Paul speaketh not simply but by way of contention or arguing Let vs therefore remember that here he disputeth not of ceremonies taken in their true and naturall signification hut wrested to false and wicked interpretation not of the lawfull vse of them but of their superstitious abuse Diuers times also they are forced to say that the Scripture speaketh after a humane manner and according to the mynd capacitie or errour of others not according to the nature of the thing For if we proue that reward is giuen to almes because Christ saieth Luc. 16. v. 9. Make vnto you freinds of the mammon of iniquitie that when you faile they may receaue you into the eternall tabernacles Caluin excepteth that Christ speaketh After a humane māner after a humane manner If we proue that some are truely iust because Math. 1. v. 19. it is saied Ioseph her husband for that he was a iust man Illyricus vpon that place answereth Here he is called iust after the common manner that is honest and desirous to be honest If we proue that God giueth sufficient means of saluation to some who yet are not saued because he saieth Isaiae 5. v. 4. What is there that I ought to do more to my vinyard and haue not done Pareus l. 1. de Grat lib. arb cap. 11. answereth He speaketh not as God but after a humane manner like a vineroll The like saieth Caluin lib. de Prouident pag. 744. If we proue that Christ hath bought euen those who denie him because it is plainely saied so 2. Pet. 2. v. 1. Grossius Professour at Basel in Apol. pro Disput inaugurali saieth The Lord is saied to haue bought such both according to the custome of Scripture which according to the iudgment of charitie saieth that all are redeemed saints and cleansed from sinne whosoeuer are baptized and professe Christ albeit they be not all such before God as also according to their owne opinion Scripture speaketh according to mens false opinion After a humane māner and boastes For whome the Lord hath indeed bought they neuer denie him Zuinglius in Exposit fidei tom 2. fol. 558. writeth this Worke◠do not merit but when the Scripture promiseth reward to workes it speaketh after a humane manner Because men giue to thē that haue well deserued and the guifts are called rewards God also calleth his guifts reward or recompense The like hath Bullinger in Rom. 2. And Reineccius tom 4. Armaturae c. 7. saieth that those words of the Angel Tob. 12. I offered thy praied to our Lord are spoaken after a humane manner For saieth he there is no need that Angels should offer our praiers to the Lord for God is not farre of Caluin 3. Instit c. 18. § 9. answering to that place Math. 19. v. 17. If thou wilt enter to life keepe the commandements saieth As if it were not manifest that Christ did accomodate his speach to them with whome he had to doe Polanus in Disput priuat 38. saieth This place in which Christ commandeth to keepe the precepts of the law is to be vnderstood in According to mens supposition parte to wit according to the supposition of the yong man Masculus in Ioan. 6. saieth In that Christ calleth faith a worke of God it is an application wherewith he accomodateth According to mens words himselfe to the words of this people And Luther in Galat. 2. tom 5. fol. 317. Paul through too great zeale and indignation By too much zeale and indignation of spirit calleth Grace a law whereas in trueth it is nothing els but the greatest and infinit libertie in Christ. Beza in Cyclope vol. 1. pag. 306. The Apostle Hebr. 7. v. 18. calleth the former precept vnprofitable But he speaketh vpō In supposition of aduersaries the supposition of his aduersaries So delt Christ with the Capharnaites Christ according to their supposition saieth his flesh profiteth nothing And in Ioan. 6. v. 31. But here agayne Christ speaketh vpon their supposition with whome he discourseth Et in Dial. cont Heshus vol. 1. p. 285. 306. and cont Westphal p. 241. saieth The Apostle in all that treatise of the ould sacraments according to his aduersaries supposition considereth the ceremonies a parte from Christ and by themselues The like hath Tilenus in Syntagmate cap. 57. But Gratianus Antiiesuita tom 6. doctrinae Iesuit part 2. pag. 3. speaketh yet worse saying According to this impious supposition the According to an impious supposition Scripture speaketh contemptibly of the Sacraments and calleth Circumcision some where Prepuce other where Concision other where vnprofitable and Manna also viuificall bread If therefore we proue the keeping of the law to be necessarie to life because Christ saieth Luc. 10. ver 28. Doe this and thou shalt liue Caluin ib. in ver 26. answereth Christ speaketh here about obtaining life as he was asked For he According to the demand telleth not plainely as he doth otherewhere how men may come to life Christ in this answere doth accommodate himselfe to the lawyer and respecteth the demaund See also Whitak l. 8. cont Dur. sect 38. If we proue that the Eucharist is a nobler food then manna because Christ saieth Ioan. 6. v. 27. Worke not the meate that perisheth but that endureth vnto life euerlasting Caluin 4. Instit c. 14. § 25. answereth Christ accommodateth According to the grosse opinion his speach to the grosse opinion of the Capharnaites The same he hath in Ioan. 6. versus 50. If we proue that the Eucharist is of more vertue then Manna was because Christ saieth Ioan. 6. v. 58. Your fathers did eate manna and died he that eateth this bread shall liue for euer Caluin 2. INstit c. 10. § 6. answereth The Lord spoake According to carnall mens capacitie to heares who onely sought to be filled with meate of the bellie and cared not for the true food of the soule doth somewhat accommodate his speach to their capacitie but especially he maketh the comparison of manna and of his bodie according to their meaning And in 1. Cor. 10. v. 3. Christ accommodateh his speach to the meaning of the hearers We see that the Lord speaketh Not according to the nature of the thing not there according to the nature of the thing but according to the meaning of the hearers If we proue that Christ added somewhat to the rigor of the law because he saieth Math. 5. v. 22. You haue heard that it was saied to them of ould Thou shalt not kill c. But I say vnto you who soeuer is angrie with his brother shal be in danger of iudgment Caluin ib. answereth Christ indeed To the capacitie of the valgar sorte To their grosse error To the capacitie of the common people bringeth the words of the law but he accommodateth himselfe to the common capacite of the vulgar sorte And in Rom. 2. v. 26. The Apostle doth accommodate his speach according to their
grosse error as also he doth in his Epistle to the Galathians If we exhort to do pennance in hairecloth and ashes because Christ saieth Math. 11. ver 21. If in Tyre and Sidon had beene wrought the miracles that haue beene wrought in you they had done pennance in hairecloth and ashes lōg agoe Caluin ib. answereth Pennance is described by the externall signes which were then solemnely vsed in Gods Church not as if Christ vrged this matter but because he turneth his speach to the capacitie of the common people If we proue that we shall haue life euerlasting for giuing all our goods to the poore because Christ saieth Math. 19. v. 21. If thou wilt be perfect goe sell the things that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen Beza ib. answereth These words of Christ declare not how life euerlasting is of it self to be gottē but are spoakē to reproue him that was deceaued with false hope of his iustice Caluin ib. in v. 20. saieth Christs answere was directed according to the To the mans disposition mans disposition Gerlachius tom 2. disput 13. saieth The Lord in the places alledged Math. 19. and Luc. 10. accommodated To men be wicked with false doctrines To mēs errors his speach to them who asked him who were bewiched with an opinion of legall iustice and Pharisaicall doctrines And againe Christ might easily accommodate his speach to those errours Illyricus in Claue part 2. tract 1. col 32. writeth thus Christ after an other manner sheweth the way to the kingdome Christ shewed one way to some an othe◠to others of heauen to the Pharise to the lawyer and to that yong man vaunting of the fulfilling of the law and in other manner vnto Nicodemus boasting of his discipline and good habits gotten by long tyme and time goodnesse of nature and free will and yet in an other manner vnto miserable sinners wrastling with their conscience with the wrath of God and their sinnes Author respons ad Theses Valent. p. 800. thus teacheth That we may graunt that oftentimes in Scripture iustification is denied to the ould and attributed to the new testament Yet According to the Iews supposition none seeth not but that this is saied of the Apostle by supposition of the Iews who like to Papists did speake of the ould testament as of the law which should giue iustice by workes And p. 813. In that Gregorie is deceaued that he thinketh it followeth out of Pauls discourse that prepuce keepeth the law which in trueth the Apostle spoake vpon supposition not as if it were indeed or could be but to shew boasting of the law circumcision and all the other ceremonies was very vaine Nor content to haue thus deluded so manie and so weightie sentences of Scripture they giue a generall rule so to delude them Caluin in 1. Corinth 10. ver 3. It is the Generall rule to delude Scripture thus manner of the Scripture when it speaketh of Sacramēts or other things sometimes to speake according to the capacitie of the hearers and so it doth not respect the nature of thing but what the hearers thinke amisse And l. de Praedest p. 713. The Scripture when it talketh of the Sacraments vseth to speake in twoe sortes If it talke with hypocrites according to their wrong meaning it deuideth the trueth from the signes The like he hath Gal. 3. v. 27. in Ioan. 6. v. 32. Daneus tom 2. Corinth 4. pag. 217. Peter Martyr in locis closs 2. c. 16. § 14. in 1. Cor. 10. Et Polanus in disput priuat 32. saieth God oftentimes Scripture calleth iust who indeed are not so speaketh according to their opinion with whome he speaketh So are they in the Scripture called iust who indeed are not iust but onely in opinion ether of themselues or of others By these and manie such like sleights Protestants vse to delude the holie Scripture which if they be admitted nothing at all can be proued out of Scripture Wherefore I thus make my sixt argument Who not onely in 260. articles do contradict the expresse words of Scripture in their cleare sense but also in manie and weightie matters are forced to say that the Scripture speaketh not accordig to her owne mynde meaneth not as she speaketh speaketh by way of graunt concession or argument according to the mynd capacitie grosse opinion error of others and after a humane fashion not according to the nature of the thing they are to be thought to gain say the true meaning of the holie Scripture But Protestants do so Therefore c. CHAPTER VII THAT PROTESTANTS ARE FORCED to say that the Scripture speaketh ironically mimetically hyperbolically and by amplification and fiction MY seuenth argument to proue that Protestants contradict the true sense of the Scripture shal be because they are forced to say that manie and most weightie sentences of Scripture of faith good workes Sacraments redemption of sinnes meanes of purchasing heauen and the like were spoaken not in earnest but ironically mimetically hyperbolically by amplification and fiction Precepts ought to be kept Ironically For if we proue that Gods commandments can be done because Leuit. 18. Rom. 10. Gal. 3. is saied Who shall doe those things shall liue in them Luther in Gal. 3. tom 5. fol. 347. Answereth I wnderstand that this speach is an ironie or scoffe If anie proue the same because Christ saieth Luc. 10. v. Ironically 26. Doe this and thou shalt liue Luther loc cit answereth I vnderstand this place in common that this saying of Christ Doe this and thou shalt liue is a kinde of ironie and mockage Poach in Schlusselburg l. 4. Catal. Haeret. 4. 301. Albeit the lawyer do inquire of life euerlasting yet if Christs answere be vnderstood according to the law that is without speaciall faith life cannot be ment of eternall life without an ironie Et p. 312. I do not denie but Christs answere may he wnderstood of eternall life not according to the law but an other way to wit ether according to the Ghospell or by ironie Againe That saying and the like may be expounded three wayes First by ironie as Luther saieth Gen. 9. and Galat. 3. Secondly according to the law c. And Gerlachius tom 2. disput 13. There is a secret ironie of Christ If we proue that the commandments must needs be kept because Christ sayeth Math. 19. v. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments Pareus l. 4. de Iustificat c. 2. p. 967. answereth Luthers ironie about this place may be defended And pag. 969. It was a serious conference and yet that hindereth not but that the Lord might vse an ironie And Gerlachius to 2. disp 13. cit It was a serious conference and yet there is a secret ironie If we proue that an ill man may haue faith because S. Iames cap. 2. speaketh thus to such a one Thou hast faith
he nether mentioneth the lawes of answering my saied booke which I set downe and proue by reason testimonie of holie Fathers and confession of Protestants ought to be kept in answering such a booke And which lawes I tell him before hand that vnles he ether keepe or refute I would accounte his answer no solid or lawfull answere but the babling of one who could neither sufficiently answere nor yet hould his peace Secondly because he maketh no other answere to the manifold and manifest depositions of the best learned Protestants which I haue my self brought and clearly confuted by the depositions or testimonies them selues against which confutation of myne he replieth nothing but standeth mute Thirdly because he so miserably mangleth the answere which I make to their Sophisme wherewith they by pretense of true Doctrin would proue that they haue alwaies had true Pastors and People who taught and beleiued it and so pittifully replieth to the saied answere as he plainly sheweth him self to be a true Heretike that is conuicted in his owne iudgement as I think euerie one that compareth his lecture with my Booke will clearly perceiue 4. But sith the Protestants cheife and almost whole pretense of the truth and euer being of their Church is the pretense of the truth of their doctrin by the Scripture I will euidently shew euen by the light of Reason and Prudence that they haue no reasonable or colourable pretense of Scripture but that it maketh expresly clearly and directly against theÌ„ and for Catholiks almost in all points of coÌ„trouersie For whereas there be twoe waies to shew Twoe waies to proue that the Scripture is against Protest that the holie Scripture is plainely against Protestants the one by conferring of diuers places together by bringing the exposition of the holie Fathers decrees of Councels and tradition of the Church the other by onely comparinge the expresse words of Catholiks and ProtestaÌ„ts with Protest Doctrin as clearly contrarie to Scripture as yea is to no. expresse words of holie Scripture touching the same matter I take not the first way which hithertoe Catholike writers haue followed because it is not so fit to the capacitie of commun people for whome especially I compose this worke but the second which is as cleare for euerie one that hath reason to see as it is cleare to see that Yea and Yea of the same matter agree and that Yea and Nay do disagree 4. This perhaps may seeme strange nay impossible to simple Protestants whose eares haue bene still accustomed to heare their ministers vaunt and brag of the word of God of the Scripture and Bible and to auouch that Catholiks haue nothing to alleadge for theÌ„ selues but traditions and word of men But I beseech such to suspend a while their iudgment and sith they wil haue the Protestants doctrin to be tried or iudged by nothing but by Scripture onely let them grant me these two conditions Two conditions to proue the Scripture to be against Protest 1. Touching the letter 2. Touching the sense of trying their doctrin by the Scripture which the very light of reason the authoritie of holie Fathers and the Confession of the best learned Protestants will enforce them to graunt The first condition is touching the words or letter of the holie Scripture The second is touching the sense or meaning of the saied words or letter For as the holie Scripture consisteth of two partes whereof the one is the word or letter the other is the sense therof so I require one condition for the word and an other for the sense 5. The condition touching the word or letter is that the words of holie Scripture be taken as they be in the The 1. coÌ„ditioÌ„ toâ—ching the letter proued Bible or booke of God without anie addition subtraction or transposition breefly without anie chopping or changing whatsoeuer This condition is so iust and reasonable as I think no reasonable man will denie it and neuertheles I wil proue it First because where God alone is Iugde there it is reason that all men be silent and onely harken what God saieth nor interrupt or corrupt his words Let vs heare Lib. 1. peccat c. 20. De vnit c. 13 Serm. 27. de verb. Apo. saieth S. Austin our lord and not ghesses or suspitions of men Againe I beleiue that which I read in holie Scripture not that which vaine Heretiks say And other where There is a controuersie risen let is goe to the Iudge let the Prophet iudge yea let God iudge by the Prophet let vs both hold our peace And yet againe let vs not heare This I say This thou saiest but let vs Lib. 6. cont Iul. c. 4. In Confutat Latomito 2. fol. 234. heare This our lord saieth Yea Luther writeth That mans word added vnto Gods word is a couer nay mans dung wherwith pure truth is hidden Moreouer seing Protestants impose silence to the Church Councells Fathers and all Catholiks in decision of matters of faith and therin admit onely the written word of God it were impudencie for them to request to speake Agayne if Protestants will mingle their owne words with the words of God they admit not the onely word of God for iudge of controuersies but partely also their owne and make one entire iudge of them both Finally Protestants are wonte to crie that the Scriture is the onely and profest rule of faith that they will heare Beza cont Heshus Daneus Cont. 3. 6. 7. Hospin part 2 Caluin cont versipel cont Cathalon nothing besides Scripture that nothing is to be taught but the pure written word nothing to be beleiued but that which is expressely conteined in the Scripture Let them heare therefore in these twoe hundred and sixte points in which I will compare their doctrine with the Scripture mere Scripture onely Scripture and let them harken to nothing but Scripture let all their owne words whatsoeuer be set aside let the Scriptures pure and onely words shew and iudge whether Catholik or Protestant doctrin in these 260. points here set downe be agreable or disagreable vnto it 6. The second condition touching the sense is That The 2. condition touching the sense proued the pure written word of God may iudge betwixt vs according to the pure sense therof which when it is spoken clearly or of purpose to tell vs what Gods meaning is of it self and according to the vsual acception of men it doth afford and this is euident also especiallie if the Church must not be admitted to be the infallible Interpreter of the true sense of Scripture But neuertheles I proue it First because Protestants cannot set downe anie condition which is so reasonable or indifferent to both partes Secondly because ether the Scripture in matters of controuersie clearly declareth her meaning by her self without any help or exposition of man or she doth not If she clearly declare her meaning by her self then needeth she no help of man
Church to the den of theues from the assured path of saluation to the open way of damnation Finally I aduertise the Reader that if at anie time I vse anie sharp words against Protestants I intend them onely against their teachers and leaders yet vse I the common name of Protestants that the rest may know that the crimes which I obiect vnto them proceed of their doctrin and thereby flie and reiect it lest they become partakers of the crimes I shew them the gulfe of impietie into which their guides doe lead them let them not be offended with me that I set before their eyes the impietie of the doctrin which they are tought but let them be angrie with their teachers who vnder the most false pretense of Scripture and Gods word haue thaught them such impious doctrin and so contrarie to Gods words And I hartely pray God and euer shal that he open their eyes that they may see the most imminent and greiuous danger wherein they stand and auoide it lighten with his true light that zeale which they haue to his word Rom. 10. lest they perish for euer with them who had zeale but not according to knowledge Whether Catholiks or Protestants be the true owners of the holie Scripture FIRST CHAPTER BECAVSE this question of the true owners How important this question is of the holie Scripture is of such moment as by it may be decided all controuersies as shall hereafter appeare and withall the decision thereof is so easie and cleare as euerie one may perceaue it and notwithstanding hath not as yet to my knowledge beene particularly handled of anie albeit as we shall see out of Tertullian it should haue beene handled before anie question of Scripture I will begin first with it And because Protestants auouch them selues to be the true owners of the Scripture I need not proue to them that ether Catholiks or they are the true owners thereof which the very question doth suppose but it will suffice against them that I shew that according to all reason Catholiks are to be iudged the true owners of Scripture rather then they The first proofe hereof I will take from the actuall The first title for Cathol actual possession possession of the Scripture in which Catholiks peacably were when Luther and the Protestants first began to chalenge the Scripture for theirs For reason teacheth vs to iudge the Possessor of anie thing to be the true owner of the same and possession to be a sufficient title of houlding it vnles the contrarie be manifestly proued and conuinced as we see dayly in lands and temporall goods and otherewise the dominion of things would be vncertaine amongst men Wherevpon the law teacheth the Possessor to plead possession as a sufficient title and to say possideo quia possideo I possesse because I possesse But Protestants can not manifestly disproue no nor yet colourably impugne the right of the Catholiks possession of the holie Scripture as shall hereafter appeare Therefore according to all reason Catholiks vpon this title of their possession are to be iudged true owners of the Scripture The second proof I will take from the Catholiks vndoubted Second title peacable possession possession thereof and vnquestioned by Protestants for manie ages That Protestants did not for manie ages call the Catholiks possessions of the Scripture into question is manifest by the manie and plaine confessions of Protestants that their Church was inuisible before Luther for manie ages which I haue related in my second booke of the Author of the Protestant Church c. 4. And reason teacheth vs to accounte him the true owner of a thing who without all question or clame of anie hath hould it peacably for manie ages together Wherevpon the law alloweth prescription of certaine yeares after which time expired it permitteth not the possession to be called in question Besides it is no way likelie that the true Church of God would suffer her self to be bereaued of so heauenlie a treasure as is the holie Scripture and yet not once in anie corner of the world for manie ages crie after the theefe or chalenge her treasure which she did see was held of others Will men euerie day venture their liues for sauing or recouering a little land or goods and would not the Church of God the onely true owner of the Scripture for manie ages once open her mouth to chalenge so heauenlie a treasure especially the Scripture being as Protestants teach the onely Martyr in disput oxon p. 143. Pareus Coll. Theol. 3. disp 2. externall infallible meane to attayne faith and as necessarie to the saluation of the Church as meate is to the life of man what care had the Church offo great a treasure left vnto here by Christ what account made she of faith and saluation if for manie ages she would not so much as chalenge the onely externall infallible and necessarie means to obtayne them Would the primitiue Church suffer so manie torments and cruell death as we read in the Ecclesiastical Historie rather then loose the holie Scriptures which the Heathens would haue taken from her and would she afterward suffer Papists to take it from her without muttering one word or laying clame to it for manie ages together Moreouer how had she faith how obtained she saluation if for maine ages she lost the onely externall infallible and necessarie meanes to obtayne them The third proof is that the Catholiks possession of the Scripture is farre more ancient then the Protestāts possession Third title ancientest possession thereof For euident it is that that Christian Church which is the first and ancientest possessor of the holie Scripture is the onely true owner of the same because the Apostles and Euangelists left their writings first and Qui prior est tempore potior est iure Reg. iuris onely to the true Church and gaue her the testament and last will of Christ her sponse so that the true Christrian Church had the Scripture before anie false Christian Church had it and likewise certaine it is that she neuer lost it since it was deliuered vnto her but as she is the pillar of truth so she hath faithfully kept this heauenly truth deliuered vnto her in writing and consequently is ancienter possessor of the Scripture then anie false Christian Church can be And this reason the ancient Christians vsed against Heretiks as appeareth by these words of Tertullian lib. de Praescript c. 37. It is my possession I possesse it of ould I possesse it first I am the herie of the Apostles And lib. 4. cont Mart. c. 4. I say my Bible is true Marcion saieth His. I say Marcions Bible is corrupted Marcion saieth Mine is corrupted what shall end our controuersie but order of time giuing authoritie to that which is found to be ancienter and reiecting that which is later For in that falsitie is a corruption of trueth trueth must needs be before falsitie
our hart See more art 4. Scripture Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Protestants We do not pray that we may fulfill the law See more art 5. Scripture If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments Protestants Woe be to their Cathecumens if so hard a condition of keeping the law be imposed vpon them See more art 6. Scripture Do we then destroye the law by faith God forbid but we establish the law Protestants All the ceremoniall law or the Decalogue is abrogated It is abrogated from a Christian because he is dead to it And to be dead to the law is not to be bound with the law but free from it and not to know it See more art 7. CHAPTER XX. OF MANS LAVV. SCripture Who thinkest thou is a faithfull and wise seruant Superioritie amōgst Christians whome his lord hath appointed ouer his familie Protestants Among Christians there can be no superioritie Christ is my immediate Lord I know no other See more art 1. Scripture To the rest I say not our Lord If anie brother None amōgst them haue a wife an infidell and she consent to dwell with him let him not put her away Protestants They draw to themselues all the maiestie of God Man can command that which God doth not He cannot Conscience subiect to mās lawes Not subiect who chaleng authoritie to make lawes See more art 2. Scripture Be subiect of necessitie not only for wrathe but also for conscience sake Protestants The lawes of Princes bind not the conscience haue no power ouer the conscience See more art 3. CHAPTER XXI OF FREE WILL. SCripture It shal be in the arbitrement of her husband whether There is free will she shall do it or not do it Protestants Free vill is a title without the thing See more There is none art 1. Scripture Without thy counsell I would do nothing that thy Freedome to good good might not be as it were of necessitie but voluntarie Protestants Man after his fall hath no libertie to good There No freedome to good is no free will to good See more art 2. Scripture We are Gods coadiutours Gods coadiutors Protestants Papists make God the first and cheefest cause of all goodnes and vs coadiutours Which is craftily to withdraw Not his coadiutors themselues from God See more art 3. CHAPTER XXII OF MANS SOVLE SCripture Feare ye not them who kill the bodie and are not Mans soule immortall able to kill the soule Protestants I giue leaue to the Pope to make articles of faith Not immortall for his followers Such as are that breade and wine are transsubstantiated in the Sacrament That he is Emperour of the world and an earthlie God That the soule is immortall and all those infinit monsters in the Romish dunghill of decrees What Propositions I pray you shal euer be thought cōtradictions if these be not seing there can scarce be deuised more formall or more direct opposition then is betwixt the most of these But because perhaps the vulgar Protestante will say that he beleiueth not all or most of the Protestants propositions here set downe albeit this excuse will not suffice him as I haue shewed in the end of my Preface yet for his fuller satisfaction I haue gathered twelue principall articles which commonly all Protestants beleiue quite contrarie to the expresse word of God THE COMMON PROTESTANTS CREED CONSIsting of twelue Articles quite contrarie to the expresse word of God in the Scripture 1 PROTESTANTS beleiue that a man is Lib. 1. c. 16. art 2. iustified by only faith quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Ioannes 2. v. 4. Do you see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith only 2 Protestants beleiue that we can not keep Goods commandments quite contrarie to his expresse word Ezechiel 36. v. 27. I will make Lib. 1. c. 18. art 1. that you walke in my commandments and keepe my iudgments and doe them 3 Protestants beleiue that the keeping of Gods commandments is not necessarie to come to life euerlasting quite contrarie to Gods expresse words Mathew 19. v. 17. Lib. 1. c. 18. art 6. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments 4 Protestants beleiue that no men can forgiue sinnes quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Ihon 20. v. Lib. 1. c. 11. art 1. 22. Receaue ye the holie Ghost whose sinnes ye shall forgiue they are forgiuen them 5 Protestants beleiue that we are not bound to confesse our sinnes to men quite contrarie to the expresse word of Lib. 1. c. 11. art 2. God Ioannes 5. v. 16. Confesse your sinnes one to an other 6 Protestants beleiue that men when they die are not to be anoiled quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Lib. 1. c. 11. art 7. Iames 5. v. 14 Is anie man sicke among you Let him bring in the preists of the Church and let them pray ouer him auoiling him with oile in the name of our lord 7 Protestants beleiue that the blessed Sacrament is not the true bodie and blood of Christ quite contrarie to the Lib. 1. c. 10. art 1. expresse word of God Luke 22. v. 19. This is my bodie which is giuen for you and Mathew 26. v. 28. This is my blood which shal be shed for remisson of sinnes 8 Protestants beleiue that the Church of God is not infallible in faith quite contrarie to Gods expresse word 1. Lib. 1. c. 8. art 6. Timothie 3. v. 15. Which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of trueth 9 Protestants beleiue that we must not beleiue Traditions quite contrarie to the expresse word of God 2. Thessalon Lib. 1. c. 5. art 9. 2. v. 15. Hould the Traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or by epistle 10 Protestants beleiue it is ill done to pray in the Church in an vnknowne language quite contrarie to the expresse Lib. 1. c. 14. art 12. word of God 1. Cor. 14. v. 17. where it is saied of such a one Thou indeed giuests thankes well 11 Protestants Beleiue that there is no sacrifice in the Church quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Malachie Lib. 1. c. 11. art 11. 1. v. 11. In euerie place there is sacrificing and there is offered to my name a cleane oblation 12 Protestants beleiue that there is no altar in the Church quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Hebrewes Lib. 1. c. 11. art 12. 13. v. 10. We haue an altar whereof they haue no power to eate who serue the tabernacle THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIKE AND PROtestant doctrine with the expresse words of the holie Scripture FIRST CHAPTER OF GOD. Article 1. Whether God willeth iniquitie or sinne SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY DENIETH. PSALME 5. verse 5. Thou art God will not iniquitie not a God that wilt iniquitie Abacuc
for it selfe To which question both the Scripture and Protestants answere negatiuely but this their agreement with the Scripture in this second question saueth not their disagreement from it in the former question which disagreemēt or contradictiō is that which here I vrge Moreouer nether man nor the diuell him selfe can will iniquitie as iniquitie or for it selfe because as such it is a pure priuation of good and nothing can be willed of any but as it is good ether true or apparent good Wherevpon Saint Denis with the consent of all Diuines and Philosophers saied None worketh looking onely De diuin nominibus c. 4. to ill Finally to say that God willeth sinne as it is a meane to some good end is to make him like to them who as the Apostle writeth Roman 3. say Let vs doe euill that good may follow whose damnation saieth he is iust Blasphemous therefore it is and against holie Scripture that God will iniquitie or sinne vnder what consideration soeuer he be saied to will it And so impious this is as the holie Fathers say that it taketh away a Tertull. exhortat ad Castit c. 2. Prosper l. 2. ad Vincent c. 10 all sinne and iudgment of God and is more b Augustin l. 1. de ordin c. 1. blasphemous then to deny Gods prouidence yea some Protestants confesse that it is contrarie to scripture as we shall see hereafter l. 2. c. 25. 30. ART II. WHETHER SINNE DOTH please God SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY DENIETH. 3. Kings 11. v. 6. And Salomon did that which was not liked Sinne pleaseth not God before our Lord. 1. Paralipomenon 21. v. 7. And that which was commanded displeased God and he strake Israel CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY DENIE Card. Bellarmin l. 2. de septem verbis Dom. c. 4. The greatnes of the sinne which Christ vndertooke to blot out by his passion was in some sorte infinite by reason of the infinit dignitie and excellencie of the person which was offended PROTESTANT EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Bucanus and Pareus in the former article God willeth sinne with his hidden and good pleasing will Caluin de Praedestinat p. 726. Whence therefore shall we Pleaseth God say that it came to passe that Pharao should so inhumanly rage but that it so pleased God partely for to trie the patience of his people partely to exercise his power Beza de Praedestinat cont Castel val 1. Theol. p. 376. Gods will dath embrace euen those things which simply he alloweth not yea reiecteth and punisheth yet decreeth them and in some sorte and for some respect is pleased with them And in Absters calum Heshusij ib. p. 324. We say that a lie pleaseth God as it is the iust punishment of them who preferred lies before trueth And as Smidelin obiected to his face in the Conference at Montebelgard p. 450. he taught that In a wonderfull and incomprehensible manner it pleased God and he would that our first parents should sinne THE CONFERENCE OF THE FORESAIED WORDS OF SCRIPTVRE CATHOLIKS AND PROTESTANTS Scripture expressely teacheth that sinne pleaseth not yea displeaseth God And in like sorte teach Catholiks Protestants expressely teach that God willeth sinne with his good pleasing will that euen those things which God approueth not do in some respect please him that lies do please him as they are punishments to men that it pleased God that our first parents should sinne ART III. WHETHER GOD HATE SINNE SCRITVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Psalme 44. v. 8. Thou hast loued iustice and hast hated iniquitie God hateth sinne therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with oile of gladnes aboues thy fellowes S. Wisdom 14. v. 9. But to God the impious and his impietie are odius alike Zacharie 8. v. 17. And thinke ye not euerie man in your hart euill against his freind and lying oathe loue ye not for all these things are such as I hate saieth our Lord. CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Card. Bellarmin in psalm 5. v. 4. God hateth nothing more then sinne PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Peter Martyr in Rom. 9. Seing sinnes haue often times the nature of punishment it is manifest that God hateth them not as He hateth not sinne such Againe For so much as God is saied to not will or hate sinne that is to be vnderstood in so much as perteineth to the law and scripture and rule of life reuealed vnto vs. He is also saied to hate sinne because he punisheth it and willeth it not for it selfe but for some other end Wherefore as he worketh sinne he hateth it not The same also meane those who as we haue seene in the former article teach that sinne pleaseth God THE CONFERENCE OF THE FORESAIED WORDS Scripture expressely saieth that God hateth iniquitie hateth sinne and that impietie is odious vn him The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that God hateth not sinne as it hath the nature of punishment nor as it is his worke that when he is saied to hate sinne that is to be vnderstood that he saieth so in Scripture ART IV. WHETHER GOD DOTH worke sinne or inquitie SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY DENIETH. Sophonie 3. v. 5. Our lord in the middes thereof will not doe God doth not worke sinne iniquitie Isaie 53. v. 9. Because he hath not done iniquitie nether was there guile in his mouth Prouerbs 14. v. 22. They erre that worke euill Mathew 7. v. 18. A good tree can not yeeld euill fruits 1. Ioan. 3. v. 8. He that committeth sinne is of the diuel CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY DENIE Councell of Trent Sessione 6. Canone 6. If any shall saye that God worketh ill deeds as well as good not onely permissiuely but also properly and in themselues so that no lesse the treason of Iudas then the calling of Paule was his proper worke be h◠accursed PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Luther de seruo arbit to 2. fol. 459. diuers times saieth that God worketh euill in vs and by vs and fol. 433. as Zanchius God worketh sinne confesseth l. de praedestinat c. 7. saieth God worketh good and euill in vs rewardeth his good and punisheth his euill deeds in vs. Melancthon in Rom. 8. printed 1521. As they confesse God worketh properly aduldulterie that the vocation of Paule was the proper worke of God so we confesse that they are properly Gods workes as well those the which are called indifferent as to eate or drinke as those which are euill as Dauids adulterie God doth all things not onely permissiuely but also mightly that is so that Iudas is treacherie is his proper worke as the vocation of Paule Brentius in c. 3. Amos. printed at Francfurt by Peter God doth the euill of sinne Bruboch 1551. All things are done by the mightie hand and effectuall working of God as well the euils of sinne as the euill of punishment Caluin Institut l. 1. c. 18. § 3. Now haue I clearly enough shewed that God is called the Author of all those things which these Censurers will haue to fall out onely by
Sadeel speaketh Lib. de Sacrament Manducat p. 300. Beza l. de vnione hypostat vol. 3. p. 97. Apol. 1. cont Saintem Martyr in locis class 2. c. 16. § 12. in Disput Oxionensi p. 227. l. 1. epist Zanchij pag. 411. Whitaker l. 2. cont Dur. sect 8. Wherevpon iustly saied Smidelin the Lutheran vnto Bezâ— in Colloq Montisbel p. 26. They giue greater power to their faith then to God Tilenus in Syntagm c. 7. Who pretend that Christ with Someâ—hings repugne to Gods power his bodie did penetrate the stone that couered his tombe or the dores shut do affirme that which repugneth to the nature of a glorified bodie and to Gods power in working miracles Dareus cited by Smidelin in Colloq Montisbel p. 178. by Schusselburg l. 1. Theol. Caluin art 3. Christ could not so much as will that his bodie were at once in manie places because he could not performe it And when C Bellarmin did argue in this sorte God in the booke of Numbers ca. 5. did giue water power to kill adulteresse weomen and c. 21. gaue the brasen serpent vertue to cure therefore he can giue the word of baptisme vertue to change the water Daneus answereth Controu 3. c. 20. in these words God can not giue that power to any creatures vnlesse he make them true God cannot make water to kill and substantiall Gods and transfuse his power into them It is false that water Numb 5. had power to kill or the brasen serpent Numb 25. had power to cure Besides many Protestants say that God cannot giue to the Sacraments power to worke grace nor to men power to forgiue sinnes or to worke miracles and such like THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that God is almightie that he can do all things that all things are possible to him and nothing impossible The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say the contrarie that God hath no absolute power that the saying of Scripture All things are possible to God hath some exception that his omnipotencie is tied to an order that he can not put a bodie in manie places at once or not extensiuely in place that he cannot giue to water power to kill that his omnipoteÌ„cie beareth not some thing extendeth not to some thing and that some things repugne vnto it ART XXV WHETHER GOD CAN MAKE a Camelle passe through a needls eye SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Marke 10. v. 25. 26. It is easier for a Camelle to passe through God caÌ„ make a Camelle passe through a needls eye a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen With men it is impossible And Matth. 19. This is impossble but not with God CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Card. Bellarmin lib. 3. de Euchar. cap. 6. The Pelagians saied that it was impossble for a Camelle remaining a Camelle to passe through a needls eye but not if he were lessened to the smalnes of a thred This is refuted because it is not impossible with men for a Camelle to passe through a needls eye if he cease to be a Camelle and be changed into a small thred PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Willet Controu 13. q. 1. pag. 609. It is not proued out of It is impossible to God this place that God caÌ„ draw the huge bodie of a Camelle through a needle remaining still of that bignesse no more then that it is possible for God to bring a proud rich arrogant man to heauen his affections not altered both these are impossible to God And the same say Spalatensis l. 5. de Repub. c. 6. nu 179. Bel in his Iesuits Antepaste p. 47. and others Beza in Marc. 10. ver 26. Can God make that a Camelle remayning such as it is by nature may passe through a needls eye No. Bucanus in institutio loc 48. pag. 797. God can make that a Camelle passe through a needls eye but not leauing him such as he is by nature but making him so small as is needfull THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that God can make a Camelle passe through a needls eye Catholiks say the same Protestants saie that God can not make a Camelle passe through a needls eye as long as he retaineth the bignesse of a Camelle ART XXVI WHETHER THAT BE possible to God which shall neuer be SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Mathew 3. ver 9. I tell you that God is able of these stones to God can do that which shall neuer be raise vp children to Abraham Mathew 26. vers 53. Thinkest thou that I cannot aske my Father and he will giue me presently more then twelue legions of Angels CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Card. Bellarmin lib. 3. de Euchar. cap. 2. The Scriptures do most plainly teach that God can do manie things which he will neuer do PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Beza in Colloq Montisbel p. 25. We say that God is so almightie for so much as belongeth to his power considered by it He cannot do that which he hath not decreed to doe His power must be measured by his will selfe as he cannot do that indeed which he hath decreed not doe Ministri in Colloq Parisiens die 5. The omnipotencie of God must be measured according to his will and things which belonge to his nature The same insinuateth Caluin 1. Institut c. 16. § 3. Where he will not admitt any omnipotencie of God but onely that which is effectuall operatiue and is continually working THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that God can doe that which he will not doe The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that he can not doe that which he hath decreed not to doe that his omnipotencie must be measured according to his will that he hath no omnipotencie but that which is continually working ART XXVII WHETHER GODS TRVE Miracles be a sufficient testimonie of truth SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Ihon. 5. vers 36. But I haue a greater testimonie then Ihon Gods miracles a sufficieÌ„t testimonie For the workes which the Father hath giuen me to perfit them the verie workes themselues which I doe giue testimonie of me that the Father hath sent me Cap. 10. ver 38. If I doe not the workes of my Father beleiue me not But if I doe and if you will no beleiue me beleiue the workes Luke 11. v. 20. But if I in the finger of God do cast out Diuels surely the kingdome of God is come vpon you Marke 16. v. vlt. But they going forth preached euerie where our Lord working withall and confirming the worke with signes that followed CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Card. Bellarmin lib. 4. de Ecclesiast cap. 14. A miracle is a sufficient testimonie and where is a true miracle there is true faith PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Controu 2. quaest 5. cap. 12. pag. 528. I say No miracle is a sufficient testimonie that out of nether kind of miracles true or apparent there can be taken a sufficient testimonie or a certaine argument gathered
sect 8. In all these things the Apostles did alledge their testimonie and themselues also as witnesses of that trueth which they tought And l. 3. sect 3. The Apostles were witnesses of their doctrine and they gaue authoritie to their doctrine See him Cont. 4. l. 8. c. 9. PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Controu 1. q. 3. c. 11. God alone is a sufficient witnesse None but God is a sufficient witnesse of himselfe And l. 3. de Scriptura c. 13. sect 3. The people did not beleiue Moises for himselfe but for that diuine and great miracle Beleife was giuen to Moises and Paul not for themselues but for Gods authoritie which appeared in their ministerie And ib. sect 1. The testimonie of the Church as of the Church is but humane And Contr. 1. q. 3. c. 11. cit The iudgment of the Church is humane The same followeth euidently of that which they saied in the former article For if the Apostles doctrine must be examined it is manifest that they are not sufficient witnesses of their doctrine The same Whitaker Contr. 2. q. 4. c. 3. Yea after Christs Not the Apostles ascension and that descent of the Holie Ghost vpon the Apostles manifest it is that the whole Church erred about the vocation of the Gentils and not the vulgar Christians onely but euen the very Apostles and Doctors These were great errours and yet we see that they were in the Apostles euen after the Holie Ghost had descended vpon them THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely affirmeth that the Apostles had the holie Ghost giuen them to testifie of Christ that they were ioyned with the holie Ghost witnesses of Christ that they were witnesses appointed of God that their testimonie is true that all may beleiue through Saint Ihon that the faithfull beleiued God and Moyses The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that none but God is a sufficient witnesse of the trueth that nether Paul nor Moises were to be beleiued for themselues that the testimonie of the Church is but humane That the Apostles erred and that greatly euen after the holie Ghost had descended vpon them ART VIII WHETHER THE APOSTLES learnt anie point of Christian doctrine after Christs ascension SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Ihon 16. v. 12. Yet manie things I haue to say to you but you The Apostles learnt some thing after Christ cannot beare them now but when he the Spirit of trueth cometh he shall teach you all trueth CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME D. Stapleton in Ioan. 16. v. 12. By this testimonie is clearly proued that Christ tought not all by word of mouth but that both the Apostles and the Church learnt many things of the Holie Ghost PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 6. c. 10. The holie Ghost did suggest no They learnt nothing other things then those which Christ had tought Caluin in Ioan. 14. vers 26. Marke what all these things are which he promiseth that he Spirit shall teach He saieth He shall suggest or bring to mind whatsoeuer I haue saied Whence it followeth that he shall not be a coyner of new reuelations And 4. Institut c. 8. § 8. That limitation is carefully to be noted where he appointeth the holie Ghost his office to suggest whatsoeuer he had tought by worde of mouth Beza in Ioan. 14. v. 26. The Apostles nether learnt nor tought any point of Christian and sauing doctrine after the departure of the Lord. THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that manie things were tould to the Apostles which they could not beare in Christs time that the holie Ghost was to be sent to teach them all trueth The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely teach that the Apostles learnt no point of Christian doctrine after Christs departure that the Holie Ghost reuealed no new thing to them that he suggested no other thing then Christ had tought ART IX WHETHER IVDAS WAS TRVELY a disciple or in the true Church of Christ SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Matth. 10. v. 1. seq And hauing called his twelue disciples Iudas was truely a disciple of Christ together he gaue them c. And the names of the twelue Apostles be these The first Simon who is called Peter and Iudas Iscariot who also betrayed him Et c. 20. v. 14. 47. Marc. 14. v. 10. 43. Luc. 22. v. 3. 47. he is called one of the twelue Ihon 12. v. 14. One therefore of his disciples Iudas Iscariot Actes 1. v. 17. Iudas who was the captaine of them that apprehended Iesus who was numbred among vs and obtained the lot of this ministerie v. 25. Shew of these twoe one whome thou hast chosen to take the place of this ministerie and Apostleship from the which Iudas hath preuaricated And the lot fell vpon Mathias and he was numbred with the eleuen Apostles CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Card. Bellarm. l. 3. de Eccles c. 7. Iudas was once of the true Church for he was an Apostle one of the twelue and called a Bishop of the Prophet Dauid psal 108. Which could not be true vnlesse he had beene of the Church PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Controu 2. q. 1. cap. 7. I answere that the reprobate Iudas neuer of the Catholik Church Iudas was neuer of the true Catholik Church He held for a time a principall place in the outward societie of the Church because he was an Apostle but this made him not of the true Catholik Church But how he was one of the Apostles Austin telleth Tract 61. in Ioan. That how he was one in number not in merit Neuer an Apostle indeed Neuer true member of the Church are in shew not in vertue But what is in shew seemeth to be but is not indeed Daneus Controu 4. c. 2. Iudas Iscariot and Simon Magus were neuer true members of the true Church of God Of the same opinion are Protestants commonly who denie that anie reprobate can be in the true Church as we shall see hereafter c. 8. THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that Iudas was one of Christs disciples one of the twelue Apostles was numbred amongst them obtained the lot of their ministerie had the place of Apostleship which S. Mathias afterwards had The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that Iudas was neuer of the true Catholik Church seemed to be one of the Apostles but was not indeed ART X. WHETHER IVDAS WAS a Bishop SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Actes 1. v. 20. For it is written in the booke of psalmes Be Iudas was a Bishop their habitation made desert and be there none that dwell in it and his Iudas Bishoprick let an other take CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY DENIE C. Bellarm. cited in the former article Iudas is called a Bishop of the Prophet Dauid PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Cont. 2. q. 1. c. 7. Iudas was an Apostle therefore no He was no Bishop Bishop because the Apostles were no Bishops The same say other Protestants who denie that the Apostles were
true Church may some time faile to be visible Scarpe de Iustif Cont. 5. The members of the visible Church The whole visible Church may faile In the vttermost extent may faile yea the whole visible Church as such Vorstius in Antibellarm p. 136. Whence it followeth that the visible Church of Christ not onely in a great parte but euen whole taken in the vttermost extent may for sometime faile from the true faith and be wholy obscured Againe The externall Church of Christ may be obscured and faile More of their like sayings may be seene in my foresaied booke c. 4. THE CONFERENCE Scripture plainly teacheth that the Church of Christ cannot be hidden and biddeth vs to tell and heare her The same say Catholiks Protestants plainly teach that there is not alwaies a visible number of those who piously worshippe Christ that the Church may haue no apparent for me is not alwaies seene with eyes sometimes faileth to be visible that the whole visible Church as such may faile that the whole visible Church taken in her vttermost extent may faile from the faith that God oftentimes will haue no visible Church on earth Which are so opposite to Scripture as Protestants sometimes confesse it See l. 2. c. 30. ART VI. WHETHER THE CHVRCH be infallible in faith SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Isaie 59. vers vltim This is my couenant with them saieth Gods spirit euer in the mouth of the Church our Lord My spirit that is in thee and my words that I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seede and out of the mouth of thy seeds seede saieth our Lord from this present for euer Mathew 16. vers 18. And the gates of hell shall not preuaile Gates of hell preuaile not against her against it Ioan. 16. v. 13. But when the Spirit of trueth cometh he shall teach you all trueth 1. Tim. 3. ver 15. Which is the Church of the liuing God the The pillar of trueth pillar and ground of trueth CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME D. Stapleton Controu 4. qu. 2. art vnico The Church in her determinations of faith is euer must certaine and infallible PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Cont. 2. q. 4. cap. 3. God hath not promised to his The vniuersall Church may erre In necessarie matters The whole Church Church that she should not erre The vniuersall Church may erre The whole Church may erre It is euident that the true Church may for a time erre euen in necessarie matters Yea after Christs ascension and that descent of the Holie Ghost vpon the Apostles it is manifest that the whole Church did erre about the vocation of the Gentils and not onely the common sorte of Christians but euen the very Apostles and Doctors And quaest 5. cap. 17. The Church may for a time erre in some fundamentall points Beza de notis Eccles vol. 3. If some particular Church may erre euen in some principall head of Christian religion and yet leaue not therefore to be a true Church why may we not say the same of all particular Churches taken not onely seuerally but all together for this is the Catholik Church And the margēt The Catholik Church and in fundamentall points The whole Churrh saieth Some errors may creepe into the Church euen in some fundamentall head of saith Daneus Controu 4. l. 3. c. 17. The whole Church all Pastors generally may erre The whole Church may be deceaued slippe and erre Author Resp ad Theses Vademont p. 503. The Catholik And grieuously Church may erre and that sometimes most grieuously The like they teach commonly THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely teacheth that Gods spirit and his word shall neuer departe from the mouth of the Church that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her that the Holie Ghost teacheth her all trueth that she is the pillar and ground of trueth Catholiks say the same Protestants expressely teach that the Church the true Church the vniuersall Church the whole Church may erre most grieuously and in some fundamentall and necessarie matters that the whole Apostolik Church euen after the descent of the Holie Ghost did erre Which is so repugnant to holie Scripture as sometimes Protestants confesse it See lib. 2. c. 30. ART VII WHETHER THE CHVRCH be to be heard simply in all things SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Matth. 18. v. 17. If he will not heare the Church let him be Church simply to be heard to the as the Heathen and the Publican Luc. 10. v. 16. Who heareth you heareth me and who despiseth you despiseth me CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME D. Stapleton Cont. 4. q. 2. art 3. We must simply and absolutely obey the voice of the Church in doctrine of faith PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Cont. 1. q. 3. c. 3. We must not simply receaue whatsoeuer Not simply to be heard the Church teacheth but whatsoeuer she is commanded of God to teach and proueth by Gods authoritie And q. 5. c. 5. The Church is to be heard not simply in all her sayinges decrees sentences and commandments The same he hath Cont. 2. q. 4. c. 2. and l. 1. de Scriptura c. 11. Bucanus in Inst Theol. loco 43. Must we simply heare the voice of the Church and receaue whatsoeuer she teacheth No. Reineccius to 4. Armat c. 3. We must beleiue the Church in Not simply to be beleiued all things not taken simply and absolutely but relatiuely and with condition as farre as according to Scripture and out of that she proposeth diuine trueth THE CONFERENCE Scripture simply and absolutely biddeth vs to heare the Church and saieth that who heareth her heareth Christ The same say Catholiks Protestants denie that she is simply to be heard or obeyed ART VIII WHETHER TRVETH IN respect of vs do relie vpon the Church SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. 1. Timoth. 3. ver 15. Which is the Church of the liuing God Church the pillar of trueth the pillar and ground of trueth CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME D. Stapleton Controu 4. quaest 2. artic vnico The Church according to the ordinarie course is for faithfull men the pillar of all reuealed trueth and for faith it selfe the ground For the faitfull relie vpon the teaching of the Church as an vnmouable pillar PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Contru 2. q. 4. c. 2. The trueth of faith doth not Not pillar in regard of vs. relie vpon the Church as a foundation no not in regard of vs. Trueth doth not relie vpon the authoritie of the Church Againe If the trueth of faith did relie vpon the authoritie of the Church in respect of vs who then c. Bucer in Disp Cantabrig It is manifest enough that no Sustaineth not trueth Church is to be termed the pillar and ground of trueth as if she did sustaine and conserue trueth Melancthon in locis c. de Signis Eccles to 3. Faith doth not relie wpon the
in Math. 6. v. 12. To remit sinne is nothing els but not to exact the punishment thereof Piscator in Thesibus l. 1. p. 428. The remission of sinne is nothing els but not to punish for sinne Kemnitius de Origine Iesuitarum c. de Peccato The remission of sinne is one thing the abolition is an other Or as Luther saied in the words cited It is one thing for sinne to be remitted an other to be taken away THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely teacheth that God taketh away sinne putteth out sinne as a cloud or mist that he maketh our iniquities as farre from vs as the East is from the West that he found no iniquitie in Dauid that there is no damnation in them who are in Christ Iesus The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely teach that manie sinnes innumerable sinnes great sinnes worthie of death great filthinesse worthie the wrathe of God remaine truely remaine are continually in those that are iustified that sinne liueth and preuaileth in the regenerate that sinne is not taken away no sinne quite taken away that it is not made to be no more that remission of sinne is nothing but forgiuenesse of the punishment Which are so contrarie to Scripture as sometimes Protestants confesse it See lib. 2. c. 30. ART VI. WHETHER SINNES BE simply forgiuen SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Ioan. 20. v. 23. Whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen Sinnes simply forgiuen them CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME C. Bellarm. l. 5. de Amiss Grat c. 7. Nether can it be graunted without impietie that the sentence of the Apostle that there is no damnation in the Iustified is not simply true PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Pareus l. 5. de Amiss Gratiae c. 7. It is most true that sinnes Not simply forgiuen are not simply remitted but with continuall praier of remission Et l. 4. de Iustif c. 17. he saieth that Christ doth not absolutely cleanse his people The same teacheth Illyricus in Apologia Confess Antuerpiensis c. 3. and all Protestants who say as we haue seene before that sinnes remaine in the iustified and that they are still guiltie of sinne and deserue damnation and that remission of sinnes is nothing but forgiuenesse of punishment For if onely punishment be forgiuen the iustified if the sinne stil remaine in them by which they are guiltie and deserue damnation manifest it is that sinne is not simply remitted to them THE CONFERENCE Scripture simply saieth that sinne is remitted The same say Catholiks Protestants simply say that sinne is not simply remitted ART VII WHETHER ALL THAT ARE iustified be equally iust or holie SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY DENIETH. Iob. 1. v. 8. Hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there None like to Iob. is not the like to him on the earth a man simple and right and fearing God and departing from euill Numbers 12 v. 3. Moises was the mildest man aboue all men Moises mildest of all mē that dwelle vpon the earth Math. 8. v. 10. I haue not found so great faith in Israel Greatest faith Greatest loue Ioan. 21. v. 15. Iesus saied to Simō Peter Simon of Ihon louest thou me more then these Apoc. 22. v. 11. He that is iust let him be iustified yet and let the holie be sanctified yet CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY DENIE C. Bellarm. l. 3. de Iustif c. 16. Lutherans teach that all iust men are equally iust so that none is iuster then an other nor the same increaseth in iustice PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Luther in Math. Math 7. to 7. fol. 96. A Christian is as good and Euerie Christian as holie is S. Peter holie as S. Peter and Paul nether is anie greater or better then he Postilla in Domin 24. S. Peter is not better then the theife on The B. Virgin excelleth not the sinner We are as holie as the Saints Better then they the crosse Marie the mother of God doth not excell Marie the sinner In festo Natiu Mariae We are as holie as Marie and the other Saints If they were now vpon earth they would not be ashamed to subiect themselues to me and to all and to honour vs as better then they Brentius homilia in die Visitationis Marie is not preferred before all weomen for her owne holinesse or other such like vertues Polanus in Disput priuatis periodo 1. disput 37. One is not None more iust then an other No lesse then Christ more iust then an other before God Pareus l. 2. de Iustif c. 7. By Christs iustice imputed to vs we are accounted no lesse iust then Christ himselfe at least keeping the proportion of the head and members THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that there was none on earth like to Iob that Moises was the mildest man vpon earth that there was not so great faith in Israel as in the Centurion that Peter loued Christ more then others that the iust may be yet iustified The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that euerie Christian is as good and holie as the Apostles that we are as holie as our B. Ladie and the Saints in heauen that we are better then they that we are are as iust as Christ himselfe that one is not more iust then an other ART VIII WHETHER THERE IS ANIE iustice or grace inherent in the iustified SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Daniel 6. v. 22. My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut Iustice in Daniel vp the mouthes of the Lyons and they haue not hurt me because before him iustice hath beene found in me Luc. 1. v. 28. And the Angel being entred in saied vnto her B. Virgin full of grace Haile full of grace our Lord is with thee Act. 6. v. 8. And Steuen full of grace and fortitude Ephes 4. vers 24. Putte on the new man which according to God is created in iustice and holinesse of trueth 2. Tim. 1. v. 6. Resuscitate the grace of God which is in thee by Grace in Timothe the imposition of my hands CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME D. Stapleton in Rom. 4. v. 2. The Scriptures plainely teach inherent iustice in man PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE French Confession art 18. Casting away all opinion of vertues No opinion of vertue No iustice in vs. Not a crume of iustice or merits we rest altogether in the obedience alone of Christ Caluin in Rom. 8. v. 3. There can be no iustice in vs. In Gal. 3. v. 6. Seing men haue no iustice in them they get it by imputation De caena p. 2. There is none of vs who can finde anie crūme of iustice in himselfe There is no good in vs. Et in Confess fidei p. 158. We openly confesse that there is nothing in vs which if God looke vpon he may not iustly condemne Beza in Confess cap. 4. sect 8. Faith compelleth vs to confesse Nothing in vs but cause of damnatiō that there is nothing in vs besides causes and proofes of damnation Humfrey ad Ration 2. Campiani p. 142.
As for infused Not anie iustice grace that is inherent iustice we say and teach that no gotten habit no ingrafted vertue no infused qualitie not any iustice by which we may be iustified before God is inherent in vs but that there is ingrafted and inherent all wickednesse all rebellion and stubburnesse of the flesh Pareus lib. 2. de Iustificat cap. 7. We are void of inherent We are void of inherent iustice iustice therefore we need imputed iustice lib. 3. cap. We haue already shewed that there is no inherent iustice in the iudgment of God THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that there was iustice in Daniel before God that our B. Ladie and Saint Steuen were full of grace that grace was in Timothe that we must putte on the new man who is created according to God in iustice of trueth that is true iustice The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that there is no iustice in vs before God there can be no iustice not a crumme of iustice no vertue no good nothing but cause of damnatiō and which deserueth to be damned ART IX WHETHER IVSTICE INHErent in vs can be imputed to vs SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Psal 105. v. 30. Phinees stood and pacified and the slaughter Zeale imputed to iustice ceased and it was reputed to him vnto iustice Rom. 4. v. 3. Abraham beleiued God and it was reputed him Also faith to iustice v. 5. To him that worketh not yet beleiueth in him that iustifieth the impious his faith is reputed to iustice v. 9. We say that to Abraham faith was reputed to iustice And in like sorte v. 4. it is saied that reward is imputed to the worker and v. 8. that sinne is imputed to the sinner CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME D. Stapleton in Rom. 4. ver 2. Dauid the Prophet most expressely saieth that the zeale of the honor of God and of his law in Phinees was reputed him to iustice PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Pareus l. 2. de Iustif c. 3. What inhereth is not imputed For No inherent thing imputed that is properly imputed which is not had That is not imputed which is had according to Pauls discourse l. 3. c. 1. What inhereth is not imputed Piscator in Thesibus l. 2. pag. 68. If any say Reward is imputed according to debt abuseth the word Imputed And pag. 72. It implieth contradiction that inherent iustice should be imputed Moulins in his Buckler art 19. sect 31. It is certaine that faith as it is a vertue inherent in vs cannot be imputed to vs Our actions are not imputed for they are not our actions or vertues but of others which are imputed to vs. THE CONFERENCE Scripture plainely saieth that the zeale of Phinees was imputed to him for iustice that Abrahams beleife was reputed to him that the faith of the beleiuer is reputed to him The same say Catholiks Protestants plainely say that what inhereth is not imputed that inherent vertue cannot be imputed that it implieth contradiction that inherent iustice should be imputed ART X. WHETHER THE IVSTIFIED be infallibly certaine and by diuine faith that they are iustified SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY DENIETH. Eccles 9. ver 1. Man knoweth not whether he be worthie of None knoweth that he is worthie of loue Or whether he be simple loue or hatred but all things are reserued vncertaine for the time to come Eccles 5. v. 5. Of sinne forgiuen be not without feare Iob 9. v. 21. All though I shall be simple the selfe same shall my soule be ignorant of Hier. 17. v. 9. The hart of man is peruerse and vnsearchable None knoweth his owne hart who shall know it CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY DENIE Councel of Trent Sess 6. cap. 9. None can know with certaintie of faith which cannot be deceaued that he hath obtained grace PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Commonly they teach that euerie faithfull man is iustified by a speciall or peculiar faith wherewith he beleiueth that his sinnes are forgiuen For thus they professe in Confess Augustana apud Melancthonem to 3. art 4. They We are iustified by beleiuing our selues to be such are iustified when they beleiue that they are receaued into grace and that their sinnes are remitted for Christ This faith God imputeth for iustice Et art 5. God iustifieth those who beleiue that they are receaued into grace for Christ And Apologia Confess Augustanae c. de Iustificat This Speciall faith of our owne iustification iustifieth vs. speciall faith wherewith euerie one beleiueth that his sinnes are remitted for Christ and that God is appeased and pacified for Christ obtaineth remission of sinnes and iustifieth vs. And c. de Paenitentia Remission of sinnes cometh by that speciall faith wherewith euerie one beleiueth that his sinnes are forgiuen him for Christ Whitakerus ad Ration 8. Campiani p. 41. Whosoeuer beleiueth that his sinnes are remitted this verie faith absolueth him The same teach commonly all Protestants and manie of them are named in my Latin booke And because it is well enough knowne I will alledge no more of their sayings to prooue that they thinke themselues to be iustified by a speciall faith wherewith they beleiue that they are iustified Whitaker Concione vlt. This one thing I say Whosoeuer We haue certaine faith of our iustification denie vs to be certaine of our saluation with certaintie of faith leaue vs no faith l. 8. cont Dur. sect 47. None are iustified but who know that they are iustified Iuel Defense of the Apologie pag. 149. Our people be As certaine as if Christ saied so to vs. so certaine of the remission of their sinnes in the blood of Christ as if Christ himselfe were present and spoake it to them Perkins de Baptismo tom 1. col 820. He beleiueth not the Ghospell vnlesse he likewise be perswaded that he is the sonne of God And same ibid. col 206. The true faithfull are certaine by faith that their sinnes are forgiuen them Rainolds thesi 2. p. 71. That they are elect faith perswadeth euerie pious man touching himselfe and charitie touching others Luther in 1. Petri 1. to 5. Thou must beleiue that thou art a We must beleiue that we are Saints Saint and that with so great certaintie and constance that thou fearest not to leese thy life for it In Psal 14. to 3. f. 245. It can be no waies faith vnlesse it be an vndoubted opinion wherewith a man is certaine aboue all certaintie that he pleaseth God and hath him propitious in good and indulgent in euill Caluin in Math. 21. v. 21. Christ doth not acknowledge that No beleiuer without speciall faith anie beleiue but such as without doubt do thinke that God is propitious to them The same he hath in Rom. 1. v. 6. 3. Instit c. 2. § 16. In Antidoto Concilij Sess c. 10. What lewdnesse I pray is it that none can know by certaintie of faith that he hath obtained grace And in Catechismo cap.
them publicans and harlots haue beene saued nether if they be knowne make they a man better Finally they vse to vnderstand the Saintes departed this life by this terme The dead For so doth the Apologie of the Confession of Auspurg c. de Inuocat Sanctorum The confession of Saxonie c. 21. Melancthon in locis c. de Sacramentis c. de Caeremonijs c. de scandalo c. de libertate Whitaker l. 9. cont Dureum sect 36. Wherevpon Kemnitius 3. parte Examinis p. 228. saieth that the Saintes departed are vsually termed The dead CONFERENCE OF THE FORESAIED WORDS Scripture expressely saieth that the soule cannot be killed and that it returneth to God The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that the soule dieth that it is a Popes decree that the soule dieth not that it is a monstruous thing to say that it is immortall they adde also that it is by transfusion that after death it feeleth nothing that all or most infantes perish as beasts that the knowledge of the state of soules after this death is not necessarie to saluation nor maketh a man the better ART II. WHETHER MANS SOVLE BE the forme of his bodie SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Gen. 2. v. 7. Our Lord God formed man of the styme of the Soule forme of the bodie earth and breathed into his face the breath of life and man became a liuing soule CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME S. Thomas 1. parte q. 76. art 4. A reasonable soule is vnited to the bodie as a substantiall forme PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Luther cited in the former article I giue leaue that the Not substantiall forme of the bodie Pope make articles of faith to his followers Such are That the soule is a substantiall forme of the bodie In psal 22. to 3. f. 348. It is not determined according to the spirit of trueth nor according So also Farellus to the authoritie of Scriptures but by the Popes reed according to vaine traditions of men That the essence of God is nether generated nor generateth That the soule is a substantiall forme of the bodie That bread and wine are trāssubstantiated on the altar that one kinde is to be giuen to lay men for the whole Sacrament and like monsters Polanus in Sylloge Thesium parte 2. p. 518. Mans soule is No forme of the bodie no forme of the bodie against Bellarmin Bucanus Instit loco 8. p. 89. The soule is in one onely mēber Not in euerie member of the bodie and place of the bodie THE CONFERENCE Scripture plainely saith that the soule was infused of God into man and that by it he was made a liuing creature The same say Catholiks Protestants plainely say that mans soule is no forme of the bodie that it is monstrous to say that it is the forme of the bodie that it is in one onely parte and place of the bodie and not in the whole bodie ART III. WHETHER THERE BE ANIE resurrection of the dead SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. 1. Cor. 15. v. 16. For if the dead rise not againe nether is Christ The dead shall rise risen againe And if Christ be not risen againe vaine is your faith 1. Thessalon 4. v. 14. For if we beleiue that Iesus died and rose againe so also God them that haue slept by Iesus will bring with him And the same is most plainely taught in innumerable places CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Catechismus ad Parochos in Exposit Symboli As we beleiue that manie haue beene raised from death so we must beleiue that all shal be raised to life PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Luther l. de seruo arbit to 2. fol. 442. Behould experience what the most excellent witts amongst the Gentils thought of the life to come and the resurrection How much more excellent they were of wit did they not the more thinke the life to come and resurrection to be ridiculous Finally to this day the most Luther not free from denying the resurrection of the dead by how much they are of greater wit and learning do they not the more laughe at that article and accoūt it afable and that opēly And I would to God thoum y Erasmus and I were free from this leauen So rare is there anie faithfull soule touching this article Brentius apud Reginaldum cited in the first article Yea such wordes fall from diuers Protestants by which they signifie No resurrection of the dead that they beleiue not the resurrection of the dead as well when there are drunken as when they are sober in their familiar talkes Vorstius in Apologetica resp ad Homium p. 41. writeth thus Let them see who will enquire these things more curiously what amongst our men Caluin himselfe sometimes thought of this matter in his epistles p. 85. Where Farellus plainely enough Caluin denied the resurrection of the flesh telleth that he not onely doubted of the resurrection of this flesh but thought plaine contrarie from others at that time And neuerthelesse none accursed him therefore of heresie Yea among the Lutherans Iames Schegkius in Antisimonic sect 9. p. 420. Schegkius denied the resurrection of these bodies Openly denied that the same bodies should rise hereafter And yet he was curteously excused of his parteners and it no where appeareth that he was for that condemned of heresie ether of his owne men or of ours Caluin Epistola 104. thus writeth to Laelius Sozinus Sozinus denied the resurrection of the flesh whome Camerarius in vita Melancthonis much commendeth I see that you are not satisfied about the resurrection of the flesh Farellus who was the first Minister of Geneua and whome Caluin and Beza highly cōmend and his picture is put amongst the worthies of the new reformers denied the resurrection of this flesh For thus writeth Caluin to him as reporteth M. Reinalds in Caluinoturcismo l. 3. c. 22. It is no meruaile that the resurrection of this flesh seemeth a Nether Caluin maruaileth at it thing incredible to thee Thou thinkes it sufficeth if thou beleiuest that sometime we shall haue new bodies Behould the first Apostle of Geneua thought the resurrection of this flesh a thing incredible nether that seemed anie meruaill to his Coapostle Caluin Besides all they who as we rehearsed cap. 3. artic 20. denie that Christs blood rose againe denie that there was a perfect resurrection of Christ of whome his blood was a parte and consequently they must denie that the blood of other men shal rise againe and so there shall not be a perfect resurrection of men Moreouer Caluin in 4 c. 1. § 27. saieth that those Corinthians who denied the resurrection were not excluded from Gods mercie Sadeel and Theses Posnan c. 12. pag. 806. Protestants account deniers of the resurrection to be members of the Church and children of God and faithfull that they kept the name of a true Chruch which also saieth Riuet tract 1. sect 39. Beza 2 parte respons ad Acta Montisbel pa. 253.
none euer anie haue contradicted the true sense of the Scripture the Protestants haue done it First because they haue as often and in as manie and as weightie matters contradicted the expresse words of Scripture as euer anie haue Secondly because they haue contradicted as expresse and cleare words and those as purposely spoaken to declare the Scriptures meaning as euer anie words were which anie haue cōtradicted Thirdly because they haue contradicted them in as plaine cleare and vsuall sense and which is confirmed by as manie circunstances and by light of reason and experience as euer anie words of Scripture were contradicted in Fourthly because they contradict these kind of words in this kind of sense with as euident want of the like words which may seeme plainly and directly of themselues without all inference or exposition of man to beare the contrarie sense as euer anie did Thou seest also what a maine difference there is betwene The differēce betwene the grounds of the Cath. and Protest faith the foundations of the Catholik and Protestant beleefe touching these articles For whereas the foundation of the Protestant beleife concerning the Eucharist is no expresse word of God which is purposely spoaken to declare this matter and which of it selfe without all helpe of man doth plainely and directly pronounce that it is such as they beleiue but ether mans word onely or mans discourse framed at least out of one humane principle the foundation of the Catholik faith is Gods expresse and cleare word spoaken of him purposely for to declare what the Eucharist is which of it selfe without anie helpe of vs clearely and directly auoucheth that the Eucharist is such as Catholiks beleiue it to be and against which words no other expresse words of God directly contrarie to these can be opposed but onely humane arguments and discourses These as S. Austin speaketh are the proofes of our course these the foundations these the strength Whatsoeuer Lib. de vnit c. 19. In Psal 21. they gayne say men say but this God saieth Yet let vs heare what it is which men say against God They except saieth Caluin that they haue the word by 4. Instit c. 17. §. 25. which the will of God is made manifest A most iust exception doubtles especially in matters of faith and such as cannot be knowne but by Gods word and against them who so much brag of Gods word For if we haue Gods word we haue also Gods meaning vnlesse they can demonstrate the contrarie Whereupon well saied Tertullian Ether denie that these are written or who art thou that Contr. Praxeam c. 23. thou thinkest that they are not to be vnderstood as they are written Forsooth saieth Caluin if we giue them leaue to banish out Loco cit §. 20 of the Church the guift of interpretation which may bring light to the word Againe We vsing daily studie do embrace that sense which the Holie Gost doth suggest And once more The reuerence of Christs words is not a pretext iust enough why they should so reiect all the reasons which we obiect Behould Reader once more the difference betwene the Catholik and Caluins faith The Catholik faith by the aduersaries confession What Caluin opposeth against the expresse word of God is grounded vpon the expresse and plaine words of God Caluins faith relieth vpon his guift of interpretation his studie the suggestions of his spirit his reasons which he dare oppose yea prefer before the expresse word of God But we demand that seing we haue for vs the expresse word of God wherewith Gods will touching the Eucharist is made manifest he produce the like word of God whereby it may be made manifest that the Caluinists haue the guift of interpretation rather then the Catholiks or the Lutherans or anie sorte of Christians or that that guift of interpreting which interpreteth Gods expresse words spoaken by him of supernaturall matters of purpose to declare what they are contrarie to their vsuall sense is the guift of God But if he cannot produce anie such word of God it were starke madnesse to forsake Gods expresse word and the plaine meaning thereof which besides Sacramentaries all Christians els do embrace and to follow a guift of interpretation ether vncertaine or feigned Besides Protestants do banish the guift of infallible interpretation out of the Church in saying that she may erre in matters of faith and interpretatation of Scripture why then do they in this matter pretend such a guift and oppose it against Gods expresse words Moreouer to expound words which by their owne confession are most cleare is no other thing then as S. Austin saieth to cast darknesse vpon cleare light Nether Serm. 14. de verbis Apost banish we the guift of interpretation out of the Church which neuer interpreted these words but in their natiue and vsuall sense but we denie that Heretiks haue the guift of interpreting the Scripture and affirme that their new expositiō directly contrarie to Gods words both expresse and of purpose spoaken to declare this matter and condemned by Gods Church is no interpretation but a deprauation and corruption Furthermore we reiect no interpretation which may bring light to the word but we denie that Caluins interpretation is such but rather quite extinguisheth the cleare light of the word For what greater darknesse can be cast vpon light then in expresse words spoaken of purpose to declare a matter and by which a new doctrine is deliuered a new Sacrament instituted a last will is made and which were spoaken of the Maister of trueth vnto his disciples when he was to forsake them to expound Is by Is not and Body giuen for you by A bare figure or Signe thereof And thus we haue heard what Caluin opposeth against Gods expresse word now let vs see how he would diminish the force and authoritie of the same I confesse saieth he that they haue the word A confession surely much to be esteemed especially proceeding In Act. 9. v. 21. from such an aduersarie as is accustomed to crie That Papists find no weapons for them in the Scripture But he should also haue confessed as the trueth is that Protestants haue not such a word to wit which plainely and directly denieth the Eucharist to be the bodie and blood of Christ For thereby it would haue appeared more clearelie whether Catholiks or Protestants find the better weapons in the Scripture But he addeth Yet such a word as the Anthropomorphites had when they made God to haue a bodie Yea such a word as thou or anie Christian hath when he maketh God to haue beene incarnated to haue suffered to haue risen againe and to haue ascended to heauen and as I dare say a clearer word also if the words themselues and the foresaied circunstances be considered So that Differences betwene the Cath. and the Anthropomorphites more iustly may anie Heretik who denieth the foresaied mysteries obiect to thee the example
words of Christ but thinke of some other thing and with inward eyes behould them as mysteries And Victorinus ib. In the question of the Supper of the Lord we must looke with the left eye vpon the words of Christ and with the right behould the natures of Christ and the writings of Antiquitie Yee see them professe that the foundation and strength of their opinion is a humane principle that their reasons are to be preferred before Christs words that we must not simply looke vpon Christ words but thinke vpon some other thing that we must looke vpon Christs words with the left eye and with the right vpon nature Which is the very doctrine of Suencfeldius in Schlusselburg art 23. cit Remoue saieth he from thy sight Take and Eate This is my bodie and then consider what is the nature of mans bodie of eating of Sacraments and of ould figures and so thou shalt find most certaine trueth In like sorte they confesse that they learnt not their faith out of Scripture Zuinglius Resp ad Serm. Lutheri to 2. fol. 372. Faith cannot be learnt or discussed out of words but the Protest haue not their faith out of Scripture teacher of it is God and after we haue it deliuered from him we may see the same in words And in Exegesi fol. 347. We do not thinke that faith can be gathered out of words but that faith being the mistresse the words which are set before vs may be vnderstood How I pray you should we gather faith out of words sith we ought not to come to expound Scriptures But being already armed with faith And OEcolampadius in Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 70. I come not to Scripture but being before hand armed with faith Their first shift is to scoffe and deride the manner of Protecst soffe at plaine proofes out of Scripture arguing out of the expresse words of Scripture P. Martyr in Schlusselburg l. 4. Theol. Caluin artic 20. calleth our argument taken out of the words of the institution of the Eucharist a Fiue word proofe And in Dial. col 130. thus speaketh I alwaies thought that yee were not so wise as yee Gods word not enough should be in labouring so much for an opinion both absurde and vnprofitable and hauing nothing to mantaine it but Christs word This is my bodie Caluin 1. Instit cap. 2. § 3. saieth that they are madde who endeauour to defend the images of God and Saints by the example of the Cherubins The same saieth Hospin l. de orig Templorum pag. 254. and Beza 2. part respons ad Colloq Montisbel pag. 31. termeth the same a stinking argument Whitaker ad Rat. 3. Campiani maketh this to be a Sophisme Saint Iames commandeth to Foolish to striue about Christs words anoint the sick therefore we must anoint them Zuinglius de Peccat orig tom 2. fol. 122. saieth How foolish should he seeme who for words of Scripture would auouch that we are washed from originall sinne by the water of baptisme OEcolāpadius cōplaineth that the words of the Institutiō of the Eucharist are obiected to him as a Helene and the samewords Caluin termeth Aiax his buckler and the onely refuge of Papists Finally they are sometimes driuen to blaspheme the They blaspheme the very words of Scripture words of Scripture and to say that they will nether beleiue them nor God himselfe P. Martyr cont Gardiner col 423. termeth the words of the Institution of the Eucharist a litle speach of fiue words and col 1095 a fiue word speach Zuinglius Respons ad Billican tom 2. f. 264. Poore letters Burensis in Schlusselburg Praefat. in tom 3. Catal. Haeret. Foure impotent words Sheldon l. of Antichrist pag. 82. in scoffe Fiue omnipotent words Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 63. Fiue magicall words Gratianus Anties tom 6. doctrinae Iesuit fol. 158. speaketh in this sorte To be present according to Gregorie is to draw Christs bodie out of heauen by fiueuerbicall or magicall power Volanus l. 2. cont Scargam pag. 1047. Feigning to your selues a new Christ of bread made by the fiue-word-breath of a Preist Moreouer Zuinglius as before is rehearsed called Christs words of the indissolubilitie of mariage drie words and l. de Relig. c. de Euchar. saieth that the words of conscration are too drie for some mens capacitie Poach in Schlusselburg tom 4. Catal. pag. 305. thus writeth It must needs be that the law sith it nether Gods law in lie is Christ nor in Christ is contained in error lie and death And the Scripture as Luther saieth in his disputations is not to be vnderstood against Christ but for Christ and therefore to be referred to him or not to be accounted true Scripture Luther being sore vrged by the words of Scripture touching works and the law teacheth his followers to answere thus tom 5. in 3. Galat. fol. 345. Simply we must answere in this sorte Here is Christ there the testimonies of the Scripture touching workes and the law But Christ is Lord of the Scripture Thou vrgest the seruant that is the Scripture this seruant I Luther leaueth the Scripture to Papists leaue to thee I vrge the Lord who is King of the Scripture And speaketh yet more plainely German edit Wittemb tom 1. in these words Albeit the Papists do bring a huge loade of Scriptures in which good works are commanded I care nothing He careth not for all the Scripture for all the sayings of the Scripture though more were brought Thou Papist art very insolent and proud with the Scripture which yet is vnder Christ and the Lord. Wherefore I am nothing He is not moued with it moued thereby Go too foresooth relie vpon the seruant as much as thou wilst but I relie vpon Christ the true Maister Lord and Emperour of the Scripture Him I will beleiue and I know he cannot lie to me nor lead me into error I had rather honour and beleiue him then to suffer my selfe to be drawne one finger breth from my opinion for all the sayings of the Scripture Loe how Luther careth not for all the sayings of the Scriptures is nothing moued with will not alter his opinion for them all and leaueth them to the Papists And in like sorte tom 1. disput de Fide fol. 387. saieth But if our aduersaries vrge the Scripture against Christ we vrge Christ against the Scripture We haue the Lord they haue the seruant Papist haue the Scripture And in Colloq cap. de verbo Dei fol. 22. speaking of his followers saieth The Scripture is contemned corrupted and mocked of vs. Yea Zuinglius in Elencho tom 2. fol. 10. affirmeth that when Paul wrote the Commentaries of the Euangelists and the Epistles of the Apostles were not of authoritie and that Paul did not attribute so much to his Epistles as that Paul did not thinke his Epistles diuine whatsoeuer was contained in them was holie The like is insinuated by
Caluin Actor 17. vers 11. Where he saieth that the Thessalonians did not dispute whether Gods trueth were to be receaued onely they examined Pauls doctrine according to the rule of Scripture Plainely putting a difference betwene Gods trueth and Pauls doctrine Finally Zuinglius professeth Zuinglius will not beleiue what he cannot comprehend to beleiue nothing which he cannot comprehend For thus he speaketh in Hospin Part. 2. Histor fol. 72. God doth not propose to vs things that are incomprehensible Or as Melancthon reporteth ib. fol. 82. God doth not propose to vs such things to be beleiued as can no way be comprehended And in Schlusselburg l. 4. Theol. Caluin art 9. thus professeth his more then Diuelish infidelitie Albeit God with He will not beleiue God though he sware all his blessed Angels should come from heauen and sweare that in the Supper of the Lord the bodie and blood of Christ were giuē to all that receaue it yet nether could nor would I beleiue it vnlesse I should plainely see with my eyes and feel Christ with my hands The very same he insinuateth Respons and Bellicā tom 2. fol. What I pray you differ these men from the Protest imitate the libertins Libertins of whome thus writeth Caluin in Instructione cap. 9. We already saied that these men in the beginning were wont plainely to laugh if any alledged the Scriptures nor dissembled to hould them for fables yet they forbore not to vse thē if there were anie place which they could wrest to their purpose But when they perceaued that all good men did detest such sacrilege they put on this coate vnder which now they lurk to wit they professe not to reiect the holie Scriptures but feigning to admit them wrest and change them into allegories And do not the Protestants deride the Scripture when they call the words thereof a fiue-word speach beggerly letters impotent and magicall words and when they see that all good men detest such blasphemie do they not turne thē into figures or allegories Wherefore I make this my fourth argument Who not onely in so manie and so great matters contradict the expresse words of Scripture but also in manie and great points are compelled to forsake the letter thereof to call the manifeste sense into questiō to say that it is a begging of the question to argue out of it to deuise manie new senses for to reiect a place as ambiguous and to say that the sēse of Scripture is to be gathered rather out of a strāge then out of the proper place where it is purposely handled who finally deride the very kind of arguing out of the expresse words of Scripture and openly blaspheme them they are to be thought not onely to gainsay the true sense of Scripture but also to contemne the Scripture and God himselfe But so do Protestants Therefore c. CHAPTER V. THAT PROTESTANTS SAY THAT words of Scripture which make against them were not spoaken of certaine knowledge OVR fift argument to proue that Protestants repugne to the true sense of Scripture shal be because sometimes they denie that the words which were spoaken of God of Christ of the Apostles were spoaken by them of their certaine knowledge but onely by ghesse or coniecture For if out of that saying of God Ezechielis 3. vers 6. seq For not to a people of profound speach and of an vnknowne tongue art thou sent to the house of Israel nether to manie peoples of profound speach and of an vnknowne tongue whose words thou canst not heare and if thou were sent to them they would heare the We will proue that some can be conuerted which yet will not be conuerted Contra-remonstrantes in Collat. Hagae answere This is saied not in respect God did not certainely foresee what he saied of that which God did certainely forsee in these or those but in respect of that which according to all outward shew a man might iudge Forsooth God did not certainely foresee that other people would haue heard the Prophet if he had beene sent to them as he plainely affirmeth but like a man spoake by ghesse out of the externall appearance If we proue the same out of those words of Christ Math. 11. ver 21. If in Tire and Sidon had beene wrought the miracles that haue beene wrought in you they had done pennance Nor Christ in hairecloth and ashes Caluin vpon this place telleth vs that Christ disputeth not what God did foresee to become of these or those but what some of them would haue done for so much as could be gathered by the thing And ib. in v. 33. We admonished before that Christ speaketh after a humane manner and doth not tell out of the heauenlie oracle what he had foreseene was to be if he had sent to the Sodomits And lib. 6. de lib. arbitr pag 197. It is euident that Christ would by that kind of speach no other thing thē if one now should say There is no Turk so obstinate or rebellious to God or so impious who would not haue beene conuerted if he had read seene and heard those things with which Pighius will not amended The like haue Contra-remonstrantes loc cit So that Christ did not certainely foresee that the Tyrians and Sodomites would haue repented if they had seene the like miracles and yet he plainely affirmeth it If we proue that a man may fall from grace because S. Peter 1. cap. 1. vers 9. saieth For he that hath not these Scripture speaketh not of knowledge but of charitie tbings readie is blind and groping with his hand hauing foregotten the purgation of his ould sinnes Zanchius in Summa Praelect tom 7. col 276. answereth This place is to be vnderstood according to the iudgment of charitie The same he hath in Thesibus tom 8. col 700. and Piscator in Thesibus l. 2. p. 195. Forsooth S. Peter iudged charitably but not truely that such a man as he speaketh of had beene purged from his sinnes If we proue that God would haue all men to be saued because S. Paul 1. Timoth. 2. vers 4. Who will all men to be saued Perkins lib. de Praedest tom 1. col 139. saieth Paul Likewise S. Paul speaketh in this place according to the iudgment of charitie of Christians not according to the iudgment of secret and infallible certaintie In like sorte answereth Piscator loc cit and also to Hebr. 6. vers 5. cap. 10. vers 29. Where is it saied that some reprobates were sanctified with the blood of Christ If we proue that the wicked and reprobates may be in the bodie of Christ and put him vpon them because S. Paul saieth 1. Cor. 12. ver 13. We were all baptized into one bodie Gal. 3. v. 27. As manie of you as are baptized in Christ haue put on Christ Vorstius in Antibel p. 124. answereth The Apostle speakheth there out of the iudgment of charitie which accounteth all
the citizens of the outward Church that is all that professe faith to be faithfull But charitie beleiueth all things and therefore is deceaued which is farre from the certaintie of faith Which is as much as to say S. Paul or the Scripture was deceaued in these sayings If we proue that God would haue some to be conuerted who will not because he saieth Math. 23. vers 37. Hierusalem Hierusalem how often would I gather together thy children as the hen doth gather together her chickins vnder her wings and thou wouldst not Beza de Praedestinat cont Castel vol. 1. pag. 398. answereth If we will attribute this speach to Christ as he was God doste thou not know that God for to allure his children to him through his infinite goodnesse by taking vpon him humane affections doth sometime stammer with vs God stammereth Fiftly therefore I proue that Protestants contradict the true sense of Scripture in this sorte Who not onely gainesay the expresse words of holie writ so as we haue seene but also are forced in manie and great misteries of faith to say that the Apostles Christ and God himselfe did not certainely foresee what they saied and that the holie Ghost did not speake of certaine knowledge but by coniectures as men do they gaynesay the true meaning of the holy Scripture But Protestants do so Therefore c. CHAPTER VI. THAT PROTESTANTS AFFIRME manie weightie sayings of the Scripture not to haue beene spoaken according to the mynd of the Authors MY sixt argument shal be because Protestants are driuen to say that Scripture speaketh not according to it owne mynd and according to trueth but according to the errour and opinion of others and that in manie and great matters as of faith of good workes of sacraments of the very meane of attayning saluation and the like For if we proue that wicked men may haue faith because S. Iames speaketh not according to his owne mynd S. Iames cap. 2. vers 18. speaketh thus to such a one Thou hast faith and I haue workes v. 19. Thou beleiuest that there is one God thou doest well Caluin on that chapter v. 14. saieth Let vs remember that he speaketh not according to his owne mynd as oft as here he nameth faith If we proue that the keeping of the commandements Nor Christ is necessarie to saluation because Christ saieth Math. 19. v. 17. If thou wilt enter to life keepe the commandements Pareus l. 3. de Iustificat c. 12. p. 812. answereth The Lord sendeth him to the workes of the law not that he thinketh this way of saluation possible but for to confund his hypocrisie Brentius in Pareus l. 4. de Iustificat c. 2. and in Gerlachius tom 2. disput 13. saieth Christ so answered as he rather shewed him the way to He shewed the way to perdition eternall damnation Which answere saieth Pareus c. 2. cit is no lesse true then that saying of the Apostle yee are euacuated from Christ who are iustified by the law If we proue that iustice is necessarie to saluation because Christ saieth Mat. 5. ver 21. Vnlesse your iustice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharises you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Pareus l. 4. de Iustif c. 4. p. 964 answereth Not that this inward iustice was possible to the He shewed an impossible way disciples or to anie other man but that the exactnesse of the law and there impossibilitie being acknowledged they might forsake the endlesse way of the law and seeke life in the Ghospell If we proue that God rewardeth good workes because the Scripture often speaketh so Zuinglius l. de relig c. de Merito answereth There are some so doltish that whatsoeuer thou criest they thinke God giueth all things to merits and where these are not that there his grace is in vaine hoped for whose weaknesse or rather perfidiousnesse God abuseth and inuiteth to good workes by hope of reward that so nothing may be wanting to his seruants And Ochinus in Schlusselburg lib. 1. Theol. Caluin art 23. dareth call in question whether Christ spoake those words which he would haue spoaken We answere saieth he that it may be that when He spoake not that he would Christ saied This is my bodie he would haue saied The bread signifieth my bodie The like they meane when they say that the holie Scripture speakeâ—h by graunt or concession Scripture speaketh by concessioÌ„ or grauÌ„t For thus Caluin in lac 2. v. 12. That he termeth it faith is by way of concession orgraunt And 3. Instit c. 17. § 11. That the Apostle calleth faith a vaine opinion which is farre from the nature of faith is by way of graunt Beza in Iac. 2. ver 14. Iames calleth it faith by way of graunt that he may not seeme to striue about words In like manner Illyricus and others Kemnitius in locis part 2. tit de Argumentis writeth that in those sayings If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments Who shall doe these shall liue in them Doe this and thou shalt liue The doers of the law shal be iustified Christ and Paul answere by way of concession or graunt If we proue that we can clense our selues from sinne because 2. Cor. 7. v. 1. it is saied Let vs clense our selues from all inquination of the flesh and spirit perfecting sanctification in the feare of God Caluin 2. Instit c. 5. § 11. answereth By concession or graunt it is attributed to vs which belongeth to God And if we proue that there are some litle precepts because Christ saieth Math. 5. v. 19. One iot or tittle shall not passe of the law till all be fulfilled Caluin vpon that place saieth Where Christ termeth litle precepts it is a kind of concession or graunt If we proue that God will render eternall life according to the patience of good workes because Rom. 2. v. 7. is saied God will render to euerie man according to his workes to them truely that according to patience in good worke seeke glorie honor and incorruption life eternall Beza vpon that place answereth In this description of iust iudgment this is saied of the Apostle by way of graunt or concession as also when streight after he saieth ver 13. Not hearers but doers of the law are iustified If we proue that some do keepe the law because it is written Rom. 2. v. 26. If then the prepuce keepe the iustices of the law shall not his prepuce be reputed for circuncision Beza vpon that place answereth These things are saied of the Apostle by way of graunt or concession as also I noted before verse 9. If we proue that the sacraments of the new law be Scripture speaketh by contention better then the sacraments of the ould because S. Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews preferreth them before these Caluin 4. Instit c. 14. § 25. saieth This we must especially note that in all these places
they change into particulars whensoeuer they make against them Which is so great and so manifest an abuse of Scripture as What some Protestants thing of turning vniuersall propositions into particulars some of themselues crie out against it For thus Iacobus Andreae in Colloq Montisbel p. 418. speaketh to Beza It is impietie to exclude anie man from this vniuersall promise p. 419. It is manifest impietie and abhominable doctrine contrarie to the expresse letter to make a particular promise of an vniuersall Et pag. 421. It is horrible to heare so manifest an vniuersall proposition to be made a particular Wherefore I thus frame my eight argument Who besides the foresaied opposition to the expresse words of Scripture are compelled in so manie and so great matters to change so manie and so manifest vniuersall propositiōs of the holie Scripture into particulars they are to be iudged to gainsay the true sense of the Scripture But Protestants do so Therefore c. And the more forcible this argument ought to be against them because themselues teach That as often as there is an vniuersall proposition in Scripture it must not be limited by anie distinction vnlesse that be grounded vpon certaine and cleare words of Scripture For otherwise euerie doctrine may be deluded by subtilitie of distinctions So Gerlachius tom 2. disp 24. CHAPTER IX THAT PROTESTANTS DO LIMITATE manie vnlimited Propositions of the Scripture MY ninth argument that Protestants contradict the true sense of Scripture I will take frō thence that they are forced to limitate manie vnlimitated propositions of Scripture touching great matters as of God of Christ of the Church and the like For if we proue that God doth not at all tempt to euil Touching God because S. Iames saieth absolutely c. 1. v. 13. God is no tempter of euill and he tempteth no man P. Martyr in locis clas 1. c. 15. § 9. answereth When Iames denieth that God tempteth he denieth it not altogether but in that sorte in which those carnall Christians of his time did affirme him to tempt as if they when they sinned had not beene in fault Caluin vpon this place He speaketh here of inward temptations which are nothing but inordinate desires which prouoke vs to sinne And he rightly denieth God to be author of them Pareus l 2. de Amiss Grat. c. 8. Iames doth not remoue from God simply all temptation but onely the inward temptation and such as may make a man excusable If we proue that God willeth not iniquitie at all that is nether for it selfe nor for anie other thing because ps 1. v. 5. it is saied without anie limitation Thou wilst not iniquitie they limitate this saying manie waies as that God willeth not iniquitie for it selfe or by his word or by allowance or delighte in it as appeareth by what we rehearsed l. 1. c. 2. art 1. If we proue that God of himselfe willeth not the death of anie man because he saieth Ezech. 33. v. 11. I will not the death of the wicked and c. 18. v. 32. I will not the death of him that dieth Zanchius l. 3. de Nat. Dei c. 4. q. 4. answereth If thou vrgest the word I will not the death of a sinner and that God speaketh of his good pleasure I say that place is to be vnderstood of the elect onely Beza 2. art resp ad Acta Montisbel p. 196. That restriction of conuersion sheweth that this is to be vnderstood onely of them to whome is graunted the grace of conuersion which surely is proper to the elect Piscator in Thesib l. 2. p. 187. The Prophet speaketh not here of euerie sinner but of him onely that is conuerted But Luther lib. de seru arbitr tom 2. fol. 450. saieth God willeth manie things which by his word he sheweth that he willeth not So he will not the death of a sinner to wit by word but he willeth it by his vnsearchable will If we proue that God willeth the conuersion of euerie sinner because he saieth without limitation Ezech. 33. v. 11. I will not the death of the wicked but that he be conuerted and liue Caluin l. de Praedest p. 786. and de Prouident p. 737. answereth God is saied to will life as he is saied to will pennance and this he willeth because by his words he inuiteth all to it but this is not contrarie to his secret counsaile wherein he hath decreed to conuert none but his elect Piscator in Thesibus lib. 2. pag. 236. saieth That God speaketh there of the wicked who is conuerted If we proue that Christ euen as he is God would gather those who will not be gathered because he saieth absolutely Math. 23. v 37. How often would I gather together thy children as the hen doth goth gather together her chickins vnder her wings and thou wouldest not Perkins de Praedest tom 1. col 157. answereth I say that Christ speaketh here not as he was God but as he was minister of the circumcision The same saieth Luther lib. cit fol. 451. and others If we proue that God calleth euen the reprobate because he saieth without limitation Apocal. 3. v. 20. I stand at the dore and knock Perkins loc iam cit answereth Those at whose dore Christ standeth are the faithfull and the conuerted If we proue that God euen by inward vocation calleth the reprobate because without all limitation it is saied Math. 23. v. 37. How often would I gather thy Children And Isaiae 65. v. 2. I haue spred fourth my hands all the day to an incredulous people And c. 5. v. 4. What is there that I ought to doe more to my vineyard and haue not done to it Et Prou. 1. v. 24. I haue called and you haue refused Contra-remonstrantes in Collat. Hagae p. 245. seq limitate all these sayings onely to outward calling And Pareus l. 1. de Grat. lib. arb c. 11. to onely calling by outwarde means After which manner Protestants also limitate those words Math. 22. v. 14. Manie are called but few are chosen If we proue that men may resist the holie Ghost speaking within them because without limitation it is saied Acts 7. v. 51. You haue alwaies resisted the holie Ghost Caluin ib. answereth They are saied to resist the holie Ghost who obstinately reiect him speaking by the Prophets for here is no speach of inward reuelations which God inwardly inspireth to anie but of the outward ministerie If we proue that Christ did not teach his Apostles all Touching Christ the points of faith because himselfe saieth Ioan. 16. v. 12. Yet manie things I haue to say to you but you cannot beare them now But when he the Spirit of trueth cometh he shall teach you all trueth they limite this to rites and discipline Beza ib These words are to be vnderstood of those things which pertained to the execution of the Apostolicall function and foundation of Churches If we proue that Christ was Mediator of
all men because it is saied 1. Tim. 2. v. 6. One Mediator of God and men the man Iesus Christ they limite this to the elect faithfull Beza Epist 28. It is false that Christ is mediator also of the infidels In like sorte Hunnius de Iustif pag. 179. restraineth that saying Hebr. 5. ver 9. He was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation to obedience in faith If we proue that vnwritten traditions of faith are to be Touching Traditions beleiued because S. Paul saieth without limitation 2. Thessal 2. ver 15. Stand and hould the traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or by our epistle they limite this to onely traditions of rites or ceremonies Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 6. cap. 10. Other Protestantes thinke that Paul speaketh of certaine externall matters and rites of no great moment Academia Nemaus Resp ad Tournon pag. 554. By the word Tradition in the Apostles writings is meant ether the application and right handling of doctrine or the appointing of rites and discipline If we proue that Christ committed all his sheepe to S. Touching S. Peter Peter because without anie limitation he saieth to him Ioan. 21. v. 17. Feed my sheepe Whitaker Cont. 1. q. 5. cap. 5. answereth Christ doth not say to Peter Feed all my sheepe but speaketh indefinitely And Beza ib. in vers 15. Must Gods word be thus profaned Surely Christ did not adde All and the difference betwixt vniuersall and indefinite propositions is well knowne As if Protestants did not as well limitate vniuersall propositions as indefinite as appeared in the former chapter Besides Daneus Contr. 3. p. 127. faithfull An indefinite What Protest say of an indefinite proposition proposition is equiualent to an vniuersall And Caluin in 1. Ioan. 3. v. 3. An indefinite speach is as much as an vniuâ—â—sall And 4. Instit c. 17. § 29. It is our parte whatsoeuer is absolutely spoake of Christ so to embrace as without exception that take place with vs which he would say If we proue that the Church is alwaies famous and visible Touching the Church because Isaie c. 2. v. 2. saieth without limitation of time And in the latter dayes the mountaine of the house of our Lord shall be prepared in the top of mountaines and shal be eleuated aboue the litle hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it Et c. 61. ver 9. And they shall know their seed in the Gentils and their budde in the middest of peoples And Miche 4. v. 8. And the remanent of Iacob shall be in the Gentils in the middest of manie peoples as a Lion amoÌ„g the beasts of the forest Whitaker Contr. 2. q. 2. c. 2. answereth The Prophets foretell that no kingdome shal be so glorious no cittie so ample no Empire so large as the Church shal be in the times of the Messias But we neuer read that the Lord hath promised that this maiestie and glorie of the Church shal be constant and perpetuall Et Morton in Apolog. part 1. l. 1. c. 13. The league is indeed perpetuall but this so admirable successe is not alwaies so vniuersall but in a manner peculiar to the age of the Apostles If we proue that the Pastors of the Church be alwaies visible because Christ saieth of them Math. 5. v. 15. A cittie cannot be hid situated vpon a mountaine Whitaker loc cit answereth Albeit Christ say that godlie Doctors and Pastors shall not be obscure nor escape the sight of men yet he saieth not that there shal be alwaies such Doctors which may be as visible as mountaines If we proue that the Church is the pillar of all trueth of faith because S. Paul 1. Timoth. 3. ver 15. without anie limitation calleth her the pillar and strength of trueth Whitake Contr. 2. q. 4. c. 2. answereth In this place is meant not simply all trueth but onely necessarie trueth And Vorstius in Antibel p. 143. The Apostle speaketh not of euerie trueth that howsoeuer pertaineth to religion but onely of holesome trueth or which is necessarie to saluation and that conditionally also to wit so long as she shall remayne the true Church of Christ If we proue that the Church is alwaies infallible in faith because without limitation to anie time she is called loc cit The pillar and strength of trueth P. Martyr in locis clas 4. c. 4. § 21. saieth I graunt She is indeed the pillar of trueth but not alwaies but when she relieth vpon the word of God Confessio Heluet. c. 17. She erreth not as long as she relieth vpon the rock Christ and the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Daneus Contr. 4. p. 717. The place of Paul speaketh of the visible Church which on earth is the keeper of heauenlie doctrine so long as she is true Bullinger Dec 4. Serm. 5. The Church erreth not so long as she heareth the voice of her Spouse and Pastor Herbrandus in Compend loc de Eccles She erreth not so long as she houldeth and followeth the word of God Of we proue that the Church is to be heard simply in all things because our Sauiour without anielimitation saieth Math. 18. v. 19. If he will not heare the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnik and Publican Whitaker lib. 1. de Scriptura c. 13. sect 1. answereth The Sonne of God himselfe commanded to heare the voice of the Church but not preaching anie thing but Scripture Herbrand loc cit saieth the Church is to be heard as long as she preacheth heauenlie and incorrupt doctrine Moulins in his Buckler p. 84. limitateth this speach of Christ to quarrels betwixt particular men and not to questions of religion The like saied Feild l. 4. de Eccles c. 4. and others If we proue that the Church in teaching cannot erre because Isaias saieth c. 59. v. 21. This is my couenant with them saieth our Lord My spirit is in thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed and out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saieth our Lord from this present for euer Whitaker libr. 1. de Scriptura cap. 11. sect vlt. answereth This promise is not made to the teaching Church but to the whole Church that is to the elect If we proue that the militant Church is perpetuall because the Scripture saieth that Christs kingdome shal be perpetuall Daneus Contr. 4. p. 718. answereth All these places and the like properly pertaine to that Church which God shall gather in heauen not on earth If we proue that the visible Church is alwaies the true Church because she is called 1. Timoth 3. the pillar of trueth Daneus loc cit pag. 721. answereth Let him know that the visible Church then and so long is saied to be the true Church as long as the voice of heauenlie and Euangelicall trueth soundeth in her If we proue that the visible Church cannot
Iustification writeth thus Sanctification by the blood of the couenaÌ„t Heb. 10. v. 29. is not the inward cleansing of the heart from sinne To receaue the holie Ghost Act. 19. v. 2. With them is not to receaue grace but some speciall guifts Caluin ibid. Here is not spoaken of the spirit of regeneration but of speciall guifts In like sorte by The holie Ghost ib. Nether haue we heard that there is a holie Ghost is not meant the holie Ghost For thus Caluin ib. How could it be that Iews had not heard of the holie Ghost Et Beza ibid. It were most absurd to thinke that they knew not that there was anie holie Ghost To be sanctified Hebr. 10. v. 29. is not to be truely sanctified For thus Contraremonstrantes in Collat. Hagae p. 391. Nether yet can it be concluded thereof that they were truely faithfull and indeed sanctified To fall from grace Gal. 5. ver 5. With them is not to fall from grace but to fall from the hope of obtaining it Contrare monstrantes loc cit p. 388. These are saied to fall from the grace of iustification not that euer they were partakers thereof but because they are excluded from al hope of obtaining it so long as they wil be iustified by the law Touching baptisme To be baptized Act. 19. v. 3. In whome Touching Baptisme then were you baptized with them is not to haue receaued baptisme but other guifts Beza ib. We must needs graunt that here is not treated of baptisme but of guifts wherewith God was wonte specially to adorne those whome he made rulers of Churches Gualâ—erus ib. hom 125. These words must not be expouÌ„ded of the baptisme of water but of the baptisme of fire Likewise Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. with them signifieth not baptisme but Christ Zuinglius resp ad Huber tom 2. It is certainely euident that Peter in that place by Baptisme vnderstandeth no other thing but Christ. Water also Ioan. 3. v. 5. Vnlesse one be borne agayne of water signifieth not water but the holie Ghost Caluin ibid. I can no way be persuaded to beleiue that Christ speaketh of baptisme And in Refutat Serueti This pertaineth nothing to baptisme but the name of water is metaphorically attributed to the holie Ghost Zuinglius vpon this place By water here he meaneth not that element but the word of God grace of God heauenlie water that is the illustration of the noâ—â—e Ghost And in the same manner other Protestants commonlie Touching the Eucharist Is in the words of consecratioÌ„ Touching the Eucharist with them is not Is but Signifieth nor Bodie giuen for vs Blood shed for vs is the true bodie and blood of Christ but onely figures of them as appeareth by what hath beene saied lib. 1. cap. 11. art 1. To eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ so often repeated Ioan. 6. is not to eate or drinke but onely to beleiue P. Martyr cont Gardiner part 1. col col 866. We still say that to eate to wit the flesh of Christ is nothing els then to apprehend it by faith as giuen for vs as price of our redemption Which also he hath col 863. And Luther Postil in Dom. post Natiuit To eate and drinke his flesh and To eate 1. not to eate but to beleiue blood is no other thing then to beleiue that Christ truely tooke these for our sake and repaied them agayne at death The like hath Zuinglius in Ioan. 6. and in Histor passionis and l. de Relig. c. de Euchar. Bullinger Dec. 5. serm 9. Vrsinus in Catechism q. 76. Flesh in those words of Christ Ioan. 6. My Flesh. 1. not flesh but diuinitie flesh is truely meate with them is not flesh but the Godhead Zuinglius in Exegesi to 2. fol. 333. He saieth his flesh is truely meate meaning surely not his flesh but his better nature which had taken flesh The Bodie of our Lord in those words 1. Cor. 10. The bread which we breake is it not the participation of the bodie of our Lord with these men is not the bodie of Christ 1. Christians Christ but Christians Zuinglius lib. cit Thou mights haue seene at the first how that Communion and Bodie are not taken Bodie of Christ 1. men for distribution of Christs bodie but for men themselues Finally Luther was so bould as to set downe a Canon Luthers CanoÌ„ of expounding Words by coÌ„traries of expounding the words of holie Scripture by coÌ„traries For thus he writeth in Ps 5. to 3. fol. 171. Let this be a Canon for thee Where the Scripture commandeth a good worke to be done do thou so vnderstand it that it forbiddeth thee doe good workes seing thou canst not but that thou maiest sanctifie the Lord be dead and buried and suffer God to worke in thee Which Canon Protestants do well follow as appeareth by what hath beene related in this chapter and before in the sixt and seuenth chapter where we shewed that in the weightieste matters they expounded the words of holie Scripture ironically and according to others meÌ„s mynde These and innumerable the like doe Protestants of which we might easily gather not onely a chapter but a booke full But out of these which we haue rehearsed it clearely appeareth First how great hereticall libertie as Tertullian speaketh is which turneth the words of holie Scripture this way and that way in to this forme and that and tosseth them vp and downe like tenis balls Secondly how easie it may be for euerie idiote with this libertie for to defend what heresie soeuer though neuer so contrarie to Scripture For who cannot expound the words of Scripture by diuerse by disparate and contrarie things Thirdly how impossible it is if this libertie be admitted to refute by Scripture any heresie at all or to proue anie thing by anie words whatsoeuer ether of God or man Fourthly how that Protestants by this kinde of dealing do more dishonor God and the holie Scripture then if they should quite reiect it For if they should reiect the Scripture they should onely reiect Gods word and trueth But by this manner of dealing they doe not onely reiect Gods trueth and meaning but also in steede thereof foist in the contrarie vntrueth and so as S. Hierome speaketh In Galat. â— of the word of God they make the word of the Diuel Fiftly it appeareth that these expositions of Protestants are like to that which Luther merly deuised for to shew the Sacramentaries how they expounded the words of consecration in Defens verb. cenae to 7. fol. 384. where he A fit exaÌ„ple of Protest expositions writeth thus Surely they doe a great and weightie matter But no otherwise then if I should denie that God made heauen and earth wheÌ„ one should obiect that of Moises In the beginning God created heauen and earth I should expound Moises words in this sorte God that is a Cuccou Made that is deuoured Heauen and earth
be in it selfe cleare So Pareus in Gal. 2. lect 25. The Ghospell teacheth good works not of it selfe but borroweth the doctrine of workes from the law So the some Pareus Colleg. Theol. 9. disput 39. The Thessalonians tooke not vpon them to iudge or to debate whether Gods trueth were to be admitted but onely examined Pauls doctrine according to the touchestone of Scripture So Caluin act 17. vers 13. As if Paules doctrine and Gods trueth were not all one The Ghospell in a most large sense is taken for the whole doctrine of Christ and the Apostles Largely for the doctrine both of grace and faith and of repentance and new obedience but straitely and properly for the doctrine of grace by faith So Pareus l. 4. de Iustif c. 3. Finally the Scripture speaketh as the law not as the Ghospell by which distinction they delude manie places of Scripture as is to be seene in Luther de seru arbit to 2. f. 449. Caluin in Math. 19. vers 17. Pareus l. 4. de Iustif cap. 2. Schlusselb to 8. Catal. p. 441. to 2. p. 270. Of S. Peter and the Apostles they haue inuented these Of the Apostles new distinctions S. Peter is first of the Apostles in order not in iurisdiction The Apostles are foundations of the Church as those that found the Church not as those on which it is founded or as Iunius spaketh Cont. 3. l. 1. c. 10. The Church is founded vpon Peter as vpon a pillar not as on a foundation Of Pastors they distinguish That authoritie is in the Of Pastors word which they preach not in themselues That they gouerne the visible Church but not the Catholike That in case of necessitie they are made without mission but not otherwise See l. 1. c. 7. Of the Church they haue brought in these new distinctions Of the Church That for professiō of faith there is one Church visible an other inuisible That she is infallible in fundamentall points but not in others That she is to be heard when she preacheth Scripture but not otherwise That she is the pillar to which trueth is fastened not on which it relieth So saieth Riuet Tractat. 1. sec 39. Or as Andrews writeth in Resp ad Apol. Bellar. c. 14. She is so the pillar of trueth as that she relieth vpon trueth not trueth vpon her That the Church is necessarie to beleiue the Scriptures not to know them So whitaker lib. 3. de Script 396. That the Church is the staye and pillar of trueth not the foundation of trueth Heilbruner in Colloq Ratisb sess 7. Of the Sacraments they distinguish in this sorte They iustifie as signes or seales not as causes They are receiued Of Sacramēts whole and intire of the good but not of the badde that baptisme is the lauer of regeneration passiuely not actiuely So Daneus Contr. 2. c. 12. That baptisme is but one taken wholy but is twoe taken by partes So Beza part Resp ad Acta p. 44. That the Church is cleansed significatiuely by the baptisme of water but really by the baptisme of the spirit So Beza ib. p. 115. or as Polanus saieth in Disp priu p. 37. Sinnes are saied to be blotted out by baptisme not properly but in a figuratiue sense The same Beza in Hutter in Analysi p. 54. saieth I neuer simply saied that baptisme was the obsignation of regeneration in children but of adoption Perkins in Galat. 3. By baptisme actuall guilt is taken away but not potentiall Pareus in Gal. 2. lect 23. Absolutely we are all borne sinners but in regard of the couenant we are borne Christians or Gods confederats Of the Eucharist they haue these distinctions That it Of the Eucharist is the symbolicall bodie of Christ but not his true bodie That Christ his flesh killed doth profit vs but not eaten That it is exhibited in the Supper according to the vertue thereof not according to the substance That when S. Paul saieth 1. Cor. 11. He eateth iudgement to himselfe he meaneth not of damnation but of correction So wolfius in Schusselb l. 1. Theol. art 25. In like sorte they say that Preists forgiue sinne indirectly not directly directly as it is an offense of the Church indirectly as it an offense of God So Spalata l. 5. de Repub. c. 12. Of faith they make these distinctions That one is Catholike Of Faith or vniuersall or historicall an other speciall Againe that one is abstract naked simple an other concrete compounded incarnate So Luther in Gal. 3. to 5. That there is one habituall and actuall of men an other potentiall and inclinatiue of infants So Pareus l. 3. de Iustif c. 14. or as Polanus saieth part 2. thes p. 651. Infants haue not altogether the same faith that men haue yet they haue some thing proportionable Piscator in Thesibus l. 2. pag. 252. Adam before his fall had not iustifying faith or as Pareus writeth l. 1. de Amiss Grat. c. 7. Adam lost faith of the commandement but not faith of the promise Bullinger dec 5. serm 7. Infants are faithfull by the imputation of God Agayne They are baptized in their owne faith to wit which God imputeth to them Zanchius in Supplicat to 7. Manie reprobates are endued with a certaine faith much like to the faith of the elect but not with the same Perkins in Cathol 4. c. 5. There is one generall and Catholike faith wherewith a man beleiueth the articles of faith to be true and an other iustifying or particular faith Thus they distinguish of faith And in like sorte they distinguish of the iustification of faith to wit that it iustifieth relatiuely or correlatiuely not absolutely and as an instrument not as it is a worke Bucanus in Institit loc 3. Faith is saied to be imputed to iustice not properly but relatiuely Polan part 2. thes pag. 197. We are iustefied by faith not properly but relatiuely Reineccius tom 4. Armat cap. 21. Faith iustifieth as well absolutely as considered relatiuely Pareus in Galat. 3. lection 32. Faith is imputed to iustice relatiuely Agayne Faith iustifieth organically And in Colleg. Theol. 2. disp 10. We are saied to be iustified by faith but not formerly nor meritoriously but organically Touching the losse of faith they thus distinguish Zanchius in Supplication citat The elect loose faith in parte but not wholy Beza in Prefat 2. part respons ad Acta Faith sometimes sleepeth sometimes seemeth to be quite lost but yet is not lost Agayne There is a lethargie of faith but no losse The feeling or vse of faith is lost for a time but not faith it selfe Some reprobates do beleiue with a generall and historicall faith common to the Diuels themselues Tilenus in Syntagm capit 43. The faithfull become sometimes outliers but not runawaies or forsakers In like sorte they say that faith without works at the time of iustification is not dead but at other times if it be without workes it is dead Likewise Reineccius
maintainers of the trueth These are such things as that now it may onely seeme to be wanting to set the Diuel himselfe in the throne of God and of trueth And Epist 16. What I Good counsell of Beza admonished before I admonish now in the Lord agayne and agayne to wit that at lest they would consider with themselues from whome and to whome are they gone For that I may imitate the words of S. Austin l. 2. cont Iulian. c. 10. Hath long time so confounded the highest with the lowest Shall light so be termed darkenesse and darkenesse light that Aërius Iouinian Vigilantius become to see and Austin Hierome Epiphanius be blinde But in some I thus argue in the 24. place whose doctrine in manie and greatest points is opposite to the expresse words of Scripture and besides as themselues confesse was condemned of the ancient Church and holie Fathers for heresie that is repugnant to the true sense of Scripture But such is the doctrine of Protestants Therefore c. CHAPTER XXV THAT PROTESTANTS THEMSELVES sometimes confesse that diuers of their opinions be blasphemous THE 25. argument wherewith we will proue that Protestants contradict the true sense of the Scripture shal be because it is so manifest that diuers of their doctrines which in the former booke I shewed to be opposite to the expresse words of Scripture are blasphemous as partely the very Authors of them partely other learned Protestants being compelled by their conscience and the euidencie of the matter doe confesse it Concerning God Protestāts teach that he willeth sinne Blasphemie that God willeth sinne as hath beene seene l. 1. c. 2. art 1. Which doctrine to be blasphemous thus confesseth Caluin in Resp ad Nebulon. p. 732. Was it a doubtfull blasphemie to make God the author of of sinne to will sinne to thrust to sinne Beza de Praed cōt Castel vol. 1. Theol. p. 372. Out of these things none of these blasphemies followeth to wit ether that God is the author of sinne or is delighted with sinne or also willeth sinne Et p. 397. It cānot be saied without blasphemie that God willeth iniustice Ib. l. Quest Resp p. 681. What then Shall we say that God willeth iniquitie God forbidde For this is the most horrible blasphemie of all Zanchius l. 3. de Nat. Dei c. 4. We should surely say that God is the cause and author of sinne if we should say that properly speaking he willeth sinne or would haue sinne to be done Hutterus in Analysi Cōf. Aug. p. 625. The blasphemie of Sacramentaries is execrable who are not ashamed to referre the most dolefull fall of our first parents and all that world of euils which thereō insued not in regard of the punishmēt but of the sinne vnto an absolute and eternall decree of God and to his effectuall working and immutable will Et p. seq But let heauē be astonished the elements amazed at such mostrous blasphemies whereof no pious man should suffer to heare the onely outward noise without shaking much lesse should assent vnto them in his heart And Ioannes Andrae in Colloquio Montisb p. 422. This assertion that man fell by Gods will is impious and horrible to heare and so contrarie to the expresse and reuealed word of God They teach also that God willeth sinne euen as it is That God willeth sinne as sinne sinne as hath beene shewed lib. 1. cap. art 2. But that this is blasphemous is acknowledged by Beza l. de Praedest p. 410. in the words If euer we had thought to speake or write that sinnes as sinnes proceed from the will of God we would confesse that we were worthie of all punishment Lobechius also Disp 21. This principle of Diuinitie is firmely to be held and to be beleiued with all our heart that God nether willeth nor commandeth ill deeds as they are such much lesse worketh or helpeth them or by an eternall decree doth destinate or secretly driue men to commit them They teach also that God worketh sinne and is the That God is cause of sinne cause and author of it as is to be seene l. 1. c. 2. art 4. And yet Caluin l. de Prouident p. 742. aliâs 736. confesseth that it is a monstrous blasphemie that wickednesse is done not onely by the will of God but also he being the author thereof And pag. 471. Thou wranglest with me as if I had saied that sinne is the iust worke of God which in all my writings I euer more detest Instruct contr Libertin cap. 14. God must denie himselfe and become a Deuil if he did worke euill which these men doe attribute vnto him The like he hath libr. de Praedestin pag. 711. And in Actor 2. ver 23. saieth I denie that God is the author of euill because in this word an euill affection is insinuated Beza in Absters Calumn Heshus pag. 316. calleth it blasphemie That God worketh the wickednesse of the wicked And de Praedest cont Castel p. 401. God forbidde that anie of ours should haue saied or written as thou auonchest that God ether giue or permit or worke an euill will or anie wicked or filthie desires when as euen our thoughts doe altogether abhorre from these kinde of blasphemies P. Mart. in locis classe 1. c. 14. If God wrought sinne he were a sinner Kemnice in locis part 1. tit de Causa Peccati All mens mynds and eares do so abhorre from that speach God is the cause of sinne that therefore the Maniches did feigne an other God Vrsin in Miscellan p. 72. Thou saiest that these are the speaches of manie of men God doth effectually worke in the reprobate that they sinne With all our heart we accurse this speach and doctrine Whitaker ad Rat. 9. Campia That is horrible Campian and not to be spoaken which thou saiest that anie should make God the Author of sinne He deserueth that God should streigth with a thunder boult cast him into the bottomlesse pit of hell Pareus in Colleg. Theol. 1. disput 2. The Fathers iustly condemned that impious doctrine of the Maniches and Libertins ascribing the cause of fall and sinne to God the Creator And Disput 3. God was not nor is not the efficient cause of sinne which heretofore was the blasphemie of the Maniches and now is of some Libertines They teach that God doth predestinate and ordaine That he predestinated men to sinne mē to sinne as is related l. 1. c. 2. art 5. Which to be blasphemous confesseth Vorstius in Amica Collat. sect 89. in the words which doctrine that God doth destinate men to sinne I scarce beleiue that thy selfe wilt thinke to be voide of blasphemie if thou doest well consider it Hutter in Anal. Confes August c. 9. The troupe of Sacramentaries Beza Caluin Renecher doth not feare to write with a most execrable and most wonderfull blasphemie that some are fatally and absolutely destinated not onely to their last end to wit damnation but also to the
causes betwene euen to infidelitie it selfe by an absolute decree of reprobation which goeth before all causes Episcopius apud Hom. in Specim Contr. Belg. p. 36. Great iniustice and hypocrisie should be attributed to God if by a secret will he did define and ordaine that those things should be done which by his reuealed will he forbiddeth and will not haue done Arminius ib. saieth Bellarmin obiecteth against the opinion of our Doctors that thereof will follow that God is the Author of sinne that God truely sinneth that God alone sinneth and that sinne is no sinne By this complainte I see no wrong done to your doctrine Perkins They teach that God doth command sinne as we haue proued l. 1. c. 2. art 6. Which to be blasphemie confesseth That he commandeth sinne Beza in Resp ad Acta Montisbel pag. 182. in these words That God commandeth that which he will not punisheth that which he commandeth is the author of euill surely all these things are full of horrible impietie and blasphemie And Zanchius in Depuls calum to 7. col 255. I haue alwaies taught that it is blasphemie to say that God commandeth men to sinne They teach that God doth push and tempt men to That he tēpteth to sinne sinne as is to be seene l. 1. c. 2. art 7. And yet Caluin Resp ad Nebulon. p 732. saieth Was it a doubtfull blasphemie that God pusheth men to sinne And in 1. Ioan. 3. v 8. It is proper to the Deuil to push men to sinne De Praedest pag. 711. If euer I had saied that it had beene done by the instinct of the holie Ghost that the first man should forsake God perhaps Pighius might iustly iusult ouer me Beza de Praedest vol. 1. Theol. p. 404. The name of Tentation doth not agree to God sith it signifieth nothing but inticement to euill which God can no waies doe In Math. 3. v. 3. Tentations which entice vs to euill come not but from Satan And in Respons ad Acta Montisb part 2. pag. 186. Nether he being infinitly good could push a created good to euill Melancthon in Schlusselb l. 1. Theol. Caluin artic 8. They doe inferre that God doth push the mynds and hearts of men to doe wickedly this is a damned error Et lib. de Causa peccati to 2. That same Cyclopicall cauillation of some is to be reiected that therefore God sinneth not in pushing men to euill because there is no law for God This Cyclopicall imagination is detestable Whitaker ad Rat. 8. Camp God did not adde new spurres to Dauid and Iudas for to sinne God forbidde that anie Christian should so much as thinke so Hutter in Anal pag. 683. It cannot be saied or thought without great wickednesse or impietie and blasphemie that God is the efficient impelling inclining cause of sinne They say that God imposeth necessitie or forceth men That he forceth to sinne to sinne as is shewed lib. 1. c. 2. art 8. which to be blasphemie confesseth Whitaker libr. 8. cont Dur. sect 7. We haue alwaies reiected as blasphemous that God doth force and push men to sinne and putteth euill wills into them Kemnice in locis part 1. pag. 169. condemneth this proposition God forceth to sinne And Moulins in Arnolds flights saieth That God doth push and necessitate to sinne is a horrible and Diuelish doctrine They teach that God doth iustifie a wicked man remaining That he iustifieth the wicked wicked as appeareth l. 1. cap. 2. artic Which to be blasphemous is acknowledged by Tilenus in Syntagm c. 41. in these words We denie not that he is made and is iust whome God pronounceth iust which surely the iust iudgement of the most iust iudge doth require whose iudgement is according to trueth They say that God doth not care for good works as That he careth not for good workes we haue shewed l. 1. cap. 2. art 13. of which doctrine thus speaketh Melancthon Resp ad art 24. Bauar What a horrible and barbarous speach is this And Kemnice in loc part 2. tit de bonis oper termeth it a fanaticall paradox They say that God hath no will to saue all nor calleth That he hath no will to saue all all to him as is to be seene l. 1. cap. 2. art 19. And neuer the lesse liber Cōcordiae c. 11. pronoūceth that these doctrines are false horrible and blasphemous That God hath no will that all men should doe pennance and beleiue the Ghospell That when God calleth vs to him he hath no will in earnest that all men should come to him That God will not that all should be saued but that some not for their sinnes but onely for the decree purpose and will of God are destinated to damnation so as by no means they can obtaine saluation The same opinions Herbrand in Compend Theol. loc de Elect. condemneth as blasphemous And Gerlachius to 2. disput 16. saieth Impious blasphemous and pernitious to mens saluation are the doctrines that follow That God willeth not that euerie men be saued That it is false that God hath made all mankinde for no other end then for saluation That God doth not call men to saluation Grauer in absurdis Caluin c. 5. sect 31. This opinion of Caluinists that God hath no will that all men be saued is extremely impious and blasphemous In like manner Iames Andrew in Colloq Montisb p. 421. 422. They teach that God of himselfe willeth the death That he willeth death damnation and damnation of men as appeareth l. 1. cap. 2. art 22. And yet Adamus Francisci in Margarita Theol. loco 17. condemneth as blasphemous these opinions That God hath destinated the greatest number of men to eternall damnation for the mere pleasure of his will That he neuer loued those whome he hath destinated to damnation That our first fathers fell by Gods decree will and ordinance That Christ died for the Elect onely That the merit of his passion pertaineth to the Elect onely That the promises of the Ghospell are not vniuersall That God doth not in earnest call thereprobates by the Ghospell That the reprobate cannot be cōuerted That the elect falling into sinne retaine grace Gerlachius also Disp 16. cit saieth that these are blasphemous positions The reprobate are reprobated without any desert of theirs That God sometime doth by his word signifie that he willeth that which he willeth not and that he will not that which indeed he will That the Ghospell is promulgated to some that they may be indurated Homius disp 60. writeth thus If any should teach that God hath decreed by his absolute will without any respect of sinne to dāne men and to punish thē with euerlasting torments he doubtlesse should blasphemously attribute manifest iniustice to God And Remonstrantes in Collat. Hagae after they had recited this opinion of the Cōtrare monstrantes That God doth reprobate some for his pleasure and not for their sinne so that he
conferred by them and ioyned with some humane principle and brought into sillogisticall forme Whereas a Iudge must be such as by himselfe without anie helpe of ether of the parties he can giue sentence Besides the sentence of the Iudge and especiallie if there can be no appeale from him must be so cleare as no man can doubt for whether partie it is But such is not the sentence of Scripture in manie controuersies Agayne there is controuersie betwene vs about diuers bookes of which the rest of the Scripture saieth nothing Finallie before Moises the Church had no Scripture and for sometime after Christ it had no parte of the new testament and yet she neuer wanted a Iudge And as we saw in the Chapter before Protestants confesse that Scripture of it selfe is not sufficient to determine all controuersies of faith and therefore not to iudge all Wherefore we must needs haue some other Iudge For these and the like causes some Protestants seing how absurd it is that Scripture is the onely Iudge in the Church say that Christ or the holie Ghost speaking in the Scripture is the Iudge Whitaker c. 7. cit We say that this Iudge is the holie Ghost speaking in the Scripture In like sorte Confes Heluet. c. 12. Academia Nemaus loc cit Lutherans in Colloq Ratisb sess 9. and others But seing Christ or the holie Ghost is no otherwise in the Scripture then as in a signe of his will to say that the holie Ghost as he is in Scripture is Iudge is no other thing indeed then to say that the Scripture is iudge And as the King as he is in his written laws is not a sufficient iudge of the common wealth because els eueÌ„ after his death he should be iudge but besides there must be a liuing iudge who both heareth and speaketh who can heare the parties and giue senteÌ„ce So nether is the holie Ghost a sufficient iudge is in the holie Scripture Others therefore acknowledge that there must be in the Church a speaking iudge or man For thus Eliensis loc cit Wherefore we all of long time demand a free and lawfull synod Protest admit a liuing Iudge in words And Lutherans in Colloq cit sess 9. We professe that God hath giuen some power to the Ministers and Doctors of the Church to iudge of controuersies of religion Neuerthelesse in trueth they denie the verie nature of the Iudge For ether they will not admit such a Iudge as we are bound to obeyâ— as appeareth by that they denie the vniuersall Church all Pastors or generall Councels to be infallible yea Moulins in the preface of his Bucler saieth that there But not in effect can be no greater temeritie then to desire that men sinners may be infallible iudges of the seÌ„se of the law And the LutheraÌ„s loc cit It is simply and absolutely certaine that the Ministerie may erre But this in trueth is to denie the Iudge whose end is The iudge in the Church admitteth not appeale to make peace and to compose debates which he cannot doe vnlesse men be bound to obey him and all the foresaied authorities reasons which proue that there ought to be a iudge in the Church proue also that he ought to be such from whome we may not appeale Wherevpon Whitaker CoÌ„t 1. q. 5. c. 4. thus writeth I answere that those words Deuteron 17. cit are to be vnderstood of authoritie to define hard contentions and controuersies as Ecclesiasticall by the Minister and politicall by the Magistrate that there might be in both some from whome there should be no appeale els there would be no end of contending But this he meaneth onely in the Nether in outward nor inward Courte externall or outward courte not in the inward courte of conscience For thus he addeth A great weight of iudgement was in the Priest and what he had once determined was good in the externall courte that so controuersies and debates might be ended And Cont. 4. q 1. cap. 2. Controuersies may be brought to the externall Courte and there defined but conscience resteth not in that Courte But this shift is easilie refuted First because the distruction of the externall Courâ—e is without cause deuised in this matter Secondlie because the peace of the Church especially consisteth in the internall courte to wit in faith Wherefore in this Courte we may not appeale from the Iudge of the Church otherwise there would neuer be peace of conscience Thirdly the practise of the Church in the Councell of the Apostles and in other generall Councels sheweth that the Iudge of the Church hath power to end controuersies euen in the inward courte of conscience Finallie if one were bound to obey the iudgement of the Church in the outward Courte and not in the inward it would follow that sometimes he were bound to denie Gods trueth before men to wit if the Church should define against Gods trueth Besides the authoritie of the Church is spirituall and ouer the soule and therefore her power of iudging extendeth it selfe euen to the inwarde Courte of the â—oule Wherefore let this be our 29. argument Whose doctrine in manie and weightie matters doth so contradict the expresse words of Scripture as they dare not admit anie Iudge in the Church they are to be thought to contradict the true sense of the Scripture But such are Protestants Therefore c. CHAPTER XXX THAT PROTESTANTS DOE SOMEtimes confesse that their doctrine doth contradict the holie Scripture THE last proof which we will make to shew that Protestants doe contradict the true sense of Scripture shal be taken from their owne confession wherewith sometimes they confesse it implicitlie sometimes plainelie and expressely Implicitly they confesse it diuers wayes First because they acknowledge that they Protest cannot reconcile their doctrine with the Scripture know not how to reconcile their doctrine with the holie Scripture Luther de seru arbit to 2. fol. 466. How this is iust that he God condemneth those that deserue it not is now incomprehensible yet it is beleiued till the Sonne of man be reuealed Et f. 486. In the light of grace it is vnanswerable how God condemneth him who with all his power can doe nothing but sinne and be guiltie Here both the light of nature and the light of Grace teach that it is not the fault of wretched man but of vniust God Et to 1. f. 390. It is a wonderfull probleme that God rewardeth iustice which himselfe reputeth iniustice Melancthon in Rom. 9. edit 1. This misterie is inexplicable that God both willeth sinnes and yet truelie hateth them Peter Martyr in locis Class 1. c. 16. § 9. It is no meruaile that we cannot vnderstand how it is not contrarie to Gods iustice to punish sinnes and by tempting to enforce them because God can doe more then we can vnderstand Caluin 1. Institut capit 18. § 3. By reason of the weaknesses of our vnderstanding we doe not
as thou seest Christian Doctors to cōtend and disagree stick to him who bringeth a cleare euident and expresse oracle of God Caluin l. de ver ref p. 326. We denie that it is lawfull for vs to goe from the certaine words of Christ And 4. Instit c. 17. § 35. Our soules relie vpon the onely certaine word of God when they are called to account Sadeel libr. de Human. Christ I cannot sufficiently admire them who by those things which are not extant in Scripture will take awaye the things which are approued by most certaine and euident testimonies of Scripture And de ver peccat remissio No opinion is Theologicall which is against the expresse places of Scripture Fulk in Hebr. 6. not 3. Nether is the exposition of anie man to be receaued that goeth directly against the words of the text and the manifould testimonies of the Scripture Vorstius in Amica Collat. sec 101. Who simply so affirme and teach al these things they are secure before God because they can safely retire themselues vnder the sheild of the holie Scripture But who denie them or by meruailous glosses obscure or corrupt them thy finde no where sure footing There is nothing more secure thē simply to stick to the cleare word of God expounded by it selfe and contrariewise nothing more dangerous then to adde or detract neuer so litle of our owne especially in matters of so great moment Thus the cheife Protestant maisters which if ether themselues would haue followed or their disciples yet would follow soone would there be an end of these controuersies With what assurance ô God may Catholiks appeare Confidence of Cath. for their faith before thy tribunall for to answere for the faith which they maintaine against Protestants seing they finde it is auouched in so manie and so great articles by thy expresse words spoaken not by the way but of set purpose to tell vs what thou wouldest haue vs beleiue of these matters and in their cleare and plaine sense which they manifestly beare and in which such words vse to be taken of men so that vnlesse thou doe deceaue then or be deceaued they cānot in these points be deceaued But with what distrust Desperation of Protest or rather desperation will Protestants appeare seing they haue left that which so expresse words of God do auouch follow that which they most clearelie condēne onelie humane consequences humane glosses humane subtilities doe vphould Then these words of God wil be as Melancthon saied lightnings or as S. Austin speaketh thundrings Lib. 1. contr Parm. c. 2. and heauenly lightnings and Protestants cōsequences figures and glosses will vanish to nothing Then it will clearelie appeare that Protestants without all word of God without all diuine authoritie but onelie vpon their owne fancies haue preferred their consequences their conferences their idle reasons before Gods expresse word and that they might not seeme to haue done so haue changed the true and natiue sense of Gods words into a strange figuratiue and violent sense And shall we Neuer anie so contrarie to Scripture as Protestants thinke that these men are Ghospelers restorers of the Ghospel or sent of God and their doctrine the pure Ghospell Whereas neuer was there doctrine more opposit to the Ghospell nor euer anie who in so manie and weightie matters so directlie opposed themselues to the plaine words and open sense of the Ghospell O bouldnesse of men that durst do thus against the expresse word of God himselfe O impudencie of them who would auouch such doctrine for the Ghospell And ô blindnesses or madnesse of them who suffer themselues to be deceaued of such men in a matter so euident O bewiched and blinded mē awaken at lenght open your eyes consider your estate search the Scriptures here set before your eyes and compare them with the doctrine of your Maisters and consider whether they who in so manie and so great matters speak so contrarie can speake with the same spirit thinke the same thing Demand of your Maisters 1. by what authoritie Demands to be made to Ministers of God by what word of God they dare speake contrarie to the words and phrase of Scripture of so manie and so great matters 2. by what authoritie or word of God they dare thinke of so manie and so great matters otherwise then the expresse word of God spoaken purposelie and in it plaine and open sense taught them to thinke 3. By what authoritie or word of God they haue changed the proper vsuall and manifest sense of his words into figuratiue vnusuall and violent senses If they can alledge no expresse authoritie or word of Ministers draw men from Gods expresse word to their consequences God for their so doing as in trueth in most of these Articles they can giue no colour of Gods expresse word but oneliepretend their consequences their conferences their reasons suffer not your selues by this most deceitfull and fond humane pretext to be drawne from Gods expresse and their manifest sense Let vs saieth S. Austin heare our Lib. de peccat mer. c. 20. our Lord not the ghesses and suspicions of men But that God speaking to men speaking according to the manner of men speaking of diuine and supernaturall things which cannot be knowne of vs but by his words and speaking of them purposely for to declare his mynd concerning Note them should so often and in so manie and so wheigtie points thinke otherwise then he speaketh or otherwise thinke then his words do shew or otherwise then men to whome he speaketh vse to vnderstand them and yet not once should expressely say the cōtrarie is not Gods word but the ghesses and suspicions yea the impostures and lies of men In this point therefore consisteth almost all the The Summe whether Catholiks or Protest be to be followed summe of deliberation whether Catholiks or Protestants be to be followed to wit whether in supernaturall matters which cannot be knowne but by Gods expresse words we ought to follow rather the expresse words of God purposely spoaken of him for to tell vs those matters Is whether Gods word or mans reason rather then the consequences conferences reasons of some new slart vp men not well agreing among themselues Then the which consultation none can be easier For if euen in matters which are subiect to sense reason we ought to preferre Gods word before reason of what men soeuer how much more in things which farre surpasse the reach of mens sense or reason ought we to preferre it before the reasons of a few new and iangling fellows Let that faith liue florish and triumphe which Let that faith preuaile which Scripture most fauoureth in diuine matters that cannot be knowne but by Gods words is authorized by Gods expresse word spoaken of purpose to declare Gods mynd and in the plaine and opē sense wherein men vse to take such words and against which sense no
words wherewith here or there it signifieth this or that thing As for example it is a farre greater matter to deny the Eucharist to be the bodie of Christ which the Scripture often times plainly affirmeth then not to call it bread as some times the Scripture doth but neuer directly saieth that it is bread Wherevpon Spalatensis l. 5. de repub c. 6. writeth thus It is one thing for a seeming thing to be called by the name of the true thing which the appearence doth shew An other to be said This is that The first may and is borne withall in all equiuocall termes but not the latter Wherefore let him omit these kinds of matters Fiftly let him shew that Catholiks haue done thus not by the way treating of other matters but of set purpose as Protestants haue done who most often then contradict the Scripture in plaine termes euen then when they answere it or comment vpon it Lastly let him shew that Catholiks haue beene forced for the maintenance of their doctrin to denie so many bookes to corrupt so many places of holie Scripture to deuise so many and so incredible shifts as we haue shewed the Protestants haue done or let him be ashamed to say that Catholiks are as faultie in this kind as Protestants be Moreouer though they could proue that some Catholiks haue bene as faultie herein as they are which they can neuer proue yet that would nothing preiudice the Chatholik Church because her faith is not the doctrin of one or of many Catholiks but the common of them all But the Protestant faith is in many points the doctrin of some or of manie of them euerie one of them making that a point of faith which him self gathereth out of Scripture whether his fellows beleeue it or no. Besids the Catholik Church if she find anie thing in the writinges of her children contrarie to holie Scripture she nether alloweth nor dissembleth it but commandeth it to be blotted out as is euident by the Expurgatorie Indices but the Protestant ether approueth or dissembleth the errors of her writers and so maketh them her owne VVhy all CoÌ„tradictioÌ„s here related may be abiected to the Prot. Church 19. The fourth scruple may be that all the CoÌ„tradictions against holie Scripture which are here rehearsed out of Protestant writers were not made nor allowed of all Protestants or of their Church and therefore all of them are not to be imputed to all ProtestaÌ„ts or to their Church I answere First that very many of the Contradictions against holie Scripture here set downe are found in their Confessions of faith and in other writings set forth in their common name which Contradictions are most iustly attributed to their Church and these alone suffice to shew that the very faith and common doctrin of Protestants is directly opposite both to the word and sense of holie Scripture Secondly almost all these Contradictions are taken out of the writings of the first the chiefest and famousest teachers guides and leaders of Protestants and therefore ether Protestants must acknowledge these Contradictions or reiect the doctrin of their first and chefest Maisters as directly contrarie to Gods word Thirdly all the Contradictions or Antitheses here produced are taken out of famous writers and mainteiners of the Protestant faith whose doctrin the Protestant Church hath not publikly condemned nor compelled the Authors thereof to recall it nor commanded it to be taken out of their writings and therefore if not by publike consent yet by silence and dissembling approueth it and so as I saied before maketh it her owne Fourthly Protestants obiect to the Catholik Church whatsoeuer any Cotholik writer though neuer so obscure hath written why then may not we better obiect vnto their Church what many and the most famous of their writers haue published Finally my intention in this workes not to shew the Contradictions of this or that Protestant man or Church against the holie Scripture but of the Protestants in generall especially of the cheefest and most famous But whether the Contradictions of Scripture made by And though they could not yet that would suffice many and famous Protestant writers and not condemned but dissembled by their Church be to be obiected to their Church or no these points ensuing will suffice to my purpose First that the commun fairh of Protestants is in many and weightie articles directly contrarie to the expresse word and cleare meaning of holie Scripture as is euident by that which in diuers articles I recite out of their Confessions of faith and other their common writings The second is that touching many other matters that self same doctrin which I cite out of other Protestants is conteined in their Confessions of faith though it be not deliuered there in termes so expresly opposite to the words of holie Scripture as it is by other Protestants The third is that much of that Protestant Doctrin which here if cite as opposite to holie Scripture is in very deed the common beleef of Protestants albeit it be not inserted in their Confessions The fourth point is that those Protestants whose words I alledge knew the common Apol. Anglic Cont. 2. q. 5. c. 8. L. 3. de Eccles c. 42. doctrin of Protestants as well as anie who now will denie or reiect that doctrin The fift is that Iuel Whitaker Feild and diuers other Protestants auouch that there is no materiall difference in doctrin amongst the cheefe ProtestaÌ„ts which ether they must confesse to befalse or maintaine the doctrin which here I cite out of their cheefest writers The sixt point is that housoeuer the doctrin which I cite is not in all points the Doctrin of this Protestant man or Church yet it is as I saied Protestant doctrin taught and maintained by famous Protestants such as our English Protestants hould communion withall and account them their brethreÌ„ in Christ And therefore ether let theÌ„ defend their doctrin or refuse their coÌ„munion The seuenth point is that whether all or most of the Protestant doctrin which here I cite as opposite to holie Scripture be the coÌ„mon doctrin or beleefe of ProtestaÌ„ts or no this alone would suffice to my purpose that the doctrin of the first chefest and famousest Protestant preachers and leaders is in more then Note 260. points of controuersie quite opposite to the expresse words of holie Scripture For thereby euerie one may see that the first cheefest ProtestaÌ„t preachers did not teach the word of God but the word of the Diuel quite contrarie thereâ—o were not ministers of the word of God but ministers of the Diuel not Reformers but Deformers not sent of God but thrust on by the Diuel not lightned from heaune but blinded from hel not Apostles but Apostatas not Pastores but wolues who vnder a most false pretence of the word of God did most directly impugne it drew Cristians from Gods truth to the Diuels lies from the lap of the Catholik