through the faith that is in Christ Iesus were too great weakenesse and to vse the Apostles phrase childishnesse of vnderstanding But at length you heard a sound of harmony and consent that in the Catholike Church as in Noahs Arke was infallibilitie and possibilitie of saluation which occasioned you to seeke out and to enter into this Arke of Noah The sound of consent and infallibilitie is most pleasing and harmonious and vndoubtedly euer and onely to bee found in the Catholike Church to wit in the rule of Faith and in the holy Scriptures and such necessarie doctrine as perfectly concordeth with the same But as in song many discords doe passe in smaller notes without offence of the eares so should they in smaller matters of opinion in the Church without the offence of iudicious and charitable mindes Which yet I speake not to iustifie them nay I am verily of the minde that this is the thing that hath marred the Church musicke in both kindes that too much libertie is taken in descant to depart from the gound and as one saith notae nimium denigrantur The fault of the Italians though they thinke themselues the onely songsters in the world But to returne to you tell me I beseech you good Master Wadesworth was this the harmonie that transported you The Pope himselfe saith I cannot erre and to mee thou oughtest to haue recourse for decision of doubts in matters of faith And whereas this is not onely denied by Protestants but hath beene euer by the French and anciently I am sure by the Spanish lately by some Italian Diuines also vnlesse hee vse due meanes to finde the truth yea whereas it is the issue of all the Controuersies of this age in this snare you fastned your foot this was the Center that settled your conscience this the solid and firme foundation of your faith What and did it not moue you that some limit this infallibilitie of the Pope thus if hee enter Canonically if hee proceed aduisedly and maturely vsing that diligence that is fit to finde out the truth that is as you said before proceeding by the rule the Scriptures Albeit to the Fathers of the African Councell it seemed incredible as they write in their Synodall Epistle to P. Coelestine standing for appeales to himselfe that God can inspire the right iâ— tâ—iall to one denying it to many Bishops in a Councell Tell vs then who made you secure of these things or did you in truth neuer so much as make question of them but hearing this harmonious sound The Pope is the infallible Iudge you trusted the new Masters of that side Gregory de Valentia and Bellarmine that whether the Pope in defining doe vse diligence or no if hee doe define hee shall define infallibly Alas Sir if this were the rest you found for the soale of your foot instead of moueable water you fell vpon mire and puddle Or rather like to another Doue mentioned in Scripture columba seducta non habens cor by the most chaffie shrap that euer was set before the eyes of winged Fowle were brought to the doorefall Excuse my griefe mixed I confesse with some indignation but more loue to you though I thus write Many things there be in Poperie inconuenient and to my conceit weakely and vngroundedly affirmed to say no more but this is so absurd and palpably a flatterie as to omit to speake of you for my part I cannot bee perswaded that Paulus the fifth beleeues it himselfe For consider I pray what needed anciently the Christian Emperours and sometimes at the request of the Bishops of Rome themselues to haue gathered together so many Bishops from so diuers parts of the world to celebrate Councells if it had beene knowne and beleeued then that one mans sentence might haue cleered all controuersies and put all heresies to silence How durst sundrie holy and learned men haue reiected his decisions whether right or wrong is not now the question vnchristianly out of doubt on their parts if hee had beene then holden the infallible Oracle of our religion As when Polycrates with the Bishops of Asia and Irenaeus also yeelded not to Victor excommunicating the Easterne Churches about the celebration of Easter when Saint Cyprian with the first Councell of Carthage of eightie sixe Bishops had decreed that such as were baptized by heretickes should bee rebaptized and certified Stephanus of this Decree and he opposed it and would haue nothing innouated would Cyprian after that haue resisted and confuted Stephanus his letter had he knowne him for infallible And how doth hee confute him as erring writing impertinently contrarie to himselfe Yea let it bee obserued that hee doth not onely not account Stephanus infallible but not so much as a Iudge ouer any Bishop See the Vote of Cyprian and note those wordes Neque enim quisquam nostrum Episcopum se esse Episcoporum constituit an t tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit quando habeat omnis Episcopus pro licentia libertatis potestatis suae arbitrium proprium tanquam iudicari ab alio non possit cum nec ipse possit alterum iâ—dicare Sed exspectemus vniuersi iudiciuÌ„ Domini nostri Iesu Christi qui vnus solus habet potestateÌ„ praeponendi in Ecclesiae suae gubernatione de actis nostro iudicandi A passage worthy to bee noted also for the cleering of the independence of Episcopall authoritie from the Pope which I now let passe Neither was Saint Cyprian herein alone Firmilianus and the Easterne Bishops resisted Stephanus no lesse as appeares by his Epistle which in the Romane edition of Manutiuâ— set forth by the command of Pius the fourth with the suruey of foure Cardinalls whereof one is now a Saint with exquisite diligence is wholly left out And Pamelius saith hee thinkes purposely for himselfe is of the minde that it had beene better it had neuer come forth But to returne to our purpose The Fathers of the Councell of Africke and Saint Augustine amongst them resist three Popes succeeding each other Zosimus Boniface and Coelestinus about appeales to Rome shall we thinke they would euer haue done it if they had knowne or imagined them to be the supreme and infallible Iudges in the Church I let passe the Schisme betweene the Greeke and the Latin Church which had not happened if this doctrine had beene anciently receiued Nay it is verie plaine in storie that the Bishop of Romes lifting vp himselfe to bee Vniuersall Bishop chiefly caused it To conclude neither Liberius nor Honorius to omit many other Bishops of Rome had euer beene taxed of heresie if this had anciently beene currant that the Pope is infallible I will not stand now to examine the shamefull defence that Bellaâ—mine makes for the latter of these bearing downe Fathers Councells Stories Popes themselues as all falsified or deoeiued herein Wherein because hee is learnedly refuted by Doctor Raynolds I insist not vpon it
This I presse that all those Writers and Councels and amongst them Pope Leo the second accursing Honorius did not then hold that which by Pighius and the Iesuites is vndertaken that the Pope is infallible Euen the Councell of Basil deposing Eugenius for obstinately resisting this truth of the Catholike faith That the Councell is aboue the Pope as an Heretike doth shew the sense of Christendome euen in these latter times how corrupt soeuer both in rule and practice And because you make this infallible Iudge to be also an infallible Interpreter of holy Scripture how happens it that Damasuâ— Bishop of Rome consults with Hierome about the meaning of sundrie Texts of Scripture when it seems himselfe might haue taken his pen and set him downe quickly that which should haue taught both him and the whole Church not onely without danger but euen possibilitie of error Sure wee are little beholding to the diligence of our Ancestors that haue not more carefully registred the Commentaries or because they haue had for sundrie Ages small time to write iust Commentaries the expositions which in their Sermons or otherwise the Bishops of Rome haue made of holy Scripture A worke which if this Doctrine were true were more worth then all the Fathers and would iustifie that blasphemie of the Canon Law where by a shamefull corruption of Saint Augustine the Decretals of Popes are inrolled amongst the Canonicall Scriptures I am alreadie too long in so plaine a matter yet one proofe more which is of all most sensible Being admonished by this your conceit of an infallible Interpreter I chanced to turne ouer the Popes Decretals and obserued the interpretation of Scriptures What shall I say I finde them so leud and cleane beside the purpose yea oftentimes so childish ridiculous both in giuing the sense and in the application that I protest to you in the presence of God nothing doth more lothe me of Poperie then the handling of holy Scripture by your infallible Interpreter alone Consider a few of the particulars and especially such as concerne the Popes owne authoritie To iustifie his exacting an oath of fealtie of an Archbishop to whom he grantâ— the Pall is brought our Lord Iesus Christ who committing the â—are of his Sheepe to Peter did put too a condition saying Sid diligis me pasce oues meas Christ said if thou louest me feede my sheepe Why may not the Pope say If you will sweare me fealtie you shall haue the Pall. But first hee corrupts the Text Christ said not If thou louest mee Then Christ puts not Peters loue as a condition of feeding but feeding as a proofe and effect of his loue And if the feeding of Christs sheepe were sought loue to him and them might suffice to be professed or if he would needs haue more then Christ required to be sworne What is this to the oath of fealtie Straight after to the obiection that all oathes are prohibited by Christ nor any such thing can bee found appointed by the Apostles after the Lord or in the Councels he vrges the wordes following in the Text Sweare not at all quod ampliâ—s est à malo est that is saith hee Euill compels vs by Christs permission to exact more It is not euill to goe from the Popes obedience to condemne Bishops without his priuitie to translate Bishops by the Kings commandement See the place and tell me of your Interpreters infallibilitie Treating of the translation of Bishops or such as are elected vnto other Sees hee saith That since the spirituall Bands is stronger then the carnall it cannot be doubted but Almightie God hath reserued the dissolution of the spirituall marriage that is betwixt a Bishop and his Church to his owne iudgement alone charging that whom God hath â—oyned man seuer not For it is not by humane but rather diuine power that spirituall marriage is dissolued when as by translation or cession by the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome whom it is plaine to bee the Vicar of Iesus Christ a Bishop is remoued from his Church An admirable interpretation of the Text Quos Deus coniâ—nxit by which the Pope not onely challengeth that which is proper to Gods iudgement onely as hee saith viz. to dissolue the bond of spirituall wedlock but because that is the stronger of â—arnall it seemes also when it shall please him The anointing of a Prince since Christs comming is translated from the head to the shoulder by which Principalitie is fitly designed according to that which is read Factus est principatus super humorum eius for signifying also whereof Samuel caused the shoulder to be set before Saul Who should euer haue vnderstood these Texts if your infallible Interpreter had not declared them But this is nothing yet to the exposition of those Texts which the Pope interprets in his answere to the Emperor of Constantinople as Subditi estote omni humanae oreaturae propter Deum c. He tells him that Saint Peter wrote that to his owne Subiects to prouoke them to the merit of humilitie For if he had meant thereby to lay the yoke of subiection vpon Priests it would follow that euery seruant were to rule ouer them since it is said omni humanae creaturae After Iris not barely set downe Regi praecellenti but there is put betweene perhaps not without cause tanquam And that which followes ad vindictam malefactorum laudem vero bonorum is not to bee vnderstood that the King or Emperor hath receiued the power of the sword vpon good and euill men saue onely those who vsing the sword are committed to his iurisdiction according to that which the Truth saith They which take the sword shall perish with the sword For no man ought or can iudge anothers seruant since the seruant according to the Apostle standeth or falleth to his owne Lord. For the loue of God consider this interpretation and compare it with Saint Chrystoâ—e vpon Rom. 13. Nay doe but reade the Text attentiuely and iudge of the infallibilitie of your Interpreter Straight after hee tells the Emperor that hee might haue vnderstood the prerogatiue of Priesthood out of that which was said not of euery man but of God not to the King but to the Priest not to one descending of the Royall stocke but of the Priestly linage of the Priests to wit which were in Anathot Behold I haue set you ouer nations and kingdomes to pull vp and destroy to build and to plant See the prerogatiue of the Priesthood out of Ieremies calling to bee a Prophet O if hee had beene high Priest This had beene a Text for the nonce But hee goes on It is said in Gods Law also Dijs non detrabes Principem populi tui non maledices Which setting Priests before Kings cals them Gods and the other Princes Compare this exposition with Dauids and Paules Psal. 82. and Act. 23. 5. and yee shall
For which cause the Apostle saith Be not more wise then it behooueth but be wise to sobrietie One thing more also you shall finde that now adayes this spirituall man and sole infallible interpreter of Scripture seldome interprets Scripture or vses it in his Decretalls and Brâ—â—es Nay the stile of his Court hath no manner of smack or sauour of it A long compasse of a sentence intricate to vnderstand yea euen to remember to the end full of swelling words of vanitie with I know not how many ampliations and alternatiues after the fashion of Lawyers in Ciuill Courts not of sober Diuines much lesse of the Spirit of God in his Word Some man would perhaps thinke this proceeds from an affectation of greatnesse and the desire of retaining authoritie which seemes to bee embased by alledging reason or Scripture and interpreting texts For my part I account it comes as much from necessitie For it is notorious that neither the Popes themselues nor those of the Court the Secretaries and Dataries which pen their Bull and Breues haue any vse or exercise in holy Scripture or soundnesse in the knowledge of Diuinitie or skill in the originall tongues wherein Gods Word is written all which are necessarie to an able Interpreter And therefore it is a wise reseruednesse in them not to intermedle with that wherein they might easily fault especially in a learned age and wherein so many watchfull eyes ate continually vpon them And to this very pouertie and cautelousnesse I do impâ—te it that the present Pope in his Breues about the Oath of Alleageance vseth not aword of Scripture But tells his faction that they cannot without most euident and grieuâ—us iniury of Gods honour take the Oath the tenor whereof hee sets downe word for word and that done addes Quae cum ita sint c. Which things saith hee since they bee so it must needs be cleere vnto you out of the wordes themselues that such an oath cannot bee taken with the safetie of the Catholike faith and of your soules sith it containeth many things which are apparantly contrary to faith and saluation Hee instances in no one thing brings neither Scripture nor reason but a Quae cum ita sint without any premisses Which loose and vngrounded proceeding when as it is occasioned the Arch-Priest here and many other of that side to thinke those letters forged or gotten by surreption hee sends another of the same tenor with this further reason Haec autâ—â— est mera pura integraque volunt as nostra This is now to be more then an Interpreter euen to be a Lord ouer the faith of his followers to make his will a reason What would ye haue him doe to alleadge a better he could not a weake and vnsufficient one he was ashamed hee thought it best to resolue the matter into his sole authoritie Whereby he hath proued himselfe a fallible both Iudge and Interpreter yea a false witnesse against God and the truth commanding by the Apostle Christian men to be subiect and to giue euery man their dues feare to whom feare honour to whom honour and much more if there be any difference allegiance to whom allegiance CHAP. IIII. Of the state of the Church of England and whether it may be reconciled with Rome BVt of your interpreters infallibilitie enough Your next doubt whether the Church of England were of the true Church or no was resolued with a Paralogisme partly by reason of equiâ—ocation and diuers acception of the tearmes the Church and to erre partly by composition and diuision in the connexion of these by those Verbes can or may Let vs examine the seuerall parts of your Syllogisme The Proposition The true Church cannot erre is confirmed by the consent of all Excuse me Sir if I withhold my consent without some declaration and limitation I say first it must bee declared whether you meane the Catholike Church or a atrue part of the Catholike Church For there is not the like reason of these to error Against the Catholike Church hell gates shall not preuaile against particular when Christ doth remoue the Candlesticke out of his place they doe Witnesse the Churches of Africke sometimes most Catholike And thus it seemes you must take this tearme since your doubt was whether the Church of England be of the true Church or no Besides I must desire to know what manner of errours you meane whether euen the least or onely deadly and such as barre from saluation which the Apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heresies of perdition 2 Pet. 2. 1. Take now your owne choise for if you speake of euery errour the proposition is false euen of the Catholike Church much more of any particular Church Yea I adde further not onely of the Catholike Church by denomination from the greatest part or by representation as the Pastors or Prelates thereof met in a Councill which is still the mixt Church but euen that which is Christs true body whereof he is the Sauiour and which shall be with him for euer As for deadly and damnable errors this true and properly called Church both in the whole and euerie part of the mixt Church is yet priuiledged from them finally for it is kept by the power of God to saluation it is not possible the Elect should thus be seduced Truth it is that by such errors particular visible assemblies vniuersally and obstinately defending them become falsely called Churches from which wee are to seperate our selues Example in the Synagogue and in Churches of the Arians Now let vs see your Assumption But the Church of England head and members King Clergie and people yea awhole Councell of Protestants may erre by your owne grant I answer the Church of England that is the Elect in the Church of England which onely are truely called the Church can neuer deadly erre This no Protestant will grant yee The mixt Church of England head members King Clergie and the residue of the people and a whole Councell of Protestants may erre damnably and therefore much more â—all into lesser errors This they grant And if they shall so erre obstinately they shall deseruedly loose the name of a true Church But they denie they doe thus err yea they denie that they erre de facto at all What followes in conclusion Ergo No true Church This shortnesse in suppressing the verbe would make a man thinke you ment to couer the fault of your discourse And indeede you might by that meanes easily beguile another but I cannot be perswaded you would willingly beguile your selfe Sure you were beguiled if you ment it thus Ergo it is no true Church See your Argument in the like A faithfull witnesse cannot lye But Socrates or Aristides may lye by his owne grant Ergo no faithfull witnesse He that stands vpright cannot fall but you Master Waddesworth by your owne grant may fall Ergo stand not vpright Perhaps your meaning was Ergo it may
and testifie that this first place was falsified Hee said in the page before that Plessis appeared at last with some foure or fiue Ministers on his side There were no Ministers appeared with him on his side No Protestants no creature did subscribe or was required so to doe The third Which at length they did viz. subscribe this place was falsified A vtter vntruth Whereof there is not a word in the said printed Narration The fourth as well in this as in all the rest There was no subscription as I said at all The Commissioners were all of the Roman profession sauing Causabon and he no Minister They neuer pronounced much lesse subscribed that any of those places examined were falsified Of the first place of Scotus they pronounced nothing Of the second of Durand That the opposition of Durand was alleaged for the resolution And this they would haue remitted also as the former to another time saue that the Bishop insisted saying it was in vaine to dispute if they would not iudge addressing his speech diuers times to the King to the intent hee should signifie his pleasure to the Commissioners and then his Maiestie drawing neere to them they gaue their opinions vpon that Article as before This was that which F. Parsons stumbled at when hee wrote The Ministers and Protestants there present subscribed and testified that it was falsified and so all the rest For being ouerioyed with this newes which hee did not well vnderstand to thinke the charitablest of him hee thought the Commissioners had beene part at least Protestants and Ministers and had subscribed whereas they pronounced their sentence viua voce by the mouth of the Chancellour neuer vsing the tearme falsification yea in some of the rest they acquited the L. of Plessis as in the passage of P. Crinitus though they said Crinitus was deceiued In that of Bernard that it had beene good to distinguish the two passages of Saint Bernard out of the same booke with an et caetera Not to stand now vpon that that in the rest of the places he hath a reasonable and iust defence with indifferent men for the omissions he was charged with in Chrysostome Hierome Bernard and Theodorit and in that of Cyril the King himselfe said aloud that both sides had reason but F. Parsons not hauing as it appeares receiued perfect information of the particularities of this affaire was so hastie to write according to the partiall intelligenâ—e he receiued at Rome that hee faults himselfe in the same kinde that hee imputes to another And if he should meete with some seuere aduersarie that would multiplie his falsehoods by his leaues and lines as he dealeth with Master Fox and then extend by proportion his pamphlet to the bignesse of Master Fox his Booke of Martyrs he would finde that he prouides very ill for himselfe that is to rigorous and censorious to other men But I leaue him and come to the fidelitie of the Popish faction whereof I shall desire you to take a taste in one of the questions which you name about the Church euen that which is indeede cardo negotij as you say the controuersie of the Popes authoritie For the establishing whereof First the Epistles of the ancient Bishops of Rome for the space of about 300. yeares after Christ are counterfeited The Barbarous not Latine but lead of the stile and the likenesse of them all one to another the deepe silence of antiquitie concerning them the Scriptures alleadged after Hieromes translation doe conuince them of falshood And by whose practice and procurement we cannot doubt if wee aske but as Cassius was wont Cui bono For at euery bout the authoritie of the Pope and priuiledges of the Roman See are extolled and magnified Next the Donation of Constantine is a sencelesse forgerie and so blazed by some of the learnedest of the Roman Church Reade it aduisedly either in Gratian or in the Decrees of Syluester with the Confession and Legend of Constantines baptisme and say out of your owne iudgement if euer any thing can be more fraudulent more sottish And because I haue mentioned Gratian his whole compilation is fâ—ll of falsification and corruption of Antiquitie take an example or two in the matter wee haue in hand The Mileuitene and after the Africane Councils vnderpaine of Excommunication prohibit appeales beyond the Seas Which Canons were made purposely to meet with the vsurpations of the Bishops of Rome of which I haue spoken some what before Now in the citing this Canon Gratian addes this goodly explication nisi forte Romanam sedem appellauerint thus excepting that abuse which these Councels directly sought to prohibit Againe Saint Augustine to informe a Christian man what Scriptures hee should hold for Canonicall bids Gratianâ—its â—its it thus inter quâ—â— Scripturas sane illae sunt quas Apostolica sedes habere ab ea alij meruâ—runt accipere Epistolas and accordingly the 〈◊〉 of that Canon is Inter Canonicas The Decretall Epistles are numbred amongst the Canonicall Scriptures True it iâ— that in the end of the next Canon Gratian addes a good limitation and worth the remembering that this must be vnderstood of such Decrees in which there is nothing found contrary to the Decrees of the Fathers foregoing nor the precepts of the Gospell Belike euen in Gratians time it was not holden impossible that in the Sanctions and Decretals of Popes something might be decreed contrary to the Gospel which may be added to your Iudges infallibility which hath beene touched before But these be old trickes of the Champions of the Papacie At this day perhaps it is better yes and that shall ye vnderstand by the words of the children of the Church of Rome themselues the Venetians But first ye are to know that among certaine Propositions set forth in defence of the state there was one the fourth in number of eight That the authoritie promised by our Sauiour Christ to Saint Peter vnder the metaphor of the Keyes is meerely spirituall For confirmation whereof after other proofe was said that the authoritie of the highest Bishop is ouer sinne and ouer soules onely according to the words of that prayer of the Church about Saint Peter qui B. Petro animas ligandi atque soluendi Pontificium tradidisti Cardinall Bellermine vndertooke to answere these Propositions and comming to this place he saith that peraduenture Gods prouidence to take away such deceipts whereby the author of these Propositions would deceiue the simple with the words of the holy Church misunderstood inspired into the reformers of the Breuiarie that they should take out of that Prayer the word animas as anciently it was not there nor ought to be because that prayer was formed out of the words of the Gospell Quodcunque ligaueris quodcunque solueris Now marke the reioinder that is made to him by Iohannes Marsilius who numbering vp his errors in the defence of euery proposition roundly tels him
whose words are these I will not determine against the succession of the Clergie in England because it is to mee very doubtfull And the discretion of Cudsemius the Iesuire which denies the English Nation to be Heretickes because they remaine in a perpetuall succession of Bishops And to take away all doubt from you that some of these Ordayners were onely Bishops elect and vnconsecrated besides Miles Couerdale in King Edwards time Bishop of Exceter cast in prison by Queene Mary and released and sent ouer Sea to the King of Denmarke know that William Barlow was another in King Edwards dayes Bishop of Bath and Welles in Queene Maries beyond the Seas in the companie of the Duchesse of Suffolke and Master Bâ—rtie her husband at the time of Doctor Parkers ordination Elect of Chichester A third was Iohn Scorie in King Edwards time Bishop of Chichester and at the time of the said ordination Elect of Hereford A fourth was Iohn Hodgeskin Suffragan of Bedford And these foure if they were all ordained according to the forme ratified in King Edwards dayes were presented by two Bishops at least to the Archbishop and of him and them receiued imposition of hands as in the said forme is appointed One scruple yet remaines which you haue in that these men did consecrate Doctor Parker by vertue of a Breue from the Queene as head of the Church who being no true head and a woman you see not how they could make a true consecrationr grounded on her authoritie But to cleare you in this also you must vnderstand the Queenes mandate serued not to giue power to ordaine which those Bishops had before inâ—rinsecally annexed to their office but leaue and warrant to apply that power to the person named in that Mandate A thing vnlesse I haue beene deceiued by reports vsed in other Countries yea in the Kingdomes of his Catholike Maiestie himselfe Sure I am by the Christian Emperours in the primitiue Church as you may see in the Ecclesiasticall histories and namely in the ordination of Nectarius that I spake of before Yea which is more in the consecration of the Bishops of Rome as of Leo VIII whose Decree with the Synode at Rome touching this matter is set downe by Gratian Dist. 63. c. 23. taken from the example of Hadriaâ— and another Councell which gaue to Charles the Great Ius potestatem eligendi Pontificem ordinandi Apostolicam sedom as you may see in the Chapter next before See the same Dist. c. 16. 17. 18. and you shall finde that when one was chosen Bishop of Reate within the Popes owne Prouince by the Clergie and people and sent to him by Guido the Count to be consecrated the Pope durst not doe it till the Emperours licence were obtained Yea that hee writes to the Emperour for Colonus that receiuing his licence hee might consecrate him either there or in the Church of Tusculum which accordingly vpon the Emperors bidding he performed Yet another exception you take to the making our Ministers that wee keepe not the right intention First because we neither giue nor take Orders as a Sacrament By that reason we should haue no true marriages amongst vs neither because we count not Matrimonie a Sacrament This Controuersie depends vpon the definition of a Sacrament which if it be put to be a signe of a holy thing these be both so and a many more then seuen If a seale of the New Testament so are there but those two which we properly call Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper In which last as to the intention of sacrificing surely if yee allow the doctrine of the Master of the Sentences that it is called a Sacrifice and Oblation which is offered and consecrated by the Priest because it is a memorie and representation of the true Sacrifice and holy immolation made on the Altar of the Crosse. And that Christ once dyed on the Crosse and there was offered vp in himselfe but is daily offered vp in a Sacrament because in the Sacrament there is a remembrance of that which waâ— once done which he there confirmes by the authorities of the Fathers cited by Gratian in the Canon Law If this Doctrine I say may yet passe for good and this bee the Churches intention wee want not this intention of sacrificing Adde to this the confession of Melchior Canus who saith the Lutherans doe not wholly denie the sacrifice but grant a Sacrifice of thanks giuing which they call the Eucharist they will haue none for sinne which they call propitiatorie If he had put hereto vnlesse it bee in a mysterie hee had rightly expressed the opinion of the Protestants Thirdly yee object wee want the matter and forme with which orders should be giuen namely for the matter in Priesthood the deliuerie of the Patena with bread and the Chalice with wine in Deaconship the deliuerie of the booke of the Gospell c. By which reason the seuen first Deacons had no true ordination for then there was no Gospell written to be deliuered them Nor those Priests whom the Pope shall make by his sole word saying Esto Sacerdos Whom notwithstanding sundrie famous Canonists hold to bee well and lawfully ordained and Innocentius himselfe saith that if these formes of Ordination were not found out any other Ordainer might in like manner make Priests with those words or the like for as much as these formes were in processe of time appointed by the Church And if wee list to seeke for these Metaphysicall notions of matter and forme in Ordination which at the most can bee but by Analogie how much better might wee assigne the persons deputed to sacred functions to be the matter as those that contract are by your selues made the matter in matrimonie and the imposing of hands with the expressing the authoritie and office giuen to bee the forme In Dionysius though falsly called the Areopagite yet an ancient Author yee shall finde nothing else nor which I may tell you by the way any other orders saue Bishops Priests and Deacons And to come to that wherein you say wee faile most of all the substantiall forme of Priesthood tell mee ingenuously good Master Wadesworth how doe you know that our Lord Iesus Christ made his Apostles or they others Priests with this forme which hath no mention or footstep in the Gospell or otherwhere in holy Scripture Nor so much as in the Councell of Carthage that from whence the manner of giuing other orders is fetched nor in Gratian nor in any other ancient Author that I can finde saue in the Pontificall onely And is the present Pontificall of such authoritie with you as the forme of Priesthood the substantiall forme can subsist in no other wordes then those that bee there expressed To omit the late turkesing whereof consider what Augustinus Patritius writes in his Preface before that which at Pope Innocent VIII his commandement he patched together That
THE COPIES OF CERTAINE LETTERS WHICH HAVE passed betweene SPAINE and ENGLAND in matter of RELIGION Concerning the generall Motiues to the Romane obedience Betweene Master IAMES WADESWORTH a late Pensioner of the Holy Inquisition in Siuill and W. BEDELL a Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ in SVFFOLKE LONDON Printed by William Stansby for William Barret and Robert Milbourne 1624. TO THE MOST HIGH AND EXCELLENT PRINCE PRINCE CHARLES I Should labour much in my excuse euen to mine owne iudgement of the highest boldnesse in daring to present these Papers to your Highnes if there were not some releeuing circumstances that giue mee hope it shall not be disagreeable to your higher goodnesse There is nothing can see the light which hath the name of Spaine in it which seemes not now properly yours euer since it pleased you to honor that Countrie with your presence And those very Motiues to the Romane obedience which had beene represented vnto you there in case you had giuen way to the propounding them are in these Letters charitably and calmly examined Betweene a couple of friends bred in the same Colledge that of the foundation of Sir WALTER MILDMAY of blessed memorie whom with honor and thankfulnesse I name chosen his Schollers at the same election lodged in the same Chamber after Ministers in the same Diocesse And that they might bee matchable abroad as well as at home attendants in the same ranke as Chaplaines on two Honorable Ambassadors of the Majestie of the King your Father in forraine parts the one in Italie the other in Spaine Where one of them hauing changed his profession and receiued a pension out of the holy Inquisition house and drawne his wife and children thither was lately often in the eyes of your Highnesse very ioyfull I suppose to see you there not more I am sure then the other was solicitous to misse you here These passages betweene vs I haue hitherto forborn to divulge out of the hope of further answer from Master Wadesworth according to his promise though since the receipt of my last being silent to my selfe he excused him in sundrie his Letters to others by his lack of health Nor should I haue changed my resolution but that I vnderstand that presently after your Highnesse departure from Spaine hee departed this life Which newes though it grieue me as it ought in respect of the losse of my friend yet it somewhat contenteth me not to haue beene lacking in my endeauour to the vndeceiuing a well-meaning man touching the state of our differences in Religion nor as I hope to haue scandalized him in the manner of handling them And conceiuing these Copies may be of some publike vse the more being liâ—ted vp aboue their owne meannesse by so high patronage I haue aduentured to prefixe your Highnesse name before them Humbly beseeching the same that if these reasons be too weake to beare vp the presumption of this Dedication it may bee charged vpon the strong desire some way to expresse the vnspeakeable joy for your Highnesse happy returne into England of one amongst many thousands Of your Highnesse most humble and deuoted seruants W. BEDELL THE CONTENTS 1. A Letter of Master Wadesworth contayning his Motiues to the Romane obedience Dated at Seuill in Spaine April 1. 1615. printed as all the rest out of his owne hand-writing pag. 1. 2. Another Letter from him requiring answere to the former from Madrid in Spaine April 14. 1619. pag. 16. 3. The answere to the last Letter Dated Aug. 5. 1619. pag. 17. 4. A Letter from Master Wadesworth vpon the receipt of the former From Madrid Dated Oct. 28. 1619. receiued May 23. 1620. pag. 23. 5. The answere to the last Letter Iune 15. 1620. pag. 25. 6. A Letter from Master Wadesworth from Madrid Iune 8. 1620. pag. 29. 7. A Letter of Master Doctor Halls sent to Master Wadesworth and returned into England with his marginall notes pag. 30. 8. A Letter returning it inclosed to Master Doctor Hall pag. 36. 9. A Letter sent to Master Wadesworth together with the Examination of his Motiues Octob. 22. 1620. pag. 36. 10. The Examination of the Motiues in the first Letter pag. 39. The heads of the Motiues reduced vnto twelue Chapters answering vnto the like figures in the Margint of the first of Master WADESWORTHS Letters Chap. I. OF the Preamble The Titles Catholike Papist Traytor Idolater The vniformitie of Faith in Protestant Religion pag. 39. Chap. II. Of the contrarietie of Sects pretended to be amongst Reformers Their differences how matters â—f Faith Of each pretending Scripture and the holy Ghost pag. 44. Chap. III. Of the want of a humane externall infallible Iudge and Interpreter The obiections answered First that Scriptures are oft matter of controuersie Secondly that they are the Law and Rule Thirdly that Princes are no Iudges Fourthly nor a whole Councell of Reformers The Popes being the Iudge and Interpreter ouerthrown by reasons And by his palpable misse-interpreting the Scriptures in his Decretals The style of his Court His Breues about the Oath of allegeance p. 50. Chap. IIII. Of the state of the Church of England and whether it may be reconciled with Rome Whether the Pope be Antichrist PAVLO V. VICE-DEO OVR LORD GOD THE POPE the Relation de moderandis titulis with the issue of it pag. 72. Chap. V. Of the safenesse to ioyne to the Romane being confessed a true Church by her Opposites Master P. Wottons peruersion printed at Venice The badge of Christs sheepe pag. 82. Chap. VI. Of fraud and corruption in alledging Councels Fathers and Doctors The falsifications imputed to Morney Bishop Iewell Master Fox Tyndals Testament Parsons foure falshoods in seuen lines A taste of the forâ—eries of the Papacy In the ancient Popes Epistles Constantines Donation Gratian The Schoolemen and Breuiaries by the complaint of the Venettan Diuines The Father 's not vntoucht Nor the Hebrew Text. pag. 91. Chap. VII Of the Armies of euident witnesses for the Romanists Whence it seemes so to the vnexpert Souldier The censure of the Centurists touching the Doctrine of the Ancients Danaeus of Saint Augustines opinion touching Purgatorie An instance or two of Imposture in wresting Tertullian Cyprian Augustine p. 108. Chap. VIII Of the inuisibilitie of the Church said to bee an eâ—asion of Protestants The promises made to the Church and her glorious Titles how they are verified out of Saint Augustine falsly applied to the whole visible Church or representatiue or the Pope pag. 118. Chap. IX Of lack of vniformitie in matters of Faith in all ages and places What matters of Faith the Church holds vniformely and so the 〈◊〉 Of Wicliffe and Hus c. whether they were martyrs p. 12â— Chap. X. Of the originall of Reformation in Luther Câ—luin Scotland England Whether King Henrie the eight were a good head of the Church Of the Reformers in France and Holland The originall growth and supporting of the Popes Monarchie considered pag. 122. Chap. XI Of
most Protestants they migâ—t in such a Councell erre and it were possible in their Decrees to be deceiued But if they may erre how should I know and be sure when and wherein they did or did not erre for though on the one side â— posse ad esse non valet semper consequentia yet 〈◊〉 valet and on the other side 〈…〉 potentia quae nunquam ducitur in actuâ— So that 〈◊〉 neither in generall nor in particular in puoâ—â—que 〈◊〉 priuate in head nor members ioynely nor â—euerally you haue no visible externall humane infallible Iudge who cannot erre and to whom I might haue recourse for decision of doubts in matters of faith â— pray let Master Hall tell me where should I haue fixed my foot for God is my witnesse my soule was like Noah Douâ— a long time houering desirous to discouer land but seeing nothing but moueable and troublesome deceiueable water I could find no quiet center for my conscience nor any firme foundation for your faith in Protestant Religion Wherfore hearing a sound of harmonâ—e and consent that the Catholique Church could not erre and that onely in the Catholique Church as in Noahs Arke was infallabilitte and possibilitie of saluation I was so occasioned and I thinke had important reason like Noahs Doue to seeke out and to enter into this Arke of Noah Hereupon I was occasioned to doubt whether the Church of England were the true Church or not For by consent of all the true Church cannot erre but the Church of England head and members King Clergie and People as before is said yea a whole Councell of Protestants by their owne grant may erre ergo no true Church If no true Church no saluation in it therefore come out of it but that I was loath to doe Rather I laboured mightily to defend it both against the Puritanes and against the Catholiques But the best arguments I could vse against tâ—e Puritanes from the Authoritie of the Church and of the ancient Doctors interpreting Scriptures against them when they could not answere them they would reiect them for Popish and fâ—ye to their owne arrogant spirit by which forsooth they must controll others This I found on the one side most absâ—rd and â—o bâ—eede an Anarchy of confusion and yet when I come to answere the Catholique Arguments on â—he other side against Protestants â—rging the like Authority and vniformity of the Church I perceiued the most Protestants did frame euasions in effect like those of the Puritanes inclining to â—heir priuate spirit and other vncertainties Next therefore I applied my selfe to follow their opinion who would make the Church of England and the Church of Rome still to be all one â—n essentiall points and the diffâ—rences to be accidentall confessing the Church of Rome to be a true Church though sicke or corrupted and the Protestants to be deriued from it and reformed and to this end I laboured much to reconcile most of our particular controuersies But in truth I found such contrarâ—eties not onely betweene Catholiques and Protestants but euen among Protestants themselues that I could neuer settle my selfe fully in this opinion of some reconciliation which I know many great Schollers in England did fauour For considering so many opposite great points for which they did excommunicate and put to death each other and making the Pope to be Antichrist proper or improper it could neuer sinke into my braine how these two could be descendent or members â—ound nor vnfound participant each of other Rather I concluded that â—eeing many of the best learned Protestants did grant the Church or Rome 〈…〉 true Church though 〈…〉 And contrarily not onely the Catholiques but also the Puritanes Anabaptists Brownists c. did all denie the Church of England to be a true Church therefore it would be more safe and secure to become a Romane Catholique who haue a true Church by consent of both parties then to remaine a Protestant who doe alone plead their owne cause hauing all the other against them For the testimony of our selues and our contraries also is much more sufficient and more certaine then to iustifie our selues alone Yet I resisted and stood out still and betooke my selfe againe to reade ouer and examine the chiefest controuersies especially those about the Church which is cardo negotij and herein because the Bearer â—taies now a day or two longer I will inlarge my selfe more then I purposed and so I would needes peruse the Originall quotations and Texts of the Councels Fathers and Doctors in the Authors themselues which were alleadged on both parts to see if they were truely cited and according to the meaning of the Authors a labour of much labor and of trauell sometime to finde the Books wherein I found much fraud committed by the Protestants and that the Catholiques had farre greater and better armies of euident witnesses on their sides much more then the Protestants in so much that the Centurists are faine often to censure and reiect the plaine testimonies of those Ancients as if their new censure were sufficient to disaucthorize the others auncient sentences And so I remember Danaeus in Commentarijs super D. Augustin Enchirid ad Laurentium Where Saint Augustin plainely auoucheth Purgatory he reiects Saints Augustines opinion saying hic est naeuus Augustini but I had rather follow Saint Augustins opinion then his ceâ—sure for who are they to controll the Fathers There are indeede some few places in Authors which prima facie seeme to fauour Protestants as many Heretiques alleadge some texts of Scriptures whose sound of words seeme to make for their opinions but being well examined and interpreted according to the analogie of faith and according to many other places of the same Authours where they doe more fully explaine their opinions so they appeare to be wrested and from the purpose In fine I found my selfe euidently conuinced both by many Authorities and by many Arguments which now I doe not remember all nor can here repeate those which I doe remember but onely some few arguments I will relate vnto you which preuailed most with me besides those afore mentioned First therefore I could neuer approue the Protestants euasion by Inuisibility of their Church For though sometime it may be diminished and obscured yet the Catholique Church must euer be visible set on a hill and not as light hid vnder a Bushell for how should it enlighteâ—â—nd teach her children if inuisible or how should Strangers and Pagans and others be conuerted vnto her or where should any finde the Sacraments if inuisible Also the true Church in all places and all ages euer holds one vniformitie and concord in all matters of Faith though not in all matters of ceremony or gouernment But the Protestants Church hath not in all ages nor in all places such vniforme concord no not in one age as is manifest to all the world and as Father Parsons proued against Foxes martirs Wickliffe Husse and the resâ— ergo the
Protestants Church not the true Church Againe by that saying Haereses ad originem reuocasse est refutasse and so considering Luthers first rancour against the Dominicans his disobedience and contempt of his former Superiours his vowe breaking and violent courses euen causing rebellion against the Emperour whom he reuiles and other Princes most shamefully surely such arrogant disobedience scisme and rebellions had no warrant nor vocation of God to plant his Church but of the Deuill to begin a scisme and a sect So likewise for Caluin to say nothing of all that D. Bolsecus brings against him I doe vrge onely what Master Hooker Doctor Bancroft and Sarauia doe proue against him for his vnquietnesse and ambition reuoluing the Common-wealth and so vniuâ—tly expelling and depriuing the Bishop of Geneua and other temporall Lords of their due obedience and ancient inheritance Moreouer I referre you to the stirres broiles sedition and murders which Knoxe and the Geneua Gospellers caused in Scotland against their lawfull Gouernours against their Queene and against our King euen in his Mothers belly Nor will I insist vpon the passions which first moued King Henrie violently to diuorce himselfe from his lawfull wife to fall out with the Pope his friend to marrie the Lady Anne Bullen and soone after to behead her to disinherite Queene Mary and enable Queene Elizabeth and presently to diâ—inherit Queene Elizabeth and to restore Queene Mary to hang Catholiques for traitors and to burne Protestants for heretiques to destroy Monasteries and to pill Churches were these fit beginnings for the Gospell of Christ I pray was this man a good head of Gods Church for my part I beseech our Lord blesse me from being a member of such a head or such a Church I come to France and Holland where you know by the Hugenots and Geuses all Caluinistes what ciuill wars they haue raised how much bloud they haue shed what rebellion rapine and desolations they haue occasioned principally for their new Religion founded in bloud like Draecos lawes But I would gladly know whether you can approue such bloudy broiles for Religion or no I know Protestants de facto doe iustifie the ciuill warres of France and Holland for good against their Kings but I could neuer vnderstand of them quo lure if the Hollanders be Rebels as they are why did we support themâ— if they be no rebels because they fight for the pretended liberty of their ancient priuiledges and for their new Religion we see it is an easie matter to pretend liberties and also why may not others as as well reuolt for their old Religion Or I beseech you why is that accounted treason against the State in Catholiques which is called reason of State in Protestants I reduce this argument to few words That Church which is founded and begun in maâ—ice disobedience passion bloud and rebellion cannot be the true Church but it is euident to the world that the Protestant Churches in Germanie Francâ— Holland Geneua c. were so founded and in Geneua and Holland are still continued in rebellion ergo they are not true Churches Furthermore where is not Succession both of true Pastors and of true Doctrine there is no true Church But among Protestants is no succession of true Pastors for I omit here to treate of Doctrine ergo no true Church I prooue the minor where is no consecration nor ordination of Bishops and Priests according to the due forme and right intention required necessarily by the Church and ancient Councels there is no succession of true Pastors but among Protestants the said due forme and right intention are not obserued ergo no succession of true Pastors The said due forme and right intention are not obserued among Protestants in France Holland nor Germanie where they haue no Bishops and where Lay men doe intermeddle in the making of their Ministers And for England whereas the Councels require the ordines minores of Subdeacon and the rest to goe before Priesthood your Ministers are made per saltum without euer being Subdeacons And whereas the Councels require three Bishops to assist at the consecration of a Bishop it is certaine that at the Nags-head in Cheap-side where consecration of your first Bishops was attempted but not effected whereabout I remember the controuersie you had with one there was but one Bishop and I am sure there was such a matter and although I know and haue seene the Records themselues that afterward there was a consecration of Doctor Parker at Lambeth and three Bishops named viz. Miles Couerdall of Exceter one Hodgeskin Suffragan of Bedford and another whose name I haue forgotten yet it is very doubtfull that Couerdall being made Bishop of Exceter in King Edwards time when all Councels and Church Canons were little obserued he was neuer himselfe Canonically consecrated and so if he were no Canonicall Bishop he could not make another Canonicall and the third vnnamed as I remember but am not sure was onely a Bishop Elect and not consecrated and so was not sufficient But hereof I am sure that they did consecrate Parker by vertue of a Breue from the Queene as Head of the Church who indeed being no true Head and a Woman I cannot see how they could make a true consecration grounded on her authoritie Furthermore making your Ministers you keepe not the right intention for neither doe the Orderer nor the Ordered giue nor receiue the Orders as a Sacrament nor with any intention of Sacrificing Also they want the matter and forme with which according to the Councels and Canons of the Church holy Orders should be giuen namely for the matter Priesthood is giuen by the deliuerie of the Patena with bread and of the Chalice with wine Deaconship by the deliuerie of the booke of the Gospels and Subdeaconship by the deliuerie of the Patena alone and of the Chaliâ—e emptie And in the substantiall forme of Priesthood you doe faile most of all which forme consists in these wordes Accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in Ecclesia pro viuis mortuis which are neither said noâ— done by you and therefore well may you bee called Ministers as also Lay men are but you are no Priests Wherefore I conclude wanting Subdeaconship wanting vndoubted Canonicall Bishops wanting right intention wanting matter and due forme and deriuing euen that you seeme to haue from a Woman the Head of your Church therefore you haue no true Pastors and consequently no true Church And so to conclude and not to wearie my selfe and you too much being resolued in my vnderstanding by these and many other Arguments that the Church of England was not the true Church but that the Church of Rome was and is the onely true Church because it alone is Ancient Catholique and Apostolique hauing Succession Vnitie and Visibilitie in all ages and places yet what agonies I passed with my will here I will ouer-passe Onely I cannot pretermit to tell you that at last hauing also mastered and
you count viz. a totall falling from Christian Religion like that of Iulian an obstinate pertinacy â—n denying the principles of the Faith necessarie to saluation or a renouncing your Baptismee The terme Apostasie as you know doth not alwaies sound so hainously A Monke forsaking his Order or a Clerke his habit is in the Decretals stiled an Apostata Granatensis saith not vntruly that euery deadly sinne is a kinde of Apostasie The Apostle Saint Paul speaking of Antichrists times saith there must come an Apostasie before Christs second comming and how this shall be he shewes elsewhere Men shall giue heede to spirits of error and doctrines of Deuils and such as speake falsehood in hypocrisieâ— Whereby it seemes that Antichrist himselfe shall not professedly renounce Christ and his Baptisme His Kingdome is a mysterie of iniquitie a reuolt therefore not from the outward profession but inward sinceritie and power of the Gospel This kinde of Apostasie might bee that which Master Hall was sory to finde in you whom hee thought fallen from the truth though not in the principles of Christian doctrine yet in sundry conclusions which the reformed Churches truely out of them maintaine He remembred our common education in the same Colledge our common oath against Popery our common calling to the same sacred function of the Ministery he could not imagine vpon what reasons you should reuerse these beginnings And certainly how weightie and sufficient soeuer they be wee are not taught by our Catholicke religion to reuenge our selues and render reproch for reproch with personall termes much lesse to debase and auile the excellent gifts of God as is Poâ—sie the honour of Dauid and Salomâ—n by the testimony of the holy Ghost himselfe These courses are forbidden vs when wee are reiled vpon and calumniated how much more when as Saint Peter speakes wee are beaten for our faults as it falls out in your case if these motiues of yours be weake and insufficient which we shall anon consider You say you are become Catholicke Were you not then so before The Creed whereinto you were baptized is it not the Catholicke faith The conclusion â—ertes of Athanasius Creed which is but a declaration thereof saith Haec est fides Catholica Or is not he a Catholick that holds the Catholicke faith That which was once answered touching the present Church of England to one in a Stationers shop in Venice that would needs know what was the difference betwixt vs and the Catholickes It was told him none for we accounted our selues good Catholicks When he vnwilling to bee put of in his answer for lacke of due forme in his question pressed to know what was the difference betwixt vs and them there He was a swered This that wee beleeued the Catholicke faith contaâ—ned in the Creed but did not beleeue the thirteenth Arâ—â—cle which the Pope had put to it When he knew not of any such Article the Extrauagant of Pope Boniface was brought where hee definesâ—â— to bee altogether of necessitie to saluation to euery humane creature to bee vnder the Bishop of Rome This thirteenth Article of the thirteenth Apostle good Master Wadesworth it seemes you haue learned and to are become as some now speake and write Catholike Romane That is in true interpretation Vniuersall-particularâ— which because they cannot bee equalled the one â—estraining and cutting off from the other take heed that by streightning your faith to Rome you haue not altered it and by becomming Romane left off to bee Catholike Thus if you say our ancestors were all till of late yeeres Excuse mee Sir whether you call our ancestors the first Christian Inhabitants of this I le or the ancient Christians of the Primitiue Church neither those nor these were Roman-Catholikes Namely the Fathers of the African Councell and amongst these Saint Augustine and therefore by Pope Boniface his sentence bee vndoubtedly damned for taking vpon them by the Deuils instinct if wee beleeue another Pope Boniface to waxe proud against the Church of Rome Such Catholikes if yee meane the most of Christendome be at this day Beware of putting your selfe vpon that issue Beleeue mee either yee must frame a new Cosmography yes a new world or else yee are gone if it come to most voyces in Christendome Touching the names of Papist Traytor Idolater The first is no mis-calling you as comprizing the very character that differenceâ—h you from all other Catholikes Neither by our Rhemists aduice should you be ashamed of it sith to be a Papist by their interpretation is nothing else but to bee a Christian man a childe of the Church and subiect to Christs Vâ—car The wise State of Venice haue a little different notion of their Papaelines excluding from sundry their consultations vnder that name such of the Nobilitie as are obliged to the Pope by Ecclesiasticall promotions True it is that they apply it also to Papalines in faction such as are superstitiously deuoted to the maintaining of all the Popes vsurped authoritie in which sense shope you are no Papist A Traytor I am assured Mâ—ster Doctor Hall will neuer call you vnlesse hee know that you haue drunke so deepe of the Cup of error as to beleeue the Pope â—y depose your Prince that you are not bound to obey him being so deposed that in that case it is lawfull yea meritorious to kill him that they are Marâ—yrs that are executed 〈◊〉 plotting to blow him vp with Gun-powder though vndeposed hoping it would bee no lesse agreeable to hiâ— Holinesse then that which hee desired to haue kepâ— him from comming to the Crowne at first If you be thus perfectly a Papist not onely wee here in England but I beleeue his Catholicke Maiestie vnder whose obedience now ye liue whensoeuer he should be that Prince would account you a Traytor and punish you accordingly I hope you are farre from these furies For Idolatry if to giue diuine honour to creatures deserue that name consider how you can defend or excuse those prayers to the Blessed Virgin Tu noâ— ab â—oste protege â—or â mortis suscipe And to the Crosse Augepus â—â—stitiam reâ—sque dona veniam I omit to speake of the Popes Omnipotencie I hope also you keepe your selfe from this Idolatry In Protestant religion you say you couiâ— neuer â—â—nae Vâ—â—formitie of a settled Faith How so when you had that same one onely immoueable and vnreformaâ—ie â—nie of â—aith as Tertullian calls it euery Lords day recited â—n your â—earing if not by your mouth I meane the Creea of which Irenaeus saith that hee which is able to say much of 〈◊〉 exceeds it not nor hee that lesse 〈◊〉 which Saint Augustine cals the rule common to great and 〈◊〉 which migâ—â— well enough haue settled and quieted 〈◊〉 conscience whâ—lest you laboured to finde the truth in all doubtfull questions Whereto how carefully and diligently you vsed the meanes of reading studying and praying for three or foure yeeres God and your conscience
best know For conferring I cannot yeeld you any testimonie notwithstanding our familiaritie and that we were not many miles asunder and you were also priuie that I had to doe in these controuersies with some of that side and saw some sample of the worke I come now to your motiues CHAP. II. Of the Contrarietie of Sects pretanded to bee amongst Reformers IN the front whereof is the commâ—on exception to our contrarâ—etie of sects and opinions c. First what are all these to the Church of England which followeth none but Christ Then if it be a fault of the reformed Churches that there is strife and diuision amongst them as who will iustifie it yet let it finde pardon if not for Corinths sake and the Primâ—tiue Churches what time Themistius was faine to excuse it with an Oration to Valens the Emperour yet euen for Romes where also you cannot but know that in very many and most important points Diuines hold one thing and Canonists another The French and lately also the Venetian Diuines resist to his face him that others say no man may bee so hardie as to aske Domine cur ita facus though he should draw with him innumerable soules to hell Your Spanish Prelates and Diuines would neuer acknowledge in the Councell of Trent the mysteries whereof are come out at last that Episcopall authoritie was deriued from him nor consent to that circumâ—enting clause Proponentibus Legatis c. and were strong that residence is de iure diuino howsoeuer they were ouerruled by the Italian faction whether they haue yet changed their mindes you can better tell then I. The old faction of the Thomists and Scotists is yet a foot as I perceiue by Rada his Controuersies In the beginning whereof the Censor of the Booke hath this sentence Qua propâ—er audiendi nullatonus sunt qui has Theologicas contentiones è medio omnino explâ—dendas arbitrantur There is another lately risen betweene the Dominicans and the Iesuites both in as great matters and pursued with as great vehemencie as those of the reformed Churches excepting onely a few fierie spirits of Saxony But in the Church of England as reformation was not brought in by any one man but by the ioynt consent of the whole so it is yet continued Lutherans Zuinglians Caluinists are not knowne among vs saue by hearesay Whereof it is some signe that your selfe doe not know them well as it seemes when you distinguish them from Protestants A name first giuen to the Princes and free Cities of Germany that sought reformation in the Diet at Spire Anno 1529. and from them passed to vs and other Countries where it was effected Who are then Protestants if the Lutherans and Zuinglians bee not For of both these there were in that Diet the Heluetians and parts adioyning of Germany hauing beene reformed at home first by the preaching of Zuinglius the Saxons and the remnant of Luther Who much about one time and without any correspondence began to oppose the Popes Indulgences and differed not for ought that euer I could yet vnderstand saue in the manner of Christs presence in the Eucharist Yea in that also taught vniformely that the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour are present not to the Elements but to the receiuer in the vse and without Transubstantiation As for those whom you call Caluinists and the rest Puritanes Cartwrightists and Brownists tell mee in good sooth Master Wadesworth how doe they differ from the reformed Churches in Heluetiâ— or the Church of England saue in the matter of gouernment onely See thâ—n all this contrarietie of Sects meetly well reconclled For Puritanes Cartwrightists and Brownists are in substance of Doctrine all one with Caluinists and these with Zwinglians who were of the first Protestants and differ litle or nothing from those whom yee call Lutherans Whereof this may bee a sensible proofe that commonly their Aduersaries and your selfe after call them by the same name the Protestant Churches in Germanie France Holland and Geneua And Pope Leo the tenth in his condemnatorie Bull and likewise Charles the fifth in his Imperiall Edict doe reflect wholly vpon Luther and his followers without any mention of the other at all To conclude this matter as it is vndoubtedly a signe of a good minde to dislike contention and diuersities of opinions and it may haue pardon to apprehend sometimes more then there is indeed like to the melancholike old man in the Comedie whose suspition makes him to multiply on this manner Qui mihi intromisisti in aedes quingentos coquos so to muster vp emptie names without any reall difference as Purâ—tans Cartwrightists Brownists to make differences in a few opinions about Gouernment or Sacraments Sects and contrarieties hath not the character of ingenuous and sincere dealing which from you Master Waddesworth I did and doe expect But some of these damne each other auouching their Positions to be matters of Faith not Schoole questions of opinion only Here indeed there is fault on all sides in this Age that we cannot be content with the bounds which the ancient Church hath set but euery priuate opinion must be straight-wayes an Article of Faith Euery decision of a Pope euery Decree of a Councell And then as men are easily enamored of their owne conceits and as Gerson wisely applies that of the Poet Qui amant sibi somnia fingunt as if the very marrow of Religion consisted in those points those that thinke otherwise are Heretikes and in state of damnation The Roman faction goes further to Fire and Faggot and all exquisite torments as if those things that make against the Papacie were more seuerely to bee punished then the blasphemies of the Iewes or Mahumetisme it selfe I doe not excuse the reformers of this bitternesse wherein after your departure out of England my namelesse Aduersarie that vnder-tooke Master Alablasters quarrell giuing me ouer in three of his demands ran riot in the first about this point of opposition among our selues and raked together all the vehement speeches of Luther and some of his followers against those whom they call the Sacramentaries Why who will vndertake to defend Lutbers speeches or all that falls from contentious pens But euen out of those testimonies which himselfe brings for the worst that hee could on the contrarie part it appeares this eagrenesse is not mutuall And in truth both we in England and the Helueâ—ians and French doe maintaine a brotherly affection towards them of Saxonie how spitefully soeuer some of them write of vs. And euen of those whom he calls Lutherans as I perceiued while I was at Norimberg the moderater sort are alike affected towards vs. But as touching the auouching our opinions to be matters of Faith which exception is common to you with him that which I should haue answered him if I had found in him any thing but spite and scorne I will say now to you Verily in some sort euen the least conclusions in Diuinitie
become no true Church to wit when it shall so erre damnably But then it followes not There is now no saluation in it and therefore come out of it now When you shew that I shall account you haue done wisely to goe out of it Shew that in anie one point and take me with you In the meane while for my part I shall sooner trust that chapman that shall say to me Loe here is a perfect yard I will measure as truely as I can and when I haue done take the yard and measure it your selfe then him that shall say here is thus much yee shall not neede to measure it but take it on my word yea though one of his Apprentices should stand by and say he could not deceiue mee though hee would as Benedictus a Benedictus tels the present Pope Volens nolens errare non potes Where you relate your endeauour to defend the Church of England and tell of the Puritanes reiecting those Arguments you could vse from the authoritie of the Church and of the ancient Doctors interpreting Scriptures against them flying to their owne arrogant spirit I cannot excuse them for the former nor subscribe to your accusation in the latter Perhaps you haue met with some more fanaticall Brownists or Anadaptists whom here you call Puritans But these that are commonly so called which differ from the Church of England about Church gouernment and ceremonies onely giue indeede to little to the authoritie of men how holy learned or ancient soeuer Which is their fault and their great fault especially in matters of this nature yet they flye not to their owne spirit as you charge them That which you adde that you perceiued the most Protestants did frame the like euasions when you came to answere the Arguments against them on the other side when you shall shew this in particulars I shall beleeue it In the meane while I beleeue you thought so for commonly mediocrities are aggrauated with the hatred slandered with the names of both extreames But in the question betweene the Popish faction and vs you might easily haue discerned why the argument from bare authoritie is not of such validitie For ceremonies and matters of order may be ordered by wise men are not the worse but the better if they be ancient yea if they be common to vs with Rome which Puritans will by no meanes allow In doctrin if holy men yea if an Angell from heauen shall innouate any thing wee are not to admit it Now the controuersies betweene the Romanists and vs are most about doctrine and they exceede as much in extolling the authoritie of the ancients in their priuate opinions and incommodious and strained speeches as the Puritans in depressing them We hold the meane and giue as much to the authoritie and testimonies of the Fathers as may stand with the truth of holy Scriptures and as themselues deferre to the writing of others or require to be giuen to their owne Next you tell of your following their opinion who would make the Church of England and the Church of Rome still to be all one in Essentiall points and the differences to be accidentall Confessing the Church of Rome to be a true Church though sicke or corrupted and the Protestants to be derined from it and reformed This opinion is not onely as you write fauoured of many great Schollers in England but is the common opinion of all the best Diuines of the reformed Churches that are or haue beene in the world as I shewed in part of another worke which as I remember you had a sight of Wherein yet I feare you mistake the tearme accidentall which doth noâ— import that our differences are but sleight and of small confideration but that all those opinions and abuses which we reforme and cut off are not of the Faith but superfluous and â—oraine yea hurtfull and noisome to it as the weedes are to the corne which ouer-grow and choake it And to follow this similitude the state of the Church vnder the Romane obedience and that part which is reformed is like a field ouergrowne all with weedes thistles tares cockle some part whereof is weeded and clensed some part remaines as it was before which makes such a difference to the view as if it were not the same corne But being better considered it will be found all the difference is from the weedes which remaine there and here are taken away Yet neither here perfectly nor all where a like but acâ—ording to the industrie of our weeders or conueniencie of the worke with care of the safetie of the good corne By this Parable you may see what is to be hoped of your labour to reconcile most of our particular controuersies For although I doubt not but in some it may be performed where the difference is rather verball then reall and in the manner of teaching rather then in the substance of doctrine And if moderate men had the matter in handling the flame of contention in a great many more might be troden downe and slaked suppose the sparkes not all extinct yet in some other it is as possible to make the weede and corne-friends as your and our opinions where there is none other remedy but that of our Sauiour Euery plant that my heauenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Neither doth this impossibilitie arise more out of the nature of the things then the affection of the persons For the Pope and the Court of Rome which are those that domineere on that side doe no lesse out of the feare of their owne ruine deadly detest all reformation then the reformed out of their present view and former feeling the tyrannie of the Papacie which they see doth excommunicate and put to cruell death all that are of this way And which is a prodigious thing where they tolerate the blasphemous and professed enemies of Christ euen with allowance of the publike exercise of their Religion there doe they burne men professing Christs religion according to the ancient and common rule thereof with that vprightnesse of conscience that if they had as many liues as there be Articles thereof they would giue them all rather then renounce any of them As for the Protestants making the Pope Antichrist I know it is a point that inrageth much at Rome But if the Apostle Saint Paul if Saint Iohn in the Reuelation describe Antichrist so as they that doe but looke vpon the Pope well must be forced to say as the people did of the blinde man in the Gospell some this is â—e others he is very like him if himselfe and his flatterers doe and speake such things as if all others should hold their peace doe in a sort proclaime I am he what can the Protestants doe with the matter I will take the liberty here to relate to you what I saw while I was in Venice the rather because it is not impertinent to our present purpose And though perhaps you may
modestie neuer vsurped this Title full of arrogancy neuer heard it with patient eares To this let it first bee considered that the Censors of such things as come to the Presse are not to bee imagined such Babes as not to know what will please or displease his Holinesse Especially in writings dedicated to himselfe a man may be sure they will allow nothing the second time and after some exception and scandal taken at it but what shall bee iustified How much more in the Popes owne Towne of Bologna and when his Chaplaine could not bee allowed to print it at home But to let all these goe wee may haue a more sensible proofe how the Pope tastes these Titles That which hee rewards hee approues Benedictus was shortly after made for his paines Bishop of Caorli How worthily hee deserued it you shall iudge by his booke which at my request vouchsafe to reade ouer and if there be any merit you shall sure get great meede of patience in so doing That you may not doubt of the Popes iudgement concerning these Titlâ—s you shall further know that the matter being come to the knowledge of the Protestants in France and England made them talke and write of it broadly namely the Lord of Plessis in his Mysterium iniquitatis and the Bishop of Chichester in his Tortura Torti This gaue occasion to the Cardinall Gieurè to relate in the Officio Santo at Rome of the scandall taken hereat and to make a motion De moderandis titulis It was on foot sundrie moneths At last the Pope reuoking it to himselfe blamed those that had spoken against these Titles and said they were no whit greater then the authoritie of S. Peters Successor did beare To returne thither whence I haue a litle digressâ—d In the question whether the Pope bee the Antichrist or no for my part I despaire of all reconciliation For neither doth there appeare any inclination at all in the Pope to reforme any thing in Doctrine or Gouernment nay he encroacheth daily more and more vpon all degrees euen among his owne subiects and resolues to carry all before him at the brest with his Monarchy and infallibilitie On the other side the Reformers partly emboldned with successe partly enforced by necessitie chiefly tyed with band of conscience and perswasion of truth are not like to retract what they haue affirmed in this behalfe and whatsoeuer their differences be in other things in this point they haue a maruellous vnâ—tie amongst them These in France hauing beene molested for calling the Pope Antichrist haue beene occasioned as I haue heard some few yeares since to take it into their Confession thereby to iustifie themselues accorâ—ing to th' Edicts of Pacification giuing them libertie to proâ—esse their Religion In England as you know it is no part of the doctrine of our Church yet a commonly receiued opinion Howbeit this is so farre from hindering that the reformed Chuâ—ches and those which heretofore were or at this present are vnder the Popes obedience be one Church that is all members of the Catholike that the Protestants without this cannot make good the other For Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God and that is in the Church as Chrysostome and Theophylact interpret it and Gods people could not be commanded to goe out of Babell if he had none there CHAP. V. Of the safenesse to ioyne to the Roman being confessed a true Church by her opposites BVt you concluded hence that seeing many of the best learned Protestants did grant the Church of Rome to be a true Church though faultie in some things and contrarily not onely the Romanists but Puritanes Anabaptists and Brownist denie the Church of England to be so therefore it would be more safe and secure to become a Roman Catholike c. This discourse hath a pretâ—e shew at the first blush and perhaps was vsed to you since your comming to Spaine as it was to some there before At my comming to Venice I fell vpon certaine letters and reports set forth as it was told me by F. Posseuine and not vnlike by his mindefulnesse to all occasions to aduance the credit of his societie Amongst them there is one said to be a true Relation of the manner how M. Pickering Wotton was conuerted to the Catholike Roman faith indited as it is said and subscribed by himselfe before his death In which by a certaine Father of the companie of Iesus an Englishman by nation the like discourse was vsed as it is said to him That hee should consider well that he and other Protestants did not denie that the Catholikes might be saued in their faith whereas all the Catholikes that either liued at the present or euer were hold it as a most certaine Article of Faith that the Protestants and other heretickes cannot be saued out of the Catholicke Church therefore if he should become a Catholike he should enter into that way which was safe by the consent of both parts This consideration be saith moued him not much then But after praying to God as he was also aduised by that Father to direct him into the right way if hee were out of it suddenly hee saw a certaine light very clearely before his eyes in forme of a crosse Whereupon incontinently there was offered vnto him such a heape of reasons and arguments by which was shewed that the Catholike faith is the onely way of saluation and that of the Protestants on the contrarie most absurd and abominable that most euidently he was conuinced without any the least doubt And these reasons which then offered themselues to him were for the most part such as hee did not remember that he had euer heard them in all his life Thereupon with vnspeakeable ioy he called backe the Father told him what had hapned praied him to heare his confession and he examining him vpon all the heads of the Catholike religion which he most firmely and entirely beleeued heard his confession c. But this narration deserues little credit First creating Master Wâ—tton for the greater glorie of their triumph a Baron vnlesse the Fathers in Spaine or Posseuine in Italie haue a â—acultie to create Barons Next it is a very improbable thing that Master Wotton dying of a Calenture should haue so good a memorie as to indite so exact and artificiall a Narration with such formalitie and enforcements in fit places as any Reader of vnderstanding must needes perceiue came out of a diligent forge and needed more hammering and fyling then so But that of all other is most Legendlike that howsoeuer this motiue of yours is vsed yet it is not made the effectuall inducement but a heape of reasons in the twinkling of an eye and causing him not onely to beleeue in the grosse but to be able to giue acâ—ount of all the heads of the Catholike religion that is all the points of controuersie at this day betweene the Romists and the reformed Churches in a fit of an Agâ—e in
the twinkling of an eye Excuse mee this is beyond the blinde begger that recouered his sight at Saint Albans that could tell the names of all colours as soone as hee saw them What then Was not Master Wotton reconciled and saw he not a light in forme of a crosse Yes and this your motiue was vsed to him also and perhaps moued him more then all the heape of reasons besides But shall I tell you here what I haue heard from the mouth of one that was himselfe then in Spaine that both could know the truth of this matter and had no reason to tell me a lye sith what hee said came freely from himselfe without feare or hope or almost enquirie The Gentleman being sicke and weake in his braine the Father that Posseuine tels of brought vnder his gowne a picture and vpon a sudden presented it before him this might be the light in forme of a crosse perhaps a very image of Christ crucified which together with the lightnesse of his fancie occasioned that your motiue though it selfe also very light might carrie him as a little weight is able to sway much where the beame it selfe is false If this be true as I take the liuing God to record I faine no thing but doe relate what hath beene told me as on the one side I doubt not but God in his mercie did interpret of the Gentlemans religion according to his right iudgement and perswasion in his health and not according to the erronious apprehension of his fancie in his sicknesse which euen in his best health was euer very strong in his sleep as some that haue conuersed with him haue tolde mee So on the other side they shall beaâ—e their iudgement whosoeuer they were that would with so cruâ—ll a craftinesse take aduantage of his infirmitie and make his storie after a stale to draw on others As for the heape of Arguments to conuince the Protestants faith to bee absurd that must bee by the way the Articles of the Creed Posseuines Catholike Hyperboles are well enough knowne in Venice and hee hath beene there told to his head That if in things past whereof hee might haue beene informed hee proues a most lying Historian it might more easily fall out that hee should proue a most false and ridiculous prophet in things to come And in truth he hath proued so hitherto Wherefore I reckon these garnishments of Master Wottons peruersion to bee like the rest of his newes touching the Conquest of Moscouia by Demetrius that Impostor whom he boasteth in a manner to haue been the Scholler of his Societie Wâ—ere hee tells the world that the army cried out often God and the prayers of our Fathers the Iesuites haue subdued the hearts of our enemies and inclined them vnder our Noble Prince Demetrius That Demetrius turning to the Priests of the company of Iesus was heard to say Loe that which you foretold mee O Fathers in the time of that sorrowfull flight of ours is now come to passe to wit that as the Lord God had afflicted mee much so on the contrary hee would much comfort mee and that therefore I should not doubt of a full victory These wordes Posseuine stamps in his former Relation in Capitall letters But when this bold enterprise was ouerthrowne and this suborned fugitiue slaine and shamefully dragged vp and downe the streets of Mosco then loe the repors were That a light was seene ouer his body in the night time c. Let them that walke in darknesse follow such lights as these be Wee are no children of the night nor of darkenesse Leauing therefore those vnheard of Arguments which Posseuine hath not onely cunningly drawne a veyle ouer that wee may not see them but exempted by priuiledge of a miracle that wee may not try them this which he hath shewed vs let vs bring it a little to the cleere day-light And euen at the first view it is apparent that this Argument is meerely forraine not drawne from any thing à parâ—e rei as what the true Church is what it teacheth or such like but from opinion and testimony What men say of that of Rome and of the Reformed Churches c. Now opinions are no certaine grounds of truth no not in naturall and ciuill matters much lesse in religion So this Argument at the most is but Topicall and probable Let vs see the parts of it And first that ground The testimony of our selues and of our contraries is much more sufficient and certaine then to iustifie our selues alone Surely neither the one nor the other is sufficient or certaine It is true that if other proofe faile and we will follow coniectures hee is in probabilitie an honester man that others beside himselfe say well of then hee that alone testifieth of himselfe And yet according to truth this latter may bee a right honest man and dwel as we say by ill neighbours or where he is not knowne or requires not the testimony of other men Whereas the other being indeed a knaue is either cunning to conceale it or hath suborned other like himselfe to say for him or dwells bâ— honest men that iudge and say the best And in this very kind our Sauiour attributes so little to testimony as he pronounces a woe to them that all men speake well of So in our case it is more probable I grant if there were no other Argument to cleere it but opinion and most voyces that you haue the true Church and are in the way of saluation then wee because we giue you a better testimony then you doe vs. But it is possible we are both deceiued in our opinions each of other wee through too much charitie and you and others through ignorance or malice Herein vndoubtedly we haue the aduantage of you and the rest and doe take that course which is more safe and sure to auoid sinne that if we doe faile of the truth yet we be deceiued with the error of loue which as the Apostle saith hopeth all things and is not puffed vp Wee auoid at the least that gulfe of rash iudgement which mee thinkes if the case bee not too to cleere wee should all feare With what iudgement yee iudge yee shall bee iudged Thou that iudgest another condemnest thy selfe But that you may a little be ter consider the weaknesse of this discourse if the testimony of our selues and our contraries were sufficient and certaine to make truâ—h and euer more safe and secure to follow that side which hath that testimony it had beene better to haue become a Iewish Proselyte in the Apostles times then a Christian â— For the Christâ—ans acknowledged the Iewes to be the people of God heires of the promises and of Christ and stiled them Brethren notwithstanding their zeale to the ceremonies and tradiâ—ions of their Fathers excused their ignorance bare with them laboured to giue them content in all things Whereas they to the contrarie called those that professed
Christ Heretickes and Sectaries accursed them drew them out of â—heir Synagogues scourged them cast them in prison compelled them to blaspheme as you doe now Protestants to adiuâ—e though in other cruelties I confesse you goe farre beyond them By like reason a Pagan in Saint Augustines time should rather haue made himselfe a Christian among the Donatists then with the Catholikes For the Catholikes granted the Donatists Baptisme to bee true accounâ—ed them Brethren The Donatists to the contrary renounced their Brother-hood and Baptisme both rebaptized such as fell to their side vsed these formes to their friends Saue thy Soule become a Christian like to those vsed by your Reconcilers at this â—ay Lastly consider if this ground of the testimony of our contraries for our part and their lack of ours for theirs be sure you haue iustified the cause of the Protestants in the maine question which is the better religion For whatsoeuer a Protestant holds as of Faith you cannot deny to bee good and Catholike nor any Christian man else For hee binds him to his Creed to the holy Scriptures and goes no further and in these he hath your testimony for him But hee denies many things which you beleeue and accounts them forreine yea repugnant to Faith as the Popes infallibilitie Transubstantiation Purgatory worshipping of Images inuocation of Saints In all these you speake onely for your selues in some of these you haue not vs onely but all other Christians your opposites to say nothing of the Iewes and Turkes whom I might as well chocke you withall as you doe the Protestants with Anabaptists So by this reason our profession is more safe and secure and questionlesse is more Catholike then yours Neither haue wee in this discourse the Argument onely as you see very appliable and fauourable to vs but which I would entreate you by the way to obserue the conclusion it selfe often granâ—ed by moderate and sober men of your owne side viz. that our course is in sundry things more safe then yours As in making no Image of God In trusting onely in the merits of Christ. In worshipping none but the Trinitie In directing our prayers to our Lord Iesus Christ alone In allowing Ministers to marry In diâ—ers other points also many of your side say the same with the Protestants and defend vs from the imputations which others of you lay vpon vs as is shewed in the Catholike Apologie by the Reuerend Bishop of Chester This to the proposition Let vs come to the Assumption where you mince too much the Protestants opinion touching the Church of Rome when you make them say It is peraduenture faultie in some things Nay without peraduenture they say It is corrupt in doctrine superstitious and Idolatrous in religion tyrannicall in gouernment defiled in manners from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot no soundnes in it as the Prophet saith of another like it yet the vitall parts not perished readie to die yet not dead A true Church though neither the Catholike Church nor yet a sound member of the same That also is false in the assumption that the Puritans denie the Church of England to bee a true Church Vnlesse the Puritans and Brownists bee with you all one which you haue made diuers Sects aboue and then are you to blame as to multiply names whereof I haue told you before so now againe to confound them What is now the Conclusion It would be more safe and secure to become a Roman Catholike But the Proposition wil not inferre thus much simply but onely in this respect For Topicall arguments as you know hold onely caeteris paribus We must then inquire if there be no other intrinsecall arguments by which it may bee discerned whether cause bee the better whether pretence to the Church and Truth more iust more euident Whether it may bee warranted to returne to Babell because God hath some people there when as he commands those that are there to come out of it How safe it may bee willingly to ioyne with that part of the Church which is more corrupt in Doctrine and Manners when wee may continue with that which is reformed These points were to haue been scanned ere you concluded and executed as you did And such Arguments there want not Christ our Lord hath giuen vs amongst others two infallible Notes to know his Church My Sheepe saith hee heare my voice and againe By this shall all men knowe that yee are my Disciples if yee loue one another What shall wee stand vpon coniecturall Arguments from that which men say We are partiall to our selues malignant to our opposites Let Christ bee heard who bee his who not And for the hearing of his voice O that it might be the issue But I see you decline it Therefore I leaue it also for the present That other is that which now I stand vpon the badge of Christs sheepe Not a likelihood but a certaine token whereby euery man may know them By this saith he shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if yee haue charitie one towards another Thanks be to God This marke of our Sauiour is in vs which you with our Schismatikes and other enemies want As Salomon found the true Mother by her naturall affection that chose rather to yeeld to her Aduersaries plea clayming her childe then endure it should bee cut in peeces so may it soone bee found at this day whether is the right Mother Ours that saith giue her the liuing child and kill him not or yours that if shee may not haue it is content it bee killed rather then want of her will Alas saith ours euen of those that leaue her these be my children I haue borne them to Christ in Baptisme I haue nourished them as I could with mine owne breasts his Testaments I would haue brought them vp to mans estate as their free birth and parentage deserues Whether it bee their lightnesse or discontent or her enticing wordes and gay shewes they leaue me they haue found a better Mother Let them liue yet though in bondage I shall haue patience I permit the care of them to their Father I beseech him to keepe them that they doe none euill if they make their peace with him I am satisfied they haue not hurt me at all Nay but saith yours I sit alone as Queene and Mistris of Christs family hee that hath not me for his Mother cannot haue God for his Father Mine therefore are these either borne or adopted and if they will not bee mine they shall bee none So without expecting Christs sentence shee cuts in peeces with the temporall sword hangs burnes drawes those that shee perceiues inclined to leaue her or haue left her alreadie So shee kils with the spirituall sword those that subiect not to her yea thousands of soules that not onely haue no meanes so to doe but many which neuer so
much as haue heard whether there be a Pope of Rome or no. Let our Salomon be Iudge between them yea iudge you Master Waddesworth more seriously and maturely not by ghesses but by the very marke of Christ which wanting your selues you haue vnawares discouered in vs iudge I say without passion and partialitie according to Christs Word which is his Flock which is his Church CHAP. VI. Of fraud and corruption in alleaging Councels Fathers and Doctors YOur next Motiue was That in examining the questions especially about the Church where you laboured to peruse the originall Quotations and Texts of the Councels Fathers and Doctors you found as you say much fraud committed by the Protestants This imputation of fraud is very vsuall and common to both sides and verily I beleeue some on both sides are faultie For whether out of humane infirmitie mistaking the meaning of Authors or slips of memorie trust of other mens Qâ—otations who tie not themselues to the wordes but giue the sense they conceiue how easily may testimonies bee alleaged cleane besides the Authors mindes Hee that hath strongly conceited any thing findeth it in all that euer he readeth or falleth vpon Too much heat in contention and desire of victorie blindeth the iudgement and maketh a man heedlesly lay hold vpon any thing that hee thinkes may serue his turne As wee see sometimes in the writings of the Fathers which had to deale with ancient Heretikes alleaging the Scriptures themselues besides the purpose Sometimes haste and desire of contracting makes one cut off some wordes and explaine and presse those that make for him and perhaps leaue out something materiall presently the other side cries out clipping forgerie falsification and what not But although all this may bee called fraud in respect of the Reader who is by this meanes deceiued in his euidence and therefore if he be not aware may pronounce amisse yet is it nothing to that kinde when with an euill conscience and of set purpose falshood is set forth and Truth out-faced Wherein I cannot tell what you haue found I could haue desired and doe yet if your leisure may serue you would shew the particulars I doe professe here to you that I haue seene and euen felt with my fingers such dealing in the Romish faction as I cannot resolue whether I should account them more shamefull slanderers and false accusers of others of fraudulent handling or bold and shamelesse in the practizing of it themselues When the Lord of Plessis his booke of the Sacrament came out how was it calumniated in this kind with falsification Du Puy in a publike Chartell offered that of 306. passages in the Preface he would shew as cleere as the Sunne at noone day 283. were falsified corrupted and mangled and the rest of no importance The Bishop of Eureux after Cardinall vndertooke to shew in the booke it selfe 500. enormous falsities by â—ale and without hyperbole The matter was brought to a triall before the King of France and nine places examined of this number And as was before-hand promised the Popes Nuncio the businesse should be so carried that the aduantage should remaine on the part of the Church of Rome and the Pope receiue contentment in these very words the lie should rest with the Heretikes Morney was borne downe The Kings letters to the Duke of Espernon of this victorie were blowne ouer France sent to Rome printed with a discourse thereabout set forth at Antwerp and translated into English with some alteration and Turksing by F. Parsons Wherein hee saith a French Iesuit Fronto Ducâ—us discouered in it at least a thousand falshoods for his part Hee accuseth Bishop Iewell and Master Fox of the like crime hee saith that in two onely leaues of his booke a certaine learned Scholler did discouer thirtie wilfull and voluntarie corruptions and falsifications that cannot be excused and himselfe besides these thirtie noted so many other plaine falsehoods and manifest wilfull lies as might well double the former number And by Arithmetick hee multiplies this number with the number of the leaues the number hee saith will rise to 30000. by which Iohn Fox his booke will as much exceede Iohn Sleidans storie in number of lies in which were found onely 11000 as it doth in bulke and bignesse This manner of writing of these men brings to my minde that which Sir Thomas More writes of Tyndals New Testament wherein hee saith were founden and noted wrong and falsely translated aboue a thousand Texts by tale The language is like and the cause is the same Men were loath these bookes should be read The substance of them was such as could not be controlled the next remedie was to forestall the Readers mindes with a prejudice of falsification that so they might not regard them but cast them out of their hands of their owne accord The Vulgar sort would be brought out of conceit at the first hearing with vehement accusation Euen wise men would suppose though there should not bee any thing neere so many wilfull faults yet surely there must needes bee a very great number and that could not happen but with a very bad meaning this admitted who would vouchsafe them the reading And in truth among those that fauour the reformed part I haue meâ— with some that out of this buzze of falsification in the Lord of Plessis booke cared not for reading it whereby may bee thought in what account it should bee with all those who esteeme all F. Parsons Libels to bee Oracles But shortly Sith neither the Cardinall Perone nor F. Parsons haue had the meanes or will to decypher those hundreds and thousands of falsifications in Sleidan Bishop Iewell Master Fox or Plessis in these so many yeeres as haue run since they wrote and as for the last he hath set forth the booke againe with all the authorities at large in the margent in the Authors owne words and hath answered all those that bayed at it till they are silent what remaines but that we count this multiplying of F. Parsoâ—s may be ioyned with Aequiâ—ocation to make vp the arte of falsehood wherein he and his faction may iustly claime to be the worthiest Professors in the world But without any multiplication or other Arithmeticke in the fift page of that Relation of his in the seuen first lines are foure notorious I will not say lies or falsifications but falshoods by tale The first That the triall being begun vpon the first place that was found false The French discourse printed at Antwerp cum priuilegio and approbation of the Visitor of bookes saith And as to the said first Article nothing was iudged thereabout by the said Commissioners nor pronounced by my said Lord the Chancellor and the King said that it should be remitted to another time to deliberate thereabout The second Hee that is Plessis would haue passed to the second but the Bishop refused so to doe except the Ministers and Protestants there present would first subscribe
Fathers is not perhaps so vsuall as of other Writers and good reason why they know that many looke narrowly to their â—ingers neither is there any place almost that is of speciall pith that hath not beene obserued and vrged in the handling of the controuersies of this age by some one or other yet where there is any colour of differing Copies or any aduantage to bee taken that way it is not slipped And who knowes not that sometimes the change of a Letter yea of a Point or Accent makes the whole sentence of another meaning As for exampleâ— that of Saint Augustine Qui fecit te sine te non iustificat te sine te Read it interrogatiuely and it is as strong for 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 as if it be read assertiuely for Catharâ—â—â— and the 〈◊〉 And in very deede when I consider the eagernesse of these men to win their purposes and their fearfull boldnesse with the holy Word of God I know not how a man should looke for conscience or respect at their hands in the writings of men For to omit that the Trent-Fathers haue canonized the Vulgar Latin Edition which so many times departeth from the originall inspired by the holy Ghost adding detracting changing often to a diuerse sometimes to a contrarie sense To let passe also how Sixtus V. and Clemens VIII doe tyrannize oueâ— and delude the Faith of their followers about that Edition binding them vnto two diuerse Copies and sometimes flat contradictorie and so as the forme of each must bee inuiolably obserued without the least particle of the Text added changed or detracted The former derogating all Faith and authoritie from whatsoeuer Bibles handâ—written or printed of the Vulgar edition which did not agree with that which hee set forth ad verbum ad literam The latter telling that when the same Pope endeuoured to set it out hee perceiued not a few things to haue crept into the holy Bible through the fault of the Presse and that it needed a second care whereupon he decreed to bring the whole worke againe to the Anuile had he not beene preuented by death so derogating all Faith from the â—ormer Whereas the truth is Sixtâ—â— did not onely endeuour to set out his Bible but prefixed his Bull before it ad perpetuam rei memoriam and sent one of the Copies to the State of Venice as I heard at my being there howsoeuer since it was cunningly recouered againe set it to sale publikely and saith in his Bull that he corrected the faults of the Presse with his owne hand and which most of all conuinceth Pope Clements Preface of falshood the difference of these Editions is not in fault of the prints but in that the one followes the old erroneous reading the latter the reading of other Manuscripts acâ—ording with the Hebrew Chaldee Greeke or the Latin edition of the Catholike Kings Bible obserued by the industrie of the Diuines of Loâ—aine But to forbeare to vrge this contradiction in the very foundation of beliefe which some man peraduenture would presse so farre as to inferre that the Romanists haue no faith for hee that beleeues contradictories beleeues nothing What shall we say of that impietie to corrupt the originall Text according to the vulgar Latin See an example hereof in the first promise of the Gospell Gen. 3. where the Serpent is threatned that the seede of the Woman shall crush his head The vulgar Edition leauing here the Hebrew the Seuentie and Saint Hierome himselfe as appeares by his questions vpon Genesis tranâ—â—ates Ipsa Shee shall bruise thy head So it stands now in the authenticall Scripture of the Church of Rome and herein Sixtus and Clemens are of accord The Diuines of Louaine obserue that two Manuscript Copies haue Ipse That the Hebrâ—w Chaldie and Greeke haue it so likewise Why then did not either Sixtus or Clemens or they themselues hauing Copies for it correct it and make it so in the authenticall Text I will tell you By colour of this corruption the Deuill enuying Christs glorie like an obstinate enemie rather yeelding himselfe to any then his true Conqueror hath giuen this honour to the Virgin Mary To her it is attributed in that worke which I thinke to bee the most vngodly and blasphemous that euer saw the Sunne The Ladies Psalter wherein that which is spoken of God by the Spirit of God is writhed to her In the 51. Psalme Quid gloriaris in malitia ô maligne Serpens c. Why boastest thou in malice ô thou malignant Serpent and infernall Dragon Submit thy head to the Woman by whose valour thou shalt be drowned in the deepe Crush him ô Lady with the foot of thy valour arise and scatter his malice c. And in the 52. speaking to the same Serpent Noli extolli c. Bee not lifted vp for the fall of the Woman for a Woman shall crush thy head c. So in that Anthem Haec est mulier virtutis quae contriâ—it caput Serpentis Yea which I write with griefe and shame to her doth good Bernard apply it Hom. 2. super Missus est and which is more strange expounds it not of her bearing our Sauiour but Ipsa proculdubio c. Shee doubtlesse crushed that poisonfull head which brought to nought all manner of suggestion of that wicked one both of temptation of the flesh and of pride of minde To her doth the learned and deuout Chancelor of Paris apply it Has pestes vniuersas dicimus membra Serpentis antiqui cuiuâ— caput ipsa virgo contriuit And what maruell in those times when the plaine Text of the Scripture ran so in the foeminine gender of a woman and few or none had any skill of the Greeke or Hebrew Who should that SHEE be but shee that is blessed among women Now although that thankes be to God it is knowne that this is a corrupt place out of the Fountains yea out of the Riuers also the testimonies of the Fathers referring this to Christ as Irenaaus Iustine Cyprian Clemens Alexandrinus Hierome yea Pope Leo himselfe yet because no error of the Church of Rome may bee acknowledged how palpable soeuer they haue cast how to shadow this corruption and set some colour vpon it that howsoeuer this reading cannot bee true yet it may bee made like to truth Loe in the Interlinear Bible set forth by the authoritie of King Philip the father of his Majestie that now reignes with you the Hebrew Text is reformed according to the Latine IPSA There was some opportunitie hereunto by reason that the Letters of the Text without pricks would beare both readings For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hu or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hiu And this selfe-same word for the Letters the base of reading is so pointed in this Chapter verse 19. and applied to Eue Shee is the mother of all liuing And so elsewhere as Gen. 28. 1. and 21. Hereunto
Scriptures by their owne free consent and desire Iudge by an instance or two that this matter may not be a meere skirmish of generalities Tertullian in his latter times whether as Saint Hierome writes through the enuie and reproach of the Roman Clergie or out of the too much admiring chastitie and fasting became a Montanist and wrote a Booke de Pudicitia blaming the reconciling of Adulterers and Fornicators In the very entrance almost thereof he hath these words Audio etiam edictum esse propositum quidem peremptorium Pontifex scil Maximus Episcopus Episcoporum dicit Ego maechis fornicationis delict a paenitentiâ functis dimitto Pamelius in his noate vpon this place writes thus Bene habet annotatu dignum quod etiamiam in haeresi constitutus aduersus Ecclesiaâ—â— scribens Pontificeâ— Romanum Episcopum Episcoporum nuncupet infra Cap. 13. bonum Pastorem benedictum Papum Cap. 21. Apostolicum Thus Pamelius and presently laâ—ches forth into the Priuiledges of the See of Rome and brings a number of testimonies for that forgery of Constantines donation The like note hee hath in the life of Tertullian where hee makes the Pope that set forth the former Edict to haue beene Zephyrinus quem saith hee Pontificem Maximum etiam iam haereticus Episcopum Episcoporum appellat Baronius also makes no small account of this place and saith The title of the Pope is here to bee noted And indeed prima facie as you say they haue reason But hee that shall well examine the whole web of Tertullians discourse shall finde that hee speakes by a most bitter and scornefull Ironie as Elias doth of Baal when hee saith hee is a God The word scilicet might haue taught them thus much Yea the title Pontifex Maximus which in those dayes and almost two ages after was a Pagan terme neuer attibuted to a Christian Bishop first laid downe by Gratian the Emperour as Baronius also notes in the yeere of our Lord 383. because it â—auoured of Heathenish superstition though it had beene as a title of Royalty vsed by the former Christian Emperours till that time This title I say might haue made them perceiue Tertullians meaning vnlesse the immoderate desire of exalting the Papacie did so blind their eyes that seeing they saw and yet perceiued not In the same character though with more mildnesse and moderation is the same title for the other part of it vsed by Saint Cyprian in his Vote in the Councell of Carthage Neque n. quisquam nostrum se esse Episcopum Episcoporum constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem Collegas suos adigit Bellarmine saith hee speakes here of those Bishops that were in the Councell of Carthage and that the Bishop of Rome is not included in that sentence who is indeed Bishop of Bishops What! and doth hee tyranniously inforce his Colleagues to obedience also For it is plaine that Cyprian ioynes these together the one as the presumptuous title the other as the iniurious act answering thereto which hee calls plaine tyranny And as plaine it is out of Firmilianus Epistle which I vouched before that Stephanus Bishop of Rome heard ill for his arrogancie and presuming vpon the place of his Bishopricke Peters Chaire to seuer himselfe from so many Churches and breake the bond of peace now with the Churches of the East in Asia now of the South in Africke And hee was in as ill conceit with Cyprian for his breaking good order and communicating with Basilides and Martialis iustly depriued in Spaine as Saint Cyprian was with him when he stiled him a false Christ and a false Apostle But the holy Martyr was of a more patient and calme spirit then to be moued with such reproaches nay hee tooke occasion as it should seeme thereby to write of patience From this mildnesse it was that hee so closely taxed the presumption of him that made himselfe Bishop of Bishops and by terror which what it was Firmilianus Epistle shewes threatning Excommunication would compell his Colleagues to his owne opinion None of vs saith he doth thus As the Apostle we preach not our selues we commend not our selues Wee are not as many that adulterate the Word of God c. Bellarmine takes the first kindly No maruell saith hee for this the Bishop of Romes due But they goe together hee must be content to take both or leaue both Such another place there is in Saint Augustines Epist. 86. the wordes are Petrâ—â— etiam inquit Apostolorum Capuâ— coeli 〈◊〉 Ecclesia fundamentum Where in the Margent the Diuines of Louaine the ouerseers of Plantines edition set this note Petrus Ecclesia fundamenâ—â—m Why might they not The words yee will say of the text But these words of the text be not Saint Augustines whose opinion is well enough knowne That it is Christ confessed by Peter that is the foundation of the Church but they are the words of an vndiscreet railer of the Citie of Rome against whom Saint Augustine in all that Epistle most vehemently inueighs This arrogant Author endeauours so to defend the Romane custome of fasting on the Saturday as hee reproaches all other Churches that vsed otherwise And that we may see with what Spirit he was led he brings the same text that is brought in Pope Siricius and Innocentius Epistles against the marriage of Clergie men Qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt and many other Scripâ—ures wrested and farre from the purpose at last comes the authoritie of Peter and his tradition very Pope-like alledged Peter he saith the head of the Apostles porter of heauen and foundation of the Church hauing ouercome Simon the Sorcâ—rer who was a figure of the Deuill not to be ouercome but by fasting thus taught the Romanes whose faith is famous in the whole world I remit you to Saint Augustines answere to this tradition This I note that where your Censors do race out of the Margents of former editions such notes as do expresse the very opinions of the ancients and in their owne wordes here they can allow and authorize such marginall notes as are directly contrary to their meaning Yea which are earnestly oppugned by them when they seeme to make for the authoritie of the Pope Good sir examine well this dealing and iudge if this bee not wresting the Fathers and applying them cleane from their purpose In fine you found your selfe you say euidently conuinced Perswaded I beleeue rather then conuinced Else if the force and euidence of the Arguments and not the pliablenesse of your minde were the cause of your yeelding mee thinkes they should worke like effect in others no lesse seriously seeking for truth and setting all worldly respects aside earnestly minding their owne saluation then your selfe Which I well know they do not neither those which hitherto haue beene examined nor those which yet remaine to be considered in the rereward CHAP. VIII Of the Inuisibilitie of the Church said
to bee an euasion of Protestants THe first whereof is the dislike of the Protestants euasion as you call it by the inuisibilitie of their Church Giue mee leaue here to tell you plainly yee seeme to mee not to vnderstand the Protestants doctrine in this point Else yee would haue spared all that The Catholike Church must euer be visible as a Citie set on a hill otherwise how should shee teach her children conuert Pagans dispence Sacraments All this is yeelded with both hands The Congregations of which the Catholike Church doth consist are visible But the promise made to this Church of victory against the gates of hell the titles of the house of God the base and piller of Truth an allusion as I take it to the bases and pillers that held vp the veile or curtaines in the Tabernacle the body of Christ his Doue his vndefiled are not verified of this Church in the whole visible bulke of it but in those that are called according to Gods purpose giuen to Christ and kept by him to bee raised vp to life at the last day This doctrine is Saint Augustines in many placeâ— which it would bee too tedious to set downe at large In his third booke De doctrina Christiana among the rules of Tychonius there is one which hee corrects a little for the tearmes De Domini corpore bipertito which he saith ought not to haue beene called so for in truth that is not the Lords body which shal not be with him for euer but he should haue said of the Lords true body and mixt or true and fained or some such thing Because not onely for euer but euen now hypocrites are not to be said to be with him though they seeme to be in his Church Consider those resemblances taken out of the holy Scripture wherein that godly Father is frequent of chaffe and wheat in the Lords floore of good and bad fishes in the net of spots and light in the Moone Of the Church carnall and spirituall of the wicked multitudes of the Church yet not to be accounted in the Church Of the lilly and the thornes those that are marked which mourne for the sinnes of Gods people and the rest which perish which yet beare his Sacraments Consider the last Chapter of the booke De Vnitate Ecclesiae and that large Treatise which he hath of that matter Epist. 48. The place is long which deserues to bee read for the obiection of the Vniuersality of Arianisme like to that of Papisme in these last ages which Saint Augustine answeres in the fifth booke De Baptismo contra Donatistas cap. 27. That number of the iust who are called according to Gods purpose of whom it is said The Lord knoweth who are his is the inclosed garden the sealed fountaine the well of liuing waters the orchard with Apples c. The like hee hath l. 5. c. 3. 23. he concludes that because such are built vpon the Rocke as heare the Word of God and doe it and the rest vpon the sand now the Church is built vpon the Rocke all therefore that heare the Word of God and doe it not are out of question without the Church In the seuenth booke cap. 51. Quibus omnibus consideratisâ— Read and marke the whole Chapter Out of these and many more like places which I forbeare to mention it appeares that albeit the true Catholike Church is such as cannot bee hid yet considering that it consists of two sorts of people the one which is the greater part who doe not indeed properly belong to it the other the fewer truely and properly so called to whom all the glorious things spoken of the Church doe agree The face therefore of the mixt Church may be ouer-run with scandals as in all times almost The greatest number may sometime bee Idolaters as in the Kingdome of Israel vnder Achab. The principallest in authoritie may bee false teachers as the Priests and Prophets in Ieremies time the sonnes of pestilence may sit in Moses Chaire as they did in Christs time Yet still the Church is the ground and piller of Truth in the Elect Ipsa est praedestinata columna firmamentum veritatis The Sheepe heare not Seducers Iohn 10. 8. to wit finally and in any damnable point Thus was it before Christ thus since thus in the Church of England before yea and since it was reformed Thus in that of Rome it selfe at this day There is a distinction of Thomas of those that be in the Church which rightly â— interpreted agrees fully herewith There are some De Ecclesia numero tantum Some numero merito The former are such as haue onely fidem informem the latter formatam Now though the persons of such as be in the Church be visible yet the Faith and Charitie of men wee see not and to argue from the priuiledges of the Church numero merito to the Church numero tantum is a perpetuall but a palpable paraâ—ogisme of the Romish faction which is grosser yet when they argue to the Church representatiue and grossest of all when one man is made the Church and he as themselues grant may fall out a Deuill incarnate CHAP. IX Of lacke of Vniformitie in matters of Faith in all ages and places ANd in this selfe same Paralogisme you were beguiled with in the next point of Vniformitie and concord in matters of Faith The true Church yee say â—uer holds such Vniformitie It is vtterly false in the Visible and mixt Church both before Christ and since It is false in the Church of Rome it selfe whose new-coyned faith patched to the Creed by Pius the Fourth came in peece-meale out of priuate opinions and corrupt vsages nor euer was in any age vniformely holden or taught as matter of Faith euen in it as it is at this day So by your owne discourse it should be no true Church And taking matters of faith so largely as it seemes you doe in opposition to such things as bee cerâ—mâ—nies or of gouernment it is vntrue also of the Church of the Elect or properly so called For though the Faith in the principles thereof bee euer the same yet many conclusions of Faith haue sometimes lien vnsearched out and like some parts of the world vnknowne till by the industrie of Gods seruants occasioned also by the importunitie and opposition of Heretikes they were discouered Sundrie common errours also there haue beene which in succeeding ages haue beene cleered and reformed as the â—hiliastes That Angels haue bodies That children after they be baptized are to be communicated That Heretikes are to be rebaptized To the Assumption First the Protestants challenge not to themselues any Church as their owne which I must aduertise you of here because formerly also you doe vse this phrase The Church is Christs both the visible and inuisible Next taking matters of Faith for foundations or articles of Faith necessarie to saluation the Church of Christ hath in all ages had
vniforme concord with the Protestants at this day in such matters as appeareth by the common rule of Faith the Creede and so hath also the Church vnder the Popes tyrannie As to the Trent-additions they are forraine to the Faith as neither principles nor conclusions thereof neither can your selues shew vniforme consent and concord in them and namely in the 11. of them in any one age especially as matters of saluation as now they are canonized How much lesse can yee shew it in all other conclusions of Faith whereabout there haue beene among you as are now among vs and euer will bee differences of opinions without any prejudice for all that vnto the vnitie of the Faith of the Church and title to the name of it As for Wicliffe Hus and the rest if they haue any of them borne record to the Truth and resisted any innouation of corrupt Teachers in their times euen to bloud they are iustly to be termed Martyrs yea albeit they saw not all corruptions but in some were themselues carried away with the streame of error Else if because they erred in some things they bee no Martyrs or because wee dissent from them in some things we are not of the same Church both you and we must quit all claime to Saint Cyprian Iustine Martyr and many more whom wee count our Ancients and Predecessors and bereaue them also of the honour of Martyrdome which so long they haue enjoyed You see I hope by this time the weaknesse of your Argument CHAP. X. Of the originall of reformation in Luther Caluin Scotland England c. IN your next Motiue taken from the originall of Reformation before I come to answere your Argument shortly coucht in forme I must endeuour to reforme your iudgement in sundrie points of storie wherein partly you are misse-led and abused by Parsons and others of that spirit partly you haue mistaken some particulars and out of a false imagination framed a like discourse First for Luther it was not his ranâ—our against the Dominicans that stirred him vp against the Pope but the shamefull merchandize of Indulgences set to sale in Germanie to the aduantage of Magdalen sister to Pope Leo X. Beleeue herein if not Sleidan yet Gâ—â—cciardine l. 13. And of all that mention those affaires it is acknowledged that at the first and for a good time he shewed all obedience and reuerence to the Pope The new Historie of the Councell of Trent written by an Italian a subiect and part of the Church of Rome as should appeare by the Epistle Dedicatorie of the Reuerend and learned Archbishop of Spalato prefixed to his Maiestie speaketh thus of the matter Questo diede occasione c. This gaue occasion to Martin to passe from Indulgences to the authoritie of the Pope which being by others proclaymed for the highest in the Church by him was made subiect to a Generall Councell lawfully celebrated Whereof hee said that there was neede in that instant and vrgent necessitie And as the heat of disputation continued by how much the more the Popes power was by others exalted so much the more was it by him abased yet so as Martin contayned himselfe within the termes of speaking modestly of the person of Leo and sauing sometimes his iudgement Againe After his departure from the presence of Cardinall Cajetan at Augusta hee saith hee wrote a letter to the Cardinall confessing that hee had beene too vehement and excusing himselfe by the importunitie of the Pardoners and of those that had written against him promising to vse more modestie in time to come to satisfie the Pope and not to speake any more of Indulgences prouided that his aduersaries would doe the like This was Luthers manner at the first till the Bull of Pope Leo came out dated the ninth of Nouember 1518. Wherein he declared the validitie of Indulgences and that hee as Peters Successor and Christs Vicar had power to grant them for the quicke and dead that this is the doctrine of the Church of Rome the Mother and Mistris of all Christians and ought to bee receiued of all that would bee in the Communion of the Church From this time forward Luther began to change his stile And saith he as before hee had for the most part reserued the person and iudgement of the Pope so after this Bull he resolued to refuse it and thereupon put forth an Appeale to the Councell c. You see then how submissiuely Luther at first carried himself But extreme tyrannie ouer-comes often a well prepared patience Touching his causing rebellion also against the Emperour yee are misse-informed his aduice was asked about the association of the Protestants at Smalcald hee said plainly hee could not see how it could bee lawfull further then for their owne defence Ioh. Bodin in his second Booke de Repub cap. 5. hath these wordes We reade also that the Protestant Princes of Almaine before they tooke armes against the Emperour demanded of Martin Luther if it were lawfull He answered freely that it was not lawfull whatsoeuer tyrannie or impietie were pretended He was not beleeued so the end thereof was miserable and drew after it the ruine of great and illustrious houses of Germanie As for the warre in Germanie it began not till after Luthers death neither was it a rebellion of the Protestants the truth is they stood for their liues The Emperour with the helpe of the Popes both mony and armes intended to roote them out and although at the first the Emperour did not auow his raysing armes against them to be for Religion yet the Pope in his Iubilee published vpon this occasion did not let to declare to the world that himselfe and Caesar had concluded a league to reduce the Hâ—retikes by force of armes to the obedience of the Church and therefore all should pray for the good successe of the warre That Luther euer reuiled the Emperour I did neuer till now heare or reade and therefore would desire to know what authors you haue for it Touching other Princes namely King Henrie the eighth I will not defend him who condemned himselfe thereof It is true that he was a man of a bold and high stomacke and specially fitted thereby through the prouidence of God to worke vpon the heauie and dull disposition of the Almaines and in so generall a Lethargie as the world then was in hee carried himself as fell out somtimes very â—oisterously But arrogancie schâ—sme rebellion were as farre from him as the intention itself to plant a Church As to his Vow-breaking lastly if that Vow were foolishly made and sinfully kept it was iustly broken perhaps also charitably if hee would by his owne example reforme such as liued in whoredome and other vncleannes and induce them to vse the remedie that God hath appointed for the auoiding of them to wit honorable marriage All this matter touching Luther vnlesse I be â—eceiued you haue taken from 〈◊〉 Harding that at least touching his
rancour against the Dominicans for it is his very phrase But Master Harding both in this and many things else discouereth his passion and lack of true information in this affaire When with one breath he affirmeth that first it was a Pardon of a Croisade against the Turkes which was preached whereas it was an Indulgence to those that should put their helping hands for the building of Saint Peters Church at Rome as the Articles of this Pardon printed in English one of the Copies whereof I haue my selfe doe shew Secondly next hee saith the preaching hereof was granted to Friar Iohn Tetzet It was Friar Iohn Thecel or Tecel Thirdly hee saith the Elector of Mentz Albert granted this to Tâ—ecel and the Dominicans whereby Luther was bereft of the gaine hee exspected The truth is it was Aremboldus a Bishop liuing at the Court of Rome whom hauing before been a Merchant of Genoa Magdalen the Popes sister put in trust with this merchandize that appointed the Dominicans to bee the retaylers of these Pardons The Archbishop of Mentz had nothing to doe with it otherwise then to allow and suffer it which occasioned Luther to write to him as to the Bishop of Brandenburgh and to Leo himselfe to represse the impudence of the Pardoners And Luther saith further in one place that the Archbishop vndertooke to giue countenance to this businesse with that condition that the halfe of the prey should goe to the Pope and himselfe might haue the other halfe to pay for his Pall. By these errors heaâ—ed together it may appeare what credit it is like Master Hardings tale be wortâ—y of touching the remnant that of rancour and malice against the Dominicans and because hee was bereaued of that sweet morsell which in hope hee had almost swallowed downe Luther made this stâ—rre A hard thing mee thinks it is for any that liued at that day to set downe what was in Luthers heart what were his hopes his desires rancour and spleene much more for Master Harding most of all for you and mee When the actions of men haue an appearance of good Charitie would hope the best Pietie would reserue the iudgement of the intention to God Let vs come to Caluin touching whom I maruell not much that you say nothing of all that which Bolseck brings against him who being by his meanes chased out of Geneua discouereth as I remember in the verie enetance that hee was requested by some of his good Masters to write against him I once saw the book while I liued in Cambridge it hath no shew of probabilitie that Caluin would goe about to worke a miracle to confirme his doctrine who teacheth that miracles are no sure and sufficient proofe of doctrine I maruell rather that euen in reading Doctor Bancroft Master Hooker and Sarauia all opposites to Calâ—in in the question of Church Discipline and therefore not all the fittest to testifie of him or his actions all late Writers and strangers to the Estate and affaires of Geneua of whom therefore besides their bare word sufficient proofe were to bee required of what they say you not onely receiue whatsoeuer they bring but more then they bring You say they proue what neuer came in their mindes and what is not onely vtterly vntrue but euen vnpossible As that Caluin by his vnquietnes and ambition reuolued the State of Geneua so vniâ—stly expelling and depriuing the Bishop of Geneua and other Temporall Lords of their due obedience and ancient inheritance When as the Bishop and Clergie of Geneua vpon the throwing downe Images there by popular tumult departed in an anger seuen yeeres ere euer Caluin seâ— foot within the gates of that Citie A thing not onely cleere in storie by the Writers of that time and since Sleidan Bodine Caluins Epistles and life but set down by those whom yee cite Master Hooker in his Preface speaking of Caluin Hee fell at length vpon Geneua which Citie the Bishop and Clergie thereof had a little before as some doe affirme forsaken being of likelyhood frighted with the peoples sudden attempt for the abolishment of Popish Religion And a little after At the comming of Caluin thither the forme of their Regiment was popular as it continueth at this day c. Doctor Bancroft The same yeere that Geneua was assaulted viz. by the Duke of Sauoy and the Bishop as he had said before Page 13. which was Anno 1536. Master Caluin came thither If Caluin at his comming found the forme of the gouernment popular If hee came thither the same yeere that the Bishop made war vpon Geneua to recouer his authoritie being indeede either affrighted or hauing forsaken the Towne before how could Caluin expel him And in truth Bodine in his second Booke De Rep. Chapter sixt affirmeth That the same yeere Genoa was established in a State Aristocraticall which was hee saith Anno 1528. Geneua was changed from a Monarchy Pontificall into an Estate Popular gouerned Aristocratically although that long before the Towne pretended to bee free against the Earle and against the Bishop c. What Sarauia hath written touching this point I cannot tell as not hauing his Booke But in Beza his answere to him there is no touch vpon any such thing He ioynes with his complaint of the sacrilegious vsurping Ecclesiasticall goods in answere to his Proême He dissents in that Sarauia accounts the Seniors of the reformed Churches like to that kinde which Saint Ambrose speakes of brought in out of wisdome onely to rule the disorderly Beza saith they were not introducti but reducti Cap. 12. For the rest in all that answere there is nothing of Caluin or any such reuoluing of the state as you accuse him of Which makes mee thinke that herein your memorie deceiued you It may be that in your younger time falling vpon these Authors by occasion of the question of Discipline which was then much tossed ere euer your iudgement were ripened you formed in your minde a false impression of that which they say of Caluin You conceited them out of your zeale in the cause to say more then they do thus possible vnawares receiued the seeds of dislike of the doctrine of Caluin as well as his discipline which haue since taken root in you But you shall doe well to remember the difference you put a little before of these two Christian doctrine is vniforme and euer the same gouernment is changeable in many circumstances according to the exigence of times and persons And euen the same men that write somewhat eagerly against Master Caluin yet giue him the praâ—se of wisdome to see what for that time and state was necessarie Master Hooker saith of him That he thinkes him incomparably the wisest man that euer the French Church did enioy since the houre it enioyed him and of his platforme of discipline after hee hath laid downe the summe of it This deuice I see not how the wisest at that time liuing could haue bettered if wee duely consider what
why wee did support them It seemes to some that his Catholike Maiestie doth absolue them in the treatie of the Truce An. 1608. of all imputation of rebellion And if they were Rebels especially for heresie why did the most Christian King support them As for Queene Elizabeth if shee were aliue shee would answer your question with another Why did Spaine concurre in practice and promise aide to that detestable conspiracie that was plotted against her by Pius V. as you may see at large in his life written by Girolamo Catena It is you say an easie matter to pretend priuiledges But it is no hard matter to discerne pretended priuiledges from true and Treason from Reason of State and old corruptions from old Religion But to take armes to change the Lawes by the whole Estate established is treason whatsoeuer the cause or colour be and therefore is was treason in the Rebels of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire in King Henries dayes and in the Earles of the North in Queene Elizabeths though they pretended their old Religion and the same must bee said of all Assasinates attempted against the persons of Princes as Parryes Someruilles Squires against Queene Elizabâ—th and the late powder-plot the eternall shame of Poperie against King Iames. To your Argument therefore in forme admitting that it is no true Church which is founded and begun in malice disobedience passion bloud and rebellion no nor yet a true reformation of a Church for in truth the Protestants pretend not to haue founded any The Assumption is denyed in euery part of it And here I must needes say you haue not done vnwisely to leaue out the Church of England as against which you had no pretence all things hauing been carried orderly and by publike counsell But you haue wronged those which you name and either lightly beleeued or vnjustly surmised your selfe touching Luther Caluin Knox the French and the Hollanders when you make them the raysers of rebellion and shedders of bloud Whose bloud hath beene shed like water in al parts of those countries against all Lawes of God and Man against the Edicts and publike Faith till necessitie enforced them to stand for their liues Yet you presume that all this is euident to the world whereas it is so false and improbable yea in some parts impossible as I wonder how your heart could assure your hand to write it Giue me here leaue to set down by occasion of this your motiue that which I professe next to the euidence of those corruptions which the Court and faction of Rome maintaynes hath long moued my selfe And thus I would enlarge your Proposition That Monarchie as now without lisping it cals it selfe which was founded supported enlarged and is yet maintayned by pride ambition rebellion treason murthering of Princes warres dispensing with perjurie and incestuous marriages spoiles and robberie of Churches and Kingdomes worldly policie force and falshood forgerie lying and hypocrisie is not the Church of Christ and his Kingdome but the tyrannie of Antichrist The Papacie falsely calling it selfe the Church of Rome is such Ergâ— The Assumption shall bee proued in euery part of it and in truth is alreadie by the learned and truly noble Lord of Plessis in his Mysterium iniquit at is But his booke I suppose you cannot view and it would require a iust volume to shew it though but shortly It shall bee therefore if you will the taske of another time And yet because I doe not loue to leaue things wholly at randon consider a few instances in some of these Pope Bâ—niface III. obtayned that proud and ambitious title of Oecumenicall so much detested by Saint Gregorie Pope Constantine and Gregorie the second reuolted Italie from the Greeke Emperours obedience forbidding to pay tribute or obey them Pope Zacharie animated Pipine high Steward of France to depose Chilperick his Lord and dispensed with the oathes of his subiects Pope Stephen II. most treacherously and vniustly perswaded the same Pipine not to restore the Exarchate of Ranenna to the Emperour after he had recouered it from Astulfus King of Lombards but to giue it to him Pope Nicholas II. and Grâ—gorie VII parted the prey with the Normans in Calabria and Apulia creating them Dukes thereof to hold the Emperour of Constantinoples countrie in vassallage of them This latter also was the first as all Historians accord that euer attempted to depose the Emperour against whom hee most impiously stirred vp his owne children which most lamentably brought him to his end Pope Paschal II. would not suffer for the full accomplishment of this Tragedie his sonne to burie him Pope Adrian IV. demanded homage of the Emperor Frederick Alexander III. trode on his neck Celestine III. crowned Henrie VI. with his feet Innocent IV. stirred vp Fredericke the seconds owne seruants to poison him practised with the Sultan of Aegypt to breake with him This is that Innocent of whose extortions Matthew Paris relates so much in our storie whom the learned zealous and holy Bishop of Lincolne on his death-bed proued to be Antichrist and in a vision strooke so with his Crosier-staffe that hee died Boniface VIII challenged both swords pretended to be superiour to the King of France in temporall things also Clement V. would in the vacancie of the Empire that all the Cities and Countries thereof should be vnder his disposition made the Duke of Venice Dandalus couch vnder his Table with a chaine on his neck like a dogge ere he would grant peace to the Venetians This Clement the V. commanded the Angels to carrie their soules to heauen that should take the Crosse to fight for the holy Land What shall I say more I am wearie with writing thus much and yet in all this I doe not insist vpon priuate and personall faults blasphemies perjuries necromancies murthers barbarous cruelties euen vpon one another aliue and dead nor on whoredomes incests sodomies open pillages besides the perpetuall abuse of the censures of the Church I insist not vpon these more then you did vpon King Henries passions I tell you not of him that called the Gospell a fable or another that instituted his Agnus Deis to strangle sinne like Christs bloud Of him that dispensed with one to marrie his owne sister for the vncle to marrie with the neece or a woman to marrie two brothers a man two sisters by dispensation is no rare thing at this day The facultie to vse Sodomie the storie of Pope Ioane are almost incredible and yet they haue Authors of better credit then Bolseck It may bee said that Iohn the two and twentieth called a deuill incarnate that Alexander VI. the poisoner of his Cardinals the adulterer of his sonne in lawes bed incestuous defiler of his owne daughter and riuall in that villanie to his sonne sinned as men which empeacheth not the credit of their office That Pauluâ— V. Vice-deus takes too much vpon him when hee will bee Pope-almightie but the chaire is without error Wherein not to
lesser Orders and Subdeaconship according to the Master of the Sentences were instituted by the Church 3. The Deacons instituted by the Apostles Act. 6. were not Deacons of the Altar but of the Tables Widdowes 4. In Deaconship there seemes to be no certain forme for according to the old Pontificals the laying of hands vpon the Deacon hath no certaine forme of words but that prayer Emitte qâ—aesumus in eos S. Sauctum which according to the new Pontificals is to be said after the imposition of hands For the giuing of the Booke of the Gospels hath indeede a forme of words but that impresseth not the Character for before any Gospell was written the Apostles ordained Deacons by imposition of hands 5. In the Subdeaconship also there is no Pontificall which hath not the matter without forme viz. the deliuery of the emptie Chalice c. These things with more which hee there sets downe he would haue to serue to the instruction of the learned touching the vncertaintie of this whole matter to â—each men to be wise to sobrietie that is euery man to be content with the accustomed Pontificall of the Church wherein he is ordained And if ought be omitted of those things which be added out of the new Pontificals as for example that the Booke of the Epistles was not giuen with those words Take authoritie to reade the Epistles as well for the quicke as the dead there is no neede of supplying this omission by a new ordination for such new additions make no new law Learne then of your owne Caietane that the new additions of deliuery of the Chalice with wine and Paten with Hosts and authoritie to offer sacrifice for the quick and dead make no new Law Learn to be content with the Pontificall of the Church wherein you were ordained Wherein first is verbatim all that which your Pontificals had well taken out of the holy words of our Sauiour Accipe Spiritum Sanctum quorum remisseris peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueris retenta sunt Which me thinkes you should rather account to containe the essentiall forme of Priesthood then the former both because they are Christs owne words and ioyned with that ceremonie of laying on hands which anciently denominated this whole action and do expresse the worthiest and principallest part of your Commission which the Apostle cals the Ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. Then because this office is not onely deputed to consecrate the Lords body but also to preach baptize which in your Pontificall is wholly omitted in a larger and more conuenient forme is added out of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4. 1. and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments In the name of the Father c. As to that you adde that we offer no sacrifice for the quicke and dead and therefore well may be called Ministers as all lay men are but are no Priests I haue met with sundry that pull this roape as strongly the other way and affirme that because by the very forme of your ordination you are appointed Sacrificers for the quicke and dead well may ye be Masse-Priests as ye are called but Ministers of the New Testament after S. Pauls phrase ye are none For that office stands principally in preaching the word whereof in your ordination there is no word said And as little there is in Scripâ—ure of your sacrifice which makes Christ not to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech c. with much more to this purpose Where my defence for your Ministrie hath beene this that the forme Receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. doth sufficiently comprehend the authoritie of preaching the Gospell Vse you the same equitie toward vs and tell those hot spirits among you that stand so much vpon formalities of words that to be a dispenser of the word of God and his holy Sacraments is all the dutie of Priesthood And to you I adde further that if you consider well the words of the Master of the Sentences which I vouched before how that which is consecrated of the Priest is called a Sacrifice and oblation because it is a memoriall and representation of the true sacrifice and holy offering made on the altar of the Crosse and ioyne there to that of the Apostle that by that one offering Christ hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified and as he saith in another place through that bloud of his Crosse reconciled vnto God all things whether in earth or in heauen you shall perceiue that we do offer sacrifice for the quick and dead remembring representing mystically offering that sole Sacrifice for the quicke and dead by the which all their fins are meritoriously expiated and desiring that by the same wee and all the Church may obtaine remission of sinnes and all other benefits of Christs passion To the Epilogue therefore of this your last motiue I say in short Sith we haue no neede of Subdeaconship more then the Churches in the Apostles times in truth those whom wee call Clerkes and Sextens performe what is necessarie in this behalfe Sith we haue Canonicall Bishops and lawfull succession Sith we neither want due intention to depute men to Ecclesiasticall functions nor matter or forme in giuing Priesthood deriuing from no man or woman the authoritie of ordination but from Christ the head of he Church yee haue alleadged no sufficient cause why we should not haue true Pastors and consequently a true Church in England CHAP. XII Of the Conclusion Master Waddesworths agonies and protestation c. YEt by these you say and many other arguments you were resolued in your vnderstanding to the contrary It may well be that your vnderstanding out of it owne heedlesse haste as that of our first Parents while it was at the perfectest was induced into errour by resoluing too soone out of seeming arguments and granting too forward assent For surely these which you haue mentioned could not conuince it if it would haue taken the paines to examine them throughly or had the patience to giue vnpartiall hearing to the motiues on the other side Buâ— as if you triumphed in your owne conquest and captiuitie you adde that which passeth yet all that hitherto you haue set downe viz. That the Church of Rome was and is the onely true Church because it alone is Ancient Catholike and Apostolike hauing succession vnitie and visibilitie in all ages and places Is it onely ancient To omit Hierusalem are not that of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians and Alexandria Ephesus Corinth and the rest mentioned in the Scriptures ancient also and of Antioch ancienter then Rome Is it Catholike and Apostolike onely Doe not these and manie more hold the Catholike faith receiued from the Apostles as well as the Church of Rome For that it should be the Vniuersall Church is all one as yee would say the part is the
whole one Citie the world Hath it onely succession where to set aside the inquirie of Doctrine so manie Simoniacks and intruders haue ruled as about fiftie of your Popes together were by your owne mens confession Apostaticall rather then Apostolicall Or Vnitie where there haue beene thirtie Schismes and one of them which endured fiftie yeares long and at last grew into three heads as if they would share among them the triple Crowne And as for diffentions in Doctrine I remit you to Master Doctor Halls peace of Rome wherein hee scores aboue three hundred mentioned in Bellarmine alone aboue threescore in one onely head of Penance out of Nauarrus As to that addition in all ages and places I know not what to make of it nor wherâ—o to refer it Consider I beseech you with your wonted moderation what you say for sure vnlesse you were beguâ—led I had almost said bewitched you could neuer haue resolued to beleeue and professe that which all the world knowes to be as false I had welnigh said as God is true touching the extent of the Romish Church to all ages and places Concerning the agonies you passed I will say onely thus much if being resolued though erroniously that was truth you were withholden from professing it with worldly respects you did well to breake through them all But if besides these there were doubt of the contrarie as me thinks needes must be vnlesse you could satisfie your selfe touching those many and knowne exceptions against the Court of Rome which you could not be ignorant of take heede lest the rest insuing these agonies were not like Sampsons sleeping on Dalâ—lahs knees while the locks of his strength were shauen whereupon the Lord departing from him he was taken by the Philistims had his eyes put out and was made to grinde in the prison But I doe not despaire but your former resolutions shall grow againe And as I doe beleeue your religious asseueration that for very feare of damnation you forsooke vs which makes mee to haue the better hope and opinion of you for that I see you doe so seriously minde that which is the end of our whole life so I desire from my heart the good hope of saluation you haue in your present way may be as happie as your feare I am perswaded was causelesse For my part I call God to record against mine owne soule that both before my going into Italie and since I haue still endeauoured to finde and follow the truth in the points controuerted betweene vs without any earthly respect in the world Neither wanted I faire opportunitie had I seene it on that side easily and with hope of good entertainment to haue adioyned my selfe to the Church of Rome after your example But to vse your words as I shall answere at the dreadfull day of iudgement I neuer saw heard or read any thing which did conuince me nay which did not finally confirme me daily more and more in the perswasion that in these differences it rests on our part Wherein I haue not followed humane coniectures from forraine and outward things as by your leaue mee thinkes you doe in these your motiues whereby I protest to you in the sight of God I am also much comforted and assured in the possession of the truth but the vndoubted voice of God in his word which is more to my conscience then a thousand Topicall Arguments In regard whereof I am no lesse assured that if I should forsake it I should be renounced by our Sauiour before God and his Angels then in the holding it be acknowledged and saued which makes me resolue not onely for no hope if it were of 10000. worlds but by the gracious assistance of God without whom I know I am able to doe nothing for no terrour or torment euer to become a Papist You see what a large distance there is betweene vs in opinion Yet for my part I doe not take vpon me to foreiudge you or anie other that doth not with an euill minde and selfe condemning conscience onely to maintaine a faction differ from that which I am perswaded is the right I account we hold one and the same faith in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and by him in the blessed Trinitie To his iudgement we stand or fall Incomparably more and of more importance are those things wherein wee agree then those wherin we dissent Let vs follow therefore the things of peace and of mutuall edification If any be otherwise minded then he ought God shall reueale that also to him If any be weake or fallen God is able to raiâ—e him vp And of you good M. Waddesworth and the rest of my Masters and Brethren of that side one thing I would againe desire that according to the Aposiles profession of himselfe you would forbeare to be Lords ouer our Faith nor straightway condemne of heresie our ignorance or lacke of perswasion concerning such things as wee cannot perceiue to be founded in holy Scripture Enioy your owne opinions but make them not Articles of our Faith the analogie whereof is broken as well by addition as subtraction And this selfe same equitie we desire to find in positiue Lawes Orders and Ceremonies Wherein as euerie Church hath full right to prescribe that which is decent and to edification and to reforme abuse so those that are members of each are to follow what is enioyned till by the same authoritie it be reuersed And now to close vp this Account of yours whereof you would haue Doctor Hall and me to be as it were examiners and Auditors Whether it be perfect and allowable or no looke you to it I haue here told you mine opinion of it as directly plainely and freely as I can and as you required fully if not tediously I list not to contend with you about it Satisfie your owne conscience and our common Lord and Master and you shall easily satisfie me Once yet by my aduice review it and cast it ouer againe And if in the particulars you finde you haue taken manie nullities for signifying numbers manie smaller signifiers for greater correct the totall If you finde namely that out of desire of Vnitie and dislike of contention you haue apprehended our diuersities to be more then they are conceiued a necessitie of an externall infallible Iudge where there was none attributed the priuiledge of the Church properly called to that which is visible and mixt If you finde the reformed Churches more charitable the proper note of Chists sheepe The Roman faction more fraudulent and that by publike counsell and of politicke purpose in framing not onely all later writers but some ancient yea the holy Scriptures for their aduantage If you finde you haue mistaken the Protestants doctrine touching inuisibilitie your own also touching vniformitie in matters of Faith If you haue beene misinformed and too haâ—â—ie of credit touching the imputations laid to the beginners of reformation For as touching the want of Succession and the