and other cleargie orders they haue baptisme the Eucharist and all other things He proceedeth affirming that the church was in times past knowne by miracles but now they are either ended or els in greater number with false Christians yea he auerreth that a man might know by the liues of men which was the true Church but now Christians were worse then either hereticks or Ethnicks If this worke were written by an Arrian as some say yet there is no cause to condemne this excellent sentence prooued by so weightie reasons The eight reason Scriptures We haue finished by Gods assistance seuen Reasons some of which as the Doctour seemeth to graunt are nothing worth without Scripture and therefore he saith that they teach not any doctrine but such as is deriued out of the holy Bible If you would abide by this confession you would not hold so many vnwritten opinions as you doe For adoration of Images for the halfe communion for the Popes not erring for the lent fast with other points of Poperie what scripture is there It is one of your principles Cens Colon. that traditiones ecclesiae non scriptae credendae ac seruandae sunt vnwritten traditions are to be beleeued and kept Hence I conclude after this manner They which hold opinions by vnwritten traditions deriue not all their opinions out of the scriptures But the Papists hold some opinions by vnwritten traditions Ergo. But good M. Doctour are we driuen to denie certaine parts of Gods holy Bible for the maintaining of our opinions and are the Manichees our predecessours take heede least by auouching vntruths you doe vastare conscientiam make shipwracke of conscience If Luther reiected the epist of S. Iames what is that to vs Caietane will haue it to be minoris authoritatis quam caeteras Bell. lib. 1. cap. 17. 2. booke 23. of lesse authoritie then the other epistles Eusebius saith sciendum est eam esse adulterinam we must know that it is a bastard epistle Euseb 3.22 cap. Now I reduce your argument into a syllogisme They which refuse bookes of Scripture frame that bible to their opinions But the Protestants refuse bookes of Scripture Ergo. I denie the assumption which is set downe without any proofe and for the disproofe of the same I will not content my selfe with a few fathers but will produce a cloud of witnesses that the Papists may see their proud bragge of fathers Origen at Eusebius speaketh thus Euseb hist 6. booke 24. Hand ignorandum fieret esse veteris testamenti libros sicut Hebraei tradunt viginti duos qui etiam numerus apudeos est literarum We must vnderstand that there are 22. bookes of the old Testament as the Hebrewes doe teach which also is the number of letters Hence I gather that if the Canonicall bookes answer the hebrew letters then there are but 22. otherwise there should be more then the letters are Melito numbreth the same bookes which we doe excepting the booke of Wisdome as witnesseth Eusebius 4. book 25. Cyril of Ierusalem in his 4. catechisme exhorteth the Catechumenes to read 22. bookes but that he reckneth Baruck with Ieremie he reckneth the same which we doe and directly warneth vs vt cum Apocryphis nihil habeamus negotij that we haue nothing to doe with Apocryphal bookes for saith he multò prudentiores te religiosiores fuerint Apostoli primi Episcopi veritatis duces qui nobis eas tradiderunt the Apostles and first Bishops were wiser and more religious then thy selfe they deliuered these scriptures to vs. Leontius in his 2. action of sects agreeth with these authors saying that veteris scripturae libri sunt viginti duo there are 22. bookes of the old testament Innilius reiecteth the Machabees from diuine scripture quoniam apud Hebraeos super hac differentia recipiebantur libri Canonici sicut Hieronymus alijque testantur because with the Iewes the canonicall bookes were receiued with this difference as Ierome and other writers witnesse He reiecteth Iob and some other bookes which are Canonicall by his owne reason namely because they were of that authoritie with the Iewes Amphilochius differeth not from the aboue named writer after that he hath set downe the same number which we doe excepting the booke of Wisdome which yet it may be but put in for verse because he reckneth but three of Salomon after I say he concludeth thus hic verissimus divinitus datarum est scripturarum Canon this is the most true Canon of the diuine scriptures Ruffinus in his exposition vpon the Creede saith that he will describe the Canonicall bookes of the olde testament which he doth after our order in England and acknowledgeth that non Canonicos libros legi voluerunt in ecclesiis sed non proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandaÌ„ they wil haue the books that are not Canonicall to be read in Churches but not to be aleadged to confirme a matter of faith I will not produce the testimonies of Hierome Epiphanius Nazianzen Athanasius and others because they are obvious to euery one neither will I conuince the Doctour by his owne writers as Caietan Hugo and Arias Montanus Iosephus is worthie to be heard who plainly teacheth that duo solum viginti libri fide digni esse creduntur Euseb 3. lib. hist â—0 onely 22. bookes are to be credited By this cloud of witnesses I hope Christian Reader thou maist see the vanitie of Papists who doe nothing but crepare patres patres crie the fathers they are on their side I returne the Argument They which adde bookes to diuine scriptures draw the holy Bible to their fancies But the Papists adde whole bookes to diuine scriptures Ergo Where he saith that the Catholikes follow the bible I will not stand vpon that famous corruption of the Hebrew psalter by an English Papist to iustifie their vulgar latin text but come to one place out of which they would gather purgatorie Where it is said that a certaine sinne shall not be forgiuen neither in this world Math. 11. nor in the world to come we expound it by Marke who saith it shall neuer be forgiuen the Papist saith Matthew must not be expouÌ„ded by Marke because he is shorter but is he not plainer How absurd is it to expound these words â—ell lib. 1. de into cap. 4. he hath neuer forgiuenes to this sense whereas to expound the words of Matthew by Marke hath an excellent construction Thus euery man may see who draw the scriptures to their fancies whether Papists or Protestants The 9. reason Councells Whether the Church of God hath euer bin accustomed when any heresie did spring vp therein to gather a Councell of Bishops Prelates and other learned men I will not stand to dispute If your meaning be M. Doctour that nothing is heresie but that which is condemned by a Councell Lib. 4. cont dâ—â—s epist Pelag. in fine I vtterly renounce your vaine conceit Let Augustine
Aristippus of Dyonisius his liberalitie Tutò Dyonisius inquit liberalis est his enim qui multis indigent pauca mittit Platoni verò qui nihil accipit plurima Dyonisius saith Aristippus maintaineth all his liberalitie well enough for to the needie he sendeth fewe things but to Plato which lacketh nothing many gifts Euen so the Doctor in needelesse matters heapeth vp many testimonies but in matters of question he hath no proofe but bold assertions If he had prooued that these prophesies are verified in no religion but onely in the religion which now the Papists hold he had done well but hic labor hoc opus this is such paines as would make the Doctor sweat As the Prophets foretold the largenes of Christs religion 2. Thesâ— â— so Paul prophesied of an Apostasie from the same as the Rhemists confesse and as the same men write vpon the 12. of the Rev. where S. Iohn foresheweth that the Church shall flie into the wildernes that now in England The Church Catholike because it hath no publicke state or regiment nor open free exercise of functions may be said to be fled into the desart so say I of our Church in the raigne of Antichrist And thus I conclude As the Papists Church is now in England though not visible so was the Protestants in Antichrists raigne But the Papists Church is now in England Ergo. The proposition is manifest by S. Iohn who foretelleth the flight of the Church into the wildernes Let Reinerus speake Catal. test â—ec who was a popish inquisitour he saith that the poore men of Lyons were more pernitious to the Romish Church then all other sects for three causes first because it hath beene of longer continuance for some say that it hath endured since the time of Sylvester others say it hath endured since the Apostles time The second cause is because it is more generall for there is almost no land in which this sect doth not creepe The third cause is for that all other sects doe bring in an horrour with their heinousnes of their blasphemies against God This sect of the Leonists hath a great shewe of godlines because they liue iustly before men and beleeue all things well concerning God and all the articles which are contained in the Creede they blaspheme and hate onely the Church of Rome This is the testimonie of a cruell enemie and persecutor of them whereby euery man may see the Church to haue continued maugre Antichrist These men are knowne to haue continued in Bohemia Calabria Piemont and other places Their faith is printed in the booke called Fasciculus rerum expetendarum where who listeth may read the same But now I reduce his argument into a syllogisme They which haue the largest scope are the true Church But the Papists haue the largest scope Ergo. The proposition beseemeth an Ethnicke better then a Christian might not the heathen haue made the same against Christ The Pharisies argue indeede after the same manner Ioh. 7. Doth any of the Rulers beleeue in Christ so the Papists say Doe any Popes Cardinalls embrace Luthers doctrine In the 1. King 22. there are foure hundred Prophets against Michaiah yet Michaiah had the truth In the third of Daniel three onely resisted the Kings edict Esa 1.9 The Prophet Esai affirmeth that except the Lord had reserued a remnant they had bin as Sodom and Gomorrah Elias complaineth that he was left alone In the daies of Achab the altar of God was remooued and an idolatrous altar by the high Priests consent was set vp 1. king 16. and chap. 17.19 it is said that Iudah did not keepe the Lords commandements but walked in the errours of Israel Likewise Manasses and Amon built an idolatrous altar 2. king 21.4 5. and 22. v. might not they haue made the same argument Lib. de bre vitae Well saith Seneca Non tam benè cum rebus humanis agitur vt meliora pluribus placeant argumentum pessimi turba est It is not so well with humane affaires that most men like the best things the multitude is an argument of the worst Bellarmine hath this ingenious confession Si sola vna provincia retineret veram fidem adhuc verè propriè diceretur Ecclesia Catholica If onely one Prouince should retaine the faith yet that Prouince should be the true Church Therefore largenesse of dominion is not a note of the true Church But it is worthie to be noted first that this Doctour reckneth the largenesse of the Romane religion but for a thousand yeares for space then of sixe hundred yeares our Church had large dominion antiquitie then is with vs. Verily if our Church was ample for sixe hundred yeares I make no doubt of our religion and indeede the largenesse which the Prophets foretold was verified of the Apostolicall Church and by consequent of ours Let the Scriptures iudge whether we teach the same doctrnie that the Apostles did or no. I would not haue the Doctour to thinke that for a thousand yeares we had no church for that we alwaies had a Church I prooued before out of their owne writers Images were reiected by many Bishops seauen hundred yeares after Christ Ministers were likewise married as I shewed before for a thousand yeares And not to name many other points of doctrine Bellarmine prooueth the seauen Sacraments out of Peter Lombard is not this goodly doctrine which can bring no better authors for it then the master of sentences Barnard denieth merits Bellarmine answereth that he did it of humilitie at sancti humiles esse debent non mendaces Saints must be humble not liars In the yeare of our Lord one thousand one hundred and seauen the poore men of Leodium prooued Pope Paschal to be Antichrist In epist ad Pas Hactenus interpretabar say they ideo veluisse Petrum per Babilonem significare Romam quia tunc temporis Roma confusa erat Idololatria omni spurcitie at nunc dolor meus interpretatur quod Petrus prophetico spiritu dicens ecclesiam in Babilone collectam praedicit confusionem dissentionis qua hodie scinditur ecclesia I was wont to interpret that Peter by Babylon would signifie Rome because Rome at that time was confused with idolatrie and filthinesse but now my sorrow doth interpret vnto me that Peter calling the Church gathered togither in Babylon foresaw by the spirit of prophesie the confusion of dissention wherewith the Church at this day is rent in pieces And in the yeare of our Lord 1240. Cranâ— lib. â— Met. 18. many preachers in high Germanie did freely preach against the Pope Crantzius a man who greatly fauoured the Pope saith thus of them Quidam pulsatis campanis conuocatis baronibus terrarum certaine ringing the bells and calling the Barons of the countries are affirmed to preach publikely that the Pope was an heretike his Bishops and Prelates Symonists and heretikes Bertrame eight hundred yeares after Christ was an enemie vnto
turpi voto muta decretum in malis promissis rescinde fidem in a filthie vow change thy purpose in wicked promises disanull thy faith So doth Aquinas teach in his 2. 2. 88. quest art 10. in these words Potest contigere It may happen that a vow be simply euill or vnprofitable or a hindrance of a greater good and then it may be changed But you like filthie heretikes hold that it is a greater euill to marrie after a vow then to commit fornication Bellar. lib. 2. de Mo. cap. 34. and your Rhemists hold that it is the worst fornication 1. Cor. 7. Turpis saith Hosuis Philippo videtur hac oratio pâ— 412. Catholicis autem honestissima these words vnto Philip Melancthon seeme shamefull but vnto the Catholikes they seeme most honest what words will some say namely these that it is better for vowed persons to commit fornication or to haue a concubine then to marrie For your credit sake hereafter M. Doctor neuer come in with your doctrine of vowes I hope men by considering it will abhorre Poperie But we are not yet come to an ende of this their doctrine The catholike Romane religion teacheth abstinence and fasting which mortifieth our bodies and enricheth our countrey so doe we and doe abstaine not onely from flesh but from fish when we fast and from wine with all other delicates and for the enriching of our countrey there are lawes made to prohibit the eating of flesh on certaine daies and at certaine times But we differ from the Papists in these points first they teach that religious fasting consisteth in choice of meates as abstinence from flesh cheese egges but we teach that it consisteth in abstinence from all kind of meats It is well knowne that Popish fasting is feasting and many had rather be fed with wine and spices and delicates then with flesh Secondly we teach that we must fast to humble our selues to tame the flesh and for other respects but they teach that they fast to merit and to deserue at Gods hands nowe Christian Reader iudge which side holdeth most truely and soundly concerning fasting Some Papists write that we must abstaine from flesh and eate fish because God cursed not the waters is not this to make flesh an vncleane thing and so by consequent they resemble the old heretickes which condeÌ„ned the creatures as vncleane The auntient Christians when they fasted had but one meale a day and that at night our Papists haue two a dinner and a supper Bell. de Iâ—iu but M. Doctor whether is this to fast or no to gorge your selues with eating fish and drinking wine in bowles Wine inflameth concupiscence as well as flesh The auntient Church did not restraine fasting to certaine meates as you may see in Tertullian his booke adversus Psychichos Take heed therefore least you take part with Montanus in restraining to certain meats times Spiridion did sell flesh in lent to be eateÌ„ â—â—â—â—cause to the cleane all things are cleane Out of this historie marke these things First that to fast is sine omni cibo permanere to be without all meate Secondly the guest did refuse flesh because he was a Christian Spiridion faith therfore he ought to eate What can be more direct against Popish fasting The Papists say men are no Christians if they eate flesh in lent Spiridion saith because they are Christians therefore they ought to eate flesh Alcibiades liuing sparingly was admonished by God that he should vse all creatures Euseb l. 5. c. 3. Possid in vita August cap. 22. Augustine had alwaies wine because euery creature is sanctified by the word and praier By the same reason flesh is sanctified as well as wine A Christian may say with Augustine Non ego immunditiam obsonij timeo sed immunditiam cupiditatis I feare not the impuritie of the creature but the impuritie of my appetite Take heede also least you take part with Eustathius in this point as you doe in marriage So lib. 2. cap. 31. For he did eschew the companie of a Priest that had a wife and taught that men must abstaine from meates I will not speake of your doctrine of meriting by fasting onely this I say that if Popish fasting be right fasting many can be content to enioy no other feasting To haue most daintie cates fish and wine pleaseth the mouthes of many men as well as flesh To leaue this and to come to other points The Catholik Romane religion Who raise rents in England like vnto Papists yea it may be prooued by examples that there be Româ—ne Chatholikes as hard dealers as any other saith the Doctour forbiddeth Landlords to raise their rents except vrgent occasion driue them so to doe And we teach that oppression is peccatum clamans non amans a crying and not a louing sinne and therefore it is false which you say that we teach the Landlord to doe what he list with his owne the landlord must doe as he would men should doe vnto him he must deale with his tennants as considering himselfe to be a tennant The same Catholike Romane religion teacheth marriage to be indissoluble so doe we excepting the case of adulterie and your doctrine causeth many to fall into that foule sinne for the offending person knowing that the innocent person may not marrie againe careth not to commit that sinne if libertie were graunted the occasion is taken away Secondly you make no difference betwixt the innocent person and the person offending is not this good diuinitie The Grecians also teach as we teach in this point so doth Erasmus and your owne men Caietane and Catherine Thus M. Doctor you care not to accuse your owne champions of prophane doctrine I passe by other testimonies because I will answer briefly libr. de Ma. c. 14. Bellarmine writeth thus Sola fornicatio directè oppenitur fidei coniugali sustantiae ipsius matrimonij Onely fornication is direâ—â—ly opposite to the marriage couenant and to the substance of matrimonie Great reason then is there surely that this sinne should dissolue marriage Doth not that dissolue a thing which ouerthroweth the substance of it And how they prouided for the innocent partie let his word iudge which punisheth the adulterer with death if the adulterer ought to be so punished there can be no question but marriage may be dissolued Hitherto the Doctor hath had but badde successe for his holy doctrine let vs see if his successe be better hereafter The Catholike Romane religion saith he teacheth that all laws of magistrates which be not expresly against the word of God doe binde the subiects in conscience the greater therefore is your sinne because you care not to murder Princes But what if the Pope giueth a dispensation then you may doe what you list O holy and heaueÌ„ly doctrine Our doctrine concerning magistrates lawes is this that the authoritie in generall is to be regarded for conscience because it is Gods ordinance But
he chargeth vs with the same crime because we teach euery sinne to deserue eternall damnation which doctrine his owne men haue taught as I haue prooued These doctrines might haue serued to haue returned this vntruth vpon his head but let vs further see into their doctrine It is not lawfull for the faithfull to marrie with infidells for Paul saith 1. Cor. 6. be not yoked with infidells yet the Pope may dispence in this point Bellar. lib. 1. de Mat. cap. 23. who gaue the Pope leaue thus to play with Gods word Secondly God forbiddeth diuerse degrees of kindred yet the Pope despenseth with them if Gods word bee holy the Popes doctrine is prophane and sheweth him to be Antichrist sitting in the Temple as God Thirdly subdeacons may not marry yet the Pope dispensed with them Greg. lib. 1. Epist Cap. 42. Fourthly God commandeth the children to honour Parents but the papists teach that they may enter into the state of Monkes and Nunnes without the parents consent Bellar. lib. 2. de me 36 cap. Fiftly the Pope should honour the magistrate as beeing his father but the Emperour kisseth is toe Sixtly the Papistes allowe stewes and one calleth them a nenessarie euill God saith Deut. 23.27 There shall be not whore of the daughters of Israel Seauenthly the Papists teach that the Seriptures are not to be read of all men a doctrine tending to ignorance and prophane life Eightly the Papists say that the passions of Saints are ioyned to Christs passion to make vp the treasure of the Church a most blasphemous doctrine against Christs sufferings which are of infinit valour Bell. lib. de Indulg Ninthly the Papists teach that Saints may be called our redeemers after a certaine respect though not simply Bellarm. eodem lib. if there were nothing but this one thing in Poperie a man should euer detest the same Tenthly the Papists teach that it is better to commit fornication then to marrie after a vow as I prooued which is most filthie and odious doctrine 11. The Papists teach that in this life and after death the Pope may giue pardons which is a most dissolute doctrine as is the doctrine of purgatorie Giue good store of gold and siluer and thou shalt haue pardon alas what will not a man giue for the redemption of his soule 12. The Papists teach that some sinnes deserue not death of their own nature which maketh men to commit these smal sinnes whereas the greatnes of sinne terrifieth men from it Thus M. Doctor behold your holy doctrine and now I returne your speach if the Papists doctrine open the right way to heauen then is the way to heauen most pleasant and delightfull to flesh and blood and consequently most easie to be walked The 14. reason Negatiue Doctrine Although this reason with the rest following hath no substance but many vaine words yet I will examine it with the others that followe Pope Boniface robbed the Church and â—â—ed to Ierusalem Fas. Tmp. pag. 70. Albertus robbed the Church by Papall authority â—â—n 90â— Whether Tarltons father spoiled the Church as the Doctor reporteth I am ignorant but if you thus dispute M. Doctor Tarletons father solde the lead off the parish Church Ergo the religion in England is a false religion Tarleton himselfe I am sure had more wit then you you are beholding to his father for this fact for otherwise as it seemeth you had wanted matter to fill vp your chapter as for the destroying of Abbeis Monasteries Nunries Chauntries Altars you might admire the iust iudgment of God vpon such places which beeing abused to Idolatrie and to filthie lust whordome and Sodomie are changed to other vses your owne prelates also in king Henrie his daies committed Abbey lands to the Princes disposition And if you thinke it carnall libertie to possesse any such Church goods you may doe well to perswade a number of your fauorites to renounce the possession of their Abbey lands and to restore them to the Church If you refuse so to doe I will say no more you are libertines your selues by your own verdict Who first annexed parsonages to abbeyes but Papists and this thing hath not a little maimed Gods Church Who first exacted first fruits but the couetous Pope read M. Doctor Fasciculum rerum expetendarum what orations are there against them If your Abbeyes be spoiled blame your selues for Iulian the Cardinall writing to Eugenius saith iusto Dei Iudicio fiet quòd quia nolumus dimittere Concilium fieri perdemus temporalitatem nostram vtinaus non corpora animas By the iust iudgement of God it shall come to passe because we will not suffer a Councell that we shall leese our temporalities and I would to god we might not leese our bodies and soules Touching first fruits saith the Author of the oration against them that exorbitanter factum fuerat contra ius iustitiam in oppressionem praelaturarum ecclesiarumque manasteriorum beneficiorum etiam personarum quibus contigerat It was exorbitantly done against right and equitie to the oppression of Praelacies Churches Monasteries Benefices and also the persons to whome it happened If some Lutherane as you call them had thus written you might haue discredited it but now you haue no cause so to doe No maruaile then if others followed the Popes example If these testimonies will not suffice call to minde the popes confession namely Adrians that Omne malum à Curia Romana processit All wickednesse proceeded from the Romane Court. Thus you haue gained little by this your preface to negatiue doctrine I might answer this reason onely with the like namely that the Papists standeth vpon meere negatiues as these I denie Christ to be the onely king Priest and Prophet of his Church I denie that onely God is to be called vpon I denie the Scriptures to containe sufficient doctrine vnto saluation I denie we are saued onely by Christ thus I might proceede and shew that your religion standeth vpon destructiues But I will giue you arguments for the opinions which we hold And to beginne with Baptisme with which you likewise beginne you hold it to be simply necessarie vnto saluation we denie it affirming that Gods grace is not tied to the Sacraments but that he may dispense it as it pleaseth him The theefe vpon the crosse was saued without baptisme ergo it is not simply necessarie Valentinian died without baptisme as Ambrose reporteth and yet he doubted not of his saluation And if it be necessarie simply vnto saluation it is by this place in the 3. of Iohn No man can enter into the kingdome of heauen except he be borne of water and of the spirit but this place doth not prooue a simple necessitie for Bellarmine teacheth that baptisme was not necessarie simply before the passion of Christ therefore this place prooueth it not We say therefore with Bernard Non carere baptisme seà contemnere capitale est epist 77. not the
want but the contempt of baptisme is damnable In the Church of Thessalie as Socrates writeth they did baptize onely at Easter ob quam causam saith he Lib. 5. cap 20. omnes paucis admodum exceptis absque baptismate moriebantur for which cause all excepting a fewe died without baptisme Would the Church of Thessalie haue done thus if it had thought baptisme simply necessarie vnto saluation If you obiect Augustines authoritie I answer first that he thought the Eucharist necessarie also as I prooued before and if he erred in one why might he not erre in the other secondly the same man saith tunc invisibiliter impletur cum misteriuÌ„ baptismi Lib. 4. cap. 2â— non contemptus religionis sed articulus necessitatis excludit then it is inuisibly fulfilled when the point of necessitie doth exclude baptisme and not contempt of religion S. Augustine therefore did vrge baptisme to be necessarie against the Pelagians who thought it superfluous and not against those that were preuented with ineuitable necessitie The contempt therefore is damnable and not the want of baptisme I might also oppose Vincentius iudgement to that of Augustine if he be of another minde but I let it alone Catharin the Papist assigneth neither heauen nor hell to infants but a third place and so sheweth himselfe a flat Pelagian as I might shew but I referre the reader to August serm 14. de ver Apost lib. 1. de poena mor. cap. 28. To be briefe it is admirable to consider the varietie of popish opinions about this point Bellar. lib. 6. de amiss grat cap. 1. Agree amongst your selues you that teach so seuerally concerning Infants before you come to charge the Protestants doctrine with bare negatiues Next to baptisme we must speake of inherent Iustice which we doe not denie to be in men for this inherent righteousnes is sanctification but we teach this inherent righteousnes to be imperfect and cleaue onely to the righteousnes of Christ whose righteousnes is the very thing that causeth a man to stand righteous before God and to be accepted to life euerlasting This doctrine I maruell you dare once barke against being so holy and so comfortable as it is I will giue you reasons of it In the 3. to the Rom. we are saide to be iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Iesus Christ whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood By grace here Bellarmine will haue inherent grace vnderstood because the fauour of God is sufficiently set forth by the word freely as though to fortifie and amplifie a matter one thing may not be vttered in diuers wordes which I might plentifully prooue Secondly saith he the word by cannot be applied to the fauour of God but to the formall cause or meritorious cause or instrumentall cause this is likewise false as I might shew by some examples but let this be graunted that by grace is not meant the fauour of God in this place Paul expoundeth himselfe saying through the redemption which is in Iesus Christ And to retort Bellarmine his reason if by the fauour of God we must vnderstand inherent righteousnes then the Apostle needed not to haue added through faith because faith is a part of inherent righteousnes Hence I thus conclude if we are iustified formally and meritoriously by the redemption which is in Iesus Christ then are we not iustified by inherent iustice but we are iustified formally and meritoriously by the redemption that is in Christ ergo In the same chapter we are said to be iustified without workes some answer works ceremoniall are to be vnderstood this answer Bellarmine refuteth because the Apostle speaketh simply without the workes of the law What works doth Bellarmine vnderstand workes that goe before faith But by his owne reason we must vnderstand all works for the Apostle speaketh simply not restraining his speach to Moses his law or to workes going before faith Againe such workes are excluded as we may boast in but we may boast in the works which follow faith especially seeing they proceede partly of our selues and not onely of grace as the Papists teach Augustine is worthie to be heard speaking against Pelagius vpon the like place of scripture Non ait ex praeteritis operibus De praedest gra cap. 7. sed cum generaliter dixerit non ex operibus ibi praeterita intelligi voluit futura he saith not of workes which are past but seeing he speaketh generally of works he will haue both workes that are past and to come vnderstood So say I to the Papist the Apostle speaketh generally why shouldest thou then restraine his speach to works that are past I let passe the arguments taken out of the 4. chap. which are many and come to the place in the 2. of the Cor. the 5. chap. where Paul writeth that Christ was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him As Christ was made a sinner so are we made righteous but Christ was made a sinner by imputation ergo we are made righteous by imputation To this text semblably suteth Augustine Ipse ergo peccatum cap. 41. vt nos iustitia he was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him Againe 3. tract in Ioh. omnes qui per Christum iustificati iusti non in se sed in illo all that are instified in Christ are righteous in him not in themselues Lastly for breuitie sake I thus dispute That righteousnes which must answer Gods iustice must be pure and perfect but ours is impure ergo Augustine saith 19 lib. de civ c. 17. our righteousnesis such that it consisteth rather of remission of sinnes then of perfection of vertues ergo it is not perfect Optatus speaketh thus Onely Christ is perfect lib. 2. caeteri omnes semiperfecti sumus all other of vs are but halfe perfect The testimonies of Fathers are many in this case I conclude with Bernard 61 in Cant. The righteousnes of Christ is not a short cloake which cannot couer two Thus I haue giuen you a few reasons why we cleaue onely to the righteousnes of our blessed Sauiour Christ I desire you M. Doctor as you loue the saluation of your soule that you cleaue onely to it and leaue your stained righteousnes for your conscience tâ—lleth you that your inherent righteousnes is imperfect Quantaelibet fuisse virtutis antiquos praedices iustor non eos salvos fecit nisi fides mediatoris What vertues soeuer you preach that the auncient iust men had nothing saued them but faith in the Mediatour Lib. 1. cont Pelag cap. 21. saith Augustine Except therefore you be better then the righteous men Abraham Noe others onely faith in Christ must bring you to saluation Concerning workes of preparation if by them you vnderstand workes by which God bringeth vs to repentance
his minde at his death it had beene something but seeing he continued constant against the Popish doctrine it is a sure argument of his setled minde against that religion although he could not see all errours at the first Maruaile not then M. Doctor though by little and little he taught against your erroneous doctrines Augustine saith that nemo nisi imprudens quia mea errata reprehendo Lib. 1. Retract me audebit repreheÌ„dere No man that is wise wil find fault with me because I finde fault with my selfe Touching the alteration of the Communion booke we haue made no great alteration these fourtie yeares of it And yet knowe we M. Doctor that ceremonies and matters of indifferencie may be changed so oft as the Church shall see cause But say you who so doeth obserue daiely the order thereof is a cold Protestant or an Atheist for his labour This sauoureth of your accustomed railing and therefore deserueth no answere As for the communion in leauened or vnleauened bread heare your angelicall Doctor Thomas non est de necessitate Sacraments Tertia Pâ— 74. art 4. quod sit azimus vel fermentatus panis quia in vtroque confici potest conueniens autem est vt vnusquisque seruet ritum suae Ecclesia It is not of the necessitie of the Sacrament that it should be either vnleauened or leauened bread but it is conuenient that euery man obserue the rite of his church in the celebration of the Sacrament That some in stead of wine take in the communion nappie ale it may be true in Papists but I knowe no protesants that doe it and as for placing the Communion table and praying with a mans face either towards the south or north be matters of indifferencie Walfridus Strabo writeth of this point thus Vnusquisque suâ— sensu abundet Let euery man abound in his owne sense Yea he sheweth that the altars did not looke all one way but there followeth a great matter concerning reuerend Iewel who first gloried that Christs flocke was little but afterwards vaunted much that our doctrine must needes be true because it was spread so largely As though this reuerend man might not auouch Christs flocke to be sometimes little See Sâ—câ— in his 5. booke and sometimes to be large But if this be such inconstancy I pray you learne M. Doctor that your selues were woont to prooue you to be the Church because of vniuersalitie But nowe your Rhemists seeing Antichrists kingdome lessended will needs prooue your selues the Church vpon the 20. of the â—eueâ— because of the small number Thus is vnconstancie turned vpon your owne heades for indeed it seemeth that you care not what you write to discharge the Pope from beeing Antichrist The same Rhemists will one while haue the reuolt of which Paul speaketh 2. Thessal 2. chap. to be vnderstood from the Romane Empire immediately they say it is very like to be from the Romane Church O admirable constancie What should I examplifie your inconstancie howe Saints heare our praier one whiles they heare them this way another whiles that way These you may read in Bellarmine himselfe the constancie of worshipping of your Images is vncoÌ„stant as I can prooue vnto you Luther his change of opinions I haue answered before the old prouerb may heare fitly be vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no one man seeth all things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second cogitations are best I will requite the Duke of Saxonie his speech with another it is reported saith Gryneus that he should say Although I am not ignorant that there haue both errours and abuses crept into the Church yet I will not imbrace that Gospel which Luther preacheth Thus the man as I thinke with whose saying you ende your chapter M. Doctor hath done you more harme then good The 18. reason False Prophets and teachers As the Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe foretolde that in the later daies there should come false Prophets so we find it by experience Now let vs see whether the notes of false Prophets agree to your selues or vnto vs. To prooue that they agree vnto vs you frame this reason They which come vnsent are false prophets But the Protestants come vnsent ergo The assumption is prooued because we haue neither ordinary or extraordinarie callings Extraordinarâ—e calling we haue none because we worke no miracles that we haue no ordinarie calling it is plaine I answer that Luther Zuinglius and some others were ordained Elders by your selues And therefore they were called ordinarily According to your calling if they were Elders they might preach true doctrine for I hope you ordained not them to preach false doctrine If they lost their ordination because they renounced poperie then haue you lost yours much more because you haue renounced Christs doctrine But I thinke you will not say that they lost their ordination because of your indelible character the Sacraments which imprint this cannot be repealed one of which you make Orders But I would not haue you to thinke that we esteeme so much of your calling as that we regard it beeing corrupt The wicked asked Christ for his authoritie Mat. 21. He that preacheth the Apostles doctrine hath authoritie enough the estate of this church beeing corrupted so that he cannot haue that calling which he would He that is sent to preach may not hold his tongue and tarrie till your Lord the Pope and his mitred fathers can inteÌ„d to consent But you require miracles I answer that Iohn Bapt. did no miracle Thom. 3. 3â— quaest art 2. resp ad 2. giueth this reason Si Iohannes signa fecisset homines ex aequâ— Iohanni Christo attendissent If Iohn had done any miracles men would haue equally attended to him and to Christ It is sufficient that our doctrine is confirmed by Christs miracles Further M. Doctor our preachers were called by the Christian Magistrates whose allowance they had which to be warrantable your selues cannot denie But why doe I followe this point any further Coster a papist confesseth that Quanquam plerique haereticorum Episcopi presbyteri doctores ex ordine munus officium docendi acceperunt nulli tamen facultas data est noua decreta fabricandi sed hoc tantùm candidè sincerè tradendi quod ei qui misit probatur Although many Bishops Elders and Doctors of haeretickes haue receiued orderly the dutie to teach yet to no man is power giuen to make newe opinions but sincerely to deliuer that which is approoued vnto him that sent him Wherefore you reiect our calling prooue that we coyned newe opinions Eusâ—b l. 6. 1â— cap. Origen taught before he was ordained Elder when the Church was sound Demetrius reprehended Alexander Bishop of Hierusalem and Theodistus of Caesarea for suffering him so to doe but they defend themselues and shewe that it may be done ad commodandum fratribus to profit the brethren If this might be done in Constituta Ecclesia in an
be regarded we denie not M. Doctor The heathen haue condemned ingratitude for a heynous sinne Beneficii memoriam qui recipit habere debet he that receiueth a benefit ought to remember it The Athenians made a lawe that the vnthankefull person might be sued as well as a debter this is so cleere as that no man can denie it and I would it were as easie to perswade vnto thankefulnesse as it is to speake of it But I feare me it happeneth to the papist as it doth to the vsurer who speaketh against vsurie that he may practise it without suspition for the papist inueyeth against ingratitude and vnthankefulnesse least he should be argued of it For this is to forget God to breake his lawes The Iewes in the 32. of Deut. are charged to haue forgotten God and Dauid in the 106. psalme saith they made a calfe in Horeb worshipped the goldeÌ„ image they forgat God their Sauiour which had done great things in Egypt Yet did the Iewes make an image vnto God Exod. 32. and worshipped God in the Image for Aaron proclaimed an holy day vnto the Lord and can any man imagine that Aaron should think an idol to be that God which brought the people out of Egypt He that was to be high Priest would he thinke the worke of his hands to be God Thus you with the Iewes in the very things which you say put you in remeÌ„brance of God forget God Nowe I reduce your argument into a syllogisme They that keepe feasts and Images to put them in remembrance of God are most mindfull of him But so doe the Papists and not Protestants ergo I denie the proposition and say that this outward pompe is fit for the Whore of Babylon We can remember god without these externall rites The preaching of the Gospel crucifieth Christ before our eies the Sacraments ordained of God himselfe doe liuely set forth Christ and the blessings of God within and without vs and of euery side of vs are so many that men can hardly forget him vnlesse they forget the earth that beareth them the heauens that couer them the day that guideth them and the night that giueth them rest But that M. Doctor you may see howe well in this obiection you agree with the heathen remember that Celsus obiecting to the Church the want of feasts is answered by Origen Festum est facere officium a feast is to doe a dutie Origen numbreth the feasts of Christians to be the Lords day Easter and Pentecost Hereby men may see what cause we haue to renounce poperie which taketh part with the heathens in their obiections Socrates in his 5. booke and 22. chapter dischargeth festiuall daies of the Apostles institution Apostolis propositum fuit non vt leges de festis diebus sancirent sed vt rectè viuendi rationis pietatis nobis authores essent The Apostles purpose was not to make lawes of feasts but to be authors of pietie and of godly life Erasmus vpon the 10. of Math. writeth thus Aetas Hieronimi praeter diem dominicum paucissima nouerat festa nunc feriarum neque finis neque modus quae cum primitus ad pietatis vacationem pauca essent institutae nunc ad scelerum exclusionem tolli debebant nisi sacerdotum auaritia suis rebus consuleret potius quam verae religioni Hieromes age besides the Lords day knewe fewe feasts nowe there is no ende nor measure of holidaies which were first instituted but fewe for pietie but now to exclude vice they ought to be taken away but that the couetous priestes doe rather prouide for themselues then for true religion The originall of your feasts may be read in Fascicul Temp. and others But I haue spoken of these feasts in another booke and therefore I will not make any longer discourse of them By these testimonies euery one may see what moment the obiection of feasts hath Touching Organs they were instituted 600. Lib. 1. de yeares after Christ as Bellarmine confesseth shall we thinke that Gods Church forgot him so long a time because it had no Organs But if we will see whence this outward pompe had her beginning let Bellarmine speake lib. 4. de Eu. cap. 4. Creuit honor sanctissimi sacramenti deuotione interna decrescente The honour of the Sacrament grewe when inward deuotion ceased If people then haue inward pietie and godlinesse these outward ornaments are needlesse Thus Bellarmine dischargeth vs of vnthankefulnesse to God and in fewe wordes giueth the reason of popish pompe As for breaking of popish images in Churches and Crosses in high waies we hold it lawefull to destroy Idolatrie Epiphannius when he sawe a picture in the Church brake it and saith it is an horrible wickednesse and a sinne not to be suffered It is pretty that the Doctor compares temples without images to â—arnes withouâ— haâ— as hay is fit for beasts so are Images fit for beastly men by his comparison for any man to set vp any picture in the Church of Christians yet the Papists store all their temples each corner of them with painted and carued images as though without them religion were nothing worth But M. D. I desire to knowe how the christians remembred Christ when they had noe temples at all you say that our Churches are like barnes which men knowe to be a vntruth yet the auncient christians had noe temple at all as Bellarmine confesseth lib 3. de Rom. Pont. cap. 13. Did they forget Christ when they praied in priuate families take heed least you disgrace not the auncient christians as well as the Protestants Acams when he was accused for selling of holy vessells to the vse of the poore answered that Deus noster nec disscis nec calicibus eget quia non comedit nec bibit our God needeth not cuppes because he neither eateth nor drinketh soe say I our God needeth not your goulden Images and ornaments which indeede distract mens mindes praying doe not increase deuotion Lactantius in his 2. booke and 4. chap. speaketh against the heathen after this manner In vaine doe men adorne Gods with gould and pearles as if they could take any pleasure in these things after he sheweth out of Persius that God delighteth in Iustice and in holy soules so say I to the Papists God requireth not Images and festiuall daies at your handes but he desireth inward holines Now Christian reader marke the Doctors follies in this chapter The first is this God commanded the Iewes many feastes all which were obserued to himselfe ergo Christians may haue feastes dedicate vnto Saints What a pitifull conclusion is this as though the Church might doe whatsoeuer God doth Yea what a consequent is this God ordained feastes vnto himselfe therefore the Romane Church may ordeyne feasts vnto Saints These arguments hange together like ropes of sande Secondly he coÌ„fesseth that parrish churches were dedicated to saints which is flat Idolatrie for onely God must haue a