without all fayth integritie haue thus dishonoured the Word not of man but of God I here forbeare to speake how these men in their Versions of Scripture haue peruerted the Scripture they standing chargeable with most insufferable abuses of this nature I am loath to snatch this labour out of the hands of Gregorie Martin my Collegue and one most skilfull in the Tongues who more accuratly can performe the same vpon whom and some others this taske is now layed The atrocitie which here I labour to vn-fould is far more facinorous and scarcely piacular There are certain pettie Doctours forsooth stept vp who euen drunke with an impetuous phrensie and bearing themselues great as if they did carrye about with them the Holie-Ghost haue layed their prophane fingars vpon God's owne Hand-wryting condemning manie passages thereof as maymed as imperfect as false as surreptitious Some parts of it they haue corrected some by circumcising the Text corroded and others wholy disauthorized And for their Sanctuarie in these their irreligious procedures they are glad to intrench themselues in Luther's Spirit as in a rampire fabricated of Phantasmes and paynted walles that so they may not be wholy dumme or mute when they fall vpon such Scriptures as doe impugne their Errours And yet they finde no lesse difficultie to fortifye and strengthen their Cause thereby then if they should by endeauouring to supp vp sparks of fire or eate stones This then first Reason or Motiue which I haue planted as a murthering-peece in the foreparte of my challenge seemeth to me most pressing and strong the which after it had in my owne sight fully played vpon the feeble broken forces of the Aduersarie did I confesse giue courage to a Christian Man and to one trayned in this kinde of fight to wage warre in defence of the Crowne of the Eternall King against the scattered relicks and troupes of the profligated and wasted Enemie The second Reason THE SENTENCE of Holie Scriptures AN other Allectiue whereby I am inuited to this Conflict and which hath eleuated lessened in my apprehension these men's strength and much encouraged me to make a second charge vpon them is their continuall affected sleights in expounding the Scriptures being loaded with deceipt but voyde of wisdome You shall instantly worthie Men euen feele and touch the same so grosse and palpable it is And for this end I appeale to you the rather as to my Auditours For example let vs demaund and redemaund why the professours of this new Sect haue excluded Christ from the Mysticall Supper and here exiled all Trans-elementation If they once but name the Gospel the true History of our Sauiour's speaches life actions we presently ioyne issue The words thereof euen depose the Truth in our behalfe Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus Which words were so powerfull and preuayling in the eares of Luther as though he much coueted to become a Zwinglian whereby out of the riot of his malice he might disaduantage the Pope yet being here wholy ouerborne with the streame of the Text he forcedly yelded in part to the truth and confessed no lesse vnwillingly Christ to be truly and really present in the most holie Sacrament then the Deuills long-since conuicted with the Miracles of Christ did vociferate and noize him to be the Sonne of the liuing God Well Go on forward The naked Written Word fortifyeth our side and debilitateth our Aduersaries But the true Sense of this passage is here to be questioned This wee may infallibly pick out of the words subsequent Corpus meum quod pro vobis datur Sanguis meus qui pro vobis effundetur My bodie which is giuen for you My bloud which shal be shedd for you Hitherto Caluin's Cause is thornie and fraught with difficulties Ours expedit cleare and obuious What is further to be donne Conferre the Scriptures herein they say so much they seeke to impropriate the Scriptures to their owne vse We reply nothing more to be desired The Gospells do vnanimously conspire Paul assenteth thereto The Words the Sentences the whole contexture do most appositly and reuerently repeate and ingeminate the Bread the wine a remarkable miracle heauenlie foode his flesh his bodie and bloud Nothing here Enigmaticall nothing darkned with the mist of obscure phrases Neuerthelesse our Aduersaries still persist in great estuation and heate and neuer make an end of their further altercation and wrangling How are we then to proceede I trust Antiquitie which euen Reuerence forbidds to controule is no lyer but here she may be heard and what both sides through their reciprocall iealosie cannot performe that the venerable hoarie-head of all precedent Ages being more neare to Christ more remote from this Controuersie may indisputably determine This they do not brooke They are they say by this course betrayed they incessantly cry out the word of God is a pure fountayne the Commentaries of men they vtterly reiect Most calumniously most idly Let vs forcibly insist in the Word of God they byas peruert the sense Let vs attend it with answerable expositions of holy Interpreters the sentinalls of the Church in euerie Age they withstand The Period of all is â—hat except thou wilt be content to stand to the iudgement of the guiltie no iudgement of these matters must passe Shame they not thus to giue ground in their disputes And thus they beare themselues in euerie Controuersie of Fayth ventilated betweene both parties Of Grace infused of inherent Iustice of the Visibilitie of the Church of necessitie of Baptisme of the Sacraments and Sacrifice of the Meritts of Holie men of Hope and feare of Disparitie of Sinneâ— of the Soueraignetie of Peter of the Keyes of Vowes of Euangâ—licall Counsells finally of all other Questions we haue frequently alledged and discussed diuerse texts of Scripture and those most choaking in our Books in our Discourses in the Churches in the Schooles Our Aduersaries but elude and shuffle them of We haue adioyned to thâ— said Texts for the sealing vp of the matter the sorting Scholiaes and constructions of the ancient Greeke and Latin Fathers They contemne and sleight them But what is the closure of all forsooth Doctour Martin Luther or els Philipp Melancthon or certainly Zwinglius or without all doubt Caluin and Beza haue most infallibly Oracled the Truth touâ—hing the former poynts Shall I so much wrong any one of you by reputing him of so stopt a nose as that being premonished he cannot strongly sent so thicke and grosse an artifice Wherefore I freely confesse that I greedily thirst after your Academicall Schooles that so in the Theater and sight of yourselues I may weaken and ruffle these crisped and effeminate souldiers they being once brought out of their shades into open view but this not through anie strength of mine who stand not in a hundred part paralelled with others of our Religion but through the force of a most
fiue other Epistles which at some time and in some place heretofore haue beene called in question With these our late spiritualized Brethren of Geneua do range as Apocryphall The Booke of Hâ—ster and almost three whole Chapters of Daniel which the Anabaptists their pew-fellowes long since with a scornefull and subriding contenance haue exploded O with how much more modestie did Austin proceede who composing the sacred Catalogue of Scripture tooke not for his boundarie therein the Hebrew Alphabet with the Iewes nor the priuate reuealing spirit with our Sectaryes but measured it with that verie Spirit with the which CHRIST doth inanimate the whole Bodye of the Church Which Church being the Gardian of this Depositum as the Heretikes doe suggest and not the Mistris hath challenged to itself long-since by the authoritie of most ancient Councells all this Treasurie Which poynt of late the Councell of Trent hath in like manner acknowledged The same Austin elaboratly disputing but of one small branch of Scripture could not be induced to belieue that the Booke of Wisdome which so long had receaued its further strength from the iudgement of the Church from the long hand of Time from the approbation of the Ancients from the secret instinct or Dictamen of the faythfull should after all this through the precipitate rashnes or swispering coÌ„tradiction of some one fellow or other be reiected as a Booke adulterate and spurious or vnworthie anie place in the Canon of Scripture But what would the said Father say if he were here conuersing vpon earth and should behold diuers Luthers and Caluins to become Bible-makers who with their polishing fyle and castigation haue shaued the Old and New Testament Neither haue they strooken out the Booke of Wisdome only but diuers other parts besides from the whole bulke of Scripture and this with such a magistralitie and peculiar deliuerie of themselues as that whatsoeuer of this nature is not vented out of their shopp the same should through a phreneticall resolution be spitted at loathed as wares vntrimmed and not saleable These men who are forced to descend to such a dire and execrable refuge though they be much honoured through the assenting tongues of their followers though they tâ—afficke at pleasure in Church-liuings though they haue gayned a popular applause by their often Sermoning though they iointly threaten in words writing the sword torture or the gallowes against Catholiks neueâ—thelesse they are found to be but men ouerthrowne dishonoured contemptible and whose Cause euen in its maisterveyne lyes mortally a-bleeding Since they assuming to themselues a censoâ—ious and correcting authoritie and sitting forsooth as honouâ—able Iudges doe obliterate and deface with their expunging â—enne â—uen the Tables of Sacred Wâ—in iâ— so it seemeth to endanger them in anie sort Is there anie man though but initiated in this kinde of studie who will feare the pettie though subtil forces of such enemies Which enemies not being able to withstand the first onsett so soone as they appeare in the eye presence of you Learned Men and make their flight to these their cony-holes as relying therein vpon their familiar Spirit or Genius are to be entertayned not so much with words of contumelie as with hissing and trampling of feete I would demaund of them for instance sake by what right or priuiledge they thus cleaue and teare a peeces the Bodie of the Scripture They returne this horse and dry answer that they doe attempt non exscindere sed â—xcernere not to cutt of any true parts but to cull out the suppositions and forged By the authoritie of what Iudge doe they attempt this By the spirit of the Holie-Ghost they reply For this verie euasion being a cardinal poynt and great mysterie in their art is deliuered by Caluin that he might decline the iudgement of the Church by which all Spiritts are trâ—ed Why then do seuerall of you wound with your pennes seuerall parts of the said Scripture since you all promiscuously vaunte of enioying the same Spirit Are you not here plunged and stabled The Spirit of the Caluiniâ—ts achnowledgeth six Epistles which Epistles are wholy reiected by the Spirit â—f Luthâ—r And yet they both we must presume were endued with the Spirit of the Holie-Ghost The Anabaptists do stile the Historie of Iob a fable as being intermixt with Tragicall and Comicall matter By what meanes know they this The Spirit so teacheth them Castalio that goatish and lecherous companion was not ashamed to prize the mystical Canticle of Salomon which all Catholiks do admire as the Paradise of the Soule as the Hidden Manna as most choyce delights in Christ at no more then as a loue-song made to one's Lemman or as an amorous discours had with the wayting-maydes of the Mistris From whence sucked he this from the Spirit The Apocalyps of Iohn where euerie line according to Hierome soundeth some sublime magnificall poynt Luther Brentius and Kempnitius such rigid Aristarchi they are doe note with a Theta of condemnation as censuring it to be defectiue and there-vpon they wished that it might loose the honour of being reputed Scripture Who was here their Instructour The Spirit Luther through a preposterous zeale ballanceth and compareth the foure Gospells togeather and aduancing the Epistles of Paul much aboue the three first he in the close of all peremptorily and Senatour-like decreeth the Gospell of Iohn only to be acknowledged as fayre true and most principall because as much as in him did lye he willingly would haue made the Apostles partakers of his contentions in matters of Fayth By whome was he here warranted By the presumed soueraignetie and domination of the Spirit Yea this our diminutiue Brother blushed not to disgorge some wanton and petulant words against the Gospell of Luke by reason that the exercise of Vertue and Good Works is therein frequently inculcated Who instilled this into him The Spirit Theodorus Beza so commaunded ouer the written Word as that he dared to traduce as corrupted and by some meane vitiated that most sacred and hidden sentence out of Luke 22. Hic est calix nouum testamentum in sanguine meo qui calix pro vobis fundetur This is the Chalice the new Testament in my bloud which Chalice shal be shed for you Because this texture of words could suffer no other exposition then that of the Wine in the Cupp turned into the true Bloud of Christ. Who reuealed thus much to him The Spirit Briefly whiles euerie one belieueth in his owne Spirit they do belye the name of the Spirit of God with most horrible blasphemie Who runne these diuisions of desperate boldnes Learned Academâ—ans do they not betray themselues are they not easily vanquished are they not in the presence of such indicious Men as you are layed prostrate with the least encounter May I be afraid to dispute with these in defence of the Catholike Fayth who
of insinuating so violent an irruption of a new Fayth or giue the smallest ouerture thereof in his writings Therefore I conclude It is more then euident if we belieue those things to be true which Historie in itself various and large being the Embassadour of Antiquitie the Soule of Memorie euer reflecting back the image of things past doth affluently and abundantly testifye that such a Change of Religion as our Aduersaries seeke to obtrude vpon vs is a mere vapourous and imaginarie conceipt as not being warranted with the authoritie of any History since the Churches first beginning and consequently that all Historiographers are mine and that the effectlesse attempts herein and incursions of our Aduersaries are most cold and feeble as nothing preuayling except it be first receaued for a mayne Theoreme and Principle that all Christians of all times did precipitatly fall into grosse misbeliefe and into the lowest gulfe of Hell vntill Luther did constuprate and lustfully pollute Catherin Bore The eight Reason PARADOXES TRuly most accomplished Men when I call to minde out of the abundance of manie Heresies certaine strange and prodigious Phantasies of some opinionatiue Wryters which will occurre to be impugned by me I should deseruedly condemne myself of supine negligence sloath and pusillanimitie if I should feare the shock and encounter of anie enemie Let him be acute lâ—t him be eloquent let him be much practised in this kinde of warre let him be a Helluo of bookes and wholy absorpt in his studyes briefly let him be All or More then he is yet of force must he bewray himself to be but drye loose and faultering as long as he shall sustentate or maintayne these following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and impossibilities We â—ill dispute if it chance our Aduersaries giue vs leaue of God of Christ of Man of Sinne of Iustice of the Sacraments of Manners I will trye if they haue the courage to iustifye that by dint of argument which they in their owne soules belieue and which as necessarily resulting from their discourses they diuulge in their pestilent Scripts and pamphlets I will cause them to owne these their Axioms and Principles God is the authour and cause of Sinne willing suggesting effecting commanding working and gouerning the flagitious counsells of the wicked As the calling of Paul so the adulterie of Dauid and the impietie of Iudas the proditour was the peculiar hand-worke of God ô monstrous Assertion of which after Philipp Melancthon was ashamed neuerthelesse Luther from whome Melancthon had borrowed it doth extoll with infinite prayse this Sentence as a heauenlie Oracle and in this respect in part equalls this his Schollar with Paul the Apostle I would further here demaund what was Luther's conceipt whom our English Caluinists pronounce to be virum diuinitus datum ad orbem illuminandum A man euen sent by God to enlighten the World when he did expunge this Verse out of the prayers of the Church Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Holie Trinitie one God haue mercie of vs I will next proceede to the Person of Christ. What is the meaning of these vnseasoned words â—hrist being the Sonne of God is God of God So Caluin teacheth Christ is not begotten of â—he substance of the Father So Beza Againe Two Hypostaticall Vnions are constituted in Christ the one of the soule with the flesh the other of the Diuinitie with the Humanitie That passage in Iohn I and my Father are one sheweth not that Christ being God is consubstantiall to God the Father Yea further Luther thus pronounceth Anima meaâ—odit hoc veâ—bum Homousion my verie soule hateth thâ—s word Hâ—mousios or Consubstantialâ—s These loe are the beginnings and conceptions of Arianisme which after receaue a more perfect shape But let vs dogg these men further Christ from his infancie was not consummate and full of grace but as other men encreased in the faculties of the Soule And he being daily become more experienced by vse did as litle children first labour wiâ—h ignorance Which is potentially as much to say as that Christ was stayned with the spott and blemish of Originall Sinne. But take notice of more direfull and horride Doctrines Christ praying in the Garden when he did swâ—ate drops of Water and Bloud was afraid wiâ—h the sense feeling of eternall damnation He then vttered words without reason without spiriâ— words suddenly buâ—sting out through force of griefe and payne and such as not being sufficiently premeditated he instantly recalled and corrected Is there any more of this stuffe yet behind Obserue When Christ being vpon the Crosse cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He was burned with flames of fire and vttered words of black despaire no otherwise then if he should haue perished with eternal perdition See how these Gospelers do euen meditate and studie blasphemies poysening the texts of holie Scripture with their wicked constructions They further thus comment that Sentence Christ descended into Hell that is He being dead did no lesse tastâ— Hell then the Soules of the damned this only excepted that he was after to be restored to his former felicitie For since say they only by corporall death he could profitt vs nothing his soule therefore ought to fight with euerlasting death that by this meanes he might expiate our wickednes and punishment Thus do they detort the Written Word to ouerthrow the dignitie of the Eternal Word Now that no man shall surmize these speeches to fall from Caluin through inaduertencie the same Caluin taketh such complacencie therein so strong he is in this his blasphemie as that he pronounceth all them to be perditos nebulones lost damned fellowes qui doctrinam istam solarij plenam exagitant who do call in question this most comfortable doctrine O Times ô portentious Times what monster haue you here nourrished 〈◊〉 delicate and princelie dropping â—loud which streamed from the torne pearced bodie of the innocent Lamb of which bloud euerie small dropp in regard of the impreciable worth of the Sacrifice was of force to redeeme a thousand Worlds could it nothing profit Mankinde except the x Mediatour of God and Man the Man CHRIST IESVS had suffered mortem secundam the second death the death of the Soule the death of all grace and such as is companion only to Sinne and execrable blasphemie In regard of this man's lunacie Bucer though impudent will needs seeme to be of a more pliable sterne and modestie who by the word Hell in the Creede vnderstandeth the graue by the figure Epexegesis though most preposterously or rather by an vnfit and idle Tautologie Of our English Sectaries diuers are accustomed to range themselues herein vnder Caluin their Idol diuers vnder Bucer their great Maister and half Arche of their Church and diuers also such Heteroclits in Fayth they are do secretly murmure