Priest is q Mal. 2.7 the messenger of the Lord of hosts The Priest though he be by calling the messenger of the Lord yet sometimes neglecteth his calling and forbeareth to doe the message wherewith hee is sent and so the church though by duty it be the pillar and ground of truth appointed to vphold and maintaine the same yet sometimes forgetteth this duery and followeth lies in stead of truth For as the church is now so hath it euer beene from the beginning the pillar and ground of truth and yet we finde that very often the church of the Iewes in the time of the Iudges and vnder the wicked Kings of Iudah and Israel did forsake t Mal. 2.6 the law of truth which God had giuen vnto them went a whooring after strange and false gods and many waies prouoked him by their abominations For no longer doth the church continue to be as it ought to be the pillar and ground of truth than it continueth built vpon the foundations of truth ſ Eph. 2.20 vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets as Saint Paul speaketh t Ambros in Eph. 2. Hoc est supra nouum vetus teslamentum collocati that is vpon the new and old Testament as Ambrose expoundeth it If it once go awry from those foundations truth falleth to the ground and it becommeth a pillar and fortresse of errour and vntruth Thus hath it come to passe in M. Bishops church of Rome which in her pride hath cast off the yoke which she at first tooke vpon her and hath magnified herselfe to be a Queene to giue lawes of her owne in stead of the lawes of Iesus Christ Shee is indeede by duety as all other churches are a pillar and ground of truth but being become the minion of Antichrist and prostituted to his adulterous desires shee hath learned for his sake and for her owne sake by him u 1. Tim. 4.2 to speake lies in hypocrisie and x 2. Pet. 2.3 through couetousnesse with feined words to make merchandise of y Reu. 18.13 the soules of men All which hypocrisie and feined words shee fairly gloseth and cōmendeth to men with this perswasion that she can not erre because she hath a promise of Christ to be alwaies directed and guided by his spirit into all trueth But where hath Christ made any such promise to the Church of Rome Whom and how the spirit of Christ leadeth into all truth Wee read that Christ said to his Apostles z Ioh. 16.13 When he is come which is the spirit of truth he will lead you into all trueth and wee beleeue that what hee spake to his Apostles he intended to the whole Church and to all the faithfull but neither doe we reade nor haue any cause to beleeue that Christ therein intended any thing in speciall to the church of Rome neither did euer any ancient Father or Councell gather any such thing out of those words And surely no otherwise doe they alleage this Scripture for themselues than the Manichees did for themselues and the Montanists for themselues For as the Manichees alleaging these words to colour their heresies against the Scripture appropriated the spirit of truth here spoken of to their Patriarch a August cont Faust Manich. lib. 32. cap. 17. Dicere soletis Ipse vos inducet in omnem veritatem c. de vestro Manichao esse praedictum Manicheus and the Montanistes in like sort to b Tertull. de Veland virginib sub initio Montanus as if in them and by them the spirit should direct the Church into all truth Euen so the Papists howsoeuer they talke of the Church directed by the spirit yet doe indeed put ouer the Church to the Pope placing the residence of the spirit in him that he may bee to the Church the infallible oracle of all truth In which fancie if they will expect to haue more credit than those heretikes had they must bring better warrant for themselues than those heretikes did But because they can bring vs none therefore we reiect them all alike as coseners and deceiuers of the Church pretending the spirit of truth for the maintenance of lies and claiming that credit to be giuen to an vsurping wretch which our Sauiour reserueth as proper to the holy Ghost The promise of the spirit as I said before belongeth to all the faithfull and of them all S. Iohn saith c 1 Ioh. 2.27 The anointing which yee haue receiued of him that is saith Austin d August in 1. Ioan. tract 4. Eadem vnctio id est ipse spiritus domini the spirit of the Lord teacheth you of all things Albeit when it is said all things and all truth we are not to vnderstand absolutely all for the spirit doth not teach vs to know e Idem in actis cum Felice Manich. lib. 1. cap. 10. Si hanc doctrinam putas ad illam veritatem pertinere c. interrogo te qunt sint stellae Ibid. Ego tibi possum dicere ea quae pertinent ad doctrinam Christianam how many starres there be as Austin opposeth to Felix the Manichee but he teacheth all things belonging to the doctrine of Christ as the same Austin there expoundeth Yea and yet further he excepteth by the words of the Apostle f Idem cap. 11. Dicebat Apostolus Ex parte scimus c. quia in i st a vita homo cum est non potest assequi omnia sed ex parte assequitur in hac vita ipse autem spiritus qui ex parte docet in hac vita post hanc vitam introducet in omnem veritatem Vide eund in Ioan. tract 96. We know in part and we prophecie in part that whilest a man is in this life he cannot attaine to all things but attaineth onely in part but the holy Ghost saith he which in this life teacheth in part shall after this life bring vs into all truth Hee therefore giueth vs to vnderstand that notwithstanding this promise of the spirit of truth it is incident to them to whom the same appertaineth to be ignorant in this life of many truthes to be subiect to mistaking and errour albeit the same spirit faileth not to enlighten them to that necessary truth which serueth for introduction finally to all truth And heerein the Apostle comforteth vs that g Phil. 3.15 that if any man be otherwise minded than is right God will reueale the same to him so long as in that whereunto we are come we proceed by one rule that we may minde one thing But wee are specially to note the reason which our Sauiour addeth to the words alleaged When he is come which is the spirit of truth he will leade you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall beare shall he speake meaning thereby the same that he hath before said h Ioh. 14.26 He shall teach you all things
de notis eccles cap. 7. Si solae vna prouincia retineret veram fidem adhuc verè propriè diceretur ecclesia Catholica dummodo clarè ostenderetur eam esse vnam eandem cum illa quae fuit aliquo tempore vel diuersis in toto mundo if one only countrey should retaine the true faith yet the same should truly and properly be called the Catholike church so that it might cleerely be shewed to be one and the same with that which hath been at any time or times ouer the whole world For by this rule nothing hindreth but that our church though now it be not receiued generally in the greatest part of the Christian world yea if it were but in one onely country yet may truely and properly be called the Catholike church if it be prooued to be one and the same with the church which at any time heeretofore was spred ouer all the world But that our church is the same with that which at the first was spred thorowout the world it is very euident as Tertullian teacheth vs to prescribe g Tert. de praescript adu haeret In eadem fide conspirantes non minus Apostolicae deputantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae by consanguinity or agreement of our doctrine with the doctrine of that church For by the Gospell which the Apostles preached the church was founded thorowout the whole world h Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Quod quidem tunc praeconiauerunt postea per dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum The gospell which the Apostles preached they afterwards by the will of God deliuered to vs in the Scriptures to be the foundation and pillar of our faith The same Gospel deliuered to vs in the Scriptures we receiue we adde nothing to it we take nothing from it as we finde it so we teach it Our faith therefore is the same with the faith of that church which at the first was planted thorowout the whole world There is no cause then for vs to forsake our owne church or to thinke that the same began with Friar Luther as this dreamer imagineth which by so plaine deduction is approoued to be the same with the first church and consequently to be truely and properly the Catholike Church Finally saith he they beleeue no church in all points of faith But doth his wisedome finde it in the articles of the Creed that we are to beleeue any church in all points of faith The church how farre to be beleeued in points of faith We are taught there to beleeue that there is a holy catholike Church which is the communion of Saints but nothing doe we finde there of beleeuing any Church in all points of faith We beleeue the Church in points of faith so farre as she yeeldeth herselfe like a faithfull and obedient spouse to be guided by the voice of her Lord and husband Iesus Christ But if the Church preferre her owne will before the word of Christ as the proud harlot of Rome doth it should be a wrong to Christ to beleeue the Church and a way to set vp humane errour in stead of diuine truth It is not the voice of the Church but the word of the written Gospell which God hath appointed as Irenaeus euen now hath told vs to be the foundation and pillar of our faith For the words of the Church are many times the words of errour and vntruth and therefore if we should relie our saluation vpon the credit thereof wee should indeed relie vpon an vncertaine ground and erring guide but the word of the Gospell is alwaies one and the same without any variablenesse or vncertainty and therefore safely may wee relie our saluation thereupon Now therefore it cannot be said but that wee alwaies beleeue one holy catholike Church according to the profession of faith specified in the Creed though sometimes and in some things we doe not beleeue that is credit the visible Church as touching points of faith because the Church sometimes teacheth vs to beleeue otherwise than God hath taught Which though it seeme strange to M. Bishop in that language which he hath learned to speake yet to vs it is not strange who in the Canonicall histories of the Churches both of the old and new Testament do so often see them diuerting and turning from the right way As for that hee saith that our learned masters doe commonly cashiere out of the Creed the addition of the cōmunion of saints it is but a fruit of the harnessing of his face and he is therefore bold to say it because he hath learned not to be ashamed of any thing that he list to say That by the Saints are there meant al good Christians all the faithful whether aliue or dead we will not denie Communion of Saints implieth neither Purgatorie nor praier to saints but that either praier to saints or praier for soules in purgatorie belong to this communion of Saints we neuer yet learned and are too old to learne it now For as for the Saints in heauen i Aug. de vera relig cap 55. Honoramus eos charitate non seruitute honorandi propter imitationem non propter religionem adorandi We honour them with loue as Austin saith but not with seruice to follow them by imitation not to adore them by religion and therefore not to pray vnto them Further entercourse as yet there is none betwixt them and vs because k Esay 63.16 they know vs not nor are acquainted with vs nor can we any way acquaint them what wee say vnto them Now beside the Saints triumphant in heauen wee acknowledge none but those that are militant vpon the earth because the holie Ghost diuideth the whole body of the Church into l Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.20 those that are in heauen and those that are in earth and pronounceth them all m Reu. 14.13 blessed that are dead in Christ as who rest from labours and sorrowes and thereby are discharged from all Purgatorie paines But if there be any soules in Purgatorie to which all good Christian soules should yeeld and affoord their helpe to doe them ease and this be one matter of the entercourse and communion of Gods Saints why doth the Pope violate the communion of Saints by withholding from those tormented soules that helpe and ease which he is able to affoord them Surely if he cannot doe them ease then is he an impudent liar and a notable impostour and cozener of the world If he can do it then is he a cruell wretch that without compassion suffereth poore souls to lie broiling in those fierie flames But we rather approoue the former member of this diuision and take him for a liar both for that without warrant hee thrusteth in Purgatorie into the articles of our faith and with lesse warrant challengeth the same for a iurisdiction to himselfe 13. W. BISHOP 10 The forgiuenesse of sinnes
points in religion to be beleeued are contained in the Creede I doe not well conceiue for my part I rather admit that the Creed is therefore called the key and rule of faith The Creed how the key and rule of faith for that it is a summary Briefe containing the principall and fundamentall points of Christian faith which doe as it weere open the doore to all the rest and by which all preaching and doctrine of faith is to be esteemed so as nothing may be admitted but what holdeth correspondence with this rule according to those vses which the Scripture teacheth vs to make of euery part therof Which the scripture I say teacheth vs to make for if we draw any article of our faith to the maintenance of any doctrine which hath no warrant or testimony of the Scripture we are corrupters of the faith and doe but abuse the name thereof to the cloaking of our owne deuice Thus M. Bishop and his fellowes corrupt the faith as touching the holy catholike church first in wresting the name of the catholike church to the particular church of Rome and secondly in challenging a certain and vndoubted credit to be yeelded to that church for the infallible resolution of all points of faith For as touching the first where hath the Scripture giuen vs any inckling that the name of the Catholike Church should in any peculiar manner be vnderstood of the Church of Rome We regard not their claime we know they haue tongue at will to speake for theÌ„selues but let them giue vs one word of God whereby it may appeare that by the name of the Church we are directed in special maner to that church We are not ignorant that amongst most ancient writers the name of Catholike church is sometimes giuen to the church of Rome but we know withall that it was no otherwise giuen to the church of Rome than to any other church euery Church being called a Catholike church as hath been a Answer to the Epistle sect 3. before shewed that communicated in true faith with the church dispersed thorow the whole world And therefore as Leo wrote himselfe b Leo epist. 12. Leo papa ecclesiae Catholicae vrbis Romae Bishop of the catholike church of the citie of Rome so doth Constantine the Emperour write c Socrat hist. li. 1. ca. 6. Constantinus Catholicae Alexandrinorum ecclesiae to the catholike church of Alexandria and Athanasius accordingly is entituled by his Clergy d Athanas Apolog 2. Theognio c. Presbyteri diaconi sub reuerendissimo episcopo Athanasio Catholicae ecclesiae Alexandrinae Bishop of the catholike church of Alexandria and Austin nameth e August cont Crescon li. 3. ca. 13. Omnis Aphricana Catholica ecclesia the catholike church of Africa and Aurelius writeth himselfe f Collat. cum Donat. cognit 1. ca. 16 Aurelius episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Carthaginensis Bishop of the catholike church of Carthage and another Aurelius g Ibid. ca. 201. Aurelius episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Macomadiensits cap. 204. Nouatus episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Sitifensis Bishop of the catholike church of Macomodia and Nouatus Bishop of the catholike church of Sitif So in the fift councell at Constantinople we reade the holy h Concil Constantinop 5. act 1. Supplicatiâ— Ã Clericis Monachis Apostolici thront Antiochenae magnae â—uitatis Catholicae sanctae ecclesiae catholike church of Antioch and in the subscriptions of the Councell i Dei Act. 8. in subscript Sextiltanus in sericordia Dei episcopus ecclesiae Catholicae Tumensiu Megethius gratia Dei episcopus sanctae dei Catholicae ecclesiae ciuitatis Heracleae c. Sextilianus Bishop of the catholike church of Tunis Megethius Bishop of the holy catholike church of the city of Heracela and Pompeianus Bishop of the holy catholike church of the city of Victoria and sundry other the like By all which and many other examples it may appeare with how little discretion Dureus the Iesuit hath affirmed that k Duraeus cont Whitak li. 3. In nullum planè aliam Catholicae nomen ecclesiae quaerunque de Christiecclesia Prophetae praedixerunt quà m in Romanam conuenire possunt the name of the catholike church and those things which the Prophets haue forespoken of the church of Christ can agree to no other but to the church of Rome And with this madde and witlesse fancy they are all caried away so that there can bee no naming of the church or catholike church but it soundeth in their eares vndoubtedly to haue reference to the Church of Rome According to this fancy it is that M. Bishop heere would haue his Reader to imagine that by the beleefe of the Catholik church he is taught to beleeue the church of Rome And by the same illusion hee wresteth to his purpose the words of the Apostle that the church is the pillar and ground of truth and the promise that Christ maketh vnto his of his spirit to direct and guide them into all truth as if therein were some speciall priuiledge meant to the Roman church The Church how the pillar ground of truth But for the first place if any one church might challenge a prerogatiue therby it should be the church of Ephesus For Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus wished by the Apostle l 1. Tim. 1.3 to abide still there as specially to take vpon him the charge of that place He writeth to him purposely to instruct him how to carry himselfe in that charge m cap. 3.15 That thou maist know saith hee how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the pillar grouÌ„d of truth The house of God then wherin Timothie was to conuerse which he was to gouern was the church of Ephesus as the church in general so this church for it own part in particular is called the church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth Yea these two goe hand in hand to be the house of God the church of the liuing God and to be the pillar and ground of truth Now of euery church of the faithfull it is said n 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee as liuely stones are made a spirituall house o 2. Cor. 6.16 yee are the Temple of the liuing God p Eph. 2.22 yee are built together in Christ to be Gods habitation Which way then I maruell is it now brought about that to be the pillar ground of truth should be a peculiar dignity of the church of Rome more than of the church of Ephesus or of any other particular church To be the pillar and ground of truth importeth the office and duty of the whole church and euery part thereof and not a speciall prerogatiue of any one church as to bee alwaies found so in act and execution The church is the pillar and ground of truth as the
and assembling of the persons for the performance of that seruice The Church may be visible the former way when it is not visible the latter because it may be seene and knownen that there are many persons of such deuotion though they be not seene in any assembly for the practise of their deuotion In this sort there haue beene alwaies some either few or moe either one where or other who to the world though with perill and losse of their liues haue giuen testimony of the truth of God If we will vnderstand visible the latter way we must consider that the church it selfe may be spoken of diuersely either as touching the title of outward vocation and calling or as touching the sinceritie and truth of profession and faith There may be a church as touching outward calling visible to the world which yet doth not preserue that integrity truth of faith whereby it first became a church There may be a people tied by couenant vnto God and by Sacraments professing in their assemblies to serue him who yet vnfaithfully peruert the seruice of God and depart from that way of religion which he hath taught them In this outward state and condition of the Church it is to be remembred which our Sauiour Christ saith k Math. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen the multitude generally taking vpon them to be called the people of God when few of them are so indeed in so much that the Prophet Esay cried out concerning the Church of Israel l Esay 10.21 Rom. 9.27 Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant shall be saued For euen in the profession of true religion and where the word of God hath publicke maintenance and state yet how few are there commonly who care to bring foorth the fruits thereof in holy conuersation Albeit it falleth out further also many times that this outward face of the church is beraied with the filth of manifold superstitions and idolatries that true doctrine is reiected and in place thereof humane traditions and inuentions are set vp and magnified whilest men neglect and forget the couenant of God and will needes vse their owne wits for seruing him Yea so far they proceed in the admiration and liking of their owne doings as that they hate the truth and become persecutours of them who continue constant therein and refuse to ioine with them to be partakers of their sinne Thus it came to passe in Israel by the sinne of Ieroboam and much more by the sinne of Ahab and in Iudah by the Apostasie of Manasses who brought abhomination into the temple of God and set vp idols there to be worshipped instead of God At which time the case so stood as that Israel and Iudah hauing both cast off the yoake of the law of God broken the bounds that he appointed them there was no publike state of true religion throughout the whole world The publike state and gouernement of the same church of the Iewes the onely visible church refused the preaching of Christ preferred their owne traditions before Gods commandement and pronunced sentence of death against the Sonne of God They onely were the people of God the Church of God but perfidiously they rebelled against God and refused to be guided by his word But yet amidst all this Apostasie and defection of the church the calling of God did not become vaine neither was his couenant of circumcision without effect but still he had a remnant in whom he was glorified m 1. King 19.18 seuen thousand in Israel though vnknowen to Elias who had not bowed their knee vnto Baal in Iudah many who continued stedfast in the testimony of God in the pursute of whom Manasses is said n 2. King 21.16 to haue shed innocent blood exceeding much and to haue replenished Ierusalem therewith from corner to corner In a word at the comming of Christ amongst a huge heape of chaffe there were some graines of wheat some few faithfull that o Luk 2.38 23.51 waited for redemption and for the kingdome of God Now then where the church importeth them only that are professours of Gods true religion there the church is sometimes visible and somtimes inuisible visible one where another where inuisible For true religion sometimes hath publike state maintenance and the assemblies and congregations for exercise thereof are apparant to all mens eies that whosoeuer will may resort vnto them But sometimes hypocrisie getteth the vpper hand and vnder the name of the Church challengeth to it selfe the places of publike assemblie driuing out from thence synceritie and truth and suffering nothing to be done there but for it owne behoofe Heere then the professours of truth are faine p 1. King 18.4 Heb. 11.37.38 to hide their heads and to keepe themselues in corners and by stealth onely to assemble and meete together It falleth out heere many times that they are forced with Elias q 1. Kin. 19.3 to flie for their liues and because they are watched and waited for to be drawen to death therefore doe betake themselues to places where so neere as may be they may saue each to other neither be knowne nor seene In this case therefore the church that is the professours of the true faith and religion of the Church are said to be inuisible not for that they are meerely to mens eyes inuisible as is the Church in the first sense before named but because it is not to bee seene in publike state and assembly in free open profession as in times of peace and liberty it is woont to be For that otherwise they are visible appeareth plainly in that they liue continually subiect to the malignity of their aduersaries to indignity and reproch to bonds and imprisonment to cruell massacrees tortures and death all which they should auoid if they were wholly out of sight But this inuisibility of the church is not to be considered onely in the church persecuting the church the worse part thereof the better r August de doct Christ l. 3. cap. 32. Corpus domini verum atque simulatum the counterfeit body of Christ as Saint Austin calleth it the true but also when by foreiners and strangers attempt is made against the whole church For so it is sometimes that the whole name of the church of God is impugned and the aduersary vseth all his might vtterly to extinguish the memoriall thereof God by this meanes making triall of his and exercising their faith and patience and bringing iust reuenge vpon hypocrites who abuse his calling and grace to the doing of their owne will Heere then God giuing way to the enemy the outward state of the church is wholy ouerthrowen the publike exercise of religion is altogether interrupted and broken off and the members of the church though they be seene and knownen as such a people yet are not seene in the condition of the
church that is assembling themselues together to performe religion and seruice to their God This was the state of the church in the captiuity of Babylon when Ierusalem was burnt to the ground the temple destroied the people of God carried away into strange lands and heere and there dispersed amongst the heathen nations The like befell them by the tyranny of Antiochus euen in their owne land their temple being defiled their religion interdicted and euery one commanded to be slaine that would not renounce the law of God Now to apply all these things to the state of the church of Christ it was first oppugned by professed enemies who sought wholly to root out the name of Christians and to abandon the faith of Christ vtterly out of the world Thus did the Iewes first and after them the Heathens persecute the whole profession of Christianity and by the importunity of their cruelty did many times so obscure and darken the face of the church as that for the most part it was hardly to be seene Whosoeuer were found to giue open testimony to the name of Christ were martyred and slaine the rest for feare of the like danger either fled into wildernesses and solitary places or else had their meetings very couertly and secretly that they might not be espied Yea their sauage and barbarous fury so far preuailed as that they seemed to themselues to haue gotten a perpetuall victory ouer the name of Christ and did set vp pillars of marble as trophees thereof whereof it is said that some monuments are yet remaining vntill this day Thus albeit many thousands there were who heere and there dispersed and scattered continued steadfast in the faith of Christ and in many places couertly gathered themselues together for the exercise of their faith yet the Church to the sight of the enemies therof was inuisible neither could they in a manner take knowledge of any against whom their malice might any further proceed But when by the prouidence and mercy of God the sword of those tyrants was wrested out of their hands this inuisible church soone came to light againe and began to enioie outward state and honour and the Saints who seemed to haue beene dead and buried in euerlasting reproch and shame became renowmed and glorious in the world and as they were indeed so began they in the opinion of men to be exalted vnto heauen From thencefoorth we affirme that the church hath neuer ceased to be eminently and apparantly visibly to al the world so far are we from saying that which Bellarmine as the master and M. Bishop here as the scholar do impute vnto vs Å¿ Bâ—llarm de notis eccl cap 9. Ecclesiam visibilem a multis seculis perijsse c. docent omnes that the visible church for many ages was quite perished out of the world How can we be taken to say that the church was perished for many ages who doe hold that for those many ages whereof we speake Antichrist according to that that was prophecied of him did t 2. Thess 2.4 sit as God in the Temple that is to say the church of God If we say that Antichrist sate that is dominated and tyrannized in the church the visible church then surely we deny it not to be the visible church wherein Antichrist did sit We confesse that the church in all that time hath beene apparant to the eies of all men the whole world saw it Turkes and Saracens fought against it and did their vttermost to root it out that the name of Christians might no more haue beene heard of amongst men But we say withall that the visible church by the vsurpation of Antichrist was become for the most part as the temple of God in the daies of u 2. King 2â— 4.7 Manasses replenished with idolatries and abhominations or as the church of the Iewes at the comming of Christ euen x Mat. 9.36 like sheepe without a shepheard burdened with humane traditions and wanting the free aire of the word of God whereby hee ministreth the breath of euerlasting life As y Ierem. 3.20 the wife that is rebellious and vnfaithfull to her husband z Prou. 2.17 which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the couenant of her God so was the state of the Church shamefully polluting her selfe with manifold fornications whiles she proftituted herselfe to the embracings of the Romane adulterer and yeelded to him the obedience and seruice which she should haue reserued vnto Iesus Christ Shee was the mother indeed by whom God through baptisme brought foorth children to himselfe but being though by nature a mother yet by affection a step-mother when she had brought them foorth shee poisoned them or else hated and put them from her if any refused to drinke of her cup and to approoue those adulteries and sorceries wherewith their father her husband and Lord was dishonoured by her And many such were there through the whole decourse of the desolations of Antichrist whose eies God opened some more some lesse to see the filthinesse of their mother who though happily by education they were not wholly without some aspersion of the errors and superstitions of their times yet abhorred those Idolatries and abhominations whereby the Church had broken her faith to God and made way so much as in her lay for her full diuorce and separation from him For God forbid that we should thinke that the spirit of trueth was wholly departed from the Church or that the couenant of Baptisme was voide on Gods behalfe sealing none vnto him but that amidst those ruines he had still his remnant which not in name onely but in trueth were the Church of Christ For as in a common pestilence though it rage neuer so sore yet it infecteth not all and many whom it doth infect yet are not deadly infected but many by preseruatiues escape and others by strength of nature expel the venime in botches and sores so as that life is still preserued euen so in that generall pestilence and infection which the breath of Antichrist had blowen abroad through the church howsoeuer it were vniuersally dispersed yet it tainted not all and many that were touched with it yet drunke not so deepe of the whore of Babylons cup as to surfet and die thereof and albeit they might seeme in a maner to bee drowned in common errours yet reteined that fundamentall doctrine of true faith in Christ whereby they keept the head aboue water to receiue the breath of life and through the fire of repentance by harty praier vnto God for remission of all their sinnes and ignorances whether knowen to them in their end or remaining vnknowen passed vnto eternall life a See Simon Goulart Catalog test veritatis Many such there were in the bosome of their church euen in their monasteries and religious houses to whom God reuealed the light of his truth Who b Ezech. 9.4 mourned and cried for all the abhominations that were
done in the middest thereof who imparted to other what they themselues saw and liued and died in the comfort of that faith which we now maintaine against the Church of Rome But many there were who did professedly separate themselues from the assemblies of the church because of the abominations that were exercised therein being carefull according to the knowledge which God had giuen them to keepe themselues vndefiled that with pure conscience they might serue him Yea sometimes and in some places there wanted not publike profession and exercise of Gods truth and whole countries and townes and cities followed the religion of Christ with expresse renouncing of the abominations of the church of Rome Which seuering of themselues notwithstanding not being absolute and vniuersall but onely respectiue because of the intolerable enormities and corruptions preuailing in the church made not them that thus diuided themselues a new or another church but onely freed them from the default of the church whereof they were members For to vse the former comparison as when the pestilence rageth in a city they that for auoiding the infection doe forbeare the common assemblies and meetings doe not thereby depriue themselues of their interest in that corporation state but doe still continue citizens and members thereof euen so they who for manifest idolatries and abominations did forbeare the communion and fellowship of their owne or other churches did not thereby disable or impeach their right and title of being members of the church but rather maintained the same so much the more by eschuing the corruptions wherby the church was in danger to be cut off to become no church But vpon al these the eie of malice was continually cast and Antichrist pretending c Aug. de Ciuit. Dei li. 20. c. 19. In templum dei sedet tanquam ipse sit templum dei quod est ecclesia c. Ad eum pertinentem hominum multitudinem simul cum ipso intelligi volunt c. himselfe and his onely to be the church of God waited and tooke all occasions and opportunities for the destruction of them By the stories it is plaine how they were hated and persecuted in England France Italy Germany Bohemia Poland and other countries vnder the names of Waldenses Albigenses Wicleuistes Hussites Taborites Carmelites Leonistes Lollardes and such like It is memorable which d Bellar. de notis eccl cap. 18. Bellarmine reporteth out of Paulus Aemelius the French Chronicler that of them there were a hundred thousand slaine at one time in France which was done by the procurement of e Hospinian de Origine Monach l 6. c. 4. Frier Dominicke who hauing long time laboured in the countrie of the Earle of Tholouse to bring them to the obedience of the sea of Rome when bringing nothing out of Gods word to perswade them hee could not preuaile plaied the butcherly wretch and caused so great a number of poore innocent soules by an army sent in amongst them miserably to be slaine In like sort by Matthew Paris it appeareth reporting the matter according to the conceit and report of that time that in Spaine and Germany there were f Math. Paris in Henrico 3. anno 1234. peremptus est infidelium haereticorum Albigensium numerus infinitus an infinite number of them murthered some of them he saith for rebellion but indeed all for conscience sake Such tragedies they acted in diuers and sundrie places from time to time for the space of three hundred yeeres and more they proscribed they killed and burned the professours of our religion the earth was died with their bloud and strawed with their ashes their stories mention them their registers name them their writers of heresies doe testifie what their opinions were albeit in some points thereof it appeareth by some of them that the rest lie fathering vpon them as g Idem ibid. Asserebant constanter fidem Christianam et praecipuè incarnationis mysterium friuolum esse penitus abrogandum Matthew Paris doth things impious and absurd which they neuer dreamed of and yet with impudent faces they aske of vs where our church where our religion was before Luthers time as if the same had neuer beene heard of in the world before As touching the persons then our church was manifest enough to them by whom it was thus persecuted which yet were not another church but children of one mother and members of one church with them that persecuted them I meane not of the church of Rome but of the Catholicke visible church which for the most part the church of Rome had brought in subiection to it selfe Their mother had plaied the harlot and with the whoore of Babylon had prostituted herselfe to Antichrist and because they would not approoue her fornications therefore shee condemned them therefore h Esay 66.5 their brethren who said Let the Lord be glorified yet did cast them out for the names sake of the Lord and they had occasion to complaine as doth the Spouse in the Canticles i Cant. 1.5 The children of mine owne Mother are risen vp against mee But if these persecutours glory that the churches and places of assembly were in their hands they doe no more but what the Arians of old did when they had gotten into their possession the churches thorowout the whole world we answer as Hilary did to them k Hilar. cont Auxent Malè vos parietum amor cepit malè ecclesiam dei in tectis aedificijsque veneramini Annè ambiguum est in his Antichristum esse sessurum Montes mihi syluae lacus carceres voragines sunt tutiores in his enim prophetae aut manentes aut demersi dei spiritu prophetabant You doe amisse to be in loue with walles ill doe you honour and admire the Church of God in houses and buildings Is there any doubt but that Antichrist shall sit in them Mountaines and woods and lakes and prisons and caues are safer to me for in them the Prophets abiding or sticking did Prophecie by the spirit of God The case is alike Arianisme had then ouerspred the whole face of the Church and the heretikes had the Churches in their hands the true professors of the faith were driuen into corners yet Hilary thought this to be no preiudice vnto them nay he held it to be the right picture of the true Church Euen so Poperie since hath preuailed and gotten the vpper hand what preiudice is it to the professours of true religion that in the meane time they haue vndergone the same condition that the Prophets and other faithfull in former times haue done Yea S. Austin expresly testifieth that l Aust epist 80 Ecclesia non apparebit impijs tunc persecutoribus vltra modum saeuientibus the Church in the time of Antichrist shall be inuisible because wicked persecutors shall then practise their crueltie beyond measure Let it bee the question then whether Antichrist be come but
that the Church according to the true members thereof shall be inuisible in the time of Antichrist it is without question Now that the Bishop of Rome hath beene and is that very Antichrist of whom the Scripture hath foretold and the Church of Rome the whoore of Babylon hath beene otherwhere plentifully shewed and in some part hath beene also handled formerly in the second part of this worke The time then hath been already for the Church to bee inuisible by the meanes of the furie of Antichrist maliciously and cruelly persecuting all that came to light that refused to drinke of his poisoned cup. Now hauing thus at large instructed M. Bishop what our doctrine is of the visibility of the Church I will answer him briefly as touching the other point of this cauill The Church subiect to errour that by the ancient monuments of the Church it plainly appeareth that many foule errors entred into the Church soone after the Apostles times that whilest m Matt. 13.25 the watchmen and husbandmen were sometimes sleepie the enemie came and sowed tares amongst the wheat that the builders built much n 1. Cor. 3.12 hay wood and stubble but yet so as that for the most part they reteined the only true foundatiō which is Iesus Christ so as that by the foundation they thēselues are saued but the fire of the Lord shall consume that trash which they haue builded thereon I haue o Answer to the Epistle sect 13. ex Euseb hist. eccles l. 3. c. 29. before shewed out of Eusebius how Egesippus limited the Virginitie of the Church to the age of the Apostles and that generation which with their owne eares heard the preaching of truth from them I haue there shewed how the shifts and subtilties of Satan for corrupting of the truth which he began to practise euen in their daies though they were then checked by their authoritie yet preuailed mightily when they were gone The errours which then were how farre they extended and whether they were in other places the same that we finde them to haue beene in some it is not apparant to vs but manifest it is that so cunningly and effectually Satan conueied that poison into the Church as that it hath neuer since perfectly recouered those wounds that it receiued then Yea Antichrist the man of sinne the master of abominations finding many of those corruptions in the Church hath bound them together as it were in a bundle and by his edicts and lawes hath obtruded and forced them to be receiued as articles of true faith But this saith M. Bishop doth mightily blemish the inestimable price of the most precious bloud of Christ. And why so Forsooth it maketh it not to be of sufficient value to purchase vnto him an euerlasting inheritance free from all errours in matters of faith and abounding in all good works But the effect of Christs purchase is to be determined by the wil of Christ himselfe and not by M. Bishops wilfull and witlesse dreames by which it may as wel be prooued that man is wholly without sinne as that the Church is without errour But I answer him briefly out of his owne words that as the Church which Christ hath purchased doth not so abound in all good works but that it is subiect to many sinnes so neither doth the same Church so abound in knowledge and truth but that it is subiect to many errors Christ intended not by his mediation to bring his Church in this life to full perfection So long as she continueth a pilgrim from her bridegrome and Lord she shall still carie the marks of mortalitie and corruption The Church in this world is like vnto the Moone which is neuer so cleere but that some fret or spot of darknesse is to bee seene in it and howsoeuer it seeme bright in one part yet is obscured in another But it is worth the while to see to what issue M. Bishop wil bring this conceit of his if he be vrged to reueale the secret of it For let vs question with him If the Church cannot erre how is it that the Church of Ephesus hath erred and quite fallen away p Act. 20.28 which God purchased with his owne blood and of which it was immediately that the Apostle said that q 1. Tim. 3.15 it was the pillar and ground of truth Did not the Church of r Gal. 1.6 Galatia erre The Churches of Corinth of Philippi of Thessalonica of Colossa of Pergamus Thyatira and the rest haue they not all gone astray Yes will hee say these particular Churches may erre but the whole Church vniuersall cannot erre But if euery part of the Church may erre then surely the whole Church may erre because all the parts make the whole which can be no other than the parts are We haue heereof example in the r Exod. 32.1 Israelites when the whole Church erred in setting vp the golden calfe and in the Christian Church which was in a maner ſ Vincent Lirinens Arianorū venenum non iam portiunculam quandam sed penè orbem totum contaminauerat wholly corrupted with the heresie of Arius t Hieron adu Lucifer Ingemuit totus orbis se esse Arianum miratus est the whole world groning as Hierome saith and woondering that it was become Arian Well he will say that the Church seuered and sundred in the parts thereof may erre but being assembled together by her Pastors and Bishops in a generall Councell it cannot erre But this the former instances disprooue for the whole Church of the Israelites was gathered together to Aaron the Christian Church was assembled together by her Pastors and Bishops in the Councell of Ariminum to the number of foure hundred who were moe than before had beene in the Councell of Nice and yet decreed for the Arian heresie So was there a second general Councel holden at Ephesus which affirmed approoued the heresie of Eutyches as there were also sundry other of which M. Bishop will not say but that they did erre True saieth he generall Councels may erre if they be not congregated by the authority of the Pope but being the Popes Councels they cannot erre But the Councels of Constance and Basil were both assembled by the Popes call and both these Councels decreed that the Councelis of greater authority than the Pope and the Pope subiect thereto which M. Bishop for the Popes sake will say is an errour and by the Popes procurement the contrary hath beene since determined in other Councels He will answer vs that the Councell though it be assembled by the Pope yet may goe awry if it become diuided from the Pope but being assisted and directed by him it cannot conclude amisse because the Pope cannot erre But we bring examples of diuers Popes that haue erred as Liberius by the herisie of the Arians Honorius by the heresie of the Monothelites and such like Well the Pope then saith he
one comming neerer to the truth in one place and another in another one hauing greater vnderstanding in the originall tongue another greater felicitie and dexteritie to expresse his conceit in the tongue into which hee doth translate another hauing greater knowledge in the liberall Sciences in Histories and Antiquities in naturall and morall Philosophie whereby he is able to iudge of some things more probablie or certainely than others can And heerein the incomprehensible wisedome of God most liuely appeareth that hee hath so disposed and ordered the Scriptures as that this variety of translations enforceth no difformity of religon but all tend to the maintaining of one and the same faith contained manifestly in those places of Scripture wherein all translations agree and which without manifest and wilfull impietie cannot be translated otherwise Whereby we see in our owne experience and continual exercise of the Scriptures that though the exact meaning of a place be mistaken yet commonly it conteineth nothing in matter but what is warranted by another place rightly translated and therefore in that place can bee taken for no other but the true word of God Or if any wickedly minded do vpon aduantage of ambiguity translate them somewhere partially in fauour of errour and against the truth yet is he circumuented in his purpose by the euidence of other texts which euery man discerneth to make plainly for the iustification of the truth By meanes whereof it hath come to passe that those translations which haue beene made of the old Testament by Samaritans and Iewes Aquila Symmachus and Theodotion who all carried a sting against the Christian faith yet i Hier. Praefat. in Iob. Iudaeus Aquila IudaizaÌ„tes haeretici Symmachus Theodotio sunt recepti qui multa mysteria saluatoris subdola interpretatione celarunt tamen in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habentur apud ecclesias explanantur ab ecclesiasticis viris Idem praefat in Esdram Nehem. ad Domn Rogat were receiued and vsed as helpfull and profitable to the Church because by their industry they cleered many things and made that truth good in other places which they concealed in some And woorthy it is in this case to be remeÌ„bred how the heretikes of old notwithstanding their mangling and k Tert. de praescript adu haer Ista haeresis non recipit quasdaÌ„ scripturas siquas recipit adiectionibus detractionibus ad dispositionem instituti sui interuertit Et cont Marcion lib. 4. Emendauit quod corruptum existimauit c. Cotidiè reformant illud Euangelium prout à nobis cotidiè reuincuntur dismembring of the Scriptures and either altering or racing what they saw to be against them as Tertullian declareth yet could not preuaile but that they were still put to their shifts from day to day and forced still to be changing somewhat because there was still somewhat left for their conuiction and reproofe The grand signors of the students at Rhemes thinking good in their traiterous policy not long since to put foorth for the time a translation of the new testament albeit vnder a most hypocriticall pretence of religious care not to swarue from their copy they sought by strange words and phrases and by dismembred sentences to obscure and darken the text the vttermost that they could yet in those places which for shame they could not otherwise translate haue left the same so apparant to iustifie our doctrine as that they dare not suffer it to goe freely abroad without the poison of their annotations and commonly they that doe reade the annotations must by no meanes presume to touch the text And hereby it appeareth what the cause is of their quarrell against our translations not for that they thinke them so faulty as they pretend but onely because they cannot abide the vulgar reading of the Scriptures Or if that be not the cause why doe they not put foorth a true translation of their owne if ours be false that all men hauing free vse thereof may plainly discerne what the truth is But the Reader vnderstanding but the Latin tongue shall easily satisfie himselfe in this behalfe if hee compare our English translations with those which some of their owne men Pagnine Arias Montanus and others haue published in Latin because he shall plainly discerne that there is onely sycophancy and not any solidity or waight in those cauillations whereby they shew themselues agrieued at our Bibles As for the obiection of vncertainety of faith which the Iesuit vrgeth by reason of many translations experience conuinceth the folly thereof because wee haue had sundry translations by Tindall by Couerdale by the Geneuians by the Bishops and yet by them all we haue mainteined but one faith Euen so in the primitiue church there were many translations in Greeke the Latin translations as Austin testifieth l Aug. de doct Christ. l. 2. c. 11 Qui scripturas ex Hebraea in Graecam verterunt linguam numerari possunt Latini autem interpretes nullo modo were without number euen m Hier. praefat in Iosue Apud Latinos tot exemplaria quot codices as many saith Hierome as there were bookes and yet we suppose that the Iesuit wil say that by them all there was taught but one Christian faith Yea there is a benefite to bee made of many translations if we rightly deeme thereof because they are a great confirmation to a man in that wherein they all agree and n Aug. vt supra cap. 12. Quae quidem res plús auiuuat intelligentiam quà m impedit si modò legentes non sint negligentes Nam nonnullas obscuriores senteÌ„tias saepe pluruÌ„ codicum manifestauit inspectio the looking vpon many bookes saith Austin often cleereth many obscure sentences wherein they differ When therefore our new translation shall come foorth the doctrine of faith shall continue the same by the new as it hath been hitherto by the old and thou shalt see gentle Reader that the old Bibles are not thereby condemned as naught as this Friar leudly suggesteth but as they haue beene commended vnto thee for the sacred word of God so thou shalt haue cause to acknowledge them still and shalt finde that a new translation is not the making of a new Bible as hee maliciously termeth it but a iustifying and cleering of the old As for the condemning of our diuine seruice it belongeth not to this place to speake thereof It is true indeed that some of our Ministers by misconstruction of things haue vndiscreetly found great faults where they needed not But yet to stop the mouth of this vpstart Iesuit let him remember that Pope Pius the fift reformed their Missall their Breuiary and other offices and generally all their diuine seruice acknowledging the same o Summar CoÌ„stitut praefix Offic. Beat. Mariae reformat Omnia ferè huiusmodi officiae reserta esse vanis erroribus superstitioâ—um to haue beene stuffed with vaine errours of superstitions Lindan
not Apostolical traditions which appeare certainely so to be and yet woorthily we reiect those vnwritten doctrines and counterfet traditions of the Papists which are falsely fathered vpon the Apostles It is by these vnwritten doctrines and counterfet traditions that the grounds of our faith are impeached and shaken We therefore cannot be said to shake the grounds of faith who retaine the meere simplicity of those grounds and refuse all other strange and bastard stuffe but they shake the grounds of faith who become patrons of such tradition coloured with the names of the Apostles when notwithstanding they plainely crosse the written doctrine of the Apostles 2. W. BISHOP But let vs descend to the particulars wherein the truth will appeare more plainely Thus beginneth Master PERKINS with the Creede First of all it must be considered that some of the principall doctrines beleeued in the Church of Rome are that the Bishop of Rome is the Vicar of Christ and head of the Catholike Church that there is a fire of Purgatory that Images of God and Saints are to be placed in the Church and worshipped that Praier is to be made to Saints departed that there is a propitiatory sacrifice daily offered in the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead These points are of that moment that without them the Roman religion cannot stand c. And yet marke the Apostles Creed which hath beene thought to containe all necessary points of religion to be beleeued and hath therefore beene called the key and rule of faith This Creede I say hath not any of these points nor the expositions made thereof by the ancient Fathers nor any other Creed or confession of faith made by any Councell or Church for the space of many hundred yeeres This is a plaine proofe to any indifferent man that these bee new articles of faith neuer knowen in the Apostolike Church and that the Fathers and Councels could not finde any such articles of faith in the bookes of the old and new Testament Answer is made that all these points of doctrine are beleeued vnder the article I beleeue the Catholike Church the meaning whereof they will haue to be this I beleeue all things which the Catholike Church holdeth and teacheth to be beleeued If this bee as they say wee must beleeue in the Church that is put our confidence in the Church for the manifestation and the certainety of all doctrine necessary to saluation And thus the eternall truth of God the Creatour shall depend vpon the determination of the creature And the written word of God in this respect is made insufficient as though it had not plainely reuealed all points of doctrine pertaining to saluation And the ancient Churches haue beene farre ouer-secene that did not propound the former points to be beleeued as articles of faith but left them to these latter times Thus farre Master PERKINS Wherein are hudled vp many things confusedly I will answere briefly and distinctly to euery point The first is that in the Apostles Creede are contained all points of religion necessary to be beleeued which is most apparantly false as the Protestants themselues must needes confesse or else grant that it is not necessary to beleeue the King to be Supreame-head of the Church or that the Church is to be gouerned by Bishops or that we are iustified by Christs iustice imputed to vs or that there be but two Sacraments or that the Church seruice must be said in the vulgar tongue or that all things necessary to be beleeued to saluation are contained in the Scriptures To be short not one article of their religion which is contrary to ours is conteined in this Creede of the Apostles therefore to affirme as he doth all necessary points of religion to be contained in this Creede is to cast their owne religion flat to the ground and to teach that not one point of it is to be beleeued this Creede may neuerthelesse be called the key and rule of faith because it containeth the principall points of the Christian religion and doth open as it were the doore vnto all the rest and guide a man certainely vnto the knowledge of them by teaching vs to beleeue the Catholike Church which being the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Ioh. 16.13 directed and guided by the spirit of truth will alwaies instruct her obedient children in all truth necessary to saluation Then saith M. PERKINS The eternall truth of God the Creatour shall depend on the determination of the creature Nothing lesse for Gods truth is most sincere and certaine in it selfe before any declaration of the church but we poore creatures that are subiect to mistaking and error should not so certainely vnderstand and know that truth of God vnlesse hee had ordained and appointed such a skilfull and faithfull Mistris and interpreter to assure vs both what is his word and what is the true meaning of it Like as pure gold is not made perfect in it self by the Gold-smithes touch-stone but other men are thereby assured that it is true and pure gold euen so the word of God doth not borrow his truth from the Church but the true children of God are by the holy Church assured which is the same his word If we did hold as we do not that the written word containeth all points of doctrine necessary to saluation yet were it most necessary to relie vpoÌ„ the Catholike churches declaration both to be assured which books of scriptures be Canonicall which not whereupon Saint Augustine a man of far better iudgement than any of these daies said Con. Epist. Iud. cap. 5. that he would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authority of the church mooued him therunto as also to vnderstand them truly because the words of holy Scripture without the true meaning and sense of them do but deceiue men and lead them into error and to that end haue alwaies beene and yet are by Heretikes abused to draw others after them into destruction The like may be said of other ancient Creeds and confessions of faith which holding the Apostles Creed did adde some few points vnto it namely such as were in those daies called into question by Heretikes of greater fame and who were followed of many not touching in particular diuers other articles generally beleeued of all true Christians or else by soâ—e fewe and obscure men onely questioned Wherefore to argue that no other points of faith are to be beleeued but such as are expressed in ancient Creeds is to cut off a great part of our faith Lastly it is most vntrue to say that those ancient Fathers and Councels knew not of these articles of faith by him mentioned for they haue most plainely taught them in their writings yea and expresly condemned of heresie most of the contrary positions now againe reuiued and holden by the Protestants as in those seuerall questions I haue before prooued R. ABBOT How M. Pirkins vnderstood that all necessary
and bring all things to your remembrance that I haue told you and which he saith presently after i cap. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shall shew it vnto you For hereby it is manifest that the holy Ghost which shall leade vs into all truth because he shall speake nothing of himselfe shall therefore k Thophylact in Ioan. 16. Nihil docturus est extra ea quae Christus docuit speake nothing but what Christ hath before spoken As therefore when Christ saith of himselfe l Ioh. 14.10 I speake not of my selfe hee would import that he spake nothing but what the father had before spoken in the Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets as m Chrysost de sanct orando spiritu Quia seductor est habitus dicit Ego à meipso non loquor sed de lege de Prophet is Chrysostome expoundeth it euen so when he saith of the holy Ghost that he shall speake nothing of himselfe we are likewise to conceiue that the holy Ghost shall teach nothing but what Christ himselfe hath first taught in the Scriptures of the Euangelists and Apostles Whereupon we conclude as Chrysostome doth n Ibid. Siquem videritis dicentem spiritum sanctum habee non loquentem Euangelica sed propria is à seipso loquitur non est spiritus sanctus in ipso Et paulò post Siquis eorum qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctum dicat aliquid à seipso non ex Euangelijs ne credite c. Ex quo non legit haec scripta sed ex seipso loquitur manifestum est quod non habet spiritum sanctum If yee see a man saying I haue the holy Ghost and not speaking the things of the Gospell but matters of his owne he speaketh of himselfe and the holy Ghost is not in him If any of them who are said to haue the holy Ghost do speake any thing of himselfe and not out of the Gospell beleeue him not For that he readeth not those things which he saith in the Scriptures it is manifest that he hath not the holy Ghost Now therefore seeing M. Bishops church contrary to the ordinance of God seuereth o Esay 59.21 the spirit of truth from p Eph. 1 13. Col. 1.5 the word of truth and speaketh many things of her-felfe whereof Christ hath said nothing whereof wee reade nothing in the Scriptures it is manifest that they play the Sycophants as other heretikes haue done pretending to speake by the spirit of Christ when they speake wholly either by their owne or by a woorse spirit But M. Bishop not content with one corruption in substituting his church of Rome in the place of the Catholike Church of Christ addeth another in saying that that article of our Creede doth teach vs to beleeue the Catholike church Which words although being truely meant they expresse the same in English which wee say in Greeke and Latin yet being by the drift of his speech caried to a verie partiall and false construction doe shew him to be a leaud peruerter of our Christian faith For whereas we saie Credo sanctam ecclesiam Catholicam in the accusatiue case the meaning is I beleeue that there is a holy Catholike church namely that God the Father in all ages and at all times and amidst all the defections and corruptions of the world hath still had and shall haue his number of elect and chosen people to whom the benefite of Christs death and resurrection on standeth effectuall and good by the sanctification of the holy Ghost and the same now not of one nation or people onely but of all nations and peoples thorowout the whole world But M. Bishop by the currant of his speech turneth the accusatiue case into the datiue as if it were said in our Creed Credo ecclesiae sanctae Catholicae I giue credit to the holy Catholike church I beleeue it to be true whatsoeuer is taught me by the holy Catholike church that so his Reader thinkeing himselfe bound to beleeue the Catholike church and taking this Catholike church to be meant of the church of Rome may hold himselfe bound by the articles of his Creed in all things to beleeue the church of Rome Thus he and his fellowes most treacherously and leaudly against their owne knowledge and conscience delude simple and ignorant soules and make them slaues to their impious and wicked deuices by bearing them in hand that they are bound thus to obey the Catholike church Now heereof Master PERKINS iustly inferreth that the eternall truth of God the Creatour is heereby made to depend vpon the determination of the creature For let God say what he will wee shall not stand bound to take it for truth if the church shall say the contrary or vnlesse that which he saith be approoned by the Church Verily as Tertullian vpbraided of old the Senate of Rome that q Tertul. Apologet cap. 5. Apud vos de humano arbitratu diuinitas pensitatur nisi homini deus placuerit deus non erit with them Godhead stood at the discretion of men and vnlesse God did please man he should be no God so may it well be said now of the church of Rome that with them the religion of God standeth at their discretion and that onely shall be religion that pleaseth them For the Bishop of Rome whilest hee taketh vpon him to make declaration of Christian faith maketh what he list of Christian faith and hath verified of himselfe that which Hierome said of Antichrist that r Hieron in Daniel 7. Eleuatur supra omne quod dicitur deu◠cunctam religionem suae subijciens potestati he should subiect all religion to his owne power For the colouring of which iniquity M. Bishop according to their maner vseth guilefull words of notable hypocrisie and with a faire tale gloseth a grosse indignity and damnable presumption against God He telleth vs that Gods truth is sincere and certaine in it selfe before any declaration of the Church Well and what hath the church then to doe with this sincere and certaine truth Forsooth we poore creatures are subiect to mistaking and errour and doe not so certainly vnderstand that truth of God But who are those poore creatures of whom he speaketh Marry M. Bishop and such other petites who are but dij minorum gentium they are poore creatures but the Pope and his Cardinals and the Bishops that comply to him they are rich creatures they are the Church they are exempted from mistaking and errour we must thinke all perfection of wit to be lodged in their braines and that they certainely vnderstand and know the truth of God But what assurance can they giue vs in this behalfe Surely the Scribes and Pharisees the high Priests and Elders of the lewes had as much to say for themselues and a great deale more than they They could plead for themselues ſ Ioh. 8.33 We are the
our confidence in them which we are to put in God onely and not increatures of which notwithstanding the Church consisteth Which exposition wee acknowledge conteineth the very trueth agreeable to Gods word and doe wish that they would alwaies continue constant therein But they doe heerein as their vsuall maner is what by euidence of truth they are forced to say in one place for the maintenance of their owne traditions and superstitions they vnsay it or qualifie it in another And in this sort M. Bishop heere dealeth who first inclining somewhat to that construction alreadie mentioned and telling vs that to beleeue in a thing is to make it our Creatour by giuing our whole heart vnto it alleageth notwithstanding that some ancient Doctours take the words to beleeue in not so precisely but say that wee may beleeue in the church and in Saints heereby to make way to his absurd conceits which none of the ancient Doctours dreamed of it is true indeed that Epiphanius and Cyril haue vsed that maner of speech by adding the preposition in to the rest of the articles I beleeue in one holy Catholike church in one Baptisme in the remission of sinnes in the resurrection of the body in the life eternal but yet making thereof no other construction than we do as if the article were away To beleeue in the church was with them as M. Bishop saith to beleeue certainly in the Catholike church to be the onely true company of Christians and thereof we contend not wee beleeue the same as well as they though not in M. Bishops meaning which neuer was any part of their meaning that the Catholike church should be meant in any speciall maner of the church of Rome But whereas he addeth it is another part of their construction that to the lawfull gouernours thereof that is as he intendeth to the Pope and his Cardinals and Bishops it appertaineth to declare both which bookes be Canonicall and what is the true meaning of all doubtfull places in them he verie shamefully abuseth the ancient Doctours of whom there is not one that hath noted any such matter to be conteined in the Creed If hee know any let him acquaint vs therewith if hee know none let him confesse to his Reader as he must that he hath sought to deceiue him with a lie The same I say of beleeuing in Saints for which of the ancient Doctours hath taught vs out of our Creed that we are to beleeue in them He telleth vs what they meant by it that wee beleeue the Saints in heauen to heare our praiers to be carefull to pray for vs and to be able to obteine by intreatie much at Gods hands But what a strange man is he that will tell vs what men meant by words which they neuer spake Surely to beleeue in Saints is no antiquitie but nouelty and the deuice of him who by beleeuing in Saints seeketh to draw men away from beleefe in God The Apostle telleth vs that f Rom. 10 17. Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Thereupon Basil gathereth thus g Basil Ethit reg 80. Si quicquid ex fide non est peccatum est fides verò ex auditu auditus autem pâ—r verbum Dei est ergo quicquid extra diuinam Scripturam est cùm ex fide non sit peccatum est If whatsoeuer is not of faith bee sinne and faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God surely whatsoeuer is beside the Scripture of God because it is not of faith is sinne Let M. Bishop then shew vs some word of God some warrant of Scripture that it is one point of faith to beleeue in Saints or if hee cannot so doe we must rest perswaded as we are that to beleeue in Saints is to sinne against God And if we may not beleeue in Saints then neither may we pray vnto them for h Rom. 10.14 how shall they call vpon him saith the Apostle in whom they haue not beleeued And seeing praier is i Grego Moral lib. 22. cap. 13. Vera postulatio non in oris est vocibus sed in cogitationibus cordis not a matter of the lippes but of the heart how can wee beleeue that the Saints in heauen heare our praiers when as the word of God telleth vs that k 1. King 8.39 it is God only which knoweth the hearts of all the children of men Againe seeing God hath himselfe named vnto vs the Mediator by whose intrety l Mat. 3.17 Ephe. 3.12 for whose sake he wil accept vs and in whom he will be m Iohn 14.13 glorified for the granting of our requests who n Rom. 8.34 sitteth at the right hand of God and o Heb. 7.25 euer liueth to make intercession for vs how can we call it faith and not rather impudent presumption that we of our owne heads should set vp euery Saint in heauen to be a Master of requests and disturbe that order which God himselfe hath appointed for our accesse to him Admit that in generality they pray for the consummation of their brethren they pray in fellowship of loue not by authority of mediation as ioined in affection with vs not as by specialtie of fauour appointed to be patrons for vs for in that respect it is true which Saint Austin telleth vs that p August in Psam 64. Solus ibi ex his qui carnem gustaverunt interpellat pro nobis of all that haue beene partakers of flesh it is Christ onely in heauen that maketh intercession for vs. To conclude we haue heard before out of the Catechisme that our beleeuing in God requireth all our confidence and trust to be placed in God onely Accordingly Cyprian saith that q Cyprian de dupl martyr Non credit in deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius felicitatis suae fidutiam he beleeueth not in God that placeth not the confidence of all his happinesse in God onely But beleeuing in Saints cannot be vnderstood but to import putting of trust and confidence in them Therefore we cannot beleeue in Saints but with the ouerthrow of our beleefe and trust in God And that the Popish beleeuing in Saints importeth the putting of their trust and confidence in them it plainly appeareth as by other their offices of deuotion so specially by their Ladies Psalter wherein they blasphemously vse to the Virgin Marie those words whereby Dauid professed his trust in God r Psalter Mariae Psal 7. Domina in te speraui de inimicis meis libera animam meam Psal 10. In domina confido propter dulcedinem misericordiae nominis sui psal 21. Quia ego speraui in gratia tua sempiternum a me opprobrium abstulisti Psal 45. Domina refugium nostrum tu es in omni necessitate nostra Psal 53 Domina in nomine tuo saluum me fac O Lady in thee haue I hoped deliuer my soule from mine enemies I
locall circumscription it is no instance against M. PER. rule that locall circumscription cannot be seuered from a true body But because he taketh locall circumscription so nicely as we see he doth I would gladly haue him to resolue vs one question thereof and his answer shall shew the nullity of his owne exception He hath told vs a Preface to the Reader sect 2. before that the body of Christ is in one place circumscribed and in another vncircumscribed circumscribed in heauen and in the Sacrament vncircumscribed Now let him tell vs how the body of Christ in heauen hath locall circumscription To speake of Physicall and material heauens it is true of Christ which the Apostle saith b Ephe. 4.10 He is ascended far aboue all heauens and therefore aboue that highest heauen which M. Bishop nameth to vs beyond which there is neither vacuum nor locus properly so called but the incomprehensible habitation of diuine light which our thoughts are in no sortable to conceiue How then is the body of Christ locally circumscribed where yet there is no Physicall or naturall place Let him giue vs answer heereof and then we will answer him that looke what giueth locall circumscription to the body of Christ in heauen the same also giueth locall circumscription to the highest heauen Vnderstand the highest heauen gentle Reader as M. Bishop doth for the vttermost sphere of the materiall globe of this visible world beyond which is that heauen into which we beleeue our Lord Iesus to haue ascended and where we hope to dwell with him This exception being frustrate let vs see the rest where M. Bishop standing nicely and precisely vpon termes of schooles telleth vs that M. PERKINS makes himselfe a common mocking-stocke to euery simple Logician of whom notwithstanding I dare boldly say that hee was as good a Logician as Doctour Bishop is though writing to the people he vsed his words accordingly He saith that quantity is the common essence of euery body and who knoweth not saith M. Bishop that no accident as euery quantity is can be of the essence of a substance as Christs body is Well Sir but yet quantity giueth existence to euery body which is enough to M. PER. purpose and to be the subiect of quantity or indued with quantity is the common and true essence of a body If he will say nay we desire him of his courtesie to take the paines to send vs without quantity the true definition of a body Albeit his reading might serue him to vnderstand that there are few learned men or none at all so strict in termes but that they call by the name of essentiall properties whatsoeuer doth immediately and necessarily issue from the essence of a thing though according to Logicke rules it be no part of the essence thereof And thus M. PERK saith againe that to be circumscribed in place is an essentiall property of euery quantity which saith M. Bishop no man would say that cared what hee said And why Because all numbers saith hee which be quantities haue no relation vnto any place But hee might easily haue conceiued that M. PER. as I said before spake according to vulgar vse which for the most part vnderstandeth quantity of the magnitude and greatnesse of bodies in which meaning it is a property flowing out of the essence of euery quantity not onely to be apt to be circumscribed with a place but to be circumscribed and determined locally according to that meaning of locall circumscription which I haue before expressed Therefore in this sort it is not a meere accident to a substantiall body to be circumscribed but it is proprium quarto modo agreeing alwaies to euery body and to nothing but a body necessarily arising of the dimensions of the length breadth and thicknesse of a body and the deniall whereof is the taking away of the nature of a body As for his allegation of the almightie power of God how idle it is it hath beene c Preface to the Reader sect 8. before declared For God doth not by his omnipotency contradict himselfe neither doth his power serue to make good the fantasticall dreames of giddy headed men to be said to destroy the nature of a thing and yet to leaue it still continuing the selfe-same thing But it is woorth the noting how M. Bishop heere plaieth the micher and stealeth by two allegations vsed by M. Perkins very pertinent to the matter heere in hand It is for the illocality of the body of Christ that M. Bishop pleadeth the omnipotency of God but M. Perkins bringeth in Leo Bishop of Rome saying that d Leo. epist. 70. Nulla ratione extranostri est corporis veritatem the body of Christ is in no sort without the truth of our body This he passeth by without any mention of it as if he had not seene any such thing The words of Saint Austin he vouchsafed to take some knowledge of but applieth them generally to all bodies whereas Saint Austin also spake of the body of Christ making a difference betwixt Christ as God and man e August in Ioan. tract 31. In terra loquebatur tamen in caelose esse dicebat sic venit vt inde non abscederet sic redijt vt nos non derelinqueret Quid miraminâ— Deus hoc facit Homo enim secundù m corpus in loco est de loco migrat cum ad alium locum venerit in eo loco vnde venit non est Deus autem implet omnia vbique totus est non secundum spatia tenetur locis Christ saith he spake vpon earth and yet said he was in heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen He so came as that he departed not from thence he so returned as that he did not forsake vs. Why do ye wonder heereat saith he God doth this For man according to his body is in a place and departeth from the place and when he is come into another place is not in that place from whence hee came but God filleth all things and is whole euery where and is not conteined in â—ace of place Thus doth Saint Austin distinguish the God-head and man-hood of Christ making the body of Christ of the same condition with our bodies so as that it leaueth one place whensoeuer it commeth to another The church of Rome therefore affirming a body of Christ without extention or space of place that is a ghost in stead of a body impugneth the article of our faith whereby we beleeue that he was conceiued and borne of the substance of the Virgin Mary according to the truth and condition of our bodies 5. W. BISHOP By this is confuted also his second instance Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father therefore his body is not really and locally in the Sacrament This followeth not Chrysost lib. de sacerd because it is in both places at once as Saint Chrysostome in
and that euen to death and yet the Church of Rome against the intent of this Commandement alloweth that clandestine Marriages and the vowe of religion shall be in force though they bee without and against the consent of wise and carefull parents Answ It is very false to say that children must obey their parents in all things for if parents command them any thing either against Gods law or the Princes they must not obey them therein And touching clandestine and priuie Marriages they are of force aswell in the Church of England as in the Church of Rome yea more too For by the Church of Rome alwaies they haue beene forbidden verie seuerely and since the Councell of Trent are made voide and of no force where the Councell can be published Concerning entring into religion childrens vowes during their minoritie may be annullated and made of no force by their parents marry when they come to riper daies if their father stand not in necessitie of their helpe they may forsake him to follow Christ in a more perfect kinde of life as S. Iames and S. Matth. 4.22 Iohn forsooke their father Zebedee and followed Christ R. ABBOT There is little discretion in M. Bishops first exception because M. Perkins did vse no other but the Apostles words a Col. 3.20 Children obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. When the Apostle saith in all things M. Bishop should not be so rude as to say It is verie false to say in all things howsoeuer wee denie not but that the words haue their limitation and restraint to those things wherein they command in right of parents The validitie of contracts marriages without consent of parents As touching marriages without consent of parents M. Bishop misreporteth the Councell of Trent which though it doe detest and prohibit the contracts of such marriages yet doth also b Conc. Trident. sess 24. Sancta Synodus anathemate damnat eos qui falsò affirmant matrimonia à filijs familias sine consensis parentum contracta irrita esse parentes rata vel irrata facere posse condemne them who say that such marriages when they are contracted are void and that it is in the power of the parents either to ratifie or disanull them The Church of England not meditating contradiction but truth approoueth so farre the sentence of the Councell and albeit it endeuoureth with all good care and circumspection to preuent and to exclude such wilfull and vngodly courses of marriage yet it acknowledgeth that marriages being so acted and done cannot be reuoked lamented they may be and greened at but voided they cannot be M. Perkins seemeth to be of other minde and hee followeth therein the iudgement of sundry late Diuines whom though otherwise we greatly esteeme and honour yet wee cannot subscribe that which they determine in this point Consent of parents belongeth to the honest and orderly proceeding of marriage and it is true that children sinne against the fift Commandement in neglecting their consent but this consent is no part of the essence and being of marriage which therefore being complet and perfect without it must necessarily stand good albeit the parents giue no consent vnto it The very essence of contract and marriage consisteth in the parties actuall giuing of themselues mutually ech to other according to the forme and maner of the countrey and place wherein they liue which being done the want of parents consent cannot vndoe it neither may they be sundred in two who by Gods ordinance though vnlawfully abused are become one By Gods ordinance I say because albeit they haue not vsed that maner of proceeding which God hath ordeined to the fastening of this bond yet the bond it selfe wherewith they are fastened is the ordinance of God to remaine inuiolable betwixt them that are once bound thereby Neither doth it make against this which is obiected that God ioineth not such together that they marry not in the Lord for so may it be said of them that marry only for carnal worldly respects of the beleeuer that matcheth him or her-selfe with an vnbeleeuer that they are not ioined by God nor married in the Lord because God hath forbidden such kinde of marriages to be made But yet as the bond of marriage though vnlawfully entred into holdeth these together and may not bee broken euen so though children may not lawfully marry without consent of parents yet being married they are tied by the couenant of God ech to other as husband and wife and may not shake off the yoke which they haue taken vpon themselues As for those phrases of Scripture which are vrged in this behalfe of parents c Gen. 21.21 Exod. 34.16 Deut. 7.3 taking wiues for their sonnes or husbands for their daughters and giuing their sonnes and daughters in marriage they imply indeed the parents right and power for the bestowing of their children but yet we cannot from thence argue that if the children preuent their parents and doe giue and bestow themselues their gift should bee void and their marriage a meere nullitie as if it had not beene For as wee reade of parents taking wiues for their sonnes so we reade of sonnes also without consent of parents taking wiues for themselues when yet the want of such consent hath been no disanulling of their marriage Esau d Gen. 26.34 tooke him two wiues of the daughters of Heth or Canaan e Ibid. 28.8 contrarie to the liking of his father and mother and yet when he had taken them hey held it not in their power to frustrate his taking of them but with griefe were forced to endure them And if the sonnes taking of a wife be of no force without the parents consent then Rebecca had no such cause of feare f Ibid. 27.46 lest Iacob also should take a wife of the daughters of Heth because his taking had been nothing so long as his father and mother should giue no consent vnto it So is it said of g Gen. 38.2 Iudah that he tooke him to wife a daughter of a Canaanite which wee cannot doubt but that it was as offensiue to his father Iacob as it had beene before to Isaac and yet his marriage was not taken to be of no effect To be short as the one phrase of Scripture may be deemed to import a right in the father to bestow the children so the other may bee thought to import a validitie of that which the childrē do though vnlawfully without the father It is here I know commonly obiected that God by his law prouided that h Num. 30.4 the vow of the daughter should not stand that was disauowed by the father and thereof is inferred that the daughters bestowing of her selfe in marriage cannot stand good without the father But that law if it be duly weighed maketh as little to that purpose as any thing else that is alleaged For the vowes and bonds
the confession of their faith exhibited to the French King as Sleidan hath recorded it shall be no disreputation to vs that we haue ioined with them neither shall it be to M. Higgons any reputation with God that he hath departed from them 40. I may not omit that mentioning elsewhere that Luther termeth their religion by the name of Popery though this were but a very small occasion yet his gall casting vpon the sudden he addeth u Book 2. p. 1. c. 1. ¶ 1. num 7. Whom I might more iustly call a foul-mouthed-dogge then D. Abbot bestoweth this homely courtesie vpon a very learned Priest meaning thereby T. Wright Let the Reader esteeme whether it were not a meet courtesie for him that was not ashamed to set it downe for an article x Certaine Articles or forcâ—ble reasons c. part 2. art 5. That the Protcestants make God the authour of sinne the only cause of sinne that man sinneth not that God is worse than the diuell If Luther haue any where in that leand and impious maner calumniated the Church of Rome I will not deny but that M. Higgons should haue cause to stile him afoul-mouthed dogge but if he haue not so done then is M. Higgons to blame to assigne to him that which of right belongeth to another man Whom indeed we thinke to be a man of some kind of learning whereby he can audaciously and impetuously wrangle where he may haue his way but he that would giue forth to the world for forcible reasons such misshapen stuffe as specially some of those are which he hath published is very far from the woorth where he is vprightly iudged to be accounted a very learned Priest 41. His last matter touching me concerneth a difference betwixt Doct. Field and me Doct. Field thinketh that the cause why Aerius was condemned of hereticall rashnes was for that he durst condemne the laudable custome of the commemoration of the dead by way of giuing thankes for them Against this opinion of Docter Field hee produceth mee amongst others for a witnesse though mangling and disordering my words to other purpose in some sort than I intended them But the summe of all is that I hold it to haue beene the cause why Aerius was taxed of heresie for that he reprehended and denied praiers and offerings for the dead Whereupon D. Field groundeth his opinion I cannot tell by Epiphanius and Austin I conceiue that it is right which I haue said But vpon this occasion M. Higgons because I had said that Austin and the Papists as touching the end of praier for the dead did agree like harpe and harrow returneth my phrase and saith Doe not these men agree like harpe and harrow Where I cannot but thinke that he was very idlely disposed and wanted matter that would so much trouble himselfe as hee hath done with a difference of so small effect If Doct. Field conceiue rightly of the opinion of Aerius then in the condemning of Aerius we al accord with him If we conceiue more truely of Aerius that it was praier for the dead which he impugned then in the approuing of Aerius Docter Field accordes with vs. And may we not thinke this to be a great matter to trouble M. Higgons minde Did he see no greater differences than this in the Church of Rome Had he not found in Bellarmine concerning sundry waighty points of faith a first opinion of such a one a second opinion of such a one a third yea a fourth opinion of such and such To let other matters goe did you not M. Higgons remember your two great Cardinals Baronius and Bellarmine standing in great difference the one that it is directly the other that it is indirectly that the Pope hath a power ouer Kings and Princes to depose them yea and another opinion regnant amongst many of your great Diuines that the Pope hath no such authority either way and that they are but Parasites and pickthankes that sooth him in so vniust and vndue a claime Goe M. Higgons goe and tell your owne Cardinals haec est mendaciorum natura vt probè cohaerere non possint for the third opinion prooueth them to bee liars on both sides As for your selfe you are now become one of those pedling merchants in the exercise of whose trade you shall indeed finde it true that they cannot thriue at all vnlesse they can lie much 42. I pity your folly M. Higgons and cannot but for your friends sake lament that miserable state whereinto you haue wilfully cast your selfe Surely it was a strong and a strange humour that possessed both your head and your heart that could driue you to this extremity for Purgatory and prayer for the dead Doubtlesse it was not Purgatory nor praier for the dead that you respected but when you had resolued to run into this ruine you thought these points most plausible and ready whence your wit might weaue some spiders webs for the hiding of your shame I doubt not M. Higgons but if you were heere as you would wish to be you are able your selfe to shew that all you haue said is no other but a spiders web God giue you grace to vnderstand what you haue done that if it be possible you may returne againe out of the snare of the diuell and out of that hell of inward terrours whereinto you haue desperately plunged your owne soule I know you are in the hands of Gryphes and Vultures that doe not easily let goe the prey that they haue once seazed vpon but I commend you to his mercy who is able to doe more than we can any way expect of you 43. And so for the time I leaue both M. Bishop and M. Higgons but with minde speedily to take M. Bishop in hand againe The meane while gentle Reader I haue giuen thee this Aduertisement for some satisfaction concerning his late booke that thou maiest with the more patience expect the full answer thereof And albeit I haue heere made it appeare that he hath prostituted his conscience and set himselfe to sale to say and face and outface any thing to serue the Popes and his owne turne so as that heereby he hath voided himselfe of that credit which hee would detract from me and his booke shall remaine for no other but the record of his owne shame yet I will not so leaue him but will goe forward if God will more thorowly to pull the vizard from his face and to make him appeare in those colours that doe belong vnto him Assist mee with thy praiers vnto God for the doing of the worke of God that it may be to his glory to the conuincing of the aduersarie and to the edification of the church of Christ Amen Some faults escaped to be corrected thus PAg. 126. line 5. roome read no roome p. 129. l. 3. in marg vitiosas r. vitiosus p. 139. l. 4. integrity truth r. integrity and truth p. 143. l. 2. visibly r. visible p. 175. l. 17. publike r. publick p. 190. l. 8. striue r. stirre p. 195. l. vit see in the r. see the. p. 201. l. 12. most ancient r. the ancient p. 214. l. 37. the article r. that particle p. 215. l. 2. certainly in the r. certainly the. p. 262. in marg l. 24. ipè r. sibi p. 368. l. 16. approoued r. reprooued Ibid. l. 26. the Church r. that the Church p. 380. in marg l. 5. obiurat r. obdurat Thus farre I saw the booke before it came foorth what faults shall follow I must pray thee by thine owne iudgment to amend