to bee an euasion of Protestants THe first whereof is the dislike of the Protestants euasion as you call it by the inuisibilitie of their Church Giue mee leaue here to tell you plainly yee seeme to mee not to vnderstand the Protestants doctrine in this point Else yee would haue spared all that The Catholike Church must euer be visible as a Citie set on a hill otherwise how should shee teach her children conuert Pagans dispence Sacraments All this is yeelded with both hands The Congregations of which the Catholike Church doth consist are visible But the promise made to this Church of victory against the gates of hell the titles of the house of God the base and piller of Truth an allusion as I take it to the bases and pillers that held vp the veile or curtaines in the Tabernacle the body of Christ his Doue his vndefiled are not verified of this Church in the whole visible bulke of it but in those that are called according to Gods purpose giuen to Christ and kept by him to bee raised vp to life at the last day This doctrine is Saint Augustines in many placeâ— which it would bee too tedious to set downe at large In his third booke De doctrina Christiana among the rules of Tychonius there is one which hee corrects a little for the tearmes De Domini corpore bipertito which he saith ought not to haue beene called so for in truth that is not the Lords body which shal not be with him for euer but he should haue said of the Lords true body and mixt or true and fained or some such thing Because not onely for euer but euen now hypocrites are not to be said to be with him though they seeme to be in his Church Consider those resemblances taken out of the holy Scripture wherein that godly Father is frequent of chaffe and wheat in the Lords floore of good and bad fishes in the net of spots and light in the Moone Of the Church carnall and spirituall of the wicked multitudes of the Church yet not to be accounted in the Church Of the lilly and the thornes those that are marked which mourne for the sinnes of Gods people and the rest which perish which yet beare his Sacraments Consider the last Chapter of the booke De Vnitate Ecclesiae and that large Treatise which he hath of that matter Epist. 48. The place is long which deserues to bee read for the obiection of the Vniuersality of Arianisme like to that of Papisme in these last ages which Saint Augustine answeres in the fifth booke De Baptismo contra Donatistas cap. 27. That number of the iust who are called according to Gods purpose of whom it is said The Lord knoweth who are his is the inclosed garden the sealed fountaine the well of liuing waters the orchard with Apples c. The like hee hath l. 5. c. 3. 23. he concludes that because such are built vpon the Rocke as heare the Word of God and doe it and the rest vpon the sand now the Church is built vpon the Rocke all therefore that heare the Word of God and doe it not are out of question without the Church In the seuenth booke cap. 51. Quibus omnibus consideratisâ— Read and marke the whole Chapter Out of these and many more like places which I forbeare to mention it appeares that albeit the true Catholike Church is such as cannot bee hid yet considering that it consists of two sorts of people the one which is the greater part who doe not indeed properly belong to it the other the fewer truely and properly so called to whom all the glorious things spoken of the Church doe agree The face therefore of the mixt Church may be ouer-run with scandals as in all times almost The greatest number may sometime bee Idolaters as in the Kingdome of Israel vnder Achab. The principallest in authoritie may bee false teachers as the Priests and Prophets in Ieremies time the sonnes of pestilence may sit in Moses Chaire as they did in Christs time Yet still the Church is the ground and piller of Truth in the Elect Ipsa est praedestinata columna firmamentum veritatis The Sheepe heare not Seducers Iohn 10. 8. to wit finally and in any damnable point Thus was it before Christ thus since thus in the Church of England before yea and since it was reformed Thus in that of Rome it selfe at this day There is a distinction of Thomas of those that be in the Church which rightly â— interpreted agrees fully herewith There are some De Ecclesia numero tantum Some numero merito The former are such as haue onely fidem informem the latter formatam Now though the persons of such as be in the Church be visible yet the Faith and Charitie of men wee see not and to argue from the priuiledges of the Church numero merito to the Church numero tantum is a perpetuall but a palpable paraâ—ogisme of the Romish faction which is grosser yet when they argue to the Church representatiue and grossest of all when one man is made the Church and he as themselues grant may fall out a Deuill incarnate CHAP. IX Of lacke of Vniformitie in matters of Faith in all ages and places ANd in this selfe same Paralogisme you were beguiled with in the next point of Vniformitie and concord in matters of Faith The true Church yee say â—uer holds such Vniformitie It is vtterly false in the Visible and mixt Church both before Christ and since It is false in the Church of Rome it selfe whose new-coyned faith patched to the Creed by Pius the Fourth came in peece-meale out of priuate opinions and corrupt vsages nor euer was in any age vniformely holden or taught as matter of Faith euen in it as it is at this day So by your owne discourse it should be no true Church And taking matters of faith so largely as it seemes you doe in opposition to such things as bee cerâ—mâ—nies or of gouernment it is vntrue also of the Church of the Elect or properly so called For though the Faith in the principles thereof bee euer the same yet many conclusions of Faith haue sometimes lien vnsearched out and like some parts of the world vnknowne till by the industrie of Gods seruants occasioned also by the importunitie and opposition of Heretikes they were discouered Sundrie common errours also there haue beene which in succeeding ages haue beene cleered and reformed as the â—hiliastes That Angels haue bodies That children after they be baptized are to be communicated That Heretikes are to be rebaptized To the Assumption First the Protestants challenge not to themselues any Church as their owne which I must aduertise you of here because formerly also you doe vse this phrase The Church is Christs both the visible and inuisible Next taking matters of Faith for foundations or articles of Faith necessarie to saluation the Church of Christ hath in all ages had
are matters of Faith For both Faith hath to doe with them and they are fetched by discourse from the first Principles holden by Faith whence our whole Religion is called by Saint Iude the Faith once deliuered to the Saints And the least error in them by consequence ouerthrowes the same principles whence they are deduced That makes some to mooue attention in their Readers to say The questions are not about small matters but of the principall Articles of Religion euen about the foundation As Cuâ—aeus whom he cites saith the question is of two Articles of Faith First of that which teacheth that in Christ two natures are vnited Secondly of the Article He ascended into Heauen Why doe not both sides agree to these Yes But one side fetches arguments against vbiquitie from these places and thereupon saith the question is about these Articles perhaps also chargeth the other to denie them Hee cites Pappus writing thus Agitur inter nos de Omnipotentia Dei c. The controuersie betwixt vs is about the Omnipotencie of God The personall vnion of the two natures in Christ. The communication of properties The glorious body of our Sauiour c. Loe againe euery place of argument or defence is made the matter of Controuersie Out of these and such like confessions on either side my namelesse Aduersarie will needes enforce with great pompe and triumph what thinke yee That such sanctified men this is his scoffing language goe not together by the eares for Moon-shine in the water Againe That all those Myrmidonian fights and bloudie encounters bee not de lanâ Caprinâ aut de vmbrâ asini Why who said they were I will set downe here my wordes that you may iudge of the conscience of this man and haue with all the substance of my answere to this obiection And what if some outragious spirits on each side transâ—ported with passion in their oppositions haue vsed most bitter and vnbeseeming speeches to their Aduersaries and sometimes haue shewed each other small humanitie are you so simple as not to discerne betweene the choller of some few opinionate men and the consequence of their opinions Haue you forgotten Saint Hierome and Ruffinus deadly foe-hood which was rung ouer the world or Epiphanius and Chrysostomes or Victors and the Greeke Bishops which proceeded so farre about a trifle that hee excommunicated them which is little lesse I thinke then to condemne to the pit of Hell And yet if I should put it to your iudgement I am perswaded you would grant they held all truth necessarie to saluation For you must remember Pope Boniface had not yet coyned the new Article of the Faith that I mentioned before What shall I speake of Saint Paul and Barnabas which grew to such bitternesse and that about a very little question of conueniency that though they were sent out together by the Holy Ghost they brake off companie These be humane passions which wisedome would we should pittie when they grow to such extremities vpon so small cause rather then from their outrage to gather there is iust cause to encrease Doe we not see that euen naturall brethren doe sometimes defie one another and vse each other with lesse respect then strangers Now from hence would you conclude they bee not brethren and hearten them on and say to the one that sith his halfe brother is not so neere to him as he with whom he is thus at oddes hee must fall out worse with him You should well so deserue the hate of God for a make-hate betweene brethren These were all my wordes set downe in answere to his obiecting our owne contentions and condemning each other to proue that therefore we could not hold continuitie with the ancient Church of England from which we dissented much more I held as you may perceiue that neither amongst our selues nor from our predecessors wee disagree in any truth necessarie to saluation Hee makes me to say our dissentions are about Moone shine and de vmbrâ asini de laâ—â caprinâ and trâ—fles and matters of no consequence To returne to you good Master Waddesworth let men auouch as confidently as they will touching their owne positions Est de Fide Nâ—hil certius apud Catholicos and of their contraries crie out They are Heretikes renew ancient heresies race the foundation denie the Articles of the Creede Gods â—â—â—ipoteney c. all because themselues by discourse can as they thinke fasten such things vpon them A sober Christian must not giue heede to all that is said in this kinde These things must be examined with right iudgement and euer with much charitie and patience remembring that our selues know in part and prophesie in part In a wordâ— this should not haue so much disquieted you Nor yet that which you adde That euery one pretends Scripture Best of all saith Saint Chrysostome For if wee should say we beleeue humane reasons thou mightest with good reason 〈◊〉 troubled but when as we receiue the 〈◊〉 and they bee simple and true it will 〈…〉 thing for 〈◊〉 to iâ—dge c. And to what purpose indeed serues the facultie of â—â—â—son perfected and polished with learning wherefore the supernaturall light of Faith wherefore the gift of God in vs Ministers conâ—erred by the imposition of hands but 〈◊〉 which side handles the Word of God deceitfully which sincerely But here againe Each side arrogates the Holy Ghost in his fauour What then If wee our selues haue the anointing we shall be able as we are bidden to trie the spirits whether they bee of God or no For wee will not bâ—leeue them because they say they haue the Spirit or cannot bee deceiued but because their Doctrine is consonant to the principles of heauenly Truth which by the writings inspired by himselfe the Holy Ghost hath grauen in our hearts Which writings are well acknowledged by you to be the Law and Rule according whereunto in iudgement of Religion we must proceede CHAP. III. Of the want of a humane externall infallible Iudge and Interpreter AS to that you say did about all trouble you the want of a certaine humane externall infallible Iudge to interpret Scripture and define Questions of Faith without error What if you found not an externall humane Iudge if you had an internall diuine one And hauing an infallible Rule by which your humane Iudge should proceede why should you trust another mans applying it rather then your own in a matter concerning your owne saluation But iâ— God haue left vs no such externall Iudge if Antiquitie knew 〈◊〉 if Religion neede none it was no iust motiue to leaue vs that you could finde none amongst all those Sects which 〈…〉 And how much lesse if you haue 〈…〉 amended your selfe where you are which we shall consider by and by I say then first that to make this your motiue of any moment it must be shewed that God hath appointed such a Iudge in his Church Let that appeare out of some
Christ Heretickes and Sectaries accursed them drew them out of â—heir Synagogues scourged them cast them in prison compelled them to blaspheme as you doe now Protestants to adiuâ—e though in other cruelties I confesse you goe farre beyond them By like reason a Pagan in Saint Augustines time should rather haue made himselfe a Christian among the Donatists then with the Catholikes For the Catholikes granted the Donatists Baptisme to bee true accounâ—ed them Brethren The Donatists to the contrary renounced their Brother-hood and Baptisme both rebaptized such as fell to their side vsed these formes to their friends Saue thy Soule become a Christian like to those vsed by your Reconcilers at this â—ay Lastly consider if this ground of the testimony of our contraries for our part and their lack of ours for theirs be sure you haue iustified the cause of the Protestants in the maine question which is the better religion For whatsoeuer a Protestant holds as of Faith you cannot deny to bee good and Catholike nor any Christian man else For hee binds him to his Creed to the holy Scriptures and goes no further and in these he hath your testimony for him But hee denies many things which you beleeue and accounts them forreine yea repugnant to Faith as the Popes infallibilitie Transubstantiation Purgatory worshipping of Images inuocation of Saints In all these you speake onely for your selues in some of these you haue not vs onely but all other Christians your opposites to say nothing of the Iewes and Turkes whom I might as well chocke you withall as you doe the Protestants with Anabaptists So by this reason our profession is more safe and secure and questionlesse is more Catholike then yours Neither haue wee in this discourse the Argument onely as you see very appliable and fauourable to vs but which I would entreate you by the way to obserue the conclusion it selfe often granâ—ed by moderate and sober men of your owne side viz. that our course is in sundry things more safe then yours As in making no Image of God In trusting onely in the merits of Christ. In worshipping none but the Trinitie In directing our prayers to our Lord Iesus Christ alone In allowing Ministers to marry In diâ—ers other points also many of your side say the same with the Protestants and defend vs from the imputations which others of you lay vpon vs as is shewed in the Catholike Apologie by the Reuerend Bishop of Chester This to the proposition Let vs come to the Assumption where you mince too much the Protestants opinion touching the Church of Rome when you make them say It is peraduenture faultie in some things Nay without peraduenture they say It is corrupt in doctrine superstitious and Idolatrous in religion tyrannicall in gouernment defiled in manners from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot no soundnes in it as the Prophet saith of another like it yet the vitall parts not perished readie to die yet not dead A true Church though neither the Catholike Church nor yet a sound member of the same That also is false in the assumption that the Puritans denie the Church of England to bee a true Church Vnlesse the Puritans and Brownists bee with you all one which you haue made diuers Sects aboue and then are you to blame as to multiply names whereof I haue told you before so now againe to confound them What is now the Conclusion It would be more safe and secure to become a Roman Catholike But the Proposition wil not inferre thus much simply but onely in this respect For Topicall arguments as you know hold onely caeteris paribus We must then inquire if there be no other intrinsecall arguments by which it may bee discerned whether cause bee the better whether pretence to the Church and Truth more iust more euident Whether it may bee warranted to returne to Babell because God hath some people there when as he commands those that are there to come out of it How safe it may bee willingly to ioyne with that part of the Church which is more corrupt in Doctrine and Manners when wee may continue with that which is reformed These points were to haue been scanned ere you concluded and executed as you did And such Arguments there want not Christ our Lord hath giuen vs amongst others two infallible Notes to know his Church My Sheepe saith hee heare my voice and againe By this shall all men knowe that yee are my Disciples if yee loue one another What shall wee stand vpon coniecturall Arguments from that which men say We are partiall to our selues malignant to our opposites Let Christ bee heard who bee his who not And for the hearing of his voice O that it might be the issue But I see you decline it Therefore I leaue it also for the present That other is that which now I stand vpon the badge of Christs sheepe Not a likelihood but a certaine token whereby euery man may know them By this saith he shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if yee haue charitie one towards another Thanks be to God This marke of our Sauiour is in vs which you with our Schismatikes and other enemies want As Salomon found the true Mother by her naturall affection that chose rather to yeeld to her Aduersaries plea clayming her childe then endure it should bee cut in peeces so may it soone bee found at this day whether is the right Mother Ours that saith giue her the liuing child and kill him not or yours that if shee may not haue it is content it bee killed rather then want of her will Alas saith ours euen of those that leaue her these be my children I haue borne them to Christ in Baptisme I haue nourished them as I could with mine owne breasts his Testaments I would haue brought them vp to mans estate as their free birth and parentage deserues Whether it bee their lightnesse or discontent or her enticing wordes and gay shewes they leaue me they haue found a better Mother Let them liue yet though in bondage I shall haue patience I permit the care of them to their Father I beseech him to keepe them that they doe none euill if they make their peace with him I am satisfied they haue not hurt me at all Nay but saith yours I sit alone as Queene and Mistris of Christs family hee that hath not me for his Mother cannot haue God for his Father Mine therefore are these either borne or adopted and if they will not bee mine they shall bee none So without expecting Christs sentence shee cuts in peeces with the temporall sword hangs burnes drawes those that shee perceiues inclined to leaue her or haue left her alreadie So shee kils with the spirituall sword those that subiect not to her yea thousands of soules that not onely haue no meanes so to doe but many which neuer so
most Protestants they migâ—t in such a Councell erre and it were possible in their Decrees to be deceiued But if they may erre how should I know and be sure when and wherein they did or did not erre for though on the one side â— posse ad esse non valet semper consequentia yet 〈◊〉 valet and on the other side 〈…〉 potentia quae nunquam ducitur in actuâ— So that 〈◊〉 neither in generall nor in particular in puoâ—â—que 〈◊〉 priuate in head nor members ioynely nor â—euerally you haue no visible externall humane infallible Iudge who cannot erre and to whom I might haue recourse for decision of doubts in matters of faith â— pray let Master Hall tell me where should I haue fixed my foot for God is my witnesse my soule was like Noah Douâ— a long time houering desirous to discouer land but seeing nothing but moueable and troublesome deceiueable water I could find no quiet center for my conscience nor any firme foundation for your faith in Protestant Religion Wherfore hearing a sound of harmonâ—e and consent that the Catholique Church could not erre and that onely in the Catholique Church as in Noahs Arke was infallabilitte and possibilitie of saluation I was so occasioned and I thinke had important reason like Noahs Doue to seeke out and to enter into this Arke of Noah Hereupon I was occasioned to doubt whether the Church of England were the true Church or not For by consent of all the true Church cannot erre but the Church of England head and members King Clergie and People as before is said yea a whole Councell of Protestants by their owne grant may erre ergo no true Church If no true Church no saluation in it therefore come out of it but that I was loath to doe Rather I laboured mightily to defend it both against the Puritanes and against the Catholiques But the best arguments I could vse against tâ—e Puritanes from the Authoritie of the Church and of the ancient Doctors interpreting Scriptures against them when they could not answere them they would reiect them for Popish and fâ—ye to their owne arrogant spirit by which forsooth they must controll others This I found on the one side most absâ—rd and â—o bâ—eede an Anarchy of confusion and yet when I come to answere the Catholique Arguments on â—he other side against Protestants â—rging the like Authority and vniformity of the Church I perceiued the most Protestants did frame euasions in effect like those of the Puritanes inclining to â—heir priuate spirit and other vncertainties Next therefore I applied my selfe to follow their opinion who would make the Church of England and the Church of Rome still to be all one â—n essentiall points and the diffâ—rences to be accidentall confessing the Church of Rome to be a true Church though sicke or corrupted and the Protestants to be deriued from it and reformed and to this end I laboured much to reconcile most of our particular controuersies But in truth I found such contrarâ—eties not onely betweene Catholiques and Protestants but euen among Protestants themselues that I could neuer settle my selfe fully in this opinion of some reconciliation which I know many great Schollers in England did fauour For considering so many opposite great points for which they did excommunicate and put to death each other and making the Pope to be Antichrist proper or improper it could neuer sinke into my braine how these two could be descendent or members â—ound nor vnfound participant each of other Rather I concluded that â—eeing many of the best learned Protestants did grant the Church or Rome 〈…〉 true Church though 〈…〉 And contrarily not onely the Catholiques but also the Puritanes Anabaptists Brownists c. did all denie the Church of England to be a true Church therefore it would be more safe and secure to become a Romane Catholique who haue a true Church by consent of both parties then to remaine a Protestant who doe alone plead their owne cause hauing all the other against them For the testimony of our selues and our contraries also is much more sufficient and more certaine then to iustifie our selues alone Yet I resisted and stood out still and betooke my selfe againe to reade ouer and examine the chiefest controuersies especially those about the Church which is cardo negotij and herein because the Bearer â—taies now a day or two longer I will inlarge my selfe more then I purposed and so I would needes peruse the Originall quotations and Texts of the Councels Fathers and Doctors in the Authors themselues which were alleadged on both parts to see if they were truely cited and according to the meaning of the Authors a labour of much labor and of trauell sometime to finde the Books wherein I found much fraud committed by the Protestants and that the Catholiques had farre greater and better armies of euident witnesses on their sides much more then the Protestants in so much that the Centurists are faine often to censure and reiect the plaine testimonies of those Ancients as if their new censure were sufficient to disaucthorize the others auncient sentences And so I remember Danaeus in Commentarijs super D. Augustin Enchirid ad Laurentium Where Saint Augustin plainely auoucheth Purgatory he reiects Saints Augustines opinion saying hic est naeuus Augustini but I had rather follow Saint Augustins opinion then his ceâ—sure for who are they to controll the Fathers There are indeede some few places in Authors which prima facie seeme to fauour Protestants as many Heretiques alleadge some texts of Scriptures whose sound of words seeme to make for their opinions but being well examined and interpreted according to the analogie of faith and according to many other places of the same Authours where they doe more fully explaine their opinions so they appeare to be wrested and from the purpose In fine I found my selfe euidently conuinced both by many Authorities and by many Arguments which now I doe not remember all nor can here repeate those which I doe remember but onely some few arguments I will relate vnto you which preuailed most with me besides those afore mentioned First therefore I could neuer approue the Protestants euasion by Inuisibility of their Church For though sometime it may be diminished and obscured yet the Catholique Church must euer be visible set on a hill and not as light hid vnder a Bushell for how should it enlighteâ—â—nd teach her children if inuisible or how should Strangers and Pagans and others be conuerted vnto her or where should any finde the Sacraments if inuisible Also the true Church in all places and all ages euer holds one vniformitie and concord in all matters of Faith though not in all matters of ceremony or gouernment But the Protestants Church hath not in all ages nor in all places such vniforme concord no not in one age as is manifest to all the world and as Father Parsons proued against Foxes martirs Wickliffe Husse and the resâ— ergo the
simpliciter largo modo non in rigore verborum esse dicantur and againe cur inepte dicantur Sancti viri aliquo modo passionibus suis delicta nostra posse redimere so I hope and wish you would doe the like for calling vpon them and presenting their merits vnto God and as yee may more safely and sweetely speake vnto our Iesus who is our Aduocate with the Father entered into the Holy of Holies to appeare before God for vs. To his gracious protection I commit you and doe rest Horningshearth this 15. of Iune 1620. Your assured friend and louing Brother W. BEDELL To the worshipfull his much respected friend Master WILLIAM BEDELL at Horningshearth by Saint Edmundsbury in Suffolke these My very good Friend MAster BEDELL my last vnto you was by a Gentleman who went from hence about sixe moneths since but I haue vnderstood hee fell sicke at Paris by the way and so was first hindered there in his iourney and afterward againe at Brussels fell to a relapse which detained him so long that although now very lately I heare he is recouered and gone forward into England yet in so long delayes so often sickenesses I know not whether hee haue lost or forgotten my former Letters wherefore out of this consideration and by the opportunitie of this Bringer and by the true harty affection which I beare you being desirous to signifie vnto you the continuance of my sincere loue I could not pretermit this so good an occasion though hereby I haue nothing else to say nor intreate but if wee haue â—arres yet our dissention may be rather in the matter and cases then betwixt our persons as discreete Lawyers vse to pleade vehemently each for his Clyents iustice and yet remaine betwixt themselues without breach of amitie and abstaining from opprobrious iniurie wherein I haue great confidence that you will proceede both more moderately in all the circumstance and to better purpose in the substance then Master Ioseph Hall vnto whose Letter directed to you and by you sent vnto me I wrote certaine Marginall Notes onely and so returned the same by the aboue named Gentleman whereof also if it returne to your hands I would intreate you to send me a Copie both of his Text and my Glosse for then being in haste I remained with neither Our Lord keepe you and guide vs all to his truth and to heauen Madrid 8. Iune 1620. IAMES WADDESWORTH The Letter of Master D. HALL mentioned in the formerwith Master WADDESWORTHS marginall notes GOod Master Bedell what a sorry crabbe hath Master Waddesworth at last sent vs from Siuill I pittie the impotent malice of the man sure that hot Region and sulphurous Religion are guiltie of this his choler For ought I see hee is not onely turned Papist but Spaniard too Ibi viâ—itur ambitiosa paupertate The great man would not foyle his fingers for that is his word with such an aduersarie as my selfe hee should haue found this conflict his foyling indeede but hee scornes the match and what wonder if he that hath all this while sat on Father Creswels staires scorne the vnworthinesse of him whom an English Vniuersitie scorned not to set in the chaire of Diuinitie But whence is this my contempt I see but two vices to cleare my selfe of Poetry and Railing of the latter you shall acquit mee if you will but reade that my poore Epistle which he sleights thus Let your eyes iudge whether euer any thing could be written more mildely more modestly more louingly Of the former I must acquit my selfe Cuius vnum est sed magnum vitium Poesis what were I the worse if I were still a louer of those studies If he could haue had leisure to tend vpon any thing besides that Fathers Packets he might haue seene most of the renowned and holy Fathers of the Church eminent in that profession for which I am scornd amongst many others Tertullian Lactantius Nazianzen Prudentius Fulgentius Apollinarius Nonnus Hilarius Prosper and now in the vpshot deuout Bernard and why should their honour be my disgrace But the truth is these were the recreations of my minoritie nunâ— oblita mihi And if Poetrie were of the deadly sinnes of their Casuists I could smart for it in my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is this a fit scandall to â—ake vp from so farre What my proficiencie hath beene in serious studies if the Vniuersitie and Church hath pleased to testifie what neede I stand at the mercie of a fugitiue But if any of his Masters should vndertake me in the cause of God he should finde I had studied prose As for these vaine flourishes of mine if he had not taken a veny in them and found it smart he had not strooke again so churlishly Was it my Letter that is accused of Poetry there is neither number nor ryme nor fiction in it Would the great Schoole man haue had me to haue packt vp a Letter of syllogismes which of the Fathers whose high steppes I haue desired to tread in haue giuen that example what were to be expected of a Monitorie Epistle which intended onely the occasion if he had pleased of a future discourse Wee I slanders list not learne to write Letters from beyond the Pyrenees Howsoeuer I am not sorry that his scorne hath cast him vpon an aduersarie more able to conuince him I am allowed onely a looker on therefore I will neither ward nor strike his hands are too full of you my onely wish is that you could beare him sound againe whereof I feare there it little hope There was neuer aduersarie that gaue more aduantage hee might haue serued in thâ—se Coleworts neerer home I professe I doe hartily pittie him and so if it please you let him know from me What Apostacie which is the onely hard word I can be charged with impute to the Roman Church I haue professed to the world in the first Chapter of my Roma Irreconciliabilis if I offend not in too much charitie there is no feare say what you will for me I haue done and will onely pray for him that answers me with contempt farewell and commend mee to Master Sotheby and your other louing and reuerend Societie and know mee euer Your truely louing friend and fellow labourer IOS HALL Waltam Ian 10. 1615. Good Master Bedell this Letter hath lien thus long by me for want of carriage I now heare you are setled at Horningsherth whereby I wish you much ioy I am appointed to attend the Ambassador into France whither I pray you follow me with your praiers May 15. To my Reuerend and worthy friend Master Doctor HALL at Waltham deliuer this SAlutem in Christo. Good Master Doctor this Letter of yours since my receipt of it hath beene a traueller further then you or I which being some moneths since returned into England I returne to you that it may relate what entertainment it hath found
passage of holy Scripture For your conceit or desire that such a Iudge there should be to whom you might in conscience obey and yeeld your selfe because he could not errâ— doth not proue it You would know the Truth onely by the authoritie and sole pronouncing of the Iudges mouth A short and easie way which to most men is plausible because it spares the paines of studie and discourse To such especially as either out of weaknesse dare not trust their owne iudgement or account it shall haue the merit of humilitie to bee led by their Teachers But what now if God will haue you call no man your Father vpon earth If he will send you to his Word and after you haue receiued the Faith by the Churches testimonie out of the easie and plaine places thereof bid you search the Scriptures to finde the Truth in the remnant and pick it out by your owne industrie The rich man being in hell torments in whose wordes I doubt not but our Sauiour doth impersonate and represent the conceits of many men liuing in this world presumes that if one were sent from the dead his Kinsmen would hearken to him but he is remitted to Moses and the Prophets The Iewes as I perceiued by speech with some of them at Venice make it one of their motiues that our Lord Iesus is not the Christ. He should not say they haue come in such a fashion to leaue his owne Nation in doubt and suspence and scandalize so many thousands but so as all men might know him to be what he was Miserable men that will giue lawes to God Of which fault be you a ware also good Master Waddesworth and be content to take not to prescribe the meanes by which you will be brought vnto the knowledge of the Truth to vse what hee hath giuen not to coniecture and diuine what he must giue But God failes not his Church in such meanes as be necessarie Let vs therefore consider the necessitie of this Iudge Where I beseech you consider for I am sure you cannot but know it that all things necessary to saluation are euidently set downe in holy Scripture This both the Sciptures themselues doe teach and the Fathers auouch namely Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome and others I forbeare to set downe their words or further to confirme this Lemma which I proued at large against another aduersarie and shall at all times make good if it be questioned Besides these points there are a great manie other though not of such necessitie yet euidently laid downe also in the same Scriptures by occasion of them Manie by iust discourse may be cleared from these and the former If any thing yet remaine in suspence and vnknowne yea or if you will erred in so it be not wilfully and obstinately yet shall it be euer without perill of damnation to him that receiueth what the holy Ghost hath plainely deliuered What necessitie then of your imaginarie Iudge Yes for Vnitie is a goodly thing not onely in matters necessarie but vniuersally in all Controuersies must not bee endlesse But how comes it to passe then that your Iudge whosoeuer hee be doth not all this while decide the question touching the Conception of the Blessed Virgin that is betweene the Dominicans and Franciscans nor that betweene the Dominicans and Iesuites touching Grace and Free-will and all other the points that are controuerted in the Schooles to spare contention and time a precious commoditie among wise men and giue this honour to Diuinitie alone that in â—t all doubts should be reduced to certainties Or if it seeme no wisedome to bee hastie in deciding such questions wherein wittie and learned men are engaged least in stead of changing their opinions they should fall to challenge not onely the infallibilitie but which were more dangerous the authoritie of their Iudge If it be thought better to leaue scope to opinions opposition it selfe profitably seruing to the boulting out of the truth If vnitie in all things bee as it seemes despaired of by this your Gellius himselfe why are wee not content with vnitie in things necessary to saluation expresly set downe in holy Scripture and anciently thought to suffice reseruing infallibilitie as an honour proper to God speaking there Why should it not be thought to suffice that euery man hauing imbraced that necessarie truth which is the rule of our faith thereby trie the spirits whether they be of God or no. If hee meete with any that hath not that doctrine receiue him not to house nor salute him If consenting to that but otherwise infirme or erring yet charitably beare with him This for euery priuate man As for the publike order peace of the Church God hath giuen Pastors and Teachers that we should not bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine and amongst them appointed Bishops to command that men teach no other or forraine doctrine which was the end of Timothy his leauing at Ephesus 1. Tim. 1. 3. Then the Apostles themselues by their example haue commended to the Church the wholsome vse of Synodes to determine of such controuersies as cannot by the former meanes be composed but still by the holy Scriptures the Law or Rule as you say well by which all these Iudges must proceede Which if they doe not then may they be deceiued themselues and deceiue others as experience hath shewed yet neuer bee able to extinguish the truth To come to Antiquitie There is not any one thing belonging to Christian Religion if wee consider well of more importance then how the puritie of the whole may bee maintayned The Ancients that write of the rest of Christian Doctrine is it not a miracle had they knowne any such infallâ—ble Iudge in whose Oracle the securitie of all with the perpetuall tranquillitie of the Church is contayned they should say nothing of him There was neuer any Age wherein there haue not beene heresies and sects to which of them was it euer obiected that they had no infallible Iudge How soone would they haue fought to amend that defect if it had beene a currant doctrine in those times that the true Church cannot bee without such an Officer The Fathers that dealt with them why did they not lay aside all disputing and appeale them only to this Barre Vnlesse perhaps that were the let which Cardinall Bellarmine tells the Venetians hindered Saint Paul from appealing to Saint Peter lâ—st they should haue made their Aduersaries to laugh at them for their labour Well howsoeuer the Cardinall hath found out a merrie reason for Saint Paules appealing to Caesars iudgement not Peters lest hee should expose himselfe to the laughter of Pagans what shall wee say when the Fathers write professedly to instruct Catholike men of the forepleadings and aduantages to bee vsed against Heretikes euen without descending to triall by Scriptures or of some certaine generall and ordinarie way to discerne the Truth of the Catholike Faith from the
prophane nouelties of heresies Had they knowne of this infallible Iudge should wee not haue heard of him in this so proper a place and as it were in a cause belonging to his owne Court Nay doth not the writing it selfe of such bookes shew that this mattter was wholly vnknowne to Antiquitie For had the Church beene in possession of so easie and sure a Court to discouer and discard heresies they should not haue needed to taske themselues to finde out any other But the truth is infallibilitie is and euer hath beene accounted proper to Christs iudgement And as hath beene said all necessarie Truth to saluation hee hath deliuered vs in his Word That Word himselfe tells vs shall iudge at the last day Yea in all true decisions of Faith that Word euen now iudgeth Christ iudgeth the Apostle sits Iudge Christ speakes in the Apostle Thus Antiquitie Neither are they moued a whit with that obiection That the Scriptures are often the matter of Controuersies For in that case the remedie was easie which Saint Augustine shewes to haue recourse to the plaine places and manifest such as should need no interpreter for such there bee by which the other may bee cleered The same may be said if sometimes it be questioned which bee Scriptures which not I thinke it was neuer heard of in the Church that there was an externall infallible Iudge who could determine that question Arguments may be brought from the consent or dissent with other Scriptures from the attestation of Antiquitie and inherent signes of diuine authoritie or humane infirmitie but if the Auditor or Aduersarie yeeld not to these such parts of necessitie must needes be laid aside If all Scripture be denied which is as it were exceptio in iudicem ante litis contestationem Faith hath no place onely Reason remaines To which I thinke it will scarce seeme reasonable if you should say though all men are liers yet this Iudge is infallible and to him thou oughtest in conscience to obey and yeeld thy vnderstanding in all his detâ—rminations for hee cannot erre No not if all men in the world should say it Vnlesse you first set downe there is a God and stablish the authoritie of the bookes of holy Scripture as his voyce and thence shew if you can the warrant of this priuiledge Where you offiâ—me the Scriptures to be the law and the rule but alone of themselues cannot bee Iudges if you meane without being produced applied and heard yee say truth Yet Nicodemus spake not aâ—isse when hee demanded Doth our law iudge any man vnlesse it heare him first hee meant the same which Saint Paul when hee said of the high Priest thou sittest to iudge me according to the law and so doe we when wee say the same Neither doe wee send you to Angels or God himselfe immediately but speaking by his spirit in the Scriptures and as I haue right now said alledged and by discourse applied to the matters in question As for Princes since it pleased you to make an excursion to them if wee should make them infallible Iudge or giue them authoritie to decree in religion as they list as Gardiner did to King Henry the eight it might well bee condemned for monstrous as it was by Caluin As for the purpose Licere Regi interdicere populo vsum calicis in Coena Quarè Potestas 〈◊〉 summa est penes Regem quoth Gardiner This was to make the King as absolute a Tyrant in the Church as the Pope claimed to bee But that Princes which obey the truth haue commandement from God to command good things and forbid euill not onely in matters pertaining to humane societie but also the religion of God this is no new strange doctrine but Calums and ours and S. Augustines is so many words And this is all the Head-ship of the Church wee giue to Kings Whereof a Queene is as well capable as a King since it is an Act of authoritie not Ecclesiasticall Ministery proceeding from eminencie of power not of knowledge or holinesse Wherein not onely a learned King as ours is but a good old woman as Queene Elizabeth besides her Princely dignitie was may excell as your selues confesse your infallible Iudge himselfe But in power hee saith hee is aboue all which not to examine for the present in this power Princes are aboue all their subiects I trow and Saint Augustine saith plainly to command and forbid euen in the religion of God still according to Gods Word which is the touchstone of good and euill Neither was King Henry the eight the first Prince that exercised this power witnesse Dauid and Salomon and the rest of the Kings of Iudah before Christ And since that Kings were Christians the affaires of the Church haue depended vpon them and the greatest Synodes haue beene by their Decree as Socrates expresly saith Nor did King Henry claime any new thing in this Land but restored to the Crowne the ancient right thereof which sundry his predecessors had exercised as our Historians and Lawyers with one consent affirme The rest of your induction of Archbishops Bishops and whole Clergie in their Conuocation house and a Councell of all Lutherans Caluinists Protestants c. is but a needlesse pompe of words striuing to win by a forme of discourse that which gladly shall bee yeelded at the first demand They might all erre if they were as many as the sand on the sea shoare if they did not rightly apply the rule of holy Scriptures by which as you acknowledge the externall Iudge which you seeke must proceed As to your demand therefore how you should be sure when and wherein they did and did not erre where you should haue fixed your foot to forbeare to skirmish with your confirmation That though à posse ad esse non valet semper consequentia yet aliquando valet frustra dicitur potentia quae nunquam dueitur in actum To the former whereof I might tell you that without question nunquam valet and to the second that I can verie well allow that errandi potentia among Protestants be euer frustra This I say freely that if you come with this resolution to learne nothing by discourse or euidence of Scripture but only by the meere pronouncing of a humane externall Iudges mouth to whom you would yeeld your vnderstanding in all his determinations if as the Iesuites teach their Schollers you will wholly deny your owne iudgement and resolue that if this Iudge shall say that is blacke which appeares to your eyes white you will say it is blacke too you haue posed all the Protestants they cannot tell how to teach you infallibly Withall I must tell you thus much that this preparation of minde in a Scholler as you are in a Minister yea in a Christian that had but learned his Creed much more that had from a childe knowne the holy Scriptures that are able to make vs wise to saluation
For which cause the Apostle saith Be not more wise then it behooueth but be wise to sobrietie One thing more also you shall finde that now adayes this spirituall man and sole infallible interpreter of Scripture seldome interprets Scripture or vses it in his Decretalls and Brâ—â—es Nay the stile of his Court hath no manner of smack or sauour of it A long compasse of a sentence intricate to vnderstand yea euen to remember to the end full of swelling words of vanitie with I know not how many ampliations and alternatiues after the fashion of Lawyers in Ciuill Courts not of sober Diuines much lesse of the Spirit of God in his Word Some man would perhaps thinke this proceeds from an affectation of greatnesse and the desire of retaining authoritie which seemes to bee embased by alledging reason or Scripture and interpreting texts For my part I account it comes as much from necessitie For it is notorious that neither the Popes themselues nor those of the Court the Secretaries and Dataries which pen their Bull and Breues haue any vse or exercise in holy Scripture or soundnesse in the knowledge of Diuinitie or skill in the originall tongues wherein Gods Word is written all which are necessarie to an able Interpreter And therefore it is a wise reseruednesse in them not to intermedle with that wherein they might easily fault especially in a learned age and wherein so many watchfull eyes ate continually vpon them And to this very pouertie and cautelousnesse I do impâ—te it that the present Pope in his Breues about the Oath of Alleageance vseth not aword of Scripture But tells his faction that they cannot without most euident and grieuâ—us iniury of Gods honour take the Oath the tenor whereof hee sets downe word for word and that done addes Quae cum ita sint c. Which things saith hee since they bee so it must needs be cleere vnto you out of the wordes themselues that such an oath cannot bee taken with the safetie of the Catholike faith and of your soules sith it containeth many things which are apparantly contrary to faith and saluation Hee instances in no one thing brings neither Scripture nor reason but a Quae cum ita sint without any premisses Which loose and vngrounded proceeding when as it is occasioned the Arch-Priest here and many other of that side to thinke those letters forged or gotten by surreption hee sends another of the same tenor with this further reason Haec autâ—â— est mera pura integraque volunt as nostra This is now to be more then an Interpreter euen to be a Lord ouer the faith of his followers to make his will a reason What would ye haue him doe to alleadge a better he could not a weake and vnsufficient one he was ashamed hee thought it best to resolue the matter into his sole authoritie Whereby he hath proued himselfe a fallible both Iudge and Interpreter yea a false witnesse against God and the truth commanding by the Apostle Christian men to be subiect and to giue euery man their dues feare to whom feare honour to whom honour and much more if there be any difference allegiance to whom allegiance CHAP. IIII. Of the state of the Church of England and whether it may be reconciled with Rome BVt of your interpreters infallibilitie enough Your next doubt whether the Church of England were of the true Church or no was resolued with a Paralogisme partly by reason of equiâ—ocation and diuers acception of the tearmes the Church and to erre partly by composition and diuision in the connexion of these by those Verbes can or may Let vs examine the seuerall parts of your Syllogisme The Proposition The true Church cannot erre is confirmed by the consent of all Excuse me Sir if I withhold my consent without some declaration and limitation I say first it must bee declared whether you meane the Catholike Church or a atrue part of the Catholike Church For there is not the like reason of these to error Against the Catholike Church hell gates shall not preuaile against particular when Christ doth remoue the Candlesticke out of his place they doe Witnesse the Churches of Africke sometimes most Catholike And thus it seemes you must take this tearme since your doubt was whether the Church of England be of the true Church or no Besides I must desire to know what manner of errours you meane whether euen the least or onely deadly and such as barre from saluation which the Apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heresies of perdition 2 Pet. 2. 1. Take now your owne choise for if you speake of euery errour the proposition is false euen of the Catholike Church much more of any particular Church Yea I adde further not onely of the Catholike Church by denomination from the greatest part or by representation as the Pastors or Prelates thereof met in a Councill which is still the mixt Church but euen that which is Christs true body whereof he is the Sauiour and which shall be with him for euer As for deadly and damnable errors this true and properly called Church both in the whole and euerie part of the mixt Church is yet priuiledged from them finally for it is kept by the power of God to saluation it is not possible the Elect should thus be seduced Truth it is that by such errors particular visible assemblies vniuersally and obstinately defending them become falsely called Churches from which wee are to seperate our selues Example in the Synagogue and in Churches of the Arians Now let vs see your Assumption But the Church of England head and members King Clergie and people yea awhole Councell of Protestants may erre by your owne grant I answer the Church of England that is the Elect in the Church of England which onely are truely called the Church can neuer deadly erre This no Protestant will grant yee The mixt Church of England head members King Clergie and the residue of the people and a whole Councell of Protestants may erre damnably and therefore much more â—all into lesser errors This they grant And if they shall so erre obstinately they shall deseruedly loose the name of a true Church But they denie they doe thus err yea they denie that they erre de facto at all What followes in conclusion Ergo No true Church This shortnesse in suppressing the verbe would make a man thinke you ment to couer the fault of your discourse And indeede you might by that meanes easily beguile another but I cannot be perswaded you would willingly beguile your selfe Sure you were beguiled if you ment it thus Ergo it is no true Church See your Argument in the like A faithfull witnesse cannot lye But Socrates or Aristides may lye by his owne grant Ergo no faithfull witnesse He that stands vpright cannot fall but you Master Waddesworth by your owne grant may fall Ergo stand not vpright Perhaps your meaning was Ergo it may
the twinkling of an eye Excuse mee this is beyond the blinde begger that recouered his sight at Saint Albans that could tell the names of all colours as soone as hee saw them What then Was not Master Wotton reconciled and saw he not a light in forme of a crosse Yes and this your motiue was vsed to him also and perhaps moued him more then all the heape of reasons besides But shall I tell you here what I haue heard from the mouth of one that was himselfe then in Spaine that both could know the truth of this matter and had no reason to tell me a lye sith what hee said came freely from himselfe without feare or hope or almost enquirie The Gentleman being sicke and weake in his braine the Father that Posseuine tels of brought vnder his gowne a picture and vpon a sudden presented it before him this might be the light in forme of a crosse perhaps a very image of Christ crucified which together with the lightnesse of his fancie occasioned that your motiue though it selfe also very light might carrie him as a little weight is able to sway much where the beame it selfe is false If this be true as I take the liuing God to record I faine no thing but doe relate what hath beene told me as on the one side I doubt not but God in his mercie did interpret of the Gentlemans religion according to his right iudgement and perswasion in his health and not according to the erronious apprehension of his fancie in his sicknesse which euen in his best health was euer very strong in his sleep as some that haue conuersed with him haue tolde mee So on the other side they shall beaâ—e their iudgement whosoeuer they were that would with so cruâ—ll a craftinesse take aduantage of his infirmitie and make his storie after a stale to draw on others As for the heape of Arguments to conuince the Protestants faith to bee absurd that must bee by the way the Articles of the Creed Posseuines Catholike Hyperboles are well enough knowne in Venice and hee hath beene there told to his head That if in things past whereof hee might haue beene informed hee proues a most lying Historian it might more easily fall out that hee should proue a most false and ridiculous prophet in things to come And in truth he hath proued so hitherto Wherefore I reckon these garnishments of Master Wottons peruersion to bee like the rest of his newes touching the Conquest of Moscouia by Demetrius that Impostor whom he boasteth in a manner to haue been the Scholler of his Societie Wâ—ere hee tells the world that the army cried out often God and the prayers of our Fathers the Iesuites haue subdued the hearts of our enemies and inclined them vnder our Noble Prince Demetrius That Demetrius turning to the Priests of the company of Iesus was heard to say Loe that which you foretold mee O Fathers in the time of that sorrowfull flight of ours is now come to passe to wit that as the Lord God had afflicted mee much so on the contrary hee would much comfort mee and that therefore I should not doubt of a full victory These wordes Posseuine stamps in his former Relation in Capitall letters But when this bold enterprise was ouerthrowne and this suborned fugitiue slaine and shamefully dragged vp and downe the streets of Mosco then loe the repors were That a light was seene ouer his body in the night time c. Let them that walke in darknesse follow such lights as these be Wee are no children of the night nor of darkenesse Leauing therefore those vnheard of Arguments which Posseuine hath not onely cunningly drawne a veyle ouer that wee may not see them but exempted by priuiledge of a miracle that wee may not try them this which he hath shewed vs let vs bring it a little to the cleere day-light And euen at the first view it is apparent that this Argument is meerely forraine not drawne from any thing à parâ—e rei as what the true Church is what it teacheth or such like but from opinion and testimony What men say of that of Rome and of the Reformed Churches c. Now opinions are no certaine grounds of truth no not in naturall and ciuill matters much lesse in religion So this Argument at the most is but Topicall and probable Let vs see the parts of it And first that ground The testimony of our selues and of our contraries is much more sufficient and certaine then to iustifie our selues alone Surely neither the one nor the other is sufficient or certaine It is true that if other proofe faile and we will follow coniectures hee is in probabilitie an honester man that others beside himselfe say well of then hee that alone testifieth of himselfe And yet according to truth this latter may bee a right honest man and dwel as we say by ill neighbours or where he is not knowne or requires not the testimony of other men Whereas the other being indeed a knaue is either cunning to conceale it or hath suborned other like himselfe to say for him or dwells bâ— honest men that iudge and say the best And in this very kind our Sauiour attributes so little to testimony as he pronounces a woe to them that all men speake well of So in our case it is more probable I grant if there were no other Argument to cleere it but opinion and most voyces that you haue the true Church and are in the way of saluation then wee because we giue you a better testimony then you doe vs. But it is possible we are both deceiued in our opinions each of other wee through too much charitie and you and others through ignorance or malice Herein vndoubtedly we haue the aduantage of you and the rest and doe take that course which is more safe and sure to auoid sinne that if we doe faile of the truth yet we be deceiued with the error of loue which as the Apostle saith hopeth all things and is not puffed vp Wee auoid at the least that gulfe of rash iudgement which mee thinkes if the case bee not too to cleere wee should all feare With what iudgement yee iudge yee shall bee iudged Thou that iudgest another condemnest thy selfe But that you may a little be ter consider the weaknesse of this discourse if the testimony of our selues and our contraries were sufficient and certaine to make truâ—h and euer more safe and secure to follow that side which hath that testimony it had beene better to haue become a Iewish Proselyte in the Apostles times then a Christian â— For the Christâ—ans acknowledged the Iewes to be the people of God heires of the promises and of Christ and stiled them Brethren notwithstanding their zeale to the ceremonies and tradiâ—ions of their Fathers excused their ignorance bare with them laboured to giue them content in all things Whereas they to the contrarie called those that professed
Fathers is not perhaps so vsuall as of other Writers and good reason why they know that many looke narrowly to their â—ingers neither is there any place almost that is of speciall pith that hath not beene obserued and vrged in the handling of the controuersies of this age by some one or other yet where there is any colour of differing Copies or any aduantage to bee taken that way it is not slipped And who knowes not that sometimes the change of a Letter yea of a Point or Accent makes the whole sentence of another meaning As for exampleâ— that of Saint Augustine Qui fecit te sine te non iustificat te sine te Read it interrogatiuely and it is as strong for 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 as if it be read assertiuely for Catharâ—â—â— and the 〈◊〉 And in very deede when I consider the eagernesse of these men to win their purposes and their fearfull boldnesse with the holy Word of God I know not how a man should looke for conscience or respect at their hands in the writings of men For to omit that the Trent-Fathers haue canonized the Vulgar Latin Edition which so many times departeth from the originall inspired by the holy Ghost adding detracting changing often to a diuerse sometimes to a contrarie sense To let passe also how Sixtus V. and Clemens VIII doe tyrannize oueâ— and delude the Faith of their followers about that Edition binding them vnto two diuerse Copies and sometimes flat contradictorie and so as the forme of each must bee inuiolably obserued without the least particle of the Text added changed or detracted The former derogating all Faith and authoritie from whatsoeuer Bibles handâ—written or printed of the Vulgar edition which did not agree with that which hee set forth ad verbum ad literam The latter telling that when the same Pope endeuoured to set it out hee perceiued not a few things to haue crept into the holy Bible through the fault of the Presse and that it needed a second care whereupon he decreed to bring the whole worke againe to the Anuile had he not beene preuented by death so derogating all Faith from the â—ormer Whereas the truth is Sixtâ—â— did not onely endeuour to set out his Bible but prefixed his Bull before it ad perpetuam rei memoriam and sent one of the Copies to the State of Venice as I heard at my being there howsoeuer since it was cunningly recouered againe set it to sale publikely and saith in his Bull that he corrected the faults of the Presse with his owne hand and which most of all conuinceth Pope Clements Preface of falshood the difference of these Editions is not in fault of the prints but in that the one followes the old erroneous reading the latter the reading of other Manuscripts acâ—ording with the Hebrew Chaldee Greeke or the Latin edition of the Catholike Kings Bible obserued by the industrie of the Diuines of Loâ—aine But to forbeare to vrge this contradiction in the very foundation of beliefe which some man peraduenture would presse so farre as to inferre that the Romanists haue no faith for hee that beleeues contradictories beleeues nothing What shall we say of that impietie to corrupt the originall Text according to the vulgar Latin See an example hereof in the first promise of the Gospell Gen. 3. where the Serpent is threatned that the seede of the Woman shall crush his head The vulgar Edition leauing here the Hebrew the Seuentie and Saint Hierome himselfe as appeares by his questions vpon Genesis tranâ—â—ates Ipsa Shee shall bruise thy head So it stands now in the authenticall Scripture of the Church of Rome and herein Sixtus and Clemens are of accord The Diuines of Louaine obserue that two Manuscript Copies haue Ipse That the Hebrâ—w Chaldie and Greeke haue it so likewise Why then did not either Sixtus or Clemens or they themselues hauing Copies for it correct it and make it so in the authenticall Text I will tell you By colour of this corruption the Deuill enuying Christs glorie like an obstinate enemie rather yeelding himselfe to any then his true Conqueror hath giuen this honour to the Virgin Mary To her it is attributed in that worke which I thinke to bee the most vngodly and blasphemous that euer saw the Sunne The Ladies Psalter wherein that which is spoken of God by the Spirit of God is writhed to her In the 51. Psalme Quid gloriaris in malitia ô maligne Serpens c. Why boastest thou in malice ô thou malignant Serpent and infernall Dragon Submit thy head to the Woman by whose valour thou shalt be drowned in the deepe Crush him ô Lady with the foot of thy valour arise and scatter his malice c. And in the 52. speaking to the same Serpent Noli extolli c. Bee not lifted vp for the fall of the Woman for a Woman shall crush thy head c. So in that Anthem Haec est mulier virtutis quae contriâ—it caput Serpentis Yea which I write with griefe and shame to her doth good Bernard apply it Hom. 2. super Missus est and which is more strange expounds it not of her bearing our Sauiour but Ipsa proculdubio c. Shee doubtlesse crushed that poisonfull head which brought to nought all manner of suggestion of that wicked one both of temptation of the flesh and of pride of minde To her doth the learned and deuout Chancelor of Paris apply it Has pestes vniuersas dicimus membra Serpentis antiqui cuiuâ— caput ipsa virgo contriuit And what maruell in those times when the plaine Text of the Scripture ran so in the foeminine gender of a woman and few or none had any skill of the Greeke or Hebrew Who should that SHEE be but shee that is blessed among women Now although that thankes be to God it is knowne that this is a corrupt place out of the Fountains yea out of the Riuers also the testimonies of the Fathers referring this to Christ as Irenaaus Iustine Cyprian Clemens Alexandrinus Hierome yea Pope Leo himselfe yet because no error of the Church of Rome may bee acknowledged how palpable soeuer they haue cast how to shadow this corruption and set some colour vpon it that howsoeuer this reading cannot bee true yet it may bee made like to truth Loe in the Interlinear Bible set forth by the authoritie of King Philip the father of his Majestie that now reignes with you the Hebrew Text is reformed according to the Latine IPSA There was some opportunitie hereunto by reason that the Letters of the Text without pricks would beare both readings For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hu or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hiu And this selfe-same word for the Letters the base of reading is so pointed in this Chapter verse 19. and applied to Eue Shee is the mother of all liuing And so elsewhere as Gen. 28. 1. and 21. Hereunto
vniforme concord with the Protestants at this day in such matters as appeareth by the common rule of Faith the Creede and so hath also the Church vnder the Popes tyrannie As to the Trent-additions they are forraine to the Faith as neither principles nor conclusions thereof neither can your selues shew vniforme consent and concord in them and namely in the 11. of them in any one age especially as matters of saluation as now they are canonized How much lesse can yee shew it in all other conclusions of Faith whereabout there haue beene among you as are now among vs and euer will bee differences of opinions without any prejudice for all that vnto the vnitie of the Faith of the Church and title to the name of it As for Wicliffe Hus and the rest if they haue any of them borne record to the Truth and resisted any innouation of corrupt Teachers in their times euen to bloud they are iustly to be termed Martyrs yea albeit they saw not all corruptions but in some were themselues carried away with the streame of error Else if because they erred in some things they bee no Martyrs or because wee dissent from them in some things we are not of the same Church both you and we must quit all claime to Saint Cyprian Iustine Martyr and many more whom wee count our Ancients and Predecessors and bereaue them also of the honour of Martyrdome which so long they haue enjoyed You see I hope by this time the weaknesse of your Argument CHAP. X. Of the originall of reformation in Luther Caluin Scotland England c. IN your next Motiue taken from the originall of Reformation before I come to answere your Argument shortly coucht in forme I must endeuour to reforme your iudgement in sundrie points of storie wherein partly you are misse-led and abused by Parsons and others of that spirit partly you haue mistaken some particulars and out of a false imagination framed a like discourse First for Luther it was not his ranâ—our against the Dominicans that stirred him vp against the Pope but the shamefull merchandize of Indulgences set to sale in Germanie to the aduantage of Magdalen sister to Pope Leo X. Beleeue herein if not Sleidan yet Gâ—â—cciardine l. 13. And of all that mention those affaires it is acknowledged that at the first and for a good time he shewed all obedience and reuerence to the Pope The new Historie of the Councell of Trent written by an Italian a subiect and part of the Church of Rome as should appeare by the Epistle Dedicatorie of the Reuerend and learned Archbishop of Spalato prefixed to his Maiestie speaketh thus of the matter Questo diede occasione c. This gaue occasion to Martin to passe from Indulgences to the authoritie of the Pope which being by others proclaymed for the highest in the Church by him was made subiect to a Generall Councell lawfully celebrated Whereof hee said that there was neede in that instant and vrgent necessitie And as the heat of disputation continued by how much the more the Popes power was by others exalted so much the more was it by him abased yet so as Martin contayned himselfe within the termes of speaking modestly of the person of Leo and sauing sometimes his iudgement Againe After his departure from the presence of Cardinall Cajetan at Augusta hee saith hee wrote a letter to the Cardinall confessing that hee had beene too vehement and excusing himselfe by the importunitie of the Pardoners and of those that had written against him promising to vse more modestie in time to come to satisfie the Pope and not to speake any more of Indulgences prouided that his aduersaries would doe the like This was Luthers manner at the first till the Bull of Pope Leo came out dated the ninth of Nouember 1518. Wherein he declared the validitie of Indulgences and that hee as Peters Successor and Christs Vicar had power to grant them for the quicke and dead that this is the doctrine of the Church of Rome the Mother and Mistris of all Christians and ought to bee receiued of all that would bee in the Communion of the Church From this time forward Luther began to change his stile And saith he as before hee had for the most part reserued the person and iudgement of the Pope so after this Bull he resolued to refuse it and thereupon put forth an Appeale to the Councell c. You see then how submissiuely Luther at first carried himself But extreme tyrannie ouer-comes often a well prepared patience Touching his causing rebellion also against the Emperour yee are misse-informed his aduice was asked about the association of the Protestants at Smalcald hee said plainly hee could not see how it could bee lawfull further then for their owne defence Ioh. Bodin in his second Booke de Repub cap. 5. hath these wordes We reade also that the Protestant Princes of Almaine before they tooke armes against the Emperour demanded of Martin Luther if it were lawfull He answered freely that it was not lawfull whatsoeuer tyrannie or impietie were pretended He was not beleeued so the end thereof was miserable and drew after it the ruine of great and illustrious houses of Germanie As for the warre in Germanie it began not till after Luthers death neither was it a rebellion of the Protestants the truth is they stood for their liues The Emperour with the helpe of the Popes both mony and armes intended to roote them out and although at the first the Emperour did not auow his raysing armes against them to be for Religion yet the Pope in his Iubilee published vpon this occasion did not let to declare to the world that himselfe and Caesar had concluded a league to reduce the Hâ—retikes by force of armes to the obedience of the Church and therefore all should pray for the good successe of the warre That Luther euer reuiled the Emperour I did neuer till now heare or reade and therefore would desire to know what authors you haue for it Touching other Princes namely King Henrie the eighth I will not defend him who condemned himselfe thereof It is true that he was a man of a bold and high stomacke and specially fitted thereby through the prouidence of God to worke vpon the heauie and dull disposition of the Almaines and in so generall a Lethargie as the world then was in hee carried himself as fell out somtimes very â—oisterously But arrogancie schâ—sme rebellion were as farre from him as the intention itself to plant a Church As to his Vow-breaking lastly if that Vow were foolishly made and sinfully kept it was iustly broken perhaps also charitably if hee would by his owne example reforme such as liued in whoredome and other vncleannes and induce them to vse the remedie that God hath appointed for the auoiding of them to wit honorable marriage All this matter touching Luther vnlesse I be â—eceiued you haue taken from 〈◊〉 Harding that at least touching his
why wee did support them It seemes to some that his Catholike Maiestie doth absolue them in the treatie of the Truce An. 1608. of all imputation of rebellion And if they were Rebels especially for heresie why did the most Christian King support them As for Queene Elizabeth if shee were aliue shee would answer your question with another Why did Spaine concurre in practice and promise aide to that detestable conspiracie that was plotted against her by Pius V. as you may see at large in his life written by Girolamo Catena It is you say an easie matter to pretend priuiledges But it is no hard matter to discerne pretended priuiledges from true and Treason from Reason of State and old corruptions from old Religion But to take armes to change the Lawes by the whole Estate established is treason whatsoeuer the cause or colour be and therefore is was treason in the Rebels of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire in King Henries dayes and in the Earles of the North in Queene Elizabeths though they pretended their old Religion and the same must bee said of all Assasinates attempted against the persons of Princes as Parryes Someruilles Squires against Queene Elizabâ—th and the late powder-plot the eternall shame of Poperie against King Iames. To your Argument therefore in forme admitting that it is no true Church which is founded and begun in malice disobedience passion bloud and rebellion no nor yet a true reformation of a Church for in truth the Protestants pretend not to haue founded any The Assumption is denyed in euery part of it And here I must needes say you haue not done vnwisely to leaue out the Church of England as against which you had no pretence all things hauing been carried orderly and by publike counsell But you haue wronged those which you name and either lightly beleeued or vnjustly surmised your selfe touching Luther Caluin Knox the French and the Hollanders when you make them the raysers of rebellion and shedders of bloud Whose bloud hath beene shed like water in al parts of those countries against all Lawes of God and Man against the Edicts and publike Faith till necessitie enforced them to stand for their liues Yet you presume that all this is euident to the world whereas it is so false and improbable yea in some parts impossible as I wonder how your heart could assure your hand to write it Giue me here leaue to set down by occasion of this your motiue that which I professe next to the euidence of those corruptions which the Court and faction of Rome maintaynes hath long moued my selfe And thus I would enlarge your Proposition That Monarchie as now without lisping it cals it selfe which was founded supported enlarged and is yet maintayned by pride ambition rebellion treason murthering of Princes warres dispensing with perjurie and incestuous marriages spoiles and robberie of Churches and Kingdomes worldly policie force and falshood forgerie lying and hypocrisie is not the Church of Christ and his Kingdome but the tyrannie of Antichrist The Papacie falsely calling it selfe the Church of Rome is such Ergâ— The Assumption shall bee proued in euery part of it and in truth is alreadie by the learned and truly noble Lord of Plessis in his Mysterium iniquit at is But his booke I suppose you cannot view and it would require a iust volume to shew it though but shortly It shall bee therefore if you will the taske of another time And yet because I doe not loue to leaue things wholly at randon consider a few instances in some of these Pope Bâ—niface III. obtayned that proud and ambitious title of Oecumenicall so much detested by Saint Gregorie Pope Constantine and Gregorie the second reuolted Italie from the Greeke Emperours obedience forbidding to pay tribute or obey them Pope Zacharie animated Pipine high Steward of France to depose Chilperick his Lord and dispensed with the oathes of his subiects Pope Stephen II. most treacherously and vniustly perswaded the same Pipine not to restore the Exarchate of Ranenna to the Emperour after he had recouered it from Astulfus King of Lombards but to giue it to him Pope Nicholas II. and Grâ—gorie VII parted the prey with the Normans in Calabria and Apulia creating them Dukes thereof to hold the Emperour of Constantinoples countrie in vassallage of them This latter also was the first as all Historians accord that euer attempted to depose the Emperour against whom hee most impiously stirred vp his owne children which most lamentably brought him to his end Pope Paschal II. would not suffer for the full accomplishment of this Tragedie his sonne to burie him Pope Adrian IV. demanded homage of the Emperor Frederick Alexander III. trode on his neck Celestine III. crowned Henrie VI. with his feet Innocent IV. stirred vp Fredericke the seconds owne seruants to poison him practised with the Sultan of Aegypt to breake with him This is that Innocent of whose extortions Matthew Paris relates so much in our storie whom the learned zealous and holy Bishop of Lincolne on his death-bed proued to be Antichrist and in a vision strooke so with his Crosier-staffe that hee died Boniface VIII challenged both swords pretended to be superiour to the King of France in temporall things also Clement V. would in the vacancie of the Empire that all the Cities and Countries thereof should be vnder his disposition made the Duke of Venice Dandalus couch vnder his Table with a chaine on his neck like a dogge ere he would grant peace to the Venetians This Clement the V. commanded the Angels to carrie their soules to heauen that should take the Crosse to fight for the holy Land What shall I say more I am wearie with writing thus much and yet in all this I doe not insist vpon priuate and personall faults blasphemies perjuries necromancies murthers barbarous cruelties euen vpon one another aliue and dead nor on whoredomes incests sodomies open pillages besides the perpetuall abuse of the censures of the Church I insist not vpon these more then you did vpon King Henries passions I tell you not of him that called the Gospell a fable or another that instituted his Agnus Deis to strangle sinne like Christs bloud Of him that dispensed with one to marrie his owne sister for the vncle to marrie with the neece or a woman to marrie two brothers a man two sisters by dispensation is no rare thing at this day The facultie to vse Sodomie the storie of Pope Ioane are almost incredible and yet they haue Authors of better credit then Bolseck It may bee said that Iohn the two and twentieth called a deuill incarnate that Alexander VI. the poisoner of his Cardinals the adulterer of his sonne in lawes bed incestuous defiler of his owne daughter and riuall in that villanie to his sonne sinned as men which empeacheth not the credit of their office That Pauluâ— V. Vice-deus takes too much vpon him when hee will bee Pope-almightie but the chaire is without error Wherein not to
lesser Orders and Subdeaconship according to the Master of the Sentences were instituted by the Church 3. The Deacons instituted by the Apostles Act. 6. were not Deacons of the Altar but of the Tables Widdowes 4. In Deaconship there seemes to be no certain forme for according to the old Pontificals the laying of hands vpon the Deacon hath no certaine forme of words but that prayer Emitte qâ—aesumus in eos S. Sauctum which according to the new Pontificals is to be said after the imposition of hands For the giuing of the Booke of the Gospels hath indeede a forme of words but that impresseth not the Character for before any Gospell was written the Apostles ordained Deacons by imposition of hands 5. In the Subdeaconship also there is no Pontificall which hath not the matter without forme viz. the deliuery of the emptie Chalice c. These things with more which hee there sets downe he would haue to serue to the instruction of the learned touching the vncertaintie of this whole matter to â—each men to be wise to sobrietie that is euery man to be content with the accustomed Pontificall of the Church wherein he is ordained And if ought be omitted of those things which be added out of the new Pontificals as for example that the Booke of the Epistles was not giuen with those words Take authoritie to reade the Epistles as well for the quicke as the dead there is no neede of supplying this omission by a new ordination for such new additions make no new law Learne then of your owne Caietane that the new additions of deliuery of the Chalice with wine and Paten with Hosts and authoritie to offer sacrifice for the quick and dead make no new Law Learn to be content with the Pontificall of the Church wherein you were ordained Wherein first is verbatim all that which your Pontificals had well taken out of the holy words of our Sauiour Accipe Spiritum Sanctum quorum remisseris peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueris retenta sunt Which me thinkes you should rather account to containe the essentiall forme of Priesthood then the former both because they are Christs owne words and ioyned with that ceremonie of laying on hands which anciently denominated this whole action and do expresse the worthiest and principallest part of your Commission which the Apostle cals the Ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. Then because this office is not onely deputed to consecrate the Lords body but also to preach baptize which in your Pontificall is wholly omitted in a larger and more conuenient forme is added out of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4. 1. and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments In the name of the Father c. As to that you adde that we offer no sacrifice for the quicke and dead and therefore well may be called Ministers as all lay men are but are no Priests I haue met with sundry that pull this roape as strongly the other way and affirme that because by the very forme of your ordination you are appointed Sacrificers for the quicke and dead well may ye be Masse-Priests as ye are called but Ministers of the New Testament after S. Pauls phrase ye are none For that office stands principally in preaching the word whereof in your ordination there is no word said And as little there is in Scripâ—ure of your sacrifice which makes Christ not to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech c. with much more to this purpose Where my defence for your Ministrie hath beene this that the forme Receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. doth sufficiently comprehend the authoritie of preaching the Gospell Vse you the same equitie toward vs and tell those hot spirits among you that stand so much vpon formalities of words that to be a dispenser of the word of God and his holy Sacraments is all the dutie of Priesthood And to you I adde further that if you consider well the words of the Master of the Sentences which I vouched before how that which is consecrated of the Priest is called a Sacrifice and oblation because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice and holy offering made on the altar of the Crosse and ioyne there to that of the Apostle that by that one offering Christ hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified and as he saith in another place through that bloud of his Crosse reconciled vnto God all things whether in earth or in heauen you shall perceiue that we do offer sacrifice for the quick and dead remembring representing mystically offering that sole Sacrifice for the quicke and dead by the which all their fins are meritoriously expiated and desiring that by the same wee and all the Church may obtaine remission of sinnes and all other benefits of Christs passion To the Epilogue therefore of this your last motiue I say in short Sith we haue no neede of Subdeaconship more then the Churches in the Apostles times in truth those whom wee call Clerkes and Sextens performe what is necessarie in this behalfe Sith we haue Canonicall Bishops and lawfull succession Sith we neither want due intention to depute men to Ecclesiasticall functions nor matter or forme in giuing Priesthood deriuing from no man or woman the authoritie of ordination but from Christ the head of he Church yee haue alleadged no sufficient cause why we should not haue true Pastors and consequently a true Church in England CHAP. XII Of the Conclusion Master Waddesworths agonies and protestation c. YEt by these you say and many other arguments you were resolued in your vnderstanding to the contrary It may well be that your vnderstanding out of it owne heedlesse haste as that of our first Parents while it was at the perfectest was induced into errour by resoluing too soone out of seeming arguments and granting too forward assent For surely these which you haue mentioned could not conuince it if it would haue taken the paines to examine them throughly or had the patience to giue vnpartiall hearing to the motiues on the other side Buâ— as if you triumphed in your owne conquest and captiuitie you adde that which passeth yet all that hitherto you haue set downe viz. That the Church of Rome was and is the onely true Church because it alone is Ancient Catholike and Apostolike hauing succession vnitie and visibilitie in all ages and places Is it onely ancient To omit Hierusalem are not that of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians and Alexandria Ephesus Corinth and the rest mentioned in the Scriptures ancient also and of Antioch ancienter then Rome Is it Catholike and Apostolike onely Doe not these and manie more hold the Catholike faith receiued from the Apostles as well as the Church of Rome For that it should be the Vniuersall Church is all one as yee would say the part is the
whole one Citie the world Hath it onely succession where to set aside the inquirie of Doctrine so manie Simoniacks and intruders haue ruled as about fiftie of your Popes together were by your owne mens confession Apostaticall rather then Apostolicall Or Vnitie where there haue beene thirtie Schismes and one of them which endured fiftie yeares long and at last grew into three heads as if they would share among them the triple Crowne And as for diffentions in Doctrine I remit you to Master Doctor Halls peace of Rome wherein hee scores aboue three hundred mentioned in Bellarmine alone aboue threescore in one onely head of Penance out of Nauarrus As to that addition in all ages and places I know not what to make of it nor wherâ—o to refer it Consider I beseech you with your wonted moderation what you say for sure vnlesse you were beguâ—led I had almost said bewitched you could neuer haue resolued to beleeue and professe that which all the world knowes to be as false I had welnigh said as God is true touching the extent of the Romish Church to all ages and places Concerning the agonies you passed I will say onely thus much if being resolued though erroniously that was truth you were withholden from professing it with worldly respects you did well to breake through them all But if besides these there were doubt of the contrarie as me thinks needes must be vnlesse you could satisfie your selfe touching those many and knowne exceptions against the Court of Rome which you could not be ignorant of take heede lest the rest insuing these agonies were not like Sampsons sleeping on Dalâ—lahs knees while the locks of his strength were shauen whereupon the Lord departing from him he was taken by the Philistims had his eyes put out and was made to grinde in the prison But I doe not despaire but your former resolutions shall grow againe And as I doe beleeue your religious asseueration that for very feare of damnation you forsooke vs which makes mee to haue the better hope and opinion of you for that I see you doe so seriously minde that which is the end of our whole life so I desire from my heart the good hope of saluation you haue in your present way may be as happie as your feare I am perswaded was causelesse For my part I call God to record against mine owne soule that both before my going into Italie and since I haue still endeauoured to finde and follow the truth in the points controuerted betweene vs without any earthly respect in the world Neither wanted I faire opportunitie had I seene it on that side easily and with hope of good entertainment to haue adioyned my selfe to the Church of Rome after your example But to vse your words as I shall answere at the dreadfull day of iudgement I neuer saw heard or read any thing which did conuince me nay which did not finally confirme me daily more and more in the perswasion that in these differences it rests on our part Wherein I haue not followed humane coniectures from forraine and outward things as by your leaue mee thinkes you doe in these your motiues whereby I protest to you in the sight of God I am also much comforted and assured in the possession of the truth but the vndoubted voice of God in his word which is more to my conscience then a thousand Topicall Arguments In regard whereof I am no lesse assured that if I should forsake it I should be renounced by our Sauiour before God and his Angels then in the holding it be acknowledged and saued which makes me resolue not onely for no hope if it were of 10000. worlds but by the gracious assistance of God without whom I know I am able to doe nothing for no terrour or torment euer to become a Papist You see what a large distance there is betweene vs in opinion Yet for my part I doe not take vpon me to foreiudge you or anie other that doth not with an euill minde and selfe condemning conscience onely to maintaine a faction differ from that which I am perswaded is the right I account we hold one and the same faith in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and by him in the blessed Trinitie To his iudgement we stand or fall Incomparably more and of more importance are those things wherein wee agree then those wherin we dissent Let vs follow therefore the things of peace and of mutuall edification If any be otherwise minded then he ought God shall reueale that also to him If any be weake or fallen God is able to raiâ—e him vp And of you good M. Waddesworth and the rest of my Masters and Brethren of that side one thing I would againe desire that according to the Aposiles profession of himselfe you would forbeare to be Lords ouer our Faith nor straightway condemne of heresie our ignorance or lacke of perswasion concerning such things as wee cannot perceiue to be founded in holy Scripture Enioy your owne opinions but make them not Articles of our Faith the analogie whereof is broken as well by addition as subtraction And this selfe same equitie we desire to find in positiue Lawes Orders and Ceremonies Wherein as euerie Church hath full right to prescribe that which is decent and to edification and to reforme abuse so those that are members of each are to follow what is enioyned till by the same authoritie it be reuersed And now to close vp this Account of yours whereof you would haue Doctor Hall and me to be as it were examiners and Auditors Whether it be perfect and allowable or no looke you to it I haue here told you mine opinion of it as directly plainely and freely as I can and as you required fully if not tediously I list not to contend with you about it Satisfie your owne conscience and our common Lord and Master and you shall easily satisfie me Once yet by my aduice review it and cast it ouer againe And if in the particulars you finde you haue taken manie nullities for signifying numbers manie smaller signifiers for greater correct the totall If you finde namely that out of desire of Vnitie and dislike of contention you haue apprehended our diuersities to be more then they are conceiued a necessitie of an externall infallible Iudge where there was none attributed the priuiledge of the Church properly called to that which is visible and mixt If you finde the reformed Churches more charitable the proper note of Chists sheepe The Roman faction more fraudulent and that by publike counsell and of politicke purpose in framing not onely all later writers but some ancient yea the holy Scriptures for their aduantage If you finde you haue mistaken the Protestants doctrine touching inuisibilitie your own also touching vniformitie in matters of Faith If you haue beene misinformed and too haâ—â—ie of credit touching the imputations laid to the beginners of reformation For as touching the want of Succession and the