see no reason to refuse it But if you will learne reason when it is shewed you maie see more then you do now Are your ancetors of the primitiue Church greater then Saint Paull Is there anie testimonié of man greater then the witnes of an Angell from heauen yet if Saint Paull him selfe or an Angell from heauen should preach an other Gospell then Saint Paull had preached and is contained in the holi scriptures that false Gospell were to be resused and the author thereof to be accursed Now that Saint Paull preached nothing beside the doctrine conteined in the scriptures he is a sufficient witnes himselfe Act. 26. 22. But why see you no reason to refuse such traditions so obtruded Forsooth because the same men that deliuered vnto you the scriptures and saide this is Gods writen worde and saide of other forged scriptures this is not Gods written worde the same deliuered to you these doctrines saying this is Gods wordes vnwritten So that by this reason you haue no other foundation of your faith but the testimonie of men who as they may speake the truth in one matter so they may lie or be deceiued in an other As euen by your owne reason the Grecians the Armenians the Georgians the Moscouites and all other sectaries are bound to beleeue all that to be the word of God vnwritten which the same men affirme to be such that deliuered the canonicall scriptures to them and said it was the word of God written But in steade of this vnsure and sandie ground the children of God haue a more firme rocke to builde their faith vpon namelie the spirit of trueth sealing in their heartes the testimonie of men concerning the truth of Gods worde written In which the same spirit also testifieth of the sufficiencie of the word written vnto saluation in such sort as if we receiue the word written for truth we must needs condemne for false what word soeuer speaketh either the contrarie or addeth any thing as wanting and not set forth in the word written And this I say not as though the primitiue Church or the godlie fathers of the same haue brought in any thing vnder the name of tradition of Christ or his Apostles as necessarie to saluation although some of them in matters of rites ceremonies haue alledged tradition beside the scriptures yet in such things as are now for the most part abolished either because they were not deliuered by the Apostles as it was pretended or els because such matters are mutable and not perpetuall though they were receiued from the Apostles But let vs examine the examples that you ioyne to your reason First Saint Augustine and Origen doe teach vs that baptizing of infantes is to be practized in the Church onelie by tradition of the Apostles For which you quote August lib. 10. ad gen lit cap. 23. Origen in cap. 6. Epist. ad Rom. What Saint Augustine saieth and how the baptisme of infantes is practized by authoritie of the scripture I haue shewed before sect 11. As for Origen in the place quoted hath neuer a word to any such matter But of these impudent allegations we haue had too many examples alreadie The second example is Saint Hierome and Epiphanius tell vs that the faste of the lent and oher the like is a tradition of the Apostles Hierom. Epist. 54. ad Marcella Epiphann Haer. 7. 5. Hieromes wordes are these against the Montanistes Nos vnam quadragesimam secundùm traditionem Apostolorum toto anno tempore nobis congruo ieiunamus 〈◊〉 tres in anno faciunt quadragesimas quasi tres passi sunt saluatores non quòd per totum annum excepta pentecoste ieiunare non liceat sed quòd aliud sit necessitate aliud voluntate munus offerre We fast one lent or fourtie daies according to the tradition of the Apostles in the wholl yeare in a time conuenient for vs they make three lentes or fourtie daies fast in a yeare as though three sauiours had sussered not but that it is lawfull all the yeare long except in the pentecostor fiftie daies but that it is one thing to offer a gift of necessitie an other thing to doe it of free will Here Hierome saith that one fourtie daies fast is of the tradition of the Apostles but other writers say otherwise For Damasus in his Pontificall saieth that Telesphorus Bishope of Roome did institute this seauen weekes faste before Easter Telesphorus him-selfe in his decretall Epistle saith that he and his fellow Bishoppes gathered in a Councell at Roome did ordeine this fourtie daies faste onelie for clerkes and contendeth in manie wordes that there must be a difference betweene clerkes and laie men as well in faste as in other thinges If you saie these authorities are counterfet 〈◊〉 as I thin 〈◊〉 you may truelie though you will not willinglie yet what saie you to 〈◊〉 an elder witnes then Hierome whoe testifieth out of yeares that two hundered 〈◊〉 before his time there was great controuersie betweene the next successours of the Apostles concerning the daie of the celebration of Easter and that the coutrouersie was not onelie of the daie but also of the fast some fasting one daie some two dates some more So that of the Apostles tradition we haue no certaintie in any monument of antiquitie Againe it is to be noted that Hierome holdeth it vnlawfull to faste betweene Easter and Whitesontyde which he calleth Peatecoste by the same tradition of the Apostles which yet in the Popish Church is not obserued at this daie for beside the fridaie fast they haue also the gang weeke fast in that time which in Saint Hieromes age was accounted vnlawfull to fast in Your other witnes Epiphanius speaketh not of your fourtie daies lent but of a shorter and yet a streighter For these are his wordes Aquo verò non assensum est in omnibus orbis terrarum regionibus quòd quarta prosabbato ieiunium est in Ecclesia ordinatum Siverò etiam oportet constitutionem Apostolorum proferre quomodo illic decreuerunt quarta prosabbato ieiunium per omnia excepta pentecoste de sex dieb paschatis quomodo praecipiunt nihil omnino accipere quà m panem salem aquam qualemque diem agere quomodo dimittere in illucescentem dominicam manifestum est And of whome is it not agreed in all regions of the world that one wednesdaie and fridaie fast is ordeined in the Church But if we must also bring forth the constitution of the Apostles how they haue there decreed one the wednesdaie and fridaie a fast thoroughout all except pentecost and of the six daies of Easter how they commaund to take nothing at all but bread and salte and water and how to spend the daie and how to giue ouer against the dawning of the Lords daie it is manifest Here he speaketh but ofsixe daies before Easter daie and of an other manner of diet then the Popish Church holdeth to be necessarie
do principally concerne him The first is his writing which as shall appeare by this authors defense doth conuince him of grosse ignorance and that in verie common matters both of diuinitie and of Philosophie wherein it is well knowne that Campian was moste excellent But seeing the proofe of this conuiction resteth onely in the authors defense the discreete reader will suspend his iudgement vntill he see Master Charkes answere also In the meane time it will appeare by that which other men write in his defence likewise that all is not grosse ignorance which cauilling and malitious Papists seeking to deface him with a false accusation are disposed to impute vnto him As for Campians learning in these two sciences I may be as bold to saie it is well knowne that it was but vulgar and inferior to manie of his yeares and tyme of studie which you commend to be in the superlatiue degree of moste excellencye Some peece of his diuinity he shewed in the conference with in the tower of London His knowledge in Philosophie as it is not to be waighed in the controuersie of Religion which we haue in hand so it is not to be thought that he so far excelled therein but Oxford and Cambridge can aforde an hundreth Masters of Arte his iuniors in time at the lest way his equalls if not his betters therein That Master Charke outfaced him in the towre of London by reason of his high place gaie apparell great wordes assistance of friendes countenance of authoritie and applause of Protestantes standing by it is a poore excuse of Master Campians insufficiencie which though it was manifest to the wise and learned in euery of the former daies of conference yet in that last daie of Master Charkes encounter with him was apparant euen to the simple ignorant so that Campians impudencie wherein he chieflie excelied was so repressed at that time as euen in the opinion of euerie man albeit he was vanquished before yet now at last he seemed to be cleane ouerthrowne And this shamefull foile you would faine haue to be thought to haue happened vnto him as one ouermatched with M. Charkes highe place gaie apparell great wordes c. It is pittie your Champion was noe better armed aganst so weake arguments but did suffer him self to be outfaced with such friuolous reasons of place garmentes wordes countenance multitude verely they that knew his audacitie from a childe marueled to see him so greatlie daunted but that it pleased God that day to make him and all the papists in their foolish deuise of his impudent challenge ridiculous to al the world But if we maie examine these reasons by which he seemed to be so much outfaced what difference of place I praie you was there betweene the opponents and the respondent were not there stooles of equall height you would haue fooles imagine belike that Charke sat a loft in a throne seauen stepps higher then Campian or what meane you to prate of high place As for gay apparell men maie see Master Charke daielie how gorgeouslie he is araied so that he turneth the eies of all men vppon him which waie so euer he goeth or els Campian had smale cause to feare him for his gaie apparell In trueth his apparell was of colour blacke of matter wollen of making such as the common sorte of Ministers in London commonly do vse to weare But if Campian had bene stripped out of his rugge gowne whereunder his ruffianlike garments were hidde he would haue appeared in much gayer apparell for matter colour and fashion then Master Charke was euer seene to weare since he came into the ministerie Neuertheles his gowne could not hide his to spots hat which if not on that daie yet at all other times of the conference it is certaine was the same that was seene with the rest of his Iesuiticali robes when he ridde through Cheap-side towards the tower of London And therefore mee thinkes you neede not to haue spoken of Master Charkes gaie apparell But what were those greate words of his a foote and a halfe long at the lest that Master Campian might be outfaced with them They that were present could obserue no affectation os wordes but weight of matter that bare downe Campians courage especially when he was pressed to answere to syllogismes which as though no man but he could skill of at the first he did scornefully call for The assistance of friendes was a smale prerogatiue when they were onelie hearers and not helpers of his disputation The countenance of authoritie litle auaileth in conference where each partie by leaue of authoritie may saie what he can for his cause Last of all the applause of the Protestantes standing by was no cause of Campians outfacing but a consequent of his vnsufficient answering That vaine scoffe of Campians comming within the reach of Charkes ministeriall power and authoritie sauoreth of nothing but of proude follie and foolish malice For all men maie easilie know that when Campian was apprehended for mouing the Queenes subiects to sedition and committed to the tower for imagining and practising of high treason he was not within the reach of anie Ecclesiasticall persons power or authoritie much lesse of poore M. Charkes iurisdiction which is none at all further then by commission might be graunted to anie of the state ciuill or Ecclesiasticall to examine him or to conferre with him The second matter you haue to speake to Master Charks owne person is of his false dealing to deceaue wherin you graunt him principalitie not onely aboue Campian who had no talent at all therein but euen aboue the chiefe masters of his owne syde most expert in that facultie The terme of talent being taken out of the gospell and signifying some grace or gyfte of god how vngraciouslie it is abused not onely in this place for a facultie of false dealing but also by the auctor him-selfe asterward for a custome of rayling I wish the sober reader to obserue and to consider what religious affection these men beare to the doctrine of Christ that can finde no termes to play with all in their spitefull inuectiues but such as are shamefullie detorted and abused from the holy vse and phrases of the blessed scriptures As for the crime of false dealing let it appeare in Gods name by the tryall and examination of both the parties writings and rest where it shal be found to be practized In the meane time we must a litle consider of these examples here brought for a taste to shew his false dealings by Master setter forth First M. Charke inueigheth against the Censurer verie sharpely because he chargeth Luther with an opinion which he confesseth that sometimes he held and afterward recanteth concerning the licensing of wiues to lie with their neighbour when their husbands by naturall infirmitie were not hable to do their partes This say you seemeth a very reasonable defense where is then the false dealing Mary say you the words
of his open shewing which is not to be vnderstoode of some denne altogether sequestred from the conuersation of men as though he had lurked there like a beare and an hater of mankinde estranged from all humanitie as in latter times Eremites and such like men fained vnto them-selues superstitious seruice but he was brought vp vnder the discipline of his parents which dwelled in a place lying in an hillie region which was commonlie called the wildernesse as we also speake in our vulgare language To dwell by the forest Hercinia am hartzowonen that is to dwell in townes neere to the mountaines So afterward he baptizeth in the wildernesse that is in places neere Iordane where the mountaines are not farre of and yet euerie where there were townes and villages Thus it is plaine that the Centuriastes do vnderstand by the wildernesse not onelie a priuate life in his fathers house but also his dwelling in the wildernesse Except our answerer perhaps doth thinke that as soone as Iohn Baptist was circumcised he was cast out into a desert place and not nourished in his fathers house nor by them instructed in godlinesse The words of Lake are plaine Immediately after his circumcision The childe grew and was strengthened in spirit and was in the desert places vntill the daie of his open shewing vnto Israel by which desert places if he will vnderstand none other but a vaste wildernesse void of all conuersation of men he must needes place him there in his infancie by the text before he could go speake or helpe him-selfe anie more then a childe of eight daies olde Againe he must tel vs where this wildernesse was into which Iohn was so translated for the land of Israel as it had manie wilde and solitarie places as euerie countrie hath yet had it no such wildernesse as is imagined but that was inhabited with townes and villages and the groundes thereof occupied and frequented Finallie he is meanlie reade in the scriptures which knoweth not that the word desert often signifieth the countrie as it is opposite to the citie and frequence of men and not allwaie a barren forsaken land as the desert of Arabia through which the children of Israell passed from Egipt to Canaan Now touching his apparell how is it expounded by Protestants The answerers wordes are these And for his apparell saie they of Camells heare it was not strange apparel but vsuall to Mountain men that is vndulata saieth another water-chamlet handsome and decent albeit somewhat plentifull in that countrie For this is quoted Marlorate in cap. 3. Mat. Chytraeus in cap. 3. Math. The wordes of Marlorate are these Hoc Euangelista non memorat c. The Euangelist doth not rehearse this among his principall vertues that being addicted to a rude and austere forme oflife he auoided euen meane and vsuall neatnes but becawse he had said before that he was a man of the mountaines or wildernesse now he addeth that his victuals and his apparell was agreeable to his dwelling And this he reciteth not onelie that we maie know that he being content with rusticall victuals and apparell sought after no delicacie but that in this base and contemptible habit he was of great estimation euen among them that were delicate and gallant It satisficeth not the Papists that he vsed a garment of small price and great hardnesse except it were of a strange and disguised fashion such as no man vsed the like And therefore in stead of a garment made of Camells heare they cloth him in their Imagerie with a camells skinne halfe naked sometimes with the taile hanging betweene his leggs as Hercules in his Lyons skinne is pourtraicted of the gentiles although the expresse restimonies of the auncient writers are to the contrarie Therefore the Centuriasts write thus ofhis apparel to whome perhaps our answerer would be referred because his quotation is before c. Fuit vestitus victus ratio peculiaris His apparell and manner of liuing was peculiar which as in Prophets sometimes hath betokened the greatest matters so also in this Iohn his garment was wouen of camells heare Neither is it agreeable to trueth thatraw hydesweere so ioyned together as some thinke but he wore an vsuall kinde of garment such as they were clad in which dwelled in those hillie places namelie base and rusticall lest anie man should suspect that he desired the greatest honours or the life of noble men Againe Horridior quidem paulò c. His garment of Camells heare was somewhat rough but yet strong and durable You see these men acknowledge his garment to haue beene base rusticall and rough farre from the daintinesse and brauerie that is commonlie desired in apparell although they thinke it was vsuall vnto poore bowers of the countrie that dwelled in the desert mountaines where he had his abode But what is he that saith his garment was of water-chamlet handsome and decent albeit somewhat plentifull in that countrie Chytreus is noted on the 3. of Mathew whose wordes are these vestis Iohannis er at contexta ex pilis Cameli similis ei quam hodie vulgo à camelis vocamus Kamelet vel Shamlodt Latinè vndulatum Non fuit sordida vestis neque etiam valde pretiosa sed mediocris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in iis locis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The garment of Iohn was wouen of camelsheares like vnto that which of camels we commonlie call chamlet in Latine vndulata It was no filthie garment nor againe veric precious but meane and decent and in those places easie to be gotten Let vs examine this saying which soundeth moste like to our answerers charge First he saith not simplie that it was water chamlet but like vnto that which is commonlie called chamlet because it is made of the same stuffe that is camels heare yet differing much in finenesse and price as hempen sackcloth differeth from silke sackcloth and yet is wouen like vnto it or as course cloth of towe differeth from fine holland and camebrike and yet is made of the same flax and wouen after the same manner For of the fine and soft heares of some called the wooll of camells is made fine chamlet grograine and such like of the course hard and bristelie heares is made a comse cloth like to the other but ofsmall price and for the vse of rusticall persons Such one meaneth Chytraeus that the garment of Saint Iohn was That he saith it was not a filthie or ill shapen garment but decent he speaketh it against the grosse deuise of the Papists which in their pictures do apparell the Baptist in a rawe camells skinne and that not shaped to couer his bodie but that his armes and his legs are bate Saint Hicrome in Marc. saith that by the camels heares the riches of the gentiles are signified Euthinius vpon Marke also saith that he was cloathed in camells heares non simpliciter incompositis not simplie disordered but wouen together which seemeth to
〈◊〉 15. articles of heresies which Andreas Zebedeus Preacher of Nion Ioannes Angelus preacher of Burtin both Zuinglians did take vpon them to prooue against Caluine at Berna Caluine being present vpon paine of burning whereupon proceeded the decree of those magistrates in the yeare 1555. April 3. that none of their dominions should communicate with Caluine at Geneua Pontac in anno 1555. The trueth is thatby instigation of that hereticall varlet Bolsec diuerse Preachers neere vnto Geneua quarreled against Caluins doctrine of gods eternall predestination charging him to affirme that god is the author of euil with such like impudent slaun ders whereupon Caluine by license of the Senate of Geneua so purged him-selfe before the Bernates that one Sabastian and Bolsec were banished their dominion And Andrew Zebedey not manie yeares after albeit he were then the most earnest accuser of Caluin in his death bed at Nouidune foure miles from Geneua before the chiefe men of that towne reuoked his errors detested all those his actes against Caluine and commaunded all his papers to be burned in his fight So that whatsoeuer was offered to be prooued nothing was prooued in deede to shew such dissent betweene Caluine and Zuinglius as Master Fulke might not iustlie denie anie dissent betweeneCaluine and Zuinglius in the substance ofChristian religion which was truelie taught by them both notwithstanding any cauills that quarrel-pickers or fault-finders haue deuised against Caluine The sixt section intituled Of the Iesuites doctrine MAster Charke being charged to haue falsified the Iesuites wordes defendeth his reporte by testimony of Donatus Gotuisus out of whose treatise con cerning that matter he professed at the first to rehearse their wordes And that it is lawfull for him to charge them vpon an other mans reporte he bringeth example of the Censurer who reporteth intollerable slaunders of Luther vpon the credit of Lindan Cocleus Hosius This replie the defender thinketh not sufficient because he bringeth three witnesses and Master Charke but one As though three false witnesses were of more credit then one that speaketh the trueth after it is tried and knowne For what Luther affirmeth his owne writinges do declare so that if a thousand Papistes would sweare against him that he hath written otherwise then he did his writinges being open to al mens vew the world might condemne them al of falsehood And if Gotuisus haue reported vntruelie the blame is his and not Master Charkes who citeth his reporte But in the end it shall appeare that Gotuisus hath done the Iesuites no wrong but either in their owne words or in their meaning truelie deliuered the substance of their doctrine howsoeuer they maie cauill to cloake the matter as the defender here compareth Master Charke to a bird taken by the legge for lying and seeking euerie hole to escape The first is that he chargeth the Censurer with foure lies in one sentence this the defender calleth most ridiculous accusations and asketh if men do not pitie the poore minister that stoopeth to so miserable helpes for his reliefe so he laugheth at his lies when he can not iustifie them and turneth the woll matter to a scoffe when he hath not one word to answer for him-selfe he think eth not the matter worthty he defense because the lies are madein no waighty causes And yet a man may iustlie note how looselie he writeth that hath no more regard of trueth the nto rappe out four lies in so short a compas of time and place What wil he do in maters of greater importance I neede not aske for you may see how often he hath beene taken in most impudent and shameles assertions such as maketh me often to thinke that he is no professor of diuinitie which hath anie grounded knowledge him-selfe but some cosening Copesmate chosen out for his impudencie and verbositie to broch such stuffe for vnlearned readers as the note gatherers were ashamed to put forth vnder their owne names But to returne to our starting holes the second saith sit defender is that Master Charke and his fellowes draw all matters against the state as Pasie the madde man dealt with his Master to defend him-selfe when he was neere a shrewd turne for some prankes plaid with his companions and here by name doctor Fulk is charged with this practize and with parasiticall and palpable flatterie who answereth for him-selfe in the treatise often named pag. 44. c. But in trueth Mastet Charke needed not any coards to draw matters against the state out of your writinges for you offer frankelie more then it would be your ease to answer if you durst shew your face And truelie he said that you charge the Magistrates and Bishoppes as if they were careles what doctrine is deliuered to the people when you ask what he and his fellowes dare auouch in their sermons speeches and discourses which they are sure shall neuer come to examination The third hole is by laying all his lies vpon one Gotuisus where his falsehood appeereth in that he did not in all his whole discourse so much as once name or quote his auther Gotuisus either in text or margent MasterCharke answered before that the authors name is quoted in the most bookes so it is to be seene in the margent ouer against those wordes of the text out of a treatise concerning this matter I haue enterlaced their owne wordes as they are to be found in the same booke Where the quotation is Donati Gotuisi lib. de fide Iesu Iesuitarum This being to be read ofeuetie childe in manie hundred copies of what metrall is his face made of that doth so confidentlie denie it because as he saieth beleeue him ifyou list he could neuer happen vpon anie copies that had him quoted And if somehad it he asketh why al had not as though he were ignorant that a fault or an omission escaped in a fewe copies maie be reformed or added in the rest when it is espied The other surmises that follow whie Master Charke should not quote his author Gotuisus are vaine seeing he hath quoted him as also the other charges of treacherie and malitious meaning for so much as there is no proofe of them but his bare word are as easilie denied by vs as they are by him affirmed If in the particulars that follow he be hable to bring anie substantiall matter to confirme anie one of them it maie be considered as the cause shall require and occasion be offered The 7. section entituled Of the nature and difinition of sinne THe first article of the Iesuites doctrine you say is this It is not sinne whatsoeuer is against the worde of God Here you charge Master Charke with guilefull dealing and that you take vpon you to shew by an example of a lawyer that should saie it is not treason whatsoeuer is against the Prince and common wealth which soundeth odiouslie as though nothing committed against the Prince and common wealth were treason
But in what asses eares should it so sound when euerie reasonable man must needes vnderstand that there be offences against the Prince and common wealth as fellonie misprision of treason Mayhem and such like which yet are not offences in so a high a degree as treason is The thing in question you confesse that there is something that doth repugne the law of God and yet is no sinne at all if it be without will or consent as the first motions of concupiscence are Another cauill you haue that his authors haue not onelie these wordes but somewhat more as when they saie Sinne is not whatsoeuer repugneth the law of God but c. If Master Chark had denied the rest it were somewhat that you saie but seeing you graunt they haue all that he rehearseth he is without blame and whether it be part of a definition it skilleth not seeing it is part of their affirmation A third cauill is that he chaungeth the place of the negatiue which in framing propositions altereth often the sense as for peccatum est non quicquid he saith non est peccatum quicquid If Master Charkes chaunging in this place did alter the sense you would haue tolde vs of it but seeing the sense is all one the chaunge is no fault Lastlie for repugneth the law of God you say he putteth it is against the worde of God But here by your leaue you make a peece of a lie for in his first answere he saith it repugneth the law of God which when he repeateth in his replie it is against the worde of God it can haue none other sense then before That you will admit as much as the Iesuites in word or sence haue vttered it is as much as Master Charke requireth Now to the obiection against the Iesuites definition made by Master Charke you saie that to prooue that sinne is no act he obiecteth that iniustice is a sinne and yet no act He were a poore sophister that could not espie your paultrie in this place Master Charke doth not prooue that sinne generallie taken is no act but he affirmeth that there is some sinne which is not an act And therefore the Iesuites in their definition haue not geuen the right Genus or materiall cause of sinne Now for iniustice to passe ouer your knauish example of the execution of Campian and his fellowes so innocent and learned men by great iniustice You take vpon you to teach Master Charke an high point of learning Of the difference betweene a vice that is an habite and a sinne that is a singuler fact which perhapps you weene he learned not before yet euerie young sophister in Cambridge knoweth it well enough But Master Charke speaketh of generall iniustice as his wordes are plaine which is a sinne in not doing the thing commaunded because it is a manifest transgression of the lawe of God whoe commaundeth the wholl and euerie part to be fullfilled and is the sinne of omission which you make the second obiection But euerie omission you saie includeth an act which is a grosse absurditie meaning such an act as is sinne For I maie doe a good act while I omit a better the omission of a better act is sinne the doing of a good act is no sinne To tith mint and anise is a good act of it selfe for it was commaunded by God must not be omitted yet was it sinne to omit mer cie and iustice as the wordes of Christ are plaine this you ought to doe and not to omit the other The examples you bring of one resoluing not to goe to Church Helie determining not to punish his children and the watchmen not to sound the trumpet where the determination and resolution as the cause is the principall part of the sinne are foolish For there maie be omission which is sinne where there is no resolution and determination to the contrarie of that which should be done but negligence or forgetfullnes yea there is omission which is sinne where there is no power in vs to performe that should be done as in all the reprobate and vnregenerate and in the regenerate also in part which neither doe nor can in this life loue God and their neighbour in such perfection as the lawe of God requireth There is omission also through ignorance of Godes lawe which is sinne and deserueth stripes and yet ignorance the cause thereof is no act but the lacke of knowledge But being ouercome by scripture and reason you flie to the authoritie of the auncient fathers and first you quote Chrysost. Homil. 16. in Epist. ad Eph. moste impudentlie where by scriptures reason examples he teacheth the cleane contrarie that omission of dutie is sinne though there be no act to the contrary as when Christ shall saie I was an hungred c. and concludeth Nihilenim boni facere hoc ipsum est malum facere to doe no good euen that is to doe euill or to sinne The like he saieth Hom. de virtut vitiis Satis est igitur mali hoc ipsum nihil fecisse boni Euen this is euill inough to haue done noe good Ambrose hom 18 hath nothing to the purpose or if you meane 81. which is translated out of Basils hom which you quote nexte he hath nothing to your purpose but rather against it For vpon the wordes of Christ Math. 25. I was an hungred and you gaue me not to eat he writeth thus Neque enim in his verbis qui aliena inuasit arguitur sed is qui non communiter vsus est iis que habuit condemnatur For in these wordes he is not reprooued which hath laid bolde vpon other mens goodes but he which hath not communicated those thinges which he had is condem ned Basills wordes in Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the extorcioner is not there accused but he that doth not communicate is condemned Last of all you charge vs with that definition of Saint Augustine contra Faust. lib. 22. cap. 27. Peccatum est factum vel c. Sinne is something done or said or coueted against the eternall lawe But if this were a perfect definitiō what needed the Iesuites to frame another according to whose definition this of Saint Augustine is larger then the word defined and in respect of the sinne of omission it is streighter then the terme of sinne yet it serued Saint Augustine for his purpose in hand concerning the facts of the Patriarches mentioned in the scripture which were to be praised and which to be dispraised As for Ambrose in the place by you quoted lib. de paradiso cap. 8. hath another definition then Augustine and a more perfect taken out of Saint Iohn Quidest enim peccatum saith he nisi praeuaricatio legis diuinae coelestium inobedientia praeceptorum For what is sin but the transgression of the lawe of God and a disobedience of the heauenlie commaundements This definition of Ambrose is perfect and maketh
surelie lamentable to remember The storie is recorded by Victor and the wordes of the sorowfull people vitered in the waies as their holie Bishops did passe towards their banishment he reported thus A meruailous preasse of faithfull people that the high waies could not receaue came downe the hills with tapersin their handes and laid their deare children at the Martyrs feete so they termed the witnesses of Gods trueth then and pitifully complained thus Alas to whome do youleaue vs so desolate whiles your selues go to the crowne of martyrdome who shall now baptize these poore babes in the fountes of liuelie water who shall loose vs tied in the bandes of our offences by pardon and reconciliation who shall prescribe to vs the due of penance for our finnes past For to you it was surelie said whatsoeuer you loose in earth it shal likewise be loosed in heauen Such you see was the carefulnes of the people then in that litle lack of so necessarie a thing where now in so long desolation of moste holic thinges and our greatest comfort few there be that take anie griefe of so much miserie at all and that hartelie lament the case almost none If we assuredlie beleeued as it is surelie true that all which passe this present life in the bondes of mortall sinne shouldeuerlastinglie perish without all hope of mercie and then to be vndoubtedlie bound in their offences whome the priestes of the holie Church had not loosed in this life excepting onelie the case of extreame necessitie where by no means possible mans ministerie can be obtained then truelie besides the feare of our owne dangerous state our hartes would bleede for pitie and compassion of so manie that depart this present world in the debt of eternall damnation not onelie of our Christian breethren commonlie but of our deerest and best beloued particularlie FVLKE That heresie hurteth much where it destroieth not altogether it was cleerelie seene in the blinde time of Antichristes greatest exaltation ioyned with so sharpe persecution and strong delusion in which although there were manie whose hearts were not infected with that deadlie poison yet there were few which openlie shewed their full detestation of it which you should lesse maruaile at in so generall a plague as that was considering how few you do acknowledge to be found on your side in this short time of small trouble and weake meanes as you count them of persuasion The pitiful complaint of the Christians in Africa for the banishment of their Catholike Bishopps although the time were such as all things were not sound therein yet maketh it no resemblance with your case which are not banished by tyrantes and heretikes as they were but rather being tyrantes and heretikes do wilfullie withdraw your obedience from a Christian Catholike Prince and from the execution of her Godlie lawes ALLEN It is not my timerous conscience nor scrupulous cogitation that raiseth this feare but it is the graue sentence of Gods ordinance it is Saint Augustines owne iudgement that mooueth me of pitie tomooue and of duetie to admonish my breethren and friendes of a thing that pertaineth to all so neare Saint Augustine concerning the manifolde miseries of the Christian people in the absence of their true Pastours in times of persecution doth liuelie set forth the godlie endeuours of faithfull folks in these wordes Do we not consider when the matter is brought to an extreame issue and where it can not be by flight auoided what a wonderful concurse of Christian men of euerie kinde state and age is vnto the Church where some crie out for baptisme some for reconciliation or absolution for so I interpret ipsius panitentiae actionem which also maie meane a request to haue penance appointed of the Priest and all generallie call for comfort confession and bestowing of the holie sacraments In which extremitie if there lack such as should minister these thinges vnto them Quan tum exitium sequetur eos qui de isto seculo vel non regenerati exeunt vel ligati quantus èst etiam luctus fidelium suorum qui eos secum in vitae aeternae requie non habebunt what vtter destruction shall fall on them that must passe this life either not christened or els fast bounde in sinne And what passing sorow will it be for their faithfull friendes which shall not haue their companie in eternall rest and ioy Thus farre said he for proofe that the Pastours should not forsake their flock and thus saie haue forsaken their pastours the lacke is like in both But ours so much worsse because it was procured willinglie and theirs the more excusable because it was both borne of necessitie and lamented Christianlie FVLKE It is neither your timerous conscience nor Saint Augustines iudgement but your traiterous affection towardes the state of your natiue countrie and your ambitious desire to be aduanced in the multitude of your disciples that mooueth you to complaine that the flockes haue now forsaken their pastours where as in olde time the pastors did in times of heresie forsake their flocks For admit you were that you are not name lie shepheardes where as you are wolues how haue the flockes forsaken you rather then you forsaken them should they haue followed you into Flaunders Fraunce or Italie or els should they haue stucke to you manfollie haue by force defended you that you needed not to haue beene chased awaie although rather hope of preferment by speadie alteration of the state then feare of punishment in so milde a gouernment caused the greatest numbers of you to turne the soile ALLEN Neither may we thinke our selues here much to be relieued by them that pretend the like practise of such thinges as nowe we lacke For that euer augmented the sorow and iust dolour of the faithfull Much it is God knoweth to want their Pastours and priestes so deare and with them for most part all the due of Christianitie but to susteine in steade thereof a kind of apish imitation of such holie functions which in deede by what pretence of holines soeuer it be vsed is and alwaies hath beene accounted moste detestable that is the great calamitie which wasteth moste in all tempestuous times of Gods religion For the onelie vse acquaintance and familiaritie of this false face or resemblance of trueth and holy actions of the Church driueth many into a kinde of contentation and rest in such things as them selues otherwise do abhor at least turneth away sheirearnest appettie and desire of those matters which no man can without perill of damnation misse It is not yet meant herebie that euerie sacrament is frustrate alwaies that is by such made or ministred although for the moste they be so profaned that they be not onelie nothing beneficiall but also damnable both to the geuer and receiuer but my meaning is that euen those sacramentes which be of necessitie that by Gods speciall mercie they maie be receiued of such as be not otherwise
dare saie of all other actes that be exercised in Christes name in the Church doth not onelie no whit abase Gods excellency but was purposelie instituted to honour the maiestie of God in the face of all people and to set out the glorie of his house how dare any man for feare of Gods high indignation controlle the worke of Christ in remitting mans sinnes by such a visible sacrament as to the honour of God is most conuenient and to our saluation most necessarie If they will not let pristes remit sinnes for feare of offending God and dishonouring his name then let them not baptize not preach not teach not doe miracles not giue the holie ghost not correct faultes not giue orders nor doe any other functions For these euerie one be no lesse proper to God then remission of sinnes FVLKE You ground your argument vpon a sacrament before you haue prooued any The power of remitting sinnes is graunted to be perpetual in the Church and nothing derogatorie to the honour of God But that there is any other sacrament whereby men are assured of the forgiuenes of their sinnes by any externall ceremonie except the sacraments of Baptisme and of the Lordes supper which is the cheife matter in controuersie you goe not once about to prooue If Christs Church were like your Popish Church wherein all thinges are taught by Images dumme ceremonies and the worde of God neuerpreached it might come to passe as you say that it would be forgotten that such power is giuen by God to Christ. But in the Church of God many thinges are remembered by meanes of preaching the Gospell and word of God whereof there is no visible sacrament or ceremony although to helpe our weakenes the mercy of God hath by his sacraments sealed vp the moste necessarie and generail pointes of doctrine of our regeneration to be the Children of God and of our spirituall feeding or norishment to continue vs perpetuallie in the same But whereas you saie that if both sinnes of mans soull and sores of his bodie could not visiblie by externall meanes he healed in the glorious inuoration of Gods name it would surclie be forgottenin the Church of Christ that such power is giuen by God the father to his onelie sonne c. I praie you what externall meanes haue you visiblie to heale the sores of mans bodie by inuocation of Gods name lest it should be forgotten in the Church that the father hath giuen such power to his sonne Will you now send vs to the mocke miracles lying signes regestred in your Legendes wrought at your pilgramages Idolls or in an other worlde by the Iapponical Iesuites These because they are not seene mooue nothing the inwarde man whose minde you saie ful learnedlie will not reach to that inwardelie whereof he hath no proofe nor assurance outwardelie As though faith were not a substance of things that are hoped for and an euidence of things that are not seene Where of the minde of man hath no assurance outwardelie For the sacramentall seales but by faith make no assurance outwardelie Can I gather an assurance but by faith of Gods promise that my bodie being washed outwardelie my soull is clensed inwardelie Is it the receiuing of the outward elements in the Lordes supper that assureth me of my spirituall nourishment to eternall life or faith graunted vpon the worde which comming to the elements maketh them the seales of assurance of gods promises The question you aske of the Prophets foreseeing of things so long before things that afterwarde did fall whether it was graunted with dishonour of God or to his glorie I answere that the propertie of God alone to whome all things are present was not ne could not be communicated to men But God to his glorie by the instrument of their mouth did foreshew those things which he had reuealed vnto thē by his spirit in prophetical vision or dreame Neither could Elizeus see the heart inward thoughts of Gihezei his seruant which is gods onelie propertie but God did reueale and declare vnto him what hipocrisie was hid in the heart of Gihezei so that Elizeus knew no more properlie what was in the heart of Gihezei then any other man to whome Gihezei him-selfe might open his thoughtes sauing that Elizeus knew more certenlie and by 2 more wonderfull meane For to man Gihezei might ly but god who onely searcheth the heart the reines reuealed the truth to Elizeus Neither was Peter and the rest hable by laying on of handes to giue the holy ghost that is the visible gists of the holv ghost but according to gods good pleasure will For Acts. 8. Peter and Iohn sent by the Apostles into Samaria praied for them that were baptized that they might receiue the holie Ghost and after laide their hands vpon them and they receiued from god the sensible graces of the holie ghost as speaking with tongues interpretation of tongues healing of sicknes casting out of deuills and such like Therefore in such wonderfull effects as followed laying on of hands nothing that is most proper to god passed to men But it pleased God who is the onelie author of such graces and gifts to bestow the same by his faithfull stewards at their praier whereunto they were mooued and assisted by him and with that visible sacrament or ceremonie But such ceremonies we haue not for remission of sinnes or reteining of them by Gods institution Therefore no sacrament but a doctrine of remitting or reteining of sinnes ALLEN O heresie most shamefull that then goeth about to dishonour God most when she most pretendeth gods honour whereof shee is so tender and so carefull that shee hath barred his owne spouse of his blessed bodie of remission of sinnes of the spirit of God of all sacraments of all holie ceremonies of memories of miracles of all holie functions and to be short of all gifts and graces and all this for Gods honour so honourable a thing it is for Christ to be the king of so beggerlie a common wealth as they make of the Church such glorie it is for Christ to haue his onelie spouse robbed of the treasures of his giftes and graces so comelie it is for Christ to haue such sacraments as neither conteine him-selfe nor his grace so worthie a thing it is for Christ to haue ministers that vpon his owne warrant can neither pardon nor punish mans misdeedes Gloriosa dicta sunt de te Ciuitas Dei Glorious thinges haue beene reported of thee thou Citie of God and how arte thou now so barrenne and so contemptible that thy honour must needes redound to the dishonour of him by whome all thy honour onelie standeth But I cease to pursue the Churchces enemies now in mine owne wordes I will rather ioyne with the holie fathers for their ouerthrow whose not onelie reason and sufficient answere to this their vaine replie founded on the pretence of Gods honour but also their onelie
then vntill you haue made a shew of trueth and then straight giue it ouer challenging a proper power properlie to remit sinnes euen the power that is proper to God and the same to exercise as properlie as God doth with deification of your Priestes persons and such other arrogant assumptions Where you saie that God doth not resigne his right to the waies and workes of anie diuine function giue ouer the wholl title that is due to him-selfe in the said diuine actes I adde that he doth neither resigne his right nor his practize or exercise there of he doth not giue ouer his wholl title or anie parte or portion thereof When you go about to demonstrate your proposition you saie that Christ resigned his roome but not his right A pretie collusion of words but a matter ful of her eticall meaning For Christ resigned neither his roome nor his right when he ascended into heauen but set himselfe downe in the throne of magnificence that he might fullfill all things with his glorious an gracious presence by which he continueth with his Church vnto the end of the world Neither hath he neede of anie substitute or vicegerent to exercise anie point of that office which is proper to the vniuersall head of the vniuersall Church neither can anie mortal creature exercise the office of the head of the whol Churh because it is a meere diuine power by euerlasting right as you confes proper to our sauiour Christ that from him as from the head life and all powers of life should flowe into his wholl Church and euerie true member thereof And therefore whatsoeuer from the beginning he hath exercised in his owne person he doth not now practize by anie other but still by himselfe and in his owne person But the office of teaching which in his humanity he exercised and before his incarnation was exercised by the Prophets and Priests he hath committed to his Apostles Euangelistes Prophets Pastours and Teachers vnto the end of the world but that one man should rule his whol Church either by doctrine or discipline whereunto it is not possible for him to haue an eye and ouerseeing Christ hath neuer appointed but as he hath appointed seuerall teachers so also hath he ordained seuerall gouernours And no more possible it is that one man should rule and gouerne al the Church then it is possible that one man should teach al the Church despersed as it is now and hath been of olde ouer al the face of the earth But that Peter or anie other man should rule the Church in Christes steade you saie it prooueth much that Christ is head of the Church according to his manhood That Christ who is God and man is head of his Church it is a Christian confession But that Christ is head of his Church according to his manhood I see not how it differeth from flat Nestorianisme or Arrianisme For wholl Christ is head of his Church according to that he was head thereof before his incarnation and flesh assumpted yet intended and he is head of his Church according to that he filleth all in all Ephes. 1. It is one thing to saie that Iesus Christ or the man Iesus Christ is head of his Church another thing to saie that Christ is head of his Church according to his manhood Beside I know not what humane head ship you ascribe vnto Christ that make him head in respect of such externall regiment as may be exercised by man and yet by no one man alone but by manie men at once in this dispersion of the Church all which acknowledge Christ to be their onelie head because they must gouerne the Church by his word onelie and by lawes framed agreeable vnto the same That the Protestantes bring foorth children to Caluin or Luther it is nothing but tailing without reason For the Protestantes are willing to departe with anie pretence of right or honout so that God maie haue his whol glory by such meanes as he hath appoin ted Therefore according to Saint Augustines allusion they beget children by preaching of the Gospell vnto Christ and not to them selues The function of Preaching you saie is Christes still If you meane that he is the author of the doctrine preached and so the onelie master and teacher of his Church it is true but this function the Protestantes claime not but to be ministers appointed to declare this doctrine in the world This function as a part of his humiliation hath he cleane giuen ouer since his ascension and appointed in his stead Apostles Euangelistes Prophets Pastours and teachers to exercise the same function to the edifying of his Church vntill the end of the world You charge vs to saie that the function of Preaching is meant by remitting of sinnes which we saie not For Preaching extendeth further then the remitting of sinnes But we saie that by preaching publiklie or declaring priuatelie as the case requireth the grace and mercie of God in pardoning all penitent and beleeuing sinners the minister of God doth remit sinnes in the name of Christ while the pardon pronounced by him is of as great force to assure the re pentaunt sinner of remission of his sinnes as if Christ him-selfe should declare it out of heauen wherein we speake neither foolishlie nor against the common sence of all the fathers as by some of their writinges alledged before I haue plainlie declared ALLEN And they that are most tender in outward words of Godshonour will yet seeme to occupie that his proper function with out all derogation to his right therein But in deede their preaching which is their remission of sinne is not the power of God to saluation but it is his permission for our great punishment The lawful doctrine of Christs Church is truely no lesse theproper work of Christ then is forgiuenes of sinnes yet it is with out controlling of Nouatians Heretiks exercised by mans ministerie in earth S. Augustine saith hereof thus Christus est qui docet Cathedram in coelo haber scholaipsius in terra est scholaipsius corpus ipsius est It is Christ which teacheth and he hath his pulpit in heauen and his schoole in earth and his schoole is his body the Church Christ doth not then resigne vp his office in preaching no more then he doth his authority of pardoning no man succeeding him in either of the roomes but occupieth both vnder him in his Church which is his inheritance for euer the which Churh holdeth by him as a schoole to teach trueth in as a court and iudgement seat to pardon or punish sinnes in Thus he FVLKE The proper function of Christ which is to be the onelie author of the true Doctrine that is taught in the Church none of vs will presume to occupie we leaue that blasphemie to the Pope and the popish Church but the Gospel which we preach is the power of God vnto saluation in the remission of our sins reuealed
in renecessarilie rife for theie of all Christian people doth him confession of euerie of their mortall sinnes vnto h as the same is also prooued by the doctrine of the olie Fathers of Chistes Church THE TENTH CHAP. ALLEN ANd now I must aduertise my louing breethrenof the necessarie sequele hereof which to some I know seemeth so hard and vpleasant that the verie consideration thereof hath driuen manie that haue not felt the sweetenesse of Gods spirit by which euerie of his commaundements be they neuer so rough in apparance are made easie and delectable to the feare misliking and lothsomenes of the sacrament of penance Which as it is for other causes manie much abhorred of the wantons latelie departed out of the Church and of some worldlie Catholikes to that be not so zelouse in following trueth as they be desirous to know trueth so it is most lothed and feared for that in it there is required a distinct simple sincere and plaine confesfion to be made of euerie sinne that is knowne or suspected to be mortall vnto a Priest which is the lawfull minister of the same Sacrament with such diligent and exact examination of our consciences as a matter of such importance doth of reason require This is the great offence and staie that the weaklings of Christes Church do so earnestlie respect and so long they shall be vexed and molested in minde with the sower remembrance thereof as they do not prooue the sweete gratious and incomparable effect ensueing most assuredlie thereon so long shall they stumble at so small a straw as they do not feele the burden of sinne feare the paines of hell follow the quiet of conscience foresee the dreadfull daie of iudgement so long shall they be bashfull to submit them selues to one mans most close secret meeke and merciful iudgement as they feare not the infinite shame open horrible confusion and euerlasting rebuke before God Angell man and Deuill at the seat and sentence that shall be pronounced in the face of all creatures which must fall to them that close vp vnder couer and compas of their conscience such a number of manifold sinnes whereof in that daie both account and confession must be made to their vttermost confusion Finally so long shal mans will and corrupted nature disobey Gods ordinance heerein as he earnestlie and humbly seeketh not by praier at Christes handes the grace and gift of obedience and repentance Fot as the fulfilling of euerie of Gods commaundements cannot otherwise be had but by his speciall fauour so saith Saint Augustine or as some thinke rather Fulgentius Firmissime tene nullatenus dubites neminem hic posse hominem panitentiam agere nist quem Deus illuminauerit gratuita sua mis ratione conuertis Hold this for an assurance that no man can here do penance except he be illumined and conuerted theseunto by his singular mercie Neither doth this Doctour mean of anie otherway of repentance then is vsed for mortal sinnes after baptisme in the sacrament of the Church putting there in a manner by expresse wordes a double sacrament one for originall sinne that is in children onelie and that he calleth Sacramentum fidei that other for sinnes afterward committed which he tearmeth Poenitentiam Penance FVLKE That auricular confession or popish shrift is a necessarie sequele of the power that Christ hath giuen to the ministers of his Church to forgiue sinnes we must now see in what sorre you are able to prooue In which argument though most needfull for your purpose you haue verie litle to saie and that nothing to the purpose in deede either out of the scripture or out of the auncient fathers First you saie that shrift seemeth hard to them that haue not felt the sweetenes of Gods spirit by which euerie of his commaundements are made easie and delectable Here therefore were conuenient place for you to shew where in all the scriptures God hath commaunded men to confesse all their mortal sinnes committed in thought word or deede vnto a priest of your order But now you are as drie as a kixe and as barren of proofe as a pumisse stone of water There be many other causes then you alledge why popish shrift is so burthenous And the principall cause is because it is a tradition of man to clogge the conscience with intollerable seruitude And in stead of al the causes of the contempt thereof that you alledge so long shall euerie Christian man despise your auricular confession as any thing necessary required of him vntill you be able out of the holie scriptures inspired of God to prooue that it is such an ordinance of God as you in many wordes to no purpose doe bragge of before you bring forth the worde of God to prooue it The saying of Fulgentius is verie Godly and grounded vpon the holy scriptures but that he doth not meane of any other waie of repentance then is vsed in your popish Church what argument haue you to shew He putteth there you saie in a manner by expresse wordes a double sacrament calling the one sacramentum fidei and the other poenitentiam the sacrament of faith and repentance This is a strange manner of expresse wordes to prooue poenitentia to be a sacrament because baptisme is so yea it is manifest by his expresse words that he acknowledgeth no sacramentum poenitentiae but baptisine Cap. 30. Firmissimè tene nullatenus dubites exeptis illis qui pro nomine Christi suo sanguine baptizantur nullum hominem accepturum vitam aeternam qui non hîc à malis suis fuerit per penitentiam fidemque conuersus per sacramentum fidei penitentioe id est per baptismum liberatus maioribus quidem necessarium esse poenitentiam de malis suis agere fidem Catholicam secundùm regulam veritatis tenere sacramentum baptismatis accipere Paruulis verò qui nec propria voluntate credere nec poenitentiam pro peccato quod originaliter trahunt agere possunt sacramentum fidei quod est sanctum baptisma quamdiu rationis oetas eorum capax esse non potest sufficere ad salutem Holde thou most stedfastlie and nothing doubt that except those which for the name of Christ are baptized in their owne blood no man shall receiue life euerlasting which shall not be here conuerted from his euills by repentance and faith and by the sacrament of faith and repentance that is by baptisme be deliuered And for them that be of yeares truelie it is necessarie both to repent of their euills and to know the Catholike faith according to the rule of trueth and to receiue the sacrament of Baptisme But for infants which neither can beleeue by their owne will nor be penitent for the sinne which they draw originally the sacrament of faith which is baptisme is sufficient for them vnto saluation so long as their age cannot be ca pable of reason yea it semeth by this saying going imme diately before
is affirmed Where you quote Damascene I finde in him nothing for nor any thing sounding that waie in the place by you noted But in the tenth Chapter where he speaketh of eight kindes of baptisme the fifte he maketh Baptisme by the holie ghost and fire Which may be saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a punishing Baptisme because of the fire to come immediatelie followeth the sixth kinde of baptisme which is verie painfall by repentance and teares So that the one beeing distinct by the author from the other I know not by what learning you doe confound to make it seeme as both were one ALLEN Neither may we thinke that this authoritie and approoued power of priests concerneth onelie the open offences which by witnesse and proofe may be conuinced and deferred to the publike Magistrates of the Church as some Protestantes confounding all places of like wordes and tearmes in scripture doe Wherein they consider not that the perfectnesse of the Gospell teacheth man willinglie to accuse condemne and iudge himselfe that he be not iudged of our Lorde Neither doe they weigh that this iudgement of our sinnes though it be ministred by man is yet the seate and court of Christ to whome it no lesse perteineth to binde and loose our secret sinnes then our open offences And he without exception committed remission of all manner of sinnes vnto the Apostles and priestes saying Like as my father sent me so doe I send you But Christ was sent to heale the contrite and sorowfull of al sinnes priuate and publike therefore al manner of offences be they neuer so secret belong to the priests not onelie pardon but also correction and punishment whereof because they be men they cannot iustlie discerne or determine to remit or reteine giue pardon or giue penance except they be confessed by the parties penitent Christ him selfe perfectlie seeing all diseases both of bodie and soule the inwarde sorow and sute of euerie mans heart yet saied to the sicke man blinde Quid vis faciam 〈◊〉 what wouldest thou haue at my hands And shal the priest being a mortall man take vpon him to giue sentence of the diseases of our soules before he knowe them or pardō him that wil not shew vnto him wherein for what sin he asketh a pardō Furthermore the sins of mans cogitation that cannot be discerned by the priest with out the confession of the partie be often no lesse greeuous dānable before God then the open offences therefore there may be no doubt but Christ hath ordeined mercie as well for them as other that be actuallie committed and subiect to the sight of the world but yet no otherwise but by the sacramēt of penance in which without exception the priests haue power to remit or reteine sinnes as well priuate as publike Therefore the same secret sinnes beeing subiect to the Churches iudgement no lesse then the open they must needes be vttered and confessed or els they cannot be realesed much lesse haue any enioyned penance for them But it is mecre wrangling of our aduersaries in so plaine a case follie in all other to doubt whether secret offences euen committed in thought onelie against the last two commaundements forbiding vnlawfull coueting and desires of the minde be properly subiect to the Priests iudgement seeing they can by no otherwise be released but in the sacrament of penance sincere confession of them For here is practized a iudgement not of ciuile Magistrates which onelie punish by laws of all nations actually committed faultes against the weale publike but of soule and conscience which properly pertaine to the cure of Priestes as they properly occupie Christes owne roome to whose pardon and punishment not onelie open sinnes but also priuate offences either in deede or thought committed doe in like perteine For external penance or publike is rather vsed to satisfie the Church of her right in which sinnes can not openlie be committed but to the great offence of her children and therefore must in her by publike penance be corrected for the example of discipline and prouiso of the like sinnes to come FVLKE I knowe no Protestantes neither I suppose you can name anie writer of them that doth think that the authoritie of sorgiuing and retaining sinnes concerneth onelie open offences and not secret But it maie be that some protestantes haue written as all I think do holde and you your selfe in the end of this section do acknowledge that open confession is most conuenient fot the satisfaction of the Church which is offended where and by whome open and notorious sinnes haue beene committed But that secret confession made to a priest is necessarie for the discharge of secret sinnes all Protestants denie neither can anie Papistes prooue it For such reasons as you bring are verie weake and friuolous The perfectnes of the Gospell teacheth man willinglie to accuse condemne and iudge himselfe that he be not iudged of our Lord Ergo he is bound to shriue him-selfe to a Priest Nay contrariewise if he be made accuser condemner and iudge of himselfe he neede not seeke anie other externall iudge but in his owne conscience accuse examine condemne and iudge him-selfe before God And this court of conscience we acknowledge to be the seat and court of Christ where no priest or other mortal man hath authoritie to sit and iudge Neither doth anie correction punishment of our sins belong to priestes by reason that Christ sent the Apostles and their successours to Preach as he was sent by his father but they may remit or retaine sinnes without hearing the particuler confession of euerie sinner by declaring the mercie of God to all that repent and his iustice to all that continue in sinne without repentance But it is a maruetlous strong argument Iweene to prooue the necessitie of confession because our sauiour Christ caused the blinde man by vttering his request in particuler to declare his faith Nay if he had caused all them whose sinnes he pronounced to be forgiuen first to make particuler confession vnto him it had beene more coloure and yet no sufficient argument to prooue the necessity of confession to be made vnto other men much lesse that he would haue the blind mā acknowledge that he beleeued that he was able to giue him sight wherfore vpon a Principle shamefully begged that confession to a priest is necessary you go about to proue that confessiō of secret faults and cogitations of mans heart is also to be made to a priest you accuse your aduersaries of wrangling in so plaine a case and all men of follie that doubt whether such secret offences be subiect to the Priestes iudgement seeing they can not otherwise be released but in the sacrament of penance and sincere confession of them but which of your aduersaries will graunt that they can not otherwise be released or how will you satisfie them that doubt out of the holie scriptures of the institution of