged by this doctrine which his best doctors haue published to the world the spirit of God hauing enforced them thereunto we shall soone agree in all controuersies of religion And certes this their doctrine is so certaine and euident that the Iesuit Bellarmine singeth the same song with them which my selfe could not easily haue beleeued if I had not read his owne testimonie in his owne booke These are his expresse words Sine dubio singuli episcopi errare possunt aliquando errant inter se quandoque dissentiunt vt nesciamus quisnam eorum sequendus sit It is without all doubt that all bishops seuerally may erre and sometime doe erre and doe so disagree among themselues that we
should raign 1000 yeeres after the generall resurrection Basilius another holy father saith that Zacharias the sonne of Barachias slaine betweene the altar and the temple was father to S. Iohn the baptist These absurdities the papists are this day ashamed to hold and yet did these fathers receiue them by Apostolicall so supposed tradition as their own famous doctor Andradius graunteth willingly Fiftly popish tradition telleth vs that all the bishops of Rome one after another haue taught succesiuely the selfesame doctrine with S. Peter Howbeit their own deere doctor and religious frier Nicholaus de Lyra auoucheth plainely roundly and boldly to the whole world that many bishops of Rome haue fallen away from the faith and become flat Apostataes And least this my narration be thought strange vnto many that our holy fathers the Popes should be Atheists or Apostataes and that their own deare brethren in high esteeme among them would neuer so write of them I will deale plainely in this important point and after my wonted manner set downe his owne expresse words Thus doth he write Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principes et summi pontifices et alij inscriores inuenti sunt a side apostatasse Propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera et confessio fidei et veritatis VVhereby it is euident that the Church doth not consist in men by reason of power or dignitie either ecclesiasticall or secular because many princes and Popes and others of the inferiour sort are found to haue beene apostataes and to haue swarued wholie from faith For which cause the Church consisteth in those persons in whom there is true knowledge and confession of the faith and of the truth Thus writeth this learned papist whom their owne so supposed martyr sir Thomas Moore called a great clearke as he was indeed whose words are well worthie to be engrauen in marble with golden letters For by his iudgement it is cleare and euident that not they who sit in S. Peters chaire are euer the true and lawfull successors of S. Peter but they only and solely that confesse and preach S. Peters faith and doctrine as also that their receiued maxime vbi Papa ibi Roma vbi Roma ibi ecclesia catholica is false vaine and friuolous VVe therefore this day impugne nothing in popish proceedings but the selfesame indeed which famous popish doctors reproued afore our time and that in their publicke writings published freely to the whole world VVhich thing whosoeuer will seriously ponder as my selfe haue done that man must perforce detest and abhorre all popish superstitious trumperie But of this argument I haue discoursed at large in my booke of Motiues Sixtly popish tradition telleth vs that the blessed virgine Marie the true mother of true God and true man was conceiued without originall sinne and that the bishop of Rome did for that end ordaine a feastiuall day of her conception to be kept vpon the eight of December But by your leaue Aquinas their owne Angelicall Doctor affirmeth resolutely that she was conceiued in originall sinne Yea their other holy doctor and deare frier Bernard doth very sharpely reprooue the Cathedrall Church of Lyons because they obserued the feastiuitie of the conception of the blessed virgine and the calleth that their practise the noueltie of presumption the mother of temeritie the sister of superstition and the daughtet of leuitie That done he addeth these words Hoc non est virginem honor are sed honori detrahere This is not to giue honour to the virgine but to take honour from her Yet Pope Sixtus the fourth did institute the feast of the conception Seuenthly popish tradition telleth vs that the emperour Constantine worthily surnamed the Great was baptised at Rome in a font there remaining to this day my self haue seene the same Howbeit Hieronymus Eusebius Socrates Theodoritus Sozomenus Cassiodorus and Pomponius doe all affirme very cōstantly that he was baptised at Nichomedia Eightly popish tradition hath brought flat idolatrie into the Church teaching to adore them as saints and Gods friends who were known heretickes and professed enemies to God and his Church This to be so their owne deare friend and brother Platina will tell them when he affirmeth the dead corps of Hermannus to haue been worshipped for a saints reliques at Ferrara the space of twentie yeares together who for all that was an hereticke as the same Platina auoucheth VVhere two speciall things are to be obserued seriously first the vncertainetie of vnwritten traditions secondly the danger in giuing credit to the same Now it remaineth for the better contentation of the reader to make answere to such obiections in defence of popish traditions as the papists haue euer in their mouths and boast of them as if they were insoluble The first Obiection VVe doe not know which bookes of the scripture are canonicall and which are not but onely by the vnwritten traditions of the Church And yet is this a matter of faith and very necessarie vnto saluation The answere This is that mightie obiection wherein the papists glorie and boast beyond all measure and say more rashly than wisely that it can neuer be truly answered I therefore shall desire the gentle reader to ponder well my words and then to iudge of the matter as right reason shall prescribe My answere is this First there is great ods betweene the primitiue Church and the Church of late daies VVhich to be so the famous popish doctor Durandus will contest with me For the Apostles as Durand saith wisely heard Christs doctrine saw Christs myracles and were replenished with the holy ghost and consequently they must needs be fit witnesses of all that Christ did and taught But these adiuncts cannot be rightly ascribed to the late bishops of Rome and their cursed Iesuited brood Secondly the old testament was deliuered by the Iewes and confirmed by Christ and his Apostles and therefore as the papists admit that tradition and withall doe reiect their other manifold vnwritten traditions which the Iews in their Talmud affirme to be of Moses euen so doe we receiue this tradition and reiect all vnwritten traditions contrarie to the same Thirdly the bookes of the new testament are but an exposition of the law and the Prophets as I haue alreadie prooued in the first proposition of this present article And consequently it may be discerned and tried by the same as the godly Bereans tried S. Paules preaching Fourthly when we affirme all things necessarie for our saluation to be comprised and contained in the scriptures we then speake of them as they are acknowledged and agreed vpon both among the Iewes for the old Testament in the which the new is comprehended and ioyntly for the old and new throughout the Christian world And
so this tradition is not excepted but virtually implied in our affirmation Fiftly the scriptures canonicall are discerned from not canonicall euen of themselues like as light is discerned from darkenesse hardnesse from softnesse and sweetnesse from bitternesse Thy word ô Lord saith the Prophet is a lanterne to my feet and a light vnto my pathes VVe haue a right sure word of prophesie saith S. Peter whereunto if ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts Yet most true it is that the faithfull onely can discerne it For as the Apostle saith If Christs gospell be hid it is hid in them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeue not least the light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ should shine vnto them And the same Apostle elswhere teacheth vs that the spirituall man iudgeth all things VVhich text two famous papists Lyranus and Carthusianus doe expound of things partaining to our saluation S. Iohn is consonant to S. Paule affirming that the vnction which the faithfull haue receiued doth teach them all things Yea Christ himselfe saith That his sheepe doe heare his voice And he addeth that they follow him because they know his voyce But doubtlesse if Christs sheepe that is the faithfull and Gods elect people doe know his voice and therefore doe follow him then by a necessarie consequence they can know Christ speaking to them in the holy scripture and so can discerne holy writ from prophane fables or stories Melchior Canus a famous papist maketh this case cleere his words are set downe in my Golden ballance Sixtly the formall obiect of our faith is veritas prima the first veritie or God himselfe as Dionysius Areopagita telleth vs. Yea Aquinas that famous papist surnamed their angelicall doctor teacheth the selfe same doctrine Non enim fides inquit diuina alicui assentitur nisi quia est à Deo reuelatum For diuine faith saith Aquinas will not yeeld assent to any thing vnlesse it be reuealed of God VVhich truth of doctrine Saint Austen confirmeth in these golden wordes Iam hic videte magnum sacramentum fratres sonus verborum nostrorum aures percutit magister intus est Nolite putare quenquam hominem aliquid discere ab homine Ad monere possumus per strepitum vocis nostra si non sit intus qui doceat inanis fit strepitus noster Quam multi hine indocti exituri sunt quantum ad 〈◊〉 pertinet omnibus locutus sum sed quibus vnctio illa intus non loquitur quos spiritus sanstus intus non docet indocti redeunt Magisteria forinsecus adiutoria quaedam sunt admonitiones Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet Sequitur interior Magister est qui docet Christus docet inspiratio ipsius docet Vbi illius inspiratio illius vnctio non est forinsecus inanitâ—r perstrepunt verba Now brethren behold here a great sacrament the sound of our wordes pierceth your eares but the master that teacheth you is within Thinke not that man learneth any thing of man we preachers may admonish by the sound of wordes but if he be not within that teacheth in vaine is our sound how many will goe hence vntaught For mine owne part I haue spoken to all but to whom that vnction speaketh not inwardly whom the holy Ghost teacheth not within they goe home vntaught as they came The outward teachings are some helpes and admonitions but he sitteth in his chaire in heauen that teacheth the heart The master is within that teacheth it is Christ that teacheth it is his inspiration that instructeth VVhere his inspiration and his vnction is not there the outward noise of words is in vaine Thus writeth this auntient and learned father with many moe wordes to the like effect By whose doctrine we may learne sufficiently if nothing else were said that howsoeuer men teach how soeuer Paul plant or Apollo water yet will no increase follow vnlesse God giue the same I therefore conclude that we doe not beleeue this booke or that booke to be canonicall because this man or that man or the Church saith soe but that the scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it hath in it selfe that dignity which is worthy to haue credite that the declaration of the Church doth not make vs beleeue the scripture but is only an outward helpe to bring vs thereunto and that wee therefore indeed beleeue the scripture and this or that booke to be canonicall because God doth inwardly teach vs and persuade our hearts so to beleeue For certes if wee should beleeue that this or that booke is canonicall scripture because the Church saith so then should the formall obiect of our faith and the vltimate tearme into which our faith is resolued be man and not prima veritas or God himselfe as Areopagita and Aquinas teach vs. And it will not helpe the papists to replie out of Saint Augustine That he would not haue beleeued the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church had mooued him thereunto For S. Austens wordes are these Nisi authoritas ecclesiae me commoueret I would not haue beleeued the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church had not iointly mooued me therunto For wee must note that there is a great difference betweene mouere and commouere Mouere is to moue absolutely and a part by it selfe but commouere is to moue respectiuely and together with another thing So Saint Austens meaning is nothing else indeed but that the authoritie of the Church did outwardly concurre with the inward motion of the holy Ghost to bring him to the faith of the Gospel Now Saint Austens meaning is this and and none other viz. that he maketh much more account of the vniuersall Church than of Manichaeus and his complices because the Church did first moue him to heare the Gospel preached and to giue some credit to the same I say some credit because the Churches authoritie did onely moue him to beleeue the Gospell fide humana non fide diuina with humane faith not with faith diuine For this diuine faith with which we Christians doe beleeue the Gospell proceedeth not from the outward teaching of man but from the inward instruction of the holy Ghost as I haue out of the same Austen already prooued Yea the selfe same father declareth in the same chapter that he speaketh of himselfe as being a Manichee not as being a Christian. What faith Saint Austen wouldest thou say to him that should answere thee I doe not beleeue it but for the authority of the Church And this sense is confirmed because S. Austen coÌ„fesseth in the very same chapter that the authoritie of the Gospel is aboue the authoritie of the Church And in the chapter aforegoing after he hath told vs what kept him in