the primitiue Church any other communitie of goodes then ought to be among all Christians alwaies namelie that no man should account any thing to be his owne otherwise then the necessitie of the Church requiring he should be contented to sell euen his landes and possessions to releeue the poore Neither was Ananias and Saphira punished for breaking of their vow of pouertie but for lying against the holie ghost as the text is plaine whatsoeuer any man say to the contrarie And yet Ierome ad Demetriadem whome you cite saith not that they were punished for breaking their vow of pouertie or that they vowed pouertie but that after they had vowed the wholl price of that land they did reteine part as if it had beene their owne In Basill I finde nothing to such intent But that Ananias and Saphira were punished so seuerelie because they sinned with an high hand proudly contemned the Lord in their hypocrisie Neither doth Master Charke affirme that the Apostles forsaking of their goodes is Anabaptisticall condemning of proprietie as you slaunder him but that the example of Christs voluntary pouertie if it be to be followed bindeth al men alike and speciallie the Pope who claimeth to be Christs owne vicar generall and therefore ought most to follow Christ. It is to no purpose therefore that you will him to reade the places of the doctours to chaunge his opinion For first Hierome in the 19 of Matthew is not content that he which seeketh to be perfect sell all his goodes but he must giue them to the poore and then not liue idlelie of other mens goodes but of his owne labour as the auncient Monkes did with many other conditions that are wanting in Popish votaties Basill inter 9. in reg fus expl hath nothing to this purpose but that men which forsake their goodes to professe monasticall life must not leaue them negligentlie but dispose them to the glorie of God What Saint Chrysostome saith vppon the saluting of Prilca it were good you read ouer your selfe and then tell vs wherefore you would haue Master Charke read it for I finde nothing to alter his iudgement therein Last of al Saint Augst de ciu lib. 17. cap. 4. saieth not that the Apostles votum paupertatis vouerunt For these are his wordes Dixerunt enim potentes illi Ecce nos dimisimus omnia secuti sumus te hoc votum potentissimi vouerunt Sed vnde hoc eis nisi abillo de quo continuò dictum est Dans votum vouenti For these mightie had said behold we haue left all and followed thee this vowe those most mightie had vowed but whence came thie to them but from him of whome it is saide immediately geuing the vow to him that 〈◊〉 Now I haue prooued before that the Apostles leauing all things to follow Christ was not a renouncing of any propertie in their goods except in such case as they could not reteine them and doe the seruice of Christ wherein if you will not beleeue me you are an obstinate heretike by the sentence of Pope Iohn 23. which declared al them to be obstinat heretikes that affirmed Christ and his disciples to haue had nothing priuate or proper He condemned also a glosse of Friar Peter a minorite which had incouraged a certaine couent of a third order to follow the pouerty of Christ of which number many were condemned and burned Platin. in Ioan. 23. How your doctrine and his doth agree looke you vnto it for one of you is greatly deceiued That you conclude the vse of al wordlie blessings to be lawfull it is well That you charge Master Charke or our ministers to allure dandle or smooth men in them to serue their owne bellie c. it is a slaunder that needeth no confutation seeing their open and zealous preaching of repentance and mortification is a sufficient discharge for them before God and all that heare them The forth section which he intituleth of Loialas and Luther IN this section you saie litle defence needeth because the replier hath nothing beside a railing sentence or two against the Iesuites saying that they eate the sinnes of the people Whereas these men neither taking anie charge of soules vpon them nor receiuing anie tithes or other commodities for the same both which things M. Charke doth the reader may iudge whether he or they stand in daunger of the sentence But that which M. Charke saith of eating the sinnes of the people he meaneth not of the Iesuits only or chiefly but of them that giue pardons for money of which the Iesuits are sometimes marchants wherein they may with the Pope eate the sinnes of the people although they haue no benefices which you meane by charge of soules and tithe taking And sure it is they liue not all of Angells food neither are they maintained altogether by pure almes but by an artificiall kinde of cousonage vnder pretence of restitution as their predeceslours the Pharisies vnder pretext of long praiers deuoured the houses of poore widowes and if no man eat the sinnes of the people but they that haue benefices Master Charke is out of daunger of the sentence for he neither hath charge of soules nor tithe or commoditie for the same as you vnderstand the matter Whether Paull the third or Paull the fourth did first allow the sect of Iesuites it is a trifling matter not worth the strife about it It is sufficient for Master Charkes reporte that Paull the fourth did confirme it and there is no more reason that we should beleeue Andradius then that you should credit Kemnitius you haue litle to do that prosequute such fruitles contentions The fift section entituled Of Luther and his doctrine MAster Charke first chargeth you with plainevntrueth in that you saie he doth contemptuouslie or contumeliouslie cal Loialas a souldier where as he doth neither with honour nor with disdaine nor anie waies in all his answer call him a souldier to this charge you are mumme And whereas he doth vnioint your two arguments and manifestlie discouer the insufficiencie of them you denie that you made such argumentes whereby you acknowledge that you brought in these matters of the life of Laiolas and Luther vainlie The slaunders of Papistes against Luthers life you think must be credited because they be matters of fact As though the testimonie of enimies must needes be taken in a matter of fact And that they which are obstinate enemies to the Gospell will care for feare either of damnation or open shame in the world to inuent or brute abroade moste impudent slaunders against the professours of the trueth Concerning Sleidans eleuen thousand lies there is no wise man but laugheth to heare of the number of them And if one Sleydan a Protestant hauing publike recordes and writings to iustifie his storie could yet write eleuen thousand lies against the Papistes as you affirme is it not possible trow you that Coclaeus Hosius Lindanus Xanctes Staphilus Bolsec and
such an impudent brag set vpon so false a matter wherein he seeth neither Christs institution by his word nor the example of antiquitie by anie credible report nor practise of any Christian people by any necessary ground nor 〈◊〉 by learned witnes nor reason by necessarie conclusions to vphold and maintaine it let him schoole his conscience according to the holie scriptures and nothing be mooued with the vaine glosing of such shameles boasters ALLEN For if vpon consideration of this practise so approoued by all meanes possible he can not charge him selfe with obedience to the trueth and the exercise of that in his lise and workes which he seeth to be moste sure and certaine as well by the Churches vsage as Gods owne writing and will moe words will not weigh with him nor the persuasion of man shall euer much mooue him to that which the continuall terrour of conscience alwaies acknowledging that truth in minde the practise wherof in outward fact he abhorreth can not effectualliie force him vnto Hard it seemeth I knowe to the wordlinges and to the weake and so hard that neuer man could haue brought it into the Church much lesse to haue continued it so long if it had not proceeded from the precept of Christes owne mouth to open the whole heart and minde to man And it can not but be ioyned with some naturall bashfullnes in this our frailtie to vtter that to an other which in it selfe of what sort of sinne so euer it be is moste filthie and lothsome But knowing and feeling vndoubtedlie that the continuall close keeping thereof in the court of our conscience is much more great and greeuose torment and therwith concerning Christes ordinance to be such that no consideration of our imbecillitle nor contrarie liking of our phantasie maie or ought to withdrawe vs from that thing which for vs all is accounttd moste conuenient and necessarie let vs neuer by our disobedient willes striue against Gods wisedome FVLKE When you can shewe Gods owne writing and will out of the same that popish shriftis so necessarie all good consciences will runne as faste vnto it as now they despise and abhorre it Such confession as the holie writinges of God doe require all Christians wil be readie to make But that confession of all our mortall sinnes as you tearme them is of necessitie to be made to any man we finde no scripture that doth charge our conscience with it And where you saie that no earthly power could haue established or begun any such burthenous thing as shrift is I agree with you yet it followeth not that the force of Christes institution hath driuen the worlde thereunto For the subtiltie of the Deuill hath more preuailed to deceiue the mindes of ignorant men then any earthlie power against knowledge could haue preuailed Yea God himselfe hath sent the efficacy of error into the worlde that Antichrist then whose tiranie nothing is more burthenous might preuaile to the deceiuing of the reprobate for punishment of their 〈◊〉 which haue not embraced the knowledge of the trueth to their saluation that they might beleeue lies to their condemnation Wherefore let no man maruell that Antichrist hath laied so many so heauie and intollerable burthens vpon mens consciences which no earthlie power could bring to passe for his comming is foreshewed to be according to the effectuall workeing of Satan in all power and signes and wonders of lies and in all deceitfullnes of vnrighteousnes in them that perish Neither let any man be blinded with this foolish Sophistrie and inconsequence of Allen Neuer any earthlie power could haue established or begunne anie such burthenous thing as Popish shrift is therefore it hath the force of Christes constitution and ordinances whereof there can no worde be brought out of the hol e scriptures ALLEN If the hurthen therefore of confession seeme to any man intollerable as in deede it is not but verie pleasant to all such as haue tasted how sweete Christ is let him ease it with earnest consideration that it is exceeding commodious to breake the pride of mans heart and to make him know himselfe And if that any burthen of shamefastenesse appeare in the vttering of his sinnes he may learne to take it gladlie as some worthie paine for his offences and some peece of recompence and satistisfaction for the same It pleased God at the first fall of our fathers to ioyne shame and confusion to sinne by which they were bashefull at the voice of God and of their owne nakednes Seeing that of his infinit wisedome it pleased him to make it the first punishment for sinne and to laie it vpon his owne sonnes moste innocent person in his contemptible death and manifolde rebukes suffered for our sinnes and sakes let vs not disdaine to beare some portion thereof in this sacrament of confession for the release of our sinnes That shamefastenes so much abhorred and so much respected shall often preserue man from further offending whereof he knoweth after he must againe so soone before God and his minister be rebuked FVLKE To all wise and Godlie men the burthen of Popish confession seemeth not onely intollerable but also impossible But to foolish hypocrites that would gladlie fall to a composition for their sinnes it seemeth easie enough especiallie since euerie man for a litle monie may choose his confessour according to his owne conceite into whose lappe he may vomit out the burthen of his seared conscience and be assured of absolution toties quoties Neither is pride much abated nor shame greatly regarded where one simple obnoxius person is made priuie of a mans faulte who also as it is holden is bounde to conceale the same for euer Neither were all the shame of the worlde sufficient to make satisfaction for the least of our sinnes which deserue eternall confusion paines for which the sonne of God and none but he was able to satisfie by temporall paine and shame much lesse the shame of confession before one priest and he commonlie an ignorant contemptible asse may be any peece of recompence and satisfaction for all our sinnes confessed to him Iesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sinnes and his bloode purgeth vs from all our sinnes and therfore your Popish confession with this opinion of some peece of recompence satisfaction for our sinnes is iustlie abhorred of all true Christians who know that what peece soeuer of recompence or satisfaction for sinnes be ascribed to any other thing so much is detracted from the glorie of Christes redemption and the inestimable price of his bloode As for the preferuatiue from sinne that you imagine shrift should be is but a foolish fantasie for he that neuer feareth not shamerh to fall so often in the sight of the righteous God will haue but a small regarde to bewraie the same to sinnefull man ALLEN But what should we talke of sosmall a let where the comfort of opening our sores woundes to
Such lenitie so lightlie regarded nay so tragically inueighed against as most barbarus cruelty deserueth at the hands of God and man more sharp and yet but iuste entertainment You exclude vs say you from speach conference writing printing disputing or any other due trial of our cause Stil you would haue your cause to be religion when it is high treason And as for triall due for treason is neuer denied you before you be condemned for it As for speach conference writing printing disputing for trial of the cause of religion when you will permit to be free in places of popish regiment you may expostulate with vs for not allowing you the same in this Christian state of gouernment But what extremitie soeuer we vse we are sure say yow allwaies to be answered by one meanes or an other It may be as you saie but you tell vs not when For if you speake of answering our bookes you scarse giue one for tenne Neither do you so disquiet vs by your pretended claime as you mainely boast but we might sleepe on both sides if we had none other busines then to confute your popish treatises And if you had no greater hope in treasonable practises as in your rebellions both in England and Ireland and in your Popes bandes and banners your Saunders your Feltons your Someruils your Parries and such other execrable traitors and treasons then you haue confidence in writing or reasoning you would not looke to see the rooting out of our faith religion which you terme heresie as you do vainly prognosticat and prophecie But our credit you thinke is greatly crushed in our owne conceiptes seing we flie openly and without shame all kinde of quiet triall what soeuer and with furie onely moue the magistrate to violence against you In deed you know your owne cause best where you haue the magistrate obedient at your beck how vnwilling you are to haue any other quiet conference for trial but imprisonment torment fire and fagot And if the same measure were paied you home againe into your lapps it were no more but good iustice and such as you shall surely finde one day according to the prophecy of the holy ghost Rewarde her euen as she hath rewarded you c. when God shall put into the hart of Kings to hate the Romish whoore of Babylon to eate her flesh and to burne her with fire But as yet God calling you to repentance you haue no cause to repine against our seuerity much lesse to condemne vs of violence if you seeke not your owne bane by practising of treason and sedition But how do you openlie and without shame saie that we flie openly and without shame all kinde of quiet triall What lawfull kinde of quiet triall hath not bene offered to you Would you haue conference was there not a moste solemne conference agreed vpon in the beginning of her Maiesties reigne where principall men of both parts haue beene chosen to confer and all the states of the realme assembled in parliament readie to heare And who did there openly and without all shame flie the triall did not the pillers of popery vpon a friuolus cauill misliked by their owne Fecknam giue ouer the combate As for priuate confirence it hath bene many times offered and often practised with such of your heresie as be in holde but of them for the moste part misliked or reiected Triall by writing of bookes hath alwaies bene and yet is open free in so much as many of your popish treatises being confuted by vs are allowed to be inserted into our bookes that the indifferent reader may iudge of both more freely and easily a triall which you papists neuer yet durst enter into and a manifest argument that you flie the most indifferent kinde of triall You haue bene openly challenged by Doctor Fulke to conclude the controuersies of religion that are betweene vs in the strict forme of syllogismes both for your owne ease and for the clearnes and certainty of iudgement and this rea sonable request if you refuse to yealde vnto he hath protested before God and the world that you shew your selues thereby to be enemies of trueth that you flie the light and dare not abide the triall And yet these foure yeares day none of you all hath aduentured that most easie certaine and necessary trial which you cannot refuse if you wil haue trueth to be thought to stand on your side Let wise men iudge therefore whether we refuse all kinde of quiet triall and whether it be not a seditious kinde of triall that you would haue as appeared by Campians challenge who although he were a person too contemptible for yeares grauitie learning or honestie to make so proude a chalenge to all the learned and wise of the Church and common welth of England yet when he was brought to light he was conferred withall by diuerse graue and learned men and tried in the defense of his owne treatise in which God wot he was quickly found to be none other then his familiars alwaies knew him to be that is more bold to challenge then able to defend him-selfe more ready to cauill like a childish sophister then to answere like a sober deuine And as for his constancie patience which you magnifie with so many wordes in his iust execution for treason which you falsly terme martyrdome for your false religion there is smale cause you should boast of it but that it is necessarie where you cannot be borne out with trueth to breake through with open lyes For manie hundrethes of eie witnesses can testifie against you that of his patience which yet had bene perforce there was no sufficient trial by torment or sense of bodelie paine at his death other then is vsual to al that be strangled with an halter But as for constancie or cherefull passage vnto his death it appeared lesse in him then in any of his fellowes but rather great tokens of deiection and consternation of his minde bewraied in his colour countenance voice and gesture plainly noted by such as knew his stomach courage lusty behauiour when he was in prosperity That he his complices would acknowledge no guilt of treason whereof they were so cleerely conuicted it maketh their death more detestable sheweth their hipocrisie more damnable who seeing it was necessary for them to die as traitors desired of their fautors to be honored as martirs declaring thereby intollerable rancor and malice against the prince and the state and no lesse pride ambition in them-selues Of such Martyrs boast as long as you will you shall neither get credit by them when their cause is knowne nor terrifie vs with reuenge of their blood when their punishment was iust HEtherto belike you haue spoken to al that abhorre Popery in general for now you will speake aword or two to Master Charke as to his owne person in particuler And two things you tell him of that in this matter
texte of corruption testifying that the auncient reading was CAROV which signifieth they haue pearced which Mazorites said Master Sherwine And so much touching the comparison betweene Master Campian and Master Sherwine in whome as there was litle helpe for your cause so we thinke you haue lost noe greate aduantage by their taking away out of this life But let vs see what be the wordes of your publike challenge We request you yea we coniure you either for trueths sake if you seeke it or for your owne credits sake if yee will retaine it that you yeald vs after so much sute and supplication some equall triall either by writing preaching or disputing Although we should not yealde either to your requeste or to your 〈◊〉 we might haue that loue of trueth and care of our credit which becommeth vs. For trueth hath bene so well and long tried to be on our parte that our credit in mainteining thereof cannot be cracked if we should altogeather refuse any new triall For why should you be admitted after 24. yeares to any new triall which refused in the beginning so lawfull and solemne a triall as the like in any memorie was neuer offered in this lande what sute or supplication you haue made I knowe not except you meane the seditious challenge of Campian which was caste about as a lible to erect and stirre the wauering mindes of your inconstant disciples into expectation of some great alteration not lawfully and orderlie deliuered to them to whome it was intituled as an humble sute or supplication Againe there is noe reason that vpon any sute or supplication there should any further triall be graunted vnto you that haue beene alreadie so often conuicted condemned in the cause as though the matter were stil in question or doubt with vs but onely in respect of some weake and doubtfull persons vnto whose infirmitie in hope of their satisfaction and full resolution something may be yealded For what wise man would graunt to the Manichees Arrians Macedonians and such other absurde heretikes so long since condemned at this time any new triall or iudgement by publike disputation preaching or writing although they did neuer soe importunatelie craue it yea as you doc adiure and coniure them to it And seeing you are so indifferent as you pretend to enter into any equal trial either by writing preaching or disputation what maketh you so vehement in calling for triall when one of these waies neither is nor can be denied vnto you namelie triall by writing yea you haue beene prouoked and challenged to the most equal way of triall by writing which is by syllogisme to trie how you can vphold any of your heresies by vs condemned whereunto you are now the rather to be called because you complaine that Campian was not suffered to oppose Set downe your syllogismes in the defense of any article of controuersy that you holde against vs or in oppugning any point of doctrine that we hold against you either in writing or in print so as they may come to our handes you shal receiue a speedie and a readie answere This triall you may haue without daunger sute or charges if it were triall and not treason that you sought to practize vnder pretext of publike trial by preaching or disputing Els what neede you be so importune for anie equall triall when this the moste equal the moste easie the moste profitable triall or way of triall for finding out and iudgeing on which side trueth doth stand neither is nor can be taken from you There is noe reason in the world you say but onelie feare that may mooue vs to denie you this your request But they that be wise can easilie iudge that there is great reason to denie you anie such request where your purpose is knowne to be sedition and not triall neuerthelesse your request of triall by writing is not denied you as I haue saide before vse it then when you thinke good and make no more babling of triall if you seeke nothing but triall and be indifferent to take anie of these three kindes of triall The reason of the state you saie which is alleadged against your request is mosts vaine For what can a peaceable disputation graunted you for religion indaunger our state but onelie it may chaunce to discouer our errors and so make the hearers detest our state of heresie You carie peace in your mouthes and swordes in your hartes I haue touched some reasons alreadie they that gouerne the state can saie much more As for peaceable disputations vppon controuersies in religion are dailie practized in our scholes for excercise sake in which all the arguments you can bring are vrged as vehementlie as you your selues can doe in peaceable manner and are so clearlie auoided either by the answerer or at lest by the moderator as all reasonable hearers may plainlie see that we stande for trueth against 〈◊〉 and heresie and if anie do wauer in opinion vpon so manifest euidence of trueth he iudgement without that we stand of triall that are readie to abide stand with our duetie and is demonstration of trueth As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you doe once againe require that obteine for you whatsoeuer you is well knowne to be but a 〈◊〉 for an other purpose then triall of trueth whereof if you were so desirous as you would seeme to be by your challenge and so indifferent to accept anie of the three before named kindes of triall as in wordes you did so latelie make shew you would not be so importunate for this kinde of triall by disputing which is not like to be graunted vnto you lest it might be surmised that we would be content to bring our faith into doubte and disceptation refuse the safest the quietest and the best kinde of triall that is offered vnto you which is by writing You fare like a cowardlie russian which knowing a man to be bounde to the peace will make no end of bragging and challenging him to fight but if anie man that is at libertie offer to trie a blow or two with him he is as colde to the combate as he was before hotte to the challenge You offer your selues to the labor charges and perill of life and yet you aske for your safeties such a warrant from her Maiestie as the late councell of Trent did offer to all protestants of the world If you offer your selues to the perill of your liues what need you anie warrant for your safeties except you thinke her maiesties warrant is no better then such as is giuen by popish Councels and princes which notwithstanding anie safeconduits leagues truces or warranties of safetie are at their libertie to make contrarie Canons and to execute most cruell burnings massacres and murthers of Gods saints and innocent lambes which haue committed their liues into such faithlesse tyrants hands But God be praised her highnes honour hath neuer bene blemished with the least spotte of vnfaithfulnes that you should seare
aliquid dictum est sed vbi clara â—â—aperta sune testimonia id facere consueuerunt more quiaâ—â— haereâ—icorum etiam caetâ—rorum It is no maruel if the Pelagians endeuor to wrest our sayings into what senses they will when they are accustomed to do the same by the holie scriptures not where any thing is spoken darkely but where the testimonies are cleere and manifest after the manner indeede of the rest of heretikes These wordes of Saint Augustine doe as aptelie agree to the Papists as though they had bene by name vttered against them as in that which followeth you shall see verified in this Papist whoe both wresteth out sayings to such sense as himselfe pleaseth and also the holie scriptures themselues where they are most plaine and euident against him a right pranek of olde herenkes Note also by the waie that the scripture by Saint Augustines iudgement containeth most cleere and euident testimonies which though they be neuer so much wrested of herenkes yet in the conscience of all that loue the truth they doe manifestlie deliuer true doctrine and confute false and therefore be not as a nose of wax or a leaden rule by which no certentie maie be found or anie sure triall had by them as the Papists doe blaspheme The next quotation l. 3. cont Donat. ca. 15. is vncertaine because of diuerse treatises that S. Augustine did write against the Donatists but I gesse he meaneth his booke de Baptismo contra Donatistas where yet is nothing to his purpose or to anie purpose in hand but that the scripture of the Gospell If it be wholl is the same although it be alleadged by innumerable heretikes according to the diversitie of euerie one of their opinions and so Baptisme ministred by heretikes according to the institution of Christ is the same what opinion soever the heretikes haue of the wordes by which it is consecrated and ministred He saith also that the snares of heretikes and schismatikes are therefore very pernicious to carnal men because their proâ—ting in knowledge is shut from them their sentence of vanitie being confirmed against the Catholike trueth and their sentence of dissention being conâ—â—â—med agâ—inâ— the catholike peace These things are true of obstinate heretikes and consequentlie of Papists but they make nothing against Master Chark or for the triall of spirits which is the question now debated betweene him his aduersarie But that the scriptures are sufficient to beate downe al heresies and to reach all trueth necessarie to saluation and the onelie sure and certaine triall whereby all doctrine is to be examined and adiudged the same Augustine doth plentifullie and in manie places of his workes declare and euen in that same worke de Baptismo contra Donatistas lib. 2. Cap. 2. de vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 2 3. 16. de nup. conc lib. 2. cap. 29. de peccat merit remiss lib. 3. cap. 7. de natura gratia cap. 60. c. Three causes there be saith our answerer of appealing onelie to scripture The first to get credit with the people by naming of scripture to seeme to honor it more then their aduersaries doe by referring the wholl triall of matters vnto it To winne credit by cleauing to the authoritie of God expressed in his holie word written and to honor it by acknowledging the sufficiencie thereof for the triall of all matters of religion that maie comme in controuersie is no shift of heretikes or new teachers but the auncient practize of the best and most approoued Catholikes To pretend these things in shew and not to accomplish them in deed is the guise of hypocrites what religion soeuet they would seeme to mantaine The second cause saith he is by excluding Councells fathers and aunciters of the Church whoe from time to time haue declared the true sexse of scripture vnto vs to reserue vnto them selues libertie and authoritie to make what meaning of scripture they please and thereby to giue colour to euerie fansie they list to teach But Master Charke and his fellowes giuing the soueraigne authoritie to the onely scriptures do not at all exclude councells fathers and aunciters of the Church except it be in case where they teach contrarie to the manifest scriptures of god which doe either in expresse and plaine wordes or els by moste easie and necessarie conclusion deliuer vnto the Church all things needefull to be credited and knowne vnto eternall life as both the Apostle testifieth 2. Timoth. 3. and S. Augustine a worthie Father auncient of the Church consenteth Ep. III. Fortunatiano Neque enim quorumlibet disputationes quamuis CatholicoruÌ„ laudatorum hominum velut scripturas canonicas habere debemus vt nobis nonliceat salua honorificentia quae illis dcbetur hominibus aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare atque respuere si fortè inuenerimus quòdaliter senserint quà m veritas habet diuino adiutorio vel ab aliis intellecta vel à nobis Talis ego sum in scriptis aliorum tales volo esse intellectores meorum Denique in his omnibus quae de opusculis sanctorum atque doctorum commemoraui Ambrosij Hyeronimi Athanasij Gregorij siqua alioruÌ„ talia ita legere potui For we ought not to accompt the disputations of all men although they be catholike praise worthie as the Canonicall scriptures that it should not be lawful for vs sauing the reuerence which is due to these men to disalow and reiect something in their writings if perhaps we haue found out that they haue thought otherwise then the truth is of things by gods helpe either vnderstood of others or of our selues Such one am I in the writings of other men such would I haue other men to be vnderstanders of my writings Finallie in all these which I haue rehearsed out of the workes of holie and learned men Ambros Hicrott Athanasius Gregorie Andif I could so reade any like of other mens writings c. Also Ep. 112. Pauline 〈◊〉 scripturarum earum scilicet quae canonicae in Ecclesia nominantur perspicua firmatur authoritate fine vlla dubitatione credendum est Aliis verò testibus vel testimoniis quibus aliquid credendum esse suadetur tibi credere vel non credere liceat quantum meriti ea admonentem ad faciendam fidem vel habere vel non habere perpenderis What sceuer is confirmed by the plaine cleare authoritie of the holie scriptures of those truelie which are called in the Church canonicall without all doubt is to be beleeued But other witnesses or testimonies by which anie thing is counselled to be beleeued it is lawfull for thee to beleeue or not according as thou shale waigh what worthines he that counselleth those things hath to cause credit or els hath not Againe De doctrina christiana lib. 3. cap. 6. Magnificè salubriter spiritus sanctus ita scripturas sanctas modificauit vt locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem
of necessarie collection For Logicke would stil iudge whether such meaning could be necessarilie gathered out of such wordes Seeing we are not bound to creditte any writings since the diuine inspired scriptures but so farre as they agree with the scriptures and receiue the light of trueth from them But those auncient writers to whome he would haue vs to referre our selues liued so many hun dred yeares after the Apostles and Euangelists the writers of the new testament as they could no more declare to them then to vs their meaning in their writings and therefore those auncient fathers which ground purgatorie prayer to saintes sacrifice of the altar vse of the crosse c. beside tradition vpon the scriptures as the answerer saith must shew the necessarie collection of them by the iudgement of demonstration seeing they neuer sawe the writers neuer heard them speake nor possiblie could liuing so long after them or els they can carie no credit of necessarie collection outof the expresse wordes of holy scripture As for tradition without scripture since God hath giuen the holie scripture is as good as the credit of men may be without a warrant from God A fourth waie of triall of spirites with him is Councells by which olde heretikes haue beene tried and they are content to referre themselues to all the Christian Councells that euer haue beene since Christ died We acknowledge Christian councells to be a godlie meane to exa mine and trie the spirites but according to the scriptures onelie for matters of faith as in the example of the first Councell of Christendome Act. 15. where the question was determined by authoritie of the scriptures But that the Papists dare abide the triall by al Councells it is false for they admit none but by the Popes consent they admitte nothing in them but that the present Pope doth allow Many Councells in Aphrica forbad appellations to Rome the general Councell of Chalcedon made the Bishop of Constantinople of equal dignitie with the Bishop of Rome the Bishop of Constantinople condemned and accursed a Pope sor an heretike the Pope of that time confirmed it yet now it is not holden for Catholike But I will spare examples vntill this lustie gallant dare aduenture the triall whereof he maketh the challenge But seeing there are many points of controuersies betweene vs and the Papists which in no auncient councell came in question he bobs vs with the last most learned Godlie and generall Councell of Trent which was gathered of purpose for triall of hercticall spirites whereunto all safe conduct being offered we refused to come for triall As though the Catholikes would haue come to the Councell of Nice if nothing might haue beene therein determined but that which pleased Arius or to the Councell of Constantinople if nothing might haue beene concluded but that Macedonius would allow Or to the Councells of Ephesus and Chalcedon if when all had beene saide that which liked Nestorius and Eutiches must haue bene holden for Catholike Such is our case we accuse the Pope to be an heritike yea and to be Antichrist the Pope will admit no councell but where he him selfe is iudge nor any to haue any voice determinatiue but onely such as are sworne to maintaine his heresies and ambition It is great pitie but the Protestants must come to such a councell Such were many councells holden of olde time by heretikes but for the most part not frequented by the Catholikes Some of our profession were at Trent but what entertainement had they euen such as their aduersaries could afforde them they were not permitted to haue any speach but as pleased their enemies wherefore when they saw noe equitie vsed as they could looke for no better before they came they left the heretikes to consult among them-selues by example of auncient fathers in like Chapters of heretikes The sift waie of triall is to referre the matter to the olde Doctors which liued before the controuersies began of which we haue spoken latelie and this we haue often vsed and still vse against the Papists in most controuersies although the authoritie of man is no certaine rule to trie which is the truth of God Augustine against Iulian vsed this waie rightlie first confuting the Pelagians by the authoritie of the holie scripture and then by the testimonie of the auncient fathers also Theodosius also in a case determined by the holie scripture did politikelie circumuent the heretikes after the aduise of Sisinius the Nouatian by the suggestion of Nectarius the Catholike to put them to a foile which had good successe because the others cause was naught But Epiphanius hath a hard saying against vs as our answerer thinketh It is enough to say against all heresies the catholike church hath not taught this the holy fathers haue not admitted this But I wene Epiphanius doth not meane that it is enough to saie so except men can prooue it to be so For els it is aseasy for heretikes to saie so against Catholikes as for Catholikes against heretikes And here out answerer voucheth Epiphanius quoting onelie lib. 2. contra haere but no Chapter of so long a booke wherebie knowing him to be a common foyster we maie well suspect his honestie in this voucher vntill he shew vs in what Chapter we shall finde it The sixtwaie of triall with him is to consider which is the Catholike or vniuersall Church or great multitude of Christians out of which the other part first departed But to consider which is the Catholike or vniuersal Church is no waie of triall but the matter to be tried And the description that he maketh of the Church is as vncerten the great multitud of Christians out of which the other part first departed For the Catholike Church is not alwaies the greatest multitude When the East Church was deuided from the West the one was as great a multitude as the other yea considering the number of prouinces of the East and the largenesse of them it was the greater And one heresie some times departeth out of another as the Rogatians from the Donatists the Eunomians from the Arrians the Iacobites from the Eutichians c. Neither doth Saint Augustine against the Manichecs make the consent of people and the name of Catholike of them-selues to be a sufficient waie of trial but among many thinges which altogether held him beside the authoritie of the holie scriptures he accounteth these which with the truth are a good confirmation but can be no preiudice against the manifest truth as he confesseth in the same place To the iudgement of Vincentius we will subscribe to holde that which euerie where which alwaies which of all hath beene beleeued so hath no point of Poperie Hoc est etenim verè proprièque Catholicum quòd ipsa vis nominis ratioque declarat quod omnia verè vniuersaliter comprehendit For that is truelie and properlie Catholike saith Vincentius which thing the verie force and reason of the name declareth
the next matter that you saie he prnoueth by tradition it is a question not so needefull to be decided although it may be prooued out of scripture that some of them which were Iohns disciples were baptized by him and so it is like were all the rest seeing Ierusalem and all Iurie and all the coast neere vnto Iordan were baptized by Iohn euen to the Pharisees and Saduces Publicans and souldiers it is not probable that the Apostles whoe before their calling by Christ were of honest and deuout conuersation did neglect that diuine institution which all men that would seeme to be religious made hast to receiue Furthermore you saie he prooueth by tradition the ceremonies of baptisme as deliuered by the Apostles lib. de fide Oper. cap. 9. The question is whether the Eunuch whome Philip baptized made such profession of his faith c. renouncing of the deuill as is required of them that are baptized when the scripture maketh mention onelie of a short confession that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God Where Saint Augustine sheweth that the holie ghost would haue vs to vnderstand that althinges were fulfilled in his baptisme which though they be not expressed in that scripture for breuities sake yet by order of the tradition we know that they are to be fulfilled Where tradition is not taken for that which is altogether beside the scripture but that which according to the scripture deliuereth what is to be obserued concerning the celebration of that sacrament which is the seale of mortification and regeneration That the Lordes supper should be receiued before other meates he thinketh of it as of other ceremontall matters that it came either from Apostolike tradition or from decrees of generall councell yet is it a thing not necessarie alwaies to be obserued for your selues doe housell sicke folkes at all times of the daie or night without respect whether they haue tasted any thing or no otherwise as a matter of order and decencie it is obserued of vs also to minister that sacrament before dinner and to them that be fasting if the case of necessity require not the contrarie Yet againe you saie he prooueth by tradition the exorcisme of such as should be baptized l. de nupt concu cap. 20. l. 6. cont Iulian. c. 2. But the truth is that by the ceremonie of exorcisme exsufflation and renunciation that is vsed in baptisme he goeth about to prooue that infantes before baptisme be in originall sinne and in the power of the deuill as is euident by both the places which prooue not exorcisme to haue beene receiued by tradition but by the end of that ceremonie vpon what beginning soeuer vsed in the Church at that time that infants are borne in originall sinne and subject to the power of Sathan before they be baptized The wordes of the former place are these In veritate itaque non in falsitate c. In truth therefore not in falsehoode the deuils power is exorcised in infants and they renounce him by the heartes and mouthes of their bearers because they cannot by their owne that beeing deliuered from the power of darke nes they may be translated into the kingdome of their Lorde Here is neuer a word of traditiō The second place hath these words Sedetsi nullaratione indagetur nullo sermone explicetur verum est tamen quòd antiquitas c. But although it originall sinne may be sought out by noe reason by no speach it may be expressed yet is it true that by true Catholike faith from auncient time is preached and beleeued thoroughout the wholl Church which would neither exorcise nor exsufflate the children of the faithfull if shee did not deliuer them from the power of darkenes and from the prince of death Here the auncient doctrine of original sinne is confirmed by the olde ceremonies of exorcisme and exsufflation which were vsed in baptisme to signifie that infants were by that sacrament deliuered from the guilt of originall sinne by which they were vnder the power of darkenes and death But that these ceremonies were Apostolike traditions he saith not or that they are of necessitie to 〈◊〉 vsed in baptisme when the one of them namelie 〈◊〉 is not vsed at this day for ought I know in the Popish forme of baptisme The Moscouites in place of it as it seemeth vse excreation For when the Godfathers and Godmothers answere that they renounce the deuil they spit out one the earth as it were in signe of detestation In Saint Augustines time they vsed to blow out In the last place you saie he prooueth by the same tradition that we must offer vp the sacrifice of the masse for the dead lib. de cura pro mort agenda cap. 1. 4. serm 32. de verbis Apostoli Of the sacrifice of the Masse Saint Augustine speaketh nothing but that praiers were offered for the dead at the celebration of the Lordes supper which he calleth sacrifice he saith it was by authoritie of the whol Church which was notable in that custome and that the wholl Church obserued it as deliuered from their fathers But seeing the elder Church for more then an hundred yeares after Christ had no such custome nor doctrine and especiallie seeing the same custome is against faith taught in the holie scriptures that the dead in the Lord are blessed that iudgement followeth immediatelie after death c. The authoritie of faith and trueth is to be preferred before the tradition and custome of men Neither is it to be thought to haue proceeded from the Apostles which is disprooued by the writings of the Apostles the onelie certaine witnes of the doctrine deliuered by them which is necessarie for vs to beeleeue and follow And therefore this new sir Censurer doth greatlie abuse the olde saints whome he would haue patrones of his vnwritten verities partely in charging them to referre vnto tradition many things that they doe not partlie in drawing to doctrine necessarie that which they speake of ceremonies mutable not the least in picking out one or two ouersightes to be pardoned vnder colour of them to maintaine all the grosse heresies of Poperie that are intollerable The fourteenth section Whether the Iesuites speake euil of scripture Art 6. intituled Nose of waxe IF you had ser downe Master Charkes replie betweene your Censure and your defense as reason would you should haue done for men to iudge indifferentlie betweene both you might haue spared more then two pages which you haue spent in charging him with a slaunder of the Iesuites where he reporteth that they saie the scripture is a nose of waxe when they saie it is as a nose of waxe For no reasonable man can make any other sense of those wordes the scripture is a nose of waxe but euen the same that you confesse to be the saying of the Iesuites the scripture is as a nose of waxe as Master Charke telleth you And moreouer that Paiua saith the fathers
cōpetent ministers where the present peril of any mans life forceth thereunto that euen then when they may be beneficiall to other that without schisme cal for the sacraments yet they shal be damnable vnto themselues For hereof let euery man be bold that taketh vpon him any ministery in schisme disorder that so often he hath practized it so often hath he prouoked gods ire towardes him-selfe and procured as much as in him lieth his indignation to all that are partakers thereof S. Basil the great complaineth hereof verie much in his daies by these wordes In the doctrine of impiety wickednes the Churches babes be now brought vp For how can it be otherwise Baptisme is ministred by heretikes they helpe forth such as passe hence they keepe visitation of the sicke they haue comforting of the sorowfull they take on them the ease of such as be burdened in all cases and to be short they minister the mysteries of holy communion so that in time though the libertie of Christes religion be restored againe the youth shall take such liking in heretikes practizes to whome by loue and custome they are so fast knit that it will be hard to reduce them home to truth againe Thus farre spake Saint Basil of his daies and right good cause haue we no lesse to complaine of ours They were then incumbred with Arians and we with a legion of new deuises and bold practisioners of such high and heauenlie functions as neither by God nor man they are rightlie and orderly called vnto By these now onelie our soules seeme to liue but by these alone we suerlie die euerlastinglie In al which great desolation of Christian comfort and all spirituall vnctions this were some solace if either the elder sort could consider what they haue lost or the poore children which are nurced in these nouelities might learne what they lacked ALLEN My meaning is therefore to mooue al parties to the necessarie care and heede of the matter by the treatise following trusting that some one or other of my good brethren whoe all be to me moste deare will awake at my earnest call and consider of the matter deepelie how it fareth with him and other touching their soules since the sacrament of penance hath beene banished and the priesthoede of Gods Church spoyled of iurisdiction and right in remission of sinnes and to helpe him in so necessarie and fruitefull aduise of him-selfe and other whome in such cases I meane alwaies to serue I wil seeke out the ground of this authority that hath beene so long practized of the priest and honoured of the people to the singular glorie of God the notorious increase of vertue weale publike of the whol Christian world that both the good Catholike may haue reasonable proose of that which to his immortall weale he hath so long both loued reuerenced in Christs ministers and also the contemners of so heauenlie power may learne in humblenes of heart to like and feare the excellent function which by pride they did before vnaduisedly disprooue It may please any man that is doubtfull of this article which is so necessarie to be knowne to consider giue good attendance to the wholl course of my talke I promise him as afore god whoe will sharply iudge al sinister endeuours in causes of his honour that I will deale sincerelie in all points and faithfullie I will not couer my selfe nor the light of the cause in cloud of wordes neither by any artificiall sleight as new doctors now a daies often doe circumuent the sense of him that is mosse simple such indifferencie shall be vsed euerie where in trial of the truth that I will seeme for his sake to doubt of the matter my selfe Though in deede so god saue me in my common sense and so god spare me for my sins I cā neuer mistrust any point of that faith in which I was new borne baptized But that notwithstāding I wil not spare to rippe vp that which men moste reprooue in gods Church and ministers that al the disobedient children may see how free they be from falsehood and farre from beguiling the flocke of Christ to them committed to keepe we will call the high magistrates though it be exceeding vnseemelie for subiectes to account of their gouernent the principal pastour must giue a reason of his pardons and answere for the limitation of his indulgences by yeares daies and times both he and all other Bishopes shal be accomptable for such graue censures exercised vpon mens soules with them all inferior priests muste be posed for searching the secrets of our cansciences for releasing mans misaeedes enioyning penaunce and requiring satisfaction for sinnes Thus bold wil we be with truth the rather therebie to deface falsehood And all this in that order that may in least roome conteine most matter with both breuitie and light so much as so deepe and large a cause can beare from all contention I will so farre refraine that euen the aduersaries themselues of Cristes truth and doctrine albeit they be persons infamous by law and consent of al nations shall not yet without meete and reasonable moderation be touched or talked of requiring of them this curtesie againe that they reprehend nothing in this discourse pri uily which they can not nor dare not answere to openlie And of my louing brethren that be Catholike I must farder require one thing the sute is for them selues that when in a manner they sensiblie feele the trueth they would not refuse to follow the same that by outward worke they may declare their inward will Here of I am more carefull for that I see heresie and falsehoode to be of that countenance and colour that it is often liked before it be beleeued where gods trueth for terrour and bitternes that it beareth is not alwaies followed where it is wel knowne trusted But surelie truth is not profitably vnderstood till it be willinglie practized Therefore whoesoeuer acknowledged in his conscience the power of Gods Church and mynisterie for the remission of sins and vseth not humblie con fession of his sinnes that that power may redound to his saluati on he is so much farder from God by how much more he knoweth the right waie to come to God Mans will must in all such cases of terrour and difficultie geue ouer to Gods ordinance whose commaundements though they seeme to the worldlie burdenous yet to the good and ghostlie paucis amantibus saith Saint Augustine they are sweet and exceeding pleasant And this let euerie man assuredlie know that whosoeuer counteth confession so heaiue he neither feeleth the waight of sinne nor yet sufficientlie feareth the appointed paine for the same Al these vntowardlie affections that sinne and the world haue planted in vs all let vt seke by loue and zeale of Gods trueth and ordinance to amend and ioyne with me geucle Reader I besech thee in praiers that our endeuours maie please God and profit his people
which only meane of preaching expressed in this place you with a Marie for all that fumble vp with I cannot tell what guidance because you cannot content your selfe to be a minister a seruant a subiect but you must be a Lord a Prince a ruler But the other text of Ioh. 20. yousay doth properlie concerne the commission giuen to the Apostles for the sacrament of penaunce and remission of sins But whether I praie you in the scripture shal we read of this your sacrament or the institution thereof what is the visible worde or element thereof yet you saie that this text doth in moste cleare and vndoubted sense giue to them the like right in that case that Christ him-selfe had by the sending of God the father that is to saie the verie same authoritie that he had in respect of his mediation and manhood So that be like Christ as Mediator hath no authority peculiar to himselfe in respect of the excellency of his person but that which is communicable vnto others and is communicated to his Apostles But that is a strange doctrine neuer heard of before in the Church of God except it were from the mouth of Nestorius or any of his disciples For our sauiour Christ receiued in his manhoode that which no other man is able to receiue because he one lie is God and man he receiued the spirit not according to measure Iohn 3. 34. as all men muste do that receiue it therefore no man can receiue such power by the spirit in measure which he receiued by the spirit infinitelie or without measure But Saint Augnstine is called to witnes that this text doth giue theverie same authoritie to the Apostles that Christ had in respect of his mediation and manhoode Whereas Saint Augustines words import no such thing but onelie shew that Christ though equal to his father in respect of his Godheade yet as he is our Mediatour is sent of his father in respect of his manhood But of the verie same authoritie that Christ had in respect of his mediation giuen to the Apostles he speaketh not a word That you ioyne his māhood to his mediation as though the mediator were nothing but man or as though the man Iesus Christ which is our onelie mediator were not Immannell that is God with vs it is not without some smack of Nestorian heresie wherebie you seeme so to separate the man from God as though any thing might be verified of the man which in respect of the vnitie of person might not be verified of God or as though there were not such a perfect vnion of the two natures in one person that although they both continue vnconfounded reteining their essentiall properties yet any part of the office and authoritie of Christ which he exercised in his humanitie might as latgelie as fullie and with the verie same authoritie be committed ouer to any other mortall man to be exercised as it was by Christ himselfe But Theophilact is cited to be an interpreter of Saint Augustine whoe saith vpon these wordes as the father hath sent me c. in the person of Christ take vpon you my worke and be sure that I will be with you meaning that he committeth to them the office of teaching whereunto he was sent by his father but of equall authoritie with him he speaketh no worde Which place you haue verie licentiouslie translated to draw it to your purpose For the words are no more but these as Philippus Montanus hath translated them Meum opus inquit suscipite confidite quod vobiscum sum futurus And in the ende he willeth men to consider the dignitie of priests that it is diuine For it perteineth to God to remit sinnes so therefore are they to be honoured as God For although they be vnworthie what is that they are the ministers of Gods giftes and grace worketh by them euen as he spake by Balaams asse For our vnworthines hindreth not grace so because by meanes of priests grace is graunted they are to be honoured Thefe wordes of Theophilact declare that although he ascribe much to the dignitie of Priests yet he doth not allowe them the verie same authoritie that Christ had in respect of his mediation but a farre inferior ministerie And excellentlie to our purpose wrote the holie father Cyril as well for the dignitie of the Apostolike vocation as for the honourable legacie in these wordes Ad gloriosum Apostolalatum Dominus noster Iesus Christus Discipulos suos vocduit qui commotum orbem firmarunt sustentacula eius facti vnde per Psalmistam de terra de Apostolis dicit quia ego firmaui columnas eius Columnae enim robur veritatis discipulisunt quos ita dicit se mittere sicut à patre ipse missus est vs Apostolatus dignitatem ostenderet magnitudinem potestatis eorum aperiret These wordes and the residue following concerning the same purpose goe thus in english Our Lord and master Christ Iesus promoted his disciple to a glorious Apostleship whoe becing made the proppes and staies of all the earth haue established the wauering worlde whereupon the Psalmist sayeth thus of the earth and the Apostles I haue surelie and firmelie set the pillers thereof For the disciples no doubt be the verie pillers strength and staie of trueth whome Christ saith that he doth send euen as his father did send him that thereby he might declare to the worlde as well the dignitie of their Apostleship as open to all men their excellencie and the might of their power and no lesse signifie vnto them what way they had to take in all their life and studies For if they be so sent as Christ him selfe was sent of the father it is requisite to consider for what worke purpose the father euerlasting sent his sonne in flesh to the worlde And that him selfe els where declareth saying Non veni vocare iustos sed peccatores ad poenitentiam I came not to cal the iust but sinners to repen tance in another place it is said God sent not his sonne into the world to iudge the worlde but that the worlde shold be saued by him al these thinges and other he touched brieflie in these few wordes Sicus misit me pater ego mitto vos vt hinc intelligant vocandos esse 〈◊〉 ad poenitentiam 〈◊〉 corpore simul spiritumale habentes Like as my father sent me so I send you that sinners should be called to repentance and be healed both in bodie and soule Thus farre spake S. Cyril of the excellent calling of the disciples of the cause of their large commission not restricted by any streighter tearmes then Christs owne commission was which he receiued from his euerlasting Father FVLKE The wordes of Saint Cyrillus declare no more then I haue said before that the Apostles were sent of Christ as Christ was sent of his father to call sinners to repentance by their ministerie of preaching not
that they were sent with as large commission in euery respect as Christ was sent to be our mediator and redeemer The wordes of Cyrill which you haue mangled and chopped at your pleasure I will recite wholl together that the reader may see how iniutiouslie you would draw to farre other meaning then his saying wil yeald In Ioh. lib. 12. C. 55. vpon these words Dicit ergo eis iterum pax vobis sicut misit me pater ego mitto vos He writeth thus Ordinauit his verbis orbis doctores c. He ordeined thē by these words teachers of the world ministers of the diuine mysteries whome he sent as lightes to the lightening not of the region of the Iewes onelie which according to the measure of the legall commaundement extended from Dan to Bersebe as it is written but he commaunded them to lighten the wholl worlde Therefore Paul saith truelie that no man taketh honour vpon him except he be called of God For our Lord Iesus Christ called his disciples vnto the glorious Apostleship which staied the world that was moued beeing made the pillers thereof Whereof by the Psalmist he saith of the earth and the Apostles I haue strengthned the pillers thereof For his disciples are the pillers and strength of truth Whome he saith that he doth so send as he him-selfe is sent of his father that also he might shew the dignitie of their Apostleship and open to all men the greatnes of their power and with all might shew what way they ought to follow in their studies and in their life For if they be so sent as Christ is sent of his father how is it not necessarie to consider vnto what the father sent his sonne for so not otherwise they may be able to follow him But if expounding to vs the cause of his sending many waies one while he saide I came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance an other while The holl haue no neede of the Phisitian but such as be diseased And moreouer I came downe from heauen saith he not that I might doe mine owne will but the will of him that sent me And againe God sent not his sonne into the worlde that he should iudge or condemne the world but that the world might be saued by him All which thinges he signified in most few wordes saying that he doth so send them as he was sent by his father that hereof they might vnderstand that sinners are to be called to repentance that they which ar diseased might be healed both in bodie and in minde And in the dispensation of thinges they must not doe their owne will but the will of him that sent them and that the world by preaching and the doctrine of faith must be saued All which things with what great diligence they performed you may learne with small labour in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles in the Epistles of Paul Thus farre Cyrillus whose saying if you had not clipped and gelded for your aduantage would haue made no colour for your purpose but against it ALLEN And truelie it was the singular prouidence of God that beforē the graunt of the gouernment of mens soules to his Disciples beeing but mortal men mention should be made of his owne right therein that the wicked should neuer haue face to disgrace the authoritie of them that dependeth so fullie of the soueraigne calling and commission of Gods owne sonne This high wisedome was practized also to the vtter confusion of the wicked and wilfull persons at their calling to the office of preaching and baptizing The which function lest any contemptuous person should in such base men disdaine Christ alledgeth his owne power and preheminence to which the dignitie of priesthoode is so neere and so euerlastinglie ioyned that euerie dishonour and neglecting of the one is great derogation to the other And therefore he saith Omnis potest as data est mihi in coelo in terra All power in heauen and in earth is giuen to my handes Therefore goe you forward and teach all natious babtizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost Thus before the institution of sacraments whereof God him selfe must onelie be the author as saith Saint Cyprian Christ voutchsafed for the quiet instruction of the world to declare his authoritie and prerogatiue that all men might farther vnderstand thereby that the ministerie and excllent founction in the vse of the same did orderlie proceed of that authoritie and supreame power that Christ hath receiued ouer all mankind FVLKE Cyrillus telleth you there is none other graunt of the gouernment of mens soules contained in these wordes but to be teachers of the Gospell and to be ministers of the diuine mysteries to preach remission of sinnes to the penitent and to seale it vp with the sacraments to denounce vengeance to the impenitent vnbeleeuers in all things to attend that they do not their owne wil but the wil of him that sent them And in so doing their authoritie is exceeding great deriued from God him selfe the onelie author of their Doctrine and of the sacraments they doe minister Wherein you seeme somewhat to forget your selfe which hitherto haue mainteined and still affirme that Christ did remit sinnes and gaue his Apostles authoritie to doe the same by power receiued from God in his manhoode and that the holie Trinitie would not remit our sinnes otherwise then by the seruise of the sonne of man But now you confesse with S. Cyprian that God himselfe must be the onelie author of Sacraments Wherefore if this power of remitting sins be a Sacrament as you holde Christ must be the onelie author of it as God himselfe not as man by power receiued from God by the holie Ghost ALLEN And this sequel of Christes reason hath maruelous efficacie and force if we will consider thereof All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth therefore goe you and preach and baptize and remit sinnes If a man would aske the Priest or Apostle how he dare be so bold to exercise any of these functions he might vpon Christes word be so bolde to make him this answere marie sir I baptize because all power is giuen to Christ I preach because all power is giuen to Christe I remit sins because all power was giuen to Christ. For in my ministerie he practiseth daielie all these functions in his power I am become the lawfull worker of all actions that are so proper to Christ him selfe Therefore it was Christ saith Saint Augustine that baptized and had moe Disciples then Iohn and yet Christ baptized not but his Disciples onelie So saie you to all contemners of Gods ordinance it is Christ that pardoneth and enioyneth penance for mans sinnes and yet he doth it not him-selfe as in his owne person but Christ doth it daily by the power which he established after his resurrection and which
name and authoritie shall sufficientlie beate downe these mens boldnes Saint Ambrose in this case is moste plaine and standeth with the Nouatians as I doe now with the Zuinglians euen in the verie same argument in these wordes Sed aiunt se Domino deferre reuerentiam cui soli remittend orum oriminum potestatem reseruent imò nulli maiorem iniuriam faciunt quà m qui eius volunt mandata res indere commissum munus refindere nam cùm ipse in Euangelis suo dixerit Dominus Iesus accipite Spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata c. quis est ergo qui magis honorat Vtrum qui mandat is attemperat an qui resistit Ecclesia in vtroque seruat obedientiam vt peccatism alliget laxat That is to saie These Nouatians saie that they denie penance or power to remit sinnes in earth in respect of the maintenance of such honour as is due to God to whome onely they will reserue the pardoning of mans sinnes But in deede none doe so much iniury to Gods glory as those which breake his commaundements and make a diuision of that charge and commission which he giueth For seeing our Lord Iesus by his owne mouth spake these words Receiue ye the holy ghost whose sinnes you doe forgiue they be forgiuen and whose sinnes you holde they beholden who in this case more honoureth God He that obeieth his commaundement or he that resisteth the same The Church obeieth in both as well in binding as in loosing Thus there And a litle after Looke to whome this charge was giuen and that person may lawfullie and with Gods good leaue vse the same Au l therefore the Church may lawfullie both binde and loose heresie and her attendants can rightlie doe neither This right is onelie committed to priests and therefore the Church rightlie challengeth that authoritie because shee hath lawfull priests and so heresie cannot doe because shee hath not the priests of God in her cursed congregation Thus said Saint Ambrose for the answere of the Nouatians in his daies and so say I now in the Churches behalfe against the like affected enemies of Christs honour which whiles they in face of scripture and Gods word would seeme to defend they are become sworne aduersaries of his honour and open contemners of his commaundements and holy ordinance Saint Ambrose here taketh it for a ground that it is Gods ordinance that Priests should remit sinnes he is bolde to call the contrarie doctrine heresie he maketh a principle of this that it neuer dishonoureth God that man should doe that which God giueth him either commaundement or commission to doe in his behalfe he taketh it for a knowne trueth that as the Church of God hath true and lawfull priests so shee may by them vpon Christes warrant bath loose and binde and contrariwise that heresie may well enough giue ouer that right of remission of sinnes because shee hath lightlie no lawfull priests by whome shee may practize the same FVLKE First you make a vaine exclamation or outcrie as though heresie hath spoiled the Church of her treasures vnder pretence of Gods glorie but such rhetoricall vamties all wise men will deride The Church is not spoiled of her treasures when neither Christ nor his grace is conteined in the sacraments but when Christ her onelie treasure is spoiled of his glorie of sole redemption and fatisfaction for our sinnes or of any other parte of the office that belongeth to the mediator Therefore it is her greatest honour that Christ may haue his true honour in whome with whome she hath al things not to the glory of flesh bloode but to the glorie of God to whome all glorie of right belongeth what Saint Ambrose did write against the Nouatians pertaineth not to vs who denie neither the power of remitting nor of reteining of sinnes but graunt both But that Saint Ambrose did not meane of such a power as the Papists doe claime I haue shewed before out of his owne wordes in the same place where he saieth that our Lord hath chosen such Disciples as should be interpreters of their Lordes will This power is graunted to all true ministers of the Church that they are the Legates or embassadors of god to declare his wil pleasure vnto men aswel for remitting as for reteining of sins And therefore Nouatus or Nouatianus did very absurdlie by Saint Ambrose his iudgement that did arrogate vnto himselfe power to reteine sinnes while he pronounced that they which fell into Idolatrie after Baptisme might not be receiued into the Church vpon any trial of their repentance and would not yeald that the ministers of the Church by the same authoritie might pronounce that they which were truelie penitent of their former wicked behauiour were forgiuen in the iudgement of God which was to remit their sins vpon earth with faith in Gods promise that they shall be forgiuen in heauen Thus the answere of Saint Ambrose vnto the Nouatians doth nothing in the world make against vs which denie no power that Christ hath graunted to his Church vnder collour of maintenance of Gods honour ALLEN And surelie it is a maruclous force of trueth or rather the might of Gods prouidence that driueth Heretikes to disdaine destroie and dissanull the graces and manifold giftes of Christes Church that impugning them where the verie right of such holie actes doe lie they may plainlte confesse and to their shame acknowledge that they haue none such themselues nor cannot by Gods warrant challenge any such giftes which with all their might they would wholie if they could together with Gods spirit and Church extinguish Alas into what miserie hath this forfaken flocke willfullie cast them selues and their adherentes which can forsake Gods house vbi mandauit Dominus benedictionem vpon which God hath bestowed his blessing abide there where by their owne confession there is no Priesthood no penance no host no sacrifice no remission where they can let of sinnes no grace in sacramentes nor no gift of the holie Ghost All other herisies lightlie by force of the Fathers Doctrine and iudgement lost either their Priesthood because they had no waie out of the Church to make Priestes as Saint Hierome writeth of Hilarie the Deacon or els the vse and function of Priesthood by reason the workes of God cannot be orderly nor benefi iallie vsed out of the house of God and yet they euer claimed to themselues not onlie the order but for moste parte all other functions that by Christ and his Church were annexed to that order but ours wherein they passe all their forefathers in a manner willinglie giue ouer the wholl profession freelie and without compulsion denie them selues with Nouatus to be priestes denie to sacrifice denie to enioyne penance denie to giue the holie ghost either by imposition of handes or by Chrisme or by any other solemne right of Gods Church To be short take nothing from these fellowes that belongeth
be found in the scripture it is most cleere that God forgiueth our sinnes otherwise then by externall orders or sacramets Againe the sacrament of Baptisme is a seale and assurance vnto vs of the forgiuenes of our sinnes not onely such as are com mitted before baptisme receiued but euen vnto our liues end whensoeuer we are truelie penitent for the same Also the sacrament of the Lords supper in which we are spirituallie fed with the bodie of Christ which was giuen for vs and with his blood which was shed for the remission of our sinnes is a sure pledge token and seale of the remission of our sinnes committed after baptisme that we neede not the Popish sacrament of pennance for the same ALLEN As for my selfe good Christian Reader I am not so free from sinne wo is me therefore nor so void of mans affection but as often I heare in the sacrament of penance the Priest who to me then is Christ in full power of pardoning saying the wordes of absolution ouer me me think truelie I heare the sweete voice of Christ saying with authoritie thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Whereof no mortallman shall euer forbid me to take hope and singular trust of remission of sinnes with the passing comfort that thereon ensueth All these that are without Christes folde seeke not to heare his voice for all their load of sinne from the heauenlie and intire ioy whereof they be as farre as from the conceiuing of of the felicitie to come in heauen it selfe But let them assure themselues that Christ writeth with his holie finger all their sinnes though to Christ they will not now confesse them whiles they refuse the power ofremission that he both had aud hath in earth to the worldes end without which outward solemne act of penance man should either dispaire of Gods mercie and liue in feare intollerable of euerlasting perishing which often fall to timerous consciences or els which is now of daies more common men would liue in such passing presumption and vaine securitie of heauen that they should neuer till the very last breath of their euill time either be sorie for sinne or seke to do any good worke at al. This time shall testifie with me herein and the verie diuersitie that is betweene these our corrupt conditions and the holy studies and endeauours of our forefathers shalltestifie but the daies that yet are to come must need most feele the smart of it when these that now haue the direction of other mens steppes shall be gone by whome for olde discipline wherein they were brought vp Some signes and remnantes of vertue be continued in the world For when they be spent and our yonkers that neuer heard of the Churches discipline but haue had their full swinge in sinne with the instruction of a most wanton doctrine shall be the principall of the people if this diuision so long continue which God forbid into what terms shal trueth and vertue be then brought Me think I see before hand the lamentable state of things and in a manner beholde the fruit of our onelie faith of this bolde presumption of Gods mercie of remouing the discipline of penance of refusing the onely ordinance of God for remission of our mortall sinnes Euil are we now but a thousand partes worsse shal they be then which in long nouseling in this naughtie learning of libertie shall be in perpetuall wo and haue no feele nor sense thereof And all this must needs follow vpon the lack of these outward acts external waies of pardoning punishing offences and intended either for mans present comfort and solace or els to keepe in awe the wantons of the world by the rodde of outward discipline which in the Church hath euer especiallie beene obserued in the sacrament of penance FVLKE When we heare the authorized embassadours and messengers of reconciliation pronounce in the name of Christ according to the scriptures and promises of God that our sinnes are forgiuen vs whensoeuer we be hartilie sorie truely penitent for the same we haue sufficient warrant out of Gods word to assure our selues of remission of them with inestimable ioy comfort of conscience But for the sacrament of penance or the Priest to be Christ vnto vs in fullpower of pardoning or to haue anie wordes of absolution said ouer vs because we haue no ground in Gods word whatsoeuer imaginarie pleasure you haue therein we finde nothing that is of force to staie a weake conscience to comfort a troubled spirit or to heale a broken heart To confesse our sinnes to Christ who onelie knoweth whether our repentance be vnfained God forbid that we should refuse But to confesse them to a Popish Priest or anie lawfull minister if they be secret there is no law or commaundement of God to require vs. If our conscience be not satisfied about anie offence that we haue committed how we should declare our vnfained conuersion or repentance we maie vse the aduise of the Godlie and learned pastor who is able out of the word of god toresolue our doubts and quiet our conscience That the want of Popish pennance will driue all men either to desperation or securitie and presumption it is affirmed without anie proofe God be praised experience cryeth out of the contrarie side But rather the doctrine of poperie concerning the pretensed sacrament of penance is manifest occasion of securitie in them that are carnallie minded of desperation in them that haue a tender conscience For the one thinketh he hath an easy remedy for his sinnes to discharge them into a priestes eare the other considering the impossibilitie of confession and vnsufficiency of the satisfaction that be parts of this counterfet sacrament can finde smal comfort in the priests absolution Your blasphemous rayling at the doctrine of God iustifying by faith onely which you cal the instruction of a most wanton doctrine and the naughtie learning of libertie is sufficiently confuted by the examples of many thousands of Gods Saints who acknowledging that they are iustified in the sight of God by faith onelie in the merites of Christ are more fruitfull in good workes then all the popish hypocrites in the world Where you terme your popish penance to be the onely ordinance of god for remission of our mortall sinnes you vtter not onelie a grosse contradiction of the trueth taught in the holie scriptures but also directlie contrarie to the doctrine of all Papists and euen of your selfe For what saie you M. Allen were you wel aduised when you said that penance is the onely ordinance of God for remission of our mortal sins If it be as you saie then the sacrifice of the masse is not the ordinance of God for remission of our mortall sinnes as al Papists beside you do holde and mantaine and extreame vnction wherof you haue latelie affir med the contrarie is not the ordinance of God for the remission of our mortall sinnes The discipline of the Church wherby wantons are kept in
scelus suum faucibus contagia funesta 〈◊〉 Dominicorpus inuadunt c. Almoste yet belching out the deadly meates of their Idoles the iawes as yet breathing out their owne wickednes sauoring of the deadelie infection they set vpon our Lordes bodie And immediately before the wordes by you cited Plus modò in dominum manib atque ore delinquunt quà m cum Dominum negauerant They doe more offende now against the Lord with their hands and their mouth then at such time as they denied the Lorde These wordes declare of what kinde of men of what kinde of sinnes of what kinde of confession and of what kinde of satisfaction this Doctor doth speake whose vehemencie tendeth to the maintenance of discipline being in great daunger of decaie by the vntimelie and vngodlie lenitie of some flattering Church men in those daies that would reconcile such vnto the Church by admitting them to the communion which after their moste greeuous fall and deniall of Christ before men had not giuen sufficient tokens and testimonies of their hearty repentance before God without the which the wrath of God iustly kindled against them for their henious offences couldnot be appeased Hetherto therefore for the necessitie of auricular confession we haue seene nothing that anie learned protestant might voutchsafe of anie answere as for the scriptures giuing the Priest so plaine power as wel of binding and retaining as of loosing and remitting doe laie no necessity vpon anie man to confesse vnto them the particularities of his secret faultes nor giue any authoritie vnto the priestes to exact the same I saie not by expresse wordes but not by any necessary illation or conclusion out of the expresse words of the scripture which we holde to be of as great credit as that which is contained in expresse wordes As for the vniforme consent of all ages and the mosie notable persons in the same whereof you make your cómon vaunt can neuer be shewed for the necessitie of auricular shrift no nor for anie other point of poperie though you would make choise of the eldest error that you holde That you take the Churches practize in al ages to be the moste surest way to touch and trie truth by you declare what reuerent opinion you haue of the word of God which our Sauiour Christ saith is the truth wherin he praieth his father to sanctifie al his disciples vnto the worldes end Vnto which rule of truth al practize of mé must be exacted and by it be tried For what mad blasphemie were it to saie that the word of God which was before all practize the onelie trueth of touch hath now lost his credit or the best part thereof if practize of men in all ages be now become the most surest waie to trie and touch trueth by as if the manners of men were alwaies the best interpretation of the lawe That confession hath euer beene vsed of all mortall sins in all countries and ages since Christes time it is prooued by the witnes of moste learned fathers with an answer to such things as out of the Fathers be sometimes obiected to the contrarie THE 11. CHAP. ALLEN I Am the longer in this approoued trueth because I remember what Saint Chrysostome saith And I see by these daies that it is verie true which he writeth Multa arie opus esse vt qui laborant Christiani vltrò sibi 〈◊〉 persuadeant sacerdotum curationibus sese submittere That it is a point of high wisdome and cunning to bring to passe that Christian men which are sicke in soule would persuade themselues to submit in all causes them selues to the priests curing For indeede in Nectarius his predecessours daies there was such an offence arose in the simple sorte and such a tragedie in Constantinople Church by the naughtie fact of a deaton there that their Bishoppe was glad to make the state of penance which then was often published euen for priuat sinnes to be a great deale more free then before Whereupon the people tooke occasion of such libertie and licentious life that when their common Penitenciarie by the commaundement of Nectarius was remóoued they were exceeding loath to confesse or doe iust penance for their sinnes actuall Though that good man condescending to the peoples weaknes meant neuer to take awaie that wholl order wherein he had no authoritie because it is no politike prouision but Christes institution but onely that the penance should not be publike except the party listed of those sinnes which were to the said Penitentiarie confessed in secret Which fact of his though perchaunce it was necessarie for that time yet was not allowed of the writers of the same Historie As a thing saith Sozomenus that brought much dissolute life and alteration of the peoples manners into the Church Yet our aduersaries are in such aistresse for their maintenance of their contrarie assertion against holie confession that they be not ashamed to alledge this mans doubtfull example Which if it were good and to be followed yet made it nothing against shrift which they cal now auricular confession or if it did make against the whole Sacrament euerie waie ministered yet it could not of reason be followed being but one bishoppes compelled act and that disalowed euen of the reporters them selues and prooued to be euill by the practize of all Churches christened to the contrarie FVLKE Chrysostomes wordes by you translated if you had not falsifyed in translation by adding of your owne these wordes in all causes which are neither in the originall Greeke nor in the latine version make but a small shew for the necessitie of the auriculer confession For in that place Chrysostome sheweth how much more difficult the office of a spirituall shepard is then the charge of a bodely herdman by this that the shepperd of vnresonable sheepe may both see the diseases of his cattell and also compell them to take his medicines and diet but the spirituall shepheard cannot alwaies see with what diseases his flocke are infected neither can he compell them but must exhort them willinglie to submit them selues to his cure whereby he meaneth his doctrine of admonition reprehension and such like But because you make mention of a storie and doe not expresse it and yet excuse Chrysostome thereby in any thing that he hath written sounding against the necessitie of confessing before men of sinnes committed in secret as though he durst not fullie set downe his iudgement thereof before the peo ple. I will set forth the storie as it is reported by the Ecclesiasticall writers Socrates and Sozomenus Socrates L. 5. C. 19. writeth thus About the same time it was thought good to take awaie those elders or priests of the Churches which were appointed ouer publike repentance vpon such cause Since the time that the Nouatians were deuided from the Church for that they would not communicate with them that had fallen in the persecution that was vnder Decius the Bishops of the
from the paine and from the fault some plenarie of al their sinnes some partial of part of their sins some for a number of daies some for many thousands of yeares which euery one that paieth mony for them shall haue the benefit of them or which he giueth to such an hospitall gylde or brotherhoode or to him which saith such a praier or goeth on such a pilgri mage such like wherunto may be added his dispensations absolutiós exemptions lycenses these are the popes pardons of which the controuersy is between vs of which he cānot prooue that there was either vse or approbation no not in the Church of Rome for a wholl 1000. yeares after Christ. And these when he hath saied as much as he hath learned to saie for them out of the decretalls Clementines and Extrauagants you shall finde to be by his their owne determination nothing ells but as they are called in Latine Bullae Bubles great in appeerance but altogether emptie and voide of profit The attention of the gentle reader I do likewise require beccause he may see what good occasion Luther had to seperate himselfe from the Popish Church as from the whore of Babylon which so obstinately defended such abhominable blasphemies which all wise and reasonable men haue either abhorred or as he confesseth beene offended at them And yet let the reader marke how boldlie he calleth this article of the popes pardons an article of Christian faith whereof the Church of god neuer heard for a thousand yeares more since Christs assension before the loosing of Satā out of the bottomles pit when Antichrist was bolde to set abroad al his impieties and to sit not in a mysterie of iniquitie but openlie in the sight of al men in the temple of God and to exalt him-selfe aboue all that is called God or worshiped ALLEN And to be plaine in the matter where sinceritie is moste required two causes mooued me to beleeue like and allow of the power of pardons and indulgencies long before I either knew the commodities of them or had sought out the ground and meaning of them The first was the Churches authoritie which I credited in all other articles before I knew any of them or could by reason or scripture mainteine them Whose iudgement to follow by my Christian profession in all other pointes and to forsake in this one of Popes pardons had beene meere follie and a signe of phantasticall choise of things indifferent which is the proper passion of heresie Neither did I then know that the Church of Christ had allowed such thinges because I had read the determination of any generall Councells or decrees of some chiefe gouernours of the saide Church touching such pardons or because I had by histories and note of diuerse ages seene the practize of the faithfull people herein by which waies her meaning of doubtfull things is most assuredlie knowne but onelie I deemed that the Church allowed them and misliked the contrarie because such as bare the name of Christian folke and Catholike did approoue them and sometimes lamented the lacke of them And surelie for an vnlearned man I count it the briefest rule in the worlde to keepe him selfe both in faith and conuersation euer with that companie which by the generall and common calling of the people be named Catholikes For that name kept Saint Augustine himselfe in the trueth and true Church much more it may doe the simple sorte who is not hable to stande with an heretike that will challenge the Church to himselfe by Sophisticall reasons from the Christians that for lacke of learning can not answere him Well this companie of Catholikes brought me to know the Church and my creede caused me to beleeue the Church no lesse concerning the Popes Pardons then any other article of our Christian profession which though it were not of like weight yet it was to me of like trueth and all in like vnknowne at that time FVLKE Your pretence of plainnes sinceritie is but craft and sub tiltie to deceiue the simple and ignorant that they might please themselues in their blindenes and by your example thinke themselues at ease in their ignorance For what reasonable man will be perswaded that you could beleeue like and allow that thing whereof you know no vse nor whence it came or what it meaned But here you shew what faith is accounted among the Papists a fond perswasion of any thing that is tolde them by their teachers although they neither knowe what commoditie it bringeth nor what ground of trueth it hath nor finallie what it meaneth But howsoeuer it was two causes mooued you whereof you professe that hearing of the worde of God was neither The first was the Churches authoritie which you credited in all other articles before you knew any of them or could by reason or scripture mainteine them So by your owne confession you did as many papists doe beleeue you knew not what which faith would neuer bring you to eternall life which consisteth in knowledge of God and Iesus Christ according to that which is writen that wee might beleeue and be saued But seeing you could neither by reason nor by scripture mainteine those articles to be true which you beleeued how could you be perswaded that this companie was the Church of Christ the piller of trueth rather then the Church of Antichrist the mother of heresies and errors For all swarmes of heretikes challenge vnto themselues the name of the Church and require credit to be giuen vnto them and the more heretikes the lesse care they haue to make any triall of their doctrine to be trueth what had you more to perswade your conscience that you were in the right waie then a lew or a Turke hath which crediteth the companie amongst whome he is bred and borne without examining by reason or the scripture whether those thinges which they teach them be the trueth or no But it had beene a signe of phantasticall choyce of thinges indifferent you saie which is the proper passion of heresie to follow the Churches iudgement in all other points and to forsake it in this one of Popes Pardons Where you saie the phantasticall choice of things indifferent is the proper passion of heresie I know not what you meane except you thinke that heretikes are deceiued onelie in the choise of thinges indifferent or that whosoeuer maketh some phantastical choise of thinges indifferent is an heretike neither of which opinions I trowe you are able to mainteine For though some heretikes make a phantasticall choise of thinges indifferent I suppose it is not proper onelie to heretikes for some schismatikes that be not heretikes make such a phantasticall choise and the phantastical choise of heretikes is most occupied about principall groundes and articles of faith not about thinges indifferent onelie Moreouer I would know whether you account the Popes pardons to be things indifferent or necessarie for the Church for if
soules of that parish so well hang to gether these blasphemous dreames of Saints merites and Christes satisfaction seperated from the act of his passion claimed to be at the Popes and prelates disposition The aboundance of one releiuing the lacke of another whereof Saint Paull speaketh is no communication of merites nor anie thing like vnto it but a participation of the gifts of God in this life As for merites of Saintes what should we speake of thē or whence should they haue them when mercie is their crowne as Saint Ambrose saieth Finallie howsoeuer you abase the dignitie and authoritie of inferrior ministers in graunting of pardon the auncient Church admitted them to reconcile in the absence of the Bishoppe or in case of necessitie as diuerse Cannons doe shew Wherefore if this power of pardoning were anie such a thing as the auncient discipline the popish Priestes should not be wholie excluded from it ALLEN And yet the Bishops themselue haue not in this case so full power and prorogatiue being but rulers of portiones of Christs Church as he hath whome Christ appointed to be his owne Vicare through his whole dominion For as Christ tht head of the whole bodie is annointed farre more plentifullie then all his bretheren so doubtles he that occupieth his seat of iudgement throughout the whole earth to whome not onelie the affaires of all priuat men but also the confirmation and gouernement of all his brethren Bishops of what dignity so euer they be doth belong Vpon whome Christ hath laide the foundation of his Church and to whome he seuerallie gaue the keies of heauen with moste ample authoritie both to loose and binde feede and gouerne all the sheepe of his folde It is this man no doubt that hath the full treasure of the holie communion of Saints to bestow with maruelous authoritie ouer mans soule with wonderfull might in binding and exceeding grace and mercie in loosing This is the man of whome Saint Bernard saith alluding to Iosephs preheminence in Pharos house constituit eum Dominum Domus suae Principem omnis possessionis suae He hath made this man the Lord of all his house and the Prince of his wholl possession This man therefore representing Christs owne person through the wholl Church and hauing the cure and regiment of euerie one of Christs sheepe may moste lawfullie donare aliquid in persona Christi shew mercie to any man in Christes behalfe none being exempted from his iurisdiction nor any of the churches treasure restreinea from his disposition FVLKE The Pope graunteth to the Bishops as it pleaseth him a shadow of this power of pardoning reseruing the rest to himselfe for his owne aduantage and pre ferment The reasons here alledged to prooue that no Bishop hath so great preheminence in pardoning as the Pope are all petitions of principles which as they are here barelie affirmed so it shall be sufficient for me flatlie to denie them as that the Pope is Christs Vicar heade of the Church occupieth Christs seate of iudgement hath the foundation of the Church laied vpon him hath the keies of heauen seuerallie and so of all the rest Neither is S. Bernard a late writer sufficient to giue the Pope the steuardship of Gods house as Ioseph had of Potiphar the Egiptian therefore he hath no more power to pardon then any other Bishop admitting he were Bishop of Rome and not Antichrist which hath no power at al but vsurped tyrannie ouer Gods house ALLEN But because I cannot ground this my meaning better then vpon a generall Councell I will reporte the decree of the moste holie assemblie holden at Lateran more then three hundreth yeares since vnder Innocentius the thirde by which not onelie this doctrine of Pardons is approoued but also the superfluttie thereof and such disorder as was therein through couetousnes of euill persons or lacke of authoritte in the giuers is corrected with a declaration who be the onelie lawful ministers in such remissions of inioyned penance Thus goeth the decree Quia per indiseretas indulgentias atque superfluas quai quidam Ecclessarum Praelati facere non verentur claues Ecclesiae contemnuntur poeniientialis satisfactio eneruatur decernimus vt cum dedicatur Basilica non extendatur indulgentia extra annum siue ab vno solo siue à pluribus Episcopis dedicetur ac deinde in anniuersario dedicationis tempore quadraginta dies de iniunctis poenitentiis indultaremissio non excedat intra hunc quoque dierum numerum indulgentiarum literas praecipim is moderari quae pro quibuslibet causis aliquoties concedantur cùm Romanus Pontisex qui plenitudinem obtinet potestatis hoc in talibus moderamen consueuerit obseruare That is to saie Because the keies of the Church be contemned and sacramentall satisfaction is much weakened by certain indiscreete and superfluous Indulgences the which certain Prelates of the Churches are ouer bolde to bestowe we decree that hereafter at the dedication of any Chappel no pardon be giuen more then for one yeare whether it be dedicated by one bishop or moe the that there be noremissions afterwarde in the yearelie celebrating of the said dedications more then of fourtie daies of enioyned penance The like also to be obserued in all other common instruments by which for other good causes and holie purposes pardons shall be giuen seeing the Bishoppe of Rome himselfe who hath the fullnes of power herein vseth customably so to moderate the letters of pardons that proceede from him By which holie Councell you may perceiue not onelie that the Bishoppes of Gods Church may giue pardons but that the Bishoppe of Romesright is much more ample in this case then theirs can be and especiallie how carefull the Church euer hath beene to purge all corruption of doctrine or vsage crept into the worlde thorough the disorder of mans misbehauiour how wicked the indeuours of some euill disposed persons be who cease not vnhonestlie to attribute that to the Church of Christ which shee hath euer sought to redresse in the euill manners of them that haue disgraced the doctrine of trueth and made contemtible the moste profitable practize of holie thinges by their misuse of the same FVLKE Seeing you can ground your meaning no better as you your selfe confesse then vpon this popish Lateran Councell all indifferent readers may see how weake and latelie laid ground and foundation it hath To omit your translation of Basilica for a Chappell which rather signifieth a Cathedrall or Princelie Church I will consider what you gather out of this Councell First that Bishops may pardon nay rather that Bishoppes then did pardon Secondlie that the Bishop of Romes right is more ample nay rather that euerie Bishoppe of olde did graunt larger pardons then the Pope vsed to graunt who vsed not to passe one yeare in dedication and 40 daies in all other occasions For according to that moderation the Bishop of Rome did vse all