this lesson of S. Bernard not to speak in the Congregation So that your dumbe Virgine doing these wonders neither in the name of Iesus nor by prayer is no lesse then a forestaller of diuine glory which the Lord hath protested hee will not giue to k Psalm 42.8 grauen Images And what are the Doctrines which your Hall wonders serue to confirme are they not Culinarian Theorems which they striue to support Forsooth they are the buttresses of Purgatory Transubstantiation Worshipping of Images Prayer for the dead and of that diuine honour which is sacrilegiously ascribed to the Virgin Mary Say we not truelie that these are the doctrines of Diuels Can it stand with common sence to giue that adoration to carued images which the most glorious Angells refused or rather is it not most apparant that their miracles are the signes of the Antichristian beast Nick. That which is most worth the noting is this that all your Ladies prodigies are wrought in angulo where but few and those selected are assembled Seldome shall you read that their spirits spake or that their Images came downe l Non qui mira sed qui male agit odit lucem loan 3.30 by day S. m Greg. dial lil 1. ca. 4. Equitius was guelded by an Angell in his sleepe The Maid that crusht the Deuill betweene her teeth in the Lettice had no other witnesse in her mouth besides her tongue vnlesse happilie shee had a little Embrio in her wombe I doe not well remember whether Ignatius Layola did in the daie or in the night open the obstructions of the wench that was troubled with the stone He was a Souldier and therefore perhaps durst doe more then ordinarie in the day This I am sure of I could neuer hear yet by any credible report what tune it was which S. n Fasciculus temporum de anno 754. Gingoffs wife did sing with her nether-lippes whether voluntary Salengers round or Hunts-vp Iabal is a good Musitian his nose would haue beene as good as a Recorder to haue borne a part and then his tongue would haue made a more certaine relation then the Carmelite doth Ma. A man would hardly beleeue that there were in the Catholique towne of Hall so many Infidels as Lipsius by his multiplicitie of miracles would make the world beleeue Were not the greatest part vnbeleeuers those many miracles would bee altogether superfluous Wherefore seeing your Ladies miracles are defectiue in all and euery of these conditions which giue essence to a true miracle their motto may be this Dea picta Miracula ficta So that we may say vnto you as S. o Aug. cont Faustum lib. 13. Augustine spake vnto the Manichyes Miracula non facitis quae si faceretis tamen ipsain vobis caueremus And no maruell for either the Sacrist which is the veriest knaue you can get plaies his part in the Vestry or else some beggarlie fellow iumbles vnder the Eaues of the Church Iab In what p Pag. 132. other histories are they found if they want in Lipsius Min. In the histories of Moses the Prophets the fower Euangelists and the Acts of the Apostles Wee q Pet. 1.19 haue a most sure word to the which you shall doe well to take heede This word saith the r Heb. 2. â— 4 Apostle at the first began to bee spoken by the Lord and was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God also bearing them witnesse hoth with signes and wonders and with diuers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost So much of Christs miracles and doctrine is written in the holy Scriptures that wee Å¿ Iohn 20.31 might beleeue that Iesus is the true Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing in him wee might haue eternall life What can wee desire more What need is there of Goody Hals miracles doth the spirit of God purposely omit many of our Sauiours miracles and may wee plead the necessity of Hals wonders Are not those that are written sufficient or rather are not yours superfluous If your Lipsianists may be beleeued the dead Image of the Mother hath doubled the miracles of her liuing Sonne Iab Lipsius doth t Pag. 132.133 protest that hee read the Gests and Records out of which he chose those which he iudged most worthy of the print Wil not al men saith he beleeue these things done in the sight of many confirmed by sworn witnesses c. If any man after such inquiry be not moued to beleeue such credible histories I may apply that vnto him of Homer Thou hast eares to heare that wants both wit and shame Nick. Homers verse had I beene his translator should rather haue run thus The Author that such lies did write beleeue me was too blame For why the world did see his pen did want both truth and shame Ma. Did your Authour choose such as hee iudged most worthy of the print It seemes then hee thought some vnworthy It had beene more for his reputation if he had thought so of all Nick. Oh not of all Lipsius protests that some were true Ma. I might answer with a non sequitur What grounds hath hee for his protestation Forsooth he read the Gests and Records and so haue I Gesta Romanorum Their authority is much alike If there were any difference the later were in print whereas Lipsius scraped his out of scribled and moth-eaten Coppies What hath Lipsius to say for his Hall and Sichem wonders which the followers of Antichrist may not alleadge more probably in the defence of the stratagems of their Lord which by all likelihood are to be more conspicuous and yet wee are forewarned not to beleeue them Min. How much those Saint-canonizing Records are to be suspected we may iudge by the caution that Gregory giues vs in his Decretals u Greg. 9. lib. 3 Decret 1. de Reliquijs et venerati me sanctorum cap. 1. Audiuimus saith he quod quidam intervos diabolica fraude decepti hominem quendam in potatione et ebrietate occisum quasi sanctum more Infidelium venerantur And againe x Ibid. cap. 2. Cum ex eo quod quidam sanctorum reliquias exponunt venales veleas passim ostendunt christianae religioni detractum sit saepius Ne in posterum detrahatur presenti decreto statuimus vt antiquae reliquiae amodo extra capsam nullatenus ostendantur c. And hee concludeth Praelati non admittant eos The Prelates may not suffer those that come to their Churches to worship to be deceiued with the variety of figments or false relations as it is accustomed to bee done in most places for gaines sake Now if Hall and Sichem be within the Site of that continent which Gregory taxeth there is no doubt but they who were to reape the profit by the concourse of Contributors would set Lipsius pen in a large field where he might haue sea-roome enough to hoyse vp all the sailes that his wit could beare They would
without any scarre Nick. I pray you what likenesse is there between Sacer dotes and Scortatores yet as I haue heard my master say in one Edition of the new Testament set out at Coleyn in steed of these words h 1. Cor. 6.9 Neque Scortatores regnū dei possidebunt he hath found it thus printed Neque Sacerdotes regnum dei possidebunt I hope you will not challenge the Printer for allusion to your olde trade I perswade my selfe it was his misprision though some haue thought hee did it to cry quittance with his wiues Confessour I hope this was more then the change of one poore sillable the tayle of the g being the same with a Romane s and a running o. not vnprobably to be supposed to haue lost the head of a d. through hast of a speedy pen. To put vt for at is no such capitall crime Ma. You should rather demand of him what likenesse there is between 34. and 42. 169. and 168. 176. and 172. Such errours are so frequent in his booke that it must of necessity cause wrong quotations yet in my conscience I do not thinke the Doctor was accessary to these or the like scapes wherewith his lines doe abound T is like the Printer thought hee had no great good match of your booke Had hee not misdoubted the currant sale thereof hee would haue had a more vigilant eye ouer the presse this his presage made him put i Pag. 63. N. 43 lin 6. giue for deny k Io. lin 8. Indeleble for vndeniable l Pag. 92 N. 3. Edition for Reddition m Pag. 101. N. 13. Deuised for deuided n Pag. 52. N. 29 long for low o Pag. 129. N. 6. Ioyned for moued p Pag. 180. N. 27 Burned for drowned q Pa. 40. N. 15 was for his old seruiceable attendant As. The surplusage and defect of many other words giues vs iust cause to suspect either the Printers care or the Authors skill so that you may well winke at such small faults as the scape of a Monosyllable or two Iab Why r Pag. 42. should he make his Inference in Latin writing in English what English Author vseth that idle manner of Writing but himselfe Min. As if a Schollar being in his owne Element may not be easily carried away with a strong imagination that he is in the Schooles especially writing to a Schollar about Theologicall questions This I haue many times obserued in the Knight that it is yrksom vnto him to write any thing Verbatim which hath passed his penne before neither doth hee without vrgent necessity render that authority in English which hee hath quoted in Latin All wittes haue not the patience alike to endure the repetition of the same things and such for the most part take that first which first offereth it selfe and may bee dispatched with fewest Characters taking vp the least roome Ma. Whether his Inference were in Latine or English it is litigium de forma I am sure he vouched S. Hieromes ſ In praef lib. Sal authority that the Church read the book of Machabees for the edification of the common people but receaued them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures for the authorizing of Ecclesiasticall decrees which was as much as the Knight intended by secluding them from the Canon of Faith Iab This is nothing to the purpose t Pag. 43. to proue S. Augustine did reiect them who might bee contrary to S. Hierome in this point not beeing then defined by any generall Councell Ma. S. Hierome contrary to S. Augustine Is not this goodly Rhetorique to draw the Ladies to build their faith vpon the writings of the ancient Fathers Is there any more then one truth Either the booke of Machabees is Canonicall or not You say S. Augustine auerrs it wee proue that S. Hierome Lyra Brito Rabanus Caietan c. deny it Whom shall your Creatures beleeue Will you suffer them to haue such reeling and tottering Consciences Iab u Pag. 44. Caietan whom he citeth iumps not altogether with your conceit and though he did his sayings are not oracles with vs. Min. This kind of disputing will neither get you a Miter nor a Cardinalls Hatte Set you so light by the head-men of your parish Good Dctour let vs know to whose verdit you will stand dare you say to S. Augustines are all his sayings Oracles in your Church Nay saith x In Act. Apost cap. 1. p. 9. a. Lorinus Augustinus incertum putat an Iste Theophilus idem sit cui Lucas Euangelium et Acta nuncupauerit Atqui res certa videtur The Diuines of y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Trinit l. 9. c. 2. in Marg. Louane lay Sophistry to his charge So likewise writeth your Iesuite z Comment in Iohan. 6.53 Maldonate Augustini et Innocentij primi sententia fuit quae sexcentos fere annos viguit in ecclesia Eucharistiam etiam infantibus necessariam esse quae tandem ab ecclesia reiecta est The opinion of Augustine and Innocentius the first which was receiued in the Church well nigh sixe hundred yeares was this that the Eucharist was necessarily to bee ministred vnto Infants which at length is reiected by the church Negare non possumus saith a In Thom. disp 154. cap. 2. 3. Vazquez praedictam opinionem fuisse Augustini et Fulgentij a qua non multum Gregorius Magnus abhorret tamen meo iudicio probabilior eos nulla alia paena quam damni id est priuatione beatitudinis puniri Albeit we cannot deny that b Ser. 14. de verb. Apost et l. 5. cont Iuliā c. 8. Aug. and Fulgentius did teach that Infants dying without Baptisme did presently descend into the place of the damned to be sensibly tormented in hell-fire yet notwithstanding in my iudgement it is more probable that they vndergoe no other punishment then the losse and priuation of beatitude The like censure doth c Concor Euang tom 1. lib. 7. ca. 8 Barradius passe vpon Euthymius Hocloco saith he Euthymius non recte de Virgine sanctissima haec scripsit Non credidit sicut Zacharias c. Procul a Christiano pectore et auribus huiusmodi sint verba Thus doth your Church spunge out the opinions of the ancient Fathers vpon whom you seem so stedfastlie to relye Ma. Then it seems the matter is not great what S. Augustines opinion was touching the Legitimation of the Machabees seeing his words are no Oracles euen with the Doctors of the Romish Church and the rather because the booke according to Iabals confession was not then naturalized by the consent of any Occumenicall Couacell Nick. This is a prettie slight The Fathers are but as feathers when they doe not stick to the Popelings I trow Saint Hierome shall find more fauour at your hands Iab Saint d Pag. 43. Hierome may seeme to speake acoording to the opinion of the Hebrewes as hee vseth to doe not in
with the loathsome staines of Heathenish Idolatry If words will carry it wee will roll in our figures as well as you Iab Oh what x Pag. 95. glorious Fathers and Doctors could I name famous in former ages for sanctity and learning that submitted their iudgements to the sayings of the Church Ma. O what a glorious Church were your Antichristian Synagogue did it not dissent from that primitiue purity of doctrine whereunto those famous Doctors and holy Fathers did subscribe then were it insolent madnesse in any to reiect her authority Iab Little y Pag. 96. Iudgement or piety doe you shew in your iest at our Ladies A. B. C as if the authority of the Church were not the Alphabet and Christ-Crosse row in which all Christians ought and all ancient Christians did learne to read and beleeue the Scriptures S. Augustine the Phoenix of wits the Mirrour of learning did hee not learne in this booke Truly saith he I would not belieue the Gospell did not the Churches authority mooue mee vnto it Min. Sooner shal you perswade vs that a foule noysome Stye is a faire princely pallace then that your Romish Seminary is that Church of which S. Augustine spake And yet must that holy Father bee z Non disputas ad idem rightly vnderstood He spekes there of his Introduction to the faith not of the Foundation thereof Being before a Manichy he could not of himselfe haue found the way out of the darknesse of that blind heresy vnlesse the Catholique Church had lent him her hand to conduct him to those Christall streames by the a Ecclesia proposuit Euangelium Euangeliu composuit fidem vertue whereof his eyes were opened and his mynd enlightened He had beene like enough to haue passed by that Liuing fountaine without regard had not their b Causa sine qua non direction who had made triall of the soueraignty therof persuaded him to make his repayre thither for the like successe Wherefore he should haue bene very vngrateful for so irrequitable a benefit had he concealed the meanes whereby that his so great happines was so luckily occasioned What good he receyued from the Church he freely acknowledgeth yet is he not so vniust as to make his requital with the Scriptures c Non dicit Nisi me Ecclesiae authoritas Moueret sed Commoueret wronge Yea so farre is he from subiecting those infallible Oracles to the Iudgement of Men that in the fourth Chapter of the same d Aug. Cont. Epist funda booke he challengeth the Manichyes to produce Scripture for their opinionatiue error with protestation that he would then forsake the name of the Church the Consent of people and Nations and returne vnto them So that howsoeuer the authority of the Church was an allectiue inducement to drawe him to the Ghospell yet was the Ghospell a farre more potent instrument in the founding and setling of the spirituall edifice of his faith vppon the solidity whereof he did principally and most confidently depend Ma. If it had not bene for the tydings of the little e 2. Reg. 5.3 Mayd Naaman had not gone to the Prophet in Samaria by whose praescript he was healed Shall we therefore saye that she had any hand in the curing of his leprosy No doubt her courtesie was not forgotten but the mayne homage and rewarde was offered to the man of God Had it not bene for the f Ioh. 4.42 Woman the Samaritans had not come vnto Christ but they heard him speake before they knew him to be Christ then loe they beleiued not because of her wordes but because themselues had heard him Iab The g Pag 57. Ladies of your Church learne forsooth of the spirit they trust to ipse dixit who will teach them which is the Scripture They are the sheepe of Christ and knowe his voice from that of strangers Theise are your Ministers faire promises Yet I dare giue them my worde though they haue the best spirit that euer possessed any man of your Church notwithstanding they maie erre damnably mistacke Scripture thinck that to be true translation which is indeed erroneous I see h Pag. 98. no remedy for them if they meane to be saued from the Deluge of errours but to fly to the Arke of Noe printed at Venice Your sheepe must learne in an hebrew Grammar to vnderstand their Pastors they must nibble on those rootes of Iury wherewith it would be great pitty your rare Creatures should be troubled Min. As touching our translations of the Bible though they admit a variety of style and phrase yet they concurre in a Sympathizing vnity of matter and sence They all accord in one issue without contradiction they all direct by one and the same waye to one and the same end so that the most vnlearned if he haue not a desire to goe astray cannot tread amisse There being but one choice of truth proposed there is hardly any possibility of being deceiued The Ladyes are not ignorant with what princely Cost and Care that Worke hath bene lately reuised by such graue learned and industrious persons who for knowledge in the originall tongues were best esteemed and for their sincerity least to be suspected Wherefore this hauing past the test of strictest discusse being allowed by the Church and vncontrolled by the most prying and Censorious aduersarie they are assured of the infallible truth thereof By the sweetnes of the fruite they euidently see that it sprang from a sound Roote by the illumination of the i 1. Ioh. 2.20 spirit which leadeth into all trueth by the ministry of the worde of God ratifyed with the k In Euangelijs omnis veritas omnis manifestatio veritatis Origen agreement and explaned with the perspicuous reasons of the Scripture it selfe by the efficacy thereof in captiuating their vnderstandings vnto the diuine will and their carnall affections to the regiment of a supernaturall lawe by often reading which begetteth experience and by hearty prayer which hath a promise of effectuating their zealous desires they are infallibly sure that their translation is true and their vnderstanding agreable to the rule of faith Moreouer the principles of faith with are absolutely and necessarily to be knowne beleiued and practized of all men are there blazed with such a l Aug de doct chris l. 2. c. 9. radiant lustre that without affected ignorance they are obuious to euery eye Though perhaps the genuine interpretation of some places of lesse consequence be sometymes mistaken yet is not the foundation raced so that their error is neither pernicious nor damnable Ma. If our Ladyes thus furnished in their mother tongue hauing no recourse to the hebrew text be in such danger of errour in what a pittifull plight are those creatures who are tyed to their vulgar latin translation which they vnderstand not How shall they trye the spirits of their teachers hauing so crooked a rule which they know not how to
vse May not such a Pilot as Dr. Iabal steere their vessells vpon the rockes and sandes how shall they know that this or that is the sence or Tradition of the Catholique church I see no remedy for them but to fly to Socrates Zozomen Eusebius Theodoret and the other Antiquaries for releife and then they must be well skilled in the tongues Nick. Yf there should be a grammar schoole erected for the feminine gender it would be a braue world Iabal would sue for the Vsher-shipp O how featly would he discipline their Albes There would be Tollo tollis sustuli The Girles will neuer consent to so harsh a motion they had rather speake true english at home then make false latin at Schoole vnder such an yll-faced Tutor Iab Had not m Pag. 58. Luther the first fruites of the protestants spirit Yet he erred most grossely that euen Zuinglius his fellow-witnes against the Pope doth giue this testimony against him Thou Luther doest corrupt the worde of God thou art seene to be a manifest corrupter of the holy Scriptures If he be so corrupt what translation or spirit of your church may your Ladies trust Ma. These are not the first fruites of your witlesse malice neither was Luther the first Coyner of our protestant faith which doth carry the right stampe of the most auncient sacred and primitiue truth Let the Scripture be the arbitrator of his writings then will your slaunder be soone silenced and supprest with shame As he was a man he might be subiect to some particular error which if Zuinglius reproued by warrant of the Scriptures it proceeded from his loue to the truth not out of hatred to his person And haue there not bene worse broyles among your scholasticall Diuines Haue not the positiue Constitutions of former Councells bene repealed by those that succeded Haue not the Popes Decrees bene censured and discarded by their successors Where was your Catholique spirit all that while It is in vaine to looke for a n Foelix qui minimis vrgetur heauen vppon earth Shall the whole fabrick be puld downe because a Wyndowe or a Chimney or a Tyle is misplaced He is a good Architect that leaues nothing to mend Zuinglius his reproofe may informe you that our Church is more deuoted to the Scriptures verity then to the most prime mans authority Iab This is o Pag. 98. 99. the felicity of our Catholike Ladies that by the worde of the Church they know certainlie which is the letter of the scripture Which your Ladyes like stray-sheepe must seeke on the topp of craggy mountaines as the Knight tearmeth the Hebrew language not without eminent daunger of an eternall downefall Nick. Here is a doe with the Ladies falling Yf you were their Gentleman Vsher should they not haue a stout supporter Stand to your tackling good Doctor Iab There is such a Ibid. confusion in your Church that as Irenaeus noted of auncient Heretikes one shall scarce find two that will spell the same sence out of the same wordes Ma. Why hath God giuen such diuersity of guiftes to his Church but that there should be q Quid in diuinis eloquiis largius vberius potuit diuinitus prouideri quam vt eâ—dem verba pluribus inte ligantur modu Aug. de Doct. Chris lib. 3. variety of applications Is not the Kings Daughter in fimbrijs aureis circumamicta r Psal 45.14 varietatibus Clad in a vesture wrought about with diuerse colours If the stuffe be the same t is no great matter though the lace and embrodery be not laid in all alike What contradictions can can you specify in their expositions Iab These foure Å¿ Pag. 99. wordes Hoc est corpus meum contayning not aboue fourteene letters you haue deuised aboue fower times fortie expositions so different as the Authors of the one damne the Fauorers of the other to Hell Ma. A fitt receptacle for all such loud lyars who care not what Crudityes they vomit vppon the bosome of the most eminent and innocent persons without either feare or shame Min. They that are conuersant in the writings of your Catholique Authors know that there is allmost as much difference among them about the three letters of this one sillable Hoc as is amongst the Protestants in the whole sentence Ma. If Mercury himselfe were amongst them with his rodd of truce all his Rhetorique would hardly teach them their t Quid dem quid non dem renuis tu quod iubet alter Concordes Iabal forgets how Leo the second condemned Pope u In Epist ad Imperat. ad fin 6. Synod Honorius for an Heretique Had Zuinglius serued Luthers bookes as Pope x Platina in Sabin Senens lib. 4. pag. 23. Sabinian did the workes of Gregorie his predecessor wee should haue an outcry against fiery spirits then he might more tolerably haue demaunded What shal your poore Ladies do in this combate Iab They may y Pag. 99. rashly perswade themselues that this or that exposition is the best but certaine of any thing they can neuer bee till they admit the Catholike Ladies A.B.C. the Churches authoritie learning of her the sence of whom they tooke the text Nick. When the men of Thessalonica z Act. 17.11 tried the Apostles Doctrine whether it were true or no did they send a Legate to learne the judgement of the Church of Rome Vnto whom did they repaire but vnto a Scrutabantur Scripturas him that had the wordes of life Our Ladies are not so raw in the Scriptures but that if there were such difference amongst our Ministers as you suppose they can take that which doth best agree with the Analogie of Faith and the Rule of Charitie The spirit of God is not so fixed to the Doctors chaire but that it is most free to make euen them of the lowest forme b Super Senes intellexi quia mandata tua quaesiui Psa 119 v. 100. wise vnto saluation Ma. I haue heard a worthie speech of Panormitan often alleaged to this purpose that there is more credit to be giuen to one c Plus credendum viro Laico afferenti Scripturas c. Laick that bringeth Scripture then to a generall Councell representing the vniuersall Church if it haue not the warrant of the word It is not long time since I read how Paphnutius by this meanes preuailed against a whole Synode and stopped the passage of the warrantlesse superstition of single life And not without great reason For if antiquitie be to bee respected or consent to be regarded the Prophets and Apostles haue the superioririe in both Min. Whereas he complaines of confusion and danger of misinterpretation for the magnifying of Tradition he forgets the censure of d Lib. 3. Cap. 2 Irenaeus vpon the prime Heretiques for the same quarrell e Difficilis paucisque conueniens eruditis Aug. aduers Iulian. l. 5. c. 1 Iulian the Pelagian thought by
feast of Easter Supremacy that they complained when Phocas conferred it vppon Boniface It is an incredible happines which you ascribe to the Roman Church that it neuer fell into heresy when as the n 2. Thes 2.7 mystery of iniquity began to worke euen in the age of the Apostles Then was o Iob. Mar. belg pag 441. Petrarch too blame for calling Rome the Whore of Babylon and p Hist pag. 535. Mathew Paris for saying she was a shamelesse common and prostituted whore Did not Marcellinus commit Idolatry in offering sacrifice to Iupiter Did not Pope Liberius fall into Arianisme when Athanasius stood vppon his right feete I am sure you haue heard that Honorius the first was a Monotholite holding that Christ had but one will and one nature Iab The q Pag. 102. sincerity of doctrine as Ruffinus noteth is the cause that the Church of Rome did neuer add any worde or sillable to the Creede but kept the same intire without addition Ma. Then you graunt as much as we craue that those principall Iewells which the Catholique Church prizest most came not out of Roomes Treasury Me thincks you should blush when you name Ruffinus for how haue you degenerated from that auncient Rome who haue not bene ashamed to add not only sillables but more then eleuen articles to the Apostolicall Creede Reckon them vppon your fingers and you shall neither finde the Popes Supremacy nor Purgatory c. which you haue added as poyntes of like necessity to be beleiued Nick. Then haue they litle affinity with the true Church for r Lett. to T. H. pag. 68. she taketh not vppon her to controll the holy Scripture her mother from whome she drew her first breath She openeth not her mouth till her Mother haue deliuered her minde she commeth not of her owne head with a sleeuelesse arrant Iab You ſ Pag 104. describe the Spouse of Christ as a mannerly young mayd brought vp in Luthers schoole You deserue a t Pag. 106. coate with foure sleeues for this Metaphor which maketh the Church Scripture Daughter Nick. Are these the u Praef. Cumaean sopps you promised take heede least you pluck an old house ouer your eares Such liueries best befitt your indigent followers Let him weare your fooles-coate with fower sleeues that is free of your company You may cutt as large a thonge as you list of your owne hide Ma. The Metaphor is sacred and doth not deserue so ridiculous a weede S. Peter vseth it saying that we are borne a newe not of mortall seede but of immortall x 1. Pet. 1.23 Rom. 10.17 by the worde of God I haue begotten you saith S. Paul y 1. Cor. 4.15 by the Ghospell The Church being begotten and gathered by the worde must not stand vppon tearmes of seniority with her progenitor Iab The z Pag. 107. Church of the old testament was some thousand yeares before scripture the Church of the newe testament did flourish many yeares before any Ghospel was written S. Irenaeus a Pag. 106. 107 writeth that many Churches in his time had neuer read any worde of Scripture yet did they flourish by keeping the Tradition of Christian doctrine in their heartes Ma. A man might pose you should he demaund what proofe you haue for your Negatiue that there were no sacred bookes before those fiue written by Moses seeing he mentioneth a b Num. 21.14 Booke of the warres of the Lord and the c Ioshua 10.13 Booke of the Iust what can you shewe to the contrary why those bookes might not be written by some of the Patriarches Doth not St. d Verse 14. Iude alleadge a testimony out of the prophecy of Enoch Min. Let vs not contend with him for this What if we graunt that the vnwritten worde was more auncient the difference was not in the matter but in the manner It was vnto them being ratifyed by the Prophets and confirmed by extraordinary reuelations in the nature of a written worde And when that worde was expressed in visible Caracters Traditions e Mat. 15.3 were of no longer vse As for the Ghospell it was written before the Race of eye-witnesses was extinct what they preached the same things they registred So that it was one and the f Proliteris spiritus Sancti gratiam se illis daturum repromisit Chrisost bom 1. in Mat. same worde by which the Church in all ages hath bene gathered For as g Euseb l. 3. 20. Irenaeus saith of Polycarpus he deliuered those things which he had learned of them who had seene the worde of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholy agreable to that which is written The same Father h Irenaeus l. 3. c. 1 also informes vs that the Apostles left in writing to the Church the same Ghospell which they had formerly preached by worde of mouth that it might be a foundation and pillar of our faith yea of that true and liuely saith which the Church hath receiued from them and doth prescribe to her Children As they preached saith S. Hierom. for the confirmation of faith so was it necessary they should write for the confusion of Heretiques Contra insidiosos errores saith S. i In Epist Ioh. 1. tract 2. Augustine voluit Deus ponere firmamentum in Scripturis Seeing then the ayme of Gods spirit in the deliuery of diuine Scripture which is k 2. Tim. 3.15 able to make a man wise vnto Saluation was as Theophilact writeth to preuent haereses pullulaturas what doe they but open a gappe for all heresyes which giue waye to vnwritten vncertayne and vnnecessary Traditions Considera quam sit extremae dementiae saith S. l Hom. 1. in Mat. Chrisostome nos qui primam illam dignitatem perdidimus ne secundo remedio vti velle ad salutem sed coelestia scripta quasi frustrà ac vanè posita dispicere Consider what extreme m Vide Euseb lib. 3. cap. 33. de Papiae Paradoxis traditione fulcitis madnesse it is that wee who haue lost that first dignity of purity should refuse to vse the second remedy for our Saluation by contemning those heauenly writings as if they were giuen in vaine and for no vse Thus in stead of the folly which you obiect S. Chrisostome requites you with the note of no lesse then extreme madnesse Iab Where is the perpetuall n Pag. 104. 105. Virginity of the B. Mother after the sacred birth of the Sonne of God written in the Scripture What is it but à perpetuall tradition of Gods Church S. Augustine saith it cannot be clearly proued out of Scripture that Heretiques returning to the Church should not be rebaptized and yet the Church hath forbidden the same Shall we tearme this prohibition sleeuelesse Ma. The perpetuall Virginity of the blessed Mother is no matter of saluation whether we beleiue it or no. Yet are we of that opinion because as we read not any thing to the
contrary so it sorteth best with her honour who was the Mother of our Sauiour As for rebaptizing of those who were baptized by o Efficacia Sacramenti est ex institutioni ordinansis non ex sanctitate minâ—strantis Baptismus talis est qualâ—s ille iâ— câ—ius potestate datur non qualiâ— percuius ministerium datur Aug. in Ioh. â— Heretiques we rather follow Augustine then Cyprian yet not because he hath taught it but for that as him selfe saith Ex Euangelio profero certa documenta I haue sure p Eph 4.5 proofes out of the Ghospell Yea he pronounceth a q Cont. lit Petil. lib. 3. ca 6. curse vppon all such as teach any thing either of Christ or his Church or any other matter of faith besides that which is receyued from the Legall and Euangelicall Scriptures I once heard a Papist exceedingly puzled with a speeck of his to r Ad Max. lib. 3. cap. 14. Maximinus Neque ego Synodum Nicaenam nectu Ariminensem debes tanquam praeiudicaturus afferre Nec ego huius authoritate nec tu illius detineris Scripturarum auctoritatibus non quorumcumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cum ratione certet Min. Irenaeus Tertullian who had to doe with such refractory Heretiques as either denyed the purity of the Scriptures or traduced the perspicuity of them did both of them appeale to Tradition because they where challenged at that weapon by their aduersaries And by what Compasse did they saile first they proue that alone to be true and authenticall Tradition which was deliuered by Christ to the Apostles and by them to the Church by whome it was successiuely deriued to posterity Secondly they stand for no other Traditions but for the very same articles of faith which were contayned in the written worde Peruse Å¿ Irenae lib. 1. cap. 2.3 lib. 3. cap. 4. Tertul. lib. de praescrip haeret both their seuerall and specificall Enumerations of Traditions which the Church hath successiuely continued and you shall find them to iumpe in all respects with the Apostles Creede T is true they might haue proued them before competent Iudges by the authority of Scripture but as the Case stoode the authority of the Church was thought more preualent and the rather that they might shew the harmony thereof with the holy Scriptures Wherefore if you stand for such Traditions as they vrge it is fit your Bill should passe otherwise you must not take it ill if your Grace be stopt Iab Doe but t Pag. 105. read your learned Author Hierome Zanchius who will giue you a newer tune then that you haue piped vnto vs. That Author teacheth that diuerse vnwritten Traditions concerning Doctrine and Manners are in the Church which are not only profitable but in a manner necessary which we must reuerence and obey else we contemne the authority of the Church which is very displeasing vnto God Your Dr. Feild grauntes that Papists haue good reason to equall their Traditions to the written worde if they can proue any such vnwritten verities Ma. Zanchius meaneth not your Lenten fast your Ecclesiasticall orders of Acolothytes and Exorcists your Purgatory and Prayer for the dead which you will sooner proue to be dreames then Apostolicall Traditions but the very same which Tertullian and Irenaeus haue recorded for such Dr. Feildes If touching the poynt in question carries the sence of an impossible Supposition which we haue reason to suspect till your Purgatory shewe a better pedigree If you can proue this to be one of those vnwritten TraditioÌ„s whereof Zanchius speaketh then we will according to Dr. Feildes aduise not much dissent from your Conclusion till then we must craue pardon Iab The u Pag. 107. places which the Knight alleadgeth to proue the Churches Doctrine in this pointe to be a Sathanicall figment disgracefull vnto the great mercy of God and euacuating the Crosse of Christ are many but either so triuiall and knowne together with the Catholiques aunsweres or else so ridiculously applied wrung and wrested to your purpose that their very sound is able to breake a learned mans head Nick. Then had you neede of a good head-peice to beare off the weight of the blowe whose sound maketh so great a battery Yet if none but learned mens heads be in daunger of breaking your rough-hewen skonce neede feare the lesse Well seeing my Mr. is arrested for bloud-shed he meanes to aunswere the action vpon Bayle And for want of a better Atorney let me craue a Coppy of your Plea Iab Shall x Pag. 108. I make the Analisis of his Rhetoricall arguments They be three Enthymems I thinke The first The Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church ergo there is no Purgatory The second The scule of Christ went downe to the nethermost hell ergo no Purgatory can be found The third Christ bound the strong man and tooke his Fortresse ergo Purgatory must vanish awaye Ma. The argument that once passeth your fingers is not dismissed without a torne fleece but seeing we must take it as you present it let vs heare your exceptions why it should vndergoe so triuiall and ridiculous a censure Iab Can you y Ibid. deny but many of your praedestinate and Elect are for robbing and stealing and other such crimes locked vp in London Gaoles What shall not Hell-gate preuaile against them shal the wal of a prison mew them vp Hath the soule of Christ gone downe into the nether-most Hell made no passage through Newgates Limbo where sometimes your Elect are kept Hath hee bound the strong man that hee should not harme and shall now a Hangman put them to death You perceiue I hope the vanitie of your Inferences Ma. Hee that lookes vpon them through your spectacles may read Absurdity indeed But that you may know the falsenesse of your Glasse by the mishapen Representation which it giueth to so well a proportioned face you must bee aduertised that the Knights argument was neyther so Wide-mouthed nor so Goggle-eyed as the picture which you haue drawne according to your own Idaea to resemble it He speaks of the state of th'elect in the after-world according to the intendement of the Scriptures alleaged you wrest it to their corrections in this life which haue their profitable vse His scope looks to the satisfying of Gods Iustice which Christ hath fully accomplished and not to those Chastisements which are as spurres to driue men to lay hold vpon that all-sufficient Sacrifice at which your Squint-eyed supposition doth glance Min. There are sundrie reasons why the Lord suffereth his Elect to vndergoe those bodily penalties First for the manifestation of his owne Iustice Secondly for their Correction humiliation and amendement that their Spirits may bee saued in the day of the Lord Thirdly for the Caution and Example of others Fourthly for the maintenance of publike tranquillitie and politique Societie
least mite thrown in his Treasurie as well accepted as the greatest talent of the most mightie Potentate Why then should the Pope be so partiall as to neglect the reliefe of the poorer sort by passing licence to the ambitious Cardinall for the pulling downe of lesser Houses founded with as great Charitie to make princely walls for his pride How will hee escape the dreadfull execrations of the first Founders A thousand Iabalites will not bayle him As for Henrie the eight he is farre more excusable because he followed the president of the Popes Legate whome he thought hee might boldly imitate And when the lands came to the spoyle your owne Catholiques had not the least share Nâ—ck Hee that shall reade the Records of those times shall finde the villanies of the Monastiques so transcendent that no religious King could with a safe conscience any longer tolerate them When you shall call to minde how b 6000. many childrens heads Gregorie saw at the drawing of a fish-pond you will thinke he hath small reason to boast of their pietie feare of God and contempt of the world And were your religious persons thus tainted then must the secular needs be worse infected When their purse would purchase their pardon with a Quodlibet they that had the fairest meanes were likely to harbour the foulest sinnes Ma. And as for humilitie which was the second branch of his maimed comparison as oft as he thinks of Augustines pride mee thinkes hee should turne his face aside when he names it Iab The c Pag. 189. chiefe reason that made this blessed Saint to iarre with the British Bishops was their want of Christian charitie towards the English not yeelding to preach Christ and Christianitie vnto them Ma. T is strange he should be so inconsiderate as to fall out with them before he heard them speake Besides he could not but heare how many worthie Britaines had beene treacherously slaine by Hengystus and his d Fabian part 1. cap. 89. adherents both vpon Ambry or Salisburie Plaine and at a banquet where they expected a better welcome So that his Fatherhood should first haue procured hostages for their safetie and then if they had gainsaied his religious motion they had beene more liable to his cholericke censure That for which his ambition is principally noted is the stately Prologue of his greeting in his surly and Pseudo episcopall cariage towards his poore brethren who had beene his Seniors in this Seignorie The countenance is a token of the heart Iab I confesse e Pag. 190. it is so yet but an vncertaine and fallible token whereupon to frame a resolute and determinate iudgement in the condemnation of any is against Christs expresse Commandement Doe not iudge according to the face Ma. S. Iames explanes our Sauiours meaning when he admonisheth vs not to reiect the f Saepe sub sordido palliolo latitat sapientia poore Saint for the meannesse of his habit nor to respect the proud deuill for the richnesse of his vesture Our Sauiours prohibition extendeth it selfe to worldly additaments and outward hypocriticall semblances it excludes not the censure of the tree by the fruit by which he saies wee shall know them I confesse vice doth oft times beare the counterfet of vertue but neuer did I see yet Christian humilitie so base minded as to stoope to the imitation of pride They are the agents of g Papa nemini mortalium reuerentiam facit assurgendo aut caput inclinando seu detegendo Antichrist that are pontificall in their carriage and loftie in their lookes The Disciples of Christ doe learne of him to bee humble and meeke Though it be rashnesse to iudge of any mans finall estate before the time of our Lord come yet it is a point of Christian wisdome to h Libritui totum te nobis exhibent Aug. in Epist 9. discerne betweene a thistle and an oliue branch Iab How oft i Pag. 190. do godly and discreet Superiours shew anger state grauitie and seueritie in their countenance when their harts are full of humilitie compassion and meeknes Ma. I perceiue you are better acquainted with State policie then Church pietie There may bee iust occasions for Magistrates to be sometimes sharper in words and more austere in their countenance then willingly they would but if by State you vnderstand disdainfull insolencie it is in no hand to be suffered especially in those that should be parternes to the flocke of Christ Christianitie doth alwaies presuppose common ciuilitie Had k Minimus Apostolorum S. Paul beene in Augustines roome would he haue sate as if he had beene nailed to his chaire would hee not rather haue prostrated himselfe before them beseeching them as their seruant in Christ Iesus to bee reconciled Vnlesse you shut your eies you may easily iudge of the domineering spirit of this new Delegate Min. Either you must condemne the l Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde ground of holy Scripture vpon which that worthie and much reuerenced Heremite to whom they repaired for counsaile did build his direction or his iudgement in the m Si homo Dei est sequimini illum Si aduentantibus assâ—rgat seruus Dei est inference and application wherein hee did prophetically diuine of the future euent Otherwise your Augustine cannot shake of the generally receiued opinion of arrogancie Nick. Gregorie being wise discouered the hautinesse of his disposition well enough as appeareth by his * Lib. 9. Epist 58 Epistle sent vnto him and therefore he tooke a safe course for beeing troubled with him at Rome to send him into these remote parts where hee might domineere alone without check-mate It would make you smile to read how hee encouraged him in his voyage when as vpon his returne hee would haue faine staied at home Min. Were there no other demonstration of his pride but the crossing of his Masters charge that alone were sufficient So that he might set vp his own Ceremonies he did not much set by Gregories aduertisement Iab Did not n Pag. 184. Gregorie by his Delegate plant the present Romane faith that wee now professe I thinke you say it more with your tongue then with your heart Min. Gregorie had formerly written to him that the same Ceremonies were not necessarily to bee exacted in all Churches and hee giues him his reason Non o Bede lib. 1. cap. 27. pro locis res sed pro bonis rebus loca amanda sunt Notwithstanding he abateth not one graine of his violence in changing the obseruation of their Easter-tide Ma. Is not Gregories doctrine sutable to that which is now holden by the Romanists Did not hee allow of Images the Supremacie and p Necessarium est trepidare de merito religiosum est gaudere de dono Leo. merit of good workes which they so superstitiously maintaine If not then it seemes Augustine went beyond the limits of his commission indeed