A REPLIE to a Censure written against the two answers to a Iesuites seditious Pamphlet By William Charke 1. Reg. 20. 11. Let not him that gurdeth on his armour boast as he that putteth it off ⧠Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie ANNO. DOM. 1581. To the Christian Reader AS there haue risen vp in the Church from time to time false Prophets teachers which oppose them selues to the holye Prophets of God and true teachers of his worde so among the people where such contrarietie of doctrines hath bene deliuered like contrarietie of hearers hath alwayes followed not onely in iudgement but also in their affection For as some through the mercie of God and the sincere preaching of the Gospel haue yeelded obedience to his worde so many caried away with corrupt teachers haue for want of iudgement embraced errour in place of trueth and carnall worshippings in steade of the pure worship of God which euermore consisteth in spirit and trueth Against this so dangerous infection of false teachers the holy Apostle Saint Iohn hath giuen vs a most wholesome counterpoyson willing vs not to beleeue euery spirit but to trie and examin the spirits whether they be of God But to speake of our times this examination and trial may seeme very hard seeing the teachers on both sides are thought learned and al pretend to teach the trueth For it is not denyed but both sides haue had their education in schooles of learning they haue also laboured in the liberall artes to furnish them selues to greater matters wherupō they al bring very good words some shewe of reason seeme to haue no small force of perswasion Howe then shall the simple people iudge howe shal they discerne whose iudgement and discretion should be framed by their teachers and setled by their sownd and plaine doctrine To this I answere S. Iohn in that place maketh the matter more easy then it appeareth at the first shewe For exhorting vs not to beleeue euery spirit he doeth drawe our consideration to the spirit and doctrine of the teachers and not to these outwarde giftes of an eloquent stile or a sweete sownde of pleasing wordes which may be common to good and euil yea wherein the euil for want of a good cause labour to excell and from which the godly absteine for the sufficiencie of their cause without it are also restrayned lest our faith should stande in the wisedome of men and not in the power of God But Saint Iohn to make this his trial of spirits yet more ful plaine addeth that euery spirit which confesseth Christ Iesus to haue come in the fleshe is of God and euery spirit which confesseth otherwise is of Antichrist Now therefore let vs see bowe the Apostle frameth vs to a spirit of discretion to discerne the spirits of true and false teachers If any man shall teach and consesse that Christ was made man and ordeyned of God the Father a Prophet alone to teach a King alone to rule and a Priest alone to sanctifie vs and to reconcile vs to his Father by the obedience of faith this confession and doctrine is of the holy spirit of God and to be receiued what spirit soeuer shall mightily or cunningly perswade the contrary On the other side if any spirit shall teach that Christ is not our only teacher by his holy Gospel but that we must admit vnwritten beleefe and traditions from we know not whom to be of like authoritie with the written worde secondly if any spirit make not Christ alone our King and head to rule vs by his holy spirit but teache that a mortall and sinfull man must sit in our consciences and for hatred or gaine which is his practise bynde or loose at his pleasure lastly if any spirit impeach the alsufficiencie and entier vertue of Christs sacrifice offered vp once for euer teach that themselues must renforce it from day to day by the continuance of their dayly sacrifice of the Masse offered for the quick dead it appeareth manifestly that such spirits are not of God nor their doctrine to be receiued though it be deliuered with neuer so much perswasion of eloquent speach or offered to vs with neuer so much expectation of worldly honour For to denie the most absolute vertue and effects of Christes offices is in effect to denie the authoritie of his person and to lose the benefite of all his graces because they withdrawe a part To this examination of spirits without regard of persons the godly Reader is to be exhorted For the doctrine that giueth al glorie to God is of God the doctrine that attributeth some glory and ascribeth some merites to man is of men the religion also that is agreeable to flesh and blood making an acceptable sounde and shewe to the outward senses is carnall and vayne finally what religion so euer is not ioyned with the knowledge and exercises of the worde of God that is no true religion but a disguised and blinde maske full of deuilish superstition The aduersaries take a contrary course in making triall of their doctrine for they woulde haue this examination of spirits vtterly suppressed and vnder one title of that falsly named Catholique Church of Rome they would bind all men to receiue for vndoubted true religion what corruptions so euer they teach without any further question Which being graunted them the examination of spirits neede not for if Rome affirme it the matter is sufficient and must not be denied Also these enemies of the trueth leaue the touchstone which tryeth al metalles namely the doctrine and for it they drawe the teachers into examination supposing that if they can discredit or disgrace the men they shall easily vndermine and ouerthrowe their doctrine For triall of this long practise there are so many bookes that I neede not alleadge any but this late Censure written as in defence of popish religion but the authour shifting his hands very cunningly of the direct and plaine maintenance of the questions in controuersie doth but offer at them or giue some false fire his leauell and batterie is against their persons and credit that maynteining the trueth cannot but assaile the doctrines and put in hazarde the authoritie of the popish Church Therefore I am in the name of the trueth to craue it of the good Reader to lay aside respect of men the regard of those giftes that may please him much and deceiue him more and if it be his desire not so much to see the fight as to beholde the issue enioy the victory then let him imbrace that doctrine most that attributeth least to the broken arme or blinde iudgement of man that in the Church al the power and wisedome of our saluation may be ascribed to God alone through Christ Iesus our Lorde Amen W. Ch. A Replie to a Censure written against the two answers to a Iesuites seditious Pamphlet IT
is much to be lamented that in the things of this life there is not a cause so good nor a title so iust but when it is brought into question the quarelling partie will readily finde out some forme of pleading against it in the iudgement of y e ignorant or partial hearer seeme to haue a good cause great reason on his side when in deede he hath neither the one nor the other But it is much more to be lamented that in the thinges of a better life namely in the matters of our saluation there is nothing so plaine in the word of God nothing so agreeable with the vse of the primatiue Church but it hath enemies that crie out against the light as if it were darkenesse and against the trueth as if it were falshoode whereby the ignorant are interteyned in their ignorance and the obstinate hardened in their rebellion Yf the trueth be subiect to such iniuries and reproches they that mayntaine the trueth must partake with it also but alwayes with an affiance therein that it is mightie and will preuaile As many also as loue the trueth yet for want of knowlege do as it were stagger in so great contrariâ—rie of opinions they must not haue their faith in respect of persons or be caried about with euery blast of doctrine in the vncerteintie or hazard of men who are exercised in cunning waies and lye in waite to deceiue For this Religion is not true because such learned men teach it or that false because such wise men doe condemne it but whatsoeuer is truely taught and playnely proued by the holy worde of God if thou â—â—care it with feare and reuerence that wil confirme thy iudgement and establish thy heart in a good conscience of the trueth But in handling these controuersiâ—s because an earnest zeale of the trueth doth prouoiâ—â— the godly to a great hatred of error and a blind loue of superstition carie away others to the slaunder of wholesome doctrine let both sides remember that there is one that sâ—eth and iudgeth in these actions whose final sentence shal stand in that great day of the Lord Iesus against al that withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse This being well considered will ioyne christian loue with godly-zeale on the one side and somewhat stay the other that they breake not out into a defyaunce of the trueth and into the same open faultes wherewith they so much and so vniustly accuse others For many in great want of arguments recômpense the matter with vnchristian taunts and slaunders and not being able to ouerthrow the trueth are yet alwayes armed with varietie and colout of wordes to charge it as a lye and the defenders thereof as forgers of lyes and as maynteiners of daumable absurdities Notwithstanding as the trueth was not tied when Paul was in bandes so good causes are not confuted though the defenders thereof be neuer so scornefully reproched This may appeare as by many other treatises against our brethren heretofore so by the late Censure of Ed. Campion or some other for him that was more ready before hand to deale somewhat with the answers made to his proud and seditious libel For in a round stile this quareler would cary away the maintenance of an euil cause and vnder the title authoritie of a Censurer ratifie his manifold and vniust accusations that so finally he may sit downe to giue open sentence against the truth But for an answere to those accusations and a repeale of his false sentence I mind to follow him as from line to line where iust occasion is offered that vpon examynation it may appeare howe little force there is against the naked truth of Gods causes in the painted wordes of mans wisedome This Censurer taketh in hand the open defence of y e Iesuites seditious Pamphlet and as a man of authoritie and iudgement to censure my answere to it but as he hath nor perfourmed the one so hee hath greatly missed of the other For the argumeÌ„ts alleged to proue Campions seditious enterprise in euery part of his libel to open the like practises in his fellow Iesuites and other Papistes that imploy all their labours against the Church of God and the good estate of this kingdome they remaine all vnanswered the Censurer did not think it safe to giue his sentence in these matters although he knewe well they were the chiefe things that he should haue answered The matters handled by the waye as of the sect and doctrine of Iesuites of Ed. Campions person of disputation of Christian Frankens treatise against the Iesuites they are the matters that the Censurer hath chosen out to abide his bitter taunts and receiue his vniust sentence Thus this iudge that for the skill and authoritie hee taketh vpon him should haue censured the matter it self hath dealt only with certaine accessaries leauing the principal cause in ful force against the Iesuite But for proofe hereof to come now to the Censure Campion oâ— the like spirit in some other petie champion doth at his entraunce giue an aduertisment to abuse his reader that the Iesuites offer required not so much an answere in writing as shorter triall in disputation In which wordes he would seeme to make it a matter out of doubt that he his confederates can soone confute the religion established and by a short way defende their Popish superstition if they might come to the triall But these few wordes do bewray much vanitie For who is Campion or who are the rest of these seedmen that they should presume so much of themselues as to make so short worke in anowing that popish religioÌ„ that hath nothing to vphold it but tyrannie nothing to defend it but lies nothing to restore it but hypocrisie rebellion Where haue these disputers staied so long time Now they are come what can they get by renewing the battaile so often and so lately refused and auoided by their chiefe fathers auncient captaines Surely if your studied prepared bookes be a sure argument what you can doe in a present disputation then I doubt not if it were graunted but you would therein make a short triaâ—â— of your vaine ch 〈…〉 ge and leaue a sure testimonie of your 〈…〉 tichristian religion This your aduertisement is ioyned with a bolde and malicious accusation not so much against Mâ—st Hamner and mee as against the religion and as many as professe y e same For not hauing a watch before your lippes you affirme it as cleare that there can be had nothing from vs but wordes Mast Hamner hath with his words brought more reason and trueth against you then you wilbe wel able to answeare Whether I bring nothing but wordes or no I leaue it to them that 〈◊〉 measure my answere by their own indifferent iudgemeÌ„t not by y e preiudice of your vnlawfull Censure Whereas you would seeme briefly to gather y e effect of my bookâ— in steade thereof you
of Colen I graunt do say in the place which Kemnitius citeth that the holy Scripture is as a nose of waxe The worde as may indifferently bee put in or left out and the sense all one as shall be proued Buclet vs leaue the wordes and followe the matter Seeing it is now cleere that the Iâ—suites say the Scriptures are as a nose of waxe what shall we say Is this the Censurâ—es Censure or the Iesuices doctrine'â— may the worde of God may the word of power the vnchangeable word of God may it I say be compared to pliant changeable melting waxe Is it in the worde so to receiue diuers contrary fenses as the waxe receiueth in trueth and not by misconstering or mistaking of the eyes contrary formes or printes from contrary seales shall Iesuites mainteine this directly or indirectly in a kingdome where the Gospel is preached I appeale herein to the conscience of all that loue the trueth though a naughtie Iesuite for flatterie of the Pope or other Heretike to deceyue people may wrest and peruert the scripture yet Saint Peter teacheth it shall be to his owne destruction and the Scripture notwithstanding shall remaine perfect and vndefiled For the worde doeth not worke it selfe â—asely to receiue and holde euery forme as waxe dâ—â—th but the trueth of the whole Scripture mainteineth the trueth of euery branch it taketâ— away thâ—â—â—ampe anâ— râ—sisteth the print of any fâ—rged 〈…〉 ent interpretation Euery sentence in the word of God is as the arme of a mightie Oke that cannot be broken off but if you bowe it by force the bowing will appeare and the more you force it to come about to your â—ent the inightier it is to recouer itselfe and returne aganie to his owne course and grouth and that with â—â—rill to him that offered such violence I coulde not passe from this place easely because this blasphemous doctrine doeth in the Church of Rome I meaâ—e the Popish Church for 〈…〉 wise I doubt not but God hath his Church in Rome as he had in Englande when all Englande seemed to bee Rome because I say this intollerable abasing and abusing the power and all sufficiencie of the holy Scripture doeth in the Popish Church mainteyne the myâ—â—erie of vngodlynesse it stoppeth vp the fountaine of liuing waters and prepareth â—isternes and diâ—ches in place thereof it chaungeth the milke and water of life mentioned in Esay into the cuppe of fornications described in the Reuelation finally the traditions of man must ouerrule the trueth of God But let vs see what followeth The Censurer graunteth mee and I graunt him agayne that the wordes are spoken in a similitude and I alleadged them in no other sense yet hee woulde inforce it vpon me and vpon his reader to beleeue that I shoulde absurdely make the Iesuites say the Scripture is a nose of waxe without regard of seÌ„blance But he cannot so much as make my wordes a nose of waxe to receiue this his counterfeited stampe false interpretation And for his obiectioÌ„ it is waste saying Although Christ be likened to a Serpent yet he is no Serpent and to a â—â—uetous man yet he is none For who doeth at all affirme that which hee doeth conâ—uâ—e so carefully And touching the first obiection which is like the seconde where is it sayde that Christ is lyke a Serpent True it is the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse is compared to the lifting vp of the sonne of man which will not warrant the woordes of your Censure It is moreouer one thing to â—oÌ„pare that speciall sacrament and signe of the brasen Serpent to Christ and to compare Christ to a serpent generally Thus you haue picked out an example that in shewe seemeâ—h to make for you but is 〈◊〉 deede against you as I may also say of y â— second touching y t coueâ—ous man But howe many exaÌ„pâ—â—s are against you in this matter Christ is likened to a vine and we may say Christ is a vine he is likened to a shepeheard he is a shepheard God is likened to a consuming fier and â—herâ—upon it is written God is a consuming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against your example Christ is likened to the brasen serpenâ— and we may say he is that brasent serpent lifted vp from the earth at his passion to drawe all to him selfe But that you may not haue hâ—te the vaâ—â—age of tâ—e letters nowe I haue giuen you your libertie to say what you can I wil not yeeld that the word as is left out in the Câ—len Censure For Payua as loth as you to grant y â— trueth doeth yet at last report the wordes altogether as I doâ— adding the like out of Pighius your doctors wordâ—s are when the fathers of Colen considered that there were many places in the holy Scriptures whose true sense doth not easely appâ—are but that euery man may at his pleasure drawe them into varâ—able diuâ—â—s senses in a most apt similitude they called it a nose of wax And Pighius The leadeÌ„ rule of the Lesbian building By these two places Payuas Andradius hath brought you into some worthy suspition of charging me for my autor without cause in â—ther places as well as in this But now wherin haue I abused the Iesuites learned or vnlearâ—ed What haue I here sayde that one of your doctors doeth not â—â—owe what haue I done to ouermatch a trueth in defending the vnchangeable trueth of the scriptures against your doctrine teaching that hereâ—iques may command and 〈◊〉 the word of truth as wax is commanded and framed to what forme they list Nowâ— commeth somewhat to make sport if the granitie of the matter did not require feare and reuerence The Censurer supposeth me to haue had but one Bible that of the old translation onely which hath The Lawe of the Lorde is immaculata vndefiled or as hee translateth vnspotted voide of filth and dishouestie Whereupon the matter is debated at large what y t latine worde immaculata doth signifie beyonde sea where the Censurer woulde dissemblingly seeme tâ— be and what it should signifie here in England A solemne preparation to make shew of a â—â—â—torie which the Censurer will haue ouer his owne imagination I shal be conuinced for false translation of that I translated not and for ill handling that I touched not I may as well be censured for the translation of Staphylus or Lindanâ—â—launders as for the translation of the word immaculata The original hath the Lawe of the Lord is perfect and the best translations haue so translated it Your olde translation doth gâ— alone the Lxx. followe the rest Wherefore this place out of Dauid doth shewe that the scripture is perfect and mainteineth her perfection against all corruptions as a right line sheweth it self and bewrayeth that which is crooked Thus you see I translate not your olde translation in this place with fraude or without â—â—aude Somewhat you
knowledge how to distinguish aright But what is this to proue all distinctions good euen those that Iesuites make only to auoyde the power of trueth Simples generally are good seruing for the health of man but what is this to proue those euill simples good which haue lost their vertue and which an euill Apothecarie may serue in place of good for a triall of the Iesuites distinctions you referre me to their disputation but I may haue a sufficient triall of them and of their disputation before hand in this your booke if there were no other proofe to iustifie my report As you would bring your quilits into credit so you labour to bring my arguments and interpretations into discredit as lying and false but in a good conscience and according to the trueth I haue auowed them true and good as will easely appeare to the indiffereÌ„t reader You that before made me much inferiour to Edmund Campion now make mee inferiour to thousandes of the Iesuites scholers Whatsoeuer I am to the meanest of them the Lorde I trust wil inable me to mainteine his trueth euen against Campion your great champion to say nothing of his disciples I confesse your distinctions offend 〈…〉 as being full of 〈…〉 ltie and sometimes so darke and vnlearned that there appeareth neither good cause nor good vse of them yet you take it to heart that I should account them vnlearned and peruish As for the accusatioÌ„ of Iude against the despisers of good 〈◊〉 ses it was corrupcly brought against mee for reiecting your sophisticall deuises against the trueth for proofe whereof I referre me to these your distinctions chosen out of many for your purpose which one excepted are all vnlearned and peeuish seruing to put darkenesse for 〈…〉 ght and â—â—olâ—trie in place of Gods seruice For as they that distinguish not where the word hath distinguished may soone fall into schisme and heresie so also you in distinguishing where the worde admitteth no distinction do offend in like â—orâ— and with no lesse danger There is you lay cleare difference betweene an Idol and an image Surely this is somwhat that you saye for an idol is the image of the superstitious Gentiles and an image is the 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 named Christians There is I graunt a cleare difference in the letters but no difference at all in the word no more then is betweene Omnipotent and Almightie For to passe by Phauorine Hesychius and some places in Plutarch who all make these two wordes of one signification Plato maketh the matter most euident who mouing a question what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be maketh this answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is manifest we will make answere that those things are idoles which are seene in water and in looking glasses and those moreouer that are painted or set out in types or portratures other things of this sort whatsoeuer By these words of Plato the Censurer may learne that any image carued paynted represented by a glasse or seene in water is among the Grecians where the worde is in his owne countrie and proper vse called an Idol Tullie moreouer who could aswell iudge of the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the Latine word image as the Censurer be in his translatioÌ„ maketh them one Lastly to returne to the holy Scriptures God in the second Commandement forbiddeth both the making and worshipping of an Image to represent the true God or any of the false Gods Thus much to she we your vnlearned and most vntrue distinction betweene an Image and an Idol which you and your fellowes repeate so often and vrge so much You doe it to vpholde Idoles vnder a more honest title of Images as you suppose but as they differ not in name so in nature they are all one euen stumbling blockes of offence the worshippers whereof are open idolaters I am taught by the word of GOD that there were materiall and are still spiritual sacrifices in the Church but for sinne I read y â— there is no sacrifice without bloud So that your second distinction of bloudie and vnbloudy sacrifices is plainly against scripture Iustice by faith wee acknowledge but merite by workes is proued to be against the worde So the mediation of Christ is according to faith but your intercession of saintes against the scripture For who is more mercifull then the Lorde that he may saue or who more ready to heare vs that he may be the Lordes remembranceâ— faith that beleeueth the promise and hope that patiently wayteth for the issue of faith we acknowledge and the distinction I haue layde downe in the ninth article Your counterfeit traditions of men and of the Apostles are al without warrant in the causes necessary to saluation But why haue you left out the distinction of the two worshippings Latria to God and Dulia to images Is it left out because wee condenine it and you now allowe no more of it All these distinctions are most daungerous when you will with some distinction or change of a name reteine still the same iniquitie forging such wicked deuises of man to disanull the truth of God Therfore they are but your vntrue assertions and vaine bragges that you distinguishe things into their proper natures that you can proue eche part of your distinction consonant to the word of God that when you haue so distinguished wee haue no more to saie that wee bewray our ignorance and finally that the truth is made manifest to euery mans eyes When any one of these fiue definitiue sentences is proued true I will acknowledge the rest I much maruaile that in such vanting speach you would not set down one true assertion of so many But you care not what you say to reproche the godly making account that your owne side will take it in good part be it neuer so vntrue neuer so reprochfull The fourth argument touching the libertie of your pen I haue answered already but I answere further you may haue it without print and if that will not content you there are printes inough neerer hande beyonde seas where you are if we may beleeue you so often affirming it The daunger persecution you speake of is a fruite of your murmuring spirits complaining without a cause For you go safely away w t many matters as much as you coÌ„playne against vs openly as intercepting all your bookes other Popish stuffe I thinke you doe much more brag among your selues of many escapes But if you had as many prints as you can set a worke what can you of lesser giftes write that the most learned of your side haue not written long agoe as Ecchius Pighius Hosius and which nowe Turrianus Andradius doenot furboish in a vaine hope at last to make an ende of Sifyphus labour What issue all these haue had of coursing discoursing againe the questious betweene you and vs we may consider it with great ioy of heart
people in that Citie Did he note your two Popes two P 〈…〉 s together at 〈◊〉 time yea somtime three somtime foure Popes who 〈◊〉 the Chatre sometime at Rome sometime at 〈◊〉 sometime in other places Did hee euer consider that they which 〈◊〉 the storie of these men can not agree either in the number nor in the succession of these your Popes Any one of all these or of many other matters written by your selues being well coÌ„sidered might haue bene a weightie cause to keepe him from that fall For these bishops many of them succeeded with such wicked conditions and for so wicked purposes that their succession may shewe out matter to proue them rather the race of Antichrist and the spirit of fornications which long agoe beganne to worke the mysterie of iniquitie but hath nowe made vp all the measures thereof so that the prophesie is fulfilled that Antichrist in the succession of his ministers exalteth him selfe against all that is called God or is worshipped and sitteth in the Temple boasting him selfe that he iâ— God This is that succession of Antichrist which is glorious in the eyes of flesh and bloud and therefore made Woodeman depart from Christ whom whosoeuer wil folowe must euery day take vp his Crosse and folow him 3 As for his third reason of miracles in the Popishe Church I leaue it as very false insufficient Notwithstanding some I graunt wil beleeue if a man come from the dead which wil not beleeue Moses and the Prophets The kingdome and Church of Christ was planted in the power of doctrine and miracles and also by the power of the holy Ghost while Christ and his Apostles liued Now it is against faith if any looke for miracles to confirme the Gospell againe which is already so confirmed that an Angel from heauen or any miracle worker perswading otherwise must bee accürsed By miracles it is an easie thing to deceiue and bee deceiued seeing Satan to that purpose changeth himselfe into an Angell of light Such were many of the lying miracles not onely printed from Rome but receiued and registred at Rome and thrust vpon mens consciences to beleeue being matters that might easely drawe them headlonges into all error and idolatrie as was prophesied of this kingdome of Antichrist and hath no we appeared by the lamentable effect Therefore his third reason was to weake to haue drawen him froÌ„ the Church of Christ if he had bene tied to it but with one bande of loue to the trueth and power of doctrine 4 Xilanders fourth reason dath huâ—â—â—e vp and confound many reasons As that he was moued with the authoritie of the vniuersall of the visible and of the Catholique Church where like a good plaine dealer he left out that which he founde not in the Romish Church namely holinesse And what are all the rest without this holinesse Againe of those three notes that moued his falling off two are all one in worde and sense For the worde vniuersal and the word Catholique are as these two wordes Wodeman and Xilander which do not signifie two but one and the same thing That the Church of God must alwaies haue a visible and glorious Maiestie vpon the earth is not yet proued Also that the Church of Rome was neuer Catholique or vniuersall as it pretendeth the Churches of y â— East while they florished the Greeke Churches such as remayne at this day doe make sufficient proofe Againe we receiue the Scriptures from God hee by inspiration hath giuen them and hath alwayes kept them in his arke and the Philistins could not keepe the Arke from vs. The pretended victorie ouer heresies must be proued before it be admitted for a reason I graunt the Romish Church hath had a victorie and a tryumph in outwarde shewe ouer many thousand Saints most cruelly murdered for the trueth But ouer heresies it tryumphed not but in the time of her chastitie before the Lorde had giuen her a bill of diuorce after which time shee embrewed her selfe in the bloud of the Saintes and became the mother of all fornications With his other reasons hee linketh Saint Augustines saying so often misalleadged to proue the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scriptures that he woulde not beleeue the Gospel but onely vpon the Churches authoritie By these wordes his minde was not to determine which had greater authoritie the Church or the Scriptures but to declare against the Maniches in his owne practise what brought him first to esteeme the worde at his conuersion from inâ—â—deâ—tie The authoritie and consent of the Church may in such a case perswade one to receyue the worde which being receyued is of it selfe founde to be greater then that which first perâ—â—â—ded Thus of many reasons heaped vp together in y â— fourth place there is not founde one good The Romish Church was neuer vniuerfall or Catholike but particular and of â—ne â—erritorie though by vsurpatioâ—it enlarged her selfe by litle and little and the visiblenes therof is nothing for the true Church of the elect is inâ—isible Moreouer as I declared it neuer triumphed ouer heretikes it hath not any peculiar custodie of the Scriptures neyther dorth the authoritie of the Gospel depende vpon hir ratification being authenticall of it selfe Therefore al these reasons and put them together coulde not open the least dore for his departure if he had euer beene placed within the Church 5 The fift reason is that the Romish Church is the true Church because many that liued there are nowe Saintes in heauen and namely Dominic and Frauncis as Xilander doeth imagine I say as before there was a time when Ephraim spake there was trembling he exalted him selfe in Israel but he hath sinned in Baal and is dead Neuerthelesse seeing Xilander went so farre for a fift reason let vs examine what he hath brought There is no doubt saith he but Dominiâ— Fraâ—ncis and others are Saintes in heauen therefore it cannot bee that they liued in errour Who hath made it out of doubt to vs that they are in heauen seeing there are writte 〈…〉 many 〈…〉 dent lyes and blasphemies of them in the Legenda and that most detestable Alcaron called the booke of confo 〈…〉 who will beleeue that Dominic raysed the dead which you teach Who can heare or reade those your blasphemies in making Fryer Frauncis an other Iesu in type and figure matching him w t Christ froÌ„ poynt to poynt and his miracles with Christs myracles If the Censurer had not menâ—ioned Frauncis the Fryer among his saints it myght haue beene hoped the Iesuites would refourme that booke or rather condemne it to the pit of hell But to returne to Xilanders argument it is a very bad one prouing the lesser doubt by the greater For it is not so great a doubt what those famous Fryers taught as whether they be in heauen Neuerthelesse if it were out of doubt they are in heauen yet
neither doe we vse or suffer the least corruption of y t Scripture knowing what a curse is pronouÌ„ced against such blasphemous audaâ—ity But you haue added the Apocrypha bookes although they neither agree in some pointes with y â— scripture nor yet one with another as hath bene declared Touching Fathers and Councils it is too foule an accusation to charge vs y â— wee esteeme no more of them theÌ„ of y â— Turkes Alcoran Flaschiâ—s appeareth to be some corrupt hypocrite who measured other men by y â— vanity wickednes of his own heart So farre doe wee honour the councils as they can well aske or doe deserue honour For that I may bee suffered to repeate with the Censurer we receiue from them ioyfully and with reuerence whatsoeuer they deliuer vnto vs with sufficient warrant out of the worde of God acknowledging them not only to haue brought great profit to the church in their time but also to their posteritie This honour we giue not to the deuilish Alcaron what the Apostata did or will do I can not report 5 The fifth reason is a slauÌ„der against y â— truth blasphemously cast out against it and the professers thereof It is that our newe opinions as Flaschius our enemies wil needes call them are olde heresies condeÌ„ned by name in the primitiue Church Whereunto I answere that if Saunders most traiterous booke quoted for proofe in the margent or Lindane with his roule of heresies or the runnagate by any good trial can proue that either we pull olde heresies out of the graue or breed newe that should be buried though it be no good reason why Sebastian should flie to them yet wee will grauÌ„t it a full sufficieÌ„t reasoÌ„ why he should take the wings of the morning flie from vs. But if this runnagate in the malice and error of his heart hath spoken good of euil and euill of good if he haue forsaken darknes for light and light for darknes then he hath escaped a blessing and made haste to finde a curse 6. 7. The next two reasons are of y â— same forge with all the rest they prooue nothing but the malice and blindnes of your conuert The sixt chargeth Luther with contrarietie of doctrine the seuenth with a speache of intollerable inâ—quitie against faith in God But his godly writings doe sufficiently iustifie him against these open slaunder 〈…〉 as was declared before against y â— Censurers like slauÌ„derous reports Out of his large volumes of talke at tables wee know not so much what Luther said or vpon what causes as what those men remeÌ„bred or added which did collect the bookes 8 The last reason of Flaschius was cunningly chosen out to make a fit conclusion of your tauÌ„ting and slaunderous Censure hauing nothing but the venim of the aspe that laie vnder the runnagates tongue It standeth vpon many points shuffeled together as that we are partiall that we exaggerate euery litle fault in our aduersaries and liue our selues most vitiously in fornication and chaunge of wiues according to Luthers doctrine the proofe whereof is alledged in one preacher vpon the runnagates credit with other thinges that this shamelesse man is ashamed to vtter What an heape of reproches is this without any proofe Against this I haue proued that M. Luther taught no libertie offornicatioÌ„ but the contrarie as appeareth at large by many his learned and godly treatises Alsâ— the knowne doctrine and discipline of our Church free vs froÌ„ the slaunder who seeke a sharper punishment for such enormities then your petie penaunce If Flaschius euer met with a mate like him selfe that would haue made a match w t him in chaunging of wiues he was to blame except the most fault was in himselfe that he did not bring it before the Magistrate vpon complaint and proofes it woulde haue appeared that y â— religion suffereth no such wickednesse to goe unpunished This may be a particular slaunder like the rest but if it were true in Flaschius and one of his companions both fitte to haue bene thrust out of the Church before eyther departed what is this to all These are your two false witnesses wel able to discredit euen a true matter comming from their report as they themselues are discredited by the testimonies they haue giuen in agaynst the Gospell being reportes so full of manifest reproch and vntrueth It is verie like they omitted the true reason of their departure Perhappes they went out because they woulde not or coulde not any longer abide within as it fell out with Demas and Alexander Nowe for a recompence of your two runnagates the present example not of a straunger unknowen but of one home borne toucheth the quicke He in your faces rendered good reasons of his conuersion from among them where wickednesse of life and abhomination of doctrine striue which may cal downe the greatest vengeaunce But this needeth not my repetition and I labour not to presse you with examples or corruptions of men it is beside the question we haue in hande My prayer and labour is for the defence of his trueth from the which we receiue life and are to striue for it vnto death The Lord requireth this seruice at our hands he will at his good time blesse it with manifolde blessings the fruit whereof it may be some of vs shal not see but our posteritie shal behold it notwithstanding all the wisedome and power and counsell of man to the contrary For the Lord hath reuealed the man of sin by the preaching of the worde hath shaken his chaire with a mightie arme hee wil not withdraw his hand til he hath vtterly coÌ„sumed Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth abolished him w t the brightnesse of his comming In the meane time his little â—locke may bee somewhat scattered for a time of trial but they shal be gathered together againe increased to shewe the Lords power and mercie they may sâ—w 〈◊〉 teares but they shal reape with gladnesse This is the hardest account the godly can make But it may be that the Lord will himselfe correct vs in mercy and not deliuer vs into the hands of our enemies to be punished by them It may be the mother of Sisera shall looke out at the window and cry out at the casement why is his chariot so long a coÌ„ming why tary the wheeles of his charet So let thine enemies perish O Lorde but let them that loue thee and thy trueth continue as the Sunne when he riseth in his might and as Oliue plants in the house of God that flourish for euer Amen FINIS Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 2. Pet. 2. 1. Iohn 4. 24. 1. Iohn 4. 1. 2. Cor. 2. 5. 1. Iohn 4. 2. Heb. 7. 27. 9. 12. 26. 28. 10. 10. Iames 2. 1. Ephe. 4. 1â— Rom. 1. 18. 2. Tim. 2. 9. D. Watson M. Peoknam The
your common obiection that our faith began with Martin Luther I answere you may asâ—el say the religion of the Iewes and knowledge of the Lawe began in Iosias time and that Hilkia was their progenitour because hee founde the booke of the Lawe in the house of God who notwithstanding found no new thing but onely the authenticall booke of Moses whereupon the king and his people by a diligent reading and regarde thereof were wonne the rather to a notable reformation For our faith is the same that hath bene euermore laid and builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Iesus being the chiefe corner stone which hath also continued from age to age although sometimes with small shewe to the world because of many persecutions and great falling away both in life and doctrine Wherefore it is your euill speach so basely to speake and bitterly to deface the religion of Iesus Christ that hath receiued in the eyes of all the world so great testimonie from God to proue the worke is his owne worke and the Gospell his owne euerlasting trueth the power wherof is stil dedlared from day to daye in many wonderfull issues for the inlargement of his kingdome and most of all by adding to the Gospel dayly such as appertaine to his holy election Concerning the praise you giue to Iesuites as reformers of vice in my answere I haue prooued that your religion must first be reformed and your intolerable dispensations and indulgences taken awaye For so long as these marchandises are to be bought so commonly and for so small a price sinne must needes abounde and the complaint of the Lord will bee most iust against you which was made against the couetous and vncleane priestes in Israel They eate the sinnes of my people and lift vp his minde euery one to their iniquitie The Iesuites abandoning of all worldly pleasures possibilities of preferment in the same so farre forth as none of that societie hath or may take any spirituall or temporall liuings or commodities whatsoeuer is nothing els but a superstitioâ—s worship without commandement as hath bene declared inuented by themselues being moreouer against the order of the prâ—mitiue Church and sauouring not a little of Anabaptistrie in condemning the prâ—pertie or priuate poâ—â—ession of earthly blâ—ssings But howsoeuer you sound a trumpet one before another to shewe the Iesuites contempt of worldly riches and that they receiue not the preferrements wherwith mightie Princes haue pressed them yet I thinke your meaning is not â—ut y â— if the Pope intreat them they wilbe sone intreated The humilitie of their spirit was noted in y â— answere They can be content in hâ—pocrisie to abase themselues as to the duâ— but it is that afterward they may rule oâ—â—r all estates in the lande as he did whose 〈◊〉 was to the Pope I my king So also I proued that the Iesuites come to meet meddle with matters of estate offered them 〈◊〉 wrong therin as shal appeare in a â—â—tter place wheÌ„ you assay to proue the contraâ—y The Censurer in the next place commeth to a discourse of three leaues touching Ignatius Layolas Martin Luther but altogether from the purpose for proofe whereof let his two arguments be examined the one for Layolas and the Iesuites the other against Martin Luther and the professors of the trueth For the Iesuites he bringeth this reason Whosoeuer leauing his former calling shall betake him selfe to a votaries lyfe and therein winne soules may be fâ—ther of a Societie Layolas did so therefore Layolas may be father of a Societie The first propositioÌ„ is omitted by the Censurer but without it â—e can proue nothing for the Iesuites For if any man leauing the fielde or the like calling maye not begin a newe order as Layolas did howe can Layolas his broode â—ustifie their Societie The second proposition y â— Layolas leauing his former calling proued so good a man and wonne soules is more then doubtfull Thus it appeareth that vpoÌ„ two former propositions the one false the other doubtfull the Censurer can make no true or cleare conclusion that the Iesuites haue a good warrant for their newe Apostleship Against y â— professors of the Gospell there is another argument made but with aâ— ill arte and successe For thus the Censurer doth reason If Luther were a wicked man taught many beastly doctrines the Protestantes may be ashamed of their progenitor but Luther was such a one therefore the protestantes may bee ashamed of their father and religion The first proposition is altogether false for Luther is not our progenitour nor the father of our faith If he had offended yet the trueth and professors thereof are not guiltie or thereby iustly touched in credit The seconde proposition is also false for howsoeuer false witnesses come in one vpon another to sweare against him Martin Luthers worthy praise shall continue in all ages the Lord hath shewed him a token of good they that hate him shal see it and bee ashamed Wherefore these two propositions being false must needes bring forth a false and sâ—auÌ„derous conclusion Thus the Censurer appeareth much more carefull smothely to deliuer foule reproches then to bring a good reason for maintenance of his cause His arguments being thus layde open it remaineth to consider the particular speaches whereby he setteth such colours vpon his slaunders deliuered against that holy and learned man Martin Luther and vpon his praises for Ignatius Layolas And first for the life of Ignatius Layolas I passe it ouer as a thing from the matter and hauing in it nothing to bee answered when it commeth into the Legenda it may haue some credit in your Church but as it is nowe reported I see no honour that coÌ„meth to you by the tale nor harme to vs. But to you this harme maye growe that hereafter by so slender an example other Fryers may bee brought in as much to raygne ouer you as you woulde raygne ouer all the Monkes and Fryers that haue bene before you 〈◊〉 maruel howe in this storie of Layolas you left out y t which if it had bene true would haue made more for you then al his life beside It is his wonderfull vision when in a traunce he did behold Iesus receiuing him and his fellowes into protection You knowe that without a myracle your newe creatures of the Pope haue neyther lyfe nor soule For Martin Luther what may truely bee sayde fâ—r his iust honour that shall appeare afterward nowe I am to answeare vnto your reproches against him And first howesoeuer you thinke your credit discharged by alledging them Hosius Cochleus Lindanus Xaintes haue no voyce where trueth or reason are admitted for witnesses For in this action they are specially sworne and forsworne agaynst Martin Luther the ruine of their estate beyng all agreed to lende and borowe lies and in one tale to conspire the death and detestation of his name
Although the sentence were true yet woulde you not censure him that should giue sentence against your vnholie father according to Martin Luthers testimonie Why then doe you thinke that we will any more admitte Lindan and his fellowes against Martin Luther then you will admit him against the Pope Therefore in alledging Lindan Cochleus Hosius and Xaintes with some others you commit many faultes without any gayne to your cause First you abase your selfe more then needeth in not thinking your owne credit as sufficient with vs to proue any thing against vs as their credit is For although these witnesses are dashed in to make a shewe in the margent and to deceyue the ignorant readers that knowe neyther their names nor their weake authoritie yet the Censurer if his name were well knowen hath against vs as much credit in his owne cause as Lindan hath or Hosius albeit hee was your great president in the Councill of Trent Secondly in citing your owne partiall men more carryed I thinke with malice against Luther and these causes then your self their sentence can haue no more authoritie then when a man doth stande out to beare witnesse in his owne cause or when one thiefe giueth in euidence to acquite an other Wee goe not about to ouerbeare you in the like causes with the bare authoritie or reportes of Martin Luther of Iohn Caluin of Peter Martyr or other like men for these are all parties and the law alloweth no such for sufficient witnesses in their owne causes Therefore howe vnequall is your measure how insufficient is your trial in bringing such testimonies against vs as your selues would hisse at if the lyke or better were brought against you 〈…〉 Lastly in alleadging such partiall and forsworne witnesses you bewray an euill cause that can not otherwise bee maintayned then by such vnlawfull insufficient proofes But seeing there can be had nothing from you and your witnesses but slauÌ„ders let vs examine how small cause you haue so bitterly to slaunder those that are gone before and for so wicked purposes to infect the iudgement of such as shal come after Entring into the slaunders of Martin Luther you giue a note that he was the beginner of the newe Gospel Doe you not still bewray Campions spirit in charging the religion nowe established in this lande with nouelties and most scornefully calling the Gospel of Iesus Christ which we preache a newe doctrine This is not vpon good grounde to speake against a fewe Fryers but in a blasphemous spirite to speake against God But before I answere the particular slaunders layde downe against Martin Luther I must againe adde that which you haue left out namely howe Luther was begotteÌ„ of a deuil Surely this is as true as the rest and Proteolus as much to be beleeued as the others Therefore the same sparke of modestie which made your paper blush to receiue this as a thing incredible as offensiue to euery mans eares and as bewraying your vnsatiable malice myght also haue refused to tell the other slaunders of lyke bitternesse and no lesse vntrueth Nowe that Martin Luther was stroken with a thunderbolt in a medow though you easily dare report it from an enemie yet you shall hardly â—â—nde a wise man that will beleeue you the matter being of it selfe so incredible A thunderbolt woulde haue taken awaye lyfe or lefte a marke behinde it for a manifest and sure note of that which otherwise can not bee proued I will no more beleeue Lindan in this then in his large and wonderfull tale of a madde dogge pursued with a multitude of armed men whose venemous teeth Lindan himself escaped by the helpe of Saint Hubert as they call him for the which deliuerie he and all his house were afterwarde dedicated to the worshippe of the same Hubert I will beleeue him no more against Martin Luther then agaynst our owne countrey men of whom he writeth that they of the religion in Englande whom he calleth Caluinists doe worship the image of y e deuil Of like credit is your other tale of y e deuil horribly crying out of Martin Luthers mouth and as much to be beleeued from Cochleus alone as froÌ„ him and a thousand such making no conscience to cast out in their writings so malitious and so intollerable libels You adde these wordes that vpon a certaine emulation contention betweene him and the Fryers of Dominiks order hee left his religion cast away his habit broke his vowes maried a Nunne and by litle and litle began to preache strange newe doctrines especially tending to all libertie and carnalitie Howe roundlye are these things written and howe calme doth the floud of malicious wordes seeme to flowe partly to disgrace that y t was lawfully done partly to charge him with that euill which he neuer thought For when the Lord did open his eyes to see as many before haue seene the abhominable hypocrisie and superstition of your religion and orders no otherwise then for hatred thereof he left his former superstition which you call religion he cast away also his superstitious order the pharisaicall habit thereof and thinking him selfe no longer tyed to his vnaduised and superstitious vowe he maried in the Lorde and all this was lawfull That by litle and litle he began to preach straÌ„ge and newe doctrines especially tending to all libertie and carnalitie it shalbe founde an vntrueth deliuered against the man and a malice agaynst the doctrine which hee taught your owne examples shall make the proofe First therfore you charge him to teach there is no sinne but incredulitie neither can a man damne himselfe doe what mischiefe he can except he will refuse to beleeue I will not here measure vnto you as you haue measured vnto me I wil not disgrace you first and then examine the matter for therein you haue offered me great wrong as shall appeare when I come to answere those places But I may plainely pronounce that in this place you doe in wordes and matter report an opeÌ„ vntruth For Martin Luther hath no such doctrine First it was farre from him to thinke there was no sinne but incredulitie and therfore he woulde neuer write so manifest an vntruth He is vehement in condemning many other sinnes as beside infinite other places it appeareth in his expounding the xv Psalme and more largely in his briefe exposition vpon the tenne commaundementes This it is that you haue wonderfully peruerted Martin Luther saith Incredulitie y t is not to beleeue the promise of God doth argue the promise of God to be a lying promise which is a most high sinne of all other Againe he doth not saye as you report a man can not damne him selfe for that is against all knowledge either of mans iniquitie or of Gods iust iudgementes but he speaketh of the baptised which beleeue of the trueth of Gods promise who cannot denie himself Wherin he sheweth that it doth woÌ„derfully comforte a mans