22. He made the Apostles onely witnesses or preachers of this benefit of remission of sinnes And 4. Instit c. 11. § 1. For Christ gaue not this power properly to men but to his word whereof he madde men ministers Beza in Confess c. 5. sect 27. We must beleiue that nether They cannot properly binde or loose Pastors nor Doctors can properly binde or loose anie or open the kingdome of heauen to anie For it is proper to God alone to remit or retaine sinnes and indeed so proper as he communicateth this glorie with none at all Zanchius de Eccles c. 9. to 8. Power of forgiuing sinnes is not giuen properly to the Apostles themselues or to others but to their Ministerie or to the Ghospell For they do not properly forgiue sinnes but the Ghospell bringeth remission of sinnes to those that beleiue Daneus Cont. 4. c. 9. Christ gaue power of forgiuing sinnes to his Apostles as to Ministers that do onely declare his benefit towards faithfull men not as such that worke and effect the forgiuenesse of sinnes CONFERENCE OF THE FORESAIED WORDS Scripture expressely saieth that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to pastours of the Church that what they loose or forgiue on earth is loosed or forgiuen in heauen that the Holie Ghost was giuen them that by vertue of him they might forgiue sinnes The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that God communicateth power of forgiuing sinnes to none at all that it is idolatrie to attribute this power to anie creature that Ministers of the Ghospell do not properly loose any that they forgiue not sinnes but onely declare it that they are onely witnesses declarers of this benefit that vertue of forgiuing sinnes is giuen to the Gospell not to men Which is so plainly against the Holie Scripture as some Protestants confesse it See lib. 2. c. 30. ART II. WHETHER WE MVST CONfesse our sinnes to men SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Iames 5. v. 16. Confesse your sinnes one to an other Sinnes are to be confessed to men Actes 19. v. 18. And manie of them that beleiued came confessing and declaring their deeds CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Councel of Trent Sess 14. Can. 6. If anie shall denie that Sacramentall Confession was instituted or is necessarie by Gods law be he accursed PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE French Confession art 14. Auricular Confession was forged Not to be confâ—ssed to men in Sathâ—ns shoppe It is a deuise of men Willet Controu 14. q. 6. p. 736. It is not necessarie to make confession at all to men Confessio Argentinensis c. 20. Nether Christ nor the Apostles would commana it Luther in Postilla Epiphaniae God requireth not this confession to men Serm. de 10. Leprosis tom 7. Confession of sinnes is forbidden Caluin in Refutat Cathalani The lawmade of auricular Law of confession diuelish confession is diuelish It is an intolerable corruption if you search into it from the beginning and foundation Iuel defens Apologie part 2. c. 6. diuis 1. Thus much onely we say That priuat confession to be made vnto the Minister is nether commanded by Christ nor necessarie to saluation THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely commandeth that we confesse our sinnes to men and telleth that the first Christians did confesse their sinnes That same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that it is not necessarie to confesse to men that nether Christ nor his Apostles commanded it that God requireth it not that it is forbidden is a diuelish law and deuise of man and of Sathan ART III. WHETHER GRACE BE GIVEN by Imposition of hands SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. 2. Tim. 1. v. 6. I admonish thee that thou resuscitate the grace Grace giuen by imposition of hands of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands Actes 8. vers 18. And when Simon had seene that by the imposition of the handes of the Apostles the Holie Ghost was giuen he offered c. CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Councel of Trent Sess 23. Can. 4. If anie shall say that by holie ordination the Holie Ghost is not giuen be he accursed Et ib. c. 3. saieth that by holie orders grace is giuen PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Caluin in 2. Tim. 1. ver 6. cit The question is whether grace Not giuen by imposition of hands were giuen by the externall signe of imposition of hands To which questioÌ„ I answere As often as Ministers were ordered they were commended to God by the praiers of the whole Church and by this means grace was obtained of God for them but not giuen them by vertue of that signe The same Caluin in Actor 8. v. 15. Luke here speaketh not of the common grace of the Spirit wherewith God doth regenerate vs for sonnes to himselfe but of especiall guifts In c. 6. v. 6. Hence we gather that imposition of hands sith it was vsed of the Apostles is a comelie and seemlie rite but yet hath not of it selfe any efficacie or vertue but the force and effect dependeth of God alone Beza Apologia altera cont Sainctem vol. 2. p. 325. In the Ministerie the ceremonie of imposition of hands doth not make a Minister as you verie ignorantly vse to vrge but testifieth to the Church that he is already made And l. quaest respons vol. 3. pag. 347. We must hould that there were neuer any Ministers of the Church made by imposition of hands but who had beene lawfully called to the Ministerie were so put as it were in possession of their function Of the same opinion are they who thinke that Imposition of hands is not necessarie to Ministers as Brentius in Apol. pro Confes Writemberg c. de ordine Herbrandus Disput 11. Beurlinus in Refutat Soti c. 67. Conciliabulum Parisiens An. 1565. artic 7. and much more they who forbidde imposition of hands as Pseudosynodus Dordracensis An. 1574. art 23. in these words The brethren concluded that Imposition of hands is to Imposition of hands forbidden be omitted THE CONFERENCE Scripture expressely saieth that the grace of God and the Holie Ghost are giuen by Imposition of hands The same say Catholiks Protestants expressely say that grace is not giuen by imposition of hands that it hath no efficacie or vertue but that the effect is of God alone that by it pastours are not made yea that it is not necessarie to them but to be omitted ART IV. WHETHER HANDS BE TO BE imposed vpon them that haue beene baptized SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Act. 8. v. 16. and 17. For he Holie Ghost was not yet come Hands imposed vpon the baptized vpon anie of them but they were onely baptized in the name of our Lord Iesus Then did they impose their hands vpon them and they receaued the Holie Ghost Act. 19. v. 5. and 6. Hearing these things they were baptized in the name of our Lord Iesus and when Paul had imposed his hands on them the holie Ghost came vpon them CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME
saing directly and expresly This is not my bodie But onely mens inference out of a mixt word to wit Christs bodie is in heauen and can not be in two places which word is mixt partely of Gods word for the former parte and of mens word for the latter And shall we thinke that in a matter of faith which we can not know but by Gods teaching his pure and expresse word is not to be preferred before mens inference out of a mixt word which is in parte mens word What els can we thinke vnles we will euen in Gods matters preferre men before God 15. The seauenth cōmoditie is that in this word are discouered all or the most vsuall shifts wherewith Protestāts vse to delude the testimonies of holie Scripture Which surely is no lesse profitable then to know the deceits of enemies with whom we are to fight And as Tertullian saieth VVoe be to him who whiles he is in this life knoweth not De resur c. 19. the secrets of Heretiks And these are the especiall profits and commodities which may be reaped by this work Now let vs remoue certaine scruples or hinderances of the reaping of them 16. The first scruple may be about the vulgar Latin trāslation Obiections or difficulties remoued which I follow in citing the words of Scripture But to omit all which Catholiks produce for to proue that translation to be authenticall because this is no place to treate of that matter Protestants cōfessions hereof may suffice which may be seene in the Protestants Apologie for the Rom. Church Treat 1. Sect. 10. subd 4. to which I add that Casoubon writeth I acknowledg the Latin translation of the bible to be holie Scripture and I account an vnperdonable fault to so much as doubt thereof That Iuel art 17. sect 4. saieth It hath bene euer more generally receaued in the Church That Beza in Luc. 1. confesseth That the ancient interpreter did most religiously translate the Scripture And in Luc. 8. v. 54. That him self had twoe ancient Greek copies which meruailously agreed with the vulgar Latin And Prefat in Testam That the vulgar interpreter had a truer Greek copie then theirs now are Whitaker also Cont. 1. q. 2. c. 7. graunteth that the Latin Fathers commend it and iustly Hounfrey l. 1. de Rat. interpret affirmeth That the old Interpretor seemeth enough addicted to the proprietie of the word Moreouer Luther and Protestants commonly confesse that Catholiks haue the word of God that the Fathers vsed the Latin translation in their disputes for maintenance of the Catholik faith and confutation of Heresies Besids Fulk in his preface to the Testament saieth that none of them calleth the vulgar translation of the new testament Papisticall as though it were translated by Papists or els made so greatly for Papists when it is rightly vnderstood Finally the vulgar Latin translation differeth not from the originall Hebrew or Greek text but in very few of those places which here I cite and therefore it wil be but vayne to cauil here about this matter 17. The secōd scruple may be that some times the very why Protest can not excuse them selues by the Scripture Scripture contradicteth it self in shew of words and neuertheles in sense and meaning is neuer repugnant to it self And therefore it is not so great meruail if Protestāts some time contradict the words of Scripture nether can it be thereof inferred that the contradict the sense To this I answer that the Scripture nether so often nor in so many and so weightie matters nor so manifestly and directly contradicteth it self in words as Protestants doe Nether need we so many and so incredible shifts for to reconcile the words of Scripture as Protestants need to reconcile their sayings with the Scripture Besids God may speak as he pleaseth therefore may for to exercise our faith and studie mingle some shew of contradiction in his words but Protestants are bound to speak as God speaketh and not to gaine say so much as his words as doubtles they would not if their meaning were not repugnant to his Agayne we may not out of anie seeming contradiction in Gods words infer anie opposition in his meaning because we know that he can not be contrarie to him self but we know that Protestants can not be contrarie to Gods meaning as we see that they be contrarie to his words and therefore out of their so frequent so manifest so direct contradicting of his words we iustly inferre that they also contradict his meaning as we would inferre the same of anie Heretiks whatsoeuer Moreouer this cauil will no more help Protestants then it will help anie other Heretiks sith there were euer scarce anie who so often so plainly so directly contradicted the expres word of God as Protestants haue done And therefore ether we may inferre out of the Protestants contradicting the words of God that they also contradict his true meaning or we can not inferre that of anie Heretiks whatsoeuer But of this more in the second booke cap. 1. 18. The third scruple may be that perhaps also VVhy they can not excuse them selues by Catholiks some Catholik writers haue in shew of words contradicted the Scripture But to this I answere that this is to accuse others not to cleare them selues Let them first answere for them selues before they recriminate others And if anie of them will goe about to lay the like fault vpon Catholiks let him keep these most iust and equal conditions First let him not medle with other matters then such as are in controuersie betwixt vs and them as I touch no other matters Secondly let him bring forth in so manie controuersies so manifest and so direct testimonies of holie Scripture agreeing with their doctrin both in wordes and sense and opposite to our doctrin as I haue brought Thou must proue saieth Tertullian as euidently as we proue Giue me a proof which I demand like to Cont. Prax. c. 11. De vnit c. 6. 24. mine And S. Austin Produce as cleare testimonies as these are which we produce to you We demande some manifest place which needeth no interpreter Thirdly let him shew that the Councell of Trent contradicteth as directly so many and so expres places of Scripture and that in so weightie matters as we haue shewed that theire confessions of faith of which as they say they make almost as great account of as Vorstius praefat Antilpraefat Syntagm we doe of the Councell of Trent Fourthly let him shew that so many and so famous Catholik writers haue in so many and so great controuersies contradicted the expres propositions or assertions of the holie Scripture as we haue shewed of the Protestant writers I say Propositions or Assertions because it is a farre greater matter to contradict the proportions of Scripture in which it pronounceth a thing to be or not to be to be such or not to be such then to varie onely from some of the
our hart See more art 4. Scripture Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Protestants We do not pray that we may fulfill the law See more art 5. Scripture If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments Protestants Woe be to their Cathecumens if so hard a condition of keeping the law be imposed vpon them See more art 6. Scripture Do we then destroye the law by faith God forbid but we establish the law Protestants All the ceremoniall law or the Decalogue is abrogated It is abrogated from a Christian because he is dead to it And to be dead to the law is not to be bound with the law but free from it and not to know it See more art 7. CHAPTER XX. OF MANS LAVV. SCripture Who thinkest thou is a faithfull and wise seruant Superioritie amōgst Christians whome his lord hath appointed ouer his familie Protestants Among Christians there can be no superioritie Christ is my immediate Lord I know no other See more art 1. Scripture To the rest I say not our Lord If anie brother None amōgst them haue a wife an infidell and she consent to dwell with him let him not put her away Protestants They draw to themselues all the maiestie of God Man can command that which God doth not He cannot Conscience subiect to mās lawes Not subiect who chaleng authoritie to make lawes See more art 2. Scripture Be subiect of necessitie not only for wrathe but also for conscience sake Protestants The lawes of Princes bind not the conscience haue no power ouer the conscience See more art 3. CHAPTER XXI OF FREE WILL. SCripture It shal be in the arbitrement of her husband whether There is free will she shall do it or not do it Protestants Free vill is a title without the thing See more There is none art 1. Scripture Without thy counsell I would do nothing that thy Freedome to good good might not be as it were of necessitie but voluntarie Protestants Man after his fall hath no libertie to good There No freedome to good is no free will to good See more art 2. Scripture We are Gods coadiutours Gods coadiutors Protestants Papists make God the first and cheefest cause of all goodnes and vs coadiutours Which is craftily to withdraw Not his coadiutors themselues from God See more art 3. CHAPTER XXII OF MANS SOVLE SCripture Feare ye not them who kill the bodie and are not Mans soule immortall able to kill the soule Protestants I giue leaue to the Pope to make articles of faith Not immortall for his followers Such as are that breade and wine are transsubstantiated in the Sacrament That he is Emperour of the world and an earthlie God That the soule is immortall and all those infinit monsters in the Romish dunghill of decrees What Propositions I pray you shal euer be thought cōtradictions if these be not seing there can scarce be deuised more formall or more direct opposition then is betwixt the most of these But because perhaps the vulgar Protestante will say that he beleiueth not all or most of the Protestants propositions here set downe albeit this excuse will not suffice him as I haue shewed in the end of my Preface yet for his fuller satisfaction I haue gathered twelue principall articles which commonly all Protestants beleiue quite contrarie to the expresse word of God THE COMMON PROTESTANTS CREED CONSIsting of twelue Articles quite contrarie to the expresse word of God in the Scripture 1 PROTESTANTS beleiue that a man is Lib. 1. c. 16. art 2. iustified by only faith quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Ioannes 2. v. 4. Do you see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith only 2 Protestants beleiue that we can not keep Goods commandments quite contrarie to his expresse word Ezechiel 36. v. 27. I will make Lib. 1. c. 18. art 1. that you walke in my commandments and keepe my iudgments and doe them 3 Protestants beleiue that the keeping of Gods commandments is not necessarie to come to life euerlasting quite contrarie to Gods expresse words Mathew 19. v. 17. Lib. 1. c. 18. art 6. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments 4 Protestants beleiue that no men can forgiue sinnes quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Ihon 20. v. Lib. 1. c. 11. art 1. 22. Receaue ye the holie Ghost whose sinnes ye shall forgiue they are forgiuen them 5 Protestants beleiue that we are not bound to confesse our sinnes to men quite contrarie to the expresse word of Lib. 1. c. 11. art 2. God Ioannes 5. v. 16. Confesse your sinnes one to an other 6 Protestants beleiue that men when they die are not to be anoiled quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Lib. 1. c. 11. art 7. Iames 5. v. 14 Is anie man sicke among you Let him bring in the preists of the Church and let them pray ouer him auoiling him with oile in the name of our lord 7 Protestants beleiue that the blessed Sacrament is not the true bodie and blood of Christ quite contrarie to the Lib. 1. c. 10. art 1. expresse word of God Luke 22. v. 19. This is my bodie which is giuen for you and Mathew 26. v. 28. This is my blood which shal be shed for remisson of sinnes 8 Protestants beleiue that the Church of God is not infallible in faith quite contrarie to Gods expresse word 1. Lib. 1. c. 8. art 6. Timothie 3. v. 15. Which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of trueth 9 Protestants beleiue that we must not beleiue Traditions quite contrarie to the expresse word of God 2. Thessalon Lib. 1. c. 5. art 9. 2. v. 15. Hould the Traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or by epistle 10 Protestants beleiue it is ill done to pray in the Church in an vnknowne language quite contrarie to the expresse Lib. 1. c. 14. art 12. word of God 1. Cor. 14. v. 17. where it is saied of such a one Thou indeed giuests thankes well 11 Protestants Beleiue that there is no sacrifice in the Church quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Malachie Lib. 1. c. 11. art 11. 1. v. 11. In euerie place there is sacrificing and there is offered to my name a cleane oblation 12 Protestants beleiue that there is no altar in the Church quite contrarie to the expresse word of God Hebrewes Lib. 1. c. 11. art 12. 13. v. 10. We haue an altar whereof they haue no power to eate who serue the tabernacle THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIKE AND PROtestant doctrine with the expresse words of the holie Scripture FIRST CHAPTER OF GOD. Article 1. Whether God willeth iniquitie or sinne SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY DENIETH. PSALME 5. verse 5. Thou art God will not iniquitie not a God that wilt iniquitie Abacuc
Spirit and that the coÌ„trarie is madnesse Which is so opposite to Scripture as the holie Fathers pronounce that he is no Catholik who saieth that baptisme doth not take Prosper ad c. vlt. Gallor away sinne in the baptized reprobats and manie Protestants confesse it to be coÌ„trarie to Scripture See l. 2. c. 30. ART VII WHETHER BAPTISME CLEANSETH or washeth away sinnes SCRIPTVRE EXPRESSELY AFFIRMETH. Ephes 5. v. 26. Christ loued the Church and deliuered himselfe Baptisme cleanseth for it that he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the lauer of water in the word Tit 3. v. 5. According to his mercie he hath saued vs by the Saueth lauer of regeneration and renouation of the Holie Ghost 1. Peter 3. vers 21. Whereunto baptisme being of the like sorte Remitteth sinnes now saueth you also Act. 2. v. 38. Be euerie one of you baptized in the name of Iesus Washeth sinnes Christ for remission of your sinnes c. 22. v. 17. Rise vp and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes CATHOLIKS EXPRESSELY AFFIRME Catechismus ad Parochos c. de baptismo This must be first deliuered that sinne whether it be originally contracted froÌ„ our first pareÌ„ts or committed of vs though it were so haynous as scarce could be imagined is remitted and forgiuen by the admirable vertue of this Sacrament of baptisme PROTESTANTS EXPRESSELY DENIE Whitaker Cont. 2. q. 1. c. 9. We do not get health by the outward baptisme Etib. c. 9. God forbidde that any attribute that Baptisme auaileth not to the outward Sacrament which belongeth to spirituall grace Etib. q. 6. c. 3. Baptisme of it selfe auaileth infants nothing to saluation nor infuseth faith or any grace into them Perkins in Gal. 3. to 2. col 171. Baptisme indeed saueth but Saueth not not baptisme of water Willet Cont. 12. q. 3. p. 567. Baptisme is not a remedie against Giueth not grace originall sinne 569. Baptisme doth not conferre grace Luther de Captiuit Babil c. de baptismo Baptisme iustifieth Profiteth not none nor profiteth anie ib. coÌ„t Cocleum f 408. No parte of Iustification can be attributed to baptisme Melancthon in locis edit 1522. Sacraments do not iustifie Which he repeateth l. cont Anabaptistas Zuinglius de baptismo to 2. fol. 62. Baptisme is giuen and receaued for their sakes who hould the same faith with vs not for his sake who is baptized for in him that outward signe can worke nothing Fol. 70. Externall baptisme which is done by water Helpeth not helpeth nothing to ablution of sinnes Etf. 56. Some cried that externall things are wholy vnprofitable to saluation and that no trust is to be put in them scing they are vaine and altogether vnprofitable And surely they saied well if they had not passed the bounds of charitie and modestie Fol. 97. Baptisme cannot Washeth not sinnes wash away the filth of sinne nor washeth away sinne It is nothing but a sacramentall signe whereby Gods people is bound to one faith and religion 98. Baptisme maketh vs no whit the Maketh no vs better better And l. de ver fal relig fol. 91. Some thinke that baptisme ether wipeth away sinnes or is a signe and certification of their wiping away both which say what they please not what the word of God hath tought And in Rom. 4. tom 4. The signe of baptisme is not receaued for to confirme faith for to purge sinnes Confirmeth not faith And apud Hospin part 2. Histor fol. 31. Sacraments are onely badges of Christian societie and helpe nothing to saluation Finally l. de Peccato originall to 2. f. 122. he saieth How foolish then should he seeme who for the words of Scripture would auouch that by baptismall water we are washed from sinnes Caluin 4. Instit c. 15. § 10. Now it is cleare how false it is that by baptisme we are loosed and exeÌ„pted from originall â—inne § 2. Who will say that we are cleansed by this water In Catechismo Is no lauer of the soule Washeth not pag. 36. Doest thou thinke that water is a lauer of the soule No. In Admonit vlt. ad Westphal p. 812. What if baptisme wash vs how is the onely blood of Christ otherwhere called our ablution p. 855. If they inferre that the filth of the soule is purged by the corruptible element of water the sunne of iustice it selfe wil be darkened In Actor 22. v. 16. Paule was not washed by baptisme but recedued a new confirmation of the grace which he had obtained In Rom. 4. v. 12. We denie that men are iustified by baptisme In Ephes 5. v. 26. We must beware to thinke that water purgeth the filth of the soule Beza in Catechismo vol. 1. Theol. pag. 693. Doth water wipe away sinne No. In Colloq Montisbel p. 366. The soule is not washed with water but the bodie onely p. 377. The baptisme Infants not renouated when they are baptized of water is not the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ and renouation but onely signifieth and representeth it Et 357. We thinke it absurd that infants are renouated ether at that verie time when they are baptized or befoee they be of discretion and haue knowne and apprehended Christ by faith Which also he hath in 2. part resp ad Acta p. 322. Where also he saieth p. 91. I saied and do yet say that the renouation of infants who come to be men is not to be restrained to the time of their baptisme giuen to them ether in their infancie or their youth but that it beginneth froÌ„ that time when by actuall faith they apprehend Christ Which he repeateth p. 106. And apud Grauerum in Absurdis Caluin c. 4. sect 20. I nether saied that all or anie children are regenerated at the time of baptisme Which also teacheth Musculus in locis tit de baptismo So that they will not haue children to be regenerated ether by baptisme or wheÌ„ they are baptized Zanchius l. 4. de tribus Elohim c. 5. Water is onely a signe of regeneration Piscator in Thes loco 25. Ananias saied to Paul Rise and be baptized and washe away thy sinnes not that his sinnes were to be washed away by baptisme which cannot be washed away but by the blood of Christ THE CONFERENCE Scripture plainely saieth that the Church is sanctified and cleansed by the lauer of water that we are saued by the lauer of regeneration that baptisme saueth vs that we are baptized for remission of sinnes that by baptisme sinnes are washed away The same say Catholiks Prorestants plainely say that baptisme iustifieth not saueth not auaileth nothing to saluation infuseth not faith or anie grace that it worketh nothing in him who receaueth it maketh vs no whit better cleanseth not sinne purgeth not sinne washeth not sinne wipeth not sinne away confirmeth not faith certifieth vs not of remission of sinne is onely a badge of Christian societie a signe whereby men are bound to on faith and religion that children are not
other meaning in these words of anie man who should speake them but this which they will not vnderstand in the Apostle 5. From the sense in which they contradict The fift head we will take from the sense of those words of Scripture which the Protestants contradict For the sense in which the Protestants oppose themselues againsts the Scriptures words is not forced or violent but obuious easie open and which the words of themselues do plainely shew and in which such words vse to to spoaken and vnderstood of men And euident it is that all words ought to be vnderstood according to such a sense and that such a sense is the true sense of them vnlesse the contrarie be manifestly proued For this is the verie rule of vnderstanding words which the †Luther de verb. cenae to 7. Melancthon in Hospin p. 74. Martyr in loc tit de Euchar Perkins in 1. Gal v. 8. Pareus l. 5. de Illyricus in Claue part 2. tom 7. Protestāts themselues sometimes do vehemently vrge and vnlesse it be obserued the vnderstanding of words wil be vncertaine and according to euerie ones fansie Wherefore vnlesse Protestants do euidently conuince that those words of Scripture which they contradict are to be vnderstood in an other sense then in that which of themselues according to their ordinarie acception amongst men they beare they cannot denie but in contradicting this ordinarie sense of the words of Scripture they contradict the true sense of them And therefore the Reader in this matter must diligently marke that Catholiks are not bound to proue that the words of Scripture or of Protestants be to be taken in their vsuall and ordinarie sense amongst men but that this is to be supposed as a rule and vndoubted principle of vnderstāding words vnlesse the contrarie be demonstrated And if anie denie it he is not to be admitted to anie disputation which is grounded in words or testimonies because he denieth the verie first principle of vnderstanding words which being denied all dispute grounded on words is vayne Wherefore that Protestants who say that Catholiks do begge that point which they ought to proue when they vrge that the words of Scripture are to be vnderstood according to the sense which they openly shew and in which men vse to speake and vnderstand such words know not what ought to be proued in disputations out of words and what is to be supposed as a principle thereof Whereupon Kemnitius himselfe in Examen parte 2. tit de Missa saieth What madnesse is it to leaue the plaine sense which hath certaine and manifest testimonies of Scripture and to deuise a new exposition And the same say other Prostants as we shall rehearse hereafter †In Perorat But if Protestants will haue ether the words of Scripture or anie other words whatsoeuer to be vnderstood in an other sense then that wherein they vse to be vnderstood of men all the burden of prouing lieth vpon them Which because they cannot proue we iustly conclude that they contradict the true sense of the words of Scripture which we before haue alledged and frame this argument Whosoeuer contradict that sense of the Scriptures words which of themselues they beare and in which they are vsually vnderstood of men and cannot demonstrate that they are to be vnderstood in an other sense they contradict the true sense of the words of Scripture But Protestants do so Therefore they contradict the true sense of the holie Scripture The Maior or first proposition is as I saied the principle and ground of all dispute out of words and the Minor or second proposition is euident by the answeres of Catholiks vnto the proofes which Protestants bring for to shew that the words of Scripture are to be vnderstood in an other sense then they shew or men vsually vnderstand them in The sixt head is taken out of the circunstances which 6. From the circunstances of the words make for the natiue and vsuall sense of those words of Scripture which Protestants contradict For example Christ saied simply of that which he gaue with his hands to his Apostles after his last Supper This is my bodie and the Protestants simply say of the same This is not Christs bodie and consequently contradict Christs words not onely in their plaine natiue and vsuall sense but also which is confirmed by all their circunstances of end of time of place of the speaker and of the hearers As for the circunstance of the end it is plaine that the end of these words was to tell clearely the Apostles what indeed that was which he then gaue them And all his other words were ether spoaken of other matters or if of the same matter yet they were spoaken to this end to tell the Apostles what it was which then he gaue them but to what end they should vse it or for some such like purpose And that the foresaied words do clearly expresse what that was which at that time Christ gaue to his Apostles is so euident as our aduersaries themselues confesse For thus a Admonit vlt. Caluin I denie not but Christment to speake most clearly And b Cont. Selnec Beza If the question be about the word of God surely we haue none more expresse and in which we more willingly rest then the institution of the Supper it selfe This is my bodie Authores Admonit de libro Concordiae c. 3. p. 91. The words of the Supper are most cleare and of themselues abundantly sufficient for to be rightly vnderstood And the same c Whitaker ad Rat. 3. Zuinglius in Expl. art 18. Riuet tract 3. sect 12. Polanus part 1. thes de caena others confesse The circonstance also of the time confirmeth the same For it was the last when Christ was to conuerse with his Apostles in humane māner and therefore it was behouefull that if euer he should then speake in must plaine and vsuall sense especially speaking of a matter newly then instituted by him and bequeathed by him by his last will and testament and necessarily to be knowne of them and yet which could no waie be knowne of them but by Christs words But euident it is that the most cleare manner of speaking is to speake in the plaine natiue and vsuall sense of words And consequently Christ who by our aduersaries confession ment to speake most clearely speake in the plaine natiue and vsuall sense of his words The circunstance of place also concurreth For the place where Christ spoake these words was free and void of strangers so that thereby no occasion could be to meane otherwise then the words vsually did beare The circunstance also of the Speaker doth much confirme the same For he was the word it selfe the wisdome of his Father who both best knew how he ought to expresse his meaning about a new thing which could not be knowne of vs but by his words was most desirous that we should know what it was
For from whence might they better draw their dreggs So plainelie he confesseth that his doctrine in the foresaied points contradicted the bookes of Machabes Tobie and Ecclesiasticus And notwithstanding S. Austin whome †Caluin 4. Instit c. 14. §. 26. Protestants account the best witnesse of antiquitie clearelie testifieth that manie ages agoe the holie Church held the bookes of Machabes for Canonicall Scripture For thus he writeth of them lib. 18. de Ciuitat c. 36. Which not Iewes but the Church holdeth for Canonicall And the like he saieth lib. 1. cont Gaudent cap. 23. Lib. de doctrin Christ c. 8. l. 2. Retract c. 4. and otherwhere Besides manie Protestantt as Caluin in Antidot cit p. 266. Whitaker Contr. 3. q. 6. c. 3. Perkins de Symbol p. 787. and also Hyperius Zanchius Lubbertus Hospinian Rainolds Feild and others alledged in the Protestants Apologie Tract 1. Sect. 3. confesse that the Councel of Carthage where S. Austin was present and subscribed thereto did reckon the bookes of Machabes in the nūber of Canonicall Scripture And to omit all other arguments drawne out of the Scripture and Fathers for the infallibilitie of the Church the Protestants themselues eftsoones confesse that the Church can discerne true Scriptures from false and that we are bound to yeeld to her iudgment For thus saieth Luther l. de Captiuit to 2. fol. 84. This indeed hath the Church that she can discerne The Church can discerne the word of God Hath authoritie to iudge the word of God from the word of men as Austin confesseth that he beleiued the Ghospell being moued by the authoritie of the Church The Confession of Wittenberg cap. de Eccles The Church hath authoritie to iudge of all doctrines And cap. de Concilijs She hath an assured promisse of the perpetuall presence of Christ and she is gouerned of the holie Ghost Melancthon Respons ad Acta Ratisbon tom 3. pag. 732. We acknowledge this authoritie of testifying the Apostolicall Scriptures or discerning the writings of the Apostles from counterfait doth agree to the true Church Caluin de vera ref p. 232. I denie not but that it is the proper office of Church to discerne true The proper office of the Church Scriptures from counterfeit Peter Martyr Praefat. 1. Epist ad Corinth We will easily graunt that the ancient Church was indued so much with the holie Ghost that by his leading and directiō they easily discerned betwene those which were proposed to them which were the true and sincere words of God and by this spirituall power they distinguished the Canon of Scriptures from apocryphall bookes And in locis Class 1. c. 6. § 6. We acknowledge the office of the Church to be that being indued with Gods Spirit she may distinguish the true and sincere bookes of holie writ from counterfeit and apocryphall Iuel in Defens of the Apologie pag. 204. The Church of God had the spirit of wisdome She hath the spirit of wisdome Can discerne true Scriptures whereby she might discerne true Scriptures from false Fulke in his Answere to a false Cathol p. 5. The Church of Christ indeed can discerne true Scriptures from false Perkins de Serm. Dom. tom 2. col 252. The Church hath the guift of iudging of greatest matters She can iudge of the booke of Scripture Hath the guift of iudging which are Canonicall which are not of the spirits of men and of their doctrines and therefore surely can iudge which companie of men is the true Church which is not Whitaker Cont. 1. q. 3. c. 1. pag. 315. We denie not that it belongeth to the Church to approue to acknowledge to receaue to promulgate to commend the Scriptures to all her children and we say that this testimonie is true and ought to be admitted of all Cap. 2. pag. 316. It is the office of the Church to iudge and discerne true sincere and right Scriptures from false counterfait and bastard And for to discharge Hath the spirit of Christ to distinguish this office she hath the Spirit of Christ by which she may distinguish trueth from lyes she knoweth the voice of her Spouse she is most iuditious and can discerne spirits Cap. 5. p. Her tradition conuinceth 322. I denie not that the Tradition of the Church is an argumēt by which it may be cōuinced which kookes are Canonicall which not Canonicall cap. 6. pag. 323. The Church hath the Spirit of God by which being taught she heareth the voice of he Spouse and acknowledgeth his doctrine cap. 7. pag. 324. Indeed we may Her authoritie cōpelleth be compelled by the authoritie of the Church to acknowledge the Canonicall Scripture I say as I often saied before that we are compelled by the authoritie of the Church to beleiue these bookes to be Canonicall And cap. 9. pag. 326. We graunt with Ireney A sound demonstration that the authoritie of the Church is a sound and breife demūstration a posteriori of Canonicall doctrine And l. 1. de Scriptura c. 1. sect 9. he affirmeth that the testimonie of the Church ought to be receaued and who receaueth it not is guiltie of sacriledge And lib. 2. cap. 4. sect 4. p. 227. I say the testimonie of the Church is sufficient to refute and conuince those who thinke amisse of the Scriptures The like he hath ib. p. 218. 228. and and other where often Out of which confessions of Protestants of the authorite and power of the Church to discerne and distinguish true Scripture from false we may thus argue It belongeth to the Church yea it is her function and proper office to discerne true Scriptures from false she hath that she can distinguish the word of God from the word of man she is taught of the holie Ghost indued with Gods Spirit hath the guift of iudging the spirit of wisdome for to discerne by her tradition it may be conuinced which bookes are Canonicall which not by her authoritie we may be compelled to acknowledge the Canonicall Scripture her authoritie is a sound demonstration of Canonicall doctrine her testimonie ought to be receaued of all and who receaueth it not is guiltie of sacriledge But this holie Church manie ages agoe hath iudged the bookes of Machabes to be Canonicall Therefore they are such The Maior or first Proposition is the confession of Protestants now rehearsed and the Minor is confirmed by the foresaied testimonie of S. Austin and the confessions of the forenamed Protestants And howsoeuer Protestants The Cath. aduantage ouer Protest will delude this argument they must needs confesse that Catholiks haue the aduantage of them in that Protestāts produce no testimonie which forceth Catholiks to reiect anie booke which anie Father testifieth to haue beene anciently held of the Church for Canonicall as Catholiks produce the testimonie of S. Iames which maketh the Lutherans to reiect his epistle which other Protestants confesse to be Canonicall and an other testimonie out of the bookes
withal Which we must vniuersally and alwaies obserue and hould of workes in the cause of our saluation to wit that they are as a way and certaine markes which lead vs to glorie but not by causing or working it Caluin vpon those words 2. Cor. 7. v. 10. For the sorrow that is according to God worketh pennance vnto saluation that is stable writeth thus Paul enquireth not of the cause of saluation but onely commending pennance of the fruite which it Worke. 1. is as a way bringeth forth doth say that it is like a way whereby we come to saluation In this sorte consequence is rather signified then anie cause And to the same place Pareus libr. 4. de Iustificat cap. 7. answereth No efficient cause but a meane or condition which helpeth ether by it selfe or by accident is signified And Scarpius de Iustification Controuers 12. Pennance is saied to worke saluation not by making it by it vertue but by leading as by a way to saluation The same Caluin in 1. Corinth 7. vers 19. Circumcision is nothing and prepuce is nothing but the obseruation of the commandements of God Here saieth he Paul disputeth not of the cause of iustice nor how we obtaine it but onely to what the faithfull ought to bend endeauour And vpon that Wash 1. feele Actorum 22. vers 16. Be baptized and wash away thy sinnes Ablution he saieth he signifieth not the cause but is referred to Paules feeling who hauing receaued the Symbol knew better that his sinnes were forgiuen And 3. Institution cap. 4. § 36. he saieth Where sinne is saied to be purged by mercie and bountifulnesse Prouerb 16. is not meant that by them it is recompensed in the sight of God but is shewed that they shall find God mercifull to them who forsaking vice are turned to pietie as if he had saied Gods wrath is appeased when we leaue our wickednesse And ibidem cap. 14. § vltim hauing obiected to himselfe that the Scripture declareth that good workes are the cause that God doth fauour them he answereth That which in order goeth first he calleth the cause of that which followeth In this manner he deriueth Cause 1. a step sometimes eternall life from good workes not that it is giuen for them but because whom God hath chosen he iustifieth that afterward he may glorifie the former grace which is a steppe to the later he after a sorte maketh a cause Finally by these kinde of speaches order is rather signified then cause Pareus l. 3. de Iustif c. 12. saieth that by those words 2. Timoth. 4. I haue fought a good fight the order and way to the crowne is noted not the cause So that what the Scripture maketh the cause according to these men is onely a meane a way steppe or order In like manner what the Scripture attributeth to one cause they giue to an other as what it atttibuteth to good workes they giue to faith onely what it ascribeth to faith or Sacraments they appropriate to God alone Zuinglius l. de Prouident cap. 6. When Paul writeth to Hearing 1. Spirit the Romans that faith cometh of hearing in the same manner he attributeth that to the nearer cause and more knowne to vs which cometh onely from the Spirit and not from outward preaching And in Math. 4. Oftentimes that is attributed to the later which belongeth to the former as to workes which rather belongeth to faith and againe to faith which most properly Workes 1. faith and truely belongeth to Gods election Sadeel de ver Peccat remiss p. 139. answering to those words Prouerb 16. Iniquitie is purged by bountie and mercie saieth That is attributed to the effects which is proper to the cause after the vsuall manner saieth he of Scripture That is attributed to their vertue which properly is to be attributed to the benefit of Christ alone Illyricus in Claue part 2. tract 6. Faith word and Sacraments Faith c. 1. God are saied to saue vs whereas God alone doth those things And ibid. Thy faith hath saued thee whereas onely Gods mercie and omni potēcie apprehēded by faith doth that And he addeth Scripture oftentimes attributeth things not to their true causes Oftentimes effects are attributed by the Scripture to not true or not principall causes Herevpon it cometh that there is often mention of Alleosis with Zuinglius and of Metalepsis with others by which figures what the Scripture giueth to one thing they transfer to an other Which Alleosis Zuinglius in Exegesi to 2. f. 350. calleth interchangable speach but Luther in Hospin part 2. Histor f. 57. termeth it the Diuels mask Wherefore thus I argue in forme Who gaynesay the expresse words of Scripture in such sorte as we haue seene in the first booke and besides in manie and weightie matters words which signifie a cause do expound of a way meane or order and what the Scripture attributeth to one cause do transferre to an other they contradict the true sense of holie Scripture Protestants doe so Therefore c. CHAPTER XVIII THAT WORDS OF SCRIPTVRE Which say a thing is Protestants expound by ought to be THE 18. argument shal be because what the Scripture saieth Is Protestants expound It ought to be Pareus l. 2. de Iustif c. 7. those words 1. Ioan. 2. v. 5. But he that keepeth his word in him the charitie of God is Is. 1. ought to be perfected expoundeth thus The sentence of S. Ihon as others such like is to be vnderstood of right or dutie not of fact What kinde of charitie ought to be not what kinde is in vs. And ibid. those words Coloss 3. v. 14. Haue charitie which is the bound of perfection he glosseth thus Charitie is called the bound of perfection not which we haue but which we ought to haue and which we shall haue in euerlasting life Et l. 4 c. 11. those words Deuter. 30. v. 6. Our Lord God shall circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed that thou maist loue thy Lord God with all thy heart He interpreteth in this sorte The promise to loue God with all thy heart ether speaketh of dutie how we ought to loue God to wit sincerely and perfectly or it speaketh of sinceritie And the same Pareus l. 4. de Grat. lib. arbit c. 6. that sentence of the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. he thus expoundeth The Church is called the pillar and strength of trueth of dutie because she ought alwaies to be so albeit she be not so alwaies in act The same he hath in Gal. 2. lect 18. Moulins in his Bucler pag. 50. and others Tilenus in Syntagmate cap. 46. writeth that in those places Ioan. 14. v. 21. Rom. 13. 8. and Gal. 5. 14. Where the Scripture affirmeth that those who loue God doe keepe his commandements it meaneth not of mans power to performe the law but of our dutie His meaning is that the Scripture meaneth not that who loue God keepe
Which 1. As farreforth saieth that which in the words of Consecration signifieth As farreforth As saieth he the Pronoune which in those words The bread which I shall giue is my flesh which I shall giue for the life of the world Moulins in his Bucler part 2. pag. 51. saieth that those words Iacob 5. If he be in sinne they shal be forgiuen him signifie as much as health shal be restored to him all sinnes being forgiuen for which God had afflicted him And he addeth in the next page Christ doth teach vs Math. 9. Forgiuen 1. Arise that to say to the sicke Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and to say Arise and walke are equiualent things Let then he and his fellow Mynisters say Arise and walke when they preach of remission of sinnes They expound also by disparate or quite differeÌ„t things For thus Zuinglius in Schlusselburg lib. 1. Theol. Caluin art 2. Bodie in the words of the Supper may be taken also for the Bodie 1. Churche Church Et in Ioan. 6. to 4. he saieth By which also the words of Christ wax cleare This is my bodie where Bodie is put for Bodie 1. Death Death In lib. de Relig. cap. de Euchar. to 2. Now followeth a rite whereby it appeareth that this is the sense and that Bodie here Is it not a participation of the bodie of our Lord. 1. Cor. 10. is otherwise taken then for the Symboll of his bodie to wit for the Church In lib. de Caena fol. 294. he saith that by Communication of the bodie of Christ by Communion Communion 1. Sermon Chalice 1. Our selues you may vnderstand a sermon or the Church Et 1. Cor. 10. that the sense of these words The Chalice of blessing which we blesse c. is The Cuppe of thankesgiuing with which we giue thanks what other thing I pray you is it but our selues Agayne Blood 1. Christians He calleth the blood of Christ those who trust in his blood Et in Exegesi f. 359. Flesh in this place Ioan. 6. is put for the Diuine Flesh. 1. Diuinitie Bodie and blood 1. Faith Nature In Explic. art 18. to 1. f. 37. Thou seest here Ioan. 6. that the bodie and blood of Christ is nothing els but the word of faith to wit that his bodie dead for vs his blood shed for vs redeemed vs. And in other places oftentimes saieth that the word Bodie in the words of Consecration signifieth a Figure or Symboll of Christ his bodie The same Zuinglius in Exegesi tom 2. fol. 350. thus writeth Eate 1. â—eleiue Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man c. is as much as who beleiueth not to wit the Ghospell being preached shal be condemned In Ioan. 6. tom 4. To eate bread and flesh is Eate 1. Trust nothing els but to beleiue Againe To eate is to trust In Elenc fol. 30. When faith is saied to saue faith is taken for the election of God In lib. de baptis fol. 61. In the 6. of the Acts the Beleiue 1. Heare word of Beleiuing is taken for to heare the doctrine or to adioyne himselfe to the number of the beleiuers The same man Epist ad Lindouer to 1. fol. 204. Thou seest here 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme Baptisme 1. Faith hath made vs safe fiâ—st that baptisme is taken for faith In lib. de Relig. c. de Baptis to 2. fol. 201. It was cleare to him that they had beene baptized by Apollo that is taught In lib. de Baptis f. 61. We saied that baptisme was taken for the inward Baptisme Faith Baptisme 1. Doctrine faith 1. Pet. 3. Et f. 63. We must note that the words of Baptizing in these words of Paul Act. 16. is taken for doctrine Et f. 81. In what then were yee baptized must not be vnderstood of the externall baptisme of water but of doctrine and instruction In Subsidio ib. f. 254. Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. is taken for Christ when Baptisme 1. Christ he saieth that we are saued by baptisme Et in Resp ad Huber fol. 107. he addeth that Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. is taken for Christ or for the very Ghospell Moreouer l. de Baptis to 2. fol. 73. Baptisme 1. Ghospell he thus writeth They haue oftentimes learned of vs that by water in this place Ioan. 3. ought to be vnderstood the knowledge Water 1. Knowledge Keyes 1. Words of Keyes 1. Faith Keyes 1. Preaching Loose and binde 1. Preach Binde 1. Leaue in error Binde 1. Not beleiue Forgiue 1. Assure of Christ and the comfort of faith Et in Explic. art 50. to 2. f. 92. The keyes are nothing els but the pure word of God and the sincere preaching of the Ghospell In Exegesi ib. f. 258. The keyes are not other thing but faith of the Ghospell Resp ad Luther ib f. 378. It is cleare that the keyes are nothing but the preaching of the Ghospell Agayne in Explic. art 50. to 1. f. 93. We learne that in Luke to loose and binde is nothing els but to preach the Ghospell lib. de Relig. c. de Clauibus to 2. f. 191. It appeareth here that to Binde is nothing els but to leaue in error And in Schlusselb l. 1. Theol. Caluin art 9. The words of Binding and loosing signifie nothing els but to beleiue and not beleiue Perkins in Cathol ref Contr. 3. c. 3. writeth thus I answere that we doe not aske remission of sinnes because we are not certaine of it but rather because that certaintie is weake and infirme that continually indued with new grace of Christ we may dayly increase and be comforted Daneus Contr. 7. pag. 1317. Saints are saied to gouerne the Saintes 1. Christ world Apoc. 2. and 3. We graunt saieth he that the godlie both now and after death doe gouerne the wicked world in so much as Christ gouerneth it of whose kingdome they are partakers as being his members Et to 2. Contr. de Baptis c. 4. he saieth that in those wordes Vnlesse a man be borne of water and the And. 1. Oâ— holie Ghost the particle And is to be taken for the disiunctiue particle Or. Et Contr. de Euchar. c. 10. 11. he will haue the verbe Is in the words of Consecration to stand for Is. 1. Signifieth Signifieth Representeth Sealeth Rainolds in Apol. Thes p. 333. saieth that the Apostle 2. Thessalon 2. in those words Hould traditions c. by the Speach 1. Scripture word Speach comprehendeth other Scriptures or as Iuel in Defens Apol. part 2. cap. 9. sec 1. Will haue it The very substance of the Ghospell Others in Whitaker Contr. 1. q. 6. c. 10. will haue whether put for Also as Beza putteth in the very Whether 1. Also text of that place Whitaker Contr. 11. q. 5. c. 4. by Preists in those words of Preists 1. Chiefe men the psal 99. Moyses and Aaron in his preists will haue to be meant
that is a Hedge sparow all and whole It not this a trick of arte Yes surely not vnknowne nor vnsemely to stage plaiers Thus Luther who as being best practised in this arte could best of all others describe it Finally it appeareth that Protestants haue not onely forged a new faith but also a new tongue a new Grammar a new frame of speach For concerning Propositions they bidde vs vnderstand an Affirmation by a Negation and a Negation by an Affirmation and words they bidde vs expoūd by diuerse by disparate and contraries to these which they signifie with other men And this new Grammar of theirs Luther acknowledgeth in these words Gal. 3. tom 5. fol. 345. Those words To doe To worke are to be taken Protestants new Grāmar or language three manner of waies Substantially or naturally Morally and Theologically Insubstances natures and morall matters these words are taken in their vsuall and naturall signification but in diuinitie they are made plainely new words and get a new signification Wherefore when thou readest in Scripture of Fathers of Prophets of Kings that they wrought iustice c. remember that such and the like sayings are to be vnderstood according to the new and Theologicall Grammar of Protestants wherefore I admonish yee agayne that the sentences which the aduersaries obiect out of Scripture of workes and reward be alwaies to be vnderstood Theologically by the definition As if they obiect that saying of Daniel 4. Redeeme thy sinnes by almes streight we must runne to the Theologicall grammar and not to the morall The like he hath in cap. 4. Genes fol. 60. Nor much otherwise writeth Kemnice libr. de origin Iesuit pag. 47. When he saieth It is most certaine that the Holie Ghost would that in this article of Iustification not onely the things themselues and the meaning but also the very names should be by a peculiar signification distinct from the words of Philosophers Schlusselburg also Praefat. libr. Theolog. Caluin distinguisheth betwene the Grammar of Nations and of Deuines and saieth that that taketh the word of Iustice actiuely but this taketh it passiuely The like hath Gesnerus loc 2. de Iustif pag. 47. But what we ought to thinke of these inuentors of Luthers Censure of these new word mongers a new Grammar themselues doe sometimes tell vs. For thus writeth Luther lib. de seruo arbitr tom 2. fol. 435. Whoe will not mock or rather hate this vnsemely changer of words who against all vse endeauoureth to bring in such kinde of speach as to call a begger a rich man By this abuse of speach anie man may bragge of anie thing But this is not the parte of Diuines but of Cooseners and Stageplayers And Caluin libr. contr Libertin cap. 3. The libertines at Libertines the first bouldly reiected the Scriptures but when they saw that thereby they were abhorred of all men they meant to deale more closely and more couertely that making shew not to cast away Scripture they might turne it into allegories and wrest it into diuerse and strange senses changing a horse into a man and as the common speach is feigning the horne of a lanterne to be a cloude And capit 7. Like as Egyptians and other vagabonds such as those who going out of Bohemia wander vp and downe the whole world vse a certaine peculiar speach which none vnderstand but those of their owne crew and brotherhood So c. I denie not but they vse the common words but so they alter their signification as no man can vnderstand what the matter is which is proposed nor what they would affirme or denie Beza also l. de puniend Haer. vol. 1. Theol. Sathan when he could not quite cast the Scripture out of the Church yet by vaine allegories made it altogether vprofitable which course now the libertines and Anabaptistes do take Bullinger Concion Anabaptiste Arians Seruetians Familistes 25. in Apocal. thus writeth of the Arians and Seruetians They turne and winde the words of God with their Giganticall bouldnesse as they list Whitaker l. 1. de Script c. vlt. sect 4. The Familists do leaue almost no article of our faith vntouched whilest with their allegories they turne and corrupt all things And Reinolds in his Conference cap. 2. sect 2. The Familists for to saue their phrensies from the Scripture reiect the literall sense which is the very edge thereof and put that vp into the scabarde of their fanaticall dreames and allegories The like hath Perkins in Conflictu Christi tom 2. This they note in the Libertines Familists Anabaptists and others whereof themselues are no lesse guiltie then those be as appeareth by what hath beene already related But as Luther him selfe saieth Genes 6. tom 6. fol. 84. Who would suffer this libertie in deprauing the true sense in the fables of Terence or Virgils Ecloges and shall we suffer it in the Church And Defension verb. Cenae tom 7. fol. 397. Surely I cannot see that they can be excused by anie plausible pretext as if vpon a good meaning they had beene deceaued by some curiofitie or spirituall blindnesse as it happeneth to most Heretiks But it appeareth that they mocke the word of God vpon obstinacie and malice For I doe not thinke that it can be that these sillie trifles and toies should in earnest moue a man in his wittes whether he were a Turk or Iew much lesse a Christian Thus the Protestants owne Prophet and Father speaketh of Protestants Wherefore thus I argue in the 20. place Who not onely gaynesay the words of holie Scripture so directly and so often as is shewed in the first booke but also in so manie and so great matters expound the words thereof by diuerse by disparates and by contraries so that they bring in a new grammar a new language and signification of words neuer heard of before they manifestly contradict nay mock the true sense of holie Scripture But Protestants doe so Therefore c. CHAPTER XXI THAT PROTESTANTS ARE COMpelled to deuise improprietie of words and all kinds of figures THE 21. Argument wherewith we will proue that Protestants doe contradict the true sense of holie Scripture is because when the proprietie of the word is against them they deuise improprieties and all kind of figures Caluin 4. Instit c. 8. § 2. Authoritie is not properly giuen to Not properly men Beza in Confess c. 5. sect 27. Nether Pastors nor Doctors can properly binde or loose anie man Zanchius de Eccles c. 9. Power of forgiuing sinnes is not properly giuen to the Apostles or to others for they doe not properly forgiue sinnes Vorstius in Resp ad Homium p. 31. I doe not say that faith it selfe doth properly iustifie vs. Perkins in Cathol Reform Cont. 5. c. 3. The kingdome of heauen is called a reward not properly but by a figure Et Cont. 10. c. 4. These words This is my bodie must not be vnderstood properly but by a figure Pareus l. 5. de Iustif
be taken metaleptically Zuinglius in Math. 24. tom 4. Saluation is to be attributed Metaleptically to nothing how holie soeuer but to the pure and mere grace of God And if in Scripture any thing be attributed to those things that is done by metalepticall and synecdochicall speaches Vrsinus in Catechis q. 63. Faith is our iustice is vnderstood correlatiuely and metaleptically and otherwise falsely Agayne Faith is correlatiuely imputed to iustice by metalepsis Scarpius Contr. 7. de Iustific It is taken correlatiuely and by metalepsis Tilenus in Syntagm c. 56. We attribute the cause of saluation not to faith it selfe properly but onely metaleptically To those I adde that Zuinglius in Hebr. 6. tom 4. saieth We thinke that these things are rightly saied by hyperoches as Christ speaketh that Math. 18. of power to binde and loose And when the Angel praieth for the people Zachariae 1. Bullinger l. de orig Erroris c. 8. saieth It is in hypotyposis suffiguration of a thing present Oftentimes they will haue the words of Scripture opposite Metonymically to them to be taken metonymically Zuinglius lib. de Pec. orig to 2. f. 156. This is that which I would That originall sinne is not truely but metonymically termed sinne That Paul saieth All haue sinned the word of sinning is put metonymically Caluin in Math. 26. v. 26. None that is conuersant in Scripture will denie but that a sacramentall speach is to be taken metonymically Beza in Resp altera ad Selnener p. 270. The names of Bodie and Blood are not attributed to bread and wine but metonymically Daneus Cont. 4. c. 4. This speach Faith iustifieth vs is metonymicall for the continent is taken for the contained Et Cont. de Euchar. c. 1. The sacramentall bread is here metonymically termed the bodie of Christ Whitaker Contr. 4. q. 1. c. 2. The Church is saied to be founded in the Apostles metonymically not properly Bucanus in Institut loco 48. This proposition is figuratiue and that not simply metaphoricall or allegoricall but metonymicall Piscator in Thes l. 2. p. 512. God to haue saued vs by the lauer of regeneration Tit. 3. ether is not meant of baptisme or if it be it is spoaken metonymically Agayne Regeneration is made by baptisme metonymically Sometimes they will haue them to be spoaken metaphorically Metaphorically Zuinglius in Subsid tom 2. fol. 247. We say that the figure of this speach of the Supper is to be expounded by a metaphor Thou saiest there is a metonymie where no metonymie is properlie Caluin in Math. 3. v. 12. The speach of euerlasting fire is metaphoricall In Refutat Catalani There is no speaâ—h here Ioan. 3. of baptisme but the name of water is metaphorically attributed to the Spirit Musculus in locis tit de Caena The bodie of the Lord is eaten improperly and metaphorically But it is wonderous how manie and what kinds of figures How manie figures they find in foure words The Lutherans they deuise in those foure plaine words of consecration This is my bodie For the Lutherans albeit the will haue theÌ„ to be vnderstood according to the letter yet in Hosp part 2. Hist f. 352. say In this proposition This is c. the affirmation is beside nature and not according to nature Selneccer ib. will haue it to be an vnusuall speach Heshusius in Beza in dial cont eum I say quoth he that it is an vnusuall kinde of speach contrarie to all the rules of Logicians and RhetoriciaÌ„s Hemingius in Enchir. clas 3. saieth It is not a philosophicall kind of speach but diuine Lobechius disput 12. The words are taken properly but the manner of speaking is singular and vnusuall Hutter in Anal. CoÌ„f. Aug calleth it an vnusuall speach that is mysticall and singular and that the letter is kept in regard of euerie word but that the manner of speaking is vnusuall in regard of the whole propositioÌ„ AdaÌ„ FraÌ„ in Margarita Theol. loc 16. It is a speach not regular nor figuratiue but vnusuall contrarie to the order of nature And the like hath Reineccius to 4. Arm. c. 16. Finally Grauerus in Absurdis Caluin c 1. sec 7. vlt. saieth that it is a dominatiue speach But in Antithes p. 410. saieth that Lutherans put a gramaticall synecdoche not rhetoricall Amongst the Sacramentaries as appeareath by The Sacramentaries what hath beene alreadie rehearsed some will haue to be here a Catachresis some a synechdoche some alleosis others a metaphor and others a metonymie Likewise some will haue the figure to be in the word This others in the word Is and others in the word Bodie And as Kikerman writeth libr. 3. System Theol. p. 445. There are manie that say There is no figure nether in the Predicate nor in the verbe but in the connexion of the Predicate with the Subiect that is in the forme of this proposition Polanus in Sylloge thes part 1. de Caena There is a threfould figure in these words This is c. Synechdoche of the gender a metaphor and a metonymie of the Subiect Ramus in Schlusselb l. 1. Theol. Caluin artic 22. will haue three figures in these words Aretius ib. saieth that this speach of Christ is ether metaphoricall or catachresticall or metonymicall Pencier ib. In these words of Christ ether there is a metaphor or a metonymie or a synechdoche or alleosis Et Zuinglius in Hospin part 2. f. 143. These words This is c. are not to be vnderstood naturally and in the proper sense of the words but symbolically denominatiuely and metonymically Thus as Tertullian saied Cap. 27. of the Valentinians They turne all into figures and images being themselues imaginarie men And as Illyricus in Claue part 2. tract 4. writeth Nothing is more easie then to say It is a trope a figure a phrase of speach an Hebraisme as Austine grauely noteth Wherefore I argue thus in the 21. place Who beside their foresaied opposition to the expresse words of Scripture doe also in so manie and so weightie matters delude the proper sense of the words of Scripture by so manie kinds of figures they contradict the true sense of the holie Scripture But so doe Protestants Therefore c. CHAPTER XXII THAT PROTESTANTS ARE FORCED to coine manie distinctions friuolous voluntarie opposite to themselues and vnheard of before THE 22. argument which we will make for to shew that Protestanrs contradict the true meaning of the holie Scripture is because they are coÌ„pelled to deuise manie distinctions friuolous voluntarie contrarie to themselues and neuer heard of before Their friuolous distinctions are of this sorte Dauid sinned indeed but neuer committed sinne It is an other thing to sinne and an other to commit sinne As we related lib. 1. c. 16. art 12. Zanchius de Perseuer tom 7. maketh this distinction Friuolous distinctions Saintes slide into sinne but doe not foreslide Lambert ib. The elect oftentimes doe erre but yet are neuer lead into error
conceaue how God in different manner willeth and willeth the same thing Againe Where we conceiue not how God will haue that to be done which he forbiddeth to doe let vs remember our weaknesse Et 3. Instit c. 24. § 17. When he had saied that God willeth that which he professeth that he will not he addeth Albeit according to our vnderstanding Gods will be manifould yet in himselfe he willeth not this and that but by his manifould wisdome maketh our vnderstanding astonished till it shal be graunted to vs to know that wonderfully he willeth that which now seemeth contrarie to his will And cap. 11. § 11. This is a meruailous manner of iustifying that they that are couered with Christ iustice feare not the iudgement which they deserue and whilest iustly they condemne themselues they are iudged iust out of themselues De Praedest pag. 704. Let our faith adore a farre of with decent sobrietie the hidden counsail of God wherewith the fall of man was preordained And pag. 711. How it was appointed by the foresight and decree of God what was to become of man and yet God is not to be madde partaker of the sinne as if he were ether author or allower thereof seing it is clearely a secret farre beyond the reach of mans wit let vs not be ashamed to confesse our ignorance In Ioan. 12. ver 27. But it seemeth that this doth not become the Sonne of God that an inconsiderate desire escapeth him which he must streight renounce for to obey his Father I confesse saieth he that truely this is the follie of the crosse which is a scandall to proud men Nay it is not the follie of the crosse but the impietie of Caluin to attribute an in cōsiderate desire to Christ And in Math. 26. vers 39. If anie obiect that the first motion which should haue beene bridled before it went further was not temperate as it beseemed I answere saieth he that in this corruption of our nature there cannot be seene the feruor of passions with that temper which was in Christ but we must yeeld this honor to the Sonne of God that we iudge not of him by our selues Forsooth the impostures of Caluin not onelie wāting all word of God but also quite cōtrarie thereto must be beleiued though they cannot be vnderstood and the Catholik doctrine of the Eucharist and the like must not be beleiued because it cannot be vnderstood Beza in Explicat Christianismi c. 3. After a wonderfull and incomprehēsible manner it pleaseth God that euen that which as it is sinne he alloweth not yet is not done without his will De Praedest cont Cast p. 340. When he had saied that God decreeth the causes of damnation and that none can resist his decree he asketh Is not then all the falut in God and answereth This difficultie is vnexplicable for men Agayne How God is not in fault if he ordayne the causes of dānation we thinke with the Apostle that it is a question vnexplicable for mans wit Et in Colloq Montisb p. 427. There is no parte of Christian doctrine from which sense and humane reason doth more abhorre Pareus l. 2. de Amiss Grat. c. 13. after he had saied p. 358. that God doth enforce mē to sinnes as they are his secret iudgements addeth p. 363. that this manner is vnexplicable Indeed this their excuse of the inexplicabilitie of the thing were tolerable if the Scripture did clearely teach what they say but seing it doth not clearelie teach so as appeareth by the answers of Catholiks yea so clearely teach the contrarie as Protestants are forced to confesse that they know not how to reconcile so manie of their positions with the Scripture it is a verie great proofe that in verie deed their doctrine is repugnant to Scripture An other manner whereby implicitlie they cōfesse that Protest confesse that the words of Scripture seeme against them their doctrine is repugnāt to Scripture is because in manie and great matters they acknowledge that the words of Scripture and such as are of purpose spoakē for to declare vnto vs what we ought to beleiue of such matters seeme to fauour vs more then them are hard to them and torment them shrewdly Luther in Postill Dom. 9. post Trin. This dayes Ghospell if it be nakedly looked into without the Protestant spirit is plainely Papisticall Zuinglius l. de Rel. c. de Merito None denieth but that in Scripture there are almost more places which attribute merit to our works then denie it And in Explanat art 20. The places of Scripture at first sight seeme to attribute some what to Merit Bullinger Dec. 3. Serm. 9. We acknowledge that the Scripture euerie were doth seeme to attribut life and iustice to good works Rainolds in Confer c. sect 1. What if in that other place the Scripture in shew do fauour you more then vs. And he addeth that he easilie graunteth that the shew of the words of Scripture maketh more for vs then for them Agayne I will graunt 〈◊〉 the words of Christ This is my bodie in shew do fauour more your reall presence then that sacramentall which we mantaine And in an other place In shew of words our Sauiour seemeth to haue promised the keys to Peter onely Herbrand in Compendio Theol. pag. 340. saieth If the letter be vrged in those The letter against Protestants words of Daniel Redeeme thy sinnes by almes they be contrarie to their doctrine The same confesseth Hunnius l. de Iustif of those words of Tobie Almes deliuereth from all sinne and from death And the same is euident by infinit places of Scripture which Protestants are forced to expound figuratiuelie because the proprietie of the word is for vs. Zuinglius Epist ad Matthaeum Rutling to 2. thus speaketh Now remaineth that which in this matter is the hardest A hard matter for Protest to wrest the words of all to wit how we may wrest the words of Christ which they terme words of consecration Here verily we must stretch all the veyns of faith Et in Resp ad Billican he saieth that he vseth pulleis and presses to wring out the sense of the words of consecration and addeth We denie that anie one They need pullies and presses litle droppe at least sincere and pure will come from them vn-vnlesse they be prest with the weight of other places And againe How manie had we some years agoe who could acquit themselues handsomely of those words of Christ Thou art Peter c. and shew the figure of the speach And yet it was no hindrance that we could not handsomely dispatch our selues of the word Caluin 3. Instit c. 2. § 11. I know it seemeth hard to some where faith is attributed to the reprobates In Luc. 3. vers 9. As for Merit that knot is to be loosed which hindreth manie For the Scripture so often promising reward to works seemeth to attribute some merit to them Peter Martyr in Dom. 4. Hom.