simpliciter praesertim cùm habeamus omnem exactissimā trutinam gnomonem ac regulam diuinarum inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quidnam huic vel illi videatur deque hijs à scripturis haec omnia inquirite c. i. Let vs not seeke the opinions of many men but let vs search the things themselues for how is it not absurd not to beleeue men concerning mony but that we wil count it for matters of greater waight to follow simply the minde and opinion of others especially seeing we haue the most exact ballance square rule the doctrine of Gods lawes Therfore I request and beseech you all to leaue and forsake what seemeth good to this or that man of these matters search ye al these things by the Scriptures The same Chrysostom hath these words Vides in quantum absurditatē incidunt qui diuinae scripturae canonem sequi nolunt sed suis cogitationibus permittunt omnia i. Thou seest into how great absurditie they doe fall which follow not the rule of the diuine Scriptures but permit all things to their owne fancies and deuises And againe Satis sufficere credimus quicquid secundum praedictas regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis sententijs contrarium that is we beleeue that that is sufficient enough whatsoeuer according to the foresaid rules the writings of the Apostles haue taught vs so that we doe not at all iudge that to be Catholike which shall appeare to be contrarie to the foresaid rules Beda hath an excellent saying hereof which is recorded in Gratians decrees Nobis sacris literis vnica est credendi pariter viuendiregula praescripta that is The onely rule both of faith and also of life is prescribed vnto vs in the holy Scriptures This rule we haue and will you say this is no rule If you haue a better rule let vs know it And whereas you would haue the councels doctors and Church the rule of our faith and life bring such like plaine places out of the Scriptures and doctors for the proofe of it and then we will yeeld vnto you As touching the Apostles creede we acknowledge it to be abriefe abridgment of the especiall and principall points of Christian faith and doctrine yet there be some truthes which are not particularly expressed in the same But whereas you say or rather falsely slaunder that the Protestants denie three articles of our creede and the Puritanes fiue I say that you affirme much and proue little But first you might well enough haue forborne this distinction of protestants puritanes for although some haue differed in some outward matters concerning ceremonies externall orders in the Church yet these all greatly agree and consent in all points of the doctrine of faith and Articles of Christian Religion Neither doe I know any that so well deserue this name of Puritanes as you who glorie that you after baptisme be pure from all sinne and for actuall sinnes after committed can make so full satisfaction to God for them that he can request no more of you as hereafter I will shew and therefore it be you that may well be called Puritanes of whom that saying of Salomon may be well verified There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines But let vs come to the examination of your proofe of this your absurd and slaunderous assertion The first you say is the Catholike Church Credo Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam Doe wee denie this Article Why doe wee then not onely print it and rehearse it in our Creede but also expound it in our preachings and Catechising I haue said before that which may seeme sufficient concerning this matter and article yet the better to satisfie the Christian Reader and to stop the mouth of this malicious accuser I say againe that by the holy Catholike Church mentioned in the Creede is meant the companie of all Gods elect and faithfull people whom he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth to be vessels of his mercie and heires of his kingdome of glorie which is the bodie of Christ and he the head the spouse of Christ and he the bridegrome the house of Christ and he the foundation the flocke of Christ and he the shepheard And this Church wee confesse to be Catholike that is to say vniuersall both in respect of time for that it consisteth of al them that are written in the booke of life which haue been from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end therof and also of place for y t it is not now contained in any one countrie but as S. Peter saith In euery nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him and is a true mēber of this Catholike Church That this is the holy Catholike Church which we confesse beleeue whereof the prophane wicked hypocrites and reprobates be no part besides that which I haue said before I will further proue it by the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers Saint Paul saith Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Againe Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame These things belong only to the elect people of God who shall raigne with him in his eternall kingdome of glorie For they only be the bodie of Christ knit together in him sanctified here to be without spot or blemish hereafter The Apostle to the Hebrues saith Whose house we are if we hold fast that confidence and that reioycing of hope vnto the end Where hee sheweth that they belong to the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and stay of truth which vnto the end hold fast their confident faith and hope of Gods glorie wherof they reioyce which belongeth onely to the faithfull and chosen children of God This is that Church whereof he speaketh after But ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the assemblie and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men To whom can these things pertaine but only to the Ierusalem which is aboue
Barnabas betweene Anicetus Bishop of Rome and Polycarpus betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius and manie others who all were godly men agreeing in vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God But you that are so eager in traducing our iarres cannot see your own manifold and vnreconciliable iarres and controuersies among your selues As betweene your Schoolemen namely your Thomists and Scotists differing in sundrie matters of moment as not onely Erasmus hath declared but also Iohn Bishop of Rochester hath affirmed Also betweene your Dominican and Franciscan Friers about the conception of the virgin Mary debated not onely by words but also by blowes which controuersie was neuer yet decided but in the Councell of Basil which the Papists count a schismaticall Councell and in the same was the false doctrine approued to wit that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne You cannot see your iarres betweene your great Maister of Sentences Peter Lumbard who iustled Saint Paul out of the schooles and your Sorbonist Doctors of Paris which found and condemned 26. errours in him nor the iarres betweene Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Minorien and Dominicus de Soto confesson to Charles the fift concerning assurance of Gods grace predestination originall sinne freewll and induration of a sinner as in their bitter bookes one against another about these matters appeareth nor y e iarres betweene the said Catharinus and Cardinall Caietane whom Catharinus chargeth with 200. errors of which he writeth thus Quae vt non solum euidenter falsa meritò culpari possent verum etiam vt Christianae religioni perniciosa c. Which may be worthily reproued not onely as euidently false but also as pernicious to Christian religion I might mention many mo iarres among the Papists and namely betweene the secular Priests and Iesuits as appeareth by their bitter bookes one against another and particularly that of William Watson a secular Priest lately published in print against the Iesuits which this camlling exclamor cannot espy who can see a moate in our eyes but cannot behold great beames in their owne but for shortnes sake I omit them at this present onely the learned may see how that great Rabbi Rob. Bellarmine iarreth with all other his pewfellowes and in very many essentiall points of doctrine dissenteth from them and controuleth them Whereof also Iohannes Pappus hath made a large collection Whereas you say y t we haue no argument to proue that we haue the true Church true religion and true faith but such as al heretikes haue euer vsed I answere that we haue that argument proofe for these things which although Heretikes haue falsely pretended as popish heretikes now doe yet the godly learned Fathers haue sincerely vsed And that is the holy word of God the onely touchstone of truth and piller of the Church for as the Church in one respect is the piller of truth as Saint Paul saith so in another the truth is the piller and prop of the Church as Chrysostom saith For by what meanes els haue the godly and learned Fathers in all ages confuted heresies and proued the Church but by the Scriptures by them out Sauiour Christ foyled the Diuell and put him to flight By them he answered the Pharisies By them he confuted the Sadduces By them he proued himselfe to be the promised Messias and Sauiour of the world By them Saint Paul confirmed the Gospell which he preached By them hee perswaded the Iewes those things which concerned Christ Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets By them Apollos confuted the Iewes with great vehemencie shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ By them the godly and learned Fathers confuted and confounded the Arians and other Heretikes whom you here name as by their bookes and particular sayings it euidently appeareth Athanasius speaking of the godly decrees of the Councell of Nice against the Arians writeth thus Atque harum rerum non aliunde nos quà m ex scriptutis persuasionem habemus that is We be perswaded of these things by no other meanes but by the Scriptures Epiphanius saith In Scripturis sanctis Trinitas nobis annuntiatur ac creditur citra curiositatem c. The Trinitie is in the holy Scriptures preached vnto vs and without curiositie beleeued And that by thē all doctrines are to be confirmed and all errors and heresies to be confuted they plainely and plentifully shew Tertullian saith that if Heretikes bee brought to examine and try their questions onely by the Scriptures they cannot stand Epiphanius saith that we are not to discusse questions by our owne wits and reasons Sedex scripturarum consequentia By the consequence of the Scriptures Saint Basil saith Let vs stand to the arbitrement of the Scripture inspired of God and with whome bee found doctrines agreeable to those diuine words let the truth be iudged to be with them Constantine said vnto the Bishops in the Nicene Councell The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the oracles of the Prophets doe plainely instruct vs of God wherefore laying away all enimitie and discord let vs take the explication or resolution of the questions in controuersie out of those sayings inspired of God So saith Saint Augustine Verum nos sacris literis accommodemus auditum c. that is Let vs harken vnto the holy Scriptures and according to them let vs by the helpe of God dissolue this question And againe Non secundū opinionem c. We must consider of this matter not according to y e commō opinion but according to the holy Scriptures of our religion And of the church he saith thus Sed vtrum ipsi ecclesiam teneant non nisi diuinarum Scripturarum canonicis libris ostendant that is But whether they haue the Church let them shew by no other meanes but by the Canonicall bookes of the diuine Scriptures Chrysostom saith that we cannot know which is the true Church of Christ Nisi tantummodo per Scripturas that is but onely by the Scriptures Therefore by the Scriptures proue your doctrine and shew your Church But you say the Arians and other Heretikes alleadged the Scriptures whereunto I adde that so did the Diuell also but 〈◊〉 in such sort as you and your fellowes do in mangling them and falsly expounding and applying them as I haue in some part before shewed I am cōtent to ioyne this issue with you that they which be proued to depraue detort mangle and falsly expound and apply the scriptures be heretikes and to bee condemued with these old heretikes whom you here name To whom whether you or we bee more like let the vpright Reader indifferently iudge The Arians seeing that they could haue nothing out of the Scriptures fled as Athanasius saith vnto the Fathers and euen so do you The Arians vsed subtill distinctions to elude and shift off the truth and so do you They denied
of Iudas not Iscariot did say what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not vnto the world In this sense I may grant that the world hath not had these gifts of Gods grace these thousand yeares and put another thousand and more vnto them But if we take the world more generally for this great globe and all the inhabitants thereof then proue by the testimonie of all antiquitie that the doctrine which we teach and professe hath not been these 1500. yeares in the world and we will yeeld and you shall winne the victorie But it is vsuall with you and your fellowes to make great and braue bragges to amaze the simple and ignorant and to bring small and poore proofes as you doe here none at all to perswade the wise and learned great braggers are no great doers In deede we confesse that the Church is well compared by Saint Augustine to the Moone For as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the true Church receiue her light from Iesus Christ the sunne of righteousnes And as the Moone is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnes and sometimes is in the waine and sometimes is eclipsed and doth little appeare euen so the Church is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnes and glorie as in the Apostles times and diuers hundreth yeares after it did sometimes it is in the waine and eclipsed as for many hundred yeares last past it hath been in which that Apostasie from the faith is come which Saint Paul by the spirit of God foreshewed and the euent hath proued by Mahometisme in the East and Papisme in the West During which time although the Church hath been driuen into the wildernes and the light of true doctrine which is the soule of the Church hath been eclipsed yet they haue neuer vtterly perished For in all ages God in mercie hath reserued a remnant according to the election of grace by whom the light of his truth hath been preserued and in whom those admirable promises of his mercie haue been performed These haue been not proude Popes treading vpon Emperours neckes deposing them from their Crownes and Kingdomes raysing bloudie battels and pouling and spoyling Christian countries with greeuous and horrible exactions and deuises as might be shewed not carnall Cardinals Princes peeres hauing 200. and 300. benefices apeece as Gerson and Clamangis Parisian Doctors before named doe affirme not popish blinde prelates Abbats Monkes priests c. wallowing in all worldly wealth and for the most part in great filthines of life as hereafter I will shew but such as the Apostle speaketh of that haue been tried by mockings and scourginges yea by bondes prisonment which were stoned hewen asunder tempted slaine with the sworde wandred vp and downe in sheepe-skinnes and in goates skinnes destituted afflicted and tormented whom the world was not worthie of which wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth Such were those good people in the time of the foresaid apostacie the Waldenses and Pauperes de Lugduno dispersed in diuers countries as namely Calabria Sauoye Prouence in Fraunce of whom many both long agoe in sundrie places and diuers times were burned as it is written in the old booke called Fasciculus Temporum and also of late yeares were most cruelly and vnmercifully perse cuted in Merindoll the valley of Angrone Luserne and Saint Martin Such were they that were called Begardi of whom to the number of 114. were burnt at Paris as the foresaid booke Fasciculus Tempo sheweth Such were they that were called Albingenses inhabiting especially about Tholossa in Fraunce of whom by the procurement of that false Frier and superstitious Hypocrite Dominicus an hundreth thousand were destroyed as writeth Bernardus Lutzenburgus and an 180. were together burned as both Antoninus the Arch-bishop of Florence writeth and Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Such were they of whom Albertus Crantius writeth which in Sueuia publikly preached that the Pope Bishops and prelaces were heretikes and Simoniakes that the begging Friers did peruert the Church with their false preachings for the which they were persecuted and some burned Such were they in Bohemia and Morauia in great number with whom Aeneas Syluius who was Pope called Pius the second hauing had conference writeth thus of one of them Finitis sermonibus istis assurrexit vnus de primoribus Thaboritarum animo satis inflato quid tu nobis inquit apostolicam sedem tot verbis amplificas Nos Papam Cardinales anaritiae seruos nouimus impatientes inflatos tumidos ventri ac libidini deditos ministros scelerum diaboli sacerdotes Antichristi praecursores quorum deus venter est pecunia caelum That is when these speeches were ended there did rise vp one of the chiefe of the Thaborites and with an hautie minde said What dost thou amplifie to vs in so many wordes the Apostolicall seate we know that the Pope and the Cardinals be slaues to couetousnes imputient proud arrogant giuen to the bellie and filthie lust the ministers of wickednes the priests of the diuell and the forerunners of Antichrist whose God is their bellie and whose heauen is money Such also was Arnoldus Brixianus persecuted by that proud English Pope Adrian the fourth anno 1155. Iohn Rochetailada burnt at Auinion by Pope Clement the sixt 1345. Michael Cesenas burnt 1322. Iohn Wickliffe who died 1387. and after his death his body was burnt Two Franciscan Friers burnt at Auinion by Pope Innocent the sixt 1354. Two others burnt at London 1357. William Swinderby burnt 1401. William White burnt 1428. Peter Clarke and Peter Paine 1433. persecuted and forced to flee into Bohemia Thomas Rhedonensis burnt at Rome 1430. Mattheus Palmerius burnt at Florence as witnesseth Sabellicus Dulcinus of Nouaria and Margaret his wife burnt about the yeare of our Lord 1304. Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage burnt at Constance 1415. 1416. Hieromus Sauonarola burnt at Florence 1499. These and many such other that might be produced with their faithfull fauourers and followers were the true Church of God in whom his mercifull promises were performed These are they that haue mourned in Zion that haue lamented and cryed for all the abominations that haue been don in Ierusalem or rather in Rome that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained and which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lamb. But these now haue beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauines and are trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord in whom he is glorified they be now vnder the altar and are in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth
the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers to them which I haue before alleaged Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesia est non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco per totum orbem terrarum nec illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in Christū totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caputest Christus that is The bodie of this head is the Church not which is in this place onely but that which is in this place and through the whole world neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ euen the whole companie of Saints pertaining to one citie which citie is the bodie of Christ whereof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius est ipse caput Non solum autem fideles qui modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes ad corpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his bodie whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue been before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes sanctificati homines qui fuet unt qui sunt qui futuri sunt that is All sanctified men which haue been which are and which shall be citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Christo discedit ijsunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei permanent that is The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they be the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Haec nos Deo seruat haec filios regno quos generauit assignat that is The spouse cannot be defiled she is vncorrupt and chast she knoweth one house and keepeth with chast shamefastnes the holines of one chamber she keepeth vs to God she assigneth the children whom she hath borne vnto his kingdome Saint Hierome saith Ipsa ecclesia quae est Sanctorum omnium congregatio pro aeterna sibi in Domino stabilitate columna fundamentum dicitur veritatis The Church which is the congregation of all Saints by reason of her eternall stedfastnes in God is called the pillar and ground of truth Chrysostome saith Ecclesia est tabernaculū à Deo fixum non ab homine ab vno loco in aliū fugit sednon à pietate ad impietatē fugit that is The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight and not man she flieth from one place to another but she neuer flieth from godlines to impietie and wickednes Ambrose Apostolus omnem ecclesiam dicens summatim totum comprebendit quod in coelo est interra that is The Apostle meaning all the Church briefly comprehendeth the whole which is both in heauen and in earth Bernard saith Electi Dei sunt ecclesia Dei The elect of God be the Church of God So saith Clemens Alexandrinus as I haue before alleaged Non nunc locum sed electorum congregationem appello ecclesiam I call not now the place the Church but the congregation of the elect Yea Frier Lyra saith Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistat in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principes summi pontifices alij inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse à fide propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera confessio fides veritatis that is Whereby it appeareth that the Church consisteth not in men in respect of their ecclesiasticall or secular power or dignitie for many Princes and Popes and others of lower degree haue bin found to haue bin Apostates and to haue fallen away from the faith Wherefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whom is true knowledge and the confession of faith and truth This is that holy Catholike Church which we in the Creede confesse and beleeue euen the whole number of them whom God hath elected and chosen to eternall life whom God hath had in all ages and of all nations of which Church euery true and faithfull man and woman must beleeue himselfe to be a true and liuely member whereof he may be assured if he finde and feele that God hath lightened his minde with the knowledge of his truth hath wrought in his heart an vnfained faith to trust in his mercies and to beleeue that his sinnes be forgiuen him for Christs names sake and that God hath sanctified his soule and bodie to hate sinne and to haue a care and conscience to serue him in true holines and righteousnes all the daies of his life This being our confession and beliefe with what conscience and truth can this man say that the Church which the Protestants beleeue hath been interrupted all the ages betwixt the Apostles and Luther and in very deede was neuer seene before Luthers daies or that wee imagine the same to be comprehended within the narrow bounds of England I can say nomore but that a false witnes shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape But now let vs see what this man and his fellowes hold beleeue and call the Catholike Church forsooth the companie of all them that receiue and professe the religion and doctrine of the Church of Rome and submit themselues to be ruled and gouerned by the Bishop and Pope of Rome They that doe not this be Heretikes Schismatikes out of Noahs Arke and out of the Catholike Church And hereupon it followeth that the Christians in Graecia Muscouia Armenia Aethiopia c. where Christianitie hath continued vnto this day and among whom no doubt but some haue been of Gods elect and chosen people yet be they no Catholikes nor of the Catholike Church nor in the state of salnation And why because they neither haue been nor be subiect to the Pope of Rome For so it is with many words solemnely defined and determined by that holy and vertuous Pope Boniface the 8. Subesse Romano pontifici omni humanae creaturae
declaramus dicimus dofinimus pronuntiamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis that is We declare say define and pronounce that it is altogether of necessitie of saluation to be subiect to the Pope of Rome Where the Glosse helpeth out the matter with these words Quie quid saluatur est sub summo pontifice Whatsoeuer is saued is vnder the Pope And on the other side All they that professe the religion of Rome and submit thomselues to the Bishop thereof be Catholikes and the Catholike Church how prophane wicked or vngodly soeuer they be Pope Iohn the 8. the whore Iohn the 12. or as some reckon him the 13. who was an adulterer and of two Cardinals did cut out the tongue of the one the hand of the other and at dice-play would call vpon the diuell and made the pallace of Laterane a stewes of strumpets as Luithprandus Ticinensis writeth Syluester the second a coniurer who gaue himselfe to the Diuell to be made Pope Gregorie the 7. a coniurer and monster Boniface the 7. who robbed Saint Peters Church and put out the eyes of Iohn a Cardinal Boniface the 8. who entred into his popedome like a foxe raigned like a wolfe and died like a dog Alexander the sixt Iulius the second and all they whom Platina calleth monstra portenta monsters and wonders for their wickednesse were not only Catholikes but also heads of this Catholike Church And he that married as I said before his owne sister and Ferdinando a king Naples who maried his Aunt king Philip of Spaine that maried his Neece because they did these things by y e dispēsations and allowing of holy Popes of Rome were Catholikes and good sonnes of the Catholike Church Now whether of these doctrines concerning this article of our faith I beleeue the holy Catholike Church be the sounder truer let the Christian reader vprightly iudge I doubt not but wisdome shall be iustified of her children And whereas you would make men beleeue that the Church whereof we are is contained within the narrow bounds of England and that the Lutherans in Germanie the Hugonotes in France and the Guines in Flanders as you terme them will not ioyne issue with vs in diuers essentiall points of religion you doe to the offending of God deceiuing of your ignorant reader vtter two notorious vntruths For we as I haue said before confesse our selues to be members of that holy Catholike Church which hath beene in all ages and is dispersed ouer the world and we haue communion and fellowship with all them in all nations that feare God and obey his truth especially in the fundamentall doctrines of religion and saluation But how do you truely confesse the Church to be Catholike that is vniuersall comprehending all nations in restraining it to the religion and subiection of the Pope of Rome and so consequently to a small part of Europe vnlesse you will now of late adde the West Indians where the Spaniards haue committed moe horrible murthers then they haue madagood proselytes And what an absurd speech is this that you call the Church of Rome the Catholike Church as if a man should call the Church of Corinth or Ephesus the Catholike Church which if they were holy are but members of the Catholike Church This is therefore that which you vntruly attribute to vs to call England the vniuersall world or Kent the kingdome of England c. But the Church of Rome now committing fornication with stocks and stones is so farre from being the Catholike Church that it is no true member thereof as M. Doctor Raynolds hath learnedly proued And that these whom you contemptuously call Lutherans Hugonotes and Guines do dissent from vs in essentiall points of religion you may easily affirme but shal neuer be able to proue Some indeed in Germanie whom you call Lutherans do dissent from vs in one point concerning the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud howbeit you cannot be ignorant but that manie Churches and countries in Germanie ioyne with vs in that matter And let the reader reade and examine the confessions of faith set out by the Churches in France and in the lowe countries they shall see both how great their agreement in doctrine is with vs and also what a shamelesse slaunder this is which this authour hath according to his accustomed maner auouched but not proued And moreouer I will offer this issue to this man who thinketh so highly of himselfe that whereas he shall proue that there is dissension among vs in one essentiall point of religion and doctrine I will proue that there is in three at the least among them And this much for this article The second article of the communion of Saints you say we many waies denie First by not beleeuing that Christ hath institnted seuen Sacraments wherein the Saints of his Church communicate But why do not you bring some plaine proofe y t our Sauiour Christ instituted these seuen Sacraments seeing you say that the denying of the is the deniall of this article of our faith Saint Paul going about to terrifie the Christians of Corinth from going to idolatrous feasts by the example of Gods fearefull iudgements and plagues poured vpon the Israelites for the like sinnes to preuent an obiection which the Christians of Corinth might haue made that the Israelits were not the Children of God so much as they and had not such Sacraments of Baptisme and of Christs supper as they had and therefore God would not deale so hardly with them as he did with the Israelites to take away I say this obiection he sheweth that they were Gods people as well as the Christians of Corinth were and had the same sacraments in substance that we haue For the fathers were vnder that cloud and al passed through the sea and were all baptized by Moses in that cloud and in that sea and did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drink the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spiritual rocke that followed them the rocke was Christ Where Saint Paul making mention of the Sacraments which are tokens of Gods grace and markes of his people nameth but these two Baptisme and Christs supper Saint Augustine also writing of the Sacraments whereby Christ hath tied his people together maketh mention but of the same two in these words Primum itaque tenere volo quodest huius disputationis caput dominum nostrum Iesum Christum sicut ipse in Euangelio loquitur Leui iugo suo nos subdidisse sarcinae leui vnde sacramentis numero paucissimis obseruatione facillimis significatione praestantissimis societatem noui populi colligauit sicut est baptismus Trinitatis nomine consacratus communicatio corporis sanguinis ipsius si quid aliud is scripturis canonicis commendatur c 1. First therefore I would haue thee hold that which is the head of
the person of Christ and you denie the office of Christ in not acknowledging him to be our onely Prophet and teacher whose onely voyce wee must heare and obey nor the only King and head of his Church nor our onely high Priest with the sweete smelling sacrifice of himselfe once for euer offered to redeeme and reconcile vs to God nor our only mediatour to make intercession for vs. The Arians did cruelly persecute the true Christians and so do Papists when power is in their hand to do it The Arrians when they could not preuaile against that excellent man Athanasius fell to raile vpon him and to slaunder him accusing him of adulterie murther and sorcerie and euen so do you deale now with such as for their godlinesse and learning may well bee compared with Athanasius I meane especially Caluin whom the Authour of that vnlearned libell and beastly booke intituled A quartron of reasons of Catholike religion c. is not ashamed to call a seare backt priest for Sodomie O thou shamelesse man or rather monster art thou not ashamed to slaunder and belie such a man of whom they that knew him did truly write of him ipsa à quo potuit virtutem discere virtus that euen vertue it selfe might as it were haue learned vertue of him How doest thou know that Caluin was such a man I assure my selfe that thou didst neuer see him nor know him yea I nothing doubt but that thou wast scarsly borne whē he died And how doest thou know y t he was subiect to such a filthie sinne where was hee euer accused or conuicted of such a matter In that Citie adulteries be punished by death and would Sodomie haue bin winked at in the Preacher And if it were not knowne there how doest thou know it But I will not insist any longer in cōfuting this shamelesse slaunder For most true it is which Tully saith Nonne vt ignis in aquam coniectus continuò restinguitur refrigeratur sic referuens falsum crimen in purissimam castissimamque vitam collatum statim concidit extinguitur that is As fire being cast into water is straight waies quenched so a feruent false crime and slaunder being cast into a most pure and chast life such as Caluines was forthwith falleth downe and is extinguished And euen so let this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. slanderer and Bolsec the Apostata and all other raile and slaunder what they can yet Caluines memorie with God and all good men will be blessed for euer And this railer herein sheweth himselfe like not onely to the Arians but also to that ancient enemie to Christianitie Porphyrius who as Eusebius saith going about to reprehend and finde fault with the Scriptures and Preachers of the Word not being able to reproue their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wanting reasons he fell a railing and slaundering the Preachers But to returne to my matter let the reader also with indifferencie consider who be like to the Donatists Pelagians Nestorians and Euty chians we or the Papists The Donatists affirmed the Church to haue perished from the rest of the world and to haue remained onely with them in Africa Doe not the Papists in like manner affirme only them to be the Church of God which in a part of Europe be vnder the obedience of the Bishop of Rome vnlesse now they will adde the West Indians of whom as the Spaniards haue murthered many millions so peraduenture a few be either perswaded or coacted to professe Poperie and submit themselues to the Pope of Rome But the Christian Churches in Grecia Aethiopia Armenia Muscouia and other countries they acknowledge not for the Church of God because they doe not subiect themselues vnto the Church of Rome we acknowledge al them to be of the Church of God which in all the world hold the truth in the chiefe and fundamentall points of Christian religion The Pelagians held first that the grace of God whereby wee be deliuered is giuen according to our merits Secondly that the law of God may be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that wee haue free will the Papists herein be so like to them that as they maintaine in effect the same matters so for the defence of them they alleage the same places of Scriptures now as the Pelagians of old time did as appeareth by the writings of S. Augustine and S. Hierome against them Nestorius did as Theodoretus writeth of him trouble and intangle the simple and plaine doctrine of Christian faith with Greekish Sophistications How the Papists haue herein ioyned with him and by their curious Questions and vaine Sophistications haue troubled and peruerted the pure simple and plaine faith of Christ by their Schoolemen it doth euidently appeare Entyches confounded the two natures in Christ and the properties peculiar to them So doe the Papists in making the bodie of Iesus Christ to be at one instant in heauen and earth and infinite places of the earth which is only proper vnto the Deitie This shall suffice to shew that the Papists be liker to these olde heretikes then wee are whose doctrine wee abhorre and be farre further from it then they be Yea I may not onely truly say but can also plainly proue Poperie to be an hotchpotch of old heresies long agoe condemned in the Church of God The which as I did once in publike place shew so I may if it be the will of God hereafter more plainly and plentifully proue Now this worthie writer or rather lewd libeller will proue and that by a syllogisme out of the principles of our religion that S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie This subtile syllogisme is thus framed Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But Saint Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo Saint Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie As the assumption or second proposition of this syllogisme as it now standeth is false so by a small alteration both it and all the rest may be very true that is by putting out the name of S. Paul and putting Papists in place thereof in this sort Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth vs to infidelitie The Papists exhort or at leastwise teach vs to doubt of our saluation Ergo the Papists exhort vs to infidelitie The first proposition of this syllogisme is affirmed by this writer to be plaine The second is the doctrine of the Papists concluded and determined in that Tridentine Cōuenticle where it is said that they which be truly iustified cannot without all doubt account themselues to be iustified And againe that no man can know by certaintie of faith which is not subiect to error and falsehood that he hath obtained the grace of God And againe Siquis dixerit omni homini
was neuer accursed of his Father but he bare in his body and soule the curse that was due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of God and to purchase to vs the blessing of God But these men who otherwayes are so full of curious distinctions doe herein erre because they doe not with Saint Augustine put a difference betweene that which appertained to Christs owne person and that which he suffered in the person and place of vs the which if this writer or rather slaunderer had done he might haue abstained from these his blasphemous collections of his owne and not our assertions As if Christ had despaired of his Saluation or God had hated him c. Whereunto I answere that Christ was farre from such despaire which properly is a sinne in the reprobate and not a punishment of Gods iustice And we hould that our Sauiour Christ suffered in our person and for vs those torments which are righteous punishments of Gods iustice against sinne and not such as properly bee sinnes in the deuils and in wicked and reprobate men as are despaire and hatred of God And therefore we confesse with our mouthes and beleeue with our harts that Christ was neuer hated of his Father but alwayes the deerely beloued Sonne of God in whom he was alwayes well pleased But he hated sinne the which as man had committed so in mans nature Gods iustice was to be satisfied The which for that corrupt and sinfull man was not able to performe the Sonne of God as I said became our surety tooke vpon him our nature and in the same hath suffered vpon the crosse the punishment of Gods anger due to our sinnes and thereby hath satisfied Gods iustice pacified his anger and purchased his loue and mercie to all those that truly beleeue in him And so Christ was tormented with anguish of minde not for his sinnes as you falsely gather but for our sinnes which hee bare in his bodie and soule vpon the crosse and God was not enemie to God but enemie to our sinnes which were imputed to Christ that his satisfaction and righteousnes might be imputed vnto vs. To conclude we beleeue that Christ suffered vpon the crosse those punishments of sinne which proceede from Gods iustice and be no sinnes which in some sense may be called the paines of hell because that as Christ by his Deitie ouercame them and it was impossible for him to be held and ouercome of them so the diuell and the reprobate shall eternally indure them And this is no desperate doctrine but a most comfortable doctrine to assure vs that in Christ Gods iustice is satisfied our sinnes are discharged hell is conquered and wee from it be deliuered So that we may with the Apostle say O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie The Pamphlet The Protestants haue no meane to determine controuersies and abolish heresies 5. Article AS the Protestants neither know what they beleeue nor why they beleeue so haue they no meanes in their Church to settle them in vnitie of beleefe nor to determine controuersies nor to abolish heresies as hath the Catholike Church for our Sauiour Christ by his diuine prouidence did foresee that heresies were to arise in his Church as his Apostle S. Paul doth warne vs the which as plagues were to infect his flocke and therefore he not onely forewarned vs of them but also gaue vs meanes how to preuent and extinguish them He willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted as Etlmicks and Publicanes He ordained Pastors and Doctors lest we should be carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine He promised to the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sort as they which would not heare her would not heare him The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainly that the Church cannot erre that the generall Councels cannot deliuer false doctrine that the Pastors and ancient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruths when heresies spring vp presently with the voyce of the Church plucke them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practized and after this manner hath ouerthrowne al encounters false opinions and errors which the diuell by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue been freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion But the Protestants admitting the sole Scripture as vmpire and Iudge in matters of controuersies allowing no infallible interpreter thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuate spirit singular expositioÌ„ cannot possibly without error winde themselues out of the laborynth of so many controuersies wherewith they are now inâ—â—â—gled and intricated And the irreconciliable iarres betâ—ixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall points of faith giue sufficient testimonie that they will neuer haue an end or can haue an end holding those grounds of opinion which they obstinately defend And finally they haue no argument to prooue that they haue the true Church true religion true faith which all heretakes which euer were will not bring to condemne the Church as well as they For example they alleage Scriptures so did the Arrians they contemne Councels the Arrians did not regard them they challenge to themselues the true interpretation the same did all heretikes to this day And to conclude they call themselues the little flocke of Christ to whom God hath reuealed his truth and illuminated them from aboue all which the Donatists with as good reason and better arguments did arrogate vnto themselues The same I say of Pelagians Nestorians Eutychians with all the rabble of other damned heretikes And to conclude these articles of faith I say that if the principles of the Protestants religion be true S. Paul himselfe exhorteth vs to infidelitie which I proue thus Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie The Maior is plaine for to doubt of matters in faith is manifest infidelitie because whosoeuer doubteth whether God hath reuealed that which indeede he hath reuealed being sufficiently proposed as reuealed vertually doubteth whether God saith truth or lieth The Minor is proued by the testimonie of S. Paul Cum timore tremore salutem vestram operamini With fears and trembling worke your saluation All feare whether it be filiall feare or seruile feare includeth doubt the one of sinne the other of punishment Answere AS it is false that wee neither know what wee beleeue nor why wee beleeue as hath been before sufficiently shewed so is it no lesse false which is here boldly affirmed but faintly proued That we haue no meanes in our Church to settle vs in vnitie of beleefe to determine controuersies and to abolish herefies We haue the word of God which wee acknowledge to be the onely touchstone
of truth concerning religion and saluation We haue learned and godly Bishops and Pastors to teach the truth of Gods word to confute both by preaching and writing errors and heresies And we haue Synodes although not generall yet prouinciall wherein controuersies may be decided and heresies condemned as heretofore the truth hath beene maintained and heresies confuted and confounded in some prouinciall Councels as that called Gangrense and some other Africane Councels as well as they haue beene in some generall I would faine know of you what other and better meanes the Church of God had for the space of three hundred yeeres after Christs in carnation then these to determine controuersies and abolish heresies Generall Councels they had not before Constantines time which therefore your fellow Papist Fighius counteth to haue been an inuention of his but your great Rabbin Rob. Bellarmine therein controlleth him and saith it is false So well these men be setled in vnitie of beleefe And to your great Master of Rome whom you now would make the Oracle of the world there was before that time but small respect and regard had as your owne Pope Pius 2. in these words confesseth Ante Concilium Nicenum sibi quisque viuebat ad Romanam Ecclesiam paruus habebatur respectus i. Before the Councel of Nice euery one liued to himselfe and there was small regard had to the Church of Rome Shew vs therefore what meanes the Churches of God then had for maintenance of vnitie of faith which we want You say that Christ willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted for Ethnicks and Publicanes The which place your said Rob. Bellarmine Reader full wisely alleageth to proue the Pope and his Councel to be the supreme Iudge of controuersies As though our Sauiour Christ there spake of deciding of controuersies in doctrine or of expounding the Scriptures or by the Church meant the Pope and his Councel and that euery man against whom his brother trespasseth must goe to the Pope and his Councel to make his complaint These be vanities and follies which nullo impellente ruunt and neede no confutation You further alleage out of Ioh. 14. 17. that Christ promised vnto the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost where by the Church you meane the Pope and his Councell as your Master Bellarmine hath taught you who writeth vs Sed hîc in genere dicimus iudicem veri sensus Scripturae omnium controuersiarum esse ecclesiam id est Pontificem cum concilio in quo omnes Catholici conueniunt that is Wee generally say that the Church is the iudge of the true sense of the Scripture and of all controuersies that is to say The Pope with the Councel wherein all Catholikes doe assemble or rather dissemble together But our Sauiour Christ made this promise to his disciples saying I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you This promise pertaineth not to all the successors of the Apostles but to all them that truly feare God and beleeue and obey the holy doctrine which Christ deliuered to his Disciples and which they preached the which when you shall soundly proue that your Popes Councels do then we wil grant that this promise of Christ belongeth to them In the meane time wee will follow Chrysostomes good counsell Si videris aliquem Euangelica repetentem profecto spiritum sanctum habet Venidt enins spiritus sanctus vt recordari vos faciat eorum quae docui Si quis igitur corum qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctum dicat aliquid a scipso non ex Euangeliji non crodite meam doctrinam sequimini that is If thou see any man speaking out of the Gospell surely he hath the holy Ghost For the holy Ghost shal come to put you in remembrance of those things which I haue taught you If therefore any of them which are said to haue the holy Ghost doe speake any thing of himselfe and not out of the Gospels beleeue him not but follow my doctrine Whereas you say that you beleeue certainly that the Church cannot erre that the generall Councels cannot deliuer false doctrine c. I answere that you foolishly begge that which is in question For as wee acknowledge Councels assembled of godlie learned and modest men which simply seeke the glorie of God and the profit of his Church are good meanes to suppresse errors and heresies and to abolish abuses and enormities so to affirme that generall Councels cannot erre or deliuer false doctrine is most false absurd as by many both reasons and examples might be prooued But for shortnes sake I will touch but a few examples The councell of foure hundred Priests of Israel erred and Santan was a false spirit in the mouth of them all to the destruction of Achab that cursed king of Israel The councell of the Priests of Iuda erred in cōdemning Iesus Christ to death The Councell of the high Priest and other Priests Rulers Elders and Scribes erred in forbidding Christs disciples to speake or teach in the name of Iesus The councel of Neocaesarea erred in iudging hardly falsly of second marriages which Gods word alloweth Rom. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 39. the words of the Councell be these Presbyterum conuiuio secundarum nuptiarum interesse non debere maxime cum praecipiatur secundis nuptijs poenitentiam tribuere that is A priest ought not to be present at the feast of second mariages especially because he is commanded to appoint penance to second mariages This Councell although it were prouinciall was confirmed by Pope Leo the fourth as appeareth by Gratian and the Papists hold that prouinciall councels confirmed by the Pope cannot erre The Councell of Ariminum wherein were assembled aboue foure hundred Bishops horribly erred in maintaining the blasphemous doctrine of Arius The like did the Councels of Millaine Seleucia and of Tyrus The second Councell of Ephesus erred and maintained the false doctrine of Eutyches These Councels the Papists confesse to haue erred and why because they were not allowed and confirmed by the Bishop of Rome A simple and shamelesse shift as though the Bishop of Rome had in those daies power either to call or confirme Councels any more then the other Patriarks had In that second Councel of Nice most vnlike vnto the first not only the wicked worshipping of Images was allowed and the Scriptures for the confirmation thereof most shamefully abused and detorted as appeareth by the said corrupt councell and Caluin and Mart. Chemnicius haue largely shewed but also in the same was decreed that the Angels haue bodies and that the soule of man is corporall and therefore they may bee