the Apocryphall VVhat is the first proprietie of the holy Scripture The first proprietie is that it deriues all its authority from God alone not from the assembly of godly men which is called the Church How prooue you this I prooue it by these reasons first the testimony of God hath not any authoritie from men The Scripture is the testimony of God alone Ergo It hath none authority from men yea the most holy men that be and consequently not from the Church which is nothing else but a company of godly and sanctified men The force and pith of the argument you shall find 1. Ioh. 5. If we receiue the witnesse of men the testimony of God certainely is greater Secondly that must needs be before the Scripture in naturall order of which the authoritie of the Scripture dependeth But the Church is not before the Word of God Ergo. The Maior proposition is euident because that which dependeth of another must needs come after that on which it dependeth The Minor is thus prooued That which is gathered gouerned regenerated by the Word or by the Scripture that is in order after the Scripture But the Ch. Ergo. The Maior is plaine the Minor is prooued by 1. Pet. 1.23 VVee are regenerated borne a new by the word of God Iames 1.18 Hee hath begotten vs by the word of truth Ioh. 17.20 VVhich by their word shall belieue in me Thirdly the foundation of any building depends not on the roofe or vpper roomes which are built vpon the foundation but contrarily those same vpper roomes and the roofe depend vpon the foundation but the Word of God is the foundation Ergo. The Maior is plaine in it selfe The Minor is confirmed by that Ephes. 2.20 You are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles The Papists obiect to vs that place 1. Tim. 3.15 VVhere the Church is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Whereto we answer that this argument is sophisticall or a fallacie commonly called a Dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter For the Church is not called the piller and ground of truth in regard of it selfe but in regard of Christ the head who is that corner stone And further it is so called in regard it is the keeper of the Scripture forsomuch as God hath made the Church onely to haue to doe with the treasurie of his Word and in the Church as on the pillar and doore of his house or pallace he hangeth those holy Tables which euery man must go thither to reade No otherwise then the Magistrate hangeth vp on pillars and gates of his Court Tables containing in them his Lawes and Decrees to the end that his subiects may there reade them as in a publike place Lastly the Church is called the Pillar of truth in this respect because that God vseth the testimony of the Church as his instrument and meanes for the proposing teaching and expounding of the holy Scripture vnto men for the Ministers of the Church are the conseruers of truth and the interpreters of the Scriptures yet not so as if the authority of the Scripture did depend on them but because God vseth them as his seruants and Ministers to propound and to beate into the memories of men his holy Scripture euen as a Prince vseth a Cryer for the promulgation of his lawes vnto his subiects And here take this similitude with you a man goeth to the Vniuersitie as vnto the very shop and store-house of learning yet herevpon it followeth not that the truth of that learning we are taught there in the Vniuersitie doth depend on the authoritie of the Vniuersity Besides this must also bee obserued that whatsoeuer the Papists say touching the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scripture doth nothing at all profit them but that they manifestly begge the point in question whilest they thus argue The Church hath authoritie aboue the Scriptures The Pope of Rome is the Church Ergo. For suppose wee grant them their Maior which notwithstanding is false as wee haue manifestly prooued yet they are neuer able to proue their Minor as shal be showne anon more distinctly VVhat is the second propriety of the Word of God or the holy Scripture That it be entire perfect and sufficient to saluation which is proued by that Ioh. 20.30 Many other signes did Iesus which are not written in this Booke but these things are written that you may belieue that Iesus is the Christ that Sonne of God and that you belieuing might haue life by his name Out of which place I thus reason That which is so written that by it wee may belieue in Christ Iesus and so obtaine eternall life that I say is sufficient to life eternall But the Scripture is so written Ergo. Againe thence I thus argue The holy Scripture was written to this end that wee might belieue in the Sonne of God and get eternall life Ergo Whatsoeuer Word is not written profiteth or auaileth vs nothing to faith and to eternal life which must diligently be noted against the errour of the Papists which say there are two words of God the one written the other vnwritten vpon which pretence they will needs obtrude vnto vs Traditions which they call Apostolicall the Decrees of the Popes and the custome of the Church Of which the Councell of Trent in the fourth sessiō thus speaketh VVhosoeuer doth not with like affection of mind reuerence the Traditions of the Church as he doth the holy Scriptures let him be accursed But against these Traditions first note the sufficiency of the Scriptures Secondly this argument The Traditions of the Church either agree with the holy writ or they dissent from it If they be consonant to it then they say the selfe same thing the Scripture saith and so they are Scripture for that ought not in all reason to be done by moe which may be performed by fewer Or they dissent from the Scripture as all the traditions of the Popes as namely that tradition whereby the Cup in the Lords Supper is prohibited to be administred vnto the lay people and such like And if they disagree with the Scripture they cannot fill vp the Scripture for that which is repugnant to any thing doth not fil vp but rather quite ouerthrow it Another testimony of the perfection of the holy Scripture is most manifest in the 2. Tim. 3.6 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to reproue to correct to instruct that the man of God may be perfect and perfectly instructed to euery good worke From whence wee may frame these arguments First the Scripture is a totum an entire thing Ergo it is perfect for a totum is that which wanteth no necessary parts Secondly that which sufficeth vs for doctrin for reproof for correction and instruction that is full and compleate for there is none that can shew any thing besides wherunto the
wee professe any other Religion then that which they bequeath'd vnto vs and which we wil liue and dye in too We our forefathers customs still obay Doe as they did and follovv their blind vvay Not striuing busily our vvits to approue By searching doubts but rather shevv our loue By louing euen their errours that are gone Or reuerendly belieuing they had none True it is like enough you will doe so whatsoeuer be said to the contrary For as the wise King saith of a foole Bray a foole in a morter and hee will neuer be the wiser The holy Spirit hath branded those people with black who practiz'd that long since which you plead for now So those nations feared the Lord and serued their images too So did their children and their childrens children as did their fathers so doe they vnto this day It was but a Pagans argument to Theodosius the Emperour Seruanda est tot saeculis fides nostra sequendi sunt maiores nostri qui secuti sunt foeliciter suos And the Emperors Letter to the States of Germany assembled at Wormes against Luther sounds and runnes in the same tenour Our predecessours were obedient to the Romish Church and therefore wee cannot without great infamy and staine of honour degenerate from the examples of our elders but will maintaine the ancient Faith and giue ayd to the See of Rome But here first of al we desire no better Aduocate for our selues then Gratian I will set downe his owne words Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas duertendum quod Dominus dicit ego sum via veritas Non dixit ego sum consuetudo sed veritas Et certe vt beati Cypriani vtamur sententia quaelibet consuetudo quantumuis vetusta quantumuis vulgata veritati omnino est postponenda vsus qui veritati contrarius est abolendus Secondly M. Caluins note on the fourth of Iohns Euangell and the 20. Verse is here worth the noting Verae pietatis desertoribus solenne est vt patrocinium sibi ex Patrum exemplis quaerant It 's a very ordinary thing with Sectaries and Apostates from religion to vrge for their doings their Fathers examples Oh ye Apostaticall generation which doe as much as in you lies to resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers haue done so will you do too But your tame-blind obedience vvell befits Such earth-bred doâ—eish dull and sluggish vvits But ayerie Spirits acquainted vvith the light VVill not be led by custome from the right No loue no friends no predecessors shall Peruert their iudgements they examine all Your Fathers haue stepp'd awry in some points of doctrine and you hauing once entred their by-paths will needs runne into the desert of errour your Fathers liuing in the stinking ayre of Popery could not choose but be tainted with some infection of Heresie What then Dare you say they died in their pollution Did God reueale vnto you the time the houre of their conuersion Do you not know that God might haue his secret working performed vpon them euen at the very last gaspe Doe you not acknowledge that God can saue such as are not pertinacious in their Heresies euen Inter pontem fontem When there is no sensible hope When there is no sensible hope When their soule is at the pits brinke hee can call it backe againe that the pit shall not shut its mouth vpon it I haue often greatly wondred saith M. D. Luther how that in all the time of that tyrannizing Sect of the sonne of perdition for so many hundreths of yeres together the Church should subsist in the midst of such great darknesse and in the throng of so many errours Afterward I conceiued that there were certaine called of God by the Word of his Gospel and Baptisme who walked in the simplicitie and humilitie of their heart thinking the Monkes only and such as were anointed of Bishops to bee holy men and religious but themselues to bee profane and irreligious and in no wise to bee compared with the other Whereupon finding themselues emptie of all good workes and merits which they might oppose to the displeasure and rigour of Gods iustice they clung close to the passion and death of Christ and so in that simplicitie were saued Neither was this the case of simple ones onely but euen of their deepe Doctors their holy Hermites there sanctified Monkes of whom I may truely say That howsoeuer they liu'd among them yet were they not of them Which assertion though it might haue beene doubted of all their life time their habits and cooles and manner of liuing colouring it out to the world that they were Papists yet the point of death approaching put the matter out of question when for all their regularities and obseruances as Monkish as euer for all their comport and carriage as superstitious as euer for all their meanes and maner of liuing as Popish as euer could bee deuised they will bee found to haue dyed true Protestants casting from them all trust and relyance on their owne works and putting their whole trust and affiance in the mercies of God through Christ Iesus Such was that good Hermit Agatho good in name and in truth good Such was that blessed Saint Bernard the best Monke that euer was Both which on their Death beds to haue renounced themselues vtterly and to haue had recourse onely vnto Christ you may reade in that worthy Author afore cited And I thinke verily saith Luther that Ierome and Gregory and many other Fathers and Hermites were after the same manner saued and the ground of this his thus reasoning is for that wee are not to doubt but that euen in the Old Testament many of the Kings of Israel and other Idolaters likewise were saued for because it pleased God euen in the houre of death to turne their hearts causing them to cast away all their vaine confidence they put in their Idols and to apprehend that promise of God as concerning that seed of Abraham which was to come to wit Christ in whom all the nations of the world should bee blessed Hence proceed our charitable censures of such of your Fathers who liuing in the darkenesse of superstitionâ— could not so well see the way to heauen and to reformation in their life time as their meek hearts could haue wished But as for those obstinate wretches furious spirits branded with the marke of the Beast and therefore firebrands of hell too too heady in the pursuit of errour and too too headstrong in their erroneous opinations as the Lord gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that they should not receiue the loue of the truth and so bee saued and they now fry for it So assure your selues if yee insist in their steps and resist all good admonitions you can neuer flye their punishment For it is iust with God that those which haue beene pares culpa shall be also
humane nature But vnto Christ many things are so attributed Ergo. The minor is proued by that Iohn 8. v. 19. Verely Verely I say vnto you Before Abraham was I am This can by no meanes be vnderstood of the humane nature because Christs Natiuity was two thousand yeares after Abraham That trifling exposition which the Samosateuian Heretikes giue of this place before Abraham was to wit the father of the faithfull I am is altogether vnsound and not sounding with the text neither with the scope and intention of Christ in this place For he was to answer to the obiection of the Iewes who had said in the verse going before Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham Now what an answer should this haue beene if he had said Before Abraham was the father of the faithfull I am for that should haue beene as ridiculous an answer as if when one should say to me thou art not yet forty yeares old and hast thou seene Sigismund king of Polonia and I should answer Before my sonne shall get a sonne and be a father I am would not all laugh at such an answer giuen to that question and that Christ is Man it needes no prouing because all grant it Why is not the sole humane nature of Christ called a Person as well as euery one of vs be called persons Although the humane nature of Christ consisteth of a soule and a body euen as we doe notwithstanding it can not subsist a part by it selfe without adioyning it to the diuine nature whereas we can subsist euery one by himselfe seuerally otherwise he is like vnto vs in other things sinne only excepted as the Scripture witnesseth Heb. 2. v. 14. Because therefore the children are partakers of flesh and blood euen Christ also was made partakers of them And v. 16. He tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham whereupon hee ought to bee made like vnto all his brethren in substance namely according to his soule and body Which may be obserued against the Vbiquitaries who conceit there was another kind of humane substance in Christ then such as we haue namely such a one as can be in one and the selfe-same instant of time euery where in all places both in heauen and earth and so they confound the diuine and humane nature one with the other I haue heard what be the parts of Christs Person now shew me what is the vnion of those two parts in Christs Person It is that indissoluble knot wherby the humane nature is so surely tied vnto the diuine and the diuine nature so linked to the humane that of them two is made but one Person and that those natures for euer cannot be dis-ioyned the one from the other What are we to consider in this vnion Two things to wit The cause of the vnion of the two natures in Christ and then the proprieties of this vnion What is the cause of the vnion of these two natures in Christ The conception of the humane nature in the Virgin Maries wombe wrought by the Holy Ghost and then the Natiuitie and Incarnation whereby after that most straite coniunction of the humane nature with the diuine in the Virgin Maries wombe the man Christ was borne and brought forth into this light See Syst. Theolog pag. 323. How many proprieties hath this vnion Three First that it is exceeding fast and sure Secondly that it can not possible be dissolued Thirdly that by reason thereof those things that agree only to the one nature are notwithstanding attributed to the whole Person because of either of those two natures See Syst. Theolog pag. 320. I haue heard as touching the Person of Christ now it remaines that I be instructed in the office of Christ and first of all that you tell mee how the office of Christ is called generally It is in generall termed the office of a Mediatour What is a Mediatour Generally a Mediatour importeth such an one as doth reconcile the party offending to the party offended which reconciliation consisteth in these three things 1 The Mediatour must take intercession for him that hath grieued the partie offended 2. He must satisfie the partie offended for the iniurie and wrong done 3. He must promise and likewise prouide that the offender shall not offend any more And therefore when we say Christ is a Mediatour it is as if we say that Christ is that Person that hath appeased God whom Mankinde by their sinnes had most grieuously offended and who hath giuen satisfaction to the iustice of God by his Passion and Death who prayeth for sinners and applyeth his merit vnto them by faith who regenerateth them by his holy Spirit that they may begin in this life to hate sinne and to be warie that they offend God no more Of how many sorts is the office of Christ our Mediatour Of three sorts Propheticall Sacerdotall and Regall in regard wherof our Sauiour is called Christ i. e. anointed and appointed vnto this triple office because in the Old Testament by Gods own command there were anointed Prophets Priests and Kings Which is the Propheticall office of Christ and in what doth it consist It consists in two things 1. In the Office of teaching And 2. in the Efficacie of his teaching for Christ is called a Prophet 1. Because hee hath reuealed God and Gods will vnto Angels and vnto men For God could no otherwise be knowne then by the Sonne according vnto that The Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. 2. Because hee hath appointed and preserued in his Church the Ministery of the Gospel and bestoweth on his Church able Teachers and Ministers fitting and furnishing them with gifts necessarie for teaching Ephes. 4. v. 3. Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets other to be Apostles and Teachers 3. Because he is powerfull by the Ministerie of the Word and inclineth the hearts of such men as are elect to beleeue and obey the Gospell Luk. 24. v. 25. Then he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Act. 16. v 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend vnto those things which were spoken by Paul Which is the Priestly Office of Christ and wherein doth it consist It consists in three things 1. In the purging of our sinnes 2 In the vertue and applying of that purgation 3. In his Intercession for vs for as the Priest in the Old Testament had two Officers the one to make attonement for sinne and the other to pray for the people So likewise the Priestly Office of Christ heerein consisteth 1. That he should offer himselfe as a Sacrifice to his eternall Father for our sinnes 2. That he should make intercession for vs vnto his eternall Father What are there to be considered in the first part of Christs Priestly Office to wit in the satisfaction for our sinnes There be two namely the causes
of Christ were not of it selfe sufficient but needed some additament to fil it vp but there by a Synecdoche the passions of Christ he calleth all such as the members of Christ were to suffer as if he said I must also endure those afflictions which Christ shall feele in his members as he expresly annexeth I fulfill the remnant of Christs passion in the flesh for the body of Christ which is his Church that he might plainely shew that hee spake not of that passion which Christ suffered for our sinnes but of the crosses and afflictions which the Church must sustaine in this world which church by a metaphorical kind of speaking is the body of Christ. And this which wee haue spoken about the sufficiency of the passion of Christ wee must note againe against the Papists who teach and say that expiation and purging of sin is partly by good workes which shall be confuted in the doctrine of iustification partly by the Masse which shal likewise be confuted in the point of and concerning the Lords Supper and partly by Purgatory which they say is a fire in which the soules of men after this life are tormented with temporall paines and are purged from sinnes and from which the soules of such as are aliue by fauour and by prayers may be deliuered as the Councell of Trent saith in the fifth Session Against which obserue these reasons First in the sacred Volume there is no one testimony of Purgatory no not so much as one example of any one that was in that Purgatorie fire Ergo it is a nice inuention of their own braine They vrge a place 1. Co. 8. vers 13. where it is said that by the fire shall be made manifest and proued euery mans worke of what sort it is But they apply this to Purgatory very foolishly for the Apostle speaketh as touching the edification of the Church and saith that the time shall come when it shal be tried and examined how much euery one hath profited in edifying the Church by the word of God and the holy Spirit which two he calleth fire by a metaphor He addeth further Vers. 15. He shall be saued but euen as it were by the fire where abiding still in the metaphor and similitude hee saith that not all those who haue not edified aright shall straightway bee damned for euer but that they shall suffer a tryall in their own conscience because they haue not so faithfully discharged their office as they should Secondly obserue two manifest sayings of the holy Writ wherein you shall find but two places only that must bee in the next world pointed out vnto you the one for the blessed the other for those who are eternally damned Mark the last Ioh 5. Verely verely I say vnto you who so heareth my word and belieueth in him that sent mee shall not come into iudgement and by consequence not into Purgatorie which is a part of Iudgement but shall passe from death to life Reuel 4 vers 14. Blessed are they henceforth which die in the Lord. Henceforth that is frō the very moment wherein they die There is also a plaine place Luke 23.43 where Christ saith to the thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice whereas he if any needed this Purgatorie fire I haue heard sufficiently as concerning the first part of Christs Priestly office namely the purging away of our sinnes tell me what is the second part of the Priestly Office of Christ It is that effectuall application whereby Christ doth all sufficiently and powerfully apply that his purging performed by him vnto the faithfull so that by it they may obtaine remission of sinnes reconciliation and peace What is the third part of this Office of Christ. It is his intercession for vs. What doe you meane by intercession I doe not meane any prayer or sute whereby Christ would get vnto vs againe the fauour of God as one man is said to interceed for an other that he may procure him somwhat but I vnderstād first that perpetuall value force of the Sacrifice of Christ namely in that Christ presenteth his passion which he suffered for vs vnto the eternall Father Secondly the Fathers consent resting in this Passion of Christ contented and agreeing that this Passion of Christ shall bee of force for vs for euer Which is the third office of Christ His Regall office for Christ is not only a Prophet and a Priest vnto vs but he is also a King In what points consisteth the Regall Office of Christ In foure First in that he gouerneth the Church by his Spirit and by his Word and doth not onely shew vnto vs by his Word what we ought to doe but by the worke of the Spirit in vs enableth vs to doe them Secondly in that hee defendeth vs against our enemies Satan sinne and death that they haue no power to hinder our saluation Thirdly in that hee beautifieth his Church with excellent gifts and appointeth the Ministerie of his Word making men obedient vnto this his owne ordinance Fourthly In that at the end of the world hee shall appeare to be iudge of all men and shall condemne the wicked to eternall punishments but shal make the godly to shine with eternal glorie I doe already conceiue the Office of Christ what it is and of how diuers sorts it is now I would haue you tell me what the obiect is about which Christ exercises this his Office It is the Church How many waies is Church taken Two waies in a large or in a more strict signification What is the Church taken in the large acception It is the multitude or company of all such men as haue the word of God preached vnto them in which company there be many hypocrites which doe not belieue truly and therefore are damned for euer What is the Church as it is strictly taken It is that number and company of men which are elect of Christ by faith vnto eternall life And this company is wont to be parted into two rankes the one Militant the other Triumphant That company of the elect and godly is called the Militant Church which remaineth yet on earth but the Triumphant is that company of the faithfull that is already in Heauen And so the rule of the Fathers is to be vnderstood He shal neuer be a member of the Church Triumphant that hath not been a member of the Church Militant But whereas the Church is diuided into the visible and inuisible Church that is no true diuision to speake properly but onely a distinction of diuers respects in the church For the church is said to be visible in respect of the men themselues which are in the Church and may be seene and inuisible in respect of the internall graces to wit of faith and other gifts of the holy Spirit which are not so obuious to the senses Which must be noted against the Papists who would haue
the Church to be a glorious appearing company which may by the very senses bee pointed out and acknowledged by the externall pompe of ceremonies as Bellarmine affirmeth The Church is as visible as the common wealth of Venice Contrary whereunto our Sauiour speaketh Luk. 17.20 The kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation where it is apparent enough out of the text hee speaketh of the Church in this world namely that it shall bee no such glorious company as should be knowne by externall ceremonies and obseruations or by solemnities apparrelling of Senatours of Counsellors and other such like What are to bee considered about the Church The Head the Members and the Proprieties Who is the Head of the Church Christ alone is the Head of the Church aswell of the Millitant as of the Triumphant which is confirmed first by a apparāt testimonies of holy writ Eph. 1.22 God hath put all things vnder the feete of Christ and hath appointed him ouer all to bee the Head to the Church which is his body And Eph. 4.15 Christ is the Head by whom the whole body is coupled and knit together Col. 1.18 Christ is the head of his body the church A like place there is Col. 2.19 It is proued secondly by reason because euery head ought to infuse vigor and liuely vertue into all the mēbers as our head for instance infuseth vitall spirits into euerie part of our bodie for sence and motion but Christ alone can infuse that liuely vigour into the members Ergo. True say the Papists Christ is the head of the Church but he is the inuisible Head therefore there is neede of another visible Head who must be Christs Vicar on earth and Peter the Apostles successor to wit the Pope of Rome Whereunto we answer that in this strange doctrine of the Papists there are contained many puddles of errour The first errour is that Christ hath need of a Vicar or Deputie in earth whereunto wee oppose these arguments First there is no Vicar but implyeth the weaknesse of the principall Regent or Gouernor for therefore Kings haue their Deputies because they be but weake men not able to looke vnto all their subiects by themselues but Christ is an omnipotent King Secondly He needeth a Deputie who cannot vpon all occasions be euery where present with his subiects but Christ is alwaies euerie where present with his members as hee promiseth Matthew 28. Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them that is immediately am I present with them as the Hebrew phrase teacheth The second error is that they thinke it a righteous thing for some one man and hee a Bishop or Minister of the Church to attribute vnto himselfe this power to bee the vniuersall Head and Governour of the whole Church whereunto wee oppose these arguments First because Christ doth plainely forbid primacie in the Church Matth. 20. Luk. 22. Secondly because the Apostles themselues diuided the Office of the Apostleship among themselues for that they saw that one man could not be ouer all Churches as the Scripture witnesseth Gal. 2.7 8 9. where Paul saith When they saw that the Gospell of Vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospell of Circumcision vnto Peter and when Iames and Cephas and Iohn which were counted Pillars knew of the grace giuen vnto me they gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should doe the Office of the Apostles among the Gentiles and they execute the same Office among the Iews 3. Moses who was a far greater mā thē Pope could not beare the burden of iudging the people of Israel alone but was constrained to part it as it is Exod. 18. much lesse therefore can the Pope gouerne the whole Church The third errour is that they faine Peter to haue bin head of the church whereas notwithstanding 1. Christ flatly forbiddeth Peter and his other Apostles to seek after this headship and 2. Paul to the Gal. 2.7 in plaine termes saith that Iames and Peter and Iohn were counted or thought to be pillars that is by an erroneous conceit they were taken to be such by thē who might by the abuse of that title deceiue the Galath They obiect that place Mat 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock super hanc Petrā will I build my Church Whereunto we answer that he saith not and vpon thee Peter will I build my Church but we say this is the intention and scope of Christs speech namely to commend the confession of Peter which hee setteth out by a Paranomasie or allusion vnto the name of Peter as if he said I rightly set vpon thee the name of Peter see the first Chapter of Iohn where Christ gaue Peter his name because thou in the name of the other Apostles hast made such a confession and vttered such a doctrine as vpon which as it were on a Rocke my Church shall bee builded First then Christ commendeth Peter and in the person of Peter all the Apostles for that they belieued Christ to be the Son of God Secondly he sheweth the profit and fruit of that confession to wit for that this doctrine and confession was to be the foundation whereupon Christs Church should bee built so that it should neuer bee ouerturned by Satan Otherwise that Peter neuer vnderstood these wordes of himself as if he were that stone vpon which the Ch. is reared he himself professeth openly 1. Pet. 2.4 where he saith that Christ is that very stone vpon the which the Church was to be built The fourth errour is that they take for certaintie that Peter was Bishop of Rome and so consequently that he was at Rome which notwithstanding is vncertaine neither can it be firmely proued that Peter was euer at Rome but the contrary for that place which before wee cited Gal. 2. is very remarkeable namely in that Paul did so deuide the Apostleship and part it with Peter they shaking hands of the motion that Paul should goe to the Gentiles to conuert them and Peter should labour in the conuersion of the Iewes This promise the right hand being giuen vpon it Peter should haue broke if he had gone to Rome to conuert the Gentiles neither doe we reade that two Apostles went into the same Citie especially it being so farre off to preach the Gospell Wherefore sithence by the confession of all it is apparent that Paul preached the Gospell at Rome what neede was there that Peter should come thither especially at the very same time as the Papists say that they were both at Rome in Nero his time II. Out of the last Chapter of the second to Timoth. v. 16. In my first defence saith Paul when I appeared before Nero there was none that stood to me but all forsooke me I pray God it bee not laid to their charge But if Peter had then beene Bishop of Rome as the Papists will haue
it what a disgracefull thing had it been and vnworthy a Bishop to forsake his brother and his owne companion Bellarm. saith that Peter was at that time gone abroad to visit the Churches But we answer that it was not meete that he should go away then when hee should haue assisted his brother but should rather haue put off the visitation vnto some other time which hee would haue done doubtlesse if he had been at Rome Againe I say that Bellarm coines that answer of his because he neither backs it with any place of Scripture nor of any Historian but speaketh it out of his owne braine III. This may be concluded by the circumstance of time for they say that Peter was 25 yeares at Rome and 7 yeares at Antiocheia which he make 32 yeares and yet they say that Peter was crucified at Rome vnder Nero and that hee came to Rome the 2 of Claudius the Emperour Now Claudius raigned but 13 yeares and Nero 13 so that both their Regiments lasted but 26 yeares how then could Peter come the 2 of Claudius and continue 27 yeares Bishop of Rome and yet be crucified vnder Nero. IV. We say that Eusebius and Hierome who are of that opinion do not agree with themselues yea and Hierome especially manifestly contradicts himself For when as hee in one place had said that Peter was crucified vnder Nero afterward expounding those words of Christ Matt. 23. Luke 11 Behold I send vnto you Prophets c. Flatly affirmes that Peter was crucified by the Iewes at Ierusalem When the Ancients therefore are opposite vnto themselues hereby it may appeare that they knew not certainely in this point and consequently how much we are to detest the impudency of the Popes which set downe for certainty that Peter was Bishop of Rome The fifth errour is that they inferre the Pope of Rome to be Peters successour for first there is no sure ground to euince that Peter was euer at Rome how then could the Pope of Rome succeede Peter Secondly if wee grant this to the Papists out of pitty that Peter was at Rome yet it doth not follow that the Pope of Rome was Peters successour for the Turke also hath his seate at Constantinople notwithstanding it doth not follow that the Turke is the lawfull Emperour of the East or of Greece the Emperours before hauing their lawfull residency and abode at Constantinople for the place makes not the succession lawfull but two things there bee which make lawfull succession first the power giuen of God secondly the imitation of the Predecessors in life and manners As Cyprian saith in a certaine place and after him Ambrose and Hierome True succession is succession in doctrine and hee cannot bee said lawfully to hold the Chaire of Peter who holdeth not the doctrine of Peter But neither of these the Pope of Rome hath first whence will hee proue that God hath giuen him that power to sit at Rome as the Monarch of the Church surely he cannot bring so much as one letter out of the Scripture of God to proue this nay Christ enioyned the contrary to his Disciples to wit that one of them should not desire to bee aboue another 2. The true succession which is in doctrine the Pope of Rome hath not for if the Decrees of the Pope and the Epistles of Peter be compared together there will appeare as great difference betwixt them as betwixt light and darknes yea we are about to proue by and by that the Pope of Rome is the Ringleader of idolaters so farre is he off from being Peters successor in doctrine Which bee the Members of the Church They be all the faithfull which do belieue in Christ vnto eternall life for they all are vnited to Christ euen as the members of our body vnto their head They are vnited I say by the holy Spirit who produceth such like motions in them as are in the humane nature of Christ assumed that is he maketh that the faithful become partakers of the Sacerdotall Propheticall and Regall power which is in Christ. About which matter Peter epist. 2. c. 2. v. 9. speaketh most sweetly You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a people whom God hath chosen as peculiar to himselfe that the virtues of him might be manifest who hath called you out of darknes into his admirable light See concerning this most comfortable doctrine to wit the vnion of the members with Christ the Head in the Syst. of Diuinitie pag. 376. What sorts be the members of Christ They be of two sorts the Ministers of the Word and the hearers Here the Papists challenge vs that wee haue no lawfull Ministers in the Church and by consequence that there be no lawfull sheepe because say they where there are no lawfull and true Pastors and Shepheards there can be there no lawful or true sheepe But wee deny the Antecedent where they say that in our Churches there bee no lawfull Pastors because he is a right Pastor who rightly and lawfully executes his charge which is don by the pure preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments But say they from whom had your Luther and Caluin their callings We answere That we depend not on Caluin and Luther but of the Prophets themselues and the Apostles As for Luther and Caluin they were neither Prophets nor Apostles but if they would know what kind of calling Caluins and Luther his was we answere It was ordinarie for Luther by the publike authoritie of the Vniuersitie at Witenberg was created Doctor of Diuinity and so was hee called to teach by an ordinary vocation Yea but the Vniuersity at Witenberg it was Papisticall Answere True it was so at that time yet it called Luther to the sincere preaching of the Gospell For the Papists themselues say not that when Luther was called by them to teach that he was called to teach heresies but to teach the Truth Therefore when afterwards he taught the truth he taught it being ordinarily called thereunto although he taught it not according to the Popes mind and his Bishops Yea but hee taught errouâ—s of Papistrie before I answer that that fault of Luther made not his vocation voyd the same we say of Zwinglius Caluin and others which were created by Bishops where notwithstanding it must bee considered that vnto that ordinarie calling there was somewhat extraordinary adioined to wit in that God set forth and adorned those first Ministers of the dostrine of the Gospel with a singular vertue to discouer the terrible abominations of Poperie for the rest of our Ministers which haue and yet doe teach in the Reformed Church they were called ordinarily by them who haue authoritie and as yet to this day are so called Now I much desire to heare of the proprieties of the Church first tel me what kinds be the proprieties of the Church of They bee of two kinds some of them doe notifie and point out
vnto vs where the Church is other are proprieties How many demonstratiue proprieties of the Church be there or how many be the true markes of the Church There be onely two first the puritie of doctrine and sacraments Secondly obedience and sanctity of conuersatioÌ„ answerable to the word of God which is proued out of the tenth of Iohn My sheep heare my voyce Mat 28. Go and teach ye all nations baptising theÌ„ Ioh. 5.4 Ye are my friends c. Ioh. 13.32 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c. The Papists say these are not the notes of the true Church for say they all hereticâ—s can challenge to themselues thus much that they haue the pure word of God and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments Therefore I answer that that which is but by an accedent doth not take away that which is per se. Now it is but by accedent that the heretiques take this vsurpation on themselues for what is there more excelleÌ„t in the Church then the pure Word of God and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments But in setting downe the markes of the Church they doe not agree among themselues See the 396 page of my Syst. of Diuinitie Yet generally they say that these are those marks 1. Antiquitie Whereto I answere that if they brag of antiquity simply the Diuell also is a most ancient Serpent neither is he in that regard any whit the better therefore wee ought to seeke after antiquitie of true doctrine which wee say and affirme to bee in our Church in that namely her Note and Marke is the pure Word of God then which nothing is more ancieÌ„t But your Church do they obiect began but with Luther some 80 yeeres agoe therefore it is not the true Church I answer that it is an vntruth that our Church did but begin then For our Church begun presently in Paradice and was also in the time of the Prophets The second marke they make a continuall succession or a perpetuitie of doctrine in the Church and so condemning our Church as in which there hath been no such continuall succession they insult ouer vs saying Where were your Churches before Luther those 600 yeares wherein you say the world was obscured by the darkenesse of Poperie Whereto we answer that the Church is somtime more clearely manifest sometime it is more obscurely apparant if therefore by succession they vnderstand the state of the Church alwaies alike flourishing then wee say that it is false that such a succession is a propriety and mark of the true Church for the visible state of the Church consisteth in religious worship and in doctrine wherein the Church is not alwaies like vnto it self hauing her obscurings and as it were eclipses such as the Sunne and Moone haue and sometimes it is wrapped about with errours so that it cannot shew its head by any visible estate or ministerie whereunto the Scripture beares manifest testimony 2. Chro. chap. 28. where it is plaine that the estate of the Church was altogether obscured insomuch that Elias thought with himselfe that he alone was left aliue of all the members of the Church being priuie to none beside himselfe that worshipped God purely yet euen then the Lord said vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand which haue not bowed their knees before Baal So in the time of Christ his liuing vpon the earth the state of the Church was a most corrupt state so that beside Christ and his Apostles there were very few members of the true Church yea and before Christs birth a little Marie Ioseph Zacharie and Elizabeth and a few more which lay so secret that there was no shew of them to any man made vp the true Church Such like vnto these was that estate of the Church those 600 yeares vnder the Papacie of which time there was expresse prediction before Reuel 12. that the time to wit should come that the Church should be obscure as it were hid in the wildernesse But therefore can any conclude that there was no Church No surely no more then it doth follow This man is hid therefore hee is not a man There were in that most thicke darkenesse of Poperie and vnder the Kingdome of that Antichrist of Rome true members of the Church although by reason of that cruell tyrannie of the Pope they lay hid neither was there so few of them as the Papists faine which at that very time vnder Poperie had the pure doctrine and the Sacraments but there were verie many of them euen whole Countries that were not defiled by the corrupt Doctrine of the Papists as the Albingenses and the Valdenses and they of Picardie who propagated the holy Truth in Bohemia and Polonia in spite of all the Popes resistance As also a hundred yeares before Luther there were the Hussites Brethren of Bohemia who maintained the true Doctrine of the Gospell as those times would giue them leaue Yea and further in all and euerie of those yeares there were by Gods working continually raised vp Witnesses and Teachers who openly and before all shewed their detestation of the Pope and Popish errours which Witnesses of the Truth euen in the time of Papacie they are all gathered together in a Booke most worthie the perusing which we ought alwaies to oppose to the Papists which hath for its Title Catalogus testium veritatis that is A Catologue of the Witnesses of the Truth The third Note the Papists do make vniuersality because forsooth the Church dispersed ouer all the world ought to bee Catholike I answer That the Papists here do contradict themselues when they say the Church of God must be Catholike and yet the Romish Church must be that Church of God which is all one as if I should say the Church must be the vniuersall Dantiscan Church or the vniuersal Cracouian Church or a particular vniuersall Church for to bee the Romish Church and to be a particular one is all one Againe we answer that we doe not denie that the Church ought to be Catholike in that sence wherein the word is vsed in the Creed as afterward it shal be made plaine And we say that our Church hath alwaies been and now also is Catholike because that after the Apostles had gathered the Church out of all Nations there did alwaies from time to time remaine some reliques of the true Church in all Nations although those reliques were hid and obscured as that book Catalogus testium veritatis which wee haue a little before cited doth testifie that in the very time of Popery there was alwaies in Greece Italie Spaine Germany Bohemia Polonia some found that opposed and resisted the Pope But whereas the Iesuites obiect vnto vs that in America and in the East Indies there are no Protestant Preachers of the Gospell as yet but all Papists and especially Iesuites labouring the conuersion of the
people I answere them first that the Pharisies also did run about both by sea and land to draw men vnto their faith and yet for all that their religion was not true Secondly I say that the Papists haue slaine moe in the Indies then they haue conuerted as you may see by a place which I haue cited in my politiques l. 1. c. 4. that in a very short time a hundred fortie thousand men were murdered by them Thirdly I am sure the Diuell also goes a compassing the whole world and seduceth many yet is hee for that neuer a whit the better Fourthly I auerre that our Ministers also haue taught the true Gospell in America inasmuch as Calum sent thither two Ministers of the Church from Geneua the one whereof was Ioannes Lerius who committed that storie to writing And at this day there are Orthodoxe Ministers in the East Indies which do publikely preach the true Doctrine of the Gospell carried ouer thither by the Merchants of the Low-Countries And doubtlesse toward the end of this world the true Religion shall be in America as God now is preparing the way for it by the English and Low-Countrie Merchants that that of Christ may bee fulfilled Matth. 23. The Gospell shall bee preached throughout the whole World that it may bee a witnesse to all Nations For GOD in all his workes is wont to effect a thing successiuely and therefore first hee sends vnto those nations some light of his essence and his truth by the Papists and afterward will make these things shine more clearely vnvnto them by the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel The fourth note the Papists say is vnitie and good agreement I answere Consent and vnitie is but so farre a marke of the Church as the consent is in truth and goodnesse and not in euill and falsehood for such an agreement in euill and falsity is among the very Deuils and what greater agreement consent then among robbers so also among the Turkes there is very great consent so that Mahometisme is farre and neare by them propagated yet doth it not hence follow that Mahometisme is the true Church Secondly I answer that in our Church there is great consent in the truth for howsoeuer after Luthers time there arose many Churches the Diuel being alwaies busie to cast his plots against the true Church and to stirre vp in it diuers hearts yet the Orthodoxe Professours are at good agreement about the Articles of Faith as that excellent Booke called the Harmony of Confessions doth testifie wherein it is manifestly prooued that there is exceeding great consent betwixt the Churches of France England Scotland Bohemia and those which are in Germany neere vnto Rhene and in other Prouinces for that disagreement which is betwixt the Lutherans and the Orthodoxe Professours doth not straightway quite dissolue the vnitie which is betwixt the true church Thirdly I deny that there is so great agreement in the Romish Church as they boast of for it can bee easily showne that the popish Writers agree not in any one Article among themselues as it doth appeare out of Bellarmine who ordinarily disputed against other Papists and alleageth their oppositions and contradictions to themselues this may further appeare by Ioh. Pappius and Matthias Iohn his booke of the Sects and Dissentions and contradictions among Popish Doctours printed at Basil 1565 whereunto the Papists haue not as yet answered Andr. Chrastouius likewise hath written a book he cals Bellum Iesuiticum The good agreement the Iesuits haue among themselues who neither is as yet cōfuted That same booke of Chrastouius was printed at Basil in quarto 1593 it contains 205 Iesuiticall contradictions Which is that bare or secondary proprietie of the Church To the Church of the new Testament this propriety doth also agree that it is Catholick that first in respect of places not because it possesseth many kingdoms but because it is scattred ouer the whole world not tied to any certain place to any determinate country or city Secondly in respect of men because it doth consist of men of all sorts gathered out of the conditiō of all men of al nations Act. 10. Thirdly in respect of times because it shall continue all times euen vnto the end of the world as it is said Mat. 28. I will be with you euen vntill the end of the world Fourthly in respect of vnitie because the Catholike Church is at all times but one to wit in vnity of doctrin consent in that doctrine And thus much wee haue spoken of the proprieties of the Church Now if we shall examine and trie the Popish Church by these proprieties it will appeare to be no pure Church but be very corrupt euen as a rotten apple is an apple corrupted and no otherwise then a man that is infected with the plague is a man but no sound man And that the Popish Church is not the pure Church I will prooue it by two manifest reasons the first an idolatrous Church is not the true pure Church but such a one is the Popish Church Ergo The proposition is euident because God doth abhorre nothing more then idolatrie therefore hee saith Flie from idols and No Idolater shall bee saued The assumption I confirme thus That Church which giues that honor which Dauid giues vnto God the Creator in the very same words vnto the creature to wit the Virgin Marie that same Church is idolatrous But the Church of Rome doth so goe now that the Church of Rome doth attribute that honour which is due vnto God vnto the Virgin Marie I proue it by a most euident testimonie out of that same Psalter of Marie the Virgin which was compiled by Bonauentura who liued 250 yeres agoe and canonized of the Pope of Rome so that hee is accounted among the Saints and the title of a Seraphicall Doctour which is more then Angelicall giuen vnto him This same Psalter was by the permission of the higher powers printed in Latin at Brixia and Bononia in Italy eight yeares since being before printed at Ingolstadium in the Dutch tongue some 20 yeares agoe in the Preface wherevnto it is expressely said that it was compiled the holy Ghost inditing and dictating it And further that very Psalter is in speciall vse in the Romish Church but especially is it currant among the Monkes of Saint Bennets Order which are called Cistercians Now in this Psalter all those things which Dauid attributes to the high and most mighty God are by them put vpon the Virgin Marie as Psal. 51. Haue mercy vpon me O Lady and cleanse me from all mine offences But that of all other is most blasphemous which they apply vnto her out of the Psa. 109. according to that distinctiō The Lord said vnto my Lady sit thou mother mine at my right hand where Mary is made the mother of God the Father as though the Father had bin incarnat made man
that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an idolatrous assembly I proue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as hee hath put off his shooes and then approcheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele three times before he kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse. II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues do yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I confirme for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion where you shall find it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag 115. Most truly wrote our Coster that a Priest should not so grieuously offend if hee should commit Fornication then if hee should marrie And hee addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sin in committing Adulterie then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. It cannot be truly said of a Nun that hath vowed continence that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to bee married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrarie that it is written 1. Cor. 7. It is better to marry then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy where we may note for a conclusion that although al those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer bee able to prooue it they do but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of any of the Articles of faith that also can little auaile them because wee doe dispute and iudge of doctrine and faith by the word of God and it may so bee disputed although that point of the Church be not before handled for the Word of God is before the Church and aboue the Church neither hath the Church any authoritie to wrest the Scripture as we haue formerly proued in the common place of Scripture But here I would haue noted the exceeding fraud of the Popish Writers that when they haue made a great stirre about the Church and stood long vpon it at length they conclude the Church to be a Councell consisting of the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and so exclude all other which are neither Cardinals nor Bishops from the Church at least remouing them so farre that they shall not make vp the Church properly so called and principally that hereby they might the more establish the insolent pride of their Spiritualtie against the manifest Word of God You haue made plaine the Doctrine of Redemption vnto mee now it followes that you instruct me in the matter of Iustification of man before God wherfore shew me I pray you what is Iustification It is the absoluing of sinfull man from his sinnes or it is a forgiuing of sinnes by the meere grace and fauour of God for the merits of Christ imputed and applied vnto vs by faith What are to bee considered about Iustification Foure things 1. the principall cause 2. the instrumentall cause 3. the effect and fruite and lastly the necessary adiunct What is the principall cause of Iustification before God The principal cause is either primarie or secondary the prime cause is the grace and mercy of God the other cause is the merit of Christ or the death and passion of Christ made ours imputed vnto vs or appropriated vnto vs so truely that the Passion of Christ should besteede vs as much as if we our selues had hanged on the Crosse and had died for our owne sinnes Hereof wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 5. vers 8. As by one man many were made sinners c. Rom. 4. vers 5 6. Blessed is that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without the workes of the Law 2. Cor. 5. vers 8. He made him which knew not sin to be sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.15 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law whilest hee was made a curse for vs. Philip. 3. vers 8. That I may bee found not hauing my owne righteousnesse but that which is by the faith of Christ. Now there is no opposition in this wee say that a sinner is iustified by the meere grace of God and yet by the merit of Christ because it was brought about by the meere mercie and grace of God that Christ performed that meritorious worke for vs for Christ was in no wise bound vnto vs to die for vs but hee out of his meere grace and mercy did vndergoe death for vs. What is the instrumentall cause of Iustification Onely faith in Christ insomuch as by faith euen as by a hand and instrument we lay hold on and apply vnto vs the merit and satisfaction which Christ hath performed for vs. What is faith Faith is not onely a bare knowledge of the Historie of Christ but it is also a sure confidence of the heart whereby we set downe in our selues for certainty and be perswaded that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of God for the death and passion of Christ. Note here two maine errors of Poperie whereof the first is that faith is onely a certaine Historicall knowledge and no true and sure confidence of the heart whereunto the Scripture it selfe directly speaketh Rom. 8.20 where faith is called a sure trust and perswasion See my Gymnasium logicum wherein you haue this in that Theame Fides somewhat opened The second errour is that we come by the remission of sinnes not by faith alone but also by the merit of good workes contrary vnto those sayings in the Scripture Ephes 2.8 By the grace of God you are saued through faith and not of your selues Rom. 4. Abraham belieued and
not in any glasse behold and know the gronings and afflictions of the Church militant on earth and indeed that the Saints departed are not priuie to our affaires done vpon the earth nor know any thing in specialtie what happeneth among the liuing that place in the 2. of Kings Chap. 22. witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious and holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euils which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57. The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares he may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the land for wretched impiety Eccl. 9. The dead know nothing any more to wit of those things which are done vpon the earth Hence therefore is it rightly inferred that the Saints cannot be mediators And indeed we haue no need of them to be our intercessours first because God knoweth our afflictions better then they yea better then the Angels secondly because God is more mercifull then any Saint and more desirous that we should liue then any Saint can be Now that we do vse the intercession of some Noble man or great man vnto Kings which is their most plausible argument it is for the great defect and weakenesse that is in man for that Princes are not acquainted with all mens grieuances secondly because Princes are more affected vnto one man then vnto another but no such respect of persons is there with God as it is said Acts 10. The Papists bring vs in a distinction betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration and say that the one to wit Seruice is due to Saints the other that is adoration is due to God Against which distinction you may reade a most cleare disputation in the exposition of Vrsins Catechisme pag. 739. where it is proued by holy Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other agrees vnto God and neither of them both vnto Saints Onely this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues break downe their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those things which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God he giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Marie in Bonauentures Psalter Ergo. The other errour of the Papists is about the worshipping of Images and so also of that worship which they make vnto the Reliques of the Saints And first of all the Papists hold that those prayers which are made in or at certaine set Chappels and Churches and before the Images of the Saints are of greater efficacie and greater worth then those which are in other places powred forth before God quite against the holy Word of God Ioh. 4. The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Ierusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matth. 6. Christ bids goe into our chamber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2. The Apostle willeth men to pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands Now against reliques and images let that place bee well obserued Esay 24. My glory will I not giue vnto another nor mine honour vnto the grauen images But we say the Papists doe not worship images and we know that it is said in the second commandement Thou shalt not how downe thy selfe vnto them c. To this what shall we answere but that they say one thing and doe another for we haue already prooued that they fall downe and worship the crosse Behold the signe of the Crosse come and let vs worship it Againe it is impossible that ones whole affection should bee bent and settled on an image and yet that hee should not direct some deuotion vnto the Image as one of the Ancients hath well said It cannot possible be that the affection should be withdrawne from that where on our whole sense is fixed and fastned Therefore Lactunirus saith that there can bee no true worship performed where it is done with respect vnto images Thirdly we say that both these are equally forbidden of God namely the worshipping of the image it selfe and the worshipping of God at or before an image For this you haue a plaine place Leuit. 26. 1. You shall make you none idols nor grauen image neither reare you vp any pillar neither shall you set vp any stone or image within your land to worship before it for I am Iehouah the Lord your God But images say they are Lay-mens Bibles and therefore they may bee borne with as certaine historicall documents for the good of lay people whereto I answere first that it is no little blasphemy to affirme that images are Bibles that is the Word of God for the authoritie of Gods Word and of the Bible is the greatest that may bee and it is vnspeakable But who dare say that the authoritie of images is as diuine and eternall as that of God himself Secondly Images cannot be Lay-peoples Bibles because the Bible containes the true doctrine of God but Images are deceitfull and lying Teachers teaching lyes as it is manifestly written by Ier. 10. and by Habb 2.18 19. Further wee ought not to be wiser then God who hath instituted that his Church should be taught not by dumbe Pictures and Images but by the liuely preaching of his Word and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments And these things be spoken also as touching the adoration of Reliques for the worshipping of them is confuted by those very same places of Scripture by which the worshipping of Images hath been ouerthrowne You haue led mee by the hand through all Diuinitie and so haue holpen mee to some generall knowledge whereby I may insome sort be prepared vnto the holy Supper of our Lord now it remaines that you furnish me with some particular knowledge about the same Supper of the Lord whereunto I desire to prepare myselfe You say well indeed and I will doe it very willingly so be that before all you note that the word Sacrament is no where extant in holy Scripture but there are diuers words aequiualâ—nt vnto it as Romans 4. the word Signe or Seale where Paul calleth Circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith A Sacrament then is a holy signe or seale annexed to the word of God as vnto tables and letters wherein God promiseth vnto vs his fauour and the forgiuenesse of sinnes by the death and suffering of our mediatour Iesus Christ. Now signes be of three sorts Some there bee which are onely Significatiue and noting out somewhat as the Meare-stone signifieth the fields which it parts to be diuers Some are Memoratiue representing vs the memory of somewhat and exciting our affection and will thankefully to thinke on it
Lords Supper they were obliged to performe workes of loue and charitie towards their neighbours And this is the true doctrine of the Lords Supper drawne out of the onelie Word of God and taken from the nature of Sacraments But contrariwise the Masse is an horrible monster an idoll composed by Antichrist consisting of diuers horrible blasphemies whereby the whole dignitie and excellencie of the Lords Supper is defaced and quite taken away namely while they say that Christ in the institution of the holy Supper before that euer he gaue his body and blood vnto his disciples did vnder the bread and wine offer vp himselfe truly though after an vnbloody manner for the honour of his Father and that he did appoint then his disciples and all Ministers afterward to doe the like As the Masse-priests indeede after a few words vttered like Magical Spels and Charmes after a few histrionicall gestures and ceremonies doe beare vs in hand that they doe And further they blush not to affirme that this Sacrament is a sacrifice a most true propitiatorie sacrifice for the sins punishments and all wants not only of the liuing but of the dead too And so most blasphemously tread as it were vnder foote the Passion of Christ which as formerly we haue prooued is the alone and only propitiation for our sinnes which was onely to bee made and performed by Christ and not often to be reiterated as are the expresse words of the Apostle against that idoll of the Masse worthy to bee obserued Heb. 10.12 Christ hauing made that one onely offering for sinnes for euer sitteth at the right hand of God And vers 14. By that one oblation hath he consecrated for euer those which are iustified You may reade more abuses and abominations of the Popish Masse very plainely propounded in the explication of Vrsins Catechisme at the eightieth question You haue fitted mee for the Lords Supper by knowledge both generall and particular now it remaineth that you prepare mee also by true deuotion What things then I pray you doe appertaine vnto that true Deuotion Two things first that you bethink with your selfe how oft you are to vse the Lords Supper secondly that you consider well how you may vse it worthily How oft must I vse the Lords Supper Very often where truely there can bee no certaine number of times prescribed vnto any man because euery one out of his godly vnderstanding is to set downe that with himselfe But in the Primitiue Church the Christians surely did vse the Lords Supper as often as euer they came together to heare the Word of God as may appeare out of the 3. of the Acts where the Christians are said to haue met to heare the word of God and to the breaking of Bread that is the Supper of the Lord. But it would be very conuenient foure times in the yeare or twise at the least euery yeare to approach the Lords Table and that for these reasons First Because frequent and solemne thankesgiuing is by vs to bee performed for that so excellent benefit which was affoorded vnto vs by Christs passion Secondly because Christ in expresse termes commands How often soeuer you shall doe it in remembrance of me where the word how often soeuer enforceth an often vsage that is So often as often as you shall come so that it presupposeth that wee are often to come 3. And thus farre are wee indebted to our faith that wee often strengthen it so much we owe vnto our consciences that we may often hereby cherish quicken and cheare them vp for by this good helpe and meanes wee stirre our selues vp to leade a new life whilest that we consecrate and offer vp our selues to God by the vse of the Lords Supper Thus much we owe likewise to the Ch. that we may hereby make open profession and giue a publike testimony that we be fellowes members of it Lastly thus much we are bound to performe for the auoiding of corporal punishments for 1 Cor. 11.30 it is said For this cause many are weak sick among you many sleep c. where the Apostle teacheth that God punisht many in the Ch. of Corinth with diseases death because they did not rightly vse the L. Supper Now if God did lay his punishing hand on thē by diseases death for the wrong vse how much more will he punish for the rare vse of the L. Supper Teach me now further how I may worthily vse the Lords Supper and so how my deuotion must be qualified That indeed is it which aboue all other is most necessary because of that most sharp sentence pronounced by the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. v. 7. Whosoeuer therefore eateth this bread or drinketh this Cup vnworthily he is guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ that is he is held guiltie of the violating of this sacred signe and seale whereby the body and bloud of the Lord is represented and withall assured vnto vs. Whereupon hee further addeth Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eat of this Bread and drinke of this Cup for who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not discerning the Lords body that is not vsing with reuerence those most holy signes and pledges whereby wee are assured of the Lords body and so consequently not discerning or putting any difference between common bread which wee eat euery day at our tables and this bread which by reason of the vse and office of certifying and assuring is made holy and so likewise of the Wine Of what sorts is that deuotion I pray you tell me It must be of two sorts either Antecedent going before the receiuing or Concomitant and ioyned to the receiuing of those holy mysteries How is the Antecedent deuotion called It is called The examining of a mans selfe according to that wee erstwhile vrged out of the Apostle Let euerie man therefore examine himselfe c. What is the true trying of a mans selfe of what parts does it consist The examination or proouing of a mans selfe is nothing else but the sifting of ones conscience what a man thinketh of himselfe and this examination is threefold Which is the first examination The first examination is as touching our misery which againe is either general namely when we consider with our selues the misery of whole mankind which did betide vs by the fal of our first Parents which doth consist in sin the punishment of sin or special when our thoughts are occupied about our own peculiar misery which examinatiō stands in 2 things first in the acknowledging of those sins which thou euery day hast committed either by omitting good things which should haue beene done or committing euill which should haue beene left vndone and that both in respect of Good workes which wee ought to doe as also in respect of praiers and daily inuocating on Gods Name which hath beene either altogether neglected
A Manuduction TO Theologie Written in Latin by Barthol Keckerm done into English by T. V. Mr. of Arts. Pro. 14.6 Knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand Ecclus. 6.35 Be willing to heare euerie godly discourse Printed by Aug. Math. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An vpright heart seeketh after knowledge TO THE SERVICE AND GOOD OF THE Church of God vnder the Patronage and Protection of the thrice worthy and religious his much honoured Friends The Lady Anne Neuill Wife to the Right Honourable Lo. B. of Chichester The Lady Anne Fetiplace of Chilrey in Barkshire AND His much esteemed Cousin Mistris Mabell Blenerhasset wife to the Right Worshipfull Master Thom. Blenerhasset Esquiâ—e and one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace for the Countie of Cumberland T. V. Consecrateth himselfe and his labours in this Translation A PARENETIQVE DIRECTED ESPECIALLY TO THEM that call themselues Catholicks GOod R. there be now some yeres past since I gaue the onset to the Translation of this Booke a Booke of small volume but of great valour of a little price but very precious The Author himselfe is famous well knowne to haue beene a man rarely qualified and beautified with admirable endowments the characters whereof are to bee seene in his writings a man by whose exquisite skill and exact endeauors I perswade my selfe we should haue had if the thred of his life had beene a little more lengthened that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our fathers dreamed of liuely portrayed fully perfected But I list not to stand any longer on this theame this only wil I ad that it is hard to say whether the Author doth more commend the Workes or the Workes the Author In this little Theologicall Tract wherein summarily are deliuered the heads of Christian Religion I haue trac'd his steppes with all diligence and faithfulnesse and that out of a longing desire from my hearts root in Christ Iesus to further the simplest of my Country-mens growth in all godlinesse wishing that they would not thinke light of my labours slender though they bee for whose sakes they were primarily vndertaken And those are all vnlettered ignorant persons which are either such as haue liued vnder the Gospel and that so long that for their time they might haue beene teachers but by reason of their grosse and dull eares they bee but babes in vnderstanding and haue need to bee instructed in the very first Principles of Religion or they be such as doe liue in the bondage and captiuitie of more then Egyptiacall darkenesse of Popery who being beclouded with the myst of erroneous doctrine haue not as yet had the cleare beames of the Gospell shining in their hearts With the former sort or at lest such of them who seeke for knowledge as for gold my pains whatsoeuer it bee I am perswaded will not altogether be lost But for the latter I am afear'd I shal but bee accounted to sing a song to deafe eares For such alasse is the bewitching Cup of that Whore of fornications although her vanitie and vilenesse bee as open as the sun that shee not onely keepeth fast in bondage whom shee hath once lull'd asleepe but entangleth also euery day more and more louers the Lord of Heauen permitting the Diuel of Hell seducing the Locusts of the infernall pit assayling both by Sea and Land to gaine vnto them Proselytes Such is the impuqâ—â—ce of this whorish presumptuous woman of Rome that shee doth not after the manner of other women For other harlots are wooed but shee doth wooe others haue gifts sent vnto them from their louers but shee sendeth to her louers gifts and faire promises of preferments and promotion if they will take part in her whoredomes And this to giue one instance for all that learned and religious Doctour thinkes to haue beene the chiefest motiue of DD. Carriers Apostacie in that perceiuing his ambitious hopes to quayle at home he would trie his fortune there where Abbeys and Bishoprickes and perhaps Cardinalships are promised to such as with more diligence then others negotiate for the Pope Her Proctors and Factors shee sets about this worke are the Iesuits and Seminaries men that haue deuoted themselues to all ill seruices Quibus quaesâ—ui sunt animi superstitione capti that is as Saint Peter seemes to mee elegantly to expresse it Through couetousnesse with fained words make merchandise of mens soules and so in fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely peruerting but subuerting silly soules as the word imports Act. 15.24 And surely such as the mistresse is such are her messengers shee of a most impudent face they of most impudent carriage she a strumpet queane they her bastardly brood These Pandars to their owne mother for the enhansing of her power and the enlarging of her pompe according to their commission get themselues with all ill-speed to forraine Nations What Staâ— is not haunted with these ill spirits yea what house yea what soule c. DD. Halls Censure of Trauel p. 57. We see the proof of their importunitie at home No bulwarkes of Law no barres of Iustice though made of three trees can keepe our rebanished fugitiues from returning from intermedling Id Ibid. pag. 56. His Holinesse knowes full well what a sweet morsell hee lost when this Kingdome shakt of his tyrannicall yoke and therefore for regaining hereof hee blowes ouer whole svvarmes of these Locusts into England where sitting theeuishly in the blind corners of our streets they entrap the simple folke and lurking in their secret dens of darknesse they ensnare the poore and wauering minded making them being once caught in their grin two times more the children of darknes then they themselues are Which indeed how can it otherwise fal out sithence their doctrine and their doings be both of darknes Their doctrine as it is a hotch potch of beggarly rudiments like a beggars cloak full of patches some of Iudaisme some of Turcisme some of Paganisme some of Pelagianisme in sum what is it els but a compound of errours so in nothing more does it bewray it selfe to bee raked out of the pit of darkenesse then that it will not abide the light of Gods Word to be tryed by For what Communion hath darkenesse with light are not these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heereupon well knowing what would betide them if the Gospel should cleerely shine forth in all mens hearts they mufflle the vnderstanding of the simple people giuing them to wit that all is Oracles that they speake not giuing them once leaue or leasure yea which is more interdicting them to search the holy Scriptures with the Noblemen of Beraea and to see whether those things bee so as they speake them Let our late worthies who haue descried the imposture of the Church of Rome let them speake in this case and heare their verdict Nos luci fidimus saith blessed â—ewel isti
tenebris Wee trust and desire to bee tried by the light of Gods Word they put their confidence in darkenes whereupon it is that a thiefe stands not in more feare of the Gallowes then they doe of the Scriptures Wee labour to plant knowledge in all saith the reuerend and my much honoured Lord of Chichester and are desirous that euery man may know the things needfull for his saluation they labour to hold all in ignorance their hope is not in the goodnesse of their cause for they see the ruines of Babylon falling euery day onely their care is to blind you and keepe you ignorant If the light of knowledge might freely shine to the world Popery would soone be ashamed of it selfe saith another worthy in our Ch. And not to bee infinite in this kind M. Anton. de Dominis who was once welcommed by vs from the Tents of Antichrist and is ours still if couetousnesse the root of euill and hypocrisie the colour of good hath not put out both his eyes confesseth in that little booke wherein he expresseth the reason of his departure out of the Ch. of Rome the Prodromus to his larger and more fruitfull labours that this closing vp of the Scripture from the people gaue him occasion to suspect their religion and to feare his estate and to thinke on conuersion freely professing there in these termes Scripturae summa apud nos ignoratio that there is nothing whereof the Papists are more ignorant then of the Scriptures Nay a certaine Bishop of Italy was not ashamed to tel Claudius Espencaeus a famous Pontifician that the learned men of Italy it selfe were afraid to study the holy Scriptures least thereby they should become Heretiques and that therefore they employed themselues in commenting vpon the Popes Law-bookes Decrees and the Decretals the which booke though full of lies contradictions impertinences yet because it is the Popes booke it must be respected whilest the holy Scripture lieth as it were in the streets neglected And therefore to barre their seduced followers vtterly from this godly exercise of reading they beare them in hand that to read the Scripture is very perillous and the cause of erring from the faith Sed execratione ac detestatione dignior est ista vox quam responsione Hiper de quot id lectione S. Script lib. 1. pag. 175. Wicked impostors as if God our heauenly Father who hath made his Will and Testament and hath reuealed it by writing vnto vs his children would not haue it read and vnderstood by vs Blasphemous wretches as if God who can neither bee deceiued nor deceiue causing his holy will to be penned both as touching his owne worship and also as touching the meanes of mans saluation and that so powerfully yet plainly withall that he should seeke hereby to entrap and enfold his glorious Creature Man the Creature of his good-will with the mists of ignorance and errour Farre bee it from the thought of euery good Christian once to thinke that from such a good tree should come such bad fruit that from such a blessed cause should proceed such a disastrous effect that from the light should flow darkenes from the reuerend reading of the Scriptures errors As for their Doings that they also are of darknesse it would if I should particularize them require a large volume But to single out and to instance in one wherein they much resemble their prince of darkenesse the deuill who hath been a murtherer from the beginning Let their cruell and barbarous butchering of so many Saints of God meerely in the matter of Religion let the bloudie stabbing and violent murthering of so good and gracious Kings which shewed themselues like good Ezekias forward and bent to reformation Let the diuell in the Vault who was the contriuer of that matchlesse Treason and the Powder Pioners that should haue beene the Actors of the intended Tragedie let all these speake if they belong not to darknesse if they bee not the sonnes of the night Quo male agit odit lucem Aske the Powder-plotters if they hated not and shunned the shining light least their deeds should haue beene reprooued censured condemned as they were and as it fell out happily to this State and Country by the watchfull eye of his prouidence who is the keeper of our Israel and neuer slumbâ—rs nor sleepes but is alwayes ready at hand to shend and defend his people whom he hath set his loue vpon euen for his owne mercie and goodnesse sake howbeit we haue by our sinnes deserued to be cassier'd out of his fauour to bee ouertaken with imminent dangers and to be ouerturned with the power and powder the fire and fury of our enemies But euer loued and blessed bee his mercifull goodnesse and patience that he hath not giuen vs ouer as a prey vnto their teeth Their snare was broken and our soule was deliuered O let this mightie and wonderfull deliuerance bee written on the posts of our gates let vs be euer talking of it to our neighbours and friends to our children and strangers that all with ioynt mouth and consent of heart may praise the Lord God of Israel for euer Now I doe from my soule desire that the blindfolded Papists and ignorant Catholiques as they will be termed would but a little consider of these Doings of this Doctrine and then tell me if they be not nuzled in most pernicious heresie and most tyrannically held vnder the very power of darknesse it selfe They that haue but the least spink of ingenuitie will bewray betime and will timely bewayle their woeful estate These to vse the words of the words of the Prophet shall remember one day their wayes and all their doings wherein they haue been defiled and they shall loath themselues in their owne sight for all their euills that they haue committed And they shal know that the Lord is God when hee hath wrought in them this conuersion for his owne Names sake not according to their wicked wayes nor according to their corrupt doings But for the ignorant obstinate obdurate Papist who will not heare and vnderstand and bee conuerted who spurnes at the very motion of Reformation and being settled on his lees groweth bold and impudent in the cause for who so bold as blind Bayard Let him bee ignorant let him be misâ—ed let him bee misled still These men shall one day know that there hath beene many Prophets among them who are cleare from the bloud of all men and they shall find that their bloud must rest vpon their owne hard hearts and stiffe-neckes What Sir may some of them say doe you so hastily include vs all in the pit of confusion because wee professe another Religion I tell you truely wee haue as good hope to come to heauen as your selfe Doe wee walke in any other saue in the steps of our forefathers and progenitors Do