represented and so in the seauenth generall Councell the drawing of the Holie Ghost in forme of a Doue as he appeared Mat. 3. is approoued The first poynt then being obtayned that such Images of God may be made I come to the seconde That all holie Pictures may bee placed in Churches which I prooue by the argument that M. P. made for our first objection In SALOMONS Temple were erected Cherubins which were Images of Angels on the Mercie seate where God was worshipped and vppon the walles and verie doores of the same pictured To this M. P. answereth that they were erected by speciall commandement from God who prescribeth the verie forme of them and the place where they should be set and thereby MOSES had a warrant to make them let them shewe the like warrant for their Images if they can Secondly sayth he the Cherubs were placed in the most inward place of the Temple so were remooued from the sight of the people and the Cherubs without the vaile though they were seene yet were they not worshipped REPLY This mans wits were gone a wool-gathering when proposing to himselfe the Cherubs erected in SALOMONS Temple he answereth of the Cherubs made by MOSES 350. yeares before a most grosse ouer-sight and a shameful shift but such as men desperatly defending vntruths must needes vse For if he had answered directly he had not had a word to saye for neither did God prescribe the forme of them nor giue any speciall commandement to SALOMON to make and erect any such Cherubs as he that pleaseth to read the Chapter may see there they were placed not onely in the inwarde but also in the outward parts of the Temple vpon the walles and very doores that they might be seene of all the people which M. P. finding flitted from thence and did flie vnto an other which because it spake of Cherubs he thought would serue to blinde his simple followers MOSES indeed had an expresse precept for the making of them as he had for the Curteines and Curteine-rods and euery particular belonging to the Tabernacle But SALOMON without any speciall commandement out of his high and holy wisedome vnderstood that he might most lawfully and lawdably imitate that heauenly patterne of MOSES And as the building was far more sumptuous and stately so in the number and quantie of pictures exceeded which is a sufficient instruction warrant for all men after his daies to make and set Images in the Church And this finallie M. P. seemes to graunt when he sayeth that these Cherubs without the veyle were there to be seene but not to be worshipped so that wee haue gotten one step further that Images may not onely be made but also be set vp in the Churches which is fortifyed by the testimonie of TERTVLLIAN in the place cited before where he sayeth that our Sauiour was pictured vpon holy Chalices which were vsed at the Altars and of SOZOMENVS who witnesseth that our Sauiours Picture was taken into the Church S. GREGORY NAZ * Epist 49. maketh mention of Images in the Church of Diocesaraea trimmed vp by himselfe Saint BASIL * Orat. in Barlaam poynteth to that holy mans Picture standing in the Church DAMASVS * In vita Siluest shewes how CONSTANTINE in the Church of S. IOHN LATERAN erected a siluer Image vnto our Sauiour S. CHRYSOSTOME In demonst quod Christ sit Deus And S. AVG. * Serm. 19 de sanc do teach that the Crosse was on the holie Tables and vsed at all holy functions And the reason why Images should principallie be set in Churches is verie pregnant For where should holy pictures of holy men be more properlie bestowed than in holie places And the Church being a resemblance of heauen as S. PAVL teacheth * Heb. 9 is most conueniently decked vp with Images the representations of heauenlie creatures that men entring into that holie place may by the viewe and consideration of such a heauenly shewe retire their mindes from worldly businesse and lift them vp vnto the soueraigne monarch of both heauen and earth Now let vs come to those two objections of M. P. which seemes to bee against the erection of Images in Churches The first is out of the Councell of ELIBERIS cap. 36. which commaundeth that nothing should bee paynted on the walles of the Church that was adored of the people ANSWERE That if the Councel speake of the Image of God in which sense M. P. cyteth it and the word adored doeth insinuate then it may bee saide that the Councell inhibiteth that sort of Gods Images which are made to expresse the diuine nature If it be extended vnto all sorts of Images I answere that they were then forbidden to be drawen vpon the Church walles but not to be set in Tables vpon the Altar or in any other place The reason is because that Councell was holden in time of persecution as appeareth by the twentie fiue Canon of it and then if the persecutors had found out the place of their assembly as they often did those pictures must needes either haue bene defaced by themselues or left vnto the derision and despight of the Heathens And pictures also paynted vpon such poore walles as they had then to their Churches would either by the moysture of the walles or other incommoditie haue bene quick y disfigured wherefore to the greater honour of such sacred things those graue Fathers thought it not meete to haue them drawen vpon the Church walles there being manie more meete places for them in the Churches The second objection is out of a post-script of EPIPHANIVS letter vnto IOHN PATRIARKE of Ierusalem in which is written as M. P. falsely reporteth that it is against the authoritie of Scripture to see the Pictures of Christ or of any Saint to hang in the Church ANSWERE It is there only to see the picture of a man Now that he should meane of Christ or of some Saint is onely gathered yet M. P. makes no bones to thrust them both into the Texte euen so doe wee thinke that some olde enemie of Images added that postscript vnto EPIPHANIVS letter Our reasons are because it hath no coherence with the former letter or stile Againe in the seauenth Councell when all that could be found out of antiquitie was cited against Images no tidings there of this place which if it had bene true might haue bene one of the principall Thirdly in the same Councell * Act. 6. other two places brought as it were out of EPIPHANIVS workes were found to be none of his And for Images was alleadged that EPIPHANIVS owne disciples erected an Image to their maister and set it in the Church which they would neuer haue done if he had taught them to be against the Scripture so to doe M. P. obserues a speciall reason in EPIPHANIVS other counterfeit testimonie That Images must not be suffered in the common house because wee must carrie God in our mindes To which
Because it is to long for an Epistle I reserue it to the booke it selfe for the points it handleth and will here briefly note out of it some such old reproued errors that the Protestants doe reuiue receiue and avowe as the very sinnewes of their Gospell Martin Luther the ring-leader of the newe pretended reformation layeth for the ground-worke of his Religion That man is iustified by only faith and in this he is applauded and followed of all Protestants and yet as testifieth the most sound witnes of antiquity Au de side operibus ca. 14. S. Augustine that only faith is sufficient to Saluation was an error sprong vp in the Apostles dayes against which the Catholike Epistles of S. Peter and S. Iames and S. Iohn were principally directed And the authour of that error was that infamous Sorcerer Simon Magus Cap. 20. as the blessed Martir Ireneus hath recorded in his first booke against heresies Test Socr. ib. 1. hist cap. 17. S. Hier. pref lib. cont Pela S. Aug. de fide cont Manich. Epiph. her 64. PERKIN Pag. 29. Aug. retra lib. 2 c 22. here 82. PERKIN Pag. 163. An other principall piller of Fryer Luthers Religion consisteth in Deniall of free will wherein he jumpeth with the old rotten heretike Manes of whome the Manicheans were named One Proclus an erronyous Origenist taught that sinne was not taken away in Baptisme but only couered as is recorded by that holy man and auncient Father Epiphanius M. PERKINS in the name of Church of England affirmeth in like manner the originall sinne remayneth still and raigneth in the regenerate albeit it is not imputed vnto them Iouinian was accounted a Monster by S. Augustine for defending honest Marriage to be of equall vertue and meritte with chaste Virginity and saith further that this heresie was so sottish fleshly that it could not deceiue any one learned Priest but only some few simple carnall women Yet this our English champion blusheth not to affirme that marriage is not only equall but better also in diuers respects then Virginity The same olde reprobate heretike barked also against approued feasts and fasting dayes so doe most of our Ministers at this time Vigilantius was sharpely reproued by Saint Hierome in a booke written against him and hath beene euer since vnto this day esteemed a wicked hereticke for denying prayer to Saintes and honour to be donne vnto their Relikes And yet what pointe of Doctrine is more currant among the Protestants then this In like sorte one Aerius to the Arrian heresie added this of his owne That we must not pray for the soules of our friendes departed Aug. ad q. vult heres 53. as S. Augustine hath registred And doe not all Protestants embrace and earnestly defend the same A common custome it was of the Arrians and of other more auncient heretikes to reject all Traditions and to rely only vppon the written word Lib. 3. c. 20 Lib 1. con Maximinu as testifieth S. Ireneus and S. Augustine Doe not ours the same rejecting all Traditions as Mans Inuention Xenaias a Barbarous Persian indeed yet in shew a counterfeited Christian is noted for one of the first among Christians that inueyed against the Images of Saintes and the worship donne by true Christians vnto them Niceph li. 10. cap. 27. as both Nicephorus and Cedrenus in compendio doe recorde The reprobate Iewes indeede before him and after euen vntill this day the miscreant Turkes enemies of all Christianity doe dwell still in the same error And yet is not this most vehemently auerred by our Protestants and all Caluinists although they cannot denie but that aboue 900. yeares agoe in the second generall Councell holden at Nice they are by the consent of the best and most learned of the world for euer accursed that doe denie reuerence and worshippe to be giuen vnto the Images of Saintes I will omitte sundrie other heades of the Protestants Religion by all approued antiquity reproued and condemned that I passe not the boundes of an Epistle and seeme ouer tedious vnto your Majestie Especially considering that these are sufficient to conuince that those points wherein the Protestants affirme the present Church of Rome to haue so farre degenerate from the auncient are the very essentiall partes of faith then maintayned by the Romans And the contrary opinions nothing else but wicked heresies of old inuented and obstinately helde against the same Roman See euen as they are nowe in our time and of old also condemned by the same Church in her most flourishing and best estate Wherefore your most excellent Majestie being resolute in that singular good opinion that no Church ought farther to depart from the Church of Rome then shee is departed from her selfe in her flourishing estate must needes recall the Church of England from such extrauagant opinions to joyne with the Roman church in the aforesaid articles which shee in her best time helde for partes of pure faith And in all others also which they cannot directly proue in a lawfull disputation before your Majestie to haue beene altered by her particularly naming the point of Doctrine the author of the chaunge the time and place where when he liued who followed him who resisted him and such other like circumstances which all be easely shewed in euery such reuolte or innouation because the vigilant care of the Pastors of Christes flocke haue bin alwaies so great as no such thinges could be vnknowne let slippe or vnrecorded Thus much for my first reason collected from the vntruth of the Protestants religion The second shall be grounded vpon the vngodlines of it where I will let passe that high point of impiety that they make God who is goodnes it selfe the author of all wicked actions donne in the world And will besides say nothing of that their blasphemie against our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST that he ouercome with the paynes of his passion vpon the Crosse did doubt if not dispaire of his owne saluation being vnwilling to touch any other pointes then such as are afterwardes discussed in this booke The triumphant Citizens of heauen who enjoy the presence of God and happiest life that can be imagined are by Protestants disdaynefullie termed Deadmen and esteemed neither to haue credit with God to obtaine any thing nor any care or compassion on men among whom they once liued and conuersed so kindly And as for the poore soules departed who in Purgatory fire pay deare for their former delightes and pleasures they depriue them of all humane succour by teaching the world to beleeue that there is no such matter Concerning vs Christians yet liuing on earth there is no lesse impyetie in their opinions For they teach that the best Christian is no better in effect then a whited Sepulchre being inwardly full of all wickednes and mischiefe and onlie by an outwarde imputation of Christes righteousnes vnto them are accepted of God for just To thinke that there is
dutie I beseech our blessed Sauiour to endue you both with the true knowledge of his diuine veritie and with the spirit of Fortitude to imbrace and defend it constantly or that at the least gratiouslie to tolerate and permitte it Your most Excellent Maiesties most obedient and loyall subiect and seruant W.B. THE PREFACE TO THE READER GENTLE READER I meane not here to entertayne thee with many wordes the principall cause that moued me to write was the honour and glory of God in defence of his sacred verity then the imploying of his talent bestowed vpon me as well to fortifie the weaker sort of Catholikes in their faith as to call backe and leade others who wander vp and downe like to lost sheepe after their owne fancies into the right way I tooke in hand particularly the confutation of this booke not onely for that I was thereunto requested by a friend of good intelligence and iudgement who thought it very expedient but also because perusing of it I found it penned more Schollerlike then the Protestants vse to doe ordinarily For first the pointes in controuersie are set downe distinctly and for the most part truely Afterward in confirmation of their opinion the chiefe arguments are produced from both Scriptures Fathers and reason Which are not vulgar but culled out of their Rabbins Luther Peter Martir Caluin Kemnitius and such like though he name them not Lastly he placeth some obiections made in fauour of the Catholike Doctrine and answereth to them aswell as he could And which I speake to his commendation doth performe all this very briefly and clearly So that to speake my opinion freely I haue not seene any booke of like quantity published by a Protestant to contayne either more matter or deliuered in better method And consequently more apt to deceiue the simple especially considering that he withall counterfeiteth to come as neare vnto the Roman Church as his tender conscience will permitte him whereas in deede he walketh as wide from it as any other noueller of this age Wherefore I esteemed my spare time best imployed about the discouering of it being as it were an abridgement of the principall controuersies of these times and doe endeuour after the same Scholasticall manner without all superfluity of wordes no lesse to maintayne and defend the Catholike party then to confute all such reasons as are by M. PERKINS alleadged for the contrarie Read this short treatise good Christian diligently for thou shalt finde in it the marrowe and pith of many large volumes contracted and drawne into a narrowe rowme And read it ouer as it becommeth a good Christian with a desire to finde out and to followe the truth because it concerneth thy eternall saluation and then iudge without partiality whether Religion hath better groundes in Gods word more euident testimonie from the purest antiquity and is more conformable vnto all Godlines good life and vpright dealing the infallible markes of the best Religion and speedely imbrace that Before I end this short preface I must intreate thy patience to beare with the faultes in Printing which are too too many but not so much to be blamed if it be courteously considered that it was Printed farre from the Authour with a Dutch composer and ouerseene by an vnskilfull Corrector the greatest of them shall be amended in the end of the booke Before the Printing of this part was finished I heard that M. PERKINS was dead I am sorry that it commeth forth to late to doe him anie good Yet his worke liuing to poison others a preseruatiue against it is neuer the lesse necessary MASTER PERKINS IN THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE It is a pollicie of the Diuell to thinke that our Religion and the Religion of the present Church of Rome are all one in substance or that they may be reunited BEFORE I am to deliuer my opinion concerning this poynt I had neede to be enformed what this Author meaneth by these wordes our Religion For there being great diuersities of pretended Religions currant in the world all contrary to the Church of Rome how can I certainlie knowe whether of them he professeth Wherefore good Sir may it please you to declare what Religion you vnderstand when you say our Religion Is it that which Martin Luther a licentious Fryer first preached in Germany or rather that which the martiall Minister Zwinglius contended with sword and shield to set vp in Zwitzerland or perhaps that which Iohn Caluin by sedition wrought into Geneua expelling the lawfull Magistrate thence and by the ayde of Beza a dissolute turne-coate spread into many corners of France Or if by your Religion you meane only to comprehend the Religion now practised in England yet are you farther to shewe whether you vnderstand that established by the State or the other more refined as it is thought by many and embraced by them who are called Puritans for of their leauen sauoureth that position of yours That the article of Christs descent into hell crept into the Creede by negligence and some other such like in this booke These principall diuisions of the newe Gospell to omitte sundry sub-diuisions being famous and receiued of diuerse in England according to each mans phantasie it is meete you expresse whether of them you speake of that it may be dulie considered how the Roman Religion and it agree and what vnion may be made betweene them Now if you meane the hotchpotch and confusion of all these newe Religions togither as by the opposition here vnto the Church of Rome and by the articles following may be gathered then I am cleare for you in this that there can be no more concord betweene these two Religions then there is betweene light and darknes faith and infidelity Christ and Beliall Notwithstanding I thinke that the reason by you produced to proue the impossibility of this vnion is of no value to wit that they of the Roman Church haue razed the foundation for though in wordes they honour Christ yet in deede they turne him into a Pseudochrist and an Idoll of their owne braine A very sufficient cause no doubt of eternal breach and diuision if it could be verified But how proue you that we Roman Catholikes who beleeue Iesus Christ to be perfect God perfect Man and the only Redeemer of Mankinde make him a false Christ and an Idoll or before you goe about to proue it tell me I pray you how this can well stand with your owne definition of a reformed Catholike in your preface There you affirme him to be a Catholike reformed to your liking that holdeth the same necessarie heades of Religion with the Roman Church Now can there be any more necessarie head of Religion then to haue a right faith in Christ can anie other foundation be layed besides IESVS Christ 1. Cor. 3. If then your reformed Catholike must agree with the Roman Church in necessarie heades of Religion as you hold he must either the Roman Church razeth not the
foundation maketh not Christ a Pseudochrist as you say here or else you teach your disciples very pernitiously to hold the same necessary heades of Religion with it But to leaue to you the reconciliation of these places let vs examine briefly how you confirme your paradox that the Church of Rome maketh Christ a false Christ which you goe about to proue by foure instances The first is because the seruant of his seruants may chaunge and adde to his commaundements hauing so great power that he may open and shut heauen to whome he will and binde the very conscience with his owne lawes and consequently be partaker of the spiritual kingdome of Christ Here are diuerse reasons hudled vp in one but all of litle moment for all these seuerall faculties which the Pope enioyeth being receiued by the free gift of Christ and to be employed in his seruice onlie and to his honour and glorie are so farre off from making Christ a Pseudochrist that they doe highly recommēd his most singuler bounty towardes his followers without any derogation to his owne diuine prerogatiues The particulars shal be more particularly answered in their places hereafter Now I say in a word that Christs Vicar cannot change any one of Gods cōmaundements nor adde any contrarie vnto them but may well enact establish some other conformable vnto them which doe bind in cōscience for that power is granted of God to euery soueraigne gouernour Rom. 13. as witnesseth S. Paul saying Let euery soule be subiect to higher powers And that as it is in the 5. verse following of necessity not only for wrath but also for conscience sake So that to attribute power vnto one that is vnder CHRIST to binde our consciences is not to make CHRIST a Pseudochrist but to glorifie him much acknowledging the power which it hath pleased him to giue vnto men In like manner what an absurde illation is that from the power to open and shut heauen gates which all both Catholikes and Protestants confesse to haue beene giuen to Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles to inferre that CHRIST is made a Pseudochrist as who should say the master spoyled himselfe of his supreame authority by appoynting a stewarde ouer his housholde or a porter at this gates he must be both Master and Man to belike And thus much of the first instance Come we now to the second It is that we make Christ an Idoll for albeit we call him a Sauiour yet in vs in that he giues his grace to vs that by our merits we may be our owne sauiours c. I meruaile in whome he should be a sauiour if not in vs What is he the Sauiour of Angels or of anie other creatures I hope not but the mischief is that he giues grace to vs that there by we may merite and so become our owne Sauiours This is a phrase vnheard of among Catholiks that anie man is his owne Sauiour neither doth it folowe of that position that good works are meritorious but well that we applie vnto vs the saluation which is in CHRIST IESVS by good works as the Protestants auouch they doe by faith onlie In which sence the Apostle S. Paul sayeth to his deare Disciple Timothe Tim. 4. For this doing thow shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee And this doth no more diminish the glorie of our Soueraigne Sauiours infinit merits then to say that we are saued by faith onlie good works no lesse depending if not more aduancing Christs merits then only faith as shall be prooued hereafter more at large in the question of merits Now that other good mens merits may steede them who want some of their owne may be deduced out of an hundred places of the Scriptures namely out of those where God sayeth that for the sake of one of his true seruants he will shewe mercie vnto thousands as is expressely said in the end of the first commandement In like manner I answere vnto your third instance that for Christ to haue taken away by his blessed Passion the eternall payne due vnto our sinnes to haue left a temporall to be satisfied by vs is not to make himselfe a false Christ but a most louing kinde and withall a most prudent Redeemer Wiping away that by himselfe which passed our forces and reseruing that to vs which by the helpe of his grace we wel may ought to doe not only because it were vnseemely that the parts of the body should be disproportionable to the head but also because it is reasonable as the Apostle holdeth Rom. 8. that we suffer here with Christ before wee raigne with him in his Kingdome In your last instance you say that we make Christ our mediator of intercession to GOD thinking out of your simplicity that therein we much magnifie him sing Osanna vnto him Whereas we hold it for no small disparagement vnto his diuine dignitie to make him our Intercessor that is to pray him to pray for vs who is of himselfe right able to helpe vs in all we can demaund being aswell God as Man And albeit one in thought singling out the humanity of Christ from his diuine nature and person might make it an intercessor for vs Yet that being but a Metaphisical cōceipt to separate the nature from the person since the Arrian heresie which held Christ to be inferior to his Father it hath not beene practised by Catholikes who alwayes pray our Sauiour Christ to haue mercy vpon vs neuer to pray for vs. And consequently make him no mediator of intercession but of redemption And to come to your grieuous complaint that withall his Mother must be Queene of heauen and by right of a mother commaund him there Who can sufficiently meruaile at their vnnaturall grosse pates who take it for a disgrace to the Sonne to aduaunce his owne good Mother or else who wel in his wits considering Christs bounty to strangers and his enemies will not be perswaded that on his best beloued mother he did bestowe his most speciall fauours For hauing taken flesh of her hauing suckt her breasts and receiued his nuriture and education of her in his tender yeares and being aswell followed of her as of any other Is it possible that he should not be as good to her as to others vnto whome he was not at all beholding Againe the verie place of a mother requiring preheminence before all seruants and subjects of what dignitie soeuer doth not the right rule of reason lead vs to thinke that Christ the fountayne of all wisdome replenished the B. Virgin Marie his deare Mother with such grace as should make her fit for that place it lying in his hands and free choise to doe it And therefore is she trulie tearmed of holy and learned Antiquity our Lady and Queene exalted aboue all quyers of Angels That which you impute vnto vs farther that she must in the right of a mother commaund her Sonne is no
doctrine of the Roman Church nor said in all her seruice We say Shew thyselfe to be a mother but it is not added by commaunding thy Sonne that is your glosse which is accursed because it corrupteth the text for it followeth in that place Sumat per te preces c. Present our prayers to him that vouchsafed to be borne of thee for vs. If any priuat person by meditation pearcing more profoundly into the mutuall loue and affection of such a Sonne towardes so worthie a Mother doe deeme her prayers as forcible in kindnes as if they were commaundements and in that sence call them commaundements according to the French phrase Vos priers me sont des commandements that may be donne without derogation to Christs supreame dignity and with high commendation of his tender affection vnto his reuerent best beloued mother Wherefore to conclude this Epistle if there be no waightier cause then this by you here produced why you your adherents doe not reconcile your selues vnto the Church of Rome you may shortly by Gods grace become new men For we are so farre off from making our Sauiour Christ a Pseudochrist or from drawing one jote of excellency from his soueraigne power merits or dignity that we in the very points by you put downe doe much more magnifie him then you do For in maintayning the authority by him imparted vnto his deputies our spirituall Magistrates and of their merits and satisfaction We first say that these his seruants prerogatiues be his free gifts of more grace bestowed on whome he pleaseth which is no small prayse of his great liberality And withall affirme that there is an infinite difference betweene his owne power merits and satisfaction and ours Wherein his soueraigne honour is preserued entire to himselfe without any comparison Now you make Christs authority so base his merits and satisfaction so meane that if he impart any degree of them vnto his seruants he looseth the honour of all from himselfe Whereupon it followeth inuincibly if you vnfeignedly seeke CHRIST IESVS his true honour and will esteeme of his diuine giftes worthelie you must hold out no longer but vnite your selfe in these necessary heades of Religion vnto the Catholike Church of Rome which so highly exalteth him both in his owne excellency and in his singuler giftes to his subjects AN ANSWERE TO THE PREFACE VPON your preface to the reader I will not stand because it toucheth no point of controuersie let it be declared in your next what you meane when you desire your reformed Catholike to hold the same necessarie heades of Religion with the Roman Church for if the Roman Church doth erre in the matter of faith and iustification in the number and vertue of the Sacraments in the bookes and interpretation of the word of God if she raze the foundation and make Christ a Pseudochrist and an Idoll to omitte twenty other errors in substantiall points of faith as in this your small discourse you would perswade there will remayne verie fewe necessarie heades of Religion for them to agree in And be you wel assured that you are so wide from winning Catholikes by this your worke to a better liking of your Religion that you haue taken the high way to lead them to a farre greater dislike of it by teaching that in so many materiall points it differeth so farre from theirs For al Catholikes hold for most assured that which the most auncient learned holy Doctor Athanasius in his creede deliuereth in the 2. verse Which Catholike faith vnlesse euerie man obserue wholy and inuiolably not omitting or shrinking from any one article of it without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly If S. Basil that reuerent blessed Father of the Church doth hold it the duty of euery good Christian rather to loose his life then to condescend to the alteration of any one sillable in matter of faith Theod. 4. his cap. 17. you may be sure that we Catholikes cannot but carry a very base cōceipt of your doctrine who goe about vnder the ouerworne threedbare cloake of reformation to deface and corrupt the purer and greater part of Christian Religion specially when they shall perceiue the most points of your pretended reformation to be nothing else but old rotten condemned heresies newe scoured vp and furbushed so in shew made more saleable vnto the vnskilfull as in this treatise shall be proued in euery Chapter THE THEAME OF M. PERKINS PROLOGVE And I heard an other voice from heauen say goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and receiue not of her plagues Reuelat. 18.3 ANSWERE TO THE PROLOGVE Exordium Commune THE learned knowe it to be a fault to make that the entry vnto our discourse which may as properly fit him that pleadeth against vs but to vse that for our proeme which in true sence hath nothing for vs nay rather beareth stronglie for our aduersarie must needes argue great want of iudgement Such is the sentence aboue cited out of S. Iohn by M. PERKINS for it being trulie vnderstood is so farre off from terrifying anie one from the Catholike Roman Church as it doth vehemently exhort all to flie vnto it by forsaking their wicked company that are banded against it For by the purple Harlot in that place is signified as shall be proued presently the Roman Empire as then it was the slaue of Idols and with most bloudy slaughter persecuting Christs Saints Those of the Church of Rome being as nearest vnto it so most subject to that sacrilegious butcherie Wherefore that voice which S. Iohn heard say Goe out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes c. can haue none other meaning then that all they who desire to be Gods people must separate themselues in faith and manners from them who hate persecute the Roman Church as did then the Heathen Emperours now doe all Heretikes Vnlesse they will be partakers of their sinnes consequently of their plagues This shall yet appeare more plainly in the examination of this Chapter Where I will deale friendly with my aduersary aduantage him all that I can that all being giuē him which is any way probable it may appeare more euidently how litle he hath to any purpose out of this place of the Apocalipse whereof all Protestants vaunt and bragge so much both in their bookes pulpits Well then I will admitte that in the 17. 18. Chapters of the reuel by the whoore of Babilon is vnderstood the Roman state and regiment which in lawfull disputations they are not able to proue the most juditious Doctor S. Augustine and diuerse others of the auncient Fathers with the learned troupe of later Interpreters expounding it of the whole corps and society of the wicked And as for the 7. hilles on the which they lay their foundation they are not to be taken literally The Angell of God in the very text it selfe interpreting
the 7. heades of the beast to be aswell 7. Kings as 7. hilles But this notwithstanding to helpe you foreward I will graunt it you because some good writers haue so taken it And therefore omit as impertinēt that which you say in proofe of it What can you inferre hereupon Mary that the Roman Church is that whoore of Babilon fayre soft good Sir how proue you that thus The whoore of Babilon is a state of the Roman regiment ergo the Roman Church is the whoore of Babilon What forme of arguing call you me this By the like sophistication you may proue that Romulus Remus were the purple Harlot which to affirme were ridiculous or which is impious that the most Christian Emperours Constantine and Theodosius were the whoore of Babilon because these held also the state of the Roman Empire and regiment to make short the feeble force of this reason lyeth in this that they who hold the state and gouerne in the same Kingdome must needes be of like affection in Religion which if it were necessarie then did Queene Mary of blessed memorie and her sister Elizabeth carrie the same mindes towards the true Catholike faith because they sate in the same chaire of estate ruled in the same Kingdome See I pray you what a shamefull cauill this is to raise such outcryes vpon A simple Logician would blush to argue in the paruies so loosely yet they that take vpon them to controule the learnedst in the world often fall into such open fallacies Well then admitting the purple Harlot to signifie the Roman state we doe say that the state of Rome must be taken as it was then when these wordes were spoken of it that is Pagan Idolatrous and a hot persecutor of Christians Such it had beene a litle before vnder that bloudy Tyrant Nero and then was vnder Domitian which we confirme by the authority of them who expounde this passage of the Roman state The commentary on the Apocalips vnder Saint Ambrose name sayeth the great whoore sometime doth signifie Rome specially which at that time when the Apostle wrote this did persecute the Church of GOD but otherwise In c. 178. doth signifie the whole Citie of the Diuell And Saint Ierome who applieth the place to Rome affirmeth Libr. 2 cont Iouin that she had before his dayes blotted out that blasphemie written in her forehead because then the state was Christian which before had beene Heathen so that vnto the partie Pagan and not vnto the Church of God he ascribeth these works of the wicked Harlot which also the very text it selfe doth conuince Vers 6. for it hath That she was drunke with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus Now the Church of Rome hath not then by the confession of all men drawne any bloud of Christs Saints but in testimony of his truth had powred out abundance of her best bloud Wherefore it is most manifest that the harlot could not signifie the Church of Rome so pure and free from slaughter but the Roman Empire which was then ful gorged with that most innocent and holy bloud Againe that whoore is expounded Vers 18. To be a Citie which had kingdome ouer the Kings of the earth But the Church of Rome had then no kingdome ouer the earth or any temporall dominion at all but the Roman Emperours had such soueraigne commaundement ouer many Kings wherefore it must be vnderstood of them and not of the Church Now to take Kingdome not properly for temporall soueraignty but for spirituall Iurisdiction as some shifters doe is to flie without any warrant from the natiue signification of the word vnto the phantasticall and voluntary imagination And whereas M. PERKINS saith pag. 5. that Ecclesiasticall Rome in respect of state princely dominion and cruelty against the Saints is all one with the heathenish Empire he both seeketh to deceiue and is greatly deceiued he would deceiue in that he doth apply wordes spoken of Rome aboue 1500. yeares agoe vnto Rome as it is at this day and yet if that were graunted him he erreth foulie in euery one of his particles For first touching princely dominion the Roman Empire held then all Italy all France all Spayne all England a great part of Germany of Asia and also of Afrike hauing their Proconsulles and other principall Officers in all those Countries drawing an hundred thousand millions in mony and many other commodities out of them Wherefore in princely dominion and magnificall state it surmounted Ecclesiasticall Rome which hath not temporall dominion ouer the one halfe of that one kingdome of Italy more then an hundred degrees And as for persecution the Empire slewe and caused to be slayne more Saints of God in one yeare then the Church of Rome hath donne of reprobates and obstinate heretikes in 1600. yeares Hauing thus proued that the whoore of Babilon signifieth the heathen state of Rome and not the Ecclesiasticall let vs now heare vvhat you ay against it Marry that the distinction of the Empire of Rome and Church of Rome is foolish and coyned of late to serue our turne which to be farre otherwise I proue out of those very Authors who doe interpret that harlot to signifie Rome who are neither foolish nor of late dayes you haue heard it before out of S. Ambrose cōmentaries And farther we gather it out of S. Hierome in the Epistle which you cite for he hauing resembled Rome vnto Babilon for the multitude of the wicked which yet remayned in it pointeth out a more pure part saying There is in deede the holy Church there are the triumphant monuments of the Apostles and Martirs there is the true confession of Christ there is the faith praysed by the Apostle c. Be not there expressed two distinct parts of Rome Againe Tertullian who liued in the second hundreth yeare vnder those persecuting Emperours saith in one place that Babilon is a figure of Rome Lib. cont Iud. De prescript c. 16 in respect of her proude Empire and persecution of the Saints And in an other that Rome was most happie for her holy Church vnto which the Apostles with their bloud had poured forth their whole doctrine see a playne distinction betweene the Heathen Empire and the holy Church of Rome Which finally may be gathered out of the expresse word of God Where the Church in Babilon coelect 1. Pet. 5. is distinguished from the rest of that city which was Pagan You say but without any authour that Babilon there doth not signifie Rome but either a city in Egipt or Assyria But Eusebius lib. 2. his c. 14. S. Ierom de Eccles script vers Marcus with other Authors more worthy of credit doe expounde it of Rome And you your selues take Babilon for Rome where you thinke that any hold may be taken against it as in the 17. of the reuel but in S. Peters Epistle they wil none of it because it would proue too playnlie that S.
Peter had beene at Rome Well M. PERKINS is content in fine to allowe of that distinction of Heathenish and Ecclesiasticall Rome which before he esteemed so foolish And then will proue that not the Heathenish but Ecclesiasticall Rome is resembled to the purple Harlot See what confidence this man hath in his owne shutle wit that now will proue this and shorty after disproue it but let vs giue him the hearing in the 3. verse Cap. 18. The holy Ghost sayeth playnely that she hath made all the world drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication and yet addeth that she hath committed fornication with the Kings of the earth But this cannot be vnderstood of heathenish Rome for that left all the Kingdomes of the earth vnto their owne Religion and Idolatry and did not labour to bring them to worshippe the Roman Gods Ergo it must be vnderstood of Papall Rome I answere The Roman Empire being the head and principall promoter of all kinde of Idolatrie and maintayning and aduancing them that most vehemently opposed themselues against the Christian Religion who with any shewe of reason can deny but they chiefly committed spirituall fornication with the Kings of the earth if not by perswading them to forsake their owne false Gods which the Pagan Romans worshippe aswell as they Yet by encouraging and commaunding them to perseuer in that filthy Idolatry and to resist and oppresse the Christians wheresoeuer Neither is that true that the Roman Emperours did not labour to bring other Nations to worship new Gods when Nero and Domitian would be worshipped as Gods and for feare of Adrian one Antinous his seruant was worshipped as a God of all men as Iustinus Martyr testifieth in his Apol. to Antonine Euseb li. 4. ist cap. 8. These wordes of the text then agree very well with the Emperours who both were Idolaters and the chiefe Patrons of Idolatry but can in no sorte be applied to the Roman Church which was then as the Protestants cannot deny a pure Virgin and most free from all spirituall fornication But that it is now become Idolatrous M. PERKINS doth proue by his second reason gathered also I warrant you right learnedly out of the text it selfe Cap. 17. vers 16. where it is said that the tenne Hornes which signifie tenne Kinges shall hate the whoore and make her desolate and naked which as he saith must be vnderstood of Popish Rome For whereas in former times al the Kings of the earth did submitte themselues to the whoore now they haue begunne to withdrawe themselues to make her desolate as the Kinges of Bohemia Denmarke Germany England Scotland and other parts In these his wordes is committed a most foule fault by grosse ouersight and ignorance in the verie text What be England Scotland Denmarke as for Bohemia ruled by a Catholike Emperour it must be omitted as also many states of Germanie be these Kingdomes your principall pillers of the newe Gospell comprehended within the number of the ten mentioned there in S. Iohn which hate the harlot Yes marie Why then they are enemies of Christ and Satans souldiers for in the 13. verse it is said of these that they shall deliuer their power vnto the beast which signifieth either the Diuell or Antichrist shall sight with the Lambe the Lambe shall ouercome them because he is Lord of Lordes King of Kinges Is not this doating in an high degree to infame so notoriously them of whom he would speake most honour and to make the speciall Patrons of their new Gospell the Diuels Captaines and fiercelie to wage battaile against CHRIST IESVS See how heate of wrangling blindeth mens Iudgements But you proceede and say Pag. 7. that we further hold that the bloud of the Saintes and Martirs was not shedde in Rome but in Ierusalem Here is a confusion of Men and matters for we say that the bloud of many Saintes rehearsed in the Apoc. was shedde in Rome Cap. 17. by the tirannicall Emperours but the martiring of those two principall witnesses Enoch and Elias recorded in the eleauenth of the same shall be at Ierusalem aswell because the text is very plaine for it Vers 8. specifying that their bodies shall lie in the streets of that great Citty where their Lord was crucified as for that the ordinarie interpreters of that place doe so take it But M. PERKINS holdeth that the place where Christ was crucified signifieth here not Ierusalem but Rome because Christ was crucified there in his members so it might aswell signifie any other place of persecution as Rome the reason therefore being nought worth he fortifieth it with the name of S. Ierome but citeth in the margent a letter of two vertuous matrons Paula Eustochium Epist. 17 Epist. 17 Good Sir if S. Ierome had meant that the Epistle should haue had his authority he would haue set it out in his own name which seing he thought not expedient sette the authoritie of it aside and vrge his reasons if you thinke it worth your labour and you shal be answered In the meane season I hope all sober Christians will take the place where our Sauiour Christ was nailed on the Crosse to signifie rather Ierusalem then Rome And consequently all that you haue alleadged out of Scripture to proue the whore of Babilon to figure the ecclesiasticall state of Rome not to bee worth a rush Now let vs come to the auncient and learned men whome you cite in fauour of your exposition The first is S. Bernard who saieth that they are the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist Of whome speaketh that good religious Father forsooth of some officers of the court of Rome Good who were as he saieth the ministers of CHRIST beecause they were lawfullie called by the Pope to their places but serued Antichrist for that they behaued themselues corruptly in their callings And so this maketh more againste you then for you approuing the lawfull officers of Rome to be Christs ministers The second place is alleadged out of him yet more impertinently your selfe confessing presently that those wordes were not spoken of the Pope but of his enemy The reason yet there set downe pleaseth you exceedingly which you vouch so clearly that it seemeth to beare flat against you for you inferre that that Pope and all others since that time be vsurpers out of this reason of Saint Bernard Because forsooth that the Antipope called Innocentius was chosen by the King of Almaine France England c. and their whole cleargy and people For if Innocentius were an Antichrist and vsurper because he was elected by so many Kings and people then belike he that had no such election but is chosen by the Cardinals of Rome only is true Pope This your wordes declare but your meaning as I take it is quite contrary But of this matter and manner of election shall be treated hereafter if neede require It sufficeth for this present
is sinne because in it there is disobedience against the rule of the minde c. I answere that S. Augustine in more then twenty places of his workes teacheth expresly that concupiscence is no sinne if sinne be taken properly wherefore when he once calleth it sinne he taketh sinne largely as it comprehendeth not onely all sinne but also all motions and intisements to sinne in which sence concupiscence may be tearmed sinne but is so called very seldome of S. Augustine but more commonly an euill Lib. 6. cap. 5. as in the same worke is to be seene euidently where he saith That grace in Baptisme doth renewe a man perfectly so farreforth as it appertayneth to the deliuerance of him from all manner of sinne but not so as it freeth him from all euill so that concupiscence remayning after baptisme is no manner of sinne in S. Augustines iudgement but may be called euill because it prouoketh vs to euill to this place of S. Augustine I will joyne that other like Tract 41. in Iohan. which M. PER. quiteth in his 4. reason where he saith that sinnes dwelleth alwayes in our members The same answere serueth that sinne there is taken improperly as appeareth by that he seates it in our meÌ„bers for according vnto S. Augustine and all the learned the subject of sinne being properly taken is not in any part of the body but in the will and soule and in the same passage he signifieth plainly that in baptisme all sinnes and iniquity is taken away and that there is left in the regenerate onely an infirmity or weakenes M. PERK 4. reason is taken from the record of the auncient Church Charity in some is more Aug. Epis â—9 in some lesse in some none the highest degree of all which caÌ„not be increased is in none as long as a man liues vpon earth and as long as it may be increased that which is lesse then it should be is in fault by which fault it is that there is no iust man vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not c. For which also though we profit neuer so much it is necessary for vs to say forgiue vs our debtes though all our worst deedes and thoughts be already forgiuen in Baptisme Answere That here is neuer a word touching concupiscence or to proue originall sinne to remayne after baptisme which is in question but onely that the best men for want of perfect Charity doe often sinne venially which we graunt M. PER. hauing thus strongly as you see fortified his position with that one sentence of S. Augustine which hath also nothing for his purpose in steede of all antiquity confesseth ingenuously that S. Augustine in sundry places denieth concupiscence to be sin but expoundes him to meane that it is not sinne in that person but in it selfe which is already confuted for sinne that it is an accident and so properly inherent in his subject cannot be at all if it be not in some person and the sinne of the same person But if the protestant reader desire to be well assured of S. Augustines opinion in this point let him see what their Patriarke Iohn Caluin saith of it where thus he writeth Lib. 3. Instit cap. 3 num 10. Neither is it needefull to labour much in searching out what the old writers thought of this point when one Augustine may serue the turne who with great diligence hath faithfully collected togither all their sentences Let the readers therefore take out of him if they desire to haue anie certainty of the iudgement of antiquity Hitherto somewhat honestly What followeth Moreouer betweene him and vs this is this difference that he truly dares not call the disease of concupiscence a sinne but to expresse it is content to vse the word of infirmity then loe doth he say that it is made sinne when the acte of our consent doth ioyne with it But we hold that very thing to be sinne wherewith a man is in any sort tickled Obserue first good Reader that S. Augustines opinion with him carrieth the credit of all antiquity Which is the cause that I cite him more often against them Secondly that he is flatly on our side teaching concupiscence not to be sinne vnlesse we doe consent vnto it Lastly learne to mislike the blinde boldnes of such Masters who hauing so highly commended S. Augustines iudgement in this very matter and aduised all men to followe it Doth notwithstanding flie from it himselfe Presuming that some would bee so shalowe-witted as not to espie him or else content to relie more vpon his onely credit then vpon the authority of all the auncient Fathers For a tast of whose consent with S. Augustine in this question I will here put the sentences of some fewe that I neede not hereafter returne to rehearse them S. Chrisostome saith Passions be not sinnes of themselues Homil. 11. in epist ad Rom. but the vnbridled excesse of them doth make sinnes And that I may for example sake touch one of them concupiscence is not a sinne but when passing measure it breakes his boundes then loe it is adulterie not in regard of concupiscence but in respect of the excessiue and vnlawfull riot of it S. Bernard whome M. PERKINS often citeth against vs and these may sometimes be alleadged for vs hath these wordes Sinne is at the dore Serm. de sex tribul but if thou doe not open it it will not enter in lust tickleth at the hart but vnlesse thou willingly yeeld vnto it it shall doe thee no hurt withholde thy consent and it preuayleth not S. Aug. and S. Cirill haue beene cited already S. Hier. and S. Greg. shall be hereafter who with the confession of Caluin may serue sufficently to proue that approued antiquity is wholy for vs. And if any desire to know the founder of our aduersaries Doctrine in this point let him reade the 64. heresie recorded by that auncient holy Bishoppe Epiphanius where he registreth one Proclus an old rotten sectary to haue taught that sinnes are not taken away in Baptisme but are onely couered which is as much to say as sinne remayneth still in the person regenerate but is not imputed to him Which is just M. PERKINS and our Protestants position Now let vs come vnto the argumentes which the Church of Rome as M. PERKINS speakes alleageth to proue Concupiscence in the regenerate not to be sinne properly 1. Objection In Baptisme men receiue perfect and absolute remission of sinne Which being pardoned is taken quite away and therefore after Baptisme ceaseth to be sinne M. PERKINS answereth that it is abolished in regard of imputation that is is not imputed to the person but remaines in him still This answere is sufficiently I hope confuted in the Annotations vpon our consent in confirmation of our Argument I will adde some textes of holy Scripture Iohan. 13. First He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feete for he is wholy cleane Take
loe doe we with delight fulfill them For as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 13. Charity is the fulnes of the lawe And He that doth loue his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe Which Christ himselfe teacheth when he affirmeth â—lath 22. That the whole lawe Prophets depend vpon these two commaundements of louing God and our neighbour Now both according vnto our opinion and the Protestants a man regenerate and in the state of grace hath in him the vertue of Charity we hold it to be the principall part of inherent justice they say that their justifying faith can neuer be seperated from it So that a righteous man being also indued with charity is able thereby to fulfill the whole lawe Let vs adjoyne vnto these Authorities of holy write the testimony of one auncient Father or two Serm. in ilâ—ud Attenâ—ie tibi De nat gra cap. 69. S. Basil affirmeth That it is impious and vngodly to say that the commaundements of the spirit be vnpossible S. Augustine defineth That we must beleeue firmely that God being iust good coulde not commaunde thinges that be impossible for vs to fulfill The reason may be that it is the part of a tyrant and no true lawemaker to commaund his subjectes to doe that vnder payne of death which he knowes them no way able to performe for those were not to be called lawes which are to direct men to that which is just but snares to catch the most diligent in and to binde them vp to most assured perdition Wherefore it was afterward decreed in an approued Councell of Aransican 2. Can. vlt. as an article of faith in these wordes This also we beleeue according to the Catholike faith that all men baptised by grace there receiued with the helpe and cooperation of Christ both can ought to keepe and fulfill those thinges which belong to saluation The principall whereof are after our Sauiours owne determination to keepe the commaundements Math. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements This by the way concerning the possibility of fulfilling the lawe THAT GOOD WORKES BE NOT STAYNED WITH SINNE NOVV that just mens workes be not sinnes which I proue first by some workes of that patterne of patience Iob. Of whome it is written that notwithstanding all the Diuels power and craft in tempting of him He continued still a single harted and an vpright man departing from euill Cap. 2. and preseruing his innocency If he continued and innocent he sinned not Againe if in all these instigations to impatience he remayned patient these his workes were perfect For S. Iames saith Esteeme it my brethren Cap. 1. all ioy when you shall fall into diuers temptations knowing that the probation of your saith worketh patience And let patience haue a perfect worke that you may be perfect and entire fayling in nothing 2 King Dauid thus by the inspiration of the holy Ghost speaketh of himselfe Thou hast O Lord proued my hart thou hast visited me in the night Psal 16. thou hast tried me in fire and there was no iniquity founde in me It must needes then be graunted that some of his workes at least were free from all sinne and iniquity And that the most of them were such if you heare the holy Ghost testifying it I hope you will beleeue it reade then where it is of recorde That Dauid did that 3. Reg. 15. which was right in the sight of our Lord and not only in the sight of men and turned from nothing that he commaunded him all the dayes of his life except only the matter of Vrias the Hethite 3 The Apostle affirmeth 1 Cor. 3. That some men doe builde vpon the only foundation Christ Iesus golde siluer and pretious stones that is being choyce members of Christes Catholike Church doe many perfect good workes such as being tried in the fornace of Gods judgement will suffer no losse or detriment as he there saith expresly Wherefore they must needes be pure and free from all drosse of sinne otherwise hauing beene so proued in fire it would haue beene found out 4 Many workes of righteous men please God Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 2. Make your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable to God the same offering spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God And S. Paul calleth almes bestowed on him in prison Phil. 4. an acceptable sacrifice of sweete sauour and pleasing God But nothing infected with sinne al which he hateth deadly can please God and be acceptable in his sight God of his mercy through Christ doth pardon sinne or as the Protestants speake not impute it to the person but to say that a sinfull worke is of sweete sauour before him and a gratefull sacrifice to him were blasphemy wherefore we must needes confesse that such workes which so well pleased him were not defiled with any kinde of sinne Finally many workes in holy write be called good as Math. 5. 1. Tim. 6. Ephes 2. That they may see your good workes to be rich in good workes Wee are created in CHRIST IESVS to good workes but they could not trulie be called good workes if they were infected with sin For according to the judgement of all learned Diuines it can be no good worke that fayleth either in substance or circumstance that hath any one fault in it For Bonum ex integra causa malum exquolibet defectu Wherefore we must either say that the H. Ghost calleth euill good which were blasphemy or else acknowledge that there be many good workes free from all infection of sinne In lieu of the manifolde testimony of Antiquity which doth nothing more then recommend good workes and paint out the excellencie of them I will set downe one passage of S. August wherein this very controuersie is distinctly declared and determined thus he beginneth The iustice through which the iust man liueth by faith because it is giuen to man by the spiritte of grace is true iustice Li. 3. cont duas epist Felag c. 7. the which although it be worthely called in some men perfect according to the capacitie of this life yet it is but small in comparison of that greater which man made equall to Angelles shall receiue Which heauenly iustice he that had not as yet said himselfe to be perfect in regard of that iustice that was in him and also imperfect if it be compared to that which he wanted But certainely this lesser iustice or righteousnesse breedeth and bringeth forth merittes and that greater is the rewarde thereof Wherefore he that pursueth not this shall not obtayne that Hitherto S. Augustine Note first that he defineth the justice which we haue in this life to be true justice which is pure from all injustice and iniquity Then that it is also perfect not fayling in any dutie which we be bound to performe Lastly that it bringeth forth good workes such as merit life euerlasting True it is also that this justice
the minde of the learned as in the auncient Fathers writings and therefore haue more credit than the Fathers writings Secondly they are commonly recorded of more than one of the Fathers and so haue firmer testimonie than any one of their writings Thirdly if there should be any Apostolical Tradition related but of one auncient Father yet it should be of more credit than any other thing of his owne inuention because that was registred by him as a thing of more estimation And againe some of the rest of those blessed and godly personages would haue reprooued it as they did all other false-hoods if it had not bene such indeed as it was tearmed Which when they did not they gaue a secrete approbation of it for such and so that hath the interpretatiue consent at least of the learned of that age and the following for Apostolicall Tradition But M. P. prooues the contrarie by S. PAVL who sayeth * Act. 26.22 That I continue to this daye witnessing both to small and great saying no other thing then that which the Prophets and MOSES did say should come Why make you here a full poynt let S. PAVL make an ende of his speech and tell vs for what poynts of doctrine hee alleageth MOSES and the Prophets Marrie to prooue that CHRIST should suffer death and rise againe and that hee should giue light to the Gentils For these and such like which were euidently fore-tolde in holy writ hee needed not to alleage any other proofe but when hee was to perswade them to abandon MOSES Lawe he then deliuered to them the decrees of the Apostles and taught them to keepe them * Act. 16. As also when hee instructed the Corinthians in the Sacrament of the Altar he beginneth with Tradition saying * 1. Cor. 12 I deliuer vnto you as I haue receiued from our Lord not in writing but by word of mouth And in the same Chapter putteth downe the contentious scripturist with the custome of the Church saying If any man lust to striue we haue no such custome so that out of S. PAVL wee learne to alleadge Scriptures when they be plaine for vs and when they beare not so cleare with vs to pleade Tradition and the custome of the Church Hitherto I haue confuted what M. P. brought against Traditions Nowe to that which he saith for them in our behalfe First saith he the Catholikes alleage * 2 Thes 2.15 Where the Apostle bids the Church to keepe the Ordinances which he taught them either by word of mouth or by Epistle Hence they gather that besides the written worde there bee vnwritten Traditions that are necessarie to be kept and obeyed M. Perkens ANSWERE It is likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer PAVL wrote to anie Church and then some-things needefull to saluation might de deliuered by word of mouth but that was afterwardes written in some others of his Epistles REPLIE OBserue first that insteede of Traditions according to the Greeke and Latine word they translate * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinances euer flying the word Tradition where any thing is spoken in commendation of them But if any thing sound against them then thrust they in the word Tradition although the Greeke word beare it not See for this their corruption and many other a learned Treatise named The Discouerie of false translations penned by Maister GREGORIE MARTIN a man most singulerly conuersant in the Greeke and Hebrue tongues Secondlie is it not plaine dotage to auouch that this seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer hee wrote Surely if none of his other were written before it yet his firste to the same Church muste needes haue bene written before it But let vs giue the man leaue to dreame some-times To the poynt of the answere that all was written after in some other of his Epistles which before had bene deliuered by word of mouth How prooueth M. P. that the man hath such confidence in his owne worde that hee goeth not once about to prooue it Good Sir hold you not here that nothing is needefull to be beleeued which is not written in the word Shew vs then where it is written in the word that Saint PAVL wrote in his later Epistles that which he taught by word of mouth before or else by your owne rule it is not needefull to beleeue it But yet for a more full satisfaction of the indifferent reader I will set downe the opinions of some of the auncientest and best Interpreters of this place of the Apostle that we may see whether they thought that S. PAVL committed all to writing and left nothing by Tradition S. CHRYSOSTOME in his most learned and eloquent Comentaries vpon this text concludeth thus Hereupon it is manifest that the Apostles deliuered not all in their Epistles but many things also vnwritten and those things are aswell to be beleeued as the written OECVMENIVS and THEOPHILACTVS vpon that place teache the same S. BASIL * De spu cap. 27. speaketh thus I hold it Apostolicall to perseuer in Traditions not written for the Apostle sayeth I commend you that ye are mindfull of my precepts and do hold the Traditions euen as I deliuered them vnto you and then alleageth this text Hold the Traditions which you haue receiued of mee either by Word or Epistle S. IOHN DAMASCEN accordeth with the former saying * Lib. 4. De fide cap. 17 That the Apostles deliuered many things without writing S. PAVL doth testifie when he writeth Therefore brethren stand and hold the Traditions which haue bene taught you either by word of mouth or by Epistle These holy and judicious expositors of S. PAVL free from all partialitie gather out of this text of his that many things necessarie to be beleeued euen vntil their daies remained vnwritten and were religiouslie obserued by Tradition which throweth flat to the ground M. P. his false supposition fenced with neither reason nor authotie that S. PAVL put in writing afterward all that he had first taught by word of mouth Moreouer S. PAVL immediatly before his death in one of the last of his Epistles commandeth his deare disciple TIMOTHY * 2. Tim. 2. To commend vnto the faithfull that which he heard of him by many witnesses not that only which he should finde written in some of his Epistles or in the written Gospell The second Argument for Traditions is this to beleeue that there be so many bookes of holy Scripture and no more and that those be they which are commonly taken so to be is very necessarie to saluation now this is not to be found written in any place of holy Scripture but is receiued onely by Tradition wherefore it is necessarie to saluation to beleeue some Tradition M. P. answereth that the bookes of the Old and New Testament be Scripture is not beleeued on bare Tradition but by the bookes themselues on this maner Let the man who
giuen any credit vnto the Apostles doctrine vnlesse by S. PETER and the other Apostles it had bene first examined and approoued * Tertal li. 4. in M rc Hierom. ep 89. que est 11. inter ep Augustinâ— August lib 28. cont faâ—st c. 4 Againe when there arose a most dangerous question of Abrogating MOSES Lawe Was it left to euerie Christian to decide by the written Worde Or would many of the faithful beleeue S. PAVL that worthie Apostle in the matter Not so but vp they went to Ierusalem to heare what the Pillers of the Church would saye Where by the decree of the Apostles in counsell the controuersie was ended Which S. PAVL afterward deliuered in his Preaching commanding all to obserue and keepe the decree and ordinance of the Apostles * Act. 16. And if it would not be tedious I could in like maner shew how in like sort euery hundreth yeere after errors and heresies rising by misconstruction of the written Word they were confuted and rejected not by the written Worde onely but by the sentence and declaration of the Apostles Schollers and successors See Cardinall BELLARMINE * Tom. 1 lib 3. cap 6 I will onely recorde two noble examples of this recourse vnto Antiquitie for the true sense of Gods word The first out of the Ecclesiasticall Historie * Lib. 11. cap. 9 whereof Saint GREGORY NAZIANZEN and Saint BASIL two principall lights of the Greeke Church this is recorded They were both noble men brought vp together at Athens And afterwarde for thirteene yeeres space laying aside all profaine bookes imployed their studie wholie in the holy Scriptures The sense and true meaning whereof they sought not out of their owne Iudgement and presumption as the Protestants both doe and teach others to doe but out of their Predecessors writings and authoritie namelie of such as were knowen to haue receiued the rule of vnderstanding from the Tradition of the Apostles These be the verie wordes The other example shall be the principall pillar of the Latine Church S. AVGVSTINE who not only exhorteth aduiseth vs to follow the decree of the auncient Church if we will not be deceiued with the obscuritie of doubtful questions * Lib. cont Crescon cap. 33. but plainely affirmeth That he would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Church did not mooue him vnto it * Cont. ep fund c. 5. Which words are not to be vnderstood as Caluin would haue them that S. AVGVSTINE had not bene at first a Christian if by the authoritie of the Church hee had not bene thereunto perswaded but that when he was a learned and Iudicious Doctor and did write against Heretikes euen then he would not beleeue these bookes of the Gospell to haue bene penned by diuine inspiration and no others and this to be the true sense of them vnlesse the Catholike Church famous then for antiquitie generallity and consent did tell him which and what they were So farre was he off from trusting to his owne skill and judgement in this matter which notwithstanding was most excellent This matter is so large that it requireth a whole question but being penned vp within the compasse of one objection I will not dwell any longer in it but here fold-vp this whole question of Traditions in the authorities of the auncient Fathers out of whom because I haue in answering M. P. and else-where as occasion serued cited alreadie many sentences I will here be briefe S. IGNATIVS the Apostles Scholler doth exhort all Christians * Euseb lib 30.36 To sticke fast vnto the Traditions of the Apostles some of which he committed to writing POLICARPVS by the authoritie of the Apostles words which he had receiued from their owne mouthes confirmed the faith full in trueth and ouerthrew the Heretikes * Ibid. lib 5 cap. 20. S. IRENEVS who imprinted in his heart Apostolicall Traditions receiued from POLICARP sayeth * If there should be a controuersie about any meane question ought wee not to runne vnto the most auncient Churches in the which the Apostles had conuersed and from them take that which is cleere and perspicuous to define the present question For what if the Apostles had not written any thing at all must we not haue followed the order of Traditions which they deliuered to them to whom they deliuered the Churches ORIGEN teacheth that the Church receiued from the Apostles by Tradition to baptize Infants * Rom. 6 ATHANASIVS sayeth e Lib. de decret Nâ—caeni conâ— We haue prooued this sentence to haue bene deliuered from hand to hand by Fathers to Fathers but ye O new Iewes and sonnes of Caiphas what Auncestors can ye shew of your opinion S. BASIL hath these words * De Spâ— Sanct. c. 2 We haue the doctrine that is kept and preached in the Church partly written and part we haue receiued by Tradition of the Apostles in mysterie both which be of the same force to godlinesse and no man opposeth against these who hath at the least but meane experience of the Lawes of the Church See GREGORY NAZIANZ Orat. 1. in Iulian. Because I haue cited alreadie some of the Latine Auncient Doctors Insteede of the rest I will recorde out of them in a worde or two how olde rotten Heretikes vsed alwaies to reject vnwritten Traditions and flie wholy vnto the written worde See the whole booke of TERTVLLIANS prescriptions against Heretikes which principally handleth this verie poynt The same doth IRENEVS witnesse of the Valentinians and Marcionis * Lib. 3. c. 2 The Arrians common song vnto the Catholikes was I will not admit to be read any words that are not written in the Scriptures as witnesseth S. HILARY in his booke against CONSTANTIVS the Emperour against whom he alleadgeth the preaching of the Apostles and the authoritie of the auncient Bishops expressed in his liuely colours S. AVGVSTINE some thousand two hundreth yeeres agoe recordeth the very forme of arguing which the Protestants vse now-a-daies in the person of Maximinus an Arrian in his first booke against him in the beginning If thou shalt saith this Heretike bring any thing out of the Scriptures which is common to all wee must needes heere thee but these wordes which are without the Scriptures are in no sorte to bee receiued of vs when as the Lorde himselfe hath admonished vs and said in vaine doe they worship me teaching commandements and precepts of men How S. AVGVSTINE opposed against them vnwritten Traditions hath ben afore declared The like doth S. BERNARD affirme of certaine Heretikes of his time called * Hom. 62 Cantica Apostolici So that most truely it may be concluded that euen as we Catholikes haue learned of the Apostles and auncient Fathers our noble progenitors to stand fast and hold the Traditions which we haue receiued by worde of mouth aswell as that which is written Euen so the Protestants haue receiued as it were from hand to hand of their