orders because now in England there are no Subdeacons and the Latin word atque doth not signify or but and and so he should haue sayd Deacons and Subdeacons and not haue confounded them togeather as he doth besides this peccadillo there are three other mayne vntruthes in these wordes and all the ground whereon it relyeth is false For where he sayth that Catholikes saw themselues pressed with so flat a decree The first vntruth in M. Hals wordes confirmed by authority of Emperours as would abide no denyall we haue before made it abide a denyall and to be so far from a flat decree of any Councel which bindeth all to imbrace it as that hitherto it hath neuer beene receaued in that kind for flat or round and that by authority of such as then liued as S. Bede or not long after as Paulus Diaconus and Anastasius and for the confirmation of Emperours the matter is smal vnles it had first had another confirmation which could not be gotten but was flatly denyed Councells take not their authority from Emperours but Emperours second Councels with their power that all vnder them may obey what they who are in spiritual authority ouer them haue decreed and M. Halls Emperours in particuler to wit Iustinian the yonger Philippicus c. being such as they were we will not much enuy M. Hall their confirmations whose liues and actions were such as they were staynes to Christianity and their deaths so disasterous as well sheweth by whose heauy hand and indignation they were chastized 86. And if M. Hall will haue all Councells confirmed by Emperours to be lawful and their decrees Canonical theÌ„ let him imbrace another Councell of Constantinople called soone after the Touching the confirmation of Councells by Emperours former by Philippicus Bardanes the Emperour wherein the heresy of the Monothelites who will haue our Sauiour not to haue had any humane will was defyned and the true sixth Synod of Constantinople condemned and as well may M. Hall pleade for himselfe out of this Councel as of the former for in this was the authority of the Emperour who called who confirmed it there was Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople and far more Bishops then in the Trullan Conuenticle wherfore in the doctrine of this man the decree is flat confirmed by the authority of the Emperours admits no denyall The Monothelite heretiks will thanke you M. Hall and remaine your debtour How much the Church hath gotten by Imperiall Synods too lamentable experience hath taught vs as well in these as in diuers others whereof one was within few yeares after this of Philippicus called by Leo the Iconoclast who with our Protestants condemned defaced razed pulled downe abused and burned all sacred images of our Sauiour and his Saints and to omit others in the later tymes as the Conuenticles of Henry the fourth against Gregory the seauenth c. it is not the authority of Emperours when we speake of Councells which makes them so firme as they can abide no denyall but the promise assistance of the holy Ghost with the Pastours of the Church without any reference to the ciuill magistrate or els the first Apostolicall Councell had beene void and of none effect when notwithstanding they sayd visum est Spiritui sancto Act. 15. nobis it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and vs the scepter in this must yield to the myter the sheep to the Pastours the ciuill Magistrate to the Ecclesiasticall Kings and Princes vnto Bishops and Prelates The causes are different and the Courts diuers The second vntruth is that Pope Steuen granted that the Clergy of the East might marry which after shall in due place be refuted 87. The last vntruth is touching Steuen the seconds decree for whereas in Gratian there is The vntruth of M. Halls touching Pope Steuen no number of second or third or any els M. Hall as none are more bold then such as know least without more ado resolutly affirmes it to be the second Steuen but truth so reclaimes against it or rather ouerbeareth it so violently as it cannot subsist for the second Steuen liuing but three Gratian. distin 31. can aliter dayes Pope or foure at the most had no leasure to call a Councell or make decrees and that this was done in Councell Gratian witnesseth who sayth that he made the decree in a Councell held in the Lateran Church and three dayes being too short a tyme euen for the very intimation the falshood of this charge doth refute it selfe and demonstratiuely shew this decree not to haue beene made by this Steuen 88. If M. Hall to help himselfe will take the third for the second as some do who by reason of the short life of the second Steuen do not number him among the Popes that will also as little auaile him for in all his tyme there was no Councell held in the Lateran Church or any where els for such were the troubles of those tempestuous tymes Aistulphui raging in the West and the furious firebrands of the Iconoclasts or image-breakers being in perpetuall care trauell from one place to another to compose all seditious tumults and to cancell the decree of another Councell gathered by the Emperours What manner of Councels heretikes do bring for confirmation of their heresies authority to wit Constantinus your friend M. Hall though scant sweet for suppressing of images and called the seauenth Oecumenicall but with as good reason as your TrullaÌ„ was called the sixth for no other Patriarch was present none of the West inuited no Legat of the Popes or authority required no law or forme of a true CouÌ„cel obserued al went by force fury and faction such commonly â—re the Councells you bring for confirmation of your heresy 89. I confesse that Steuen the 4. held there a Councell but that was only called for the deposing of the false Pope Constantine and deposing of such as were ordered by him in that schisme and preuenting the like inconuenience of chosing a lay man to be Pope againe for such was this Constantine chosen by popular tumult without all order or forme of Canonicall election by the seditious and tyrannicall procurement of his brother Toto then in Rome whose power and violence at that tyme none could withstand last of all it disannulled the decree of the false Synod of Constantinople against holy images but of Priests wiues either in the East or West there is no mention nor yet in any Author of these tymesym When M. Hall is more particuler in his charge he shall haue a more particuler answere in the meane tyme I say with Bellarmin that Canon perhaps to be of no authority but an error of the collectours and that for the reasons alleadged and the cause is poorely defended that is grounded on the errours or mistakings of others 90. And in case we graunted all the words which M. Hall bringeth out of this Canon nothing Gratians Canon
authority is denyed and M. Hall cannot in any one particuler euer shew vs the contrary practise in any place wheresoeuer to haue been obserued in the Latin or Greeke Church and this supposing S. Isidors words to be spoken of Priests and taken in their most rigorous and Grammaticall sense although I preferre the former opinion as more true most agreable to the whole contexture of that second booke from whence it is taken so as you see nothing can passe this mans pen without many dashes of vnsincere faythles dealing 15. There followeth in M. Hall another authority or rather as he sets it forth a mayne pillar M. Halls mayne pillar of S. Vdalricus his epistle to Pope Nicholas the first at large refuted or ground of his cause which by so much the more deserueth exact discussion by how much M. Hall doth confide on the same as on a matter for truth vndoubted of and for this present controuersy supposing the truth so forcible as it admits no reply which alone so potently doth beare and beate vs downe as if all arguments fayled this by it selfe were able to supply for all and not without our deadly wound yield the cause and conquest to our Aduersaryes in respect wherof I will stand a litle the longer on the matter and let nothing passe either of his text or margent which coÌ„cerneth this matter vndiscussed that I may not seem without cause to make this so curious inspection and stand vpon all particulers of the same I will first set downe the thing out of M. Halls owne words and that without any alteration of any sillable that you may both see the thing it selfe of what force it is and how much he doth repose thereon and then answere euery part and parcell thereof Thus then he writeth 16. But I might quoth he haue spared all Answered by Bellar mine lib. de Clerc c. 22. init this labour of writing could I perswade whosoeuer doubts or denyes this to read ouer that one epistle which Huldericus Bishop of Auspurge wrote learnedly and vehemently to Pope Nicholas the first in this subiect which if it do not answere all cauills satisfy all Readers and connince all not willfull Aduersaryes let me be cast in so iust a cause There you shall see how iust how expedient how ancient this liberty is togeather with the feeble iniurious grouÌ„d of forced continency reade it and see whether you can desire a better aduocate After him so strongly did he plead and so happily for two hundred years more this freedome still blessed those parts yet not without extreme opposition historyes are witnesses of the busy and not vnlearned combats of those tymes in this argument Hitherto M. Hall 17. And heere before I enter further into this fable I cannot sufficiently meruaile that any one who would be taken for learned a sincere writer and searcher of the truth would euer M. Halls indiseretion very singular aduenture in such phrase of speach with such certainty such confidence to gull his credulous Reader with a meer fiction a counterfait toy and most childish imposture is it possible M. Hall that this fond inuention so often answered and refuted by so many learned men as Bellarmine Baronius Eckius Faber Staphilus and in our English tongue by Father Henry Fitzsimons and others shall againe without all proofe for approuance or disproofe of what is obiected against it be againe so earnestly vrged so deliuered as an vndoubted and infallible verity and testimony beyond all exception truely you are of a very weake wit if you see not or prodigall of your credit if you regard not or of a scared Hall charact of Pharas Christ pag. 39. conscience and iron forehead if you feele and feare not the sinne and shame which before God and man will follow of this insolent dealing I meruayl not that you are so cager against such as read Bellarmine and others of the subtilest Iesuits as you â—earme them for writing as you do the policy is good and you may take the larger scope to coyne lyes whiles you turne your Readers eyes from the authors where they should find them detected and read the answer before euer you had made the obiection But to the thing it selfe 18. After that the Lutheran liberty through The first occasion of this fable the dissension of the German Princes had taken away true fayth from men and ouerthrowne the ground of all vertuous actions the better to couer the lewd lechery and filthy incestuous marriages of their first founders to open the gate to all lasciuious behauiour which they saw was far more easy to practise then to perswade seeing the Apostle so plaine for virgins 1. Cor. 7. and naturall reason to shew the excellency of that state aboue marriage all the endeauours of these new flesh-wormes was to bring the thing in hatred by making many fictions of the il obseruance of this vertue in such as by speciall vow had bound themselues to keep it Priests I meane and all Religious persons and for that examples moue the multitude whereof some of fresh memory perhaps were true that in other times the like inconuenience came of vowing virginity they inuented this prodigious history The tale which is related in the counterfait epistle of S. Vdalricus related in the letter of S. Vdalricus whereof now we shall speake 19. And although these companions agree in the end for which this tale should be deuised yet in setting downe the circumstances and the particulers of the fact as it commonly happeneth in things of this nature there were among the brethren diuers opinions first for the plaâ—e where it should happen then who should relate it and at what tyme. The case related in that epistle is this in effect that S. Gregory making a law for the continency of Clergy men as S. Vdalricus is made to say whiles his men went to his poâ—d to catch fish they found more then six thousand heads of yong children which being presented vnto S. Gregory he saw the law that he had made to haue beene the cause heerof and that the Priests to couer their incontinency had committed this murther whereupon he reuoked the law and permitted Priests to marry So S. Vdalricus in his letter to Pope Nicholas the first as M. Hall or second or third as M. Fox will haue it and thus now they tell the tâ—â—e 20. But in the beginning these heads were F. Henr. Fitzsimons Cath. Confuta pag. 3 9. Staphil in defens Theologia trimembris sect vltim sayd to be found in Sicily and that the mothers of these Children might not seeme to be inferiour to their Fathers Flaccus Illyricus as Staphilus writeth sayth that all of them were found neere vnto certayne Monasteryes of Nuns but where these MoÌ„asteryes were he sayth nothing and for the author of this letter some say it was S. Vdalricus others as Binnius reporteth that it was not the
subuerted So he And were it not for others of more indifferent iudgment we should surcease from all labour of further writing but their saluation we earnestly thirst howsoeuer we distrust of these Ministers reclaime And so much heereof Now let vs come to the Letter it selfe Very louing Syr THE letter you sent me by the English passenger came very The occasion of writing this letter late to my hands which I impute to the negligence or misfortune of him who shold haue deliuered it and it must excuse my delay in returning the Answere which I suppose you expected sooner and I acknowledge my selfe much indebted to your loue who with such speciall courtesyes haue so kindly preuented me for I haue receaued though after some six moneths expectance the Bookes you sent me togeather with other remembrances at other tymes and seeing that in lieu of better requitall you were content to haue my censure of M. Ioseph Hall his writings presently vpon the newes of your ariuall I tooke his workes into my hands for before I had neuer read any thing of his and opening the Booke I found by your selfe two leaues turned down before his epistle to M. VVhiting Dâ—cad 8. epist 3. whereby I gathered your meaning to be that I should peruse that letter with some attention as debating a poynt much in controuersy betweene vs. I haue done as you desired and examined all the passages brought for proofe out of any author which exact suruey hath drawne my letter to a greater length so as it may seeme not a letter but a Treatise My end only is to giue you satisfaction which if I performe I shal not need to repent me of the labour or you complaine I hope of the prolixity If I be wanting therein you must impute the fault where it is to my insufficiency If you be satisfyed to the force of Truth want of learning in M. Hall who giues so great open aduantages as any Aduersary may easily refute him I craue no more but indifferent hearing let no fauour or disfauour ballance you as you haue yielded one eare to him so a little lend me the other when you haue heard vs both to speake you shall be the better able to iudge of both and if the Truth delight you there will I trust be no difficulty where to find it I pray God there may be as litle to imbrace it as I well hope there wil not 2. And although that much lesse be sayd in this matter I treat then the thing it selfe would The Autors scope in the ensuing refutation require because my chiefest scope is only to refel what M. Hall doth bring and not throughly to discusse the mayne controuersy it selfe vnles it be where his arguments giue me occasion of further enlargment yet as the Sunne in dispersing the clowds doth shew it selfe to the sight of all so likewise doth Truth in the detection of errour and remouing the falshood of hereticall sophistry which like a veile cast before the eyes of the ignorant no lesse darkeneth their witts then peruerteth their wills so sufficiently appeare as all may see the grounds of Protestants to be so weake as they cannot subsist and by the same view perceaue also the truth to stand with vs for according to the receaued rule of schools verum vero non contradicit truth cannot be contradictory to truth because one extreme must needs be false in all true contradictions our assertion standing on these termes with the doctrine of Protestants in disprouing the falshoods which they bring we also confirme the truth which we mayntaine one necessarily following of the other as if one should say that M. Hall either is not a marryed Minister or he is if I proue that he is I do therewith all disproue the negatiue that he is not and if I proue that he is not then I conuince the other part to be false which affirmeth that he is Euen so in the marriage of Priests and Cleargy men whereas he graunteth the free liberty allowed now in England for all to marry without controle to haue beene still in vse for a thousand yeares togeather after Christ and thereupon concludeth his letter saying VVhat God and his Church hath euer allowed we do enioy If I proue that neither God nor his Church euer allowed this carnal liberty in cleargy men with the same labour I shew the single life for which I plead to haue beene still required approued vsed speaking as M. Hall doth of the generall vse and approuance for the abuse of particuler places without generall acceptance is neither the voyce of God or doctrin of his Church and the vse of wiues neuer without speciall abuse to haue beene permitted 3. If in the prosecution thereof finding in The manner of writing obserued against M. Hall M. Hall so many paradoxes vntruths impertinencyes paralogismes so much ignorance immodesty folly scurrility and other ill behauiour I may seeme sometymes to haue sharpened my pen to much or dipt it a little too deep in gall although I forbeare all virulent tearmes which in him are very frequent as presently you shall see and much more from all scolding words of disgracefull reproach as whores strumpets panders and the like the vsuall thetoricall flowers of this mans eloquence yet I confesse that his malice and ignorance both which in him do striue togeather for the preheminence haue made me more earnest then I would haue beene and in a manner forced me to offer violence to myne owne nature knowne to such as best know me not to be so much subiect to such bitternes as well perceauing sharpnes in words or writing to be the whetstone of dissentions by which mens minds are soone moued but hardly remoued from an immortall distast of ech other and this hatred hereby begon betweene their persons becomes at last the hinderance of truth it selfe and preiudice of whatsoeuer cause or controuersy shall be treated between them and truly were the immodest termes heeâ— vsed personall against my selfe I should with contempt let them passe vnanswered but being against the Vicar of Christ the whole Church most vertuous persons of particuler note they require a sharper reiection yet still in this acrimony I shall obserue the admonition of the Comicke ne quid nimis to shoot rather too short ' Teren. in Andria then too far at these rouers 4. Touching the order of writing this The order obserued in this letter short table of the things treated wil shew what method I obserue The letter to M. VVhiting is part by part answered without the least pretermission of any one sentence or clause that maketh for M. Halls purpose no authority of Scriptures Canons Councells Fathers Historyes or other writers is neglected the whole is discussed answered refuted and the whole discussion answere and refutation for better perspicuity is deuided into three parts or paragraffs vnder these titles The doctrine of the Apostles expressed
had giuen by his bookes But M. Hall himselfe will needs out of his kindnes forsooth enter for a wittnes in a thing which he doth know to be true but this you must vnderstand to be only a Puritanical truth which is nothing els but a starke lye as in the last paragraffe shall be declared for these men neither in printed bookes or pulpits are to be belieued if they speak against Catholikes specially if they raile against Iesuits wherein they vse all lawlesse liberty and in despight of truth will lye for the aduantage 8. Which point is not only the triuiall subiect of their ordinary sermons I meane to lye M. Halls passionate sermon of our Sauiours passion to vse such loathsome tearmes as none in such occasions would vse but themselues but also in the most graue and holiest matters as of our Sauiours Passion of all theames the most sacred that on good friday at Paules Crosse they cannot refraine so as no place tyme or theame iâ— able to bridle the vnbridled passions of our English ministers for this man speaking of pardons or Indulgences which I thinke he vnderstandeth not in his Passion sermon he very modestly saieth of the Catholike Roman Church that strumpet would well neer go naked if thâ— were not and further talketh or rather tatleth oâ— Antichristian blasphemy furious bulles that bellow â—â— threats and tosse them in the ayre for heretikes and thâ— like much lesse beseeming the pulpit then â— fooles cap the preacher But of this dealing of his I shall after haue more occasion to warnâ— him and by this little you may see how iustlâ— now and then I am moued to vse a rough wisâ— to scoure so vncleane a vessell Let him be morâ— temperate and I will neuer be sharp if stirreâ— thereunto by his example I should obserue Legeâ— talionis let him thanke himselfe who withouâ— all example or occasion offered did first prouoâ— me thereunto though yet notwithstanding hiâ— prouocation I intend not paribus concurrere telis â— encounter him in the like stile with maledictum pro maledicto leauing that as hereditary to Protestants my words shall still beseeme my selfe haue modesty and truth for their characters they shall offend no chast eares and as little as may be M. Halls patience which yet I take to be very tender vnles it be where he offends others of much better credit and esteeme then himselfe and that also shall be rather for his correction that he may see his owne errour and amend it then for any ill will I beare his person or delight I take in that veyne of writing But to proceed 9. Although that M. Hall be euery where M. Halls Thrasonicall vanting though he performe nothing virulent against vs as you see yet is the man very fauourable and ouerweening towards himselfe for albeit he scant vnderstand the true state of the question he treateth albeit he produce nothing but eyther by wrong interpretation misunderstood or by corruption forged or of it selfe counterfayt and albeit he neuer bring true authority one only excepted and that of no credit that toucheth the controuersy no argument that concludes nothing in fine of any weight or moment yet doth he so vaunt euery where ouer his aduersaries so aduaunce himselfe is so couragious and confident as though he were some great Golias waging war with Pigmeyes and that his aduersaryes were so far from withstanding his force as they durst not stand before him or endure his assault for as though that God and man conspired in this without all contradiction he telleth vs that if God shall be Iudge of this controuersy it were soone at an end and to vs he cryeth out heare ô ye papists the iudgment of your owne Cardinall and confesse your mouthes stopped and of himselfe that if I fre not this truth let me be punished with a diuorce yea so light doth this graue man make this controuersy and the truth thereof on his behalfe so cleere as though none but some Carpet knight did doubt of it or dispute against it some idle table talke saith he calls vs to pleade for our wiues perchance some gallants grudge vs one who can be content to allow themselues more for a scholler to refute table-talkes or yong gallants is as you know no great maistery nec habet victoria laudem 10. But presently forgetting his yong gallants and table-talkes he bordeth vs and neuer leaueth vs till the end of the epistle so as his whole scope is to disproue the single life of Catholike priests and thereby to impugne our doctrine in that behalf in which fynding other aduersaries then yong gallants or idle table talkers and stronger arguments then he knew how to dissolue being on the one side vnwilling to be silent and on the other not able to performe what himselfe desired and friends expected like a right Crauen flyeth out of the feild neuer so much as looking on the proofs for our assertion which to much affrighted him as being all endorsed with a noli me tangere but seeing many obiections in Bellarmyne out of Caluin Melancthon the Magdeburgians and others answered and so answered as he could make no reply the poore man was driuen to that exigent as he was forced to borrow from thence the obiections but without any mention at all of any solution giuen by the Cardinall and so he commeth forth with his answered arguments as with broken shafts and florisheth in the ayre and vaunteth aboue measure 11. You may thinke perhaps that I extenuate too much M. Halls learning or exaggerate too M. Halls argumeÌ„ts in Bellarmine and their solutions dissembled far his insufficiency for being reputed and taken for a scholler he could not but see the discredit that would follow of such dealing but in this I will make your selfe witnes yea a iudge also for the bookes themselues will speake and there needeth no more in one who vnderstandeth Latin then to bring his eyes reade both Authors for what place of Scripture doth M. Bellar. de Clericis l. 1. c. 20. c. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Tim. 3. Hebr. 13. Hall produce that is not there answered there he shall see his text of the doctrine of Diuells explicated there that other Let him be the husband of one wise there lastly how marriage is honorable in all and yet not lawfull betweene brother and sister Father and daughter frier and nunne or in any person that hath vowed the contrary there of the Apostles wiues in generall of S. Paules in 1. Cor. 9. Philip. 4. particuler for Councells there the Canon of the Apostles and the sixth Synod there Pope Steuens decree there in fine is the history of Paphnutius reiected the letter of S. Vdalrick disproued the examples of marryed Bishops answered so as there is all the sap and substance of this letter refuted for on these thinges specially doth it rely and yet as if nothing had beene sayd vnto them
they are heer againe repeated and Bellarmine not so much as once named in all the letter but this silence proceeded of no ill policy for he was loath to name the place from whence he had fetcht his store least there the Reader should by his recourse haue found the answers and discouered his weaknes 12. And the like policy he vseth in painting out his margent with Greeke Latin sentences Great vanity and ostentation which to the simple who vnderstand neither the one or other tongue maketh a great shew of sincerity and learning especially being conioyned with so many resolute speaches as when he saith That he passeth not what men and Angells say whiles he heares God say let him be the husband of one wife that one word saith M. Hall shall confirme me against the barking of all impure mouthes Againe That if he conuince not all aduersaries he will be cast in so iust a cause with so many eager chargings of vs with burning blotting out cutting away and peruerting what we cannot answere VVhat sayth he dare not Impudency do against all euidences of Greeke copyes against their owne Gratian against pleas of antiquity this is the readyest way whome they cannot answere to burne what they cannot shift of to blot out and to cut the knot which they cannot vntye and last of all with beating vs backe as he would seeme with our owne weapons For besides the Scriptures you haue Councells and those sacred Fathers and those ancient the Popes decrees Gratian the Canonist the later Cardinalls the Greeke Church and purer times which names alone wherewith his text and margent is stuft being thus ranged togeather cannot but make great impression in the eyes of the ignorant who without further enquiry as being not able to search into these matters take all for true which with these circumstances are deliuered vnto them 13. But these are now haue heretofore bene and wil be alwaies the sleights of heretiks to couer Heretikes couer a wolfe with a sheepe skin a wolfe with a sheeps skinne and on the fowlest matters to make the fairest pretence neuer making a deeper wound then where they would be thought to worke their greatest cure or vsing more deceit then when they most preach of plain dealing for heer M. Hall would seeme to sticke to God against men and Angells when as he cleane leaueth him he offereth to be cast in his cause if he do not euince it when as he relateth a meer fable a notorious vntruth talketh of our burning of bookes tearing out of places and the like where there is no shew or shadow therof he alleadgeth Canons Councells Fathers to no purpose but to delude his reader with their names and to hide his hooke with a more alluring bayte for without this art his wordes would be of no regard or able â—o perswade any Nam nec venator seram saith S. Greg. l. 7. epist ep 112. Gregory aut auem auceps 〈…〉 ret c. For neither â—he hunter would catch the beast or the fowler â—he bird or the fisher the fish if either the hunter â—r fowler should lay their snars open to be seen â—r the fisher with a bayte should not hide his â—ooke by all meanes we are to feare and beware â—f the deceit of the enemy least by a secret blow â—e do not more cruelly kill whome by open tenâ—tion he could not ouerthrow So he of the diâ—ls and we of heretickes 14. But now let vs come to the particulers â— M. Halls proofes and behold how well they â—nclude for somewhat you may imagine he Bernard ep 190. â—th found out quod tot latuerit sanctos tot praeterierit â—ientes or else he would neuer vse such coÌ„fidence and Thrasonical vanting offer the hazard of a diuorce and to the end there may be no mistaking you must know that our controuersy is not whether any Priestes and Bishops haue bene marryed or had children for of that there can be The true state of the question is set downe which in this controuersy is much to be noted no difficulty it being euident the Father of S. Gregory Nazianzen afterward Bishop S. Hilary S. Gregory Nassen and others named in this epistle to haue had wiues some of them by their wiue issue but our question only is whether any afteâ— they were made Priests or Bishops did euer maâ—ry or if they married not whether yet they vse their wiues which before they had whethâ— that vse was approued as lawfull And this thâ— protestants affirme both in doctrine practisâ— and we deny and for our deniall bring the coâ—sent of all times all places all Authors of noâ— and credit for our assertion whereas M. Hallâ— now you shall see produceth little els but iâ— allegations impostures and meer vntruthe this we shall now examine 15. After a few idle wordes to no purpâ— thus he writeth But some perhaps mainteyn oâ— M. Hall beginneth with a cluster of vntruths Mariage not to be lawfull out of iudgment by them make much of that which Paul tells theâ— is a doctrine of diuells were it not for this opiniâ— the Church of Rome would want one euideâ— brand of her Antichristianisme let their shaueliâ— speake for themselues vpon whome their yâ— lawfull vow hath forced a willfull and impâ—ssible necessity I leaue them to scan the old ruâ— in turpi vote muta decretum So M. Hall making you see his first entrance with a fierce assaâ— being set as it should seem into some choller ere we end I hope we shall in part coole his courage and shew his chiefest talent not to be in disputing in which he is no body but in railing and lying wherein we contend not with him but willingly giue him the garland of that conquest and as for vntruthes they will be very frequent with him when as euen heer he beginneth with such a cluster togeather 16. For truly if any one out of iudgment In few lines no lesse then fiue vntruthes doubted of the mariage of priests clergy men he cannot but be further off from beleeuing it when he seeth M. Hall so without iudgment learning or truth to mainteyne it for omitting his railing in these few words are fine vntruths 1. That S. Paul calleth the single life of priests the doctrine of diuells 2. That this is a brand of Antichristianisme 3. That this vow is vnlawful 4. That it forceth an impossible necessity 5. That it is turpe votum which are contradictory tearms for a vow can neuer be turpe because it is defyned by deuins to be promissio socta Deo de meliore bono which can conteyne no turpitude in it I see we shall haue a good haruest ere we come to the end seeing he begins with so great abundance for all this his entrance consisteth only of vntruthes 17. Which vntruthes albeit I might with as great facility reiect as he doth aueâ—re them The first vntruth refuted seeing
power not to be a woman so little is it in thy power to be without a man Because this matter is not left in our owne hands but it is both necessary and naturall that euery man haue a woman and euery woman haue a man c. And this is more then a coÌ„mandement and more necessary then to eat and drinke purgare exspuere are to homely stuffe to be Englished to sleep and wake So far this Christian Epicure and some 6. pages after he counsaileth what is to be done in case the wife be froward and will not come at her husbands call and his aduise is to leaue her in her frowardnes and to take some other to seeke some Hesther and leaue Vasthy with other such beastly impertinencies 30. By this you see how Luther and M. Hall The first point is discussed to wit whether the vow of chastity be Vnlawfull or not like Pilate and Herode though at variance betwene themselues yet in this do agree against vs that the vow of castity is vnlawfull and impossible let vs now debate frendly the matter it selfe in eyther member and see if this eyther in reason or from the warrant of Scriptures or the Fathers can subsist And to begin with the vnlawfulnes if the vow of chastity be vnlawfwll it must either be in respect of the vow or of the matter vowed but from neither of these two branches can this vnlawfulnes proceed and consequently it is not vnlawfull at all Not from the first because Deuteron 23. Eccles 5. psal 21. 49. 65. 75. vows in generall are lawfull and as such are allowed in the old and new testament and of the Messias it was prophesyed that the Aegyptians should worship him in sacrifices and giftes and further Vota vouebunt Domino soluent they shall Isa 19. make vowes vnto our Lord and shall performe them and these vowes do more straytly bind vs vnto God then any promises made amongst men do bynd them to one another Quà m grauia Ambros lib. 9. in Lucam in caput 20. sunt vincula saith S. Ambroise promittere Deo non soluere c. How grieuous are the bands to promise to God and not to performe It is better not to vow then to vow and not to render what we haue vowed Maior est contractus fidei quà m pecuniae the contract or promise of Religion is greater then the contract or promise of money satisfy thy promise whiles yet thou art aliue before the Leo epist 92. cap. 15. Iudge come cast thee into prison So he The same to omit others hath S. Leo Ambigi non potest c. It caÌ„not be doubted that a great sine is coÌ„mitted where the religious purpose is forsaken vowes violated The reason whereof he yeldeth saying Si humana pacta non possunt impunè calcari quid de eis manebit qui corruperint foedera diuini Sacramenti If humane contracts are not broken without punishment what shall become of them who haue violated the coÌ„tracts of their sacred promise made vnto God So he And this was the cause why the Apostle sayd that the yong widdowes by violating their vow had incurred damnation because it was made to God and so could not be made voyd at all Quid est sayth S. Augustine August in psalm 75. primam fidem irritam â—ecerunt â— vouerunt non reddiderunt What is meant that they made voyd their first fayth they vowed and performed not their vows What more cleare And in another De virginitate cap. 33. place primam fidem irrittam fecerunt id est in eo quod primò vouerant non steterunt they made voyd their first â—ayth that is they remayned not constant in that which they had first vowed 31. And this place not only proueth a vow to be lawfull in generall but euen in this particuler matter we now speake of I meane of chastity Because these widdowes were reprehended of the Apostle for that they would marry and not liue chastly in widdowhood as they had vowed as before I haue shewed to which end and to proue the perpetuall band of these vowes it is applyed also by S. Fulgentius when Fulgentius de fide ad Petrum cap. 30. he fayth Quistatuit in corde suo firmus non habens necessitatem potestatem autem habens suae voluntatis c. He who hath determined in his hart being stedfast not hauing any necessity but hauing power ouer his owne will and hath vowed chastity to God he ought with all care and sollicitude of mynd to keep the same vntill the end of his life least he haue damnation if he shall make voyd his first fayth So he And to the same effect before him wrote S. Hierom saying Nazaraei Hierom. in caput 46. Ezechielu â— sponte se offeruÌ„t quicumque aliquid vouerit non impleuerit votireus est c. The Nazarites voluÌ„tarily offer themselues and whosoeuer hath vowed any thing not fullfilled it is guilty of his violated vow wherupon of widdowes it is sayd when they waxe wanton in Christ they will marry hauing damnation c. for it is better not at all to promise then not to fullfil what is promised Lib. 1. in Iouinian and in another place against Iouinian If Iouiniaâ— shall say that this was sayd of widdowes how much more shall it be of force in Virgins and iâ— it were not lawfull for widdowes for whomâ— shall it be lawfull So S. Hierome 32. And further to proue the lawfullnes oâ— a vow in this particuler matter to wit of chastity either virginall viduall or of single life the speciall subiect of our controuersy to omâ— other arguments I will only touch fiue â— which foure shall be taken out of such Fatherâ— writings as M. Hall doth acknowledge and â—â— whome he refers his cause The first whereâ— shall be their comparing the state of such as liuâ— a chast life with the state of Angells and exhorting thereunto Secondly their preferring ofâ— before marriage Thirdly their sharp rebukeâ— such as haue broken their vow Lastly thâ— condemning of the marriage of vow-breaken calling it worse then aduowtry c. To these will add the approuance of the Canon and punishments appointed by the Ciuill laws for such abused Religious women and then leaue it â— any to iudge whether it be turpe votum a brandâ— Antichristianism worse then aduowtry a diabolicall thiâ— or the like or whether this base assertion wâ— euer taught or belieued in the world by any â—ther then Heretikes And M. Hall if he will staâ— to the triall of antiquity shall I assure him â— this be either forced to acknowledge his errouâ— or els to recall what he hath written that the Fathers tryall it as reuerend as any vnder heauen further Hall decad 4. ep 8. to tippling Thomas of Oxford certaynely it cannot be truth that is new we would renounce our Religion if it could be ouer
lookt for time let go equity the older take both So he And we shal by this particuler see whether this franke merchaÌ„t venturer that hazards so easily his fayth and saluation vpon antiquity although erroneous will stand to his word in this doctrine of chastity for if he will maintayne his former grounds he must alleadge more ancient authenticall records then those heere produced or disproue such as we bring against him which he shall neuer be able to do Or finally deny what he hath sayd of the vow of chastity in calling it a filthy vnlawfull vow which by so great and so graue authority is taught to be both lawfull sacred and Angelicall 33. The prayses then giuen to Virgins single life by these renowned pillers of truth The state of chast liuers Angelicall August l. 6. confess cap. 3. Of S. Cyprians booke of virginity S. Hieromâ— maketh mention Epist ad Demetriad in sinâ— myrrours of learning and patrons of all purity are so plentifull as they take vp no small roome in the vast volumes of their renowned workes S. Ambrose alone whose chastity S. Augustine so much admired hath three bookes of Virgins besids one of widdowes one of the trayning vp of a virgin and another intituled a persuasion to Virginity Of this S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Basil S. Chrysostome S. Gregory Nissen haue whole bookes of this S. Hierome to Eustochium Demetrias and many others hath very long epistles and as well these as diuers grounding themselues vpon the words of our Sauiour that in heauen there is no marrying because the Saints are equall vnto the Angells shew the life of such as vow chastity to be Angelicall S. Ambrose in the last booke aboue cited sayth Audistis quantum sit praemium Ambros tract de hortat ad Virgin post initium integritatis regnum acquirit regnum caeleste vitam Angelorum exhibet c. You haue heard how great the reward is of Chastity it purchaseth a kingdome and a heauenly kingdom it exhibits vnto vs the life of Angells this I perswade you vnto then which nothing is more beautifull that among men you become Angells who are not tyed togeather by any band of marriage Because such women as do not marry and men that take no wiues are as Angells vpon earth in so much as they feele not the tribulation of the flesh they know not the bondage they are freed from the contagion of worldly desirs they apply their mind vnto diuine matters and as it were deliuered from the infirmity of the body do not thinke of those thinges which belong vnto men but which appertaine vnto God So S. Ambrose as contrary to M. Hall as heat to cold white to blacke truth to falshood 34. S. Bernard stiled by M. Hall deuout Bernard vseth also the same similitude saying Quid castitate Bernard epist 42. decorius quae muÌ„dum de immundo conceptum semine de hoste domesticum Angelum de homine facit c. What is more beautifull then chastity which makes Hall Decad 4. ep 3. him cleane who was conceaued of vncleane seed makes a friend of an enemy an Angell of a man For albeit a chast man and an Angell do differ yet is their difference in felicity not in vertue although the chastity of an Angell be more happy yet is the chastity of man of greater fortitude only chastity it is which in this place and tyme of mortality representeth vnto vs a certayne state of the immortall glory because it alone amongst the marriages heere made followes the custome of that happy Countrey in which as our Sauiour sayd they neither marry nor are marryed exhibiting in a certayne manner vnto the earth an experiment of that conuersation which is in heauen So S. Bernard And a little after hoc itaque tantae pulchritudinis ornamentum c. This ornament of so great a beauty I may worthily say doth honour priesthood because it makes the Priest gratefull or beloued of God man although he be yet on earth makes him in glory like vnto the Saints So he With S. Ambrose and S. Bernard let vs ioyne him who is all in all heauenly S. Augustine as M. Hall tearmeth him Augustâ— serm 24â— who sayth qui in castitate viuunt Angelicam habent in terris naturam castitas hominem cum Deo coniungit Angelis facit ciuem they who liue chastly haue an Angelicall nature on earth chastity conioyneth a man with God makes him a cittizen with Angells 35. As with the same spirit so with the same tongue do the other Fathers speake both Greeke Latin Tertullian sayth that Virgins are Tertul. l. ad vxorem cap. 4. Hieron ep 22. ad Eustoc cap. 8. Athan. l. de virginit Cyril Catechesi 12â— de familia Angelica of the company or household of Angells S. Hierome that the life of Virgins is the life of Angells S. Athanasius cryeth out O continentia Angelorum vita Sanctorum corona O chastity the life of Angells the crowne of Saints yea it is also an Angelical crown as S. Cyrill of Hierusalem sayth and aboue the perfection of humane nature further he addeth that chast liuers are Angells walking vpon the earth S. Gregory Nazianzen speaking to a Virgin sayth Angelorum Nazian orat 31. tam elegisti in eorum ordinem te aggregasti Thou hâ— chosen the life of Angells thou hast put thâ— selfe into their ranke S. Ephrem O castitas quae â— Ephrem serm de castitate mines Angelis similes reddis o chastity which mâ—keth men like vnto Angells and not only like but equall sayth S. Cyprian cùm castae perseueratis â— Cypr. l. de discipl habitu virginum Basil de vera virgin longiùs à fine virgines Angelis Dei estis aequales whiles you remayâ— chast and virgins you are equall vnto Angellâ— yea most noble and eminent Angells sayth S Basil qui virginitatem seruant Angeli sunt non obscuri a qui sed sanè illustres atque nobilissimi they who preserue their virginity are Angells and not some iâ—feriour obscure Angells but eminent and moâ— noble yea in one respect as S. Bernard aboue cited did note and before him S. Cyprian S. Baâ— S. Chrysostome and others they are more nobâ— then all the Angells togeather Virginitas aequatâ— Cypr. de discipl beno pudicitiae Angelis sayth S. Cyprian si verò exquiramus etiam eâ— cedit c. Virginity equalls it selfe with Angells and if we penetrate the matter further it also eâ—ceeds them whiles in this fraile flesh whicâ— Angells haue not it getteth the victory euen against Nature So he Angeli carneis nexibus libâ— Basil l. de virginit sayth S. Basil integritatem suam in caelis seruant c The Angells free from all fleshly bands preserâ— their purity in heauen both in respect of thâ— place and their owne nature inuiolable being still with God the supreme King of al but
to be naught with another maâ— for which cause the sayd Father in his Canonâ— to Amphilochius putting downe the pennance of Epist 3. can 60. such who after the vow of chastity had falleâ— into that sinne sayth peccati adulterij tempus conplebit such a one shall fulfill the penitentiall time of the sinne of adultery which thing is more exaggerated by S. Ambrose vpon the like occasion who doubted whether any pennance be Ambros ad virg lap cap. 5. great inough for so foule an offence for thus be writeth Quae se spopondit Christo sanctum velam accepit c. she who hath betrothed herâ—selfe to Christ and hath receaued the holy veile is already marryed is already ioyned to her immortall husband and now if she will marry by the common Law of wedlocke she committeth aduowtry she is guilty of death So S. Ambrose And would these Saints trow you euer vse suâ— vehemency or shew such zeale if these vowe were filthy vnlawfull or diabolicall No no. Their saintly spirits abhorred such sensuall vncleanes and brutish doctrine 48. Neither were the Fathers content to call this sinne aduowtry but they further added that it is worse then aduowtry So expresly S. Loco citato Marke this M. Hall Chrysostome Legitima iusta res coniugium c. Wedlocke is a lawfull and good thing c. but to you it is not now lawfull to obserue the lawes of wedlocke for one who is ioyned to the heauenly bridegroome to forsake him and entangle himselfe with a wife is to commit adultery and although a thousand tymes you will call it a marriage yet do I affirme it to be so much worse then adultery by how much God is greater and better then mortall men By which proportion we may see of what sanctity the impure marriages were which Luther Bucer and other renegate Friers did make with Nunnes how lawfull it is to breake these vowes and finally what is to be thought of such marryed Apostata Priests as still speake honourably of matrimony that therby they may seeme not out of frailty good men but out of meere deuotion to commit adultery or rather a greater sin planè August de bono viduit cap. 11. non dubitauerim dicere sayth S. Augustine lapsus ruinas à castitate sanctiore quae vouetur Deo adulterijs esse peiores Certainely I dare affirme the falls and slidings away from that more sacred chastity Basil hom quo pacto amitâ—imus recuperamus imaginem Dei which is vowed to God to be worse then adulteryes So and in so playne tearmes S. Augustine 49. And this so grieuous a sinne is tearmed by S. Basil S. Ambrose sacriledge Quando se Deo semel authorauit sayth the former per vitae continentiam ac perpetuam castitatem hoc detrectare non licet c. When one hath bound himselfe by vow vnto God by continency of life or perpetuall chastity is it not lawfull for him to slide back and so warily he must keep himselfe as he would keep a present or sacrifice offered to God least our Lord at the day of iudgment condemn him as guilty of sacriledge So S. Basil and against him who had abused the virgin before mentioned out of S. Ambrose thus doth the same Father Ambros ad virg lap cap. 8 exclayme De te autem quid dicam fili serpentis minister Diaboli violator templi Dei adulterium vtique sacrilegium c. What shall I say of thee the sonne of a serpent the minister of the Diuell the deflowrer of the temple of God who in one filthy act hast committed two sinnes to wit adultery and sacriledge sacriledge for that through thy mad rashnes thou hast polluted the vessel offered to Christ dedicated to our Lord c. Neither is it only a double but a threefold sinne for besides the adultery and sacriledge they also commit incest Christus Dominus noster cùm virginem suam Cyprian Epist 62. sibidicatam sanctitati suae destinatam iacere cum alterâ— cernit quà m indignatur irascitur quas poenas inincestuosis eiusmodi coniunctionibus comminatur Christ our Lord and Iudge how doth he abhorre how is he offended when he seeth his virgin dedicated by vow vnto himselfe and deputed to his holynes to lye with another and what punishment doth he threaten to these incestuous copulations sayth S. Cyprian Quae post consecrationem Lib. 1. Iouinian nupserint non tam adulterae sunt quà m incestae Such virgins as after their vowes and veiles shall marry are not so much aduowtresses as incestuous sayth S. Hierome 50. Finally this base thing either for practise or opinion was neuer vsed or taught but by the enemyes of Christ his Church which point is worthy of speciall consideration for as we in this and all other points do adhere vnto the ancient Saints and Fathers whome we reuerence admire and follow so doth M. Hall his vnto such as they haue censured discarded condemned that is we ioyne with Catholikes they with heretikes we tread the plaine The progenitours of our English Protestants in the breach of vowes beaten path of truth they of errour such as we follow were the lights and shining lamps of the world their progenitours were the shame and steyne of Christianity The first that I can find recounted in particuler to haue put this filthines in practise was one Tiberianus who hauing writen a booke to cleare himselfe from the heresy of Priscillian reuolted againe vnto the same Tiberianus Boeticus sayth S. Hierome taedio victus exilij Hierâ— de viris illustr in Tiberianâ—â— mutauit propositum iuxta sanctam Scripturam canis reuersus ad vomitum suum filiam deuotam Christo virginem matrimonio copulauit Tiberianus of Andalusia in Spaine ouercome with the tediousnes of his banishment according to the holy Scripture like a dog returning to his vomit caused his daughter that was a Nunne to marry and he who first taught this to be lawfull was Iouinian Formosus Monachus as the same Father painteth him out crassus nitidus dealbatus quasi sponsus semper incedens A fayer Monke fat neat white going alwayes as gay as a new marryed man And a little after Rubent buccae nitet cutis comae in occipitium Lib. 2. â—â— Iouinian frontemque tornantur protensus est aquiliculus insurgunt humeri turget guttur de obesis saucibus vix sussâ—â—â— verba promuntur His cheekes are red his 〈◊〉 fayre and smooth his locks behind and befoâ— are frizeled his belly beares compasse his shoâ—ders rise aloft his throat swells and his st 〈…〉 gled words can scarce find passage through â— fat chaps 51. This man so fine as most of you Minâ—sters so fat perhaps as Marcus Antonius de Doâ—â— that could not passe to the pulpit aâ—beit â— proceeded nothing so far as M. Hall doth toâ— the vow vnlawfull filthy and a brand of Antichristâ—nisme
this confused Babylon of Protestants and Puritans and being reconciled to the Catholike Church haue freely out of their owne most happy experience confessed that now they found chastity to be very easy which whiles they were in heresy seemed impossible yea they could neuer thinke vpon their former frayltyes commited without great griefe compunction and teares 24. But for that moderne examples do lesse The conuersion of S. Augustin sheweth the gift of chastity to be only in the Church August l. 8. confess cap. 11. moue a willfull mind let M. Hall call to his remembrance the famous conuersion of S. Augustine from the Manichean heresy from which not without a strong and extraordinary calling he was recalled to imbrace the Catholike truth he shall find that one of the greatest motiues to keep him backe were the carnall pleasures in which whiles he was an heretike he had wallowed Retinebant me sayth he nugae nugarum vanitates vanitatum antiquae amicae meae succutiebant vestem carneam meam submurmurabant dimittis ne nos à momento isto non erimus tecum vltra in aeternum ' à momento isto non tibi licebit hoc illud in aeternum The toyes of toyes and vanityes of vanityes my old familiars kept my backe shaked my fleshly garment and whispered me in the eare saying dost thou now leaue vs and from this tyme shall it not be lawfull for euer for thee to do this and that Quas sordes suggerebant quae dedecora What filthy what dishonest things did they suggest And being in this bitter conflict the flesh drawing one way and the spirit another the Diuell desirous to deteyne him in errour and God determining to bring him to the truth his pleasures past alluring him to looke backe and future pennance affrighting him to go forward being in this trouble I say and wauering of mynd thus he describeth the successe of the combat 25. Aperiebatur ab ea parte qua intenderam saciem quo transire trepidabam casta dignitas continentiae c. Loco citat There appeared vnto me on that side where I did cast my eyes and was afrayd to go to wit in the Catholik Church the chast excellency of single life cheerfull and not wantonly pleasant vertuously alluring me to come vnto her not A description of chastity to doubt at all and she stretched forth her deuout hands full with the multitude of good examples of others to receaue and imbrace me in them were to be seene so many yong boyes and girles there store of others of youthfull yeares and elder age there graue widdowes and old virgins and chastity her selfe in all these was not barren but a plentifull mother of children the ioyes of thee o Lord who art her husband Prosopopâ—ia and she mocked me with a perswasiue scorne as if she had sayd Tu non poteris quod isti istae an verò isti istae in semetipsis tossunt ac non in Domino Deo suo Dominus Deus eorum me dedit eis c. Canst not thou do that these yong boyes and maydnes widdowes and old virgins do or can these do it of themselues and not in God their Lord their Lord God hath bestowed me vpon them why dost thou stand and not stand on thy selfe cast thy selfe on him and feare nothing he will not slip aside and let thee fall cast thy selfe securely vpon him he will receaue thee and he wil cure thee Thus S. Augustine in which wordes as he sheweth the proper place of chastity to be in the Church so withall doth he ouerthrow M. Halls impossibility confuted by the very examples of yong boyes and maydes of all sorts and sexes who in this sacred Arke this house and tabernacle of God do professe and obserue perpetuall chastity 26. And so far was S. Augustin from acknowledging any impossibility of a continent life in the Church of Christ albeit whiles he was a Manichean he thought it a thing impossible to liue chast that being himselfe now made a Catholike his owne experience without other argument demonstrated the contrary vnto him August l. â— Confess cap. 1. S. Augustin being made a member of the Catholike Church presently sound it an easy matter for to liue chast made him see the thing not only to be possible but most easy also and facile for thus he writeth of himselfe Quà m suaue mihi subitò sactum est carerâ— suauitatibus nugarum quas amittere metus suerat iam dimittere gaudium erat c. How sweet a thing did I find it on the sodain to want the sweetnes of former toyes and now it was a comfort to cast away that which before I was afrayd to loose Thou didst cast them out from me who art the true and supreme suauity thou didst cast them out and didst enter thy selfe for them more sweet then all pleasure but not to flesh bloud more cleere then all light but more close then any secret higher then all honour but not to such as are highly in their owne conceit now was my mind free from all byâ—ing cares of ambition of couetousnes of wallowing or scratching the itch of ulthy lusts So S. Augustine and heerby to end this whole matter M. Hall and his fellow Ministers may learne that in case this itch of lust or rather as S. Augustine calleth it scabiem libiâ—iâ—um do so violently possesse and driue them to this perswasion that it is a thing impossible to liue a continent life they must know the cause to be either for that the bruâ—ish spirit of heresy being fleshly and sensuall comporteth not this purity or els that chastity it self as neither charity can be separated from true fayth as the materiall cause from the formall that is the chastity of the body from the chastity of the soule Virginitas carnis sayth S. Augustine August in psal 147. corpus intactum virginitas cordis fides incoâ—rupta The virginity of the flesh is the body vntouched the virginity of the soule an vndefiled fayth and Prosper epig. c. 74. out of him S. Prosper Carnis virginitas intacto corpore habetur virginitas animae est intemerata fides and so it cannot be found in her entier perfection in terra suauiter viuentium but where pennance is preached and truth professed which is only in the Catholike and Roman Church to which S. Augustin when he left the Manichies did accrew I wish M. Hall so much happynes as to follow his worthy example and so much of this impossibility wherein for that I haue beene so long I will be shorter in the rest The fifth vntruth refuted 27. There remayneth yet one of the fiue vntruths mentioned in the beginning in which M. Hall if you remember leaueth vs to scan the rule in turpi voto muta decretum In a filthy vow Turpe votum A vow if it be true can neuer be filthy
inferred the contrary conclusion for he sayth that this authority doth not perswade vs to beget children in priesthood Habentem enim dixit filios non facientem S. Paul sayth the Bishop that hath children not he who begets them as our English Bishops and Ministers do 36. With the Fathers now mentioned others conspire whome I might also if it were needfull alleadge who all acknowledge in the 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. Apostles words a permissiue dispensation not any positiue command and that also at such a tyme when amongst the Heathens conuerted vnto the fayth there could not be found so many single men as the Clergy required which both S. Epiphanius S. Hierome and Theodoret do Epiphan haeres 59. Hier. l. 1. in louin cap. 19. Theod. in comment Chrysosto commâ—nâ—s in 1. ad Titum obserue and truely if he had meant to haue left this matter free there had beene no need of this restrictiue limitation to the husband I meane of one wife but that as S. Chrysostome wel noteth Castigat impudicos dum non eos permittit post secundas nuptias ad Ecclesiae regimen dignitaetemque Pastoris assumi He checketh the incontinent whiles he permitteth them not after their second marriages to be preferred to the gouernment of the Church and dignity of Pastour So he And that this was only for that tyme and out of the errour thereof he further in another place confirmeth saying Voluit orbis Pastores constituere c. S. Paul went about to place Pastours ouer the Chrys ho. 2. in Iob. world and for that vertues were rarely found ordeyning Bishops he sayth to Titus make Bishops as I haue disposed the husbaÌ„d of one wife not to that end that this should now be obserserued in the Church for a Priest ought to be adorned with all chastity And after Non quod id legis loco posuerit sed quod errori ignoscebat Not that he made a law that euery one should marry as M. Hall interprets him but that he condescended to the errour to wit of those tymes 37. I will only adioyne one more whom M. Hall citeth for himselfe and is very eager in defence of his wordes as after you shall see so as his authority must needs be without exception on his behalfe to wit S. Isidore Bishop of Seuill who thus conforme to the other Fathers and truth also expoundeth the former words Isidor dâ— officiâ—s Eccles l. â— cap. 5. Vnius vxoris virum the husband of one wife thus Sacerdotium quaerit Ecclesia aut de Monogamia ordinatum aut de virginitate sanctum Digamus autem haud fertur agere sacerdotium The Church seeketh for priesthood either decent from single marriage or holy from virginity he that hath been twice marryed is not to be Priest So he so others so all And by this any may see who agree with No disagreement betweene S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostome though one do graunt a law in S. Paules wordes the other deny it because they do speake of different lawes the Fathers and who leaue them who interpret the Scriptures out of their owne spirit and who follow the beaten path of the Churches doctrine who antiquity who nouelty who truth who errour which point I might further dilate if the lawes of a letter restrayned me not to a more contracted breuity 38. If M. Hall say that S. Ambrose by me cited acknowledgeth in the Apostles wordes a law and S. Chrysostom denyeth any law to be in them but only a dispensation for that tyme and occasion I answere that both of them speake properly both truly S. Ambrose speaketh vpon supposition that a marryed man is to be made Priest or Bishop and then sayth that there is a law prescribed by the Apostle that he haue beene marryed but once so as this law is negatiue to wit none is to be ordered who hath twice been marryed but S. Chrysostome speaketh absolutly of a positiue law and affirmeth that the Apostle by no such law doth bynd euery Priest of Bishop to marry which I call positiue because it must runne in this tenour Euery Priest or Bishop ought at least once to be marryed for neither doth S. Ambrose graunt this law or S. Chrysostome deny the other but both iointly agree that none heereby is bound to marry and he that Tertull. exhort ad castitateÌ„ cap. 7. Concil Valentin cap. 1. Carthag 4. cap. 69. Toletan 1. cap. 4. Concil Aratisican cap. 25. Arelat 3. cap. 3. Roman sub Hilar. cap. 2. Agath cap. 1. Epaun. c. 2. Gerund cap. 8. Aurel. 3. c. 6. c. Bezal de diuortijs hath beene twice marryed is not to be ordered 39. With this doctrine concurreth the practise in all ages for Tertullian neere the Apostles tymes thus out of his own knowledge writeth Apud nos pleniùs atque strictiùs praescribitur c. Among vs it is more fully and straitly ordained that such alone be chosen to be made Priests who haue beene but once marryed in so much as my selfe remember certaine who were twice marryed to haue been deposed So he And in the 4. Councell of Carthage it is defined that if any Bishop should wittingly order any who had marryed a widdow taken againe his wife whome he had left or taken a second that he should be depriued of all authority of ordering any more And the same was appointed in diuers other Councells heere by me noted and their wordes are alleadged by Coccius in his rich treasure of the Catholike truth Which assertion of ours is so cleare euident as Beza himselfe could not deny it but in his book of Diuorces doth confesse it as he who reads him will confesse that he is the vndoubted scholler of Antichrist Digamos sayth he id est eos qui plures successiuè vxores vel etiam vnam eam viduam duxerant c. So far did most men in tymes past esteeme those who were Digami that is those who had taken more wiues one after the other or els had marryed but one and she a widdow to be vnworthy of the sacred ministery that they did not only exclude them from holy orders to wit of being Bishop Priest Deacon or Subdeacon but once also they excluded them euen from the very Clergy Let this be neuer so ancient notwithstanding I affirme it to be most wicked and not tolerable in the Church So he Giuing at one clap as you see the checke-mate to all Fathers Councells Churches antiquity and whatsoeuer yea if all the Fathers haue not in their commentaryes erred to the very Apostle himselfe so sharp are these men set to defend their wiues as they affect rather as it should seem to be kind husbands then sincere Christians 40. For M. Hall also euen in this very epistle maketh his chiefe plea for his owne and his M. Hall seemeth to set more by his wife then by his Religion fellow ministers trulls out of the Councell of
that prison and restored againe to his Bishopricke liuing al the residew of his life as the Author sayth insanctitate iustitia in holynes and vertue alwayes preaching the mercyes of God which to himselfe in such abundant measure had beene shewed 34. What thinke you of this M. Hall Was Sanderus l. 1. de Scis mat Aug. it free in these tymes for Bishops to vse their wiues as you pretend If in these dayes had byn foūd a lasciuious Crāmer with his Dutch Fraw whome when he had vsed for his harlot a while in his old age after for his comfort poore man he must needs marry being then Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of England or els not to rake further into the infamous ashes of our first parents as Thorneborough of Bristow with two wiues at once what think you would they haue sayd what pēnance would they haue enioyned with what vigour and rigour also would they haue chastized such Ministers or rather monsters of the Clergy And truly these two examples being so directly against the vse of wiues and M. Hall being not able to bring one to the contrary wherein it was allowed as lawfull for any Bishop or Priest after holy Orders taken to haue any let the Reader iudge which doctrine and practise best agreeth or disagreeth most with the former tymes and purer ages as our Aduersaries sometymes will cal them of the first six hundred yeares ours or theirs for heer you haue nothing brought for them but that some Bishops had beene marryed men others made Bishops in that state which is not denyed but that then they might vse their wiues M. Hall proueth not and these examples do euince that they did not which point out of diuers Councells we shall a little after further declare 35. And for the catalogue he heere maketh of marryed Bishops it hath no more truth and Many grosse mistakings sincerity in it then the rest for besides that he citeth Authors at randome as Euseb lib. 7. cap. 29. when as there be there but 26. chapters and for things which are not to be found in him which I passe ouer as petty faults besides this I say to increase the number of his Bishops he maketh S. Basils Father a Bishop who was neuer such and further sayth the same of Gabinius brother of Eutichianus Bishop sayth he of Rome whereas Gabinius was neither brother of Eutichianus nor Bishop of Rome or of any place els but hauing beene once marryed and by his wife hauing had one daughter to wit S. Susanna the virgin and Martyr after the death of his sayd wife was made Priest and in the persecution of Diocletian the same yeare with Caius the Pope his brother but not the same day was also martyred So as heere is nothing but mistaking and whether I will or not I see M. Hall must haue a sentence of Diuorce giuen against him out of the Court of Arches for pleading no better for the marriage of Clergy men which he promised in the beginning either to free or els to vndergoe the law there is no remedy I say if iustice preuaile but that he must part from his wife or which I sooner thinke he will do must breake his promse with M. VVhiting for hither to besides vntruths abusing of Authours mistaking the question other impertinēcies nothing hath byn brought to free this matter 36. Now if as I haue shewed the practise of the Primitiue Church so I would also set Bellar. l. 1 de Cler cap. 19. Coccius tom 2. Thesaur l. 8. art 6. downe particuler testimonyes of al the Fathers both Greeke and Latin I should ouerwhelme him with multitude I will remit him only to the places cyted in the margent where he shall find store and that so great as M. Iewell confesseth in this cause our aduantage notorious saying Heere I graunt M. Harding is like to find some good aduantage as hauing vndoubtedly a great number of Iewel defence pag. 164. Fathers on his side So he But my intention is to disproue only what M. Hall doth bring and not to vrge against him to answere I meane not to dispute wherefore he hauing spent all the small store of his authorityes as little boyes who M. Hall playeth small game when they haue in play lost their money will stake their points and when all his gone fall to play at picke straw euen so this man after the Fathers words after the examples of their practise in which both as you see he is foyled and hath lost all he commeth now to play at pick-straw indeed to vrge the palea or chasse which is in Gratian as though it were good corne and out of that will proue that as one man begets another so Popes to haue begotten other Popes who succeeded them in the Episcopall Sea and albeit this fond fiction haue been long since refuted for a fable by D. Harding as it might haue Harding in his detection fol. 237. ashamed any man euer to haue mentioned it any more yet seeing it is againe brought on the stage let vs see a little what it is Thus M. Hall deliuers it 37. To omit others sayth he what should I speake of many Bishops of Rome whose sonnes not spurious as now a dayes but as Gratian himselfe Many vntruths in one passage witnesses lawfully begot in wedlocke followed their Fathers in the Pontificall Chayre the reason whereof that Author himselfe ingenuously rendreth for that marriage was euery where lawfull to the Clergy before the prohibition which must needs be late and in the Easterne Church to this day is allowed What need we more testimonyes or more examples So M. Hall In which wordes that is the first vntruth that Gratian himself witnesseth these to haue byn lawfully begotten in wedlocke for he witnesseth no such matter the witnes for this thing is the Palea or Chasse the Author whereof is different from Gratian and a more moderne writer Baronius in anno 1152. in fine as Baronius truely auoucheth and so his credit the lesse and in this particuler fancy nothing at all as now we shall see 38. The second that the sonnes of Popes now adayes are spurious which with the lye conteynes an iniurious slander for what sonnes doth this man know of Popes of our dayes I feare me in An iniurious calumniation our dayes these men will change our old Grammer and make mentiri of a Deponent to become a verbe Common for no man can passe the impure tonges and lying lips of these men without misreporting or villany We know what Nicetas Nietas in vitalgnat Constant writeth Nihil ita capit animos inuidia odieque imbutos quà m sinistra de eo quem oderis narratio Nothing so much draweth the minds of such as are possessed with enuy and hatred as a false report of him whome you hate and so knowing M. Hall your hatred we wonder lesse at this slanderous and shameles
neither Martyr nor Confessor nor scant an honest man 53. Nor is M. Hall contented with that title of generall falsely and vniustly as Binnius noteth vsurped by these schismaticall Bishops but further will haue it to be a sacred Councell for so he The Trullan Synod no sacred Councell but a prophane assembly sayth But this sacred Councell doth not only vniuersally approue this practise c. which point before vpon another occasion I haue spoken of when I shewed these men more to care for their wiues then for any conscience or Religion at all which there I did only insinuate and heere as in the proper place I meane more fully to prosecute and to shew that in this Councell nothing is directly decreed for M. Hall and his but that Priests may sometymes vse their wiues all other Canons being either of things indifferent or for vs against him or els for some errour against vs both which if I shew it will take away al doubt in this matter and proue that in this mans opinion the only granting of a wise is sufficient to make a Councell that hath defined neuer so many Canon 4. Carnall knowledge of Religious women punished by the Trullan Councel other things against him to be both generall sacred 54. First then in the fourth Canon it is defined that if any Clergy man haue carnally knowne a Religious woman as Luther Bucer others did that he be deposed which article if M. Hall will insist on his owne grounds he cannot defend because he calls the vowes of Religious filthy vowes and will haue their obseruance to inuolue an impossible necessity and no doubt should he be permitted to preach in any Monastery of Nunnes his first Sermon should be to perswade them to set open the dores run their wayes and take husbands so as in this the sacred Councell standeth more I trow for vs then him yea quite condemneth his first parents who allowed no virgins but deflowred them how in our Countrey this new Gospell fauoureth Monasteryes heer mentioned appeareth by this that the first corner stone thereof was layd by King Henry in the ouerthrow of all Monasteryes of England and the same spirit still remayneth in all the children and posterity of these parents 55. In the 32. Canon it is commanded that Canon 32. water be mingled with the wine in the sacrifice and that in this forme of wordes Quoniam ad nostram Mingling of wine water in the sacrifice cognitionem peruenit c. because we are giuen to vnderstand that in the countrey of the Armenians they offer only wine on the holy table not mingling water therewith who celebrate the vnbloudy sacrifice alleadging the Doctor of the Church Iohn Chrysostome saying thus in his commentary vpon S. Matthew Where Christ after his Resurrection dranke not water but wyne pulling vp by the roote another wicked heresy because there were many who vsed water alone in the mysteries c. And a little after Wherfore because the wicked heresy of water defenders was ancient who for wine vsed only water in the proper sacrifice this diuine man refelling this wicked succession of that heresy and shewing it to be directly contrary to the Apostolical traditioÌ„ he confirmed that which is now sayd and because in his owne Church where he was Bishop he appointed when the vnbloudy sacrifice was offered water to be mingled with the wine prouing this doctrine out of the pretious soueraigne bloud water which issued from our Sauiours side was shed for the life of the world and redemption of sinners 56. And then further shewing the same out of the practise ordination of S. Iames the Apostle in Hierusalem of S. Basil in Caesarea and expresse mention thereof in the 3. Councell of Carthage in which was S. Augustine all these I say mentioning the sacrifice and mingling of water with the wine in the same this sacred Councell maketh this cautelous resolute ful decree Si quis ergo Episcopus vel Presbyter non secunduÌ„ traditum ab Apostolis ordinem facit c. If therefore any Bishop or Priest obserue not the order deliuered by the Apostles and mingling water with wine so offer the vndefiled sacrifice let him be deposed as proposing the Mystery imperfectly and foolishly innouating those things which An vnbloudy sacrifice mingling of water with wine at Masse Apostollcall traditions graÌ„ted by the Councell of Trullum haue beene deliuered to the Church So there Which wordes I haue cyted more at large for that they make so directly for vs against our Aduersaryes and that in three speciall points in Controuersy 57. For heere we haue an vnbloudy sacrifice not Metaphoricall which only the Protestants allow of prayers and praysing God but reall and that in bread and wine that there is water to be mingled with the wine which they also both in doctrine and practise deny and both the one and the other are proued by Apostolicall tradition which with M. Hall makes no proofe and for al this we haue the authority of another Councell of S. Basil and S. Chrysostome so as this one Canon of this sacred Synod allowes vs as I sayd three Catholike truths and hath nothing for Ministers but that they are not defenders of water alone without wine in their communions with which heresy no man who knoweth well their natures will euer charge them for they are so far from that errour as they will tast as little water as they may and drinke nothing but of the pure grape without any other mixture to allay the heat but let vs see some few more Canons 58. I omit the very next Canon which Toâ—â—ura Clâ—ricalis warneth all Priests to haue their haire cut and that none vnles he be cut after the Priestly manner nisi is Sacerdotali tonsura vsus sit be suffered to preach so that what authority soeuer M. Hall M. Halls modesty giue vnto the decrees and make them sacred yet the decreers must needs in his iudgement be all shâ—uâ—linges as it pleaseth the modest man to tearme all Catholike Priests and Religious persons but for that this more concerneth manners and Ecclesiasticall policy or gouernement then fayth I will no further mention it as neither the 49. Canon wherein it is decreed that no Monasteryes be euer made secular houses or giueÌ„ ouer to be inhabited by secular men which if it were in vse in EnglaÌ„d would ouerthrow many gentlemen who are in possession but by what right will be seene at the last day of Abby lands and houses for to omit other reasons heer they haue a seuere decree of a sacred Councell if M. Hall may be credited against them which puts them all vnder the penall laws of the Canons made in that behalfe 59. In the 73. Canon the worship of the Can. 73. Crosse is deliuered we are taught to adâ—â—â— the same the words are perspicuous effectuall The worship
witles and shameles 80. And as though he meant to be faithles witles and shameles indeed presently after the words of his rash and rechles promise he faceth out so palpable an vntruth as in all the writingâ— I haue read of Protestants or all the lyes they haue made which are both grosse and many I neuer to my knowledge haue seene any de◠〈…〉 ered with such brauery or lusty bragging as this so as if any list to know the mans speciall talleÌ„t or the liuely character of a shameles writer he shall not need to seeke for any other example A slaunting lye conioyned with singular impudency for speaking of this his sacred Canon which sanctifyed in his opinion the whole Councell thus he ruffleth A place I graunt sayth he miserably handled by our aduersaries and because they cannot blemish it inough indignely turne it out of the Councells what dare not impudency do against all euidences of Greeke copyes against their owne Gratian against pleas of antiquity this is the readiest way whome they cannot answere to burne what they cannot shift off to blot out and to cut the knot which they cannot vntye So M. Hall And who would not thinke that it were impossible that one so earnest in such riot of wordes with an exclamation of what dareth not impudency do in so direct so eager so confident so resolute a charge to vse such villany pardon me if I be earnest for this his behauiour is so base as I know not what other title to giue as to report a meere vntruth charge vs with a lye 81. For let this man tell vs if he can how we haue blemished how terne how burnt how cut off how blotted out against Greeke copyes Gratian and All editions of the Trullan Councell haue M. Halls Canon pleas of antiquity this Canon when the same as it is cyted by Gratian as it is in Greeke copyes as alleadged by authority is as ful as entier yea as aduantagiously set down for our Aduersaryes in our Councells as is the translation of Kemnitius which he hath giuen vs in his own margeÌ„t and of my denyall because it is not set downe with such brauery of wordes be not a sufficient answere to his affirmatiue slanderous charge let the Reader but see these editions which are all that at this present I haue by me to wit of Seuerinus Binnius which of all the rest is most ample in his third â—ome set forth in the yeare 1606. the edition of Venice printed by Dominicus Nicolinus in the yeare 1585. the Roman edition printed in the Popes Vatican 1612. and before all these the edition of Paris printed by Audoënus Paruus in the yeare 1555 and if all these editions haue it and I suppose the like of others which haue printed that Synod how do we cut it out how do we teare burne or blemish it and why doth this man so tragically exclaime and declaime against vs for that which we neither do nor pretend 82. And so far we are from burning or tearing out this Canon that in case all the CouÌ„cells that are extant in the world were burnt torne yet this Canon would be found both in Gratian Baronius Bellarmine and others and for pleas of antiquity it is set downe by wicked Photius in his epistle to Pope Nicolas at large which is extant in Baronius and for the Greeke copye that he shall also find printed in the Vatican Baron to 10. anno 863. Nicolai 6. edition where euery page hauing two columnes one is the Greeke and the other is the Latin and to go about to cut burne blemish teare or deface a Canon cyted vrged answered by so many Authors were ridiculous and impossible and this man should haue proued that we teare and burne as he sayth this Canon indignely and not insteed of prouing which he What dareth not M. Halls impudency do could not do crye out like a Bedlam what dare not impudency do For we know that impudency will do any thing if it meet with one that will be as impudent as M. Hall for then it will euen charge vs as he doth most vauntingly with doing that which we do not but the contrary as in this particuler instance I haue clearly declared 83. I am sorry to vse this sharpnes were it not that I launce such a festred so are as lenitiues would but hurt and corrasiues must cure let M. Hall be lesse impudent and he shall find me more respectiue I loue his person but hate his heresies and will not see my cause which is common with all Catholikes betrayed or Heretikes not to be spared where their dealing is to impudeÌ„t truth by painted falshood to be misprized and if he forget all modesty so far as vpon a false iniurious charge to taxe vs also with impudency and that euen when he sheweth it himselfe in the highest degree he must haue patience if we vse so vehement a reiection Catulus the Roman Oratour earnestly pleading was demanded by his Aduersary cur latras Catule why dost thou barke Catulus and he answered quia lupum video because I see a wolfe And if I for the same cause barke more then I would for such intollerable dealing where truth is trampled vnder foot insolency aduanced I deeme it better to be too earnest then with too much mildnes to incurre the checke of the Prophet Canes muti non valentes Isa 56. latrare be like dumbe dogs not able to barke or encounter with the wolfe where his behauiour is so vnmasked and open as heere it is I hope this warning will make him more wary if he write any more to see that it be with such characters as need not make the writer to blush his friends to shame and aduersaryes to disgrace him but to draw to an end of this Councell 84. After this charge which now to his shame we haue discharged it followeth in his epistle The Romanists in the next age sayth he were somewhat more equall who seeing themselues pressed with so flat a decree confirmed by authority of Emperours as would abide no denyall began to distinguish vpon the point limiting this liberty only to the Eastern Church and graunting that all the Clergy of the East might marry not theirs So Pope Steuen the second freely confesses The tradition sayth he of Answered by Bellarmine cap. 21. §. ad 5. dico the Easterne Church is otherwise then that of the Roman Church for their Priests Deacons or Subdeacons are marryed but in this Church or the Westerne no one of the Clergy from the Subdeacon to the Bishop hath leaue to marry So M. Hall And then after his manner vauntingly sayth Liberally but not inough if he yield this why not more with other such interrogatories as I shall after set down when I haue refuted the former passage 85. Where first to pretermit the false interpretation of Deacons or Subdeacons as if they were not different
more foolishly doted therfore the sottish Poet did not so much set forth a mouse with a lyons prayse as ouerwhelme and crush him in peeces So he and so say I no lesse fittly of M. Hall then he of Lucretius that he commendeth not the Councell of Neece Constantinople the first Ephesine or of Chalcedon or such like general Councels but a bastard Conuenticle not worth the naming and with the false titles of vniuersal sacred authority weighing down a hundred conuenticles legions of priuate contradictions with the like he couereth but a mouse vnder a lyons skin and a a skar-crow of clouts with Achilles armour 110. But the man if I mistake him not hath a further fetch in this matter and will I feare me shew vs a tricke of legier-du-maine and by crafty conueyance cast that off by contempt The reasoÌ„ why M. Hall giueth so great vndeserued praise vnto the Trullan Conuenticle which he saw that by learning he could not answere for hauing perused in Bellarmine so many Councells cyted of all kingdomes so many authorityes in him Coccius for cleering this controuersy as euinced the Catholike truth refelled his nouelty and faythfully deliuered the practise of all tymes places authors Churches Synods this man sayth of his bastard Councell alone Iudg now whether this one authority be not inough to weigh down a hundred petty conuenticles many legions if ther had beene many of priuate contradictions so as with this GeÌ„tleman al Councels you shal cyte against him though neuer so ancient al Fathers though neuer so graue all historyes though neuer so authenticall shall be but petty conuenticles and priuate contradictions and this counterfeit Trullan Councel shall be generall sacred and of authority to weigh them all downe whatsoeuer 111. This is a short maistery and easy conquest by giuing more authority then it deserueth vnto one to make riddance of all the rest and to accept nothing for proofe but that your selfe list to allow M. Hall in this saw the Fathers and Councells to be against him that for one broken M. Hall only praiseth them who can pleasure him and dispraiseth the rest allegation of the Trullan Conuenticle we could bring a whole army of more ancient more authentical records and for three Fathers of the foure first hundred yeares though not one of all the three make for him the testimonyes of al the Fathers of these ages which he saw at length layd downe in Coccius and Bellarmine but durst not behold them nor yet the answeres to his owne arguments in the Cardinal only he prayseth such as himselfe produceth and setteth them out with honourable titles as Paphnutius a virgin famous for holynes famous for miracles S. Athanasius a witnes past exception who may serue for a thousand historyes till his age S. Huldericus B. of Auspurge both learned and vehement c. but for all the rest that be against him they make but priuate contradictions so if they bring his cause no helpe he casteth theÌ„ all off with a Writ of Nil tecum attuleris ibis Homere foras 112. Neither is M. Hall the first authour of this inuention but scholler rather and follower of M. Iohn Iewell who made and vnmade Fathers M. Iewels making and vnmaking of the Fathers at his pleasure as they stood for or against him in citing once the schismaticall Councell of Basil for himselfe he sayth the Fathers of the Councell of Basil say c. but when a far more ancient Councell was cyted against him by D. Harding then were all these Fathers ignorant men lead away with See the Returne of vntruths of D. Stapleton art 4. the blindnes of that age when S. Bernard in his books of Consideration to Eugenius declaimeth against the vices of the Court of Rome then is he holy Saint Bernard but when he sayth in the same worke that the Pope is for power Peter for his annointing Christ the supreme Pastour of al Pastours then is he but bare Bernard the Abbot when S. Gregory the Great rebuketh the proud title of Iohn of Constantinople stiling himselfe vniuersall Bishop then he is holy S. Gregory but when he writeth of the miracles of Saints of purgatory and other the like Catholike articles then he is Father Gregory the dreamer Origen if he speake against M. Iewell hath presently many errours and heresies but when he speaketh for him then he is old Father Origen and M. Iewell will be his white sonne 113. So if one Father speake for M. Hâ—ll he is past exception and shall serue for a thousand if another M. Hall submits all authority taken from antiquity to his owne tribunall though of later tymes he must answere all cauills satisfy all readers and conuince all not will full aduersaryes if a schismaticall Councell though neuer so base neuer so much branded fauour his marriage it is generall sacred and shal proclaime in spight of all contradiction but if we for one or two Fathers misunderstood as I haue shewed bring the whole torrent and vniforme conspiring agreement of them all it shall make against him but priuate contradiction if we alleadge the Councells gathered in all the coasts and corners of Europe Asia and Affricke they are all but petty Conuenticles because M. Ioseph Hall as an arbiter chosen not by man or of man but by some greater power defines all to be so and will haue all Councells Fathers historyes records to be allowed or disallowed accepted or refused good or bad authentical or counterfeit as it shall like himselfe which supereminent authority and independence if you graunt him not all his arguments fall to ground and if you graunt him who will not pitty your folly and thinke you worthily deceaued who leaue the brasen pillers of truth sanctity antiquity to leane on the broken and rotten reed of this seely simple Minister in learning very little lesse in sanctity and only in his owne opinion and imagination great 114. He who will not be deceaued in iudgement must not weigh the matters controuerted by the scales of partiall affection towards either part for that were to make truth subiect to priuate fancy where two are in sute at law Priuate affections do hinder vpright iudgmeÌ„t the one against the other if the Iudge be byazed by one party and will pronounce sentence for him without so much as hearing the aduersary speake as Seneca in Medea well noteth the sentence may fall out to be right but the iudgment was wrong He that will iudge vprightly must beare an vpright mind not inclining to the right or the left for truth is compared by Cassian Cassian collat 23. cap. 9. to a straight line and as he who walketh on a rope cannot stand or go if he leane to one side or other so neither he find the truth who hath tyed his affection to any particuler as without further discussion will take all for good which he on the warrant of
his word shall suggest in this question if you draw your opinion from M. Hall and me and that so far as neither of vs both may be belieued but according to the proof we shall bring the truth soone will shew herselfe in her natiue colours you shall know where to find follow her but then you must not let M. Halls bare word make white blacke nor blacke white nor his sayings be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and able to make a Conuenticle a Synod a seditious Assembly a generall Councell or his reiection bring disparagement to any true Councel vnles it be seconded by better authority of more ancient and sincere writers And the like of myne to him which indifferency is so equall as more cannot be desired or let M. Hall if he can propose it and I bind my selfe to imbrace it 115. To know then whether Councells be true and lawfull to be admitted or refused dependeth vpon all the circumstances of their calling determining according to the analogy of fayth belieued and deliuered by the Church such A necessary rule Councells as haue not swarued from this rule nor haue beene noted of errour schisme or faction nor contradicted by the writers of that tyme and succeeding Councells are to be held for good and lawfull because they are knowne to agree with the common vniuersall and Catholike beliefe and that spirit which knitteth al the members of this mysticall body togeather if in any thing they had swarued they had not past without due checke reprehension which is much in this matter to be poÌ„dered for wheras M. Hall bringeth but one poore petty conuenticle and painteth it out like Esops Daw with many stolne fethers to make it seeme a fayre bird I haue by the authours of that tyme disproued the same as schismaticall of no credit let M. Hall shew the same in the Councells produced by vs to the contrary and he shall do somewhat let him name the authour that condemned the histories that mention them to be schismaticall other Councells that reiected them and the like but if he cannot do this then must our Councells be allowed their authority sacred their testimonyes irrefragable the least of them able to ouerbeare millions of the Trullan or such like exorbitant conspiracyes 116. And this supposed which by the laws of equity cannot be denyed we bring for this truth I meane against the marriage of Clergy men Councels gathered in all the parts of Christendome all called and kept within the first seauen hundred yeares after Christ that M. Hall if yet any sparke of grace be in him may with blushing recall his wordes with which he concludeth this matter saying for seauen hundred years A shameles assertion you find nothing but open freedome to wit for all Bishops Priests Deacons to take wiues which is so grosse an vntruth as it may serue for seauen hundred togeather for all the Fathers he hath brought are either against him or corrupted shamefully by him and this Councell is of no proofe or if it were it maketh far more for vs then for him and whence then commeth this freedome in what places and persons in what Church or Prouince for I am sure that neither in Asia Europe and Africke hath it had this continuance and freedome I feare M. Hall in the end wil runne to Terra Virginea Guiana Chyna Mexico or some other regions vnder the Antarticke Pole to find it out 117. For to begin with Asia vnder which I Asia include all the Greeke Church that hath yielded vs against M. Hall three Councells two prouinciall one generall the first held at Ancyra in Corcil Ancyraâ— Can. 10. Galatia wherin it is defined Quicumque Diaconi constituti in ipsa constitutione testificati sunt c. What Deacons soeuer that are ordered if in their ordination they did testify and say that they must marry wiues because they could not remaine in single life if such shall afterwards marry let them remayne in the Ministery because it is graunted them by the Bishop but if any say nothing in their ordination they are receaued with condition so to remaine if they afterwards do marry let them cease or be deposed from their Deaconish So the Councel and by Deacons to marry as Binius wel noteth are to be vnderstood such The vow of chastity where no exception is made annexed vnto orders as were perforce made Deacons as some were also in the same manner made Priests though they neuer had this permission as before I haue shewed out of S. Augustine and if such Deacons did not expresse this exception by force of the order they were held vncapable of marriage aâ— hauing annexed vnto it tacitum votum an implyed vow of perpetuall chastity And if in Deacons much more in Priests Bishops c. 118. M. Francis Godwin in his Catalogue of English Bishops amongst other his mistakings Francis Godwin in his Catalogue pag. 136. and 137. attributeth this Canon to the second Councell of Arles in France in the yeare 326. but in that Councell it is not extant nor was it euer lawfull in the Latin Church especially of Europe as far as I can find after the taking of holy orders to marry and the note he addeth that Restitutus Bishop of London was marryed needeth more proofe then his bare affirmation vnles perhaps he liued apart from his wife as the Trullan Councell after ordeyned and S. Gregory of Towers sheweth to haue beene the Ecclesiasticâ—ll custome before for no Church either Greeke or Latin euer permitted Bishops to accoÌ„pany with their wiues but commanded them to liue apart from them in perpetuall continency and the very first Canon of this Councell is Assumi aliquem ad Sacerdotium non posse in vinculo coniugij constitutum Can. 1. nisi fuerit promissa conuersio One cannot be made Priest in the band of wedlocke vnles he promise conuersion that is to abstaine from his wife liue apart from her and vow chastity Which explication of the sense and meaning of the word conuersion is warranted by two other Councells to wit the first of Arausica where of Arausicâ— 1. anâ—â— 4410 c. â—â—â— Deacons it is sayd Non ordinentur coniugati nisi quiprius conuersionis proposito professi suerint castitatem Let none be ordered Deacons but such as haue first of purpose or intention of conuersion professed or vowed chastity and againe in the Councell of Agatha Si coniugati inuenes consenserint Agathâ—â— Concil anno 5â—â— c. 16. ordinari etiam vxorum voluntas ita requirenda est vt sequestrato mansionis cubiculo religions promissa postea qui pariter conuersi fuerint ordinentur If any marryed yong men so they be not vnder the age of 25. yeares for such are excluded by the same Canon shall agree togeather to take orders the intention of their wiues is so first to be required that they separate themselus from the chamber of
question and alone necdeth no proofe which if we apply to the present matter we shall find in a different subiect the same argument We deny that euer S. Huldericke wrote any such epistle how doth M. Hall proue it thus whether you call him S. Huldericus or Volusianus the matter admits no doubt but that he wrote it to which put this Minor but he who wrote the letter is Authour thereof Ergo S. Huldericke is the Author An argument more fit for some Grillus Corebus Alogus some Patch Ioll or VVill Sommer then M. Hall 46. There resteth one more vntruth in the A foule Chronographicall errour touching the tyme when S. Hulderick liued margent which is Chronographical about the tyme when S. Huldricke liued that you may perceaue how this man in all things is rash and negligent if he dispute his arguments be loose if he cyte Authours their authorytyes are either mistaken or corrupted if he inferre one thing out of another it is by wrong illation takes quid for quo the contrary to that which doth follow of his premises if for more exactnes he go about to reduce things to their proper tyme 20. or thirty years difference is not to be regarded for to be exact is against his reputation he will not be taken for such a precision and therefore heere he telleth vs Huldericus Episcopus Argustae anno 860. which is iust thirty yeares before he was borne and yet after his birth he liued either thirty three or thirty foure before he was made Bishop so as he is heer made to be Bishop of Auspurg more then three score years before his tyme are not these men exact writers trow you on whose fidelity so many men with such assurance may rely their saluation 47. And to end all this matter as though An vntruth ioyned with a contradiction he had not hitherto giuen vs vntruths inough he addeth for the finall vpshot one more that also combyned with a contradiction when he sayth after Vdalricus so strong did he plead and so happily for two hundred yeares more this freedome still blessed these parts yet not without extreme opposition historyes are witnesse of the busy and not vnlearned combats of those tymes in this argument So he And I cannot but tell him out of the Comicke Non sat commodè diuisa sunt temporibus tibi Daue haec These tymes agree no better then did the other of S. Vdalricks letter to the first Nicholas and vntrue it is that euer he pleaded so happily so strongly who neuer opened his mouth in this controuersy vntrue it is that this carnal freedome blessed these parts for two hundred yeares more after his death for vnder Pope Gregory the seauenth he confesseth presently after that this cause was vtterly ruined and betweene the death of these two I meane S. Vdalricke Gregory the seauenth there is but one hundred and twelue years and whereas that Pope dealt in that matter some yeares before his death it will follow euen by the graunt of M. Hall himselfe that this cause so strongly so happily pleaded for in the compasse of one age was quite ouerborne and vtterly ruined so as by this account M. Hall in setting downe two hundred years reckoneth only but one hundred too much which is not much in him so subiect euery where to errour and so careles in his assertions as almost nothing cometh from him out of any learning or truth that is in Controuersy betweene vs. The imaginary pleading of S. Vdalricu◠neither strong not happy 48. Againe there is a manifest contradiction in these words for if vpon this strong and happy pleading this freedome blessed the parts of the Latin Church how had it such extreme opposition for before this tyme there was nothing els in M. Halls iudgment but full possession of this freedome and the contrary not to haue preuayled till more then a thousand yeares after Christ so as all the blessing was before S. Vdalricks pleading and all the opposition after and how is not that pleading to beheld rather weak and vnlucky then strong and happy which had no other effect then extreme opposition and quite ouerthrow of the cause defended by that plea For what successe could be more vnfortunate then to be cast in a cause so vehemētly vrged debated with such heate and that betweene the supreme Pastour for authority and a most eminent Bishop for sanctity of those tims which contradiction is made more palpable by the next ensuing words in his letter for thus he writeth 49. But now when the body of Antichristianisme A heap of vntruths began to be complet so it pleaseth this light Companion to prattle and to stand vp in his absolute shape after a thousand yeares from Christ this liberty which before wauered vnder Nicholas the first now by the handes of Leo the ninth Nicholas the second and that brand of hell Gregory the seauenth was vtterly ruined wiues debarred single life vrged So M. Hall And truely if Leo the 9. and Nicholas the second ruined this matter this plea had so short a blessing and so quicke a crosse as it remayned on foote little more then fifty yeares and that still in continuall contradiction vntill it was extinguished and so as before out of two hundred we rebated one so out of that one we must take another halfe leaue him but fifty if his owne words be true that this was ruined by Leo the ninth as heere he pretendeth and the blessing he talketh of is resolued to this that presently this marriage matter was contradicted and the contradiction so followed as it preuailed and this supposing what he sayth to be true of these men and matter which yet are so false as they conteyne in them to speake the least more lyes then lines which I will briefly touch in order 50. The first is that vnder these Popes the body of Antichristianisme began to be complete for all The first vntruth the Popes he nameth to wit Nicolas the first Leo the ninth Nicolas the second and Gregory the 7. were all very holy men all learned al excellent Gouernours of Christs Church and the second Nicolas excepted all registred in the Catalogue of Saints and our Protestants of the primitiue Church in England were wont to tell vs that this body was complete in the tyme of Bonisace the third whome idly they would haue to be that singular Antichrist descrybed in Daniels prophesy and the Apocalyps of S. Iohn some haue much laboured to draw the number of his name to agree vnto the tyme whē he was made Pope with other impertinencyes and if M. Hall make the denyall of Priests marriage the complementall perfection of this body for all the heauen and happynes which these men haue is in their wiues and whatsoeuer sauours or fauours not that is Antichristian then was it complete for some hundreds of years before any of them were borne or thought on as the authorityes of
stout Prelate without any touch of disgrace in all that he writeth of him which had not beene spared had he found any thing in him that had beene lyable thereunto and Iohn Fox who â—lthough he speake well of few yet he out of others commendeth S. Anselme when he treateth of his election albeit afterwards he do discommend him euen for that for which by all S. DunstaÌ„ S. oswald S Ethelwolde other Authours of former ages he hath beene iudged most commendable 105. Of S. Dunstan Oswald and Ethelwolde we haue before spoken and VVilliam of Malmesbury is proâ—use in the prayse of ech of them a part in their liues and no meruaile for all three were very holy men and not only admired in England but reuerenced abroad and by the whole Church acknowledged for Saints of the first to wit S. Dunstane inough for this matter hath beene sayd aheady and of S. Oswald M. Godwin giueth him this Encomium be was very learned and left some testimonyes therof in writing not yet perished for the integrity also of his life and conuersation he was much reuerenced the greatest fault that I find in him is that he was very earnest in setting forth that doctrine of Diuells that debarreth men of lawfull marriage c. many miracles are reported to haue been done at his tombe in regard whereof the posterity would needs make him a Saint So he Of the third Matthew VVestminster sayth writing of his death Eodem anno S. Ethelwaldus migrauit ad Dominum In this yeare S. Ethelwald went to our Lord or departed this life this title of Saint is giuen him by all our writers of these tymes and M. Halls friend Henry Huntington Hunting l 5. in â—â—gar Houeder ibideâ—s much prayseth him saying that he was â—gregius Praesul aedificator sepium auertens semitas imquitatis plantans radices charitatis A worthy Prelate a builder vp of the hedges of vertue turning men from the paths of iniquity planting in them the root of charity and in fine of them all three Malmesbury writeth that Miâ—uâ—runt per Malmâ—s l. 2. de gestis Pontij 〈…〉 Angliam vt lumina crederes è â—aelo arridere â—ydera They shined ouer England as â—ights in so much as you would haue thought the stars to send their coÌ„fort from heauen So he And so much of these 106. But now for such Priests as had their Trulls if you looke into the monuments of antiquity The incontinent Clergy as the summ of the world coÌ„mended by none what memory or mention is made of them you shall either find nothing at all or that they were the very scumme and refuse of the Clergy and M. Hall hauing raked this impure dunghill could find but one only man to speake for him to wit Henry Huntington who yet hath but these words Hoc Concilium prohibuit vxores Sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas In Hunting in anno 1101. deliuering of which short sentence M. Hal maks vs three vntruths for thus he writeth Anselme sayth that Historian was the first that forbad marriage vnto the Clergy of England and this was about the yeare of our Lord 1080. til then euer free So M. Hall But by his leaue Huntington doth not say that S. Anselme was the first that forbad marriage to the Clergy for S. Dunstane had forbidden it more then a hundred years before againe this was not about the yeare of our Lord 1080. for Huntington himselfe expresly putteth it more then twenty yeares after and this yeare twice set down in the margent was more then twelue yeares before S. Anselme was Bishop or had any thing to do in England If he meane 1108. wherein as I confesse there was held a Councell so I deny that this can agree with Huntington who putteth it the next yeare after K. Henryes coronatioÌ„ which was in the year 1100. and lastly it is vntrue that marriage of Priestes till then was euer free for it is inough for the verifying of his words vnles M. Hall will haue him to contradict himselfe and all truth that in the trouble some tyme of VVilliam Conqueror and his sonne VVilliam Rufus who sold the Bishopricks of England for money the Priests had gotten this liberty which Commentary his words will well support for truly translated they are only these In this Councell S. Anselme prohibited wiues to English Priests before not prohibited for the word before may signify immediatly before in which tyme perhaps though they were not allowed yet the wickednes of that King weaknes of the Symoniacall Bishops wanting so long their Metropolitan and licentiousnes of the Clergy forced the better sort of Pastours to tolerate that which although they did condemne yet could not redresse 207. And this being the only witnes and he if he meane as M. Hall will haue him being Henry Huntingtons ill demeanour in his history taken tardy in his euidence and that both in respect of the tyme and matter for the first he putteth a yeare to soone and altogeather misreporteth the later his wordes in this matter cannot preiudice our cause vnles they were seconded by some better authority of more vpright and indifferent iudgment for this Henry was so far set on this marriage matter and to impugne the aduersaryes thereof as he seemeth quite to haue forgotten the law of a History which requireth all truth and integrity in the things related in both which this man was deficient for in all S. Dunstans life he neuer speaketh of this matter which yet was the chiefest matter of moment then debated and on the other side he commendeth him who opened the fluse to let out all this puddle of impurity amongst the Clergy I meane Edwyn elder Brother vnto King Edgar of whome our best Historiographers report much villany for which halfe his When by what occasion this licentious liberty entred into England Matth. VVestin anu 956. Kingdome was taken from him by the insurâ—ection of his subiects and giuen to his brother and as well for that as other misfortunes soone after dyed hauing raigned but foure yeares of whome as Stow well noteth is lest no honest memory vnles that which Matthew VVestminster writeth of him Cum annis quatuor libidinosè simul tyraÌ„nicè regnum depresâ—sset Anglorum iusto Dei iudicio desunctus c. After he had foure yeares lewdly and tyrannicall abused the Kingdome of England by Gods iust iudgment he dyed And consequently he was the fitter instrument to further theâ— filthines of this sacrilegious marriage of the Priests and Clergy For in his tyme besides the vsuall incursions of for rayne enemyes from abroad and ciuill warâ—s of subiects at home where one halfe of the Realme was in armes against the other and both out of order as it still happeneth in such occasions Frequentes lites sayth Osbert sediditiones nonnullae varij confliclus hominum Osbert in vita Dunstani suborti totam terram
bring his authority by whome Christian Religion was first planted in England we bring the greatest Clerke that euer antiquity yelded vs we bring one who liued when the bickering with S. Dunstane began and what he wrot of Priests wiues we bring S. Anselme when it was againe renewed we bring the approuance of all the best Historiographers and schollers of the Land so as both our authorityes are positiue in the affirmance far more ancient for tyme and without comparison for esteeme more eminent then any can be alleadged to the contrary and if Tertullians rule be true as M. Hall graunted and denyed it togeather in the beginning of his letter that priority of tyme inferreth infallibility of truth then the cause is ours and M. Hall is cast or els let him produce some more ancient writers or of such credit as S. Gregory S. Bede S. Anselme and the like or if authours want to deale for a farewel more friendly with him let him bring me for the first three hundred yeares after the arriuall of S. Augustine into England but one Bishop Priest or Deacon who was marryed and in that state liued freely with his wife and was so allowed and I will rest contented and put him to no further A large offer made to M. Hal. trouble for prouing his freedome and who seeth not this my offer to be very large in case marriage had byn as freely then permitted to Priests as it is now to Ministers as he contendeth And if neither authority in writing nor example of fact can be found and we shew both the one and other for their single life then I trust none will be so vnequall a Iudge and professed enemy of truth as not to acknowledge it appearing so plainly in her natiue colours and so Al authority standeth for the single life of Priests none against it of any account or worth euidently marked with infallible certainty 112. And it must needs be a great comfort vnto Catholiks to see Heresy haue so weake defence to see this cause so ouerborn by vs as you haue heard to see on our side stand S. Gregory our Apostle S. Bede S. Dunstane S. Ethelwold S. Oswald S. Anselme so many Kings Councells Nobility consent of the Realme continuâ—ll custome of tyme all writers of most account in one word all the flower of authority learning and sanctity which euer our Nation yielded since these broyles of the incontinent Clergy began before also on the other side to see M. Hall for want of other help to lay hold on one obscure Authour Henry Huntington for tyme not very ancient for credit small and for the very thing he affirmeth out of him vntrue al others disclayming from him all pleading for vs vnles they be such as are not worth the taking vp and that euen vntill the tyme of Edward the 6. when also those who there dealt against vs had first in another ParlameÌ„t before pleaded for vs and subscribed to that which afterwards they condemned If any say for their excuse that the later Parlaments are of equall authority with the former and that one may repeale what the other hath enacted I answere that so it is in ciuill affayres which depende vpon the present disposition of persons tymes and things for it may so fall out that one law which heeretofore was very expedient may be now hurtfull or the contrary but for matters of fayth or things thereunto appertayning this rule doth not hold for as the certainty of Religion dependeth not on men who are mutable but vpon the sure immoueable and euerlasting truth of Almighty God alwayes one alwayes inuariable so must the same also be constant one and vniforme in it selfe without any change or alteration at all neither is this fayth to be fashioned out by Parlaments of particuler Nations but if any difficulty arise therein or in any other Ecclesiasticall affayre the Pastours who alone are to direct the flocke of Christ in Generall CouÌ„cels are to sit iudges and define the matter lay men not to intermedle therein This alwayes hath beene the practise of the Christian world by this haue errours beene rooted out vnity purity of fayth mainteyned the people kept in peace the Church in esteeme this failing errours as experience hath too deerly taught vs haue increased heresyes without all order or vnity haue beene multiplyed common peace broken holy Church contemned the whole frame of Christianity shaken and al things disioynted and put out of order 113. Another ponderation may be drawn 4. Ponderation from the difficulty of this graunt for marriage in the very beginning when it was first proposed in Parlament in the tyme of King Edward The first grant for marriage of Clergy men gotten in the ParlameÌ„t with great difficulty the sixth and was so strongly opposed as it could find no passage but only for the tyme past and that also not without some hard straynes it seeming indecorum vnto them all to behold the Pastours as fleshly as the people and no purity or perfection of life to be in one more then in the other but sicut populus sic Sacerdos to be all carnall all drowned in sensuality al alike more corporall then spirituall more attent to the body See the three Conuers par 2. cap. 12. §. 22. c. then soule to pleasure then pennance temporall emoluments then eternall happynes but what should they doe deny it absolutly they could not for the Ministers practise had preuented their hindrance and they came prouided in that behalfe not hauing so much patience as to expect the Parlaments permittance and he had giuen them example who for place authority was the chiefest among them their Archbishop Cranmer the first marryed Metropolitan that euer was in England Cranmer I meane the first marryed Metropolitan that euer England saw and it was to no purpose to go about to restrayne the members from the influence of the head or where the root was corrupted to seek to saue the branches from infection this also being the chiefe point of Euangelicall liberty among them happily renewed as M. Hall sayth with the Ghospell but indeed was so new as a new paire of shooes neuer made before could be no newer And this Ghospell was not according to S. Matthew but Martin Luther as we haue shewed and a very lasciuious Ghospell that to satisfy the lust of these wanton companions did breake all bands and promises made before to God of a better life 114. But seeing afterwards all the ofspring to tracke so constantly this path of their progenitours necessity excluding all counsaile of further deliberation and the great multitude of these marryed men all meanes of redresse they were forced in the next Parlament to permit them all to take wiues permit them I say for approue them they did not and that also in despite of all lawes made euer before in al Prouinciall Nationall Generall Councels to the contrary
haue ended this letter but that his triumphant conclusion forceth me to make a briefe recapitulation of what hath passed in this combat betweene vs that you may as in a table see both what cause there was he should so crow and how that he as well as other of our Aduersaryes haue a speciall grace when they haue proued nothing to vâ—unt aboue measure of their chymericall conquests for if you barre them of that boasting humour of lying of rayling of corrupting Authours and childish disputing their pens will cast no inke their books will be very barren they in short tyme for matters or controuersy will become altogeather mute M. Halls bragging Conclusion is examined togeather with a briefe Recapitulation of what before hath beene sayd HAVING discussed hitherto all M. Halls arguments and deciphered their weaknes or rather hauing shewed how they haue beene answered by others resumed by him without any notice of their former refutation and that with such confident courage as he pawneth his wife his fidelity his cause all theron which if truth and equity may giue sentence he hath all forfeited yet such is the mans misfortune his wit being so shallow and selfe esteeme of his owne worth and works so great that as before he neuer more bragged theÌ„ wher he had least cause and was most ouerthrowne so in the very end where he should haue excused the want of exact performance of what he had vndertaken as necessarily knowing all his proofes to haue beene so disproued before as neither altogeather or any one of them all cold subsiâ—t yet hauing passed the bounds of modesty by his intemperate rayling on vâ— and immoderate praysing of himselfe without further reflection he ruâ—heth on forwards and in lieu of M. Hâ—lls pride â—nd vanity this excuse and humble opinion of himselfe a there is â—o cause God woâ— why â—e should haue any other he coÌ„meth aloft with an Iâ— triumphe like a coâ—querour in his triumphant chariot with lawâ—ell crowne and scepter in hand talketh of nothing els but conquestâ— victoryes subduing Aduersaryes â—eâ—ching and defending the truth which yet in this brauery he so betrayth as euen in this triumphant Conclusion which he maketh there is nothing he hath that includes not in it some notorious â—alshood obseruing in some sort the rules of art which will haue the beginning and end of a worke to haue some proportion and connexion togeather and so as he began bluntly with fiue lyes at once so will he end with as many to speake the least for thus he writeth 2. I haue sayth he I hope fetcht this truth far inough deduced it low inough through many ages to the midst of the rage of Antichristian M. Hall for a fare well giues vs a fardle of vntruths tyranny there left our libeâ—ty there began their bondage Our liberty is happily renewed with the Ghospell what God what his Church hath euer allowed we do enioy wherin we are not alone the Greeke Church as large for extent aâ— the Roman and in some parts of it better for soundnes do thus and thus haue euer done Let Papists and Athiests say what they will it is safe erring with God and his purer Church So he And to all this vaunting there needeth no other answere then that of the Wise man Nubes vâ—ntus plâ—uiâ— non sequentes vir gloriosus promissa non complens As the câ—oud Prouerb 25. and wind and no raigne following so is the man who vaunteth much and performeth not his promises for all these wast words are but clouds without water vaine blasts of presumptuous pride promiâ—ing much and performing nothing and M. Hall in his long trauell is but like vnto one who maketh a great iourney to the sea side to fetch home salt water in a â—yue or to those of whome the Prophet speaketh who sowed much and reaped little and put all their gaine in sacculum pertusum a purse pierced through the bottome from which all did fall out that was put in for if M. Hâ—ll will rightly cast vp his accounts he shall find that he hath gayned as much by all his labour for his cause as if he had sate still and sayd nothing though for his credit this he had gotten to be hâ—ld a very vnsincere and superficiall writer for he wanteth learning to frame an argument reading to find the truth modesty in his tearmes and conscience in telling so many lyes which are as thicke with him as hops in haruest 3. And whosoeuer will consider what before hath beene sayd will see the vayne hope of this man to vanish like smoke he sayth that he hath fetched this truth far inough and deduced it low inough through many ages euen to the midst of the rage of Antichristian tyranny o how much is truth for her deliuerance out of bondage be holding vnto M. Hall to so potent an Aduocate Scilicet liberanda veritas sayth â—ertullian expectabat Marcionem This conquest of fetching truth so far was reseâ—ued to Tertul. â—â— Marciâ—n these â—ymes to M. Halls trauells to his learned pen but in this his valiant exploit of fetching home truth he should not haue forgot that rule thereof deliuered by S. Ambrose and was much worth his noting Veritatis sayth this Father Amb. lib. â—â—e Offiâ— cap. 24. â—â—est regula vt nihil sacias commendandi tui causa quo minor alius fiat That is the rule of truth that you do nothing in your own commendation wherby another may be abased as heere M. Hall doth whiles in praysing himselfe for fetching truth so far of his happy renewing of his liberty by the Ghospell of erring with the purer Church and the like he contumeliously calleth the Catholicke Church and the gouernement thereof Antichristian tyranny and most basely giues as it were the defyance to Papists and Atheists which tearmes needed not were all so cleare on his side as he would haue it but that the leuity and malignity of his distempered brayne where reason fayled would force it out with rayling and he thought his owne praise too little vnles it went combyned with our contumely In this I confesse his faculty is better then in prouing the continuance of the marriage of Clergy men which notwithstanding his brags hath beene found to be to â—ard a taske for his weake ability 4. And when he tells vs how far this truth is fetcht and how low deduced through many ages I must truely tell him that he hath performed no such matter the primitiue church the ensuing ages the later tymes all authority of any weight or worth are against him vntill the tyme of Edward the sixth the freedome he now possesseth was neuer possessed in England no Bishops were marryed no Priests but of lewd life euer attempted it abuse as tymes gaue M. Hall striueth as it should seeme to vtter many vntruthes in a few lins occasion crept in but neuer had publike allowance And if he meane
by the tyme of Antichristian trranny the tyme of Gregory the seauenth then is his impudency very singular to say that he hath cleared it till his tyme when as the single life of Clergy men was more in vse in the Latin Church euer before that tyme then whiles he liued and as these are very grosse vntruths so are the rest which follow as after I shall shew to wit that that there left his liberty matrimoniall I meane that there began our bondage that his liberty is renewed by the Ghospell for in our Ghospell we find no such matter that he enioys what God what his Church hath euer allowed which is a double lye or two lyes in one line that in this his extensiue liberty he is not alone that the Greeke Church is as large for extent as the Roman that in some thinges for soundnes better that thus it doth as they doe in England that thus they haue euer done are foure other falshoods and in fine there is nothing true in all this conclusion as it shall appeare by the ensuing recapitulatioÌ„ of what before hath beene proued 5. Yet this by the way I must tell him that al the soundnes he meaneth of the Greek Church is for that it alloweth that married men may be made Priests though it neuer allowed any Priests to be made marryed men much lesse any Bishop for els who so will read their confession in the censure which Hieremias their Patriarke made vpon hereticall articles sent him Censura Ecclâ—siae Orientalis by two Lutherans out of Germany Marâ—inus Crusi us and Iacobus Andrea he shal find for the number of Sacraments real presence vnbloudy sacrifice The confession of the Greek Church iustification by workes traditions free will monasticall life praying to Saints the vse of holy images praying for the dead and other points very Catholike assertions agreeing with vs and condemning the Protestants so as if M. Hall poore silly soule will make himselfe an arbirer to iudge of the soundnes of Churches and haue his cause to be holpen for that the Greeke Church in one thing fauoureth him against vs we may if we thought such arguments worth the making better therof inferre the soundnes of our Church against him with which the Greeke not in one only but in very many points and those also the greatest most essentiall of Christian Religion doth agree truely omitting the errour of the Procession of the holy Ghost and ridiculous Supremacy of that Patriarcke condemned as well by our Aduersaryes as by vs in the rest they seem Catholiks at the least their positions are such and albeit in some particuler eustoms they differ from vs yet are not those of such great moment but that with vnity of fayth a perfect peace and accord might be made betweene vs if all will stand to that which their chiefest Patriarck in so open a confession hath taught and declared But to come to M. Hall 6. He vaunted much in the beginning of his letter of the Scriptures and told vs that if God should be iudge of this Controuersy it were soon at an No diuin authority for the marriage of Ecclesiasticall men end therefore he passed not what he heard men or Angells say while he heard him say let him be the husband of one wise but the proofe this diuine authority hath much fayled him and no place in any Prophet or Apostle hath decided the same and such as this poore man hath brought are but cramb â—ecoctâ— cole worts twice or thrice soden answered I meane reanswered by Catholiks especially by Cardinall Bellarmine and the solutions deeply dissembled such a worthy wight is this writer and it hath beene shewed not one text or citation he hath brought taken in their true sense and meaning to maâ—e for his purpose as for example of the doctrine of Diuels forbidding marriage of the Bishop being the husband or one wâ—â—e that marriage is honourable and the bed vndefiled of the Apostles carrying their wiues about the world with theÌ„ with others of the old Testament all which how they are by him either streyned misinterpreted or not rigâ—tly vnderstood hath beene at large declared in their due places and his two brutish Paradoxes also fully refelled that the vow of Chastity is vnlawfull that it is impossible and that by the excellency of the vertue vowed eminency ouer marriage perswasions of the Fathers thereunto the â—harp rebuke and punishment of the transgressours the wickednes of the marriage of votaryes and that none but Heretikes euer maintayned it and further at large is proued the foresayd vow to be most laudable and for performance to iuclude no impossibility at all 7. To this is added the rigour of the Ciuill law in punishing the deliâ—quents in this kind very ancient and austere which seuerity supposeth the obseruance to be in the power of the maker as it is in the power of others not to steale commit a â—uâ—ery and other like offences in which if they transgresse no Iudge will excuse their fault as proceeding out of any defect of ability to refrayne but supposiâ—g that as knowne and graunted by all punish them for doing such acts which they were able to auoid by the law of God Nature and Nations were bound not to commit and hauing committed deserue to be chastized After this the constitution of the Apostles and what other proofe is brought for their practise are discussed what Caietan Pius and Panormitan haue sayd to the coÌ„trary is answered and in fine it is euinced most clearly the Apostles excepting S. Peter not to haue marryed and in case they had euen by the verdict of M. Halls owne Authours after their calling to the Apostolicall dignity neuer more to haue knowne their wiues much lesse to haue carryed them in pilgrimage all the world ouer with them as these men Ministers I meane that cannot be long from their wiues and therefore would haue the Apostles to be as weak as themseluâ—s do fancy and surmize 8. Hereof it followeth if M Hall will not mistake the state of the question that he hath not setched this truth of his far inough for from the Apostles he findeth he fetcheth nothing that can auaile him and so reacheth not home if he M. Hall destitute of all authority of the ancieÌ„t Father speake as he seemeth of time though for place like a wilde wanderer he haue trauerst Greece Aegypt Asriâ—ke and other coasts of Europe and returned as wise as he was when he went forth Of the next ensuing ages for foure huÌ„dred years he cyteth but three Fathers Origen S. Cyprian S. Athanasius the first hath nothing to the purpose the second is very grosly abused the third mistaken not any one or all together make any thing for him much he is and indeed too much in the fact of Paphnutius recounted by Socrates for he corruply setteth it down to his aduantage against the mind and meaning of his Authours And
the thing is fully answered and shewed either to be false or not to make so much for M. Hall as he would seeme to haue it the names he addeth after of marryed Priests and Bishops are partly false partly true altogeather impertineÌ„t plainly shew this Epistler not to vnderstand the thing he treateth of but to roue at randome in many words to say nothing to the matter 9. Not content with Priests and Bishops he commeth to Popes and wil needs giue them a singular priuiledge for he will haue Popes to haue begotten Popes and the children to haue Popes belyed and Socrates abused succeeded their Fathers in the Pontificall Sea as Kings sonnes do their parents in that Crowne and kingdom al are lyes taken out of the Chaffe but fathered vpon Gratian and heere clearly refelled as counterfeit then he sheweth out of Socrates what some Bishops did whether Heretiks or Catholiks he sayth not nor yet of what place but being himselfe a Grecian borne and brought vp in Coustantinople where no Patriarke was euer knowne to haue marryed or to haue vsed after wards his wife which is our question he sayth that all the famous Priests or Bishops of the East obserued the same custome not compelled thereunto by any law sayth he though not a few Bishops did the contrary and it may wel be imagined these Bishops not to haue byn of the best and their example could not make this custome vsuall much lesse vniuersall in the Greeke Church as hath beene shewed out of S. Hierome S. Epiphanius S. Leo. And truely for Bishops to haue knowne their wiues in that state which Socrates auoucheth was neuer there lawfull no not in the Trullan Synod as you haue seene and it was no sincere dealing in M. Hall to make this hereticall historian seeme to speake of all the Bishops of Greece whose words are plain to the contrary and expresly mention some particuler only 10. From particulers proofs he comes to more generall and vrgeth the Councel of TrulluÌ„ and therein he much bestirreth himselfe but as it falleth out with bad brokers that buy and sell and leese by the exchang so M. Hall after this labour euen by his owne verdict is proued and proclymed faythles and the Councell at large is discussed proued neuer to haue allowed leaue to any Clergy man in holy orders to marry howsoeuer some marryed men were ordered to be Priests but neuer to be Bishops and this being but a Nationall Councell vnlawfully assembled neuer wholy approued cannot prescribe The CouÌ„cell of Trullum lawes to the whole Church and M. Halls sanctifying the same and making it a Generall because it fauoured marriage to speak nothing of his lyes argueth in him more loue to his wife then care he had to see or seeke out the truth and notwithstanding it had beene such yet had he lost much more to his cause then gained therby as is declared in many particulers of the reall presence sacrifice worshipping of holy images especially the Crosse the holy Chrisme power of Priests to remit sinnes and the like yea euen in that very cause for which it is brought and vrged it maketh against him so little heed doth M. Hall take of what he writeth Againe presently after he doth contradict his owne authorityes and will for seauen hundred yeares haue nothing but open freedome when as out of the Councell he should haue inferred the coÌ„trary because then this freedom in part was first graÌ„ted neuer permitted before 11. After this Councel as if there with he had opened Aâ—olus his den followes a boysterous A boysterous charge blast of raging words wherein for want of other matter this honest man chargeth vs with blemishing burning blotting cutting and tearing of the Trullan Canon out of the Councells and that against the euidences of Greeke copyes against Gratian against pleas of antiquity and which most of all pinceth against the marriage of Ministers and Ecclesiastical persons but all this storme is soon asswaged because it had no other cause then the meer ignorance malice of him who raised it and this Câ—non of his generall Councell without all blemish blot fire or sword is found to be entire in our copies Greeke and Latin albeit the decree be not so flat howsoeuer confirmed by authority of Emperours but that it abides a denyall yea is proued Schismaticall the second Pope Steuens distinguishing vpon the point as he will haue it is absolutly without any distinction proued to be a lye and the Canon fathered on him to agree rather to Steuen the Subdeacon father to Pope Osiâ—s and Deusdedit then to any Pope of that name though M. Hall be very peremptory and resolute therein but his words be no oracles or proue for the most part any thing els but either the vanity malice or ignorance of the speaker 12. Which well appeareth in a heape of demands which follow immediatly vpon the former charge discharged long agoe by Bellarmine which all bewray the weaknes of the writer as hath before beene shewed in euery particuler and as mad an inference he maketh after when by a non sequitur he concludeth saying So then we differ not from the Church in this but from the Romish Church in which wordes I thinke the poore man vnderstandeth not himselfe for M. Halls Non sequitur when he sayth we differ not from the Church what Church doth it mean either the whole Catholike Church or some particuler member if the whole then how doth he exclude the Roman with which all Europe and Africke the greatest part of Greece and all Aegypt did agree If of a particuler branch or member then how doth he say we differ not from the Church when as he differeth euen from that very Church on which he would seeme most to rely the Greeke I mean for as hath beene shewed to M. Halls cost if he esteeme the losse of his fidelity for such of foure things defined in that Councell that three are against him and yet so blind a doctour he is as he can discerne no difference but as though there were perfect agreement in all thinges he sayth we differ not from the Greeke Church but from the Latin as well he may say that a man a horse do not differ in any thing because they agree in this that either of them haue one head though in other matters there be neuer so large and manifold differences betweene them 13. I let pâ—sse his vntruths before detected whereof this was one that for seauen hundred yeares there was nothing but freedome which if it be not spoken per antiphrasim is to grosse a lye Vntruths by heaps as hath beene delared and that this scuffling began in the 8. age as if the continent life of the Clergy had then newly entred or sought to find entrance when as still it had beene on foot and full possession before as by the definitiue sentences of so many Councells gathered
in Asia Europe and Africke is demonstrated and the contrary by M. Hall is without all proofe or probability affirmed though he streyne far and forge a text of the third Gregory to this purpose and fouly mistake S. Isidore and then vpon no other ground but his owne errour and ouersight most pitifully exclaime against vs with I know not what outragious crime committed to our perpetuall shame whome he calleth his iuggling Aduersaryes and will haue vs deale worse then the Diuell but this shame I haue shaken off â—rom vs it must rest on himselfe and all the iuggling is resolued to this that M. Hall cannot see that which lyeth open before his eyes and therefore as he is suspitious thinketh it by some iuggling deuise to be taken away Alas poore M. Hall I pitty your ignorance but condemne your malice fayne you would byte but wanting teeth you can but only barke you esteeme your selfe a gallant man when you rayle at our doing or doctrine but your wit is so weake and will so wicked as the later which is blind and should be guyded by the former only directeth your pen and sheweth your iudgement and learning to be alike little I meane in respect of the desire you haue to do vs hurt in case you were able God forgiue you and send you a better mynd 14. There followeth another fundamental proofe which is so potent that M. Hall will be cast The fable of S. Huldericks Epistle in his cause if it do not answere all cauills satisfy all Readers and conuince all not willfull aduersaries and this forsooth is a learned and vehement epistle of S. Vdalricus vnto Pope Nicholas the first in which we see saâ—th this blind man how iust how expedient how ancient this liberty is and not only that but there-withall also the feeble and iniurious grounds of forced continency read it sayth he and see whether you can desire a betâ—er Aduocate I haue done his friend M. VVhiting that fauour as to read it for him and I see this Aduocate in writing to the first Nicolas to haue beene as blind as M. Hall for in caâ—e S. Vdalricus had written it as it is euinced that he did not he had written it more then 50. yeares after the partyes death whome he did write it vnto and more then twenty yeares before himselfe who wrote it was borne and therefore I desire in M. VVhitings name a better Aduocate that may plead after the vsuall manner of other men and not write letters before he haue either body or soule eyes to see tongue to speake or hands to write and then â—end them not to the liuing but to the dead and in the coÌ„tents to speake the truth and not tell vs tales of six thousand heads found in one mote with other the like impertinencyes before refuted and finally I must tell M. Hall that the cause is very weakly defended that relyeth on such rotten grounds of forged fictions and if he had esteemed it to be of any worth he would neuer haue made hazard thereof vpon such fooleryes if he be as prodigal of his wealth as he is of his wife cause credit and fidelity his children shall not be ouercharged with any rich inheritance which he is like to leaue them for he will be sure to liue and dye a beggar 15. In this counterfeit epistle there is no antiquity set downe for M. Halls carnall liberty neither can we espy therein the feel lenes of the ground of forced continency because we force none thereunto but compell such as without all inforcement out of their owne free and deliberate election haue vowed it to the obseruance of their vowes which this letter as lawful doth allow though we may not allow this liberty to M. Hall to change the name of Vdalricus into Volusianus nor to authorize it from them that haue mention thereof as Aeneas Siluius nor yet from such as in case they haue some mention are themselus of no credit as Gaspar Hedio Iohn Fox or such like fablers nor finally to vaunt of a happy plea and triumphant conquest where neuer word was spoken or stroke giuen or thing done more theÌ„ in the idle fancy of some new fangled Ghospellers how soeuer this wise man tel vs that heerupon this liberty blessed the world for 200. yeares after but I haue at one dash bated one hundred and fifty more at another and that from the warrant of his owne words and proued this Plea if euer there had been any such as there was not to haue beene very vnlucky as wel for the discredit of the maker as ouerthrow of the matter and that in so short space as hath beene before set downe 16. And because this modest man rayles at the seauenth Gregory for vtterly ruining the marriages of Priests and makes him the most Of Gregory the 7. Nicholas the 2 and Leo the 9. mortall enemy that euer the vow-breakers had which I impute to his great honour as it is also to be reuiled by heretiks I haue at large defended him and his whole contention with Henry the Emperour and shewed how constantly he behaued himselfe in this sluttish busines and although M. Hall would fayne haue him to be amongst the first parents of such as suppressed the marriages of Clergy men yet the truth is that before his tyme these marriages were neuer thought vpon in Germany but then the Clergy brake forth first into that intollerable beastlines and the like is proued by Nicholas the second for the first had neuer any thing to do in that controuersy and Leo the ninth whose decrees are only against concubines and harlots of incontinent Priests without any mention of wiues which in their tims were not any where allowed or perhaps so much as thought vpon and it may seem a woÌ„der to anâ— who knoweth not the custome of Heretiks to see one to claime prescriptioÌ„ of tyme for the marriage of Clergy men that cannot bring one Canon one Nationall decree one direct authority of any ancient Father for seauen hundred years togeather and after that tyme to alledge a meere patched proofe of a schismatical Conuenticle which more hurteth then helpeth his cause and yet to brag that for all that tyme there was nothing but marriage nothing but liberty no vows no chastity but these are the vsuall pangs of hereticall insolency 17. Diuers other points vpon this occasion are discussed as the deposition of Gregory the seauenth feigned to be made in the Councell of VVormes and that for separating man and wife but there was no deposition made no separation mentioned Then whether Gods will which this man still supposeth to stand for the incontinent vow-breakers â—or the Popes willfullnes was sought therein and lastly whether the broyles betweene Henry and Gregory were about this matter and what flocke it was thâ—t was so afflicted by the Popes censures as Auentine reporteth which was not indeed any flock of Christ for such still adhered vnto their
renowned Pastour kept their vowes and were not shaken with that tempest bu 〈…〉 a few stincking impure goates giuen ouer 〈…〉 ll lust and leachery whome neither feare of God nor shame of men nor vow though neuer so solemne nor band though neuer so strong was able to conteyne 18. Touching our English Clergy M. Hall is very briefe and hath scant six lines in his text thereof yet as few as they be they contradict The English Clergy the Comment he maketh on them in his margent for in the Text the bickering began with S. Dunstane in the margent with S. Anselme in the Text we learne out of our owne historyes how late how repiningly how vniustly the Clergy stooped vnder this yoke by S. Dunstane in the margent S. Anselme was the first that euer forbadde marriage to the Clergy of England till then euer free If euer free till then how came it to passe that S. Dunstane more then a hundred years before that tyme had made the Clergy so repiningly and vniustly to stoop vnder the yoke of continency or single life how is he free that hath his neck in the yoke If S. Dunstane made them stoop a hundred years and more before S. Anselme then truely can it not be sayd that S. Anselme was the first that euer forbad marriage or that vntill this tyme it had beene alwayes free to marry Of what credit his two Authors alleadged are is there declared and further out of S. Gregory Bede VVolstane Anselme Malmesbury c. out of Nationall Councels and other proof it is shewed our English Clergy in the first plaÌ„tation in the continuance and alwayes in generall to haue beene continent vntil the tyme of King Edward the sixt though sometyms in the troubled state of the Land in some places this beastlines began but was neuer publickly allowed neyther can M. Hall or his two Authors Fox and Bale shew any one publicke decree any one Canon of Councell any one authenticall Charter or Record of so much as any one single Bishop extant to the contrary 19. All which being thus declared and as The particularity of M. Hals vaunt is briefly examined occasion serued the vniforme practise of all the Christian Church in Asia Europe and Africke shewed to stand for vs and the very Authors of any account brought by M. Hall himselfe to the contrary to be more ours then his as well for the Apostles themselues and Apostolicall tymes as also for the ensuing ages after M. VVhiting may see the truth of this Thrasonicall vaunt that M. Hall maketh when he telleth him for a farewell that he hath fetcht this truth far inough For before K. Edward the sixth not far off God wot he can fetch nothing to proue the large liberty now vsurped by our English Clergy if the marryed Ministers with their wiues may so be tearmed with their wiues I say because their wiues are as much Clergy women as they Clergy men in one word haue as true calling to teach preach minister their Sacraments as their husbands haue And when this man out of his wandring imaginatioÌ„ further adioyneth that he hath deduced it low inough through many ages to the middst of the rage of Antichristian tyranny I must tell him that he hath made no other deduction theÌ„ of his own ignorance lyes folly which without breach or intermission like an entiere thrid are begun and followed to the end of his letter all the rage of Antichristian tyranny he speaketh of is nothing els but the outragious rayling of a Phantastical sycophant who for want of learning and truth is forced to talke of that he doth not vnderstaÌ„d to confirme one lye by another to mistake what he should proue and to forget all modesty 20. There left sayth he our liberty there began their bondage Where M. Hall do you meane In Terra Florida Virginia or Vtopia For the word there is referred to place and not to tyme or if you will abusiuely take it from tyme I demaund wheÌ„ this lâ—centious liberty for the marriage of Priests began to be restrayned If as before you signifyed vnder the first and second Nicholas vnder the 9. Leo and 7. Gregory your owne Trullan Councell before these tymes is against you which forbids your Bishops to marry at all or keep company with their wiues would permit no Priest to marry And that no Priest might be marryed I haue cyted in the end of the second Paragraffe many Councells out of all the coasts of Christendom And whereas he further addeth our liberty is happily renewed with the Ghospell it is hard to define what liberty happines what Ghospell he meaneth and of what God what Church he talketh when he sayth what God what his Church hath euer allowed we do inioy for this Church is som inuisible castle in the ayre neuer seene on the earth and this VVe is equiuocall and may include Lutherans Caluinists Protestants or Puritans let it include all or some one branch among all of these sects yet is the lye notorious for in all the Christian Church this liberty hath euer beene banished 21. The Greeke Churches sayth he do thus and thus haue euer done if he meane as he seemeth that these Churches vse the liberty of the English Church renewed by this later Ghospel it is too to grosse an vntruth and yet not proued by any See censura Orientaâ—is Ecclesiae c. vltim in principio capitis one authority of the Fathers nor yet of his sacred Trullan Conuenticle and M. Hall doth wel to name the Greek Schismatical Church of this day which yet coÌ„meth short in this very point of the English for in all his Letter he hath not brought one aÌ„cient authority for the Churches of Europe and Africke more then one only of S. Cyprian touching the exaple of Numidicus which if any sparke of shame be left may make him blush to thinke vpon All the rest are broken peeces out of S. Vdalricus Gratian Panormitan Pius 2. Caietan others eyther in themselues counterfeit or with the coÌ„trouersy in hand nothing at all coherent 22. Wherfore to end this matter with him for whome I began it I hope now good Syr that you see M. Halls valour to haue been valued by yourselfe at too high a rate euen there to haue fayled where you esteemed most of his ability in this matter I meane where besides meere babling what hath he proued how many words hath he vsed cyted authorityes only to cast a clowd vpon the truth and to hide it from the eyes of his simple Reader Many are his M. Halls impertinencyes braggs his citations thicke his promises great his confidence singular but his wit is weake his ability small his performance nothing After his first entrance with lyes which continually increase he mistaketh the state of the question and talketh of many things not denyed by his aduersary not in controuersy between him and vs he bringeth