able to proue any of these articles by any one cleare or playne clause or sentence ether of scriptures or of the old Doctors or of any old general Councel or by any example of the primitiue Church vvithin 600. yeres after Christ I promise to geue ouer and subscribe vnto him Thus M. Iewel promised and do you promise as much what els and so longe as you haue a day to liue you wil stand in defence here of But how dare you say so whereas litle know you what al the doctors haue written and much lesse know you what books of theirs hereafter may be found and your selues if you remember not long sithence in your owne wasted libraries found out certaine straunge sermons in the Saxon tonge against some knowen and confessed partes of religion as you wold pretend And how cā you so confidently hazard your faith if you haue any vpon one sentence or clause of those men of whom sundrie times you professe that they wrote clauses sentences chapters and bookes in defence of as grosse errors as these Remēber your stomake against them in this same booke thus you write Al our faith and religion you meane I suppose so far as it is allowed by act of Parlamēt and practised within the Q. dominions for other ye defend not is grounded not vpon humane but vpon diuine autoritie Therefore if you bring against it vvhat some one father hath beleeued or vvhat the fathers al together haue deliuered except the same be proued by testimonies of scripture it vvaygheth nothing it proueth nothing it concludeth nothing for the fathers are such vvitnesses that they also haue neede of scriptures to be their vvitnesses if deceaued by error they haue said ought differing from the scriptures hovv soeuer they may be pardoned erring through vvant of vvit vve can not be pardoned if because they erred vve also vvil erre vvith them Being thus perswaded touching them all how dare you venture your faith vppon a clause or sentence of any one It is a peece of faith far more sure by al antiquitie and more surely grounded in the hart of any catholike that Christ is perfect God consubstantial and equal to his father then any of these paradoxes can be possiblie setled in your opinions and we honour the fathers much more then you do yet was there euer any Catholike so frantike mad that would promise to subscribe to Arianisme if out of any father greeke or latin within 600. yeares any one clause or sentence might be brought against the catholike beleefe wherefore this verie assertion is a most sure argument that you haue no kind of faith no faith I say at all nether diuine nor humane not diuine because you would neuer so lightlie esteeme it nor vpon so smal warrant hazard it not humane because it wel appeareth that nether you nether maister Iewel euer meant to stand to that which to the world in publike writing ye haue so solemly promised Wherefore albeit touching you affected as you are I accompt this labour as clearly lost as if I should water a fruitles tree tvvise dead and plucked vp by the rootes yet for the readers cōmoditie that he may perceaue how ignorant and foolish and proude and fantastical that vaunte of M. Iewels was and how like it is that you who know much lesse yet comonly who more bold then such can maynteine the quarel and wade thorough that myre wherein M. Iew. him self stucke fast I wil speake a few wordes of these his principal questions And because I couet so far as may be to cut of al occasion of cauilling I wil not run to any other doctors lest you take exceptiō against them then those who are named here of M. Iewel as his pretended maisters in these heresies and againe out of them I wil bring nothing but that only which I haue learned of your owne writers and read in your owne bookes and that againe in such sense without any alteration as your selues alleage them So that your heroical courage in answering shal first be exercised vpon these your owne brethren and what so euer blunted dartes you shal cast against me they shal not reach vnto me but thorough their sydes I wil passe ouer Christ and S. Paule vvho taught M. Ievvel these heresies as he saith which is not verie likely whether he meane in ieast or in earnest seing S. Paule willeth vs so to detest any kind of heretike that after one or two warninges we should let him alone and suffer him to perishe in his sinne knovving that he is damned in his ovvne iudgment our sauiour chargeth vs to hold them for no better then ethniks and publicanes who shal oppose them selues vnto his church and therefore i◠can not be that ether of those should teach you that for which before hand they threaten and assure you of damnation But Anacletus and Xistus old bisshops of the Romane church before that Sea grew to this vsurped primacie they perhaps taught you this herisie that the bishop of Rome hath no soueraintie ouer the rest of bishops and that such claime is altogether Antichristian If that be so then egregious lyers are your brethren the makers of the Centuries who tel vs the cleane contrarie Anacletus say they in the epistles vvhich beare his name in the general regiment of churches so ioyneth them together that to the Romane churche he attributeth primacie and excellencie of povver ouer al churches and ouer the vvhole flocke of the Christian people and that by the autoritie of Christ saing to Peter thou art Peter and vpon this rocke vvil I build my church c. the second sea after that he maketh the church of Alexandria by reason of S. marke scoler of S. Peter The third Antioche because S. Peter abode there before he came to Rome degrees of Bishops he maketh thus The bisshop of Rome is placed first as the supreme head of the church vvho though he erre yet vvil he not haue him to be iudged of others but to be tolerated the second place haue Patriarkes or primates the third Metropolitanes the fovrth Archbishops and aftervvard bishops he saith also that certaine cities receaued primates from the blessed apostles and from S. Clement epist 3.1 Tom. Conciliorum pa. 63. The same Anacletus appointing how controuersies in particular churches should be taken vp ended after the order of S. Paule 1. Cor. 5. willeth that greate matters should be referred to the higher bishops and primates but if greater difficulties arise or causes fal out among the bishops primates them selues let them be brought to the Sea Apostolike if such appealt be made for so the Apostles ordayned by the apoinment of our Sauiour that the greater and harder questiōs should alvvayes be brought to the Apostolike Sea vpon vvhich Christ builte his vniuersal church Mat. 16. And Xistus who succeded not long after Anacletus in his 2.
Christs diuinitie 303. confessed by Luther 304. cōfessed by Lyra. 306. Item in Ieremie 307. confessed and proued by Lyra. 308.309 in Isai against Christs passion 310.311 confessed by Luther 312.313 item in the psalmes 355. folowed by the Tigurine Translators 358. and Bucer 357. item in Daniel 313. General reasons why the hebrue text can not be so sincere as the heretikes pretend 317.318 c. Many bookes of the Prophetes and histories of the old Testament lost pa. 317.318 Great difference in the hebrue by mistaking one letter for an other pa. 322.323.325 That the hebrue bibles are faultie confessed by Castalio pa. 326.327 by D. Humfrey 327. by Conradus Pellicanus 327. It is a Iewish opinion to thinke them altogether faultles 327. They haue great diuersitie of reading 331.332 somewhat wanteth in them 332.333 Although S. Hierom appealed from the latin to the hebrue yet the like reason is not now pa. 333.334 He confesseth and proueth the hebrue to be faultie 334.335.336 An argument commonly made for the puritie of the hebrue pa. 338.339 answered 339 340. c. S. Iustine proueth the Iewes to haue corrupted their bible pa. 341.342.343.344 Hebrue knowledge much aduaunced by Catholikes pa. 352.440 The hebrue tonge much subiect to cauilling pa. 431.432.433 See Rabbines A man must haue a setled faith before he confer greeke and hebrue textes pa. 441.442 best Hebritians are not best Christians pa. 441. our first Apostles planted perfite christianitie without hebrue pa. 345. Heretikes generally geuen to scorning pa. 511. S. Hierom condemned as ignorant of al diuinitie pa. 371. I S. Iames epistle refused by Luther Lutherans Zuinglians pa. 8.9.10.11.12 et 17.22.23 Caluin mangleth it 288.289 M. Ievvels challenge pa. 133.138 The true image thereof 133. vsque ad 138. It is grounded vpon no reason or learning 138.139.140.141 It cōtaineth in effect only three articles the primacie of the Sea Apostolike the real presence and the sacrifice 133.136.137.138 See of them in their seueral places M. Ievvels passing vanitie in bragging and lying pa. 460. his maner of ansvvering D. Harding pref 75.76 Reuerence done to the name of Iesus pa. 513.514.515 The Ievves corrupt the text of scripture pa. 304. in despite of Christians 314.329 negligent in conseruing their scriptures 328.329 their malice against the Sea of Rome 329.330 Very probable that Christ reprehended them for corrupting the scripture 339. See Hebrue S. Iohn Baptist liued a monastical life pa. 492. K That the vvise men vvhich came to worship Christ were kings pa. 485. vsque ad 489. that they vvere three 489. 490. their names 490.491 L S. Lukes gospel called in question pa. 27.28.29.32 Luthers vvorkes altered and corrupted by the Lutherans pa. 5 6.13 by the Caluinists 7. He denieth S. Iames epistle p. 11. his immoderate bragging 42. his extreme hatred of the Sacramentaries 43.44.45.46 his iudgment of their religion 52.53.483 he refuseth their bibles 45. singularly honoured by the English church 18.191 preferred by M. W. before al doctors 47. most absurdly 48.50 He derideth the Zuinglians fond arguments 258. Luther a shameful corrupter of scripture 377.378 Lucians true histories praef pa. 4.5 M Heretical martyrs damned pa. 117. S. Matthevv vvrote his gospel in hebrue pa. 290. the protestants hold the greeke translatiō more autentical 291. The protestants reason against the Machabees is as forcible against S. Luke S. Paul 506.507.508 Melchisedech did sacrifice pa. 57. graūted by M. W. denied by al other protestants pa. 58.59.60 acknovvleged by the auncient fathers 60. vvhy not expressed by the Apostle 61.537 c. Melanchthon for the real presence pa. 190. Merite of vvorkes See in Heauen and vvorkes N Noueltie of vvords daungerous in Christian religion pa. 266.267 exemplified 268.269 it induceth contempt of faith 270. and leadeth to paganisme 276.277.278 O Only faith See Faith P Penance what it is by the Protestants doctrine 86.90.91 It reiecteth external workes of fasting discipline ibid. which are required by the scripture 87.88.89 90. by S. Cypian and the primitiue church 124.125 the Catholike doctrine touching the value of them 92. the Protestantes contradictory argument against them 91. 93.94 S. Peters being at Roome denyed most absurdly pa. 130.131.132 his primacie 498.510 Pilgrimage to holy places pa. 502. 503.512.513 Primacie of the Romane Sea proued euidently by those fathers whom M. Iewel nameth his maisters to the contrary pa. 143. by Anacletus and Xystus 143.144 by S. Leo 146 147. S. Leo gouerneth in al partes of Christēdom 147.148.149 his authoritie ouer the bishop of Constantinople 148. he summoneth general Councels 152. he is head of them 153. no lawful Councel without his approbation 152. This primacie is grounded vpon Christes words and the Apostles ordinance 143.144.153 S. Gregorie accompteth the Romane Church head of al other pa. 156.158 his authoritie ouer the bishop of Constantinople 156. ouer the bishops of Europe Asia and Africa 156.157 158.162.163 The Protestants common obiection taken out of S. Gregorie answered pa. 159.160.161.162 the name vniuersal in what sort and sense disliked by S. Gregorie pa. 160.161.163 Priestes properly so called were appointed by Christ pa. 64. S. Austin such a priest 64.65.66 So was S. Leo and S. Hierom. 69. The church of Christ was neuer ruled but by such priests 67.68.69 Such were the orderers of our Ecclesiastical state and builders of our churches in England 68. S. Paules discourse of Christs eternall priesthod Hebr. 7. maketh nothing against the priesthod of the church pag. 74. vsque ad 79. The name of Protestants praef pa. 88.90 It agreeth not properly to our English gospellers ibi In their faith there is no stay or certaintie praef pa. 7.24.37 Exemplified by the Supremacie of princes ibid 9.10 by baptisme 11.12 Confirmation 13. Christs descending into hel 14. Christs diuinitie 14.15 Rebellion against princes 15.16 Regimēt of women 18. great difference in their Communion bookes 11.12.13 the diuers chaunges of religion in England since the time of schisme 20.21.22 In the Protestants vvriting and disputing there is no ground pref pa. 8. exemplified by their refusal of scriptures ibid. pa. 26. Apostolical Traditions and general Councels ibi Auncient fathers 27. Apostles Doctors of their owne 28.29.30 Martirs and whole Churches of their owne 30.31.32 They reduce al to priuate fansie 35.36.37.38 They passe the auncient heretikes in denial of al things pa. 38.39 their manifold Popes 33.34 The forefathers of the Protestants church pa. 349. of whom they must looke for the true scripture 348.351 a true confession of a principal protestant 407. their churches voyd of al truth and knowledge 407.408 they perswade Atheisme by scripture 408.409 al their preaching and writing tendeth therevnto 410.411.428 their vaunting of the cleare light of the gospel sensibly refuted 408. The Protestants maner of ansvvering the Catholikes pag. 412. They deny al Doctors 413. They deny sundry partes of scripture 413.414 They pretend the greeke 415. They falsely translate the greeke 416. They refuse the ordinary sense of the greeke
groundes of disputation such as are vsed ether in our church or in their owne and how far these men be groweÌ„ to a headstroÌ„g desperatnes beyond the maner of al the auÌ„cient heretikes For when S. Austin and the old fathers had to dispute with such as Donatistes ArriaÌ„s Manichees Pelagians and others they vrged them with the authoritie of Gods Church with the iudgement of the Sea Apostolike the Succession of bishops in the same with the determination of general Councels finally with the name Catholike and that which was so called of al men and the heretikes seemed to be moued therewith and acknowledge such maner of argument But the heretikes of our time conteÌ„ning impudently al these Church Sea Apostolike Succession of bishops general Councels and whatsoeuer els may be inuented are come so far that they now despise and treade vnder foote the name Catholike which the Apostles by diuine wisdome found out and by their Creede sanctified appropriated to true ChristiaÌ„s members of Christs only Catholike and Apostolike Church in so much that in the sinode holdeÌ„ at Altemburg betwene the Diuines of the Palsgraue of Rhene and the Duke of VVirtemberg when one part brought forth a text of Luther against the aduersaries they perusing the place at large and finding there the word Catholike streightwaies reiect the whole as corrupt and counterfaite because Luther was neuer vvont to vse that vvord Ista verba catholicè intellecta non sapiunt phrasin Lutheri say they and vpon this only reason conclude that booke not to haue bene made by him And yet would to God our aduersaries could be content to yelde to the very scriptures them selues such peeces I meane and bookes as they leaue vnto vs and hetherto with vs acknowledge for Canonical VVouâ—d to Gâ—d they could frame them selues humbly to admitte such scriptures when of theÌ„ selues they are playne for vs against them For so surely buâ—ldâ—d is the Catholike cause that by such helpe she is able sufficiently to defend her selfe and confound the aduersaries But whereas besides the reâ—usal of al the forenamed witnesses both of our church and of their owne as though none euer besydes them selues in particular no Saint or man ether in heaueÌ„ or earth had wit learning or grace whereas I say besides al this they expound the same scriptures by plaine partialitie fantasie frensye whereas they make them selues the only arbiters both what bookes are Canonical what Apocriphal and which is the true sense of them whereas in examining the sense they runne sometime from greeke to latin sometime from lâ—tin to greeke sometimes vrge one or other greeke example against innumerable latin sometimes prosse one or other fathers reading against al greeke commonly corrupt the sense both of latin and greeke sticke only to certaine heretical versions made by their maisters in fauour of their seueral heresies whereas they are groweÌ„ to such extreme folly hardnes impudency it may seeme nothing els but wast of vvords to deale vvith men whom contention pride ignorance malice and obstinacie against the Church and her pastors hath so pitifully blinded Novv if I may vvith the readers patience descend from this vvhich I speake generally of the English protestants to apply the same more specially vnto the party vvhose booke I haue to examine it shal both iustifie more clearly that which hetherto hath bene said touching their irreligion want of faith and withal set forth the practise of those proud and arrogant rules of answering which I before haue noted and besides shew what stuffe is contained in his booke of Antichrist wherein he so vainely and insolently triumpheth It hath bene an old disease of auncient heretikes first of al to inuade the cheefe pastors of the church that they being remoued from the gouernment them selues might more freely spoyle the flocke as witnesseth S. Cyprian And for like reason their maner hath bene more malitiously to barke at the Sea Apostolike as saith S. Austin In this as in many other mad partes the heretikes of our age haue not only matched but also far surmounted the heretikes of auncient time For when as vpon their first breach from the church spreading of this new heresie they were reproued by their cheefe pastor and gouernor vpon malice and spite and desire of reuenge they brast forth into this rayling to cal him Antichrist not meaning for al that to cal him Antichrist in such a seÌ„se as the church and faith of Christian men vnderstandeth vvhen vve speake of Antichrist vvhich shal come in the end of the vvorld and of vvhom S. Paule to the Thessalonians and the scriptures in some other places specially do meane but in such a general sense as S. Iohn intendeth wheÌ„ he saith that novv there are many Antichristes and vvho so denieth Christ to haue come in flesh he is Antichrist But the later Protestants going beyond their maisters as commonly it fareth in euery heresie to make their cause more plausible and iustifie their schismatical departure from the church more assuredly haue taken vp the proposition in the more extreme and desperate sense and now hold the Pope of Rome to be that singular Antichrist of whom S. Paule and some other of the Apostles fore-prophecied This wicked and shameles assertion being refuted at sundry times and of sundry men namely of D. Sanders not only as false vnprobable but also as heathenish vnpossible M. Whitaker hath now taken vpon him to make a reply against his argumentes and maintaine that former assertion of his brethren but after such a sort as partly argueth in him want of al religioÌ„ and conscience partly declareth him to haue deepely impressed in his harte a vvonderful pride and coÌ„tempt of al others a principal note and marke of Antichrist And to beginne vvith the later I vvil shortly runne ouer one or tvvo of the first demonstrations and M. W. ansvveres framed there vnto First of al D. Sanders disputeth that the succession of the Romane bishops can not be Antichrist because Antichrist is one man vvhich he confirmeth by sundrie good testmonies of scripture vvherevnto he ioyneth the vniuersal consent of al the auncient fathers His vvordes are Denique omnes sancti patres Graeci Latini Syri quiper tot saecula vel in Oriente vel in Occidente vel in Aquilone vel in Meridie vixerunt secundùm fidem traditionem ab Apostolâ—s acceptaÌ„ de Antichristo locuti sunt velut de homâ—ne vno Briefly al the holy fathers Greeke Latin Syrian vvho for so many ages liued ether in the East or VVest or North or South according to the faith and tradition receaued from the Apostles haue spoken of Antichrist as of one man VVhat is M. VV. answere to this After certaine cauils made to the places of scripture thus at a clappe he dischargeth the fathers writing according to the faith
answere to the next demonstration where to S. Austin and S. Hierome reaching Peters chayre and succession of Priests in that Sea to be the very rocke vvhich the proud gates of helâ— ouercome nor which thing they affirme vpon manifest warrant of Christes wordes he answereth vpon warrant of his owne vvord that that succession of priestes is not the rocke the gates of hel haue prevayled against that church so as the faith vvhich somtimes florished there novv appeareth no vvhere in it long since is departed into other places Whereas D. S. replâ—eth this to be false and and that church euer to haue reteyned the same true faith and neuer to haue brought in any heresie or made any chaunge of doctrine vvhich he proueth by al historiographers that euer liued in the church Eusebius Prosper Beda Regino Marianus Scotus Schafnaburgensis Zonaras Nicephorus Cedâ—enus Sigebertus Gotfridus Viterbiensis Trithemius and many others against them al this only censure he opposeth Historias vestras Sandere non moramur vve regard not M. Sanders your stories and yet him selfe for his ovvne side bâ—ingeth not so much as one story So that against scriptures reason councels fathers old and nevv historiographers al kynd of vvriters him selfe euer cometh in as an omnipotent and vniuersal Apostlâ— Doctor Father c. as though in his only vvord consisted more pith then vvas in al mens that euer liued since Christes time And now somwhat farther to descrie the incredible vanitie folie pride and selfe loue of the maÌ„ let the reader note the grosse and barbarous impossibilitie of that paradox vvhich by this his supreme authoritie he vvould defend He graunteth the Church of Rome to haue bene pure godly christian for six hundred yeres after Christ as before hath bene declared VVhen then grew it to be so impure wicked and Antichristian ten yeres after For thus he writeth Six hundred and ten yeres after Christ or there about Bonifacius the third gouerned the Romane church VVhat vvas he to ansvvere truly very Antichrist In which wordes ioyned together thus much he saith in effect That whereas within the space of ten or twelue yeres before the Romane church was religious and euangelical in such sense as they vnderstand it that is abhorred the Popes vniuersal iurisdiction as Antichristian and limited his power within the precinctes of his owne Patriarkship reuerenced euery prince as supreme head of the church within his owne dominion detested the sacrifice of the masse as iniurious to the death of Christ acknowledged no iustification but by only faith allowed mariage of priestes and religious persons as agreable to the libertie of the gospel held for sacramentes none other but Baptisme the Eucharist and Baptisme an only signe not remitting synnes and the Eucharist a sole figure from which the truth of Christes body was as far distant as heauen is from earth and so forth according to the rest of the articles of their reformed faith within the decourse of so few yeres al these thinges were turned vpside downe the contrary faith planted in steede thereof That is the Romane church of late so sound and perfite sodaynly became most corrupt and impure she approued the vniuersal authoritie of the Romane Bishop and appointed no boundes or limites to his iurisdiction which was mere Antichristian she tooke from Princes their Supremacie she brought in the sacrifice of the masse and highly aduaunced it against the death and sacrifice of Christ she acknowledged iustification to proceede not of only faith but of workes also she established the single life of priestes and votaries and condemned their mariages as sacrilegious and execrable for two sacramentes she admitted seuen to baptisme she attributed remission of sinnes and in the Eucharist she beleeued the real and substantial veritie of Christes presence so forth according to the articles of Catholike religion or papistrie as these men terme it Now whereas thus much is comprised in their paradox of making the succession of the Romane bishops Antichrist whereas such weight lieth in the matter which of it selfe to common intendement is so absurd vnreasonable and in deede vnpossible whereas we also bring forth Fathers Councels and Doctors auouching the contrary gather thou Christian reader whether vve haue not iust cause vtterly to discredite them in this so blunt sensles assertioÌ„ vntil we see their Chronicles their monumeÌ„ts their aÌ„tiquities some maner warraÌ„t besides their owne in a matter of such importance Whereas they allow vs no such and yet chalenge to be credited vpon their owne vvord assure they selfe reader their dealing in this behalfe is not only foolish vnlearned and ignorant but also inhumane furious and diabolical Notwithstanding whereas M.W. besides those former profes which to any indifferent man may seeme more then sufficient requireth of vs farther declaratioÌ„ that in these later ages the Romane church hath not departed from that faith which in her first time she professed to content him if any thing mâ—y content him and make more euident the inuincible equitie of the Catholike cause I wil proue the same by such â—istoriographers as him selfe I trust wil allow for vpright and nothing fauorable to our cause Those witnesses I meane to be first of al him selfe and then Iohn Calum Peter Martyr Martin Luther Flacius Illyricus with such other pillers founders of his owne congregation Out of him self this I gather That to haue bene the true and Christian faith which the Romane church maâ—ntained the first fiue hundred yeres at what time that church vvas must pure excellent preserued inuiolablâ— the faâ—th deliuered by S. Peter and S. Paule This proposition is commonly found almost in euery page of M.W. answere to the second DemoÌ„stration Out of the other Caluin Luther c. this I gather that the Romane church in her first primitiue puritie maintained and beleeued the Popes Supremacie the sacrifice at the masse the same to be auailable for the dead priesthode the real presence c. no lesse then we do now This thou shalt find witnessed by their seueral confessions and approued at large hereafter in places conuenient The conclusion hereof rising is this first that these are no pointes of false or AntichristiaÌ„ doctrine but such as Peter Paule taught the primitiue Romane church Next that the later Romane church hath not departed from the former but hath kept inuiolably the self same faith without chaunge or alteration And so the false supposal whereupon this booke standeth being by such euideÌ„ce refuted the rest of the building must needes come to ground Now I say farther that this point which M.W. taketh for a most certaine and cleare veritie that is the fal of the vniuersal church for after the fal of the Romane church they can shew none that stoode and it is their general both preaching and writing that she corrupted the whole world with her errors and her
that these thinges shal be performed hereafter or haue bene already or God is to be accused of lying If a man ansvvere me that they haue bene performed I vvil demaund of him vvhen If he say in the time of the Apostles I vvil demaund hovv it chaunceth that nether theÌ„ the knovvledge of God and true religion vvas altogether perfite and aftervvardes in so short a space vanished avvay vvhich vvas promised to be eternal and more abundant then the fluddes of the sea Which argument of his if we marke wel and euery part thereof it is easely perceaued that he concludeth those thinges not to haue bene performed in the Church of the new testameÌ„t which al prophetes foretold should be performed at the comming of the Messias For whereas he driueth the summe of al to one of these three necessary consequentes ether that God is a lyer ether that the Church erected by Christ should euer stand in the sight of the world and euer florish with most abundaÌ„t knowledge of the wil of God or that such a Church shal be founded hereafter by the Messias and then remoueth the first which the nature of euery man abhorreth to heare then denieth the second according to the general scope of the protestants doctrine which affirmeth the Church for these thousand yeres passed to haue bene drowned in palpable darkenes superstition and idolatry what remaineth but to approue the third vz that the things foretold to be wrought by the Messias are not yet accomplished but shal be hereafter which is as much as in euideÌ„t termes to say that the Messias is not yet come or Christ is not the true Messias who hath performed nothing of that which was his part and office according to the oracles of the Prophetes This if I would prosequute at large by shewing into vvhat straightes and shameful and miserable shiftes some principal Protestants for example Caluin and Luther disputing vvith the Iewes haue bene brought by reason of this detestable supposition that the church so many hundred yeres hath failed the reader could not but abhorre and detest euen to the gates of hel this damnable heresie which vpon pretense of reforming the church and making al thinges pure and perfite doth in deede ioyne with the Turkes and Iewes and thrust men headlong to the very denial of Christes Incarnation And most certaine it is we can neuer against the Iewes maintayne Christ to be the true Messias if we put this paradox of the Protestants to be true that Christes church within so few yeres after his departure was suppressed trode vnder foote by the Pope And this one reason to passe by al other wil iustifie the same to their eternal confusion that whereas by the incarnation and coÌ„ming of Christ the church of Christians should be enlarged infinitely in al kingdomes prouinces and cities aboue the sinagoge of the Iewes which after that time should be narrow contemptible remayning in a few and nothing comparable to that other by the Protestants faith this is turned cleane contrarie For in any age or time of these later thovvsand yeres it is easie to shew by sufficient authoritie of cronicles histories that the Ievves haue had their knovven and visible sinagoges in the most notable places and prouinces of the vvorld in Greece in Constantinople in Germanie in Mantua in Venice in Paris in England in Spaine in Portugal vvhereas for many ages they can not name vnder the cope of heauen any kingdome prouince citie tovvne village house or sheepecote where the church of christ hath appeared if we esteeme the same according as they now by their preaching and writing describe it And therefore whereas M. W. obiecteth commonly that Doctor Sanders denying the Pope to be Antichrist and defending that an other shal come hereafter withdraweth men from consideration of the true Antichrist to a false and fayned one on the contrary side let the reader take this for a veritie as certaine and sure as the Gospel that he and his vpon such pretense of a false and imagined Antichrist of late daies conceaued and brought forth in the faÌ„tastical braines of a few heretical miscreantes vpon pretense of bringing men a neerer way to heauen then euer their forefathers went vpon pretense of framing a church more pure more sincere more perfite Apostolical then was in the world before I say vpon these false and lying reasons they withdraw men froÌ„ the only true auncient Catholike Apostolike church wherein they were baptised to their manifold scattered diuided apostatical congregations they leade men out of the way where only saluarion is to be looked for and place them there where remaining they are most certaine and assured of euerlasting damnation of body and soule Yea as appeareth by the course of their doctrine the drift of their preaching and writing and experiment of their brethren vnder the veile and shadow of this their Antichristian doctrine they induce meÌ„ to beleeue that al scripture is false that the prophetes were lyers that the Apostles were deceauers that Christ was a false teacher and seducer not the Messias described by the prophetes that Iudaisme standeth vpon better groundes then Christianisme which conclusion they can neuer avoyde except first they abandon and reuoke this their doctrine of Antichrist suppressing the Church as false and execrable And as for the Popes of Rome whom this man wil needes haue to be Antichrist this I dare say boldly and stand to the arbitrement of any reasonable and indifferent Protestant that by experience knoweth Rome and England the demeanure of the bishops who of late haue gouerned there as for example Pius 4. Pius 5. and Gregorius 13. and our Superintendents who in the same tyme haue ruled in England Let Antichrist be described in such sort and with such qualities as the scripture describeth him Afterward let there be laid in equal balance that which the world knoweth by publike vew and experience to haue bene in the foresaid bishops their feare of Gods iudgement testified by their whole order of life their much praier their infinite almes their iustice towards al their singular care to remedie the vvoundes of the Christian vvorld and gather into one the scattered flocke of Christ vvherein they haue spared no trauail or charges Lay vvithal the publike and knovven losenes in many of our English SuperinteÌ„dents the contempt of Gods iudgementes so much as may be gathered by their external behauiour maner of liuing their oppressioÌ„ of the poore their infinite auarice their few prayers their lightnes their carnalitie and whatsoeuer els is better knowen to the people where they liue then to me let these thinges I say be weighed by the iudgement of any reasonable Protestant and I doubt not but he wil confâ—sse that if in the tyme of the forenamed Popes the Sea of Rome was possessed of Antichrist in the same season many bishops Seas in England were possessed of double and
downe in forme by M.W. the Minor is the conclusion of the last argumēt and so proued sufficiently alreadie then I hope the Conclusion will stand wherefore leauinge this matter for M. W. to scanne and to recorde with him selfe who is that Baal founder of the priesthode of the new testament now may we vew with better iudgment how substantially he answereth S. Austines place de Ciuitate dei where S. Austine doth distinguishe betweene all Christians vvho are vnproperly called priestes because of their mistical Chrisme and vnitie vvith Christe others qui proprie iam vocantur in ecclesia sacerdotes episcopi that properlie are novv called in the Church priestes and byshops and properlie such are they by M. W. definition which properly offer sacrifice M.W. āswereth that the name priest vvas of olde tyme after a more peculiar sorte applied to the pastors and ministers that handled the vvorde and sacramentes but there vvas an abuse in so speakinge then you agree not with S. Austine who teacheth that propriè in proprietie of speach they were so called who if they had then to execute no other priestly function then haue now the Englishe ministers as M. W. supposeth or wolde pretend I graunte the worde prieste could not be applied to them but as abusiuely as if one woulde cal a ciuil magistrate by that name or one of the Quenes Readers in the Vniuersities For preachinge of the worde ministringe of some one or other sacramente although in the Catholike Church it be done by priestes yet properlie that is not the reason why they are called by that name but the true reason is that which M.W. rendereth quia propriè offerunt sacrificia because properly they offer sacrifice Now that S. Austine meante of priestes in this sort that himselfe was such a prieste to passe ouer many pregnante and euidente places in him for breuities sake I refer you to the knowen story of his mothers death Where she firste of al in her death-bed requesteth that her sonne vvould remember her at the altar of God When after her death the corps beinge brought into the Churche and placed beside the graue before the tyme of burial prayers were sayd the sacrifice of our price and redemption offered for her when afterwarde S. Austine in his moste deuoute zelous praier made to God for her reckneth this to her singuler commendacion that at her departure she tooke no care for costlie maner of burial or sumptuous monumente but only desired to be remembred at thy altar ô Lorde from vvhence she knew vvas dispensed that holy sacrifice vvhereby vvas blotted out the handvvrittinge vvhich vvas againste vs vvhereby triumphe vvas obtained against Satan our eternal enemie straight waies inspire saith he ô Lorde my God inspire to thy seruants my brethren that vvho-soeuer of them shal reade this may haue remembrance at thy altar of Patricius and Monica my father and mother But againste this M.W. hath an obiection as common plaine to them that know oughte in diuinitie as Dunstable hye way answered before hāde abundantlie in the annotacions of the the new testamente Heb. ca. 7. v. 12. 17.23 his argument is I say there are no priestes of the new testamēt that offer sacrifice after Christ who is the eternal priest according to the order of Melchisedec obtaineth sacerdotiū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eternal priesthod he hath made an end of al sacrifices takē away the succession of priestes cōmitted his church to be ruled by pastors and doctors for euer To beginne with the laste where you ende if Christ abolished all priesthod and left his Church to be gouerned for euer by pastors and doctors which were no priestes had this appointemēt and ordinance of his effect yea or no if no beware what yow say for litle differ you from a Iew a man of Mahomets religion and weake is your faith in Christes godhead if you thinke that in so manie places of scripture he appointed such a regimente for his Church which after his departure neuer tooke effect if yea then shew vs where or when was his Church so gouerned was it a hūdred yeares ago before Frier Luther first of all in our memorie induced this kinde of gouernment you must needes say no. Ascend we then 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and ten ages vntil S. Gregories time was it al this while gouerned by such pastors as you describe I wene as yet you wil say sure I am you should say no. For those pastors were styll priestes and that in proper sense as appeareth by al stories Suche were our first Apostles the conuerters of our nation those excellent men SS Augustine Paulinus Laurentius Melitus Iustus c. sacred by the Pope of Rome or other lawfull Bishops in obediēce of the Sea of Rome offering sacrifice liuing and dying as priestes as by the goodlie storie of Venerable Bede our coūtryman you may euerie where learne Such pastors and priests they were by whom and vnder whose regiment our Churches were first builded and the ecclesiastical state of our realme ordered as now vnder the regiment of them that cal thē selues pastors no priestes and are in deede no more the one then the other all is pulled downe and ouerthrowen And if in anie other countrie of Christendome the churches had any other regiment such as you pretēd now in England of pastors no priestes shew vs your bookes and we wil beleeue you But you wil say from S. Gregorie vpward all was smooth and iumpe as it is now in the English congregation Suppose that to be true how in the meane seasō can you iustifie your owne saing that Christ delyuered his Church to be gouerned for euer by suche maner of pastors Cā Christes decree be made frustrate for so many ages Can mans iniquitye as you in your Apologie commonlie but most bluntlie obiect stoppe the course of Christes omnipotent and eternal prouidence know you not how copiouslie S. Augustine hath confuted this self same slaūderous obiectiō in your forefathers the Donatistes But passe we on come we to the first fathers of the primitiue Churche were they lay ministers after the maner of the English congregation that is pastors no priestes how dare or can you say so seing in S. Austine manifestlie you see a sacrificing priesthod seing your self acknowledge Sainte Hierome to haue bene a priest of the Romane Church which neuer yet approued any such ministery as you haue inuented seing your greate Rabbine and synke of iniquitie Iohn Bale calleth S. Leo the great and first of that name in plaine termes an idolater for this cause seing your chiefe capitayne Apostle Caluine and after him P. Martir and before him Huldericke Zuinglius affirme in generall of the fathers in the primitiue Church that for maintenāce of the vnbloudy sacrifice they forced abused the
epistle nameth him selfe the bishop of the vniuersal Apostolike church and vvilleth others to appeale to the Apostolike Sea as to the head These are the first and most auncient that M. Iewel findeth of whom he learned his heresie against the primacie of the Romane church and verie aunciēt they are in deede the one being the fourth the other the eight in order frō S. Peter But Christian reader was he not a good scholer that of these maisters could gather such doctrine of such flowers could sucke out such poyson or can we marueyle if they haue a feate to peruert any thing be it neuer so plainelie and trulye spoken who can crie out vpon such fathers speaking so roundly say O Xistus O Anacletus you taught vs these heresies you taught vs that the bishop of Rome for challenging primacie ouer the church is the precursor of Antichrist But you wil answere as M. Iewel teacheth you that these epistles be not the epistles of Anacletus or Xistus but counterfeit and set forth by some other in their names But what vncredible peruersitie and contradiction and impudencie is this or how can he so say for saw he euer any other bookes of theirs besides these epistles could he for him selfe or you for him pretēd any such knowledge most certaine it is you can not and therefore learning ought against the Romane Sea from Xistus and Anacletus he must needes learne it hence and so ether this maketh against the Romane Sea which thing by Illyricus and other your owne writers is at large refuted and who hauinge the forehead of a man can say otherwyse or M. Iewel in naming these two Popes at Paules crosse for his maisters in that heresie may be an example of a more dissolute man and more rechles in lying and abusing his audience then euer before or perhaps euer sithence occupied that place Let vs trie some other of his maisters S. Gregorie and S. Leo vpon whom first in like maner he exclameth and the protestants them selues those that be farthest gone in bold deniall of any thinge yet denie not but the bookes and epistles extant in their names were truly made and leaft vnto vs by them And did they trow you teach him these heresies let vs heare vvhat they say and that in no other vvordes and sense then those forenamed your owne doctors make them to speake and point you to the bookes epistles and chapters vvhere you shal find that vvhich they vvrite The bishops of Rome that liued in this fift age vvithin 500 yeres after Christ affirme that the Romane church is chiefe of al others so doth Leo in his sermon de anniuersario assumptionis et epistola 89. ad episcopos per prouinciam Viēnensem The bishops that gouerned the Romane church in that age required of other Archbishops that they should make relation to them if there fell any matter of controuersie so Leo vvriteth in his 46. epistle to Anatolius Archbishop of Constātinople If there be any thing that doth require consultation vvith speede let relation therof be made vnto me that after I haue examined the matter my diligence may apoint vvhat is to be done Againe epist 62. he requireth of Maximus Archbishop of Antioche that he acknovvledge the priuileges of the third Sea and oftē tymes vvrite to the Sea Apostolike hovv the churches there increase Also they tooke to thē this authoritie to reproue other bishops if they did ought amisse they prescribed vnto them vvhat they should do and apointed them orders in ceremonies so Leo epist 86. reprehēdeth Nicetas patriarch of Aquileia because he receaued to communiō the Pelagians before they had condemned their error He reprehendeth also the Africane bishops in the prouince of Mauritania Caesariensis for making bishops certaine persōs vnlavvfully epist 87. and he rebuketh the bishops of Germanie Fraunce for contemning the order of their felovvbishops epis 88. And vvheras Anatolius bishop of Constantinople seemed not to beleeue rightly of the incarnation of the sonne of God Leo chargeth him to put his faith in vvriting and send it to the bishop of Rome and therein to protest openly that he vvil excommunicate that man vvho so euer beleeueth or teacheth of the incarnation of Christ othervvise then is the professiō of the Catholikes and of the bishop of Rome epist 33. So Proterius Archbishop of Alexandria is reported to haue sent letters touching his faith to Leo. epist 68. And Leo epist 69. signifieth to the Emperour Marcianus that Proterius is a Catholike They also confirmed bishops in their bishopriks so Leo confirmed Maximus patriarch of Antioche in his bishoprike though he vvere made in the Councel of Ephesus of vvhich Councel al other acts vvere abrogated act 7. Concil Chalced. and that the same Leo confirmed to Proterius bishop of Alexandria the old rights of that Sea according to the Canons and aūcient priuileges it is noted epist 68. Leonis ad Iulianū et 69. ad Imperatorem Marcianum Leo in his 33. epistle to Theodosius requireth that he take order that the bishop of Constantinople send to him a vvriting vvherin he professe to embrace the true doctrine and to condemne al that dissent from the same Also they sent abrode legates vvho in far distant prouinces tooke notice of the errors of heretikes and corrected them so Leo sent his legates to Cōstantinople to vvithdravv Eutiches from his error as appeareth epist 11. ca. 6. ad Flauianum so he sent legates to the Emperour epist 34. to Ephesus that they taking vnto them the Archbishop of Constantinople should absolue those that had bene deceaued by Dioscorus and vvere novv content to do penance epist 44. 46. In like maner epist. 87. sending legates in to Africa he cōmaundeth that Donatus a Nouatian be receaued to communion if he send to Rome a vvritinge touching the condemnation of that error They required also of Archbishops that if of themselues they could not determine any thing they should send it to the Sea Apostolike vvithal they charged thē to receaue and obserue their decrees made against heretikes so Leo epist 84. cap. 7. prescribeth this order to the bishop of Thessalonica in Thracia that tvvo prouincial Councels be held euery yere if there fal out any hard matter and it be not decided by the iudgement of the bishop of Thessalonica that it be referred to the bishop of Rome and cap. 11. he vvilleth that the contentions risinge among the bishops be referred to him vvith a declaration of things done in such matters The same Leo cōmaundeth Nicetas patriarch of Aquileia that he cause al his bishops priestes clearks openly to cōdemne certaine heresies and their authors and to approue al synodal decrees vvhich the authoritie of the Apostolike Sea had confirmed for the rooting out of heresie that they testifie so much by their subscriptions epist 86. Many things Christian reader of good weight importāce I passe ouer
because I couet to be short and these matters are now so cleare and manifest to men neuer so litle exercised in these questions that I do rather marueyle wonder at the dulnes and passing ether ignorance or shamlesnes of our aduersaries then greatly take care how to refute so sensible and knowen a falshode Yet one thing I may not pretermitte which the foresayd historiographers most euidently affirme and by plaine demonstration proue and wherein the primacie of the Romane Church shyneth as bright as the sunne at noone in a somers day that is the demeanure of the bishop of Rome in generall Councels in which the whole church being gathered together if at any time or place then and there this power is principally to be considered And haue we any thing there for our purpose Is it possible that within the first 500. yeres in the aunciēt general Councels ought should be found for proofe of this supreme authoritie vvhich is plainelie contrarie to the auncient Councels inuaded the church vnder Phocas many yeres after the tyme we speake of except the Apologie of the English Church and the Protestantes in their writinges lye to notoriously It is verie true saith Luther and the Pope him selfe knovveth it vvel inough and nothing is more manifest by al the decrees of the old Councels and al vvritings and stories of al holy fathers vvhich vvere before the first Pope by name Bonifacius 3. that the bishop of Romes authority vvas no greater then the authority of other bishops How the honor of that Apologie Luther may be saued I leaue it to M. W. but otherwyse then as of an incredible fowle lye I can not iudge of that assertiō except I would discredite these other writers who affirme the contrarie and proue the contrarie that out of most autentical recordes and that by this very Leo magnus in M. Iewels iudgement so greate an enemy of this supremacie For continuing there narration of the same Popes They summoned general Councels say these writers they vvere the Presidents in general Councels they confirmed general Councels and sometimes in part sometimes vvholie they disanulled general Councels and this is manifest in Leo his epistles and the general Councels thēselues keapt vnder him Epist 93. ca. 17. vve haue sent letters saith he to our brethren and felovv-bishops of Tarraco in Spayne of Carthage in Afrike of Portugal and Fraunce and haue sommoned them to meete at a general Councel and Leo sent Paschasinus bishop of Sicilia to be President in the Councell of Chalcedon vvhich is manifeste in the Acts of that Councel And the same Paschasinus the Popes vicar condemned Dioscorus Patriarch of Alexandria for this reason because he durst hold a Councel vvithout the authoritie of the Sea Apostolike and Cecropius bishop of Sebastopolis saith in the same place vve may not call the second Councel of Ephesus by the name of a Councel because it vvas nether gathered together by the Apostolike authoritie nether proceeded it orderly in actis Concilii Chalcedonensis See Leo epist 10. ad Flauianum and 12. ad Theodosium Thus Leo condemned the second Councel of Ephesus and required an other to be gathered epist 24.25.28.30.31.32 and vvhereas Anatolius bishop of Constantinople vvould haue set him self before the churches of Alexandria and Antioche Leo epist. 53. vvriteth vnto him most vehemently and shevveth that to be against the canons of the Nicene Councel and that he vvil not permit those churches to leese their old prerogatiues vvhich thing he auoucheth also in his epistle to Pulcheria and there againe he rebuketh the ambition or insolencie of that Anatolius and signifieth expresly that he doth abrogate and disanulle all the decrees of the bishops there gathered together so many as vvere contrarie to the rules of the Nicene Coūcel And the Coūcel of Chalcedō of 630. bishops assembled out of al the world thus vvriteth to Leo. vve beseech you that you vvil honour our iudgement vvith your approbation and as vve of zeale haue put our consent to these good decrees so let your Supremacie fulfill to vs your children that vvhich is conuenient Finally this principalitie of the Romane church Leo laboureth to persvvade in most of his epistles as in his epistles to Anastasius bishop of Thessalonica to the bishops of Germanie and Fraunce to Anatolius bishop of Constantinople in sundrie other vvhere very painfully he goeth about to proue that singular preeminence vvas geuen to Peter aboue the other Apostles and that thence rose the distinction of bishops and especially the primacie of the Romane church and that therefore he is bound to take the care of al churches Thus far they whereby we see that S. Leo thought this primacy due to the church of Rome not by decree of Emperours or Councels but by the expresse ordinance of Christ him selfe in the Gospel And in all this can M. W. fynde neuer a sentence clause or example for the Supremacie thinketh he that M. Iewels grāmatical diuinitie of comparing wordes and phrases tempered together with a huge heape of corruptiōs lyes wil serue in the iudgmēt of any reasonable man against such a troupe of sensible demonstrations gathered vrged to this purpose by his owne brethren whē as the greate generall Coūcels acknowledge such authoritie the greatest patriarchs of Constantinople Antioche Alexandria submit them selues to such authoritie the bishop of Rome a man of such excellencie for learning wisdom and godlines as Leo was exercyseth vpon them such authoritie prescribeth to them lawes Canons and decrees gouerneth in their prouinces and in al other in Africa in Mauritania in Aegipte in Syria in Asia in Grece in Spaine in Fraunce in Germanie in al parts of the Christian world Remembreth he not that Theodore Beza and the church of Geneua answere these places by calling him plaine Antichrist for vsing this authoritie Cōstat Leonem in epistolis Romanae Sedis Antichristianae arrogantiam planè spirasse It is manifest say they that Leo in his epistles doth clearly breath forth the arrogancie of that Antichristiā Romane Sea yet S. Leo in Geneua a verie Antichrist for his writing behauiour about the Supremacie for the self same matter in England is a pure Protestāte He taught M. Iewel that the authoritie of the bishop of Rome was no greater then the authority of any other bishop of thee ô Leo he learned this heresie if he vvere deceaued thou Leo deceauedst him Surely it was an ouersight that he forgat to put in the rolle S. Bernard the bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More For of them in this case he learned as much as of S. Leo or of S. Gregorie who notwithstanding is an other of his maisters But what a froward and ouerthwart scholer he was who here againe so blyndly mistooke his maister I thinke few of his schole-felowes are ignorant and it is so cleare that in truth it greueth me to spend tyme
therein and therefore I refer the reader to the same storie vvhere he shal see a good and large treatise aboundantly prouīg the same of S. Gregorie vvhich novv hath bene shevved of S. Leo. he shal find there confessed by those Protestants who hated the Sea of Rome as deepelie as did ether M.W. or M. Iewel but were not so extremelie hardned in face and forhead as M. Iewel was and as M.W. must be if he take vpon him the others quarel he shal finde I say confessed by them and proued in lyke maner that this S. Gregorie taught that Apostolica sedes est omnium Ecclesiarum caput the Apostolike Sea of Rome is head of al churches lib. 11. epist 54. Indict 6. that bothe the Emperour and Eusebius his felovv-bishop professed that the church of Constantinople vvas subiect vnto that Sea li. 7. epis 63. indict 2. that he cited Maximus bishop of Salona in Dalmatia to come to Rome there to render accompt hovv he came by that bishoprike lib. 5. indict 14. epist 25. he apointed the bishop of Siracusa to be iudge ouer the bishop of Constantinople lib. 7. indict 2. epis 64. he sent into Spaine one vvho should restore Ianuarius deposed from his bishoprike vniustly lib. 11. indict 6. epist 50. 54. he apointeth the bishops of Fraunce hovv they should cal a synode for the rooting out of simonie and auarice lib. 9. indict 4. epist 49. sequentibus and those thinges vvhich in the synode they should agree on he vvilleth should be sent to him streightly chargeth them that at the least once in the yere they keepe a synode according to the canonical decrees lib. 7. epist 110. numer 2. And Virgilius bishop of Arelatum or Arles vvhom in the French church he made his Vicar and Legate and preferred before al other bishops he vvilleth to send to him al harder controuersies li. 4. ind 14. epi. 52. The like priuilege he graunteth to Maximianus bishop of Siracusa in Sicilia to be supreme ouerseer of those churches and to end lesser controuersies and send the greater to him vvhich priuilege for al that he geueth to the person not to the place lib. 2. epist 4. indict 10. Isychius bishop of Ierusalē he biddeth to exterminate from his churches the Simoniacal heresie lib. 9. indict 4. epist 40. To Columbus bishop of Numidia and the primate of that prouince he enioyneth that he vvith other examine the cause of Donadeus deposed by Victor his bishop and if he be guiltie to binde him to penance if he be guiltles that they rebuke Victor that he may knovv hovv vniustly he hath dealt lib. 10. indict 5. epist. 8. vvhen the bishop of Constantinople had condemned a priest of Chalcedon Gregorie retracteth that sentence and commaundeth him being innocent to be absolued lib 5. indict 14. epist. 15.16.17 Finally he affirmeth againe and proueth by scripture that the Romane churche is head of al churches caput omnium Ecclesiarum Greg. in 4. Psal penitentialem lib. 12. indict 7. epist 32. and so forth for what should I stand vpon particulars which are in maner innumerable there rehearsed and by these writers it seemeth and true it is that his 12. bookes of epistles conteyne in effect nothing els but the exercise of suche vniuersal iurisdiction practysed by Gregorie the first in al Christian churches from East to West frō North to South in far more ample maner with more shew of authoritie then appeareth now in Gregorie the thirtenth his successor These things I say and very many other of this quality did S. Gregorie the first a man for humilitie commended of Caluin singularly of Luther who seeldome spake good of any Pope acknowledged for a good holy bishop And Bale sometime an Irish prelate though afterward a common minister who rayleth fowly at the most glorious martyrs and confessors Popes of that Sea before S. Gregorie yet speaking of him attributeth this vnto him that he was the best for life and learning that euer sat in that place Gregorius omnium Romanorum pontificum doctrina vita prestantissimus But against al these examples consisting not onlie in plaine wordes but much more in manifest deedes factes iudgments corrections iurisdictions appellations excomunications al euident practises of souerayne principalitie M. Iewel hath a number of wordes and they al depending of one only worde that is the name vniuersal which S. Gregorie doth so condemne as he accompteth him for Antichrist that would be called vniuersal bishop and here what a sturre he keepeth Paules crosse his replie against D. Cole and D. Harding the English Apologie and the defence of the Apologie witnesse abundantly For this is a common storebox when so euer the Pope commeth in the way so far forth that in one side of a leafe he quoteth S. Gregorie against this name no lesse then 19. tymes and M. W. with his felowes at this day singeth that song as freshly as though it neuer had bene heard before But if ether he or they regarded the searching out of the truth and sought not continual wrangling about words they would neuer so blindlie haue snatched at one worde against so many facts and examples of continual custome so many wayes testified and expressed by worde and deede But the answer is easy and often tymes geuen by S. Gregorie often times repeted proposed by the late catholike writers but because M. W. hath nor perhaps seene the one and not greatly considered the other I wil geue him the same and the true sense of such words out of one of his owne felowes Andreas Fricius of Polonia a man though bearing deadly hatred to the Pope of Rome yet one that could be content wel inough to haue the like office amōg his Euangelical churches to keepe them in vnitie which he thinketh otherwise wil neuer be handling that matter and laing against him self this old auncient obiection of the Protestants thus answereth it that truly Some there be sayth this writer that against this office of vniuersal superintendent obiect the authoritie of Gregorie vvho saith that such a title apperteyneth to the precursor of Antichrist But the reason of Gregorie is to be knovven it may be gathered of his vvordes vvhich he repeteth in many epistles that the title of vniuersal bishop is contrarie doth gainsay the grace vvhich is cōmonly poured vpon al bishops He therefore that should cal him self vniuersal bishop calleth him self the only bishop and taketh bishoply povver from the rest VVherefore this title he vvould haue to be reiected vvhich is vsurped vvith the iniurie of other bishops Such sentences to this purpose are oftentimes repeted by S. Gregorie in many epistles c. this title he doth abhorre both in him selfe and in al other so far of is he frō graunting the same to the bishop of Constantinople and vvhy so because bishoply grace is generally bestovved from god vpon al bishops
and it is no reason that any one should take to him selfe that vvhich by equal right agreeth to al. This being the true meaning of such places and this being verie often times geuen by S. Gregorie him selfe saepe et in multis epistolis you see how iustly we accuse both M. Iewel you of wilfulnes and blindnes how iustly we obiect vnto you a verbal and talkatiue diuinitie who could not or would not see that is which so commonly repeted againe and againe in so many epistles But maketh S. Gregorie ether in this word or in al his words or workes ought against the primacie of that church This writer proceedeth on thus Verumtamen ex aliis constat c. notvvithstanding by other places it is euident that Gregorie thought that the charge and principalitie of the vvhole church vvas committed to Peter by the voice of our Lord. And thus much he vvrote plainely almost vvord for vvord lib. 4. epistola 32. to the emperour Maurice and confirmed it by testimonie of scripture It is manifest saith Gregorie to al men that knovv the gospel that by the voice of our Lord the care of the vvhole church vvas cōmitted to holy S. Peter Prince of al the Apostles For to him it is said feede my sheepe Iohn 21. To him it is said I haue prayed for the that thy faith fayle not Luc. 22. To him it is said thou art Peter and vpon this rock I vvil build my church c. Mat. 16. Behold he receaueth the keys of the kingdom of heauen povver to bind and loose is geuen to him to him is committed the charge principalite of the vvhole church And yet for this cause Gregorie thought not that Peter vvas the forerunner of Antichrist Thus he prouing both by scripture by reason that S. Gregorie though he disliked and condemned that proude name of vniuersal bishop both in him selfe and others as doth also Pope Gregorie the 13. at this day yet he nether disliked nor condemned the supreme charge and gouernment of the church for Antichristian which him selfe exercised nether could he so do except he first cōdemned for Antichristian S. Peter the Apostle who receaued it and Christ our Sauiour who gaue it So tha◠M. Iew. hath hetherto shewed smal wit learning faith or honestie in making these mē S. Gregorie Leo Xistus Anacletus his maisters in that heresie against the supremacie who haue not only no one word or sillable against it but contrariwise haue whole and long epistles chapters discourses examples and factes arguments reasons scriptures to proue it And here the reader may gesse how like I were to cloy him with abundance and store if I would in like sort go thorough with the other articles which I might do as wel and with as great aduantage But I wil not cast more water into the sea and therefore nether wil prosequute in this order the other two questions but only touch them in a word and so proceede to other matter As here against the Pope so against the real presence for the zuinglian imagination M. Iewel likewise chalengeth al the fathers vnto him namely those aboue rehearsed S. Gregorie S. Leo c. and besides S. Austin S. Hierom and S. Chrisostome then which I thinke he could not haue picked out amongst al the fathers more heauy and deadly enemies to him touching any parte of his false faith and those two partes of the real presence and sacrifice especially For was there euer besides this wicked man any Luther or Bucer or who so euer was worse then other so desperate in lying that would say S. Gregorie was a minister and ministred the holy communion as now is the fashion in England when his bookes in so many places shew him to haue bene a prieste and a prieste to celebrate masse and not to minister communion vnto whom other protestants commonly attribute the framing of the masse because of two or three rites which he ordeined therein Whom for this cause Theodorus Bibliāder scornfully nameth patriarcham caeremoniarum the Patriarch of ceremonies Melanchthō that he horribly prophaned the Communiō allovving by publike authoritie the sacrifice of Christes body and bloud not only for the liuing but also for the dead Flacius Illyricus that by miracle he cōuerted a faithles vvoman vvho beleeued not that the body of Christ vvas substancially in tbe Sacrament ex Paulo Diacono lib. 2. cap. 41.42 and that euery vvhere be doth inculcate sacrifices and masse and by diuers miracles confirmeth the same against whom Petrus Paulus Vergerius for authoritie place and estimation as great a Protestant as any in our dayes hath written a whole booke entituled de nugis fabulis Papae Gregorii primi and finally to passe by many others when your owne English writers protest him to haue bene a perfite and absolute Papist that therefore your first Apostles and Euangelistes in bringing in this your Gospel did directly oppose them selues vnto him and rooted out that which he and his Legate our Apostle S. Austin had planted Gregorie the first saith your Chronicler Iohn Bale the yere of our lord 596. sent Austine the monke to plante in our churches his Romane religion But Latimer is much more vvorthie to be called our Apostle then Austine For Austine brought nothing but mans traditions masse Crosses litanies c. vvhereas Latimer vvith the hooke of truth cut of those superstitions vvhich he had planted and cast them out of the Lords vineyard And doth not M. Horne the late called bishop of Winchester in playne termes reuile this glorious Apostle and name him most ethnically a blinde bussard because he was ignorant of your Alcoran and knew nothing els and therefore induced our forefathers to no other Gospel then to the auncient Gospel of Christ and religion Catholike And doth the other S. Austin make more for you in this point of your vnbeleefe then doth this later S. Austin or S. Gregorie I know you alleage him much more but with what honestie I had rather you should heare of your owne father Luther then of me In my iudgement saith Luther after the Apostles the church hath not had a better doctor then vvas S. Austin And that holie man hovv filthilie hovv spitefullie is he mangled and disfigured by the Sacramentaries that he may become a defender patrone of their venemous blasphemous and erroneous heresie Verely as much as in me lieth so long as I haue breath in my body I vvil vvithstand them and protest that they do him iniury vvhich thing any man may do vvith an assured and confident mynde because the Sacramentaries only pul teare his vvords into their ovvne sense prouing their applicatiō by no reason but only by vayne boasting of their most certaine truth And concerning the rest of the fathers whereas M. Iewel affirmeth that they all taught as he did against the real presence Luther contrarywise
papistici reâ—ni The auncieÌ„t fathers called by Luther Iues idolaters bondmen of sinne the deuil for their doctrine of workes against only fayth CoÌ„tra Campian pa. 198 An euident contradiction Ibid. pag. 8. Note this interpretation S. Ciprians wordes touching workes of penance the merite therof in the places noted by M. W. Epist. 55. et sermon de lapsis the doctrine of the Christians in the Apostles tymes of the Cathol Church in our tyme is al one concerninge workes of penance A manifest and grosse contradiction pag 7. Straung and wonderfull diuinitie Libertinisme the end of iustification by only fayth Whit. in li. contra Sander pa. 297. pa. 9. in nostris ecclesiis S. Peters being at Rome denyed by M. W. moste absurdly against all antiquitie Sander Monarch lib. 6. ca. 10. these are in that chapter besides many more in other places What proofes will content our aduersaries if these will not See Bullinger in serie temporum et rerum as Luca in Act. tradit ca. 17 Whit. cont Sad. pa. 203. Horace niuem esse atramentuÌ„ Lactantius lib. 5. ca. 3. Of M Iewels challeÌ„g M. Iewel in his sermon at Paules crosse the yere 1560. when firste he put forth his challeÌ„g â—iui â—eca 4. lib. 5. The true paterne and image of M. Iewels challenge Supra cap 2. Of this see after chapiter 10. M Iewell in his sermon as before Printed by Iohn Day Cont Sand pa. 21. a Yet M. Carterwrighte holdeth the contrarie and hath proued it in many books Patres etiam simul vniuersi Iudas v. 18. Tit. 3.10 Mat. 18.17 The primacie of the Rom. church confirmed manifestly by those fathers whom M. Iew. calleth his maisters to the contrarie Magdebur Centur. 2. c. 7. col 139. This order was approued in the Councel of Nice cap â— So say the rathers in Conc. Sinâ—essano Ibid. see the same in the Councel of Cart. Mileu in S. Aug. epis 90.91.92.93 Cent. â— vbi supra An obiectioÌ„ answered The primacy of the Romane Sea ouer all churches of ChistendoÌ„ within the firste 500 yeres confessed proued by the more famous and learned protestants Cent. 5. ca. 7 col 774 Ibi. col 776 Leos authoritie ouer the bishop of Constantinople Ibi. col 778. Ibi. co 779. Harde questions rising in far distaÌ„t prouinces referred to the Sea of Rome Supremacie of the Rom. Sea in general CouÌ„cels as before confessed proued Iewel in his defence of the Apolo par 2. cap. 4. 1. Luth. Tom. 7. lib. contta Papatum pag. 455. The facyng of a lye Anno Domini 605. Vbi sup col 781.782 No lawful CouÌ„cel with out approbation of the Romane Sea Summitas tua filiis Vbi sup ca. 10. col 1262 Confes Geneu cap. 7. ¶ 12. Leo so magnified by M. Iewel is a verie Antichrist to Beza and the church of Geneua Centuria 6.6.7 col 425. The church of Constantinople subiect to the Sea of Rome before Phocas or Bonifacius 3. Vide ibi ca. 7. pag. 425.426.427.428.429.430 c. vntil the pag. 439. Caluin Institut lib. 4. ca. 7. ¶ 12.13 Luth. Tom. 7. aduersus Papatum fol. 455. Balaeus de script BritaÌ„ cent 1. p. 45. VNIVERSALIS Replie against D. Harding pa. 226. M. Iewels other protestants coÌ„mon obiection takeÌ„ out of S. Gregorie against the supremacie answered truly by one of their owne sect Andreas Fricius de ecclesia lib. 2. cap. 10. pag. 570. Vniuersall bishop how in what sense denyed by S. Gregorie Saepe eiusmodi senteÌ„tiae iteraÌ„tur a Gregorio Though S. Greg. disliked the name Vniuersall yet he approued the Supremacie as agreable to the expresse worde of god If charge of the vniuersal church make the Pope Antichrist then our Sauiour made S. Peter Antichrist S. Gregorie a prieste vvithout all reason made a minister by M. Iewel Bibliand in praefat epistolaruÌ„ Zuinglii Oecolampadii Melanct. li. 4 Chronic. in Henric. 4. fol. 186.187 Centu. 6. ca. 10. col 678.679.682 ibi ca. 13. col 817.819 P. Paulus Vergeri coÌ„tra Grego 1. Bale cent 1. pag. 66.72 centur 8. pa. 678. Marke this confession Our first Apostles were Papistes M. Horne againste M. Feknam pa. 58. Luth. Tom. 7. defensio verborum coenae fol. 405. S. Austine intolerably abused and corrupted by the Sacramentaries Ibid. fo 391. Nullus Nemo No one father was of M. Iewels opinion touching the Sacrament Concordes constaÌ„tes vno ore supra cap. 3. S. Chrisostomes 6. bookes de sacerdotio lib. 3. chap. 4. chap. 8 9. Tower disputation Aug. de vtilitate credeÌ„di cap. 1. pag. 9. How knoweth M.W. that S. Peter wil say so How dangerous it is to restrayne the text of scripture to the particular sense of some one man or Sect a Mat. 11. v. 27. cap 28 vers 18. b Cor. 15. v. 26. c Eph. 1. v. 20 Illyric in Act. cap. 3. ver 21. Scripture of purpose falsly translated against the real presence Discoue pag. 257. Discou pag. 257. Recipitur continetur Mat. 13. v. 25 Euery heretike translateth the scripture in fauour of his heresie Pa. 11. The zuinglians most vsual plausible argumeÌ„t against the real presence CoÌ„tinetur Many thinges to be noted in M. W. argumeÌ„t Greate vauntinge vpon smale occasion wicked Sophistrie 〈◊〉 Conteyned Corruption of scripture Hiero. in Gal. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8. v. 14. Luc. 9. v. 48. Mat. 10. v. 40 2. Timoth. 3. The proceding of the new gospel See M. Fox martyrologe in Fryth and Barnes c. Fox Act. monumen edit ann 1563. p. 500. The real presence approued by M. Foxes Martyrs Many thâ—â—â—ges in hâ— scripture vncrediblâ— as Christs presence in the blessed Sacrament Ioan. 20. vers 19. Daniel 3. v. 47. 48. Ibid. v. 50. Iewel art 10 ¶ 9. in fine M. W. argumeÌ„t against the Sacrament the very roote of Paganisme infidelity Caluin contra SeruetuÌ„ pag. 105. Calu. Inst Lib. 2. cap. 13. ¶ 3.4 Petrus spoÌ„te sua vinclis labeÌ„tibus eq carcere processit clauso Pauli natali 4. B. Felicis See the new testament in S. Ihon. 20. v. 19. Luc. 4. v. 29. 4. Reg. 6. v. 17. NotuÌ„ non agnouere surentes Felicemque rogaÌ„t Felixvbi cernitur noÌ„ cernitur ipse nec ipse uir est cuÌ„ sit prope loÌ„ge est ignotuâ— notusque suis fitciuibus ideÌ„ discernete fide vultum credeÌ„tibus Paulin. natal 5. B. Felicis Epiphan lib. 1. Here. 30. Socrat. l. 7. ca. 32. Chrisost in Math. hom 83. M.W. argument reiected by the auncient fathers M. W. argument abhorred and condemned by the more learned protestants Cent. 4. ca. 4. col 241. Ibi. in prefat pag. 9. Pet. Martyr in dialog de corpore Christi in loco fol. 107 Lib. 3. epist Zuinglii Oecolamp fol. 132. Ibi. fol. 140. Fulmina erunt Westphal in Apol. contra Caluin c. 19. pa. 194. anno 1558. Plurimos scripturae locos corrumpunt The Sacramentaries corrupt the scriptures The ground of
particular Synodes or general Councels yea many times commonly before the vniuersal and Catholike Church the holy scriptures and Spirite of God him self So that as the first of these two that is their mutability in faith withdraweth me froÌ„ al dealing with them as men altogether irreligious vnchristian and godles so the second that is the want of al sound arguments of disputation as much discourageth me from writing vnto them as men altogether vngrouÌ„ded vnlearned contentious such as loue to mainteine an endles talke of al things but haue no order or forme to coÌ„clude resolue of any thing These two partes I wil declare and make manifest by a fevv examples In England what point of religion is by statute more carefully prouided for by seueritie of punishment more vrged by preaching or writing more aduaunced by al meanes possible more beaten in to the heads of the subiectes then the Princes supremacie in causes ecclesiastical for denial whereof so many true and faithful subiectes in our memory haue suffered death Yet on the coÌ„trary syde the subiectes of Scotland were wel allowed to restraine or to speake playnly to keepe in captiuitie their owne Soueraine for intermedling in the Churches affaires as appeareth by their Iustification not long sithence published in their language where the author thereof and the ministers vse these wordes The discipline of the kirke was openly impugned vvhen as the king by the persvvasion of the enemies of the kirke vvas induced to make him self and his priuie councel iudges in the cognition of matters mere ecclesiastical and concerning the doctrine of the preachers and to take vpon him vvhatsoeuer iurisdiction the Pope vsurped there in of old yea and more ouer to discharge the general assembly al pastors vvithin this realme to proceede to the sentence of excommunication also to suspeÌ„d the same At the last some preachers haue bene stopped by commaundement c. This is the faith gospel in Scotland and in England how freely the Puritanes inueigh against that spiritual primacie let their bookes coÌ„monly printed testifie namely the great volume of M. Cartewright against D. Whitg wherein at large he discourseth that that part of the English faith carieth with it infinite absurdities is against the doctrine of the Apostles monstruous in diuinitie iniurious to Christ against the primitiue and Apostolike Church and the vvritten word of God yea vvhere he pronounceth boldly that whiles the common protestantes of England go about to gratifie princes with this spoile of Christ they leaue theÌ„ no place in the Church of Christ Touching the doctrine of baptisme then which nothing is more necessary as being the gate of al other sacrameÌ„ts and the first entrance of christianitie the Communion bookes commonly printed coÌ„mend and allow this faith That by that sacrament children be regenerate and graffed in to the body of Christes congregation and made partakers of the death of our Sauiour And the minister chargeth the people preseÌ„t not to doubte but earnestly to beleeue that Christ vvil sauorably receaue those present infants vvith the armes of his mercie that he vvil geue vnto them the blessing of eternal life and make them partakers of euerlasting ioye Yet coÌ„trarywise in the Tovver disputation the doctors there teach That al those vvhich are baptised are not the sonnes of God because they haue not al the spirite of adoption and children baptâ—sed if they be not gods elect baptisme can not make them his children and so many dying immediatly after baptisme are notwithstaÌ„ding assuredly damned The Communion booke turned into latin and printed at London by Thomas Vautrollerius the yere 1574 Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis wherein they would seeme to notifie their faith to the rest of Christendome touching priuate baptisme ministred in houses by lay men or womeÌ„ in case of necessitie willeth al men to assure them selues that a child after that sort is lawfully and perfitly baptised And touching the parties ministring that sacrament it saith Ego vos certiores facio quod rectè praestitistis officium vestrum in bacre etc. I assure you you haue vvel performed your duety in this matter and kept a right order in the baptizing of this infant vvho being borne in original sinne and the vvrath of God novv by the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ in baptisme is ascribed into the nuÌ„ber of Gods children and made heyre of eternal life Yet M. VVhitaker in this booke teacheth the contrary and saith it is the heresie of the Pepusians and Marcionites to permit womeÌ„ such authoritie euen in case of necessitie which he calleth fained and imaginarie thereby signifying plainly that he beleeueth with the Anabaptistes that baptisme is not necessarie for the washing away of original sinne And the CommunioÌ„ booke also imprinted three yeres after vz the yere 1577 by Richard Iugge printer to the Quenes Maiestie Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis drawing neere to the doctrine of the Anabaptistes and the practise of the church of Geneua where such priuate baptisme is vtterly disliked quite abolished altogether leaueth out that whole Tracte of priuate baptisme The same first booke published in latin touching the sacrameÌ„t of Confirmation containeth this good catholike doctrine that Confirmatio illis adhibetur qui iam baptizati sunt vt per impositionem manuum et orationem vires et defensionem accipiant contra omnes insultus peccati mundi et diaboli Confirmation is applied to them vvhich are novv baptized that by imposition of hands and praier they may receaue strength defense against the inuasions of sinne the vvorld and the deuil In the later Communion booke these wordes as likewise the whole Tracte appertaining to CoÌ„firmation is cleane omitted The reason whereof can be no other then that the Church of England in this point hath altered her faith and ioyneth more neerely then heretofore to the order of Geneua where as witnesseth M. Cart. though it were somtimes allowed yet afterwardes vpon better aduise M. Caluin cheefe Superintendent there thrust it cleane out of the church Touching the article of Christes descending into hel the Communion booke and Creede turned into ryme and sung commonly in their congregations beareth the word in hand that they beleeue as doth the Church catholike yet others by publike writing and disputation refelling that article geue vs iust occasion to suppose that they beleeue vvith Caluin in that point vvho acknovvlegeth no other descent of Christ into hel but his paine vpon the Crosse vvhere yet aliue he vvas damned in soule or as he speaketh sustayned the paines of a damned spirit vvithout any difference but that his torments were not eternal as theirs are In their Communion they sing and say publikely That Christ is the only begotten sonne of God begotten of his father before al vvorldes God of God light of light very God of very God of
by the same authoritie Euery man sayng publishing preaching teaching affirming declaring disputing arguing or holding opinion against the first of these articles is adiudged a manifest heretike c. misbeleuers in the other are with great rigor corrected and reformed This was the state of religion left by king Henry after whose death in the time of his sonne vpon very â—ight occasion was quite disanulled al this that the father had by parlament Actes and statutes so carefully established For streight vpon his fathers funerals king Edward saith M. Fox being but a child of nine or ten yere by the instinct of his vncle the Lord protector and Cranmer by consent of parlament did first abolish these six articles and then set forth a second booke of Reformation and after that a third as the religion had dayly more encrease more perfite then the first vnder the title and authoritie of his name After which sort the Zuinglian religion being placed with much dissension and alteration held out for the time of that Prince and was of the next with like authoritie of ParlameÌ„t reiected abolished But being restored againe in the beginning of the Q. Maiesties reigne from that tyme hetherto how the body of the realme hath more and more degenerated from that Zuinglianisme to Puritanisme which as D. Whitg wel proueth is the very next degree to Anabaptisme what infinite numbers in euery shyre as their owne writers record are ioyned to tâ—e Familie of loue which is a mere abnegation of Christianitie what swarmes of Atheistes haue sprung vp with which as D. Whig telleth vs their English congregation is râ—plenished this I leaue to the knowledge remembrance experience and eye sight of the discrete reader If I should note the varietie and difference betwene our Protestantes and the Protestantes of other nations as of Germany Polonia Zuitzerland and France I should neuer make an end because most true it is there is no one article of faith ether touching the blessed Trinitie Christes incarnation and passion resurrection ascensioÌ„ touching the person of the holy Ghost or touching his office there is no one sacrament as the Eucharist Baptisme Forgeuenes of sinnes in penance confession of sinnes to a priest Holy orders there is no one rite or ceremonie ether touching gouernement or diâ—cipline of the church wherein they disagree not These few examples which I haue brought conteining matters of such weight That princes are heads of the church and are not that baptisme remitteth sinnes and remitteth not that priuate baptisme is lawful and vnlawful Confirmation allowed and disallowed Christs descending into hel graunted and denied that he is God of his father and yet is God of him self that al kinds of Religions may for their conscience sake take armes against their prince yet Catholikes may not in any case or for any cause make supposal of such a matter that women are barred by the law of God from exercising authority ouer men euen in matters ciuil and agâ—ine that women by the law of God haue supremacy ouer the cleargy bishops and archbishops eueÌ„ in matters most diuine spiritual that copes and such like ornamentes are to be vsed in church seruice and are to be abolished and burned as monumentes of Idolatrie that by like authoritie of parlaments diuers and contrary faithes are confirmed and ratified These few examples I say al appearing manifestly in the practise and behauiour of one litle Iland and in the compasse of a few yeres al notoriously to be seene in perusing a few english bookes and writers declare sufficiently how true that is which D. Whiteg affâ—rmeth of the Puritans and we find as true in all sortes of Protestants that commonly such as once diuide them selues from the Church fal from errour to errour vvithout stâ—y they declare sufficiently how true that is which I affirme â—â—at these meÌ„ haue no certaintie or stabiliâ—ie of faith therfore hard it is foâ— vs to know what to refâ—â— or dispute aâ—aâ—nst whereas we find such continuâ—l chaunge and varietie Yet al this notwithstanding albeit they haue one faith for Germany an other for Engâ—and and in England one for the South an other for the North one for the fathers reigne an other for the sonnes one for the brother an other for the sister and vnder the â—ame Prince one for the beginning of her reigne an other for the time ensuing one for the nobilitie an other for the commonaltie one for the publike church another for their priuate houses one in their CoÌ„munion booke an other in their seueral writinges although they haue Annuas and menstruas sides as S. Hilary and S. Basil said of the Arrians euery yere and somtimes euery moneth a new faith yet gladly could we deuoure the paine to finde out and learne such their yerely monethly faithes that by refelling them we might saue those christian sowles which through the same monethly dayly and hourely perish euerlastingly had we not a far greater dâ—fficultie in learning out what maner of argumentes are of force and allowable amongst them for refuâ—ing of the same Among Catholikes in al scholes and Vniuersities in al bookes writings argumentes drawen from the scriptures of God from the Traditions of the Apostles from the Authoritie of the Catholike Church of general Councels of the auncient Doctors fathers of the supreme Pastors of the Church geuing sentence definitiue in any controuersie these al and singular are of such weight and estimation that ech one coÌ„uinceth the aduersarie part and no Catholike dare euer resist or oppose him self if he heare the voice and sentence of any one of al these and besides these other argumentes in diuinitie we can not possâ—bly deuise any Vse any of al these in disputation with the Protestant he careth not for them nether wil be bound to them farther then it liketh his owne lust and fansie Approue the Inuocation helpe of Angels by the authoritie of Tobias the free wil of man by the booke of Ecclesiasticus they answere Litle care vve for the example of Raphael the Angel mentioned in Tobie nether acknovvledge vve those seueÌ„ Angels vvhereof he speaketh As litle accompt make I of the place of Ecclesiasticus nether vvil I beleeue the freedom of mans vvil though he affirme it a hundred times And as for the Traditions of the Apostles besides the written word it is their very profession to contemne them and who is there of them al that euer wrote any booke of câ—mmon places who hath not a large treatise particularly against them Alleage against theÌ„ general Councels they answere If this be a sufficient profe to say such a CouÌ„cel decreed so such a doctor said so there is almost nothing so true but I can impugne nothing so false but I can make true and vvel assured I am that by theâ—r meanes the principal groundes of our faith may be
shaken Alleage the auncient fathers not one or other but al together affirming one and the self same thing they answere If you argue from the vvitnesse of men be they neuer so learned and auncient vve yelde no more to their vvordes in cause of faith and religion then vve perceaue to be agreable to scripture Nether thinke you your self to haue proued any thing although you bring against vs the vvhole consent and svvarme of fathers except that vvhich they say be iustified not by the voice of men but of God himself And it is their common maner as to make smale accompt of any author that is against them so least of al of the old auncient fathers whom some of them are not ashamed in most despiteful sort to cal Pillorie doctors But this their behauiour towards the auncient fathers and Doctors that be of our Church may seeme in the iudgement of many to stand with reason For why may it be said should they be bound to our Austins HieroÌ„s and Cyprians more then we wil be bound to their Luthers Caluins and Melanchthons At the least then say we they ought to be ruled by doctors of their owne such as they cal and honour for Apostles Euaâ—geâ—istes of their new church and beleefe Yet when the authoritie of such is pressed against them it weigheth no deeper then of those other whom they cal pillorie doctors For how freely contemne they Martin Luther how freely reiect they Hulderike Zuinglius VVe receaue M. Caluin saith T.C. and vveigh of him as of the notablest instrument that the lord hath stâ—rred vp for the purging of his churches and restoring of the playne and sincere interpretation of the scriptures vvhich hath bene since the Apostles time And yet vve do not so reade his workes that vve beleeue any thing to be true because he saith it but so far as vve caÌ„ esteeme that that vvhich he saith doth agree vvith the Canonical scriptures The very self same answere geueth the contrary part wheÌ„ the same mans iudgement is obiected against him I reuerence M. Caluin saith D.W. as a singular man and a vvorthy instrument in Christes church But I am not so vvholy addicted vnto him that I vvil contemne other mens iudgmentes in diuers points not fully agreing vvith him c. vvhen as in my opinion they come neerer to the true meaning and sense of scripture then he doth And because the course of this new diuinitie is now brought to rest most of al on the credit of these reuereÌ„d fathers and doctors and in steede of the auncient forme of alleaging T. us saith S. Chrysostom thus S. Augustin thus S. Basil the fashion is now to alleage Thus saith M. Caâ—uin thus M. Bucer thus M. Bullinger therefore thorough varietie somewhat to avoyde tediousnes and not greue to much the eares of their auditors by flat denyal diuers wayes and reasons haue they to passe ouer when they please the authoritie of such their owne doctors and maisters One way and the same very playne is to refuse them because they were men As for example If you presse me vvith M. Martyrs and M. Bucers authoritie I first say they vvere men and therefore though othervvise very vvatchful yet such as slept somtymes A second way is because they had some other error as M. Bucer you say allovveth priuate baptisme and consequently the baptisme by vvomen It may be that as M. Bucer although othervvise very learned hath other grosse absurdities so he may haue that A third because some other doctor of as good credite and estimation is of a contratie opinion as M. Musculus a learned man is of your iudgement and M. Caluin as learned as he and diuers other are of that iudgment that I haue alleaged This is no great profe on your side nor reprofe of ours A fourth and the same most sure is to chalenge the libertie of the gospel and therefore not to admitte their verdict but at pleasure as Touching M. Bucers M. Bullingers Illyricus allovvance of holy daies if they allovv them in such sort as M. Doctor vrgeth then that good leaue vvhich they geue the Churches to dissent from theÌ„ in that point I do take it graunted vnto me being one of the same church Although as touching M. Bullinger it is to be obserued that since the time he wrote so there are aboue 35 yeres since vvhich time although he hold stal that the feastes dedicated vnto the lord as of the Natiuitie Easter and Pentecost may be kept yet he denieth flatly that it is lavvful to keepe holy the dayes of the Apostles If these serue not the turne a man would thinke their martyrs those who were so ful of the spirite that they willingly shead their bloud and suffered death by fier for confâ—irmation of their faith these mens testimonie should be irrefragable for iustifying of those pointes especially for which they lost their liues But nether want they their old ordinary meanes to shift of the authoritie of these martyrs were they neuer so glorious For although they vvere excellent personages say they yet their knovvledge vvas in part and although they brought many thinges to light yet they being sent out in the morning or euer the sunne of the gospel vvas risen so high might ouersee many thinges vvhich those that are not so sharpe of sight as they vvere may see c. And if they had died for this or that article yet the authoritie of their martyrdome could not take avvay from vs this libertye that vve haue to enquire of the cause of their death Martyrs may not be said to seale their errors vvith their bloud or vvith the glory of their martirdome preiudice those which vvrite or speake against their errors For this is to oppose the bloud of men to the bloud of the sonne of God What remayneth now for the last cast but the maiestie not of one or other doctor or of a few martyrs but of great and ample reformed churches as of France of Germany of Zurike or Geneuâ— yet euen these also passe with like maner of answere And they haue as general a rule to reiect such as they haue the poorest doctor that commeth in their way As for exaple when other reformed churches are brought to reforme the disorders of the English church To vvhich reformed church saith the ansvverer vvil you haue the church of England framed or vvhy should not other reformed churches as vvel frame them selues vnto vs For vve are as vvel assured of our doctrine and haue as good groundes reasons for our doing as they haue except you vvil bring in a nevv Rome appoint vs an other head church and create a nevv Pope by vvhom vve must be in al thinges directed And againe I haue told you and novv I tel you againe that there is no cause vvhy this church of England
which they receaued of Apostles VVe repose no such confidence in the fathers vvritings that vve take any certaine profe of our religion from them because vve place all our faith and religion not in humane but in diuine authoritie If therefore thou bring vs vvhat some one father hath thought or vvhat the fathers vniuersally al together haue deliuered the same except it be approued by testimonies of scriptures it auaileth nothing it gaineth nothing it conuinceth nothing For the fathers are such vvitnesses as they also haue neede of the scriptures to be their vvitnesses If deceaued by error they geue forth their testimonie disagreing from scriptures albeit they may be pardoned erring for vvant of vvisedome vve can not be pardoned if because they erred vve also vvil erre vvith them The fathers for the most part thought that Antichrist should be but one man but in that as in many other things they erred ether because they yelded to much to the common opinion concerning Antichrist ether because they vveighed not the scriptures so diligently as they ought c. In these his vvordes Christian reader thou maist see the very image principal part of Antichrist For preferring him self before the vniuersal primitiue Church of al the fathers then vvriting and expounding the scriptures teaching Antichrist to be one man According to the faith receaued of the Apostles he manifestly preferreth him self before the holy Ghost the ruler and dirâ—ctor of the Apostles and that Apostolical Church according to Christes most assured infallible promise vvhat is this els but to extolle him selfe aboue God Super omne quod dicitur Deus vvhich is one of the special markes of Antichrist And yet this Antichristian arrogancy in treading vnder his feete al fathers al churches al antiquitie is the very maine grouÌ„de of al the rest of his answeres As for example M.D. Sanders second demonstration is this The Church of Rome can not possibly be the Seate of Antichrist because it is that Seate vvhich hath most faithfully kept diligently enlarged the faith of Christ against al Antichristes This he proueth by S Ignatius S. Policarpus S. Ireneus Tertullian Origen SS Cyprian Athanasius Ambrose Hierom Optatus Austin Ciril Prosper Gregory c. by al good and learned vvriters that florished vvithin the first six hundred yeres That it coÌ„tinued the same faith and departed not from it in any point the last nyne hundred yeres he proueth by S. Isidorus by Theodorus by S. Beda Regino S. Lanfrancus Rupertus S. Bernard the general Councels of Laterane of Lions of Vienna of Constance of Florence the most sufficient authoritie that caÌ„ be alleaged in the vvorld Now vvhat is M.VV. ansvvere to this The fathers of the first six hundred yeres he graunteth to haue spoken truely for so much as al this vvhile that Church was very pure excellent and maintained inuiolably the faith deliuered by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule and briefly vvas of al other Churches most notable and florishing omnium ecclesiarum praestantissima florentissimaquè But touching the later nyne hundred yeres he maketh so great a difference as betvvene the hovvse of God and a den of theeues betvvene a liue man and a dead carcas Thus he speaketh Although the auncient Romane Church receaued Christ most of al and those that vvere in the societie of the Romane Church defended the Christian faith most valiantly yet these prayses appertaine nothing to the present Romane Church vvhich refuseth Christ him selfe furiously assaulteth the Christian faith I am vides Sandere tuae demeÌ„strationi securim esse inflictam quando a prima ecclesia Romana quae fuit optima et purissima tuam hanc distinguo c. Novv thou seest M. Sanders thy demonstration knocked on the head vvith a hatchet vvhereas from the first Romane church vvhich vvas best and purest I distinguish this thy Romane church vvhich a man may truly caâ— the synagoge of Satan Now this being in deede the very hatchet of his ansvvere as he calleth it and vvhereby he choppeth of the necke of D. Sanders demonstration and vvhich therefore it principally standeth him in hand to proue let the reader consider if he bring any probabilitie any argument storie father Councel authoritie any kind of reason other then his ovvne naked and peeuish asseueration Only he varieth as boyes in grammar scholes that his assertion by many pretie phrases as that Rome is degenerated into a bastard faith that our Popes are altogether vnlike to the auncient Popes that novv there is an other forme of faith in Rome an other religion that our Popes possesse the same place vvith those auncient but haue lost their faith many hundred yeres since that in the Romane church novv nothing remayneth of old Rome besides the name that of old soueraine vvas the authoritie of the Romane Sea amongst al people both for the goodlynes of the citie and puritie of religion and constancie of the men but novv none of these thinges remayneth c. Thus in euery page welnye he affirmeth sayth telleth vs againe againe that thus it is departed and thus it is degenerated and thus it hath altered the faith and is become the synagoge of Antichrist Against vvhich ridiculous and childish babling vvhen his aduersary obiecteth those Confessors Martirs Historiographers Sayntes that liued since S. Gregories time together vvith the general Councels the very flovver of Christianitie he vvith one railing blast turneth them al a side sayng he admitteth them not because they al more or lesse receaued the marke of the beast Aske him a reason why he so rayleth consider what authoritie he opposeth against these reason thou findest none authoritie thou findest none Only as kings and princes ratifie their edictes and Proclamations with their owne only name Teste meipso so this man confirmeth his answeres with the sole authoritie of Guilielmus VVhitakerus which being put in the fronte of euery answere is in deede the very pith and effect of al the answeres folowing And therefore whereas he saith If vve shal receaue for vvitnesses al those men 〈◊〉 to Antichrist vve shal neuer haue end of contending I say if it may be lawful for euery heretike thus to deare with such wodden or leaâ—en hatchers to cut of the synewes of such strong and forcible demonstrations thus so answeare reason with rayling and graue authoritie with Luciferlike arrogancy if the Trinâ—tariaÌ„s Lutherans Anabaptistes or ArriaÌ„s may haue like libertie to auoyde the whole army of Christes Catholike Church Arrianisme wil neuer be rooted out Lutheranisme wil neuer haue end the Anabaptistes and Trinitarians can not possibly be maystred the worst of these being able to say for him selfe at the least as much as doth the Zuinglian in defence of his Zuinglianisme And this is the verie forme fashion maner and substance of his
apostasie from Christ these later hundred yeres vpon which as I haue said dependeth the verie substance of this his booke is an absurditie in Christian religion so foule monstruous and abominable that it can not be defended of any man except he first of al deny the very incarnation of Christ his preaching his death and passion his eternal kingdome priesthod the sending of the holy Ghost the entier summe of all whatsoeuer hath bene written by the Apostles or foretold by the prophetes For to what end was Christes incarnation but to ioyne him selfe vnto a Church from which he would neuer be separated To what end was his preaching but to erect and instruct such a Church To what end his death and passion but to redeeme sanctifie such a Church leaue vnto it an euerlasting remedie to blot out her sinnes and offences How is he an eternal king who hath not an eternal people obeyng him and obseruing his lawes how an eternal priest whose priesthod and sacrifice for so many hundred yeres was applied to none auailed for none and to what puâ—pose was the holy Ghost sent but to remayne vvith the church for euer and leade her into al truth And vvhat is the summe of the gospels but a declaration that Christ by him self by the holy Ghost by his Apostles founded such a church in vvhich his wil should euermore be openly preached his sacramentes rightly euermore ministred true faith and religion alvvaies preserued a certain vvay for conuerting infidels to the faith for coÌ„futing errors and heresies be continued and al true ChristiaÌ„s maintained by lawful pastâ—rs in vnitie of his true faith against al blastes of vaine doctrine euen vntil his coming to the general iudgement Finally that such a citie and common welth it should be so coÌ„stant so stroÌ„g so vnmoueable that it should vpholde the glorie and name of Christ â— gainst Princes against Potentates against Kings and Emperours against al the force of the world the deuil though they al with might and mayne applyed their whole power to the suppressing and rooting out of it And the self same is the effect of al the auncient Prophetes that the preachers of Christes catholike church should neuer cease day nor night to preach the truth that howsoeuer darknes couered al other nations yet the light there of should neuer be extinguished that the spirite of God and truth of doctrine should neuer depart from it but remayne in it froÌ„ one generation to an other euen for euer that it should neuer be brought in to a narow roume as was the synagoge of the Iewes but should be diffunded thorough al prouiÌ„ces of the earth that the course of heauen of the sunne of day and night should rather faile then priests and preachers of the new testament that albeit other monarchies had an end were altered as the Assyrians the Persians the Macedonians the Romanes yet this should neuer suffer any such a teration but should stand vnchangeâ—ble for euer Wherefore to affirme that this Church hath failed is to affirme that Christ his Apostles Prophetes are al liers that what soeuer is written in the old and new testameÌ„t is all vaine and fabulous For touchâ—ng the straunge deuise of an inuisible church which some of them haue of late imagined it is nothing els but a mere poetical fansie a fansie vvhich consisteth only vpoÌ„ their ovvne vvord and credite for profe vvhereof they neuer yet brought any scripture couÌ„cel father doctor chronicler or writer nor euer shal be able a fansie by which any sect neuer so horrible may defend them selues to be a Church as wel as they a fansie framed and patched together of mere contrarieties and contradictions a fantastical opinioÌ„ which being long since abandoned of the learned protestants in other countries as most vvicked and pestileÌ„t is novv I knovv not vpon vvhat miserie and necessitie receaued of our English Diuines VVhensoeuer vve thinke of the church saith Melanchthon let vs beholde the company of such men as are gathered together vvhich is the visible church nether let vs dreame that the elect of God are to be found in any other place then in this visible societie For nether vvil God be called vpon or acknovvledged othervvise then he hath reuealed him self nether hath he reuealed him self els vvhere saue only in the visible church in vvhich only the voice of the gospel soundeth Nether let vs imagine of any other inuisible church but let vs knovv that the voice of the gospel must sound openly amongst men according as it is vvritten Psal 18 Their sound is gone forth in to al the earth Let vs knovv that the ministery of the gospel must be publike and haue publike assemblies as it is sayd Ephes 4. Let vs ioyne our selues to this company let vs be citizens and members of this visible congregation as vve are commaunded in the 25. and 83. Psalme VVhich places and other the like speake not of Platoes Idea but of a visible church c. And in sundry other places refelling this mad fansie he euer concludeth Necesse est fateri esse visibilem Ecclesiam de qua filius Dei c. It is of necessitie that vve confesse a visible church whereof the sonne of God saith Matth. 18 Dic ecclesiae Tel the church vvhereof Paule saith 1. Cor. 4 VVe are made a spectacle to the vvhole vvorld to angels and to men VVhat a spectacle I beseech you is that vvhich is not seene and whereunto tendeth this monstruous speach vvhich denieth the visible church Delet omnia testimonia antiquitatis abolet iudicia facit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infinitam illam Cyclopum politiaÌ„ in qua◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vt est apud Euripidem It abolisheth al testimonies of antiquitie it taketh avvay al iudgementes it causeth an endles confusion and induceth a common vvelth of vnruly ruffians or Atheists vvherein no one careth for an other And Caluin interpreteth the article of our creede Credo Ecclesiam CatholicaÌ„ of the Catholike visible Church saith furthermore that the knowledge therof is so necessary that there is no hope of life by grace in this world except we be conceaued brought forth nourished aâ—d ruled by her so long as we liue Adde quod extra eius gremium nullae est spâ—randa peccatoruÌ„ remissio neque vlla salus teste Iesai c. 37. vers 32. Ioel. ca. 2. v. 32. Ezechiel ca. 13. v. 9. psal 106. v. 4. Adde here vnto that out of the lap of this visible church no pardon of synnes is to be hoped for nor any saluation as vvitnesse Isaie Ioel Ezechiel and the Prophete Dauid And OecolaÌ„padius writing vpoÌ„ the Prophete Isaie and those wordes ca. 2. Fluent ad eum omnes gentes Create is the dignitie saith he of the Christian church aboue the synagoge of the Ievves in that it shal
be most populous and of al nations sundry shal ioyne them selues vnto it abundantly VVherefore let the Ievves be ashamed vvhich thinke them selues alone to be the sonnes of Abraham Avvay with the Montanistes vvhich say that they alone haue receaued the holy Ghost Confounded be the Donatistes c. hovv much should vve vvithdravv and take from the church catholike if vve beleeued these men And againe vpon Ieremie God here speaketh of the eternitie of Christes kingdome and svveareth that as his league is stedfast with the sunne and moone vvith sommer and vvynter vvith day and night so also he vvil performe that vvhich he promised to Christ that he shal haue kinges and priestes and that for euer and that not a fevv but as the starres of heauen and the sand of the sea both for their dignitie and puritie and also for their multitude The like wordes he hath and confirmeth the same by sundry places of scripture in Isai ca. 64 v 13. Daniel ca. 2. v. 44. Zachar ca. 2. v. 1.2.3 et ca. 7. v. 13.14.15 et ca. 12. v. 6.7 And Illyricus gathereth very wel out of the first chap. of S. Matth. that the true church in the middest of al persecutâ—oÌ„s destructions of cities CoÌ„mon welthes and peoples is not only preserued miraculously by gods special ayde protection but also Ostendit ista series saith he ecclesiam et religionem veraÌ„ habere certas historias suae originis et progressus This genealogie proueth that the true church and religion hath assured historyes of her beginning and encrease I passe ouer very many places of these and other learned Protestantes Brentius Lauatherus Luther Bullinger who in their Commentaries vpon the scriptures refel this sauage opinion of our english Protestants by infinite and the same very euident places of scripture And wonder it were if any thing were wonderful in men forsaken of God and geuen ouer to their ovvne sense hovv these men do not perceaue yea and feele the most sensible contradiction which disputing of this question and of Christes real presence in the sacrament they runne into For here they charge vs that we take from Christ the truth of his body and deny his incarnation because we say it is inuisible and not circumscribed with a certaine place which they say are proprieties so essential to humane nature that the very glorified body of our Sauiour remayneth not a body if it wante them Of this argument M. VV. insulteth and triumpheth in this booke Hoc argumentum saith he to M Martin impetus tuos non pertimescit This argument feareth not your forces Yet talking of the Church militant which consisteth of a number of bodies by nature mortal by essential proprietie visible and bound to a certaine place by Christes ordinance dispersed thorough al quarters of the world this Church they say was a true church and yet inuisible consisted of Emperours Priests nations and peoples and yet circumscribed with no certaine place appearing in no certaine citie prouince or kingdome so tying most ethnically the glorious celestial deified and supernatural body of Christ to the base rules of corruptible philosophie from which they exempt the mortal bodies of men which by the law of God and nature are subiect therevnto But to returne to the fal of the vniuersal Church vpoÌ„ the ruines whereof M.W. booke in particular this new congregation in general is buylt and standeth the issue of that doctrine is no other nether possibly can be but a flat abnegation of Christ Christianitie as the writings of our aduersaries ioyned with their practise declare abundantly to al those who lyst to open their eyes and take a litle paines to learne that which so deepely it importeth them to know And to this purpose notable is the storie of Dauid George the Hollander who being expelled from the low countries for the Sacramentarie heresie and for the same cause honorably receaued and intertained by them of Basile being then of the same religion and many yeres wel esteemed of in that citie after proceeded so far in the gospel that he tooke to him self the name and office of Christ and accompted our Sauiour for a seducer and deceauer and secretly drew many to his opinion For which cause three yeres after his death the rulers of that Citie tooke the body out of his graue and burned it and withal set out the whole storie of his life fayth and death and the rest appertaining to his condemnation and their owne defence This man by what reason principally was he lead into that Turkish madnes forsooth his cheefe reason was this as in the same booke appeareth If that Christ had bene the true Christ then the Church erected by him should haue continued for euer But now we see and it is manifest that the Romish bishop that Antichrist hath surpressed and ouerthrowen many hundred yeres since the church which that Christ erected Hereof it foloweth that he was not the true Messias but a lying maister and a false prophet And Sebastianus Castalio in the preface of his bible dedicated to king Edward what doth he els but closely deny Christ to be the true Messias when vpon this very ground of the churches fal he thus discourseth First he laieth for a foundation the excellencies and prerogatiues of the church which should be established by the Messias as her quietnes and vnitie in religion described by Michaeas cap. 4. That the earth should be so replenished vvith the knovvledge of our Lord as the sea is vvith vvaters Esai 11. And againe cap. 60. VVhereas thou were forsaken enuied and vnfrequented I vvil make the saith God to arise into an euerlasting height so as thou shalt sucke the milke of other nations and the brestes of princes and thou shalt knovv that I thy God am thy sauiour and defender Thy sunne shal no more go dovvne nor thy moone leese her light for our lord shal be thy light which euer shal coÌ„tinue After this sort much more he hath touching the churches happy estate and continuance as before hath bene noted Then looking to the effect and accomplishment of these promises according to Protestantes learning and iudgement he protesteth expressely that this excellencie and felicitie promised to the church of Christians by the coÌ„ming of Messias the more he considereth the scriptures the lesse he findeth the same as yet to haue bene performed howsoeuer a man vnderstand those places alleaged Whereof he frameth this argument Equidem aut haec sutura esse fateÌ„dum est aut iam fuisse aut deus accusandus mendacit Quod si quis fuisse dicet quaeram ex eo quaÌ„do fuerint Si dicet Apostolorum tempore quaeram cur nec vndiquaque perfecta fuerit et tam cito exâ—leuerit dei cognitio ac pietas quae et aeterna et marinis vndis abundantior fuerat promissa Truly vve must confesse ether
Christians and Catholikes who could ether perceaue what I meant or who would not iudge that I did them great iniury in making them to write against Christians which none do but Iewes Turkes or against Catholikes vvhich none do but heretikes and Apostataes And marueil it is that the name of Protestātes is novv grovven into so great dislike vvhich hitherto hath bene so magnified in bookes pulpits and ordinarie phrase of talke and vvhich M. Fox in his huge volume of Actes and Monumentes alvvayes vseth as most proper to their gospel maketh it opposite sometimes to Papistes somtimes to Catholikes which he vseth for one But the truth is those that professe the English faith and religion ether haue no name at al to be knovven by but the common name of heretikes vvhich is to general and vvould be to odious or their most propre name is Zuinglians or Sacramentaries For to cal them Catholikes and Christians besides that it is false and ridiculous and may vvith like probabilitie be chalenged of euery other kind of secte Lutheran Brentian Arrian Puritan besides that their greatest vvriters mocke and scorne at the name Catholike as Popish and superstitious besides this I say it expresseth not that particular religion in vvhich they differre from the rest of the Christian vvorld for vvhich vve vvrite against them and for vvhich the Lutheranes oppose thē selues against them and vvhich by their name ought specially to be signified The name of Protestantes which commonly they vsurpe is wrongfully chalenged of them as which duely only belongeth to the Lutheranes who for opposing them selues against the decrees of the Empyre Emperour touching Catholike religion and protesting that they would stand in defence of their owne according to the Confession exhibited at Auspurg were first for their so doing and protesting named Protestantes as much to say as men that stood and protested against the Catholike faith for their priuate in such sort as hath bene noted From which Confession of theirs as likewise from al other communion those of the English religion vvere by the name of Zuinglians expresly excluded And briefly that no other name can be duely applied vnto them besides the name of Zuinglians by this reason it may playnely appeare When they brake from the rest of the Christian vvorld vvhich they say vvas couered vvith palpable darkenes and betooke them selues to that light of the gospel vvhereof novv they so much brag and boast vvho vvas their maister ringleader and Apostle therein but Huldericus Zuinglius So much they vvrite most euidently in the Apologie of their English church In the middest of that darknes say they those most excellent men Martin Luther and Hulderike Zuinglius sent from God to illuminate the vvhole vvorld first came to the Gospel Missi à Deo ad illustrandum terrarum orbem primū accesserunt ad Euangelium Now whereas them selues al other name those gospellers which folow Luthers sense and interpretation by the name of Lutherans they vvho prefer Zuinglius before Luther and professe them selues to haue receaued the light of the Gospel from him hovv should they be called but Zuinglians not only for like reason vvhich hath bene vsed in al times and ages from the first beginning of the primitiue Church vvhere the Secte-maisters haue geuen appellation to their after-commers as in Marcion Valentinus Carpocrates Nouatus the rest but much more and especially because them selues chalenge him for their maister in their particular faith and religion And therefore it can not be avoided but as Luthers scholers are called Lutherans so Zuinglius disciples ought of like right to be called Zuinglians And to end this quarel our aduersaries them selues who haue written of these matters shal serue to quite vs of al fault M. Fox in his storie when soeuer he speaketh of that sect vvhich him self best-liked ordinarily calleth them sometime Protestants sometime Hussites sometime at large men forward in promoting the proceedings of the gospel sometime more briefly Gospellers And writing precisely of the diuision betvvene Luther and Zuinglius he saith VVith Luther in the opinion of the Sacrament consented the Saxons vvith the other side of Zuinglius vvent the Heluetians and as time did grow so the diuision of these opinions increased in sides and spread in farther realmes and countries the one part being called of Luther Lutherans the other hauing the name of Sacramentaries So in Sleidan vve haue very common the name of Zuinglians and Sacramentaries as likewise he calleth the other part Lutherans and their religion Lutheranisme and euen so they termed them selues It were tedious to iustifie this out of Luther Zuinglius especially al historigraphers of our age And in truth it is much like as if a man should light a candle at noone-tide Wherefore in this we must desyre our aduersaries to beare with vs if we speake not only as al Catholikes but as al Protestants as Luther as Sleidan as M. Fox as generally al writers in their bookes and volumes are accustomed to speake and as the world of thē hath learned and as the aduersaries them selues by al reason induce vs to speake and as of necessitie we must speake if we wil speake and be vnderstoode Touching any other fault I shal be ready ether to defēd it or to correct it to correct it if it be noted against me iustly to defend it if it be obiected vndeseruedly this I protest not only in words as cōmonly do al Protestantes but in simplicitie of truth as meaning to performe the same And therefore willingly I submit what so euer I haue written to the iudgment of al Catholikes symply and with out exception to whom iudgment of these matters appertaineth to the iudgment of al Protestants euen of M. W. him selfe so far furth as he shal geue censure of it and refel it by the written word of God expounded according to the analogie of faith A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. I. Of Luthers contemning S. Iames his Epistle and calling it stramineam Pag. 1. Chap. II. Of the Canonical scriptures and that the English cleargie in accepting some and refusing others are lead by no learning or diuinitie but by mere opinion fantasie Pa. 19. Chap. III. How M.W. defendeth Luther preferring his priuate iudgement before al auncient fathers and Doctors Pag. 42. Chap. IIII. Of priesthod and the sacrifice continued after Christ in the state of the new testament and that it derogateth nothing from Christ Pa. 56. Chap. V. Of Penance and the value of good workes touching iustificatiō and life eternal Pag. 82. Chap. VI. How vnreasonably M.W. behaueth him self in reprouing and approuing the auncient fathers for their doctrine touching good workes Pag. 114. Chap. VII Of M. Iewels challenge renewed by M. W. and the vanitie and falshod thereof Pag. 129. Chap. VIII Of Beza corruptly trāslating a place of scripture Act. 3. and of the real presence Pag. 169.
that it svvarueth from the Apostolicall doctrine and teacheth cleane contrarie to S. Paule and all scriptures if Luther flatly expresly deny it to be Apostolical and affirme it to conteyne no one title or letter of such matter as the Apostels are wont to haÌ„dle if WolfgaÌ„gus Musculus vse him so contemptuouslie as though he were some poore rascall not worth the naming and teache him what he should say and sette him to schole this being euident then F. Campions conclusion standeth strong that Luther with his complices contemne that parte of scripture howsoeuer he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strawen or wodden And therefore ether let M. VV. lyke a good childe confesse with Luther vvhom gladlie he vvorshippeth as his father and vvith the Lutherans vvhom he embraceth as his most deere brethren in Christ that this epistle is no more worth then his father and brethren make of it or if he mislike such consanguinitie as sure I am they abhorre him let him then detest them as profane and wicked men who so impiouslie reiecte the written worde of God that is the foundation as they say whereon is buylte their newe congregation and so may the reader note downe one more capital and substantiall point of dissension betwene those two churches lutheran zuinglian then heâ—herto he hath consâ—dered although nether can he so doe precisely but rather note it as a diuision amonge the zuinglians also for so muche as it appeareth by Musculus that the Zuinglians of SuitzerlaÌ„d no lesse then the LutheraÌ„s of Germanye disagree from the Englishe churche in their Canon of scripture yea the Englishe church within it self as shal appeare in the nexte chapiter CHAP. II. Of the Canonical scriptures and that the English cleargie in accepting some and refusinge others are ledde by no learning or diuinitie but by mere opinion and fantasie AFTER S. Iames foloweth a questioÌ„ proposed by M. Martin how it chauÌ„ceth that the English church doth admit S. Iames epistle which sometime was not admitted and yet wil refuse Tobias Ecclesiasticus the books of Machabees which were no farther disproued then that of S. Iames. The reason in truth is the same in effecte geuen by M.VV. because these later contayne such proofe of the Catholyke religion as by no sophisticatioÌ„ can be eluded S. Iames they thinke is not so flat but shifts they haue to ridde their handes of him well inough So much writeth Caluin Some there are that thinke this epistle not vvorthie of authoritie but I because I see no sufficiente cause vvhy it should be reiected gladly vvithout controuersie embrace it for vvhereas the doctrine of free iustification semeth to be refuted in the second chapiter in his place I shall easelie ansvvere that matter As if he had sayd that therefore he admitted it because he had found out a quidditie to auoide that hard obiection agaynst only faith which answere notwithstaÌ„ding because it is false peeuish sophistical and cannot abide the tryall as wel proueth Illyricus Pomerane Musculus they therfore thought the other way more cleanlie rather vppoÌ„ preteÌ„ce of some doubte made in the primitiue churche cleane to shake it of with the rest then vppon a vaine toy which must in fine shame it selfe make hazard of their solifidian iustificatioÌ„ which must needes come to the grounde if this Apostle retaine his old credite This I say in deede is the reason but because thus to haue spoken plainlie had geuen a sure demonstratioÌ„ to the reader that they make no more account of scriptures then of fathers no more reckning of Iames or Peter then of Gregorie or Austin if they be against their conceaued heresies therefore M. VVhit semeth to shape a more cleanlie answere and this yt is All the church saith he reproued not the epistle of Iames and they that reproued it vvere moued so to doe by no sure reasons but these bookes vvhich you name Tobias Ecclesiasticus the Machabees the vvhole churche of old reiected nether vvere they vvritten in the Hebrevv tounge vvhereas no bookes of the old testament vvere Canonicall but onlie those vvhich the lord commended to the old churche Two reasoÌ„s he seemeth to geue the first that no bookes in the olde TestameÌ„t are Canonicall but such as were written in the Hebrew the proofe wherof consisting onlie in M.VV. authoritie without ether reason or probabilitye or Doctor or Councell if I oppose against him S. Augustine with the catholike churche of that age I trust the reader wil not greatlie stagger which syde he ought to take and if this reason hold I marueile what shall become of Daniel a great parte wherof is held of them for Canonical yet is not writteÌ„ in the Hebrew His other argument is of more force that the vvhole primitiue church refused the bookes of Machabees Iudith Tobie but certaine onlv that vppon no good reason refused S. Iames. These two partes if he proue and shew this difference he sayth somewhat I wil be of iudgement as he is if not whereof I assure my self then as before so here styll lust and fantasie ruleth them in mangling thus the scriptures not reason diuinytie let vs see how he proueth that the whole churche reiected the former S. Hierom sayth the church readeth the bookes of Iudith Tobias the Machabees but reckeneth theÌ„ not amongst canonicall scriptures This for them how may we fynd now that not the whole churche but some particuler men and they not vppon any good reason refused S. Iames For this part we must credit M.VV. vppon his worde for besyde his worde reason or coniecture he yeldeth none but coÌ„trariwise to disproue this his distinction and approue that without reason or conscience he and his fellowes haue made choyse of the one with condemnation of the other thus to do M.VV. him selfe ministreth vs mattet abundant for thus he wryteth in his first booke in iustifiynge frier Luther against S. Iames. Luther vvas not ignorante vvhat the aunciente church iudged of Iames his epistle Eusebius doubted not to vvrite of that epistle expresslie I vvold have all men to knovv that the epistle vvhich is ascribed to Iames is a bastarde epistle vvhat could be writteÌ„ more plainly but perhaps Eusebius pleaseth you not geue me a reasoÌ„ vvhy heare then Hierome vvhom you knovv to have bene a Priest of the Romane Church The epistle of Iames is auouched to have bene set forth by some other in his name the one affirmeth it to be a counterfeite the other saith it is supposed to have bene published not by the Apostle but by some other vvhy then are you angrie vvith Luther vvhom you see not suddenlie or rashlie first to have begon to doubâ—e of that epistle but therein to folovve the iudgement â—â—stimonie of the auncient Church Let vs now ioyne together these two proofes of M. VV. with consideration what thence
no wiser then they who in so shorte space haue falleÌ„ out with your self altered your iudgmeÌ„te and now esteeme that for apocriphal which then was to yow canonical that is now iugde that to be the moone which then you thought to be the sunne Our lorde geue his people grace to thinke of you as you proue your selues that is so fantastical inconstant that you know not what to say and whyles you seeke to keepe your selfe aloofe from the Catholike churche the sure piller grouÌ„de of truâ—he you plunge your selues ouerhead and eares in such foule absurdities as neuer did heretikes before you For what is the reason of al this because besydes the written word or scripture yow wil not acknowledge any traditioÌ„ of the Church wherevnto by this question yow are enforced of necessitie For if we are bound to beleeue certaine bookes as for example the Gospel of S. Matthew S. Marke S. Iohn and S. Paules Epistles to be Canonical that is heaueÌ„ly and peÌ„ned by diuine inspiration and yet the same can not be proued by scripture theÌ„ cleare it is that we are bound to beleeue somewhat which by scripture caÌ„ not be proued and so the tradition of the Church is established And marueyle it is that yow perceaue not how grosly yow ouerthwart your self and plainly refel that which yow would seeme most earnestly to confirme For if yow march your beleefe of scripture with knowledg of the Sunne and Moone and such like as are knowen by only sense the light of nature then you deny it to be any article of your faith For these two are directly opposite and the apostle confirmeth this reason wheÌ„ he defineth faith to come by hearing and hearing by the vvord of God ergo fides ex auditu auditus per verbuÌ„ Dei And therefore if you beleeue not with humaine faith as yow beleeue Tusculanes questions to haue bene written by Cicero but with Christian diuine faith as yow beleeue Christ to be your sauiour if thus you beleeue the Gospel which beareth S. Matthews name as likewise that of S. Marke and S. Iohn to haue bene written by them then yow beleeue so because so yovv haue heard it preached and so yovv haue receaued and consequently by the Apostles authoritie that verie matter so preached vnto yow is the vvord of God which word of God whereas yow find not in the scriptures hereof it foloweth manifestly that somewhat is the vvord of God which is not scripture and therefore yow and your fellowes beleeuing only scripture beleeue not al the vvord of God but only a peece thereof and so did the worste heretikes that euer were yea so do at this day the verie Turkes and Mahometanes But to end this special matter with yow M. VV. touching your distinction betweene S. Iames and Tobias Iudith the Machabees c. where you make this to be the difference that S. Iames vvas refused but of a fevv and the other generally of the vvhole Churche tota Ecclesia repudiauit say you for declaration of your truth herein I referre you to the moste euident testimonies of the same auncient Churche S. Augustine setting downe the Canonicall scriptures as they were read and beleeued in his time placeth S. Iames I coÌ„fesse in order with the Gospels Pauls epistles yet not excludiÌ„g those other but in the selfe same place numbringe Tobie Iudith and the Machabees with the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes his saith he 44. libris veteris testameÌ„ti terminatur authoritas In these fourtie and foure bookes is concluded the authoritie of the old testament Likewise the Councel of Carthage approueth for Canonicall S. Iames but in the same CanoÌ„ it approueth as far the other forenamed and teacheth of them as directlie as of the other that they are Canonicall scriptures Somewhat before S. Augustines daies they were not by publike decree of the Church receaued as appeareth by S. Hierome and the Councel of Laodicea but then when there was as greate doubte of S. Iames epistle S. Paule to the Hebrewes and the Apocalyps touchinge the first it is manifest by that which hath bene said by you and your felowes Of the secoÌ„d there was more question then of the first and S. Hierome seldome citeth it but he geueth a note signifyinge that it was not in his time taken for Canonical In the Epistle to the Hebrevves vvhich the custome of the Latine Church receaueth not saith he it is thus vvritten Againe the blessed Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrevves although the custome of the Latin Church receaueth it not amongst Canonicall scriptures Againe this authoritie the Apostle Paule vsed or vvhosoeuer he vvere that vvrote that Epistle In catalogo he saith that euen vnto his time it vvas not accounted the vvritinge of Paule and that Caius an auncient writer denyeth it to be his and in his epistle to Paulinus sette before the Bible he saith that a plaerisque extra numerum ponitur of the more part it is put out of the nuÌ„ber of Paules vvritinges The like might be declared by S. CipriaÌ„ Lactantius Tertullian Arnobius and S. Austine if it were needefull and the Apocalyps was yet more doubtful then ether of these two as wee see by the Councel of Laodicea leafte oute of the rolle of Canonicall writinges when both the other of S. Iames and S. Paule were put in Wherefore as false that is which M.VV. constantlie auoucheth of the auncient Church touchinge the seueringe of these sacred volumes so hath he not yet nor euer shalbe able with reason to satisfie M. Martins demaund why they of England haue coÌ„desceÌ„ded to admit the one rather then the other And here the reader may consider esteeme as it deserueth of that glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in fine he singeth to him self settinge the crowne of triumphe vppon his owne head and his felowes Nothing saith he is novv more vulgar then the Papists arguments against vs. Quicquid afferri a quoquam potuit vidimus diluimus protriuimus vvhat so euer could be said of anie of them al vve haue seene it refelled it and trode it vnder foote he may consider I saie how like this man and his companions are to worke such maisteries who as yet knowe not what those weapons are which they should vse in atchiuing such conquests For whereas they vaunt to doe this by the written worde yet are not resolued amoÌ„gest them selues what that written word is and how farre it extendeth it is as fantastical a parte to bragge of victorie as if a mad man should ruÌ„ne into the field to slea his enemie and when he commeth there knoweth not with what weapon to begin the fight Wherefore wel may he and his felowes heare and see the Catholike doctrine as Esai speaketh of the Iewes concerninge the doctrine of Christ hearing shal you heare shall not vnderstand and seeing shal yovv
see and yovv shall not see and wel may they treade it vnder theire feete as our Sauiour parabolically forespake that heretikes wold doe when he said Nolite proiicere margaritas ante porcos ne forte conculceÌ„t eas pedibus suis but to refel confute suppresse it that is no more possible then that Christ should be false of his worde and promisse that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And whereas it hath coÌ„tinued by the protestaÌ„ts coÌ„mon grauÌ„t aboue a thousand yeares in truth euer since Christ his passion against other maner of tempests then these are heretikes of excelleÌ„t learning heresies of maruelous subtilitie most mightie Emperours rulers of the worlde now to imagine that it maie be vanquished of these grosse and contrarie heresies fortified with no maner of learning wherof manie are so base that men eueÌ„ by the light of nature abhorre theÌ„ hauing nothing to mainteine theÌ„ selues but onlie a vaine challeÌ„ginge of the Spirite and bold crakinge of the vvord of the Lord which a parrat caÌ„ doe with a litle instruction as well as they thus I saie to talke were more fit for Pasquillus Estaticus or a sicke man wheÌ„ he raueth than a sober Diuine that wayeth what he speaketh CHAP. III. Hovv M. VV. defendeth Luther preferring his priuate iudgment before all auncient fathers and Doctors NEXT commeth in againe frier Luther whoÌ„ M. Martin accused for saynge that he esteemed not a thousande Augustines CipriaÌ„s Churches wheÌ„ they are against him That the reader may better carie awaie the matter I wil first put downe Luthers wordes where vpon this controuersie standeth after it shal be easier to iudge how aptlie M. VV. defence is framed The wordes of Luther are in his booke written against King Henrie the eight her Maiesties father and are these But I saith he against the saynges of fathers of men of Angels of deuels set not old custome not multitude of men but the vvord of the onlie eternall maiestie the Gospel here I stand here I sit here I glorie here I triumphe here I insult ouer Papists Thomists Henricists Sophists and all the gates of hell much more ouer the saynges of men be they neuer so holie Gods vvorde is aboue al the diuine maiesty maketh for me so as I passe not if a thousaÌ„d Austines a thousand Ciprians a thousand Kinge-Harrie Churches stoode against me God can not erre or deceaue Austine Ciprian and likevvise all other elect might erre they haue erred here ansvvere maister Harrie here plaie the maÌ„ I coÌ„tene thy lies I feare not thy threates here thovv staÌ„dest astonished like a stock c. These are the wordes with which M. Martin findeth faulte M.VV. defendeth them thus If Luther had preferred him self before all fathers Churches he vvere not to be borne vvithal but this Luther neuer challenged to himself But in some causes Luther might esteeme more his ovvne iudgement then the authoritie of Austine or Ciprian or a thousand Churches For if that vvhich Luther taught vvere agreable to Gods vvord Luthers iudgment vvas to be preferred before all the contrary iudgments of all men liuinge Before I enter into the examination of this answere let me demaunde this one thinge in courtesie of you M.W. what the reason is whie you so busilie and eagerlie defende Luther be his wordes neuer so strange or fanatical or whie is the Pope Antichrist for resisting your Gospel whereas Luther you aduaunce if not into the place of Christ yet at least amonge the number of his Apostles Did the Pope of Rome euer persequute your zuinglian gospel with more deadly hatred then did that pope of Saxonie Did he not from the verie beginning to his later breath holde you and your brethren for most damnable wretches and professed enemies of the eternall testament of Christ Are you ignorant how for this cause he wrote whole volumes agaynst your first Apostle Zuinglius Read you neuer the Confession of your brethreÌ„ of the Tigurine church where thus they complaine Lutherus statim ab initio mâ—rdere furere conuitiari bacchari coepit c. Luther presently at the beginning began to byte to play the mad man to raile and rage and besides this he filled his bookes vvith the horrible names of Deuils Sectaries Sprites mad men and vvhatsoeuer slaunders came to his minde he cast them out agaynst vs outragiously Complaine they not in the preface of that Confession that he inueigheth against them as against obstinate heretikes and such as are guiltye to themselues of all impietie as prophaners of the Sacraments and the most vyle and pestilent men that goe on the ground He proscribeth and condemneth first of al the faithful doctors and ministers of God Oecolampadius Zuinglius and their disciples vvheresoeuer they be all frindship and communion vvith vs he compteth vvicked abominable and vvhat soeuer commeth froÌ„ vs be it letters be it bookes be it salutations be it benedictions he vvill not only not reade but he vvill not so much as vouchsafe to looke vppon them or heare them spoken of so farre forth that when Eroschouerus the zuinglian printer of zuricke sent him a bible traÌ„slated by the diuines there Luther sent it him backe againe with this greetinge that he should not send him anie thinge that proceeded from the ministers of the Tigurine church for he vvould haue no dealinge vvith them nether vvoulde he receaue or reade their bookes for the churches of God could not communicate vvith theÌ„ Yea he protesteth that he had rather susteine a hundred seueral deathes then to become of your opinion or shew any couÌ„tenance of bearing fauour to it The Lord defend sayth he that I vvittingly and vvillingly by the authority of my name should couer or confirme the verie least error of the fanatical SacrameÌ„taries Nam vel centies laniari aut igne comburi malleÌ„ c. For I had rather be torne in peeces or burnt vvith fier a huÌ„dred times theÌ„ to folovv the opinion and agree in doctrine vvith zvvinglius Oecolampadius the rest of those miserable vnfortunate fanatical men Finally know you not M. W. that thus he began thus he went foreward thus he continued thus he ended his daies dyinge such a mortal enemye to you that he seemed to make his hâ—tred and detestation of your church and gospel a peece of his iustificatioÌ„ before Christe as in his last Confession made a litle before his death and recorded in the foresaid Confession of Zurake it appeareth Ego qui iam sepulchro vicitus obambulo hoc testimoniam et hanc gloriam ad Christi saluatoris tribunal perferam c. I saith he that novv vvalke nye to my graue vvill carie this testimonie and this glorie to the tribunal seate of Christ my Sauiour that I haue vvith all earnestnes condemned and auoyded those fanaticall men and enemies of the Sacrament Zuinglius OEcolampadius
Stinckfâ—ldius and their scholer vvhether they be at Zuruke or in vvhat place else soeuer vnder the sâ—nne Thus Luther If you know this Maister Whitaker as you wil seeme to be ignorant of nothing what maketh you so busily to defend Luthers barbarous and proude vauntes as though he were such a piller without whom your church could not stande But belyke it is sufficient that he was an Apostata frier as were the founders of your gospel that he with you agreed in rayling at the Pope and Sea of Rome and so for his agreeing with you in these smaler toyes you care not for his disagreeing from you in those weightie matters Wel be it as you liste and perhaps you haue more reason then I perceaue otherwise you shall neuer be able to iustifie this demeanure in the sight of any man endued with common sence Let vs heare how conningly you cure this stinking sore for nothing stinketh more before the face of God and man then a poore contemptible wretch so Lucifer-lyke to prefer him selfe before inumerable excellent learned and glorious Saintes of God What distinction haue you to saue Luthers honestie Forsooth this In certaine cases Luther might more esteeme of his ovvne iudgement then of Austine Ciprian or a thousand Churches For if that vvhich Luther taught vvere agreable to Gods vvord then Luthers iudgment vvas to be preferred before the contrarie iudgment of al men and Churches Here M. VV. thinketh he hath spoken much to the purpose and therefore aduaunceth him selfe alofte Scripturam Lutherus protulit cuinullus mortalis resistit quaeque tandem Pontificiis decretis pesteÌ„ atque exitium afferet Luther brought vvith him scripture vvhich no mortall man can vvithstand and vvhich at length shall be the bane and distruction of the Popish decrees That I may the better conceaue this distinction and ether yelde to it if it stand with reason or discouer the vanitie of it if it fal out to be but a peeuish battologie of wordes as I trowe it will proue let me require a playner explication of that parte Luther might vvell prefer his iudgment before a thousand Austines Ciprianes and Churches if he spake vvith scripture Is this the meaning that in case and controuersie of religion if a thousand Ciprians that is all the Fathers teach vs one thing and bringe scriptures for them and one father Luther teach vs the contrarie and bringe scriptures for him may Luther in this case preferre his owne iudgement before al those Fathers if so as the speach it selfe is so monstrous execrable as the deuil him selfe can not open his mouth into more horrible pride so what heresie what Apostasie what Atheisme in the church can euer be coÌ„trouled if this rule be made currante why shoud Arrius yelde to the Councel of Nice Nestorius to the Councel of Ephesus Macedonius to the CouÌ„cel of Constantinople seinge they brought scriptures for them and by this rule ought to haue preferred their priuate iudgment before those byshops as Luther his offpringe doe theirs before the Councel of Trente or will he say that if perhaps a thousand Austines and Churches teache some doctrine without the writteÌ„ worde of God that is citing no text for it Luther against the same bring the written worde that is some texte of the scripture after his seÌ„se in this case he may better esteeme of himselfe then of al the rest But first he can neuer geue instance that ether the auncient fathers did so in their tymes or that we do so now for howsoeuer in the Councels of Nice of Ephesus of Chalcedon the byshops stoode much vppoÌ„ the traditioÌ„ of their elders ea que sunt patrum teneantur say they sic credere à sanctis patribus edocti sumus let vs hold fast the fayth and decrees of our fathers thus to beleeue vve haue bene taught by our holye fathers yet they waÌ„ted not scriptures as nether did the fathers in the Councel of Trent nor we at this day in our controuersies with the protestantes And if those auncient fathers had alleaged no direct euident place against Arrius Nestorius Eutyches yet notwithstanding the Christian people were bound to beleeue them grounding them selues only vpoÌ„ the Catholike vniuersal fayth of the churches which were before them as they did in the question of our B. Ladies perpetual virginitie And albeit the heretike brought some clauses of scripture for the coÌ„trary part yet ought al faithful men to yeld no more credit thereto theÌ„ to the deuil when he alleaged scripture against our sauiour because as the deuil so al heretikes may vse scripture against the true sense and meaning thereof the vniuersal church caÌ„ neuer teach or beleeue so as by Christ him self we are assured And this case in effect coÌ„meth to one issue with the former for geue this scope to an heretike that all the Bishops Churches Fathers may erre he alone if he can alleage a text may therefore rightly contemne al other in respecte of him selfe as euery Sectmaister doth and hath done where is the Churches quietnes what order is there for coÌ„tinuance of fayth to what ende was the comminge of Christ to what vse the sendinge of the holy Ghost Or perhaps M. W. wil say posito per impossibile that all the Churches fathers teach against scripture Luther alone teache with scripture then lo Luther maye thinke him selfe a better man then they all and this is true this I graunte as in like maner I confesse that if the heauen shoulde falle we knowe what woulde folow And yet of these two suppositions the Spirit of God putteth the later to be more possible that the course of heauen shal soner alter then the Catholike Churche of the new TestameÌ„te fal frome Christe to Apostasie But it may be M.VV. wil say I scanne his wordes to narrowlie his meaning is plaine that whereas Luther bringeth scriptures against vs that is against all the Austines and Ciprianes of the Catholike Church all the Byshops now liuinge he maye well truste his owne iudgmente if this be the meaning yet stil al commeth to one ende and whie may Luther so do more then Caluine whie Caluine more then Muncerus whie a ZwingliaÌ„ more then a Puritane Anabaptiste or Trinitarian Or what assurance hath he more then those other But if Luthers iudgment bringinge scriptures with him be so forcible against vs may not we trow you Lutherize a litle after your example and say the same against you As for example Luther hath made a booke entituled defensio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verborum coenae accipite comedite hoc est corpus meum contra fanaticos SacramentarioruÌ„ spiritus In that booke not very longe or large yet contayninge more substaÌ„ce then some whole volumes of his do his principal conclusion risinge vpon this texte of scripture and grounded vpon many texts of scripture beside is that he and his vvill
that Christ hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sempiternall euer lasting vnchangeable or vnremoueable priesthod far otherwise then Aaron and the Leuitical priests had This being the Apostles reason and sense and word what foloweth hereof or what would M.W. inferre I see not what may be concluded but ether it is so true that we wil neuer denye it or it is so foolish that he should be ashamed to mention it if he say Christ is a priest for euer we affirme no lesse that his priesthod passeth not from him it is our beleefe that the force and vertue thereof endureth foreuer we liue and die therein and all the baptismes recōciliations sacrifice sacramentes al grace vertue sanctification which is in the church Catholike dependeth of this faith and floweth from the eternity of this one euerliuinge priest and priesthode But will he inferre hereof that therefore there ought to be no other inferior priestes and that this derogateth from his priesthode this lo is so chyldish that amongest meane learned diuines it deserueth rather laughter then answeare Christe is a priest for euer therefore there are no priestes whie then let vs argue Christ is a true man for euer therefore we are not or he hath a soule for euer therefore we haue none or he is a kinge for euer therefore let vs depose all princes and remoue princelie authoritie Christ is our doctor maister and teacher for euer and so farewel al maisters and doctors so the Eschequer shal saue that which the Q. Maiestie bestoweth on the Vniuersitie readers finallie because Christ liueth for euer therefore let vs rid our selues out of the way lest we derogate from Christ For as Christ in most excel lent sorte hath the one that is priesthod so hath he all the rest bodie soule kinglie power prophecie to be a maister doctor and teacher all agree to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that eternallie vnchangeablie and vnremoueablie But ô miserable people whose soules are committed to such teachers most vnfortunate church where such doctors possesse the principal chaires where the very learned mē who should be lightes to the rest are so blinded with heresie that they see not so much as ether common knowledge of meane diuinitie or the continual practise of ciuil policie or their verie Communiō booke thrusteth into their eyes and cares for how is it possible that a learned man hauing any sense of diuinitie should be moued with this new deuise hanging vpon one Greeke or Latine worde which so many hūdreds of learned fathers Greeke and Latine could neuer yet espie but though they knew both this particular controuersie and generallie all truth by many degrees more fullie then possiblie can any of these sectaries or secte-maisters yet were they so far from anie such collection that euermore in saynge and writing in teachinge and confutinge in lyfe and death they practised the contrarie And what reasonable man castinge his eyes vpon the Q. maiestie should not by and by descrie the vanitie of this sophistication for if she may conferre vpon some of her subiectes in euerie shier of her realme authoritie and gouernemēt to rule to imprison to chastise to correct to release to decide controuersies to arraygne in iudgement to condemne and execute euen vnto death al this with out empayringe or diminishinge her princelie authoritie nay to the much greater shew declaration thereof for so much as her subiectes doinge these offices vnder her hauing al their power depēding of her she absolutely rulinge dependinge of none by these so manye litle riuers as it were doe more excellētly set forth the largenes of the mayne springe how much more easelie may we conceaue this of Christ our vniuersal and absolute kinge and priest in the regiment of his Church that he without empairinge of his supreme euerlastinge and incommutable priesthode may communicate these sacred priestlie functions with his ministerial officers for the benefite of his subiectes the Christiā-Catholikes dispersed thorough out the world and so much the more as in euerie holie action wrought in the Church in euerie consecration in euerie sanctification in euerie reconciliation in euerie baptisme in euerie sacramente and sacrifice whatsoeuer is done to the benefite of mans soule Christ our high priest hath therein a more true and effectual operation concurring with his minister then hath any prince vnder the sunne in lyke case in regiment of his owne realme And if this can not sinke into their heads how is it that they consider not their verie Cōmuniō booke where the Parlamēt from whēce that booke hath his authoritie geueth power to the minister in some case to remitte sinnes then which nothing is more proper to Christ nothīg more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing more neerelie vnited to his diuine person And yet thus it is appointed there Here shal the sicke person make a speciall cōfession if he feele his consciēce troubled vvith any vveightie matter after vvhich confession the priest that is the minister shall absolue him after this sorte And so foloweth a verie forme of Absolutiō borowed from the vse of our Catholike Church Our Lord Iesus Christ vvho hath least povver to his Church to absolue al sinners vvhich trulie repente and beleeue in him of his great mercie forgeue thee thine offences And by his authoritie committed to me I absolue thee from all thie synnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holie Ghost Amen Wherefore if ether reason or sense or experience or humanitie or diuinitie preuaile with M. W. he can not vpō Christs sempiternall priesthode make any probable coniecture against the priesthode of the Church or say it derogateth from Christ Contrarywise if he wil stand ether to his owne writing or to the iudgement of his felow-zuinglians Martir Bale and Caluin or to the proofes and testification of the lutheranes his brethren for so he calleth them Illyricus wigandus c. or will admitt the vniforme consent of the fathers in the primitiue Church or the veritie of Christs promise he must needes acknowledge not onlie that in S. Augustines time but euen from the Apostles time priestes properlie so called were pastors rulers of the church and haue had their origine from Christ And therfore as before so here I tell him againe that in calling them Baalites Antichristians he calleth Christ Baal he calleth our Sauiour Antichrist And therefore if I thought my counsaile might preuaile with such prophane ministers geuē ouer I feare into a reprobate sense and vessels of damnation I would say as S. Peter said to Simon Magus Repente thee of this thy vvickednes and pray to God if perhaps this cogitation of thy harte may be remitted thee For in this blasphemous sentence most certaynly he hath troden the sonne of God vnder foote and esteemed the bloud of the Testament polluted vvherein he is sanctified and hath done contumely to
the Prophete Esaie so in the first part coupling both toghether he sheweth what is perfect penance as likewise doth our Sauiour in S. Matthew where he condemneth that Pharisaical error but that wickednes being remoued the thinges in them selues he approueth calleth them the iustice of Christians who for the same haue their revvard vvith God and that M. W. replie not this to haue bene a Iewish ceremonie and therefore abrogated he may learne if he know not or he may remeÌ„ber if he haue forgotten that this is a duetie morall and therefore practised not onlie in the law but also out of the law and before the law and after the law both in the tyme of nature and grace Touching the lawe of nature before the law of Moyses I referre him to S. Hierome in his booke against Iouinian partlie because those examples are by him wel set forth and vrged against Iouinian partlie because M.W. may withall finde that his opinion is not new but was of old defended by that fleshlie heretike This morall duetie grounded on the law of nature God confirmed and established by his writteÌ„ law as we reade in the booke of Numbers Thus vnder the law the prophet Dauid did penaÌ„ce Thus out of the law the Niniuites did penance and God approued their doinge Thus that wicked Kinge Achab did penance the scripture alloweth him therin Thus in the time of grace S. Paule chastised him selfe and enioyned penance to others The Apostles vsuallie enioyned fastes before they ordered priestes as appeareth in the Actes This kinde of fast and penance vsed Timothe wheÌ„ though otherwise weake feeble he altogether abstayned from wine so far forth that the Apostle S. Paule thought it needeful to appoint require him to vse a litle vvine because of his vveake stomake and manie infirmites Touchinge which place were it not that M.W. hath already condemned the fathers as erringe in this point I could wish him quietlie and consideratlie to reade S. Chrisostomes notable homelie tom 5. Homelia 1. ad popul Antioche Finallie in one worde that true Christians should thus doe that is vse prescript kinde of fastinge and discipline in the new testament our Sauiour euidentlie foretelleth when he saith in excuse of his Apostles because they fasted not as did S. Ihons disciples Can the children of the bridegrome mourne as long as the bridegrome is vvith them but the dayes vvil come vvhen the bridegrome shal be taken avvay from them and then they shal fast which fast must necessarilie be vnderstoode of a fast dâ—ffering from that which they obserued with Christ And so nether can be vnderstood of the fast from sinne for so Christ would not allow them to breake their fast nether of fast as fast signifieth temperance in diet for Christ neuer allowed them excesse or intemperance and brieflie caÌ„ signifie no other fast but such as the Church after Christes departure vnto these dayes hath and yet doth obserue Agaynst al this M. W. alleageth two Greeke wordes of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is accordinge to his sense seueritie of discipline in punishing the bodie the English Testament tourneth it sparing the bodie whereunto the Apostle opposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the same place is traÌ„slated satisfying of the flesh And what meaneth M.W. by this allegatioÌ„ thinketh he that the Apostle discommendeth the first and exhorteth men to the second is he so verie an Epicure that he can but once imagine of S. Paule that he should wish men to pamper vp their bodie and employ them selues to satisfie the flesh if he meane so let him speake plainlie that men may see to what filthines this new Gospel tendeth If otherwise why alleageth he those wordes in this place and against fasting and penance why at all alleageth he the bare wordes without a coÌ„mentarie Touchinge the sense let the reader peruse the Annotation vpon the same in the Catholike English TestameÌ„t he shal quickly see what pithe there is in M. W. greeke citations with which I know not to what purpose he would seme to illuminate his writinge Verie wel and succinctlie Theodorete geueth the sense of that place otherwise obscure and hard Oportet sua sponte abstinere non tanquam ab abominandis sed tanquam a suauissimis The Apostle meante not to withdraw men from abstinence they must abstaine from meates and drinkes not as from things impure and abominable for that is Iudaical but as from things pleasant and delectable to the flesh and this is Christian His reason why he disliketh the former workes of penance is because they are iniurious to Christs passion ond death the onlie price and satisfaction for sinnes This argument is al one with the last of priesthode and therefore in parte is satisfied alreadie For a surplusage I adde that these and the lyke reasons procede rather of ignorance then ought els therefore if he would first learne what is the meaning of the Catholike Church and all Christians he would neuer so idlie trouble the world with such stuffe nor so wickedlie controule the learned auncient Bishops and withal he might ease him selfe of some labour Verie diuinelie saith the holie Councel This satisfaction vvhich vve vndertake for our sinnes is not ours so that it is not by Christ Iesus for vve that of our selues as of our selues can do nothing by his cooperatioÌ„ vvhich strengtheneth vs can do al things so man hath not vvhereof to glory but al his gloriation is in Christ in vvhom vve liue deserue and satisfie doing fruites vvorthie of penance vvhich of Christ haue force by him are offered to the father and by him are accepted of the father Thus the Councel whose doctrine wel vnderstoode maketh far more for the honour of the Crosse and bloud of Christ then doth our aduersaries without comparison And surelie ether our lucke is euill in these our dayes whose happe is to fal amongst such peruerse aduersaries that what-soeuer we can do one way or other wil gnawe at it or els our aduersaries lotte is strange and maruelous amongst whom scant any one can frame an argument against vs but presentlie he hath a brother of his owne that is readie to pul him by the sleeue and cal him foole for his labour M.W. reproueth the fathers and in them al catholikes for that by our workes we pull from Christ and diminish the vertue of his bloud Contrary-wise that most graue and learned father Iohn Brentius so M. Iewel calleth him inueigheth against vs for that by our workes we geue to much to Christ and magnifie more theÌ„ we ought the vertue of his Crosse and in truth if there were any fault in the doctrine of the Church BreÌ„tius reason carieth far more probabilitie theÌ„ M.W. Thus he reasoneth Iactat Sotus se Christo nihil detrahere sed potius glorificare sed coÌ„tra
stand Tecum principatus in die poteÌ„tiae tuae in decoribus sanctitatis ab vterâ— Ã Lucifero tibi ros natiuitatis tuae How euer it be framed great difference wil rise of necessitie amongst diuers interpreters And whence proceedeth that one great cause is the diuers significatioÌ„ of one word The first which the 70. turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tecum vvith thee others populus tuâ—s thy people is in the hebrew one word with so smale a difference of one point as is possible The next expressed of the 70. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principatus may be as well signified by the hebrew as spontanea oblatio The third which the 70. turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Hierom fortitudinis the Protestants exercitus may truely signifie them al povver vertue strength liberalitâ—e and armie and so aurora or Lucifer is the same word But that which chiefely I note in this sentence whatsoeuer other difference was betweene the old hebrew text and the new is the diuersitie of sense rising through diuersitie of reading vpon occasion of similitude in the hebrew letters as for example The Septuaginta read in spâ—endoribus or decoribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in brightnes whom commonly al the Protestants folow S. Hier. in mentibus in mountaines the difference commeth of the likenes of two hebrew letters daleth and resâ—h The last word the 70. rendered by genuite I haue begotten thee Which word of how great strength force it is in this place may be perceaued by vew of the Apostle Paules argument who out of that verse word proueth the eternal diuinitie of our Sauiour S. Hierom translated that word adolescentiae tuae as commonly do the Protestants What is the occasion of this difference the great likelines of two wordes the Septuaginta read the first S. Hierom the second The printes now vsed though in sense folow S. Hierom yet misse one of his letters and therefore come nearer to the reading of the 70. And this verse letter vau for iod hath certainly made disagreemeÌ„t in some other places As where the Septuaginta read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fortitudinem meam ad te custodiam my strength vvill I kepe to thee and so S. Hierom read and translated now it is in the hebrew fortitudineÌ„ eius his strength vvil I keepe to thee to the great peruerting of the whole sense and sentence A like error to that Genes 3. if it be an error as many verie probably rather thinke it is none ipsa conteret caput tuum for ipse or ipsum about which the Protestants keepe such a stur But what should I rehearse examples of such smale errors committed by learned men by Rabbines by S. Hierom by the Septuaginta vvhereas the protestants sticke not to charge directly the verie Apostle S. Paule with error in this kind For whereas S. Paule writeth That nether eye hath seene nor eare heard nether hath it entred in to the hart of man vvhat God hath prepared for those that loue him iis qui diligunt illum whereby we proue that heauen is prepared as a reward for charitie and the workes thereof and so refel their mathematical solifidian fansie many pretie answeres they geue vs as that S. Paule doth after his fashioÌ„ very finely writhe the place So Luther Paulus sententiam commodè detorsit Illyricus That to loue is as much as to beleeue and so charitie as much as faith and then to be saued by only faith why may we not interprete it To be saued by only charitie Qui diligunt saith he pâ—nitur pro iis qui ad eum supplices fide confugiunt Fides per effectum suum dilectionem declaratur Those that loue him that is those that by faith humbly flye vnto him Faith is noted by his effect that is charitie But Peter Martyr goeth an other way to worke and thinketh that the Apostle read not right Thus writeth he Diligentibus se habet Apostolus Propheta vero dixit expectantibus et diserimen agnoscitur prouenisse a magna similitudine duorum elementorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Apostle hath the vvord louing the Prophet hath trusting or expecting and it is vvel knovven that this difference grevve from the great similitude of tvvo hebrevv letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so much as among the hebrevves the same verbe vvritten vvith one letter signifieth to trust or expect vvith the other to loue vehemently vvhich Paule folovved In which censure Christian reader besides his sacrilegious contempt in diuinitie wherein thou maist learne to care the lesse for their condemning and railing at the fathers when they are so sawcie with this singular Apostle besides this prophane wickednes in diuinitie I say he fowly belieth the Apostle against al humanity For the secoÌ„d word which he obiecteth hath no such significatioÌ„ if he meant some other word somewhat reseÌ„bling the first as other of his brethreÌ„ gesse yet nether caÌ„ they serue his turne for so much as the graÌ„matical rules wil not beare such construction as against Erasmus and him Beza hath truely noted But graunt we to P. Martir that which he would haue let S. Paule I wil not say indued with the holy Ghost so abundantly Paule that piller foundation of the Church so directed by God as he could not erre but only Paule brought vp from his infancy in the law of Moyses in coÌ„tinual studie of the law and Prophetes at the feete of Gamaliel so noble a scholemaister let this Paule be deceaued in reading the Hebrew then how intolerable is their peruersitie who wil not suffer so much to be iudged of the common base vulgar ignorant scribes so malitiously bent against Christ and al Christianitie as before is noted But hovvsoeuer M. W. speaketh of his fountaynes and originâ—ls knovv thou Christian reader that other of his side far more skilfull then he without any contradiction acknovvledge vvhat soeuer I say Sebastianus Castalio by occasion defending him self agaynst such a one as M. W. seemeth to be writeth thus Videtur esse in ea opinione sicut et plerique omnes Iudaei et noÌ„nulli hac in parte Iudaizantes Christiani vt in hebraicis bibliis nullum vsque mendum irrepisse putet c. This good felovv seemeth to be of that opinion as in maner all Ievves are and some Christians dravving to Iudaisme in this respect that they thinke no error euer to haue creapt into the hebrevv bibles that God vvould neuer suffer that any vvord should be corrupted in those holie bookes as though the bookes of the old testament vvere more holie then those of the nevv in the vvhich nevv so many diuers readinges are founde in so many places or as though it vvere credible that God had more regarde of one or other litle vvord or
styl that parcel but most vvanted it and manifest it is that the Ievves nether in our time keepe so honorably the translation of the 70. in their sinagoges much lesse did they keâ—pe it in S. Iustines daies vvhen as appeareth by the vvhole discours and manifest vvordes of this author in this same place they much more detested it The third a ligno is vvanting in al greeke and hebrevv bibles is only reserued in our ecclesiastical Breuiarie certaine Doctors as Tertullian Lactantius Cassiodorus and S. Austin vvho notvvithstanding so readeth it as though it vvere the common reading in the churches of Africa in his time and maketh no mention of any other reading vvhere those vvords should be leaft out And from S. Hieroms time vntil our daies very probable it is that these errors and corruptions haue multiplied not only for the general and particular reasons already touched but for this especially that whereas since that time the Iewes obstinacie barbarousnes impietie and ignorance in their owne tonge hath much increased the Christians notwithstanding haue not had any great occasion to handle much or exercise that language therefore haue had smaler regard to bookes written therein without which as first of al they perfectly receaued the Christian faith and planted it in these partes of Christendome so without it haue they as perfectly continued in the same and now enlarged it euen to the extreme corners of the world and without the which they haue for these thousaÌ„d yers liued most christiaÌ„ly as Saintes christianly as Saintes finished their teÌ„poral liues after liued with Christ for euer And now touching M. W. question demaunding how the Church hath faithfully conserued the bookes of scriptures who thus findeth fault with the hebrew bibles as corrupt I answere as before that the Church hath most faithfully conserued the scriptures albeit not in this or that tonge which the wanton curiositie of euery fantastical heretike coueteth We haue the true word and gospel of Christ though perhaps we haue not ten words in that laÌ„guage which our Sauiour spake And then why may we not haue the law the prophetes though there were neuer an hebrew bible in the vvorld Againe vnreasonably demaundeth he of our church for hebrevv bibles vncorrupt vvhich perhaps neuer had any such and neuer vndertooke to keepe the vvord of God in that language more then in Arabike or Syriake no more then she vndertooke to keepe S. Matthevves Gospel in hebrevv or S. Paules epistle to the hebrevves But if she deliuer faithfully to the Christians that vvhich she receaued of Christ and his Apostles touching al parts of Christian faith and religion be it vvritten or vnvvritten in one language or other she performeth that vvhich Christ committed to her charge and vvhich is sufficient for the saluation of euery Christian and vvhereby she proueth her selfe to be the House and Church of the liuing God the sure Piller and ground of truth the Spovvse of Christ and faythful mother of al Christians M. D. Whitgift thinketh it vntolerable that the English ministers should appoint vvhat maner of apparel is coÌ„uenient for them selues to vveare vvhat ceremonies or rites should be vsed in their poore Seruice He by many arguments taketh from them al authoritie in such matter vvil haue the vvhole Ministerie altogether to depend be directed by the superior magistrates the Quene and the Lordes of her CouÌ„cel Then hovv much more vntolerable is it that some one or other single minister should appoint the vniuersal Church gouernours thereof in what maner and fashion the word of God must be kept in what language as it were in what kind of paper or parchement he wil haue it written As if some busye headed felow in a coÌ„mon welth not contented to be ruled preserued by his Prince in true religion iustice and quiet possessioÌ„ of his owne should farther take vpon him to prescribe vvhat maner priestes hovv qualified and in vvhat Vniuersitie brought vp should preach vnto him the vvord of God minister the sacraments vvhat sort of men should exequute vnto him iustice and examine his cases of law by what capitaynes of vvhat byrth countrie and experience by vvhat kind of defence open force or secret policie fight by sea or rather land strength of horsmen or footemen he vvil be mainteined in peace and quietnes And vvhat meaneth he to require for pure bibles in any language of our Church vvhich he holdeth for Antichristian and the prelates thereof and al other Catholikes for members of Antichrist For vvhiles he thus thinketh vvhat soeuer bibles hebrevv or not hebrevv Greeke or Arabike vve offer him he can by reason yelde no more credite vnto them then to our latin no more then to our traditions or any other thing proceeding from vvarrant and credite of such professed enemies of Christ as vvel and learnedly proueth S. Austin in his booke de vtilitate credendi Much more agreable to reason ChristiaÌ„ diuinitie is it for him and his to resort to their ovvne church of elect predestinate or hovv so euer he list to terme them vvhich hath so florished these many hundred yeres by vvitnes of their ecclesiastical stories by report of M. Fox in his Actes and monumentes Let him resort to the brethren of Lions to VVycleffe and the VVycleffisâ—es to Robert Rigges Iohn Puruey Henry Crompe Iohn of Chlum Iohn Scut William Havvlam Richard VVich Iohn Hus alias Iohn Goose the Hussites and Thaborites of Bohemia and such other vvho as they tel vs vvere glorious pillers doctors and maintainers of their church and Protestant-gospel and like glistering starres shined in the face of the ChristiaÌ„ world And that I tye him not to particular meÌ„ or one only prouince of Bohemia in many other prouinces and kingdomes of the world hath their church continued as most confidently writeth D. VVhitgift against T. C. who framing an argument against the Archbishops authoritie draweÌ„ from this supposition VVhat if the vvhole church be in one prouince or in one realme vvhich hath bene and is not vnpossible to be againe M. D. VVhit answereth it thus To your supposition if the vvhole church c. I say that if the skie fal you may catch larkes as the common prouerbe is making it as vnpossible a case to haue the church of Christ in one only kingdom as it is vnpossible for the skie to fal And presently in the same page Do you not knovv that the church of Christ is dispersed thorough the vvhole vvorld and can not novv after Christs ascension be shut vp in one kingdome much lesse in one prouince except you vvil become Donatistes He that is not vvilfully blinde may see in to vvhat straightes you are driueÌ„ vvhen you are constrained to vse such impossibilities for reasons And M. VV. in this booke telleth vs that there neuer wanted mightie
States Princes and nations who withstoode the bishop Sea of Rome as they do now Nullis temporibus defueruÌ„t sayth he nec Episcopi nec Presbyteri nec Imperatores nec populi c. There neuer vvanted at any time nether Bishops nether Priestes nor Emperours nor nations nor Priuate men vvhich had not rather be condemned of your church for heretikes then to mainteine the Catholike communion of your Apostasie wherefore hauing so large a scope let him repayre to that his owne church and succession of Protestantes and of them seeke for the true written bible of whom he receaueth the sense and meaning of the same not to our church and succession of Catholikes whom he chiefly condemneth for erring in the true sense and then reproueth as bitterly for corrupting the true text The conclusion of al is this if as a Christian as an obedient child of the Church and willing to learne if thus he demauÌ„d of the Church for true bibles she can serue him with more varietie of such in mo languages then it wil stande with his ease to reade If he demaund this as an heretike as a rebellious Apostata as to picke quarels and maintaine strife the Church hath nought to do with him She answereth as our sauiour answered the Pharisees Quid me tentatis hypocritae as he taught his Apostles Nolite dare sanctum canibus She sendeth him to his owne scattered and diuided coÌ„gregation in to whose communion he hath thrust him selfe vnder whose false banner he fighteth against her vvhom the vniuersal Christian vvorld in al times and ages vntil our daies hath acknovvleged for the only true catholike apostolike church of Christ And hitherto of the hebrevv fountaines and originals vvherein I haue staâ—ed somevvhat the longer first of al that the reader may see that not vvithout iust cause I charge M.W. vvith a manifest lie in saing vve flee the hebrevv for that vve knovv it to containe the assured bane and destruction of our cause He may here perceaue in part vvhat reason vvhat argument vvhat conscience moueth the Church thus to prescribe and vs to folovv the Churches ordinance herein That vve nether feare nor contemne nor refuse it but for the vnderstaÌ„ding of the true sense studie and honour it as much as he though vve hange not our faith vpon it so as if the Ievves depraue a text touching Christs diuinitie vve therefore vvil denie him to be God and if they raze out the only text that foreshevveth the maner of his passion and crucifying vve vvil not for al that geue ouer our faith that in such sort he vvas crucifyed for vs. Secondarely thus I haue done to satisfie M· VV. dâ—maund who chalengeth vs so confidently to shevve any error in the originals vvho affirmeth so peremptorily those places to be safe and vntouched which appertaine to the proofe of our Christian religion Which how true it is he now seeth if he wil beleeue ether reason or his owne maisters Besides that his argument is ouer slender when he wil conclude those originalles to be pure because there is no corruption in matters of coÌ„trouersie as though there could be no errors but those which proceede of wilfulnes and malice against Christian religion as though the Iewes could not erre by negligence ignorance and other humane infirmitie by which Caluine Beza the rest of that knot can imagine very many and the same very grosse errors to haue crepte in to our latin bibles But true is the old prouerbe Graculus graculo Like wil to like as I haue said Of the Iewes for neare alliance and brotherhode they iudge so diuinely as though they were halfe goddes who neuer erred ether of malice ether of wilfulnes or ignorance or slowthfulnes or want of due consideration or thorough any kind of like ether sinne or imbecillitie But of the Christian Catholike Church of the Bishops and Pastors by whom they haue that peece of Christianitie which yet they retaine they deeme most wickedly them they accompt more dissolute more irreligious more careles negligent in matters diuine then the worst people that liue vnder the cope of heauen These in the same kind haue erred both of malice and of wilfulnes and of contempt and of negligence by al maner of faulting voluntarie inuoluntarie wherevnto a man may possibly fal Thirdly some reason mouing me thus to doe was because nether M. Martin in his Discouerie much lesse the preface of the new testament handling only such thinges as were incideÌ„t to that booke that is geuing reason why in that translatioÌ„ the latin vulgar edition vvas folowed before the common greeke testamentes had any occasioÌ„ to treate of this matter For albeit M. Martin proueth errors in matters historical to be in our coÌ„mon hebrew bibles yet he maketh no stay therein but rather presupposing the hebrew text to be altogether true as the aduersaries pretend he so much the more discouereth their wilfulnes and peruersitie who in their translations depart sundrie times froÌ„ those hebrew originalls which they seeme to magnifie as altogether faultles and vnspotted One principal corruption of great moment and importance he obiecteth out of the 21. psalme where the prophet saith in the person of Christ They haue pearced my handes and feete which by the Iewes being maliciously altered by mutation of one or other letter in to As a lyon my hands and feete without wit reason or common sense whereby is euacuated the best and clearest prophecie in the whole body of scripture touching the maner and fashion of Christs crucifying who besides M. W. would so blindly haue dissembled it yet stil sing vs the old song of the pure fountaines It is written that not long sithence certaine euangelical Anabaptistes lately conuerted from Iudaisme reading that place of S. Peter in Castalios translation Iesum Nazarenum scelestis manibus comprehendistis et ad palum alligatum sustulistis Iesus of Nazareth you haue apprehended and binding him to a post or stake so made him avvay vpon this text fel to a great and daungerous contention among them selues in their congregations whether Christ were pearced hand and foote with nailes as the Church beleeueth or were only bound hand and foote to a gibbet as the fashion among the Turkes is now a daies as the other two theeues were done to death which were crucifyed with him And remoue the traditioÌ„ of the Church which these good felowes care not for and this place of Dauid and certainly out of the old testament it can not perhaps nether out of the new be clearely proued to a contentious heretike that he was crucified in such sort as the truth is and we beleeue For as the heretikes now a daies at home in our couÌ„trie gladly abhorre the name of the crosse al signes or memories there of both in priuate talking publike preaching and writing rather vse the name of
Lutheran an Anabaptist a Suinkseldian say the like with as good countenance against other partes of scripture which stand as plainly against their conceaued heresies Is Beza to be allowed pronouncing peremptorily touching the storie of the aduouterous woman in the 8. of S. Iohn vpon the diuersitie which is in the greeke writers and testaments that so great difference he found in that narration that he doubteth altogether of the vvhole storie which is as much as to take from it vtterly al authoritie Canonical and is not euerie man els to be allovved vpon like vvarrant geuing like censure vpon other partes of scriptures Reade S. Hierom vvriting to Edibia and see vvhether a part of S. Markes gospel may not by like reason be called in question yea reade Bezaes notes vpon the sixt chapter the 18. and 19. of S. Iohn and 22. of S. Luke see vvhether that diuine sermon of our Sauiour and his very passion by such argument ought not so to be cut out of the testament The like is to be said of verie many places of S. Matthew and S. Paules epistles Then iudge thou Christian reader whether these meÌ„ be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bible-beaters or rather in deede bible murtherers For the first presupposeth the hauing of a bible whereas they haue none For that which they cal their bible and word of God is in deede no word of God no bible at al. For how can a maÌ„ cal that the bible and word of God vvhich hath in it so many foule and filthie corruptions so many vvicked Ethnical and Iudaical errors as I before haue noted in their bible by confessionâ— of their ovvne brethren Is that the bible of God vvhich hath in it so many places maliciously peruerted against the eternal truth and testameÌ„t of God Can vve call him a man vvhom vve see to lacke head hand foote hart and other principal and essential partes of humane nature and hovv then is that a bible that lacketh for canonical the vvritinges of so many Prophetes Apostles and Euangelistes S. Luke S. Paule S. Iames S. Peter S. Iohn S. Iude some of which no bible euer vvanted since Christs time nor can vvant remaining a bible The rest vvere euer true scriptures though not euer in al places so accouÌ„ted as nether was the Godhead of our Sauiour the dignitie and office of his Apostles of al and alwaies at first acknowledged But al haue bene so accounted for these thousand yeres and more by general prouincial councels the great and Apostolike councel of Nice of Laodicea of Carthage by the supreme pastors of Christs church by the general consent of the same Catholike Church in most times ages These meÌ„ therefore good reader folowing the steppes of their old fathers Marcion Cerdon Carpocrates the Arrians and Manichees despising and reiecting so many bookes of sctipture are in deede not beaters but maÌ„glers and defacers and extreme murtherers of the bible And that not only for this plaine and euident reason now geuen but also for their prophane irreligious varietie of translations whereof now in the last part I haue to speake CHAP. XIIII That to leaue the ordinarie translation of the Bible appointed by the Church to appeale to the hebrevv greeke and such nevv diuers translations as the protestants haue made is the very vvay to Atheisme Infidelitie IN this later parte this haue I to shew that whosoeuer taketh to him self that libertie which the heretiks geue here M.W. most busily striueth for that is to refuse the latin and appeale to the greeke and hebrew and these new translations which as they beare vs in hand are framed according to the greeke and hebrew he taketh the high way to denial of al faith to Apostasie from Christ and plaine Atheisme This to do the fittest way were historically to declare how certaine knowen Sects of the Protestants principally vpon this very reason of pretending the greeke and hebrew veritie and therefore running to infinite varietie of diuers translations and resting in no one haue fallen to despise al Bibles Scriptures and concluded as a most assured Euangelical veritie that nothing is certaine but euerie man is to be left to his owne fansie to beleeue as he list Such is the sect of the Swinkfeldians Anabaptists and Academikes and it is the very drifte of Castalio so much commended of many in the preface of his Bible to King Edvvarde the sixte although he beate pretily vpon an other point much of like effect vz that the Messias promised in the law is not yet come but vvil come hereafter according to the Iewes expectation Thus vvriteth he Profecto si verum fateri volumus est adhuc nostrum soeculum in profundis ignorantiae tenebris demersum cuius rei certissimuÌ„ testimonium sunt tam graues tam pertinaces taÌ„ perniciosae dissensiones tam multi et irriti coÌ„uentus de hisce controuersiis c. Truely if vve vvil confesse the truth this our age is as yet drowned in extreme darknes ignoraÌ„ce a most assured proofe vvhereof are these so greuous so obstinate and so pernicious dissensions so many and the same so vnprofitable meetinges about these controuersies so great number of bookes euery day sett out and the same differing one from an other so far as heauen differeth from earth And prosecuting this his plaine and irrefutable argument vvhereby he proueth the Protestants notvvithstanding al their latin greeke and hebrevv to be most ignorant in true diuinitie and matters spiritual thus he addeth For if the spirit of God be one truth one it must of necessitie folovv in vvhoÌ„ that one spirite one truth is that they also be one amoÌ„g theÌ„ selues of one iudgment in matters spiritual And if the day of the most cleare truth of the gospel shined vnto vs vve vvould neuer lighten so many darkesome obscure candles of bookes and vvritinges The vvhich reason concluding this euangelical state and age to be ful of ignorance grosse grosse againe Crassa crassa inquaÌ„ saecuâ—um tenet ignorantia and that there is no certaine vvay to find out the truth and come to an end of these controuersies hereof he inferreth that euery man is to be leaft to his ovvne iudgement suffered to beleeue as he list Thus he speaketh addressing his wordes to the king Cum haec it a sint o rex et cum aetas nostra in tanta adhuc ignorantiae caligine caecutiat c. VVhereas these things are so O king vvhereas our age as yet is blinded in so great darkenes of ignorance I thinke vve ought to vse maruelous diligence lest by error vve offend And if there be any controuersies in the case of religion as there are verie many in these I thinke it good that vve folovv the exaÌ„ple of Iudas Machabeus his felovves vvho vvhen they knevv not vvhat to determine touching the altar
of the perfite sacrifice they layed the stones thereof in the mount of the temple in a conuenient place vntil there came some Prophete vvho should declare Gods oracle vvhat vvas to be done vvith them or rather the example of Moyses vnto vvhom notvvithstanding God had in precise vvords geuen commaundement that if any mā of purpose brake the lavv he should suffer death therefore yet the man vvho gathered vvood vpon the sabboth day he vvould not put to death vntil he had particularly receaued ansvvere from God so to do And after many other places of scripture brought for this purpose as Act. 5. v. 38. et 39. Rom. 14. v. 1. et 4. Mat. 7. v. 1.2 thus he concludeth Expectemus iusti iudicis sententiam c. Let vs attend the sentence of the iust iudge and employ our diligence not to condeme other men but to prouidē that our selues do nothing vvhy vve should be condemned Let vs obey the iust iudge and suffer the cockle vntil the time of haruest lest vvhyle vve vvil seeme to be vviser then our maister perhaps vve plucke vp the good corne For the later end of the vvorld is not come as yet nether are vve angels vnto vvhom that office is committed Vnto this Atheisme indifferent approbation of al maner faiths religions very many learned smooth Prootestants are alredy growen and whether those Atheists whereof M. D. Whitgift saith the english congregation is ful appertaine to this order yea or no thē selues best know But it not possible that this dayly and infinite multiplcation of contentions sectes and schismes new and diuers translations of testaments and bibles should haue any other end For to speake the truth and passe ouer al the rest what certainetie of faith or religion can a man haue when as he is taught to neglect at his pleasure al antiquitie al ages past al Synodes and Councels of fathers and doctors old and new and suspend his religion vpon the only testamēt translated after the new guyse interpreted after euerie mans particular new fansie where he findeth far more varietie then there are colours in the raynebovv And if M. VVhitaker speaking so much of his pure greeke and hebrevv originals or latin or english translations should be required to ansvvere directly vvhich greeke which hebrew he vnderstādeth especially vvhich translation latin english Scottish French or Dutch he meaneth vvhen he so magnifieth them against our vulgar testamēt I weene it would put him to more trouble then he is aware of But to disaduantage my self of this maner of discourse and keepe my self more precisely to the argument which I haue begone I say that to geue liberty of appealing frō one certaine latin text appointed by the general Coūcel to diuerse greeke hebrew latin vulgar as the heretikes do is the very introductiō to apostasie for this reason because puttinge the case of religion to stand in those termes to vvhich novv the heretiks haue brought it it cutteth avvay al persvvasion al grounde al proofe of Christian faith For how can you deale vvith any heretike to bringe him to the vvay of saluation To be so short as I may and in one example to geue the reader occasion to recal to memorie hundreds vvhich he may easily do suppose I had to deale vvith one of the sect famous and vvel knovven in Germanie by the name of Antinomi Enemies of the lavv I rather name them of Germanie then of England although England hath store of them because M.W. shal consider of it more quietly They being in other things commō Protestants beleeuing that man in matters of life eternal hath not free vvil that he vvorketh not his ovvne saluation and that good workes are of no value in that respect ioyne vnto that common opinion this one consequent Ipsi statuunt sayth Sleydan of them quaecunque tandem fit hominis vita quantumuis impura iustificari tamen eum si modo promissionibus euāgelii credit This they put as a sure principle that hovvsoeuer a man liue liue he neuer so filthely yet he is iustified if he beleeue the promises of the gospel And this is the very conclusion of the Protestants cōmon and general doctrine of iustification by only faithe Suppose novv I haue to draw suche a one from his wicked opinion and vvould moue him to be ether syncere in faith or honest in life vvhat vvay could I take vvith him First I should perhaps require him to regard the most graue authoritie of Christes Catholike Church vttered to him in S. Bernard S. Gregorie S. Austin S. Hierom and auncient synods of learned bishops the summe of whose teaching is comprised briefely in these wordes of the late Councel of Trent If any say that the vvicked man is iustified by only faith vnderstanding it so that no other thing is required that should cooperate for obtaining the grace of iustification c. Anathema be he But this is nothing for against a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians and as many generall Councels consisting of men such a Protestant is many waies armed by M. W. and his brethren And therefore this wil not serue Wel mount we then at one steppe ouer the heads of al fathers Councels and Churches euen to the Apostolical age and scriptures them selues there wee proue that men must cooperate and do good workes by the authoritie of S. Iames. But S. Iames is flat against S. Paule he abuseth scripture he disputeth ridiculously he sauoreth nothing of an Apostolical spirit he quite ouerthroweth that which S. Pau. had wel built therefore he is no more worth then S. Austin so not to be obiected At least S. Paule him self is of good authoritie who in many places especially of his epistle to the hebrews is as vehement in this as is S. Iames vseth much like arguments That is true and therefore without question that epistle was neuer writen by S. Paule so say Beza and Caluin touching the denial of the author and touching the whole epistle thus say others Sed quū his rationibus quibus vtitur author epistolae Iacobi et epistolae ad Hebraeos neque vtatur Christus neque caeteri apostoli et hae epistolae apocryphae sunt vt suo loco dictum est pro stipulis iure ista habētur But vvhere as nether Christ nor any of his apostles vse suche reasons as doth the author of Iames his epistle the author of the epistle to the hebrevves againe vvhereas these epistles be forged apocryphal as hath bene sayd in place conuenient these reasons are not to be esteemed vvorth a stravv sayth Illyricus with his colleages one of the best learned men of this age by M. Iewels verdicte Proceede we on let vs find out some text without this exception and vvhat better then that of S. Peter VVherefor◠brethren labour the more that
whether we or they loue vnaccustomed and monstruous noueltie of words we who striue so much as we may to retaine the auncient words left to vs by our Apostles and founders Masse Bishop Priest Baptisme Church the very names of meÌ„ Isaie Amos Iuda Hierusalem Ezechias Ozias or they who haue turned these in to the Supper or the Thankes-geuing Superintendent Minister or Elder VVashing Congregation who vpon most childish affectation to seeme somwhat skilful in the hebrew reduce al sacred names to the old Iudaical sound As for example one of their greatest Euangelists thus beginneth his translation of Esaie The vision of Iesaaiahu the sonne of Amoz vvhich he savv vpon Iehudah and vpon Hierusalam in the daies of Yziiahu Iotham Ahhaz Iehhizkiiahu Kinges of Iehudah And this is the common veyne of their preachers if they know a litle especially in that lanâ—â—nge as though Petrus Ioannes Iacobus Stephanus howsoeuer they be vttered in any other tonge Hebrew Greeke Latin Spanish FreÌ„ch or ItaliaÌ„ were not truly exactly expressed in English by Peter Iohn Iames Steuin but must needes be pronouÌ„ced as they are in the first laÌ„guage froÌ„ which originally they are deriued as though a maÌ„ translating some storie out of French or Spanish into English translated not wel if he said FrauÌ„cis the French King in his warres against the Spaniards but must needes say Fransois King of the Fransois in his warres against the Espanioulx or los EspanÌ„oles in such a victorie against los Franceses in steede of The Spaniards in such a victorie against the Frenchmen And why then do they not in the new testament vse like noueltie why for Christ vse they not Ieschua for our Lady MiriaÌ„ for S. Peter Cepha for S. Iohn Iochanan and so in the rest of the Apostles whereas they know that thus were they called in their proper language as at this preseÌ„t we see in S. Matthewes hebrevv Gospel If their ovvne eares abhor this wanton curiositie and their ovvne iudgment tel theÌ„ it is apish arrogancie peevish affectation of popular praise let them confesse the like in pronouncing Beltshazzar Nebucadnezzar Iehuda Iehhizkiiahu for Baltasar Nabugodonosor Iuda Ezechias for the case is al one Much more haue they committed this monstruous noueltie in the things them selues in taking away the sacrifice of the new testament like the forerunners of Antichrist in yelding to women and children the headship and supreme gouernement of the Church in al Ecclesiastical spiritual matters in abrogating fiue or six sacramentes of seauen in deuising such a kind of faith as before their time was neuer heard of and is more fit for the schole of Epicure then of Christ and so forth in the rest of their negatiue irreligion And as for mocking and contemning the word of God this was neuer so proper peculiar to any heretikes before as it is to them For who are they that mocke at the booke of Iudith that compare the booke of Machabees to Robin Hoode or Beauis of Hampton that cal the Prophete Baruch a peeuish ape of Ieremie Simia est non admodum saeâ—ix Ieremiae that accounte the epistle to the Hebrewes Pro stipulis as stubble that reiecte S. Iames epistle as made of stravve that contemne S. Lukes gospel that mangle many other partes of the scriptures and thereby teach the contempt of them al al standing vpoÌ„ like ground Who doe this VVe or they Catholikes or Gospellers to speake briefly what is their whole maner of writing preaching teaching and liuing but a very mockerie of the gospel of Christ such filthie application of holy write as sheweth them to vse it for no other purpose but for colour and shrowd of their filthines Rebuke a leacherous monke for his incest which he calleth Matrimonie ô saith he Better it is to mary then to burne Require of him that he chastise his body with fasting and discipline for repressing of his beastly concupisceÌ„ce that is against Gods word saith he For nemo carnem suam odio habuit No man hateth his ovvne flesh but loueth cherisheth it when such an Apostata is promoted amongst you to be a superintendeÌ„t and then spoileth his tenants wasteth his woods pulleth downe his housâ—â—â— neuer built by him or for him or any of his religion selleth away lead tile stone and maketh mony of al reproue him for this oppression and rauin he hath his text ready He that prouideth not for his ovvne and namely for them of his hovvsehold he is vvorse then an Infidel These interpretations vvorse then these very many shal you finde in Peter Martyrs booke De votis et caelibatu And at this present what is the vniuersal preaching of the ministers for the most part but a very mockery ridiculous abuse of scripture what other is their coÌ„mon writing and M.VV. in the next chapt wil shew himself in this kinde as very a scorner as the worst And whereas after al this he saith Truely so far of is it that I thinke your translatioÌ„ vvil any vvayes harme our cause that I vvish the copies thereof vvere multiplied and other men might be partakers thereof This is as fowle a figure of hypocrisie as any hitherto touched For if they thinke it wil no wayes hinder their cause but rather benefite it why make they such busie inquirie after it why burne they such as fal in to their hands are they such witles babes as â—ain not suffer that which doth them good CoÌ„pare good reader their doinges their preachings their searchings inquiries with this speach and thou shal sensibly perceaue that it is nought els but a very desperat facing out of a lye and setting a bold countenance on that which in deede pincheth them at the very hart roote With like phrase character of shamelesse vauÌ„ting wrote M. Iewel to D. Harding vve neuer suppressed any of your books M. Harding as you knovve but are very vvel content to see them so common that as novv children may play vvith them in the streetes Thus his face serued him to write then when in the self same Defence he suppressed by leauing out the very substance of that booke which he then pretended to answere when by helpe of his felow-Superintendents and other frends euery corner of the realme was searched for those bookes when the portes were layed for them Paules crosse is witnes of burning many of them the Princes proclamation was procured against them in the Vniuersities by soueraigne authoritie Colleges chambers studies closets coffers and deskes were ransackt for them when not only children were forbid to play with them but auncient mâ—â—â— and students of Diuinitie were imprisoned for hauing of them So that al this can be nought els but a plaine example of palpable dissimulation affected lying Ad populum phaleras when intrinsecally they feare and labour and sweate and by exterior signes declare thus much and
the mysterie and their incredulitie or feeblenesse to vvhom he vvrote yet it is euident in the iudgment of al the learned fathers vvithout exception that euer vvrote either vpon this epistle or vpon the 14 of Genesis or the psalme 109 or by occasion haue treated of the sacrifice of the altar that the eternitie and proper act of Christs priesthod and consequently the immutability of the nevv lavv consisteth in the perpetual offering of Christes body and bloud in the Church VVhich thing is so vvel knovven to the aduersaries of Christs Church Priesthod so graunted that they be forced impudently to cauill vpon certaine Hebrevv particles that Melchisedec did not offer in bread and vvine yea and vvhen that vvill not serue plainely to deny him to haue bene a priest vvhich is to giue checkemate to the Apostle and to ouerthrovv al his discourse Thus vvhiles these vvicked men pretend to defend Christes only priesthod they in deede abolish as much as in them lieth the vvhole order office and state of his eternal lavv priesthod Arnobius saith By the mysterie of bread and vvine he vvas made a Priest for euer And againe The eternal memorie by vvhich he gaue the soode of his body to them that feare him in psal 109.110 Lactantius In the Church he must needes haue his eternal priesthod according to the order of Melchisedec Li. 14. Institut S. Hierom ep 126. to Euagrius Aarons priesthod had an end but Melchisedecks that is Christes the Churches is perpetual both for the time past and to come S. Chrysostom therefore calleth the Churches sacrifice Hostiam inconsumptibilem An host or sacrifice that can not be consumed ho. 17 in 9 Hebr. S. Cyprian Hostiam qua sublata nulla esset futura religio An host vvhich being taken avvay there could bene religion de coena Domini nu 2. Emissenus Perpetuam oblationem perpetuò currentem redemptionem A perpetual oblation and a redemption that runneth or continueth euerlastingly ho. 5 de Pasch And our Sauiour expresseth so much in the very institution of the B. Sacrament of his body and bloud specially vvheÌ„ he calleth the later kind The nevv Testament in his bloud signifying that as the old lavv vvas established in the bloud of beastes so the nevv vvhich is his eternal Testament should be dedicated and perpetual in his ovvne bloud not only as it vvas shed on the Crosse but as geuen in the chalice And therefore into this sacrifice of the altar saith S. Augustine li. de Ciuit. 17. c. 20. S. Leo ser 8 de Passione and the rest vvere the old sacrifices to be translated See S. Cyprian ep 63 ad Cecil nu 2. S. Ambrose de Sacram. li. 5. c. 4. S. Augustine in psal 33 Conc. 2. and li. 17. de Ciuit. c. 17. S. Hierom ep 17. c. 2. ep 126. Epiph. haer 55. Theodoret. in psalm 109. Damascene li. 4. c. 14. Finally if any of the fathers or al the fathers had either vvisedom grace or intelligence of Gods vvord and mysteries this is the truth If nothing vvil serue our aduersares Christ Iesus confound them and defend his eternal Priesthod and state of his nevv Testament established in the same In vvhich vvords of ours if thou marke wel and conferre them with his thou shalt find that in this short paragraph he hath povvred out together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fovvle and stinking heape of lyes errors ignorances and contradictions to him selfe and his brethren For first vvhere say vve that Of al those things vvhich are proposed by the Apostle it folovveth not that Christs priesthod is eternal say vve not the cleane contrarie when vve auouch that Al the fathers gather not of them selues or their ovvne vvittes but of this deepe and diuine discourse of the Apostle the eternitie of his priesthod Is this to vvrite flatly that of al the things proposed by the Apostle it folovveth not that Christs priesthod is eternal when we write flatly that not one or other but al the fathers teach that eternitie grouÌ„ding them selues vpon this discourse of S. Paule and hovv could they ground them selues vpon S. Paules discourse if no such thing vvere to be fouÌ„d there This perhaps he might haue gathered and vve vvould haue graunted that this deduction can hardly or neuer be perceaued of a Luther of a Beza of a Stancarus or such other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damned in their owne iudgement vvhom for punishment of their Apostasie from Christ his Church God hath geuen vp into a reprobate sense Vt videntes non videant et audientes non intelligant sed credant mendacio That seing they see not and hearing vnderstand not but beleeue lyes because they would not beleeue hold fast the truth when they had it but to a S. Ambrose to a S. Chrysostom S. Primasius S. Beda or any other directed by the spirit of God these things which are proposed by the Apostle ministred sufficient matter to find out the eternitie of Christs priesthod as by their commentaries vpon these very places we learne For albeit expresse mention of the Sacrifice of the Church be not here made for reason geuen in the annotation and by the Apostle him selfe cap. 5. v. 11. yet the truth there of is inuincibly concluded out of this very disputation and that so pregnantly that vvho soeuer denieth the Churches Sacrifice he consequently denieth al the Apostles drift argument he denieth the vvhole state of the old and nevv TestameÌ„t This therefore is the first maine and capital lye and in vvhich he inueigheth not against vs alone but also against al the Fathers without exception Arnobius Lactantius S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Austin and the rest named in the annotation From this lye he draweth out 4 other as that we say The Apostle proueth not that vvhich he meant that we prefer the Fathers before the Apostle that we find fault vvith him and finally repreheÌ„d the holy Ghost Al which is nothing els but lye vpon lye no one of which is or euer was in word or sense vttered or in thought or cogitation coÌ„ceaued of vs. No saith M. VVhitaker make you not the oblation of bread and wine a principal part of Christs eternal priesthod we do so with al the Fathers of Christs Church Yet the Apostle maketh no expresse mention thereof VVe graunt Then he proueth not that which he intended This is a lying and ignorant conclusion lying because the Apostle proueth most abundantly his purpose by sundry other meanes though he vrge not that point ignorant because you knovv not what the Apostle would conclude or wherevnto he applieth his argumeÌ„t which being deliuered most euidently in sundrie places of the 7. 9 10. chapter and repeated againe and againe I wil not hâ—re make a new tâ—eatise thereof Thus much the reader that knoweth a litle diuinitie may coÌ„sider of him selfe that whereas the Apostle
dealeth against the Iewes who could not be content that their leuitical priesthod and sacrifices of beastes should yeld to Chrâ—sts priesthod sacrifice of the Crosse for S. Paule discoursing of the infinite vertue power excelleÌ„cie of this aboue the former to haue vndertaken to handle the priesthod and sacrifice of the Church besides that it was very hard to explicate besides that the Hebrewes were very dul to conceaue both which reasons he geueth in the 5. chapter besides that the other matter was of it selfe large inough besides al this I say to haue vrged the Iewes with this secondary and dependeÌ„t sacrifice of the Church who as it beleeued not the first singular and soueraine sacrifice of the Crosse had bene as fond a part as if a man would teach a childe to ruÌ„ne before he can go or teach him to reade before he can speake or set on the roofe of the house before there be ether wal built or foundation laide At least wil M.VV. say you prefer the fathers before S. Paule and acknowledge them to write more properly and aptly of Christs priesthod then doth the Apostle This is a lye For we are not so wicked nether learne we to make any such odious coÌ„parisons betwene diuers instrumeÌ„ts of the holy Ghost For the consent of the vniuersal church and al fathers we gladly professe to be the voice of the holy Ghost And if al the fathers had bene ioyned in one in S. Paules case and hauing to do with such aduersaries at such time place and other circumstances they would not nether could haue written more aptly and properly then did S. Paule although afterwards they did more clearely and manifestly open that which S. Paule insinuated more closely and couertly and so would S. Paule haue done had he liued in their times So in like sort S. Peter in his sermon made to the Iewes touching Christs glory and resurrection calleth him A man approued of God by diuers vvonders and miracles He calleth him not God of God equal to his father Our Sauiour in his long exhortation made to his disciples before his passion speaking of his vnitie with his father expresseth not his coÌ„substantialitie with the father or diuinitie of the holy Ghost so clearely as did afterwardes S. Athanasius and the fathers in the Councel of Nice and Constantinople against the Arians and Macedonians nether for al that prefer we S. Athanasius and those Councels before S. Peter and our Sauiour nether say we that they spake more properly and aptly thereof then ether Christ or his principal Apostle or such like guegawes as this man ignorantly and maliciously obiecteth vnto vs. Christ spake most properly perfectly and absolutely according as his diuine wisedome knevv vvas most conuenient for that time and audience so did S. Peter so did S. Paule And yet this barreth not but the holy Ghost may so hath by the Church aftervvarde declared the same more euidently without any derogation to Christ or his Apostles Yet one scrupule more M. W. moueth At least this can not be denied but the Fathers talke much of the oblation of bread and wine which S. Paule omitteth and so we can not shift our hands but some ouersight we must impute to S. Paule and the holy Ghost Nothing lesse Or how soeuer by his profound subtilitie he thinketh to driue vs vnto this absurditie hereafter hitherto sure I am we haue vttered no word or sillable so vnchristiaÌ„ And therefore he belieth vs in sayng that we haue done the one or the other And the whole matter is answere sufficiently already Yet for more ful satisfaction I wil answere M. VV. by him selfe I aske him therefore whether Melchisedec did not sacrifice and by sacrificing foreshewed our Sauiours priesthod according to the arder of Melchisedec he can not deny for he hath graunted it in plaine termes in this very booke And yet S. Paule here maketh no expresse mention thereof Then by M. VV. iudgement S. Paule omitteth some principal part of Melchisedecs priesthod apperteyning to Christ and therefore if this be to find fault vvith S. Paule reprehend the holy Ghost then M.VV. findeth fault vvith S. Paule M. VV. reprehendeth the holy Ghost Againe let him recal to memorie his founder in diuinitie M. Iewel in that booke which M. VV. him selfe hath translated into latin Saith not he that Melchisedech by his bread and vvine signified the Sacrifice of the holy English communion M. VV. translateth it sacrificium sacrosanctae Communionis vvhere the vvhole people lifte vp their hands and harts vnto heauen and pray sacrifice together And where find you this sacrifice of the holy Communion in al S. Paules discourse ergo by the same reason M. Iewel also doth carp at S. Paule and reprehend the holy Ghost who omitte The sacrifice of your holy Communion prefigured by Melchisedech three thousand yeres at lest before ether Patriarch or Apostle or doctor or any good maÌ„ euer heard or thought or dreamed of it Againe Illyricus a LutheraÌ„ writeth vpon this very chapter somewhat more probably then ether M. VV. or M. Iewel that Melchisedech foreshewed his Communion after the Lutherish faith and that As Melchisedech by bread and vvine refreshed Abraham so Christ the true heauenly bread refresheth vs to life eternal His flesh is true nourishement and his bloud is true and healthful drinke Ioan. 6. Luc. 22. Thus he so that the Zuinglians can fetch out of Melchisedecs sacrifice by their owne priuate authoritie without warrant of any ether doctor or father the sacrifice of their Communion and the Lutherans can find that theirs was prefigured likewise and though S. Paule mention nether of them that is not material so long as you hold your self within coÌ„passe of the Communion booke Lutherish or Zuinglian only when we say the same of the Communion and sacrifice of the Church and proue it by the authoritie of Damascene of Theodoretus of S. Hierom S. Ambr. S. Epiphanius S. Austin S. Leo S. Cyprian S. Chrysostom Eusebius Emissenus Lactantius Arnobius by al antiquitie by al fathers by al Councels by the vniuersal coÌ„sent of ChristendoÌ„ since the Apostles time we poore soules set S. Paule to schole we prefer the fathers before him we find fault with him we reprehend the holy Ghost we coÌ„mit intolerable blasphemie I know not whether a maÌ„ may rather laugh at their peeuish pride who knowing nothing take vpon them to controle al fathers or wonder at their incredible partialitie which hath so be reaft them of common witte and iudgement that they can perceaue a mote in deede no mote in our eye and can not feele a beame in their owne or rather lament their Pharisaical hardnes of hart ignorance whereto heresie hath brought them so grosse that nether they know the veritie of Catholike religion nor wel vnderstand the state of their owne phantastical gospel One more blasphemie he
obiecteth and so maketh an end His wordes are The like boldenes they vtter in that most goodly place of S. Paule vvhere thus he vvriteth to the Romanes Stipendia peccati mors donum autem Dei vita aeterna The stipend of sinne death but life eternal is the gift of God Here the Sorbonists of Rhemes haue noted that the sequele of speach required that as he sayd the stipend of sinne is death so on the contrarie part he should haue sayd the stipend of iustice is life eternal And this to be true they plainely affirme vvhereas it is manifest that S. Paule spake in this sorte that he might leaue no place to merites and he vseth such a vvorde as vtterly excludeth al respect of stipend for that vvhich is a free gift can in no case be a stipend and repa◠to merites To answere this as al the rest there needeth nothing els but to compare our wordes with his Thus we say Rom. 6. vers 23. The sequele of speach required that as he said death or damnation is the stipend of sinne so life euerlasting is the stipend of iustice and so it is and in the same sense he spake in the last chapter That as sinne reigneth to death so grace reigneth by iustice to life euerlasting But here he chaūged the sentence somevvhat calling life euerlasting Grace rather then Revvard because the merites by vvhich vve attaine vnto life be al of Gods gift and grace Augustin epis 105. ad Sixtum Because the sense and summe of the annotatiō is takē out of S. Austin I wil set downe his owne wordes although they be somevvhat long because they may help the reader both to vnderstād the truth of this point vvithal discouer M.W. notorious ignorāce Thus vvriteth S. Austin in the place quoted Eternal life vvhich in fine vve shal obteyne for euer is repayed to merites going before yet because those merites vnto vvhich it is repayed are not gotten of vs by our ovvne abilitie but vvrought in vs by grace therefore life eternall is called grace for no other reason but because it is geuen gratis not because it is not geuen to merites but because those merites are geuen to vvhich life is geuen That eternal life is called Grace vve find in S. Paule Rom. 6. The stipend of sinne is death life eternal is the grace of God See hovv vvarely he put these vvordes For vvhen he had sayd The stipend of sinne is death vvho vvould not haue thought he should haue sayd most aptly and conueniently The stipend of iustice is life eternall And true it is For as to the merite of sinne death is rēdered as the stipēd so to the merite of iustice Life eternal is rendered as the stipend Vnde merces appellatur plurimis sanctarū scripturarum locis Quod est autem merces operanti hoc est militanti stipendium Sed Apostolus aduersus elationem c. And so it is termed merces vvages in very many places of scriptures For that vvhich is called Stipendium Stipend to a souldiar that is called merces vvages to a labourer But the Apostle vsed that vvord against the pride of men c. Thus far S. Austin of vvhose vvordes our note is only a short sūme abbridgment and so vvhatsoeuer sport M. VV. maketh to him self of the Sorbonists of Rhemes it nothing toucheth vs but good S. Austin the Sorbonist of Hippo. And yet not to rest there S. Austin quitteth him selfe vvel inough frō that drye iest vvhen he affirmeth the same to be taught Plurimis sanctarum scripturarum locis In very many places of holy scriptures For if they be Sorbonists that say Vita aelerna est stipendium iustitiae or vvhich is the selfe same Vita aeterna est merces bonorum operum then not only S. Austin is a Sorbonist vvhich to say perhaps you streine not greatly for in this place so you cal vs in word S. Austin in deede but long before him the Prophetes were egregious Sorbonists in whom both in sense and word this proposition is cōmonly founde Salomon was a Sorbonist Dauid a Sorbonist Esay a Sorbonist Ieremie a Sorbonist S. Peter a Sorbonist S. Iohn a Sorbonist S. Paule a notable Sorbonist who hath it more oft then the rest that I name not our Sauiour for honors sake who notwithstanding in the gospel many times teacheth his Christians this Sorbonical conclusiō But as for M.W. if he continue in this simplicitie or rather stupiditie that he suppose eternal life not to be the stipēd of iustice or good workes because it is the grace or gift of God I wil geue him a quittance for euer deseruing the name of a Sorbonist For I thinke there is scant any boy frequenting the Sorbone schole that is so dul and ignorant as to doubte but that heauen is the gift and grace of God though he trust to atteine it by his good workes I meane that knoweth not how to reconcile these two propositions together heauen is the stipend of good workes and heauen is the gift of God which in deede to euery lad wel catechised is no harder then it is to beleeue that the father is God the sonne God and the holy Ghost God yet there is but one God Christ is God and yet Christ is man our Lady was a mother and yet a Virgin our bodies are corruptible and yet shal liue for euer and almost any other article of our religion But hereof I haue spoken more at large before to which place I refer the the reader And this is the last intolerable blasphemie vvhich M. W. hath found in the Annotations common to vs vvith Christ him self and euery prophet Apostle Euangelist Father and good man that since Christs time liued in the vnitie of his Church THE CONCLVSION AND thus haue I examined and I trust answered sufficiently whatsoeuer faultes M. W. hath found ether in the Testament of late set forth by vs or the Annotations adioyned or M. Martins booke of the Discouerie vvherein I haue bestowed somwhat longer time then ether so smale a trifle required or my self at the beginning intended partly for the more cleare defense of truth and fuller instruction of the reader partly also because in the diligent perusing of his discourse his manifold errors and ouersightes multiplied far beyond my expectatiō And withal I vvould not haue him or his brethren so far deceaue them selues as to suppose they may set forth against this Colledge freely hand ouer head what they list without controle or gainsaing For howsoeuer we be loth to spend our time in such contentious disputes and gladly vvould imploy it otherwise to our better commoditie yet the zeale of God and honour of his Church regard of truth and loue of our countrimen vvhom vve see so pitifully seduced and due obedience to Superiors vvil and must enforce vs to take some paines that
vvay though in part against our vvilles especially vvhen vve are prouoked by aduersaries so insolent and ful of brauerie in vvordes and the same most feeble impotent vnable to performe any thing in deedes and therefore lying verie open to receaue a blovv of any scholer be he neuer so meane and indifferent And albeit no heretical opinion can lightly be defended vvithout many foule shiftes and inconueniences yet M.VV. hath brought him self vvithin harder straightes thē any other by reason of most straunge paradoxes which he hath taken vpon him to maintayne for vvhat man bearing the name of a Christian vvere he othervvise as excellent as euer vvas Cicero or Demosthenes can possibly without increase of infinite absurdities defend Luther against the Apostle S. Iames Beza against the Euangelist S. Luke Illyricus against S. Cyprian and al fathers of the primitiue Church And which in truth is more false wicked more vnreasonable and vnpossible then the rest M Iewels Challenge made at Paules crosse against al men liuing which long since is knowē for a mere shameles proud lying vaunt to Catholike and Protestant Lutheran and Zuinglian learned and vnlearned lippis tonsoribus and in effect notified for such by publike proclamation of the prince and Realme And therefore if he finde in this treatise some wordes more sharpe rough thē he is vsed to heare let him attribute that not to hatred of his person whom I neuer saw and for whose good and amendmēt in Christ God is my witnes I would refuse no paynes how soone I may fall into his handes our Lord knoweth but to hatred of his heresie and his immoderate heate ostentatiō vttered to colour and saue such things as can neuer stand but with open iniurie of Christ disgrace of his Apostles and ruine of Christian religion Our aduersaries Christian reader are now proceeded beyond their ordinarie beyond that which at first they pretended They pleade not now for scripture against fathers for the liuelie word of the Lord against mans traditions which a few yeres sithence was their common songe they are gone far beyond that note and oppose them selues not against S. Hierom S. Austin S. Gregorie but against the self same scripture the self fame liuelie word which they seemed so to honor against S. Iames S. Paule S. Luke against the Apostles and Euangelistes against the verie Gospel of our Sauiour And what can be their next steppe but to cal Christ him self in question to doubt whether he be the true Messias and redeemer of the world And if any of their brethren do moue that doubt as infinite there be that do yea that denie it vtterly what way in the world remayneth for profe thereof al other authoritie besides the written word as the old Fathers Coūcels Tradition Church being by these men quite abandoned and novv the vvritten vvord it self being reiected as far and vvhat Christian talking of these matters and seing these horrible mischeefes not intended in thought surmises cogitations and secret vvhisperings but practised and put in vre by vvriting defenses publike bookes open disputations manifest violences and most vniust murtherings of those which withstand it who I say though he were as pacient as Iob and as voyd of galle as the doue but would be moued Scriptū est saith the Apostle credidi propter quod locutus sum et nos credimus propter quod et loquimur It is vvritten I haue beleeued and therefore I speake vve also beleeue constantly therefore we speake boldy And as saith S. Hierom Quod simpliciter creditur simpliciter confitendum est And if Spiridion that reuerend and auncient Bishop in a great assemblie of Bishops were wel allowed for that he sharply rebuked in publike audience an other in learning his superior in vocation his equall who in citing a text of the gospell altered of finenes and curiositie one only word and the same of no great moment grabatum into lectulum what rigor and vehemencie of speach deserue not they who in Sacramentes chief pointes of faith in the Sacrifice in Baptisme in Priestes in Bishops in Church in Apostles in Angels in Christ him self haue made most prophane innouations and reduced all to the first ethnical termes But of this hitherto The rest which remaineth is only touching Luther Caluin whom M. W. singularly commendeth wherevnto he addeth certain ordinarie wordes of course concerning him self and his felowes how heroically they haue alwaies gotten the victorie ouer vs our forefathers Of these matters somwhat hath bene spoken before and therefore here I wil not say much Luther and Caluin if they were such notable good men they finde it now the better they were the better it is for them if otherwise M.W. commendation standeth them in smale steede Neuertheles certain it is both can not be so excellent as he would make thē being continually in opinion faith in word and worke in the whole trade of their lyfe and maners so opposite so contrary such deadly enemyes as their bookes testifie the world knoweth And M.W. doth verie vnwysely so oft and so painfully to range abrode in praise of that man who is so far abhorring from him and his secte that if Luther be right they are surely out of the way if Luther be a restorer of the gospel they are enemies and destroyers of the gospel if Luther be in heauen they continuing as they do are certain of hel For so Luther euery where pronounceth of them As for the other I meane that vulgar bragging and boasting it proueth not much It is a common itching humour of most kind of heretikes Omnium haereticorum quasiregularis est ista teme ritas saith S. Austin And S. Peter long before gaue it as a general marke of them that they shal be superba vanitatis loquentes speaking provvde arrogant vaine thinges Howbeit it seemeth in our dayes more proper in some special sort to M. VV. sect then to any other as iudgeth that excellent man of whom we last spake Martin Luther who reporteth of them and that by experience that they wil say any thing boast of any thing confidently affirme any thing bur proue nothing by any sound reason or argument nisi gloriatione inani de certissima veritate saue only by friuolous craking of the most cleare truth And if once they fal in to that veyne then is there no ende In suis libris gloriandi finem et modum nullum faciunt But against al such kind of talkatiue vanitie he geueth a very general and resolute lesson vvhich if I professe to take from him and commend the same to others M. w. can not be offended because he extolleh the man for so peerles a maister And this it is Nemo eorum obtestationibus et iactationibus quicquam cred at saith he Nam eos mentiri et dupliciter mentiri certissimum est Let
no man geue any credit to the fair speaches and crakings of the Zuinglians For most certaine it is that they lye and lye agayne VVherefore Christian reader to leaue M.VV. and returne to thee and so make an ende if thou be in iudgement Catholike I know thou findest not nor euer shalt finde reason to make thee a Protestant of any sect and least of al after the English fashion And if thou feele in thy self any such temptation consider aduisedly but this only why thou shouldest encline to be of that side more then to be Lutheran a Puritan an Anabaptist a Trinitarian and so furth and thou shal neuer finde any probable cause why thou shouldest not as wel become any of these as a Caluinist or Zuinglian And vniuersally to make thee detest all Sectes if thou haue some feare of God and regard of the iudgement to come waygh only that which the very nature of our religion this treatise offereth to thy consideration and thou shalt easely find abundant reason why to reiect forsake them al. Consider the infinite difference betwene the Catholike pleading reasoning and disputing and their perpetual wrangling brawling and rayling VVe geue thee to stay thy selfe in our time vnitie of faith in al Christiā prouinces Churches wel gouerned and in due obedience florishing commō welthes quietly maintayning the doctrine which of their fathers they receaued They geue thee infinite varietie and difference of religions disordered cōgregations the sheepe controling their pastors and scholers presuming to teach their maisters And in the ciuil common-welth disobedience against the magistrate contempt of princely authoritie spoile ruine of churches of palaces of al things sacred and profane In the former ages we shewe thee consent and agreement in the religion which we professe Bishops Churches Princes Prouinces Peoples al realmes Christened ioyning in the same They tel thee of inuisible churches imagined congregations Mathematical deuises in the ayre as it were Minotautes and Hippocentaures sometimes chalenging to them selues the company of Berēgarius VVicleff Hus the like sometimes refusing them as heretikes and running per saltum vnto the Apostolical age or the first 3.4 or 5. hundred yeres after Christ condemning al the church folowing of superstition and Papistrie and sometimes yea commonly condemning those former ages no lesse then the later VVhen we treate of scriptures vve geue them vnto thee syncerely and perfitely vvithout any cutting or paring avvay of this or that booke or this and that peece of such a booke al expounded vniformely by excellent Saintes by most learned Doctors by general Councels by the most approued practise of the Catholike church in al antiquitie They geue thee scriptures so peecemele and patchedly that they cut of at the least the third part of them sometimes sentences sometimes peeces of chapters sometimes chapters commonly entier bookes And as for the exposition of them contemning al Saintes Doctors Councels of antiquitie al Doctors Fathers and Martyrs of their owne Congregations they reduce the final scope and determination of al to This is my opinion this is my iudgment and the Doctors may not take avvay from vs our liberty to iudge of them c. Consider this intolerable wilfulnes wherevnto they are now growen and the more they shew them selues to abhorre from al reason stay or moderation the more oughtest thou to obhorre from them Consider with thy selfe that neuer the founder of any common welth as Solon of Athenes or Minos of Creta was so brutish or voyd of common sense as to leaue his common welth so disordered that there should be no iudges to end controuersies no gouernours to keepe the people in peace and tranquillitie but that euery man should liue according to his lust and liking Then how much more abominable is it for vs to imagine that Christ Iesus the eternal wisedom of God should frame a larger common welth then euer was vnder the Sunne dispersed thorough al quarters corners of the world and yet for order quietnes should leaue the same worse policed then was euer the least citie or borough towne whereof we reade in any story For so much as he bound euery one of his subiectes not only to liue wel and in charitie one with an other but also vnder payne of eternal damnation he bound them al to beleeue a like and to haue the selfe same faith vnchangeably in al places times and ages touching a number of articles and yet leaft no order whereby to procure any such vnitie nay rather tooke order to driue thē into diuers innumerable faithes appointing so many supreme heads of churches as there vvere soueraine kinges princes dukes rulers in seueral kingdomes countryes prouinces and cities appointing a booke of the gospels vvhereby they should be gouerned but leauing the exposition of the same at randon in the discretion or rather fansie of euery preacher and minister Recal to memorie that which their owne principall writers and maisters teach thee who deny not but that they leade thee an other way then any of thy forefathers wēt for these thousand yeres Againe they deny not but they geue thee a faith far differing from the faith which the more auncient fathers folowed in the first fiue hūdred yeres Then whereas they praise vnto thee for most diuine and Apostolical men of later memorie those who within these 80 yeres haue restored as they cal it the gospel by those mē also thou art earnestly dehorted from the Sacramentarie faith as a faith wicked blasphemous and damnable Furthermore remember that a long time they vsed to reteyne at least the name and countenance of the written word of the Gospel of the scriptures that those were altogether for them whatsoeuer became of the Fathers Councels and Doctors But now that hold also haue they geuen ouer cōfessing thereby the scriptures to be as plainly against thē as the rest And with what conscience or reason can any man folow such blind guydes as these are who professe them selfes to folow none but to be at plaine defiance with all Fathers and Churches of this later thousand yeres with al Fathers and Churches of the other fiue hundred yeres and with the sacred scriptures and Gospel of Christ it self whom for these other reasons their owne doctors maisters and brethren condemne as heretikes most wicked and sacrilegious God indue thee with his spirite and send thee of his grace that thou maist take the right way and folow it that thou maist renounce al sectes heresies and become a true member of Christes Catholike Church without which there is no sanctification of the holy Ghost no remission of sinnes and consequently no hope of the fauour of God no hope of life eternal LAVS DEO A GENERAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL THINGES conteyned in this booke A ACADEMIKES a sect of Protestants page 279. their beleefe pa. 280. Antinomi a secte
vvorst of al other 381.382.383.384 he then most busily corrupteth scripture vvhen it is most to the dishonour of Christ 384.385 M. W. inuectiue against the late Catholike translation of the new Testament 444. it is mere histrionical 445.446.448 in condemning it he reproueth himself 447.454.455 the hypocrisie of his accusation 449.450 Notable bragging and lying 459.460.461 how weakely he iustifieth his inuectiue 462.463 he obiecteth only two faults 263.264 both false and if they were true of no importance 464.470.472.473 What they are in particular 464. his vnconscionable dealing 472.473 What is principally requisite in a Translator of scripture pa. 371.372.375 Translations more autentical then the original pa. 290.291.306 V Of the name Vniuersaliâ— See Primacie W Arguments that Good vvorkes are not the cause of saluation pa. 95. refuted at large 99.100.101 c. Good vvorkes in Christians are cause of saluation pa. 99.100 vsque ad 106. 418.421.422.423 as euil workes are cause of damnation 104.105.106.107 See Heauen Good vvorkes are in no respect necessary to saluation by the Protestants doctrine pa. 110.111.113 their argumentes prouing the same 112.113 The fathers doctrine touching good vvorkes set downe by M. W. pa. 115. the wickednes thereof 116.118.119 they are therefore condemned by Luther as verie Iewes 120.121.122 M.W. notable wrangling pa. 14.15 his manifold ouersights 97.98 he vnderstandeth not the Protestants doctrine of only faith 109. he commonly contradicteth him self 23.25.114.115.123.126.319 he proueth the English ministers to be Antichrists for sayng Communion 127.128 how fondly he answereth a place of S. Chrysost 204.206.211.212 his straunge assertion that only the hebrue text is scripture 286.287 Refuted 287.288.289 he calleth S. Austin a Sorbonist for his doctrine touching the value of good workes p. 543.545.546 and by like reason al the Apostles and Prophetes pag. 545.546 his arrogancie in condemning al doctors 495.496 et praef pag. 44.45 The summe of his answering D. Sanders consisteth partly in preferring him self before al other pref pa. 42. ad 51. partly in leauing out the substance of D.S. arguments ibid. pa. 75. vsque ad 81. Z Zuinglius the Apostle of the English church pref pa. 89.90 Zuinglians notable lyers pag. 525.526.555 and braggers 554. their maner of writing pref pa. 81.82 The faultes correct thus Pa. 4 linea 13. for charged reade charging Ibidem in many copies wanteth a marginal note Contra Campian pag. 11. Pa. 41 li. 26. Estaticus reade Ecstaticus Pa. 85. lin 6. Christ reade Christes Pa. 145. lin 18. forth reade forth Pa. 195. l. 17. argumenr reade argument Pa. 328. li. 8. for the two hebrew letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where also in some few examples the later hebrue word is diuided which should be ioyned Some other faultes there are of like qualitie especially of one letter for an other as s for f and r for t and in one place of some copies is vvhich for vvhich is al which considering the ordinarie difficulties of printing where straungers are the workers coÌ„positors correctors besides other extraordinarie mishaps I trust the Reader of his curtesie wil easely pardon Whom I request if by reading hereof he fynde ought for the encrease of his faith towardes Christ and his Church Catholike euen for loue of the same Christ and Church to help me with his prayer FINIS Contra Sand. pa. 5. in fine Ib. pa. 6. in principio M.W. knoweth not wel what that Antichrist is against whom he writeth Lucian de vera historia lib. 1. Cyclades Lucians historical verities the Protestants Euangelical verities are of like nature and probabilitie Much good time spent in reading or refuting heretical bookes 1. Tim. 6. Tertul. de praescript Heretikes are generally proude and ignoraÌ„t 2. Timoth. 6. v. 4. W. contra Sand. pag. 250. See after chap. 7. pag. 130.131 Whit. contra Camp pag. 154. Ibi pag. 153. Fulke con Mart. pag. 64 65. in sine Supra pa. 4. A strange proposition to say the church is Antichrist In the Protestants faith there is no cercertaintie In their writing and disputing there is no ground That the Protestantes haue no certaine fayth The Prince supreme head of the church The Prince not supreme head of the church A declaration of the iust c. Printed by special commaundement and licence â—no â—532 a pag. 411. Cart. in his second reply b 412. c 413. d 414. Ibi. 419 Communion booke in the forme of publike baptisme Baptisme remitteth sinnes Baptisme remitteth not sinnes Tower disputatioÌ„ the second day Priuate baptisme allowed Priuate baptisme disallowed M. W. contra Sander pag. 276.278 Ficta quaedam necessitas Great difference and coÌ„trarietie in the Communion bookes The sacrameÌ„t of confirmation admitted Refused T.C. pa. 174 apud Whitg pag. 785. Christ descended into hel Christ descended not into hel Carlile Caluin Instit aedit anno 1553. ca. 7 ¶ 28. et in postre aeditione l. 2. c 16. ¶ 9. Christs diuinitie graunted Christs diuinitie denyed M. Whit. contra Campian pag. 25.2.153.154 Sleid. Coâ—â— 17. an 1546. Rebellion against princes iustified and commended Ibidem lib. 8. an 1531. fol. 124. Ibid. lib. 22. an 1550. fol. 411. Sleid. li. 18 anno 1546 fol. 320. Beza ad D. Elizabeth Angl. Regi in praefat noui testament aedit 1565. Fox Actes and monumentes pa. 250.255.257 Ibi. pa. 251.252 a pa. 250. ad 260. Vbi supra pag. 250. Ibi. pag. 260 Gilbie Goodman c. WomeÌ„ may beare no rule ouer men in matters temporal The boâ—kes were pâ—inted at Geneua the yere 1558. yere 1559. Women may beare rule ouer men in al matters temporal and spiritual The Communion booke in the beginning before morning praier Copes and such like ornaments approued CoÌ„demned General chaunges and contrarieties in faith Foâ— actes monumeÌ„tes pag. 586. Real presence CommunioÌ„ in one kynd Mariage of priests vnlawful Vowes of chastitie Priuate masse Auricular confession These articles were according to the law of God in king Henries time Ibi. pag 587 The same articles were contrarie to the law of God in king Edwards time Fox vbi su in historia Cranmeri pag. 1473. A realme pitifully ordered where a chyld of 9 yeres old may by order of law ouerthrow al religion Chaunge vpoÌ„ chauÌ„ge D. Whitg Defensâ—a pa. 31. vsque ad 51. Ibi. pag. 178 Infinite difference betwene our English protestants and those of other nations Whit. Def. Tract 1. p. 74 A rule most assured Groundes or heads of disputation In the protestants writing or disputing there is no grouÌ„d Scripture denyed Whit. contra Camp pag. 17. Traditions of the Apostles denyed General Councels denyed T.C. pag. 16. apud D. Wh. Tract 2. p. 95 Of this see more chap. 3.5.7.17 after in the praeface Auncient doctors of the Catholike Church denyed Whit. coÌ„tra Sand. pa. 92. then we perceaue to be agreable to scripture Si vel intogrum patruÌ„ Senatum in nos commoueris D.
Whitg Trac 2. p. 112 The aunciâ—t fathers pillorie doctors New Euangelistes Apostles doctors of their owne church denyed a D Whitg defens c. Tract 4 c â—â— p. 230. Vide ibid. pa. 217. Vbi supra Tract 2. c. 4. pag. 111. So far as we â—an esteeme Ibi. Tract 3. ca. 7. pa. 201. When as in my opinion A great fal in diuinitie from the authoritie of Saintes to the authoritie of these Maisters Ibid. pa. 291 Ibid. Tract 9 pag. 522. Ibi. Tract 1. pag. 67. Vbi supra Tract 10. c 6. pag 549. It is to obserued that protestants seldome abyde 35 yeres in one opinioÌ„ Martyrs of their owne faith and gospel denyed D. VVhitg Tract 21. c. 1. pag. 710. Martyrs may not take froÌ„ any protestant his libertie to be supreme iudge Whole churches of their owne religion denied Ibi. Tract 9. ca. 1. pa. 481. Al protestaÌ„t churches be they neuer so contrary are assured of the truth Ibid cap. 2. pag. 491. Ib. Tract 20. pag. 704. a Orthod coÌ„fess Eccles Tigur fol. 105.106.107 b Cal. admonitio tertia ad Westpha p. 114. Zuin. tom 2 in Exegesi ad Luth. fo 327 c Histo de la vie de Calu. c. chap. 12. d Calu. vbi supra pag. 5. e Collo Altemburgense fol. 404. Nouum Antichristi dominium Redolent Papatum Ibi. fol. 535. f Apud D.W. Tract 18. pa. 685. g Ibi. Tract 11. pag. 559. Ibi. pag. 560. In stede of one true lawful Pope the protestants haue many tirannical popes The protestants can neuer haue any general Councel The protestants maner of answering reducing al to their owne singular arbiterment An apt comparison declaring that the protestaÌ„ts nether haue nether can haue any stay in their religion The protestants of our age in bold denyal of al things far exceede the heretikes of auncient time a Aug. de vtil cred ca. 17. contra epis Fundament ca. 4 contra Crescon li 4. cap. 61. alibi passim b August de pec orig li. 2. cap. 7.8.9 epist 90.92.95.106.157 vide Possid in vita Aug. lib. 1. ca. 18. c Aug. epist 165.166 Psal contra partem Donati Tom. 7. in principio d Aug. coÌ„tra â—ulian lib. 3 c. 1. con Donatist lib. 4. cap. 7. e Aug. cont epis Funda ca. 4 Trac 32. in loan f See Beza in praef test noui an 1565. dicat princ Condensi and Musculus in praefatio Io corum communium The protestants at defiaÌ„ce with the name Catholike Colloq Altemb in res ad excusat corrup fol. 154. The protestants admit not the very scriptures See after cha 13. 14. Ciprian epist 55. Aug. de vtilit cred cap. 17. How the protestants fel to cal the Pope Antichrist 2. Thess 2. 1. Iohn 2. v. 18. Ibi. 5. v. 2.3 The forme and maner of M. W. answering Pag. 2. Al the fathers vniuersally folowing ther in the tradition of the Apostles say that Antichrist is one certaine man pag. 21. They al erre 〈◊〉 so sayng Patrâ—â— etiaÌ„ simul vniuersi Al the fathers waÌ„ted wit and learning in comparison of the protestants A special marke of Anchrist 2. Thess 2. v. 4. Pag. 25. The second demonstration that the successioÌ„ of Popes can not be Antichrist The aÌ„swere pa. 35.36.37 38.39.40.42.43 Marke this wel A veritie manifest confessed pag. 4â— pag. 32 pag. 33. A falsitie euident which neuer was neuer wil be proued Beggerly stuffe pag. 34. pag. 35. pag. 3â— pag. 37. pag. 38. pag. 40. Reason Rayling pag. 44. Ibid. pa. 44. If other kinds of protestants vse the like libertie no heresie can euer be repressed The third demonstration Ibid. pag. 54. Matth. 16. Luc. 22. See the annotations in the new Test vpon these places Pag. 61.62 Pag. 54. pag. 6â— The impossibilitie of M. W. paradox that the Pope is Antichrist pag. 66. A wonderful chaunge vpon the sudden in al the ChristiaÌ„ world and yet more wonderful that no man should note it That the Romane Church of the later thowsand yeres hath not chaunged the faith which she had the first fiue huÌ„dred Before pag. 47. Chap. 4.7.10.11 Cal. insti li. 4. c. 18. ¶ 18. Omnes reges terrae populos à summo vsque ad nouissimum â—â—â—briauit To affirme with the protestants that the vniuersal church hath failed is to deny Christs incarnation and al scripture Ose 2. v. 19.20 Eph. 5. f. g. IoaÌ„ 17. v. 19. Eph. 2. v. 14. c. Ps 2. v. 6. 1 Tim. 6. v. 15. Hebr. 7. Act. 2. IôaÌ„ 24. v. 16. Mat. ca. 28 v. 20. Marc. 4. v. 32 1. Cor. 11 v. 26. Mat. 5 v 14.15 1. Tim. 3. v. 15 Luc. 24. v. 47 Act 15. 2. Timoth. 3 v. 9. Ephes 4. b c Mat. 10. v. 17 Mat. 16 v 18. Apoc. 20. v. 9. Esa 62 v. 6. Esa 60 v. 2.3 Ibid. v. 20. c. 62. v 4. c. 59. vers 21. Ibi. c 60. a b ca 2. v 2. Psal 2. v. 8. psal 71. v. 8.11.17 Ierem 33 c. d. e. psal 88. v. 34.35 c. Daniel 2. v. 44. Tower disputations the second day The inuisible church a poetical fansie Melanch in locis com c. de Ecclesia aedit 1561. The scripture knoweth no church but the visible Idem in praefat lib. Corpus doctrinae Christianae in Ecclesiis Saxon. Misnicis principis electorâ—s Saxon. impress Lipsiae anno 1561. Vide eundeÌ„ in Repetit Confes August offerendae Sinodoâ— Tridentinae anno 51. ca. de ecclesia Et in resp ad impios articulos Bauaricae Inquisitio quest 3. The protestants inuisible church Calv. institut lib. 4. ca. 1. ¶ 2. No saluatioÌ„ out â—f the visible church Ibid. ¶ 4. OecolaÌ„p in Isa c. 2. v. 2. Idem in Ieremiam ca. 33. v. 29. Kinges and Priestes neuer fayle in the church Illyr glossa in Math. ca. 1. v. 1. Some such stories of the Protestantes church what state it had 600. or 700 yeres agoe were worth the seing BreÌ„t in Luc. c. 17. hom 19 Lauath in Ezechiel ca. 20. v. 39.40 Luth. Tom. 4 in Isa ca. 9. c. 52. 53. 60. Bul. in Apo. Concio 62. 87. Notable forgetfulnes and contradiction See after pa. 177.178 After pa. 349.350 Cal libel de necessit reformandae ecclesiae To say that the church hath fayled is to make Christ a lyer and deceauer ab an 1544. ad 1556. Yere 1559. The storie of Dauid George set forth by them of Basile If Christ had bene the true Messias his church had neuer fayled Castalios discourse that Christ is not the true Messias The light of the church shal neuer be extinguished Quò magis libros sacros considero eo minus hactenus praestitum video vtcumque illa oracula intelligas An argumeÌ„t worthy to be consydered Caluin in Daniel ca. 2. v. 44. Lut. To. 7. li. de Iudaeis c. The Protestants vnder pretence of more puritie driue men to Iudaisme and Turkery Esa 49. per tot ca. 2. v. 3.4 Esa 54. v.
Hier. of corrupting of the scriptures S. Hierom praysing the hebrew bibles of his tyme nothing iustifieth these of our time An argumeÌ„t commonly made for the puritie of the hebrew bibles The answere Very probable that Christ noted the Iewes for corrupting the text of scripture IoaÌ„ 21. v. 25 Mat. 5. v. 22. v. 28. 32. 34. 38. 43. The whole law for many yeres together lost by the Iews 4 Reg. c. 22. Iustinus martyr tom 2. pag. 141. S. Iustine the Martyr conuinceth the Iewes of mangling the scriptures Esd â— Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 18. Ierem. ca. 11. Whole sentences cut out of the bibles by the Iewes The real presence Ihon 6. Mat. 26. Hierom. in Ieremi ca. 11. Tertul. in lib. contra Iudaeos Oecolamp in Ierem ca. 11. Psal 95. Iustinus vbi supra pa. 142 In quibusdaÌ„ exemplaribus August in Psal 9â— Our first preachers forefathers perfecte Christians without hebrew bibles pag. 19.20 The church hath faithfully coÌ„serued the scriptures notwithstaÌ„ding the corruption of the hebrew bibles â—he office of the true Church 1. Tim. 3. vers 15. Eph. 5. c. D. Whit. in the defense c. tract 2 pag. 87. tract 7. pag. 257.265.266.285.287.289 No more reason that euery particular man should prescribe the church in this then that euerie subiect should prescribe the prince how to rule his realme The protestantes can not possibly beleue any bible deliuered them by the Cath. Church in what language so euer August de vtil credendi ca. 14. Fox actes monumeÌ„tes edit 1563. pag. 44.45.91.101.102.103.108.141 140.235.251 The protestantes church and succession Whit. in the defens c. tract 8. chap. 6. pag. 465. Act. cap. â— How standeth this with the inuisibilitie general suppression of the Church which the Tower disputers so painfully labour to proue The second days conference Whit. coÌ„tra Sander p. 47 A short and true answer to M. W. demaund Such demaunders wil neuer be satisfied nether can they while they remain so mynded Mat. 22. v. 18. Mat. 7. v. 6. pag. 16. We honour esteeme of the hebrew bibles notwithstanding we alter not our fayth vpon pretence thereof The Protestants partial iudges for the Iewes against the Christians and Church Catholike Discouer c. 22 num 9.10.11.12 in the preface nu 39. In the preface to the reader nu 44. and c. 22. num 9. Act. 2. v. â—5 Sixtus â—enens in Bibliotheca sancta lib. â— pag. 648. The ProtestaÌ„ts secretly begin to disproue the Churches fayth touching the maner of Christs crucifying Calfh against the crosse Marlor in Psal 22. v. 17 Muscul io Maâ— cap. 27. Bucer in Psal 22. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IoaÌ„ 19. v. 36. Zuing. tom 3. in Eâ—chirid psalmorum Psa 21. The Tigurine translatioÌ„ wicked and Iuysh against the crucifying of Christ to like purpose is the translation of Leo Iudae Cinzit me â—cu leo manus meas c. Pag. 16. The conclusion The preface of the new testament Reasons to iustifie the latin testament in coÌ„parison of the Greeke Beza in praefat noui testamenti anno 1556. The greeke printes now in vse are not sufficieÌ„t to disproue the Latin testament Beza in IoaÌ„ ca. 7. v. 53. Veteres illi reiecerunt Beza doubteth of a part of S. Iohns gospel Bez. ad Eph. 3. vers 14. In graecis no extat Additions rashly made to the greeke Ioan. 8. v. 59 Beza in IoaÌ„ cap. 8. v. 59. Of the yere 1561. 1562. 1577. 1579. No certaintie in the English translations anno 1580. Scripture made Canonical not Canonical according to Bezaes fansie Of the yere 1556. Of the yere 1565. Eras in Annot Bulling decade 5. serâ— 5. Assuere suas nugaâ— Parcels of importance heretically leaft out of the greeke Before cap. 10. pa. 248 Luc. 1. v. 35. Carol. Molin in nou testament part 1. See the greeke testament of Basil print of the yere 1536. 1540. 1543. Zuriâ— 1547. Geneua 1565. 1576. Beza in testameÌ„t 1556. in Luc. 1. vers 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza furthereth the Anabaptistes against Christs incarnation of the blessed Virgin Câ—rol Mol. in testameÌ„t par 64. Mar. 11. v. 26 Beza in illuÌ„ locum Illyric in clau par 1. praefat If S Hier the Church in his time were destitute of these helpes is Illyricus the rest of that cruâ— furnished with them Religious sinceritie principally to be regarded in an interpreter of the scripture Our old interpreter had varietie choise of good greeke copies Pag. 362. Beza in Mar. ca. 1. vers 2. Hiero. de optimo genere interpretaÌ„di c. 3. Augu. quest 57. vet nou test Epiph. coÌ„tra haereses li. 2 Chrisost ca. 1. Marci Bez. in Luc. cap. 8. v. 54. The religious fidelitie sinceritie of our old interpreter Beza in 1. c. Lucae v. 1. Molin par 30. Humfred de ratione interp lib. 1. pag. 74 Humfred ibid. pa. 175. Protestant translators of the new testament al partial in fauour of their seueral heresies and so al false corrupt Sleid. li. 17. in fine Brent in Apolog conf Wirten cap. de horis canonicis Bey viertzâ—hin hundert ketzerlycher lugeÌ„ Lindan dubitant dial 1. pa. 79. Luthers traÌ„slation ful of corruption in fauour of Lutheranisme Zuing. to 2. ad Luther lib. de sacrameÌ„to fo 412 Ibid. fo 143 Manifestus publicus sacrae scripturae corruptor adulterator Two fitte Apostles for such a church as they erected No translation of scripture made by a Zuinglian can possibly be good Ibid. apud Zuingl fol. 388.389 Particular translations of diuers protestaÌ„tes The translation of Basile wicked Bez. in resp ad defens respoÌ„sio Castalion Humfred de rat interpret li. 1 pa 62 63.189 Gesner in Bibliotheca Sebastia Castalio Beza in test an 1556. in praefat in Mat. c. 3. 1. Cor 1. Mat. 4. Luc. 2. Act. 8. 10. The translation of Castalio Ethnical Caluin in his translatioÌ„ altereth and addeth to the text of the gospel Carol. Mol. in sua trans testam noui parte 11. fo 110. Bezaes traÌ„slation more disagreing from it self and worse then any of the rest Before c. 10. Carol. Moli in testam part 8 13.14 21.23 Part. 26.30.40.64 Part. 64.65.66.74.99 A prety way to rocoÌ„cile places that seeme to disagree Molin in Luc. 17. Our old translation better then al ProtestaÌ„t translations Carolus â—olincus Vide ibi in Ioan. 7. v. 35. Castalio in defens pag. 179 174.18â—.183.188.198.202.206.213 Castal defens trans pag. 176. Ibi. pag. 182 183. Bezaes innumerable corruptions in the new testament Before c. 10. Beza then especially corrupteth the text when he thereby may most dishonour Christ Rom. 6. v. 6. Castalio vbi sup pa. 192. English traÌ„slations set forth in schisme al faultie King Henries bibles King Edwardes Humfred de sat inter li. 3. pa. 523. The bibles set forth in our time The yere when it was printed is not put in the print Before c. 11. Not possible to put forth any translation more indifferent
c. 2 â—ed in Luc. cap. 5. Act. 4. v. 37. 2. Pet. 3. v. 3. Psal 1. Heretikes generally geuen to scorning mocking Vide Brentium contra Bullinger de mansionibus in caelo anno 1561. fol. 22.23.35 Carlile in his booke that Christ descended not in to hel fol. 35 36 37 38 96 97 98. Sleid. li. 17. pa. 311. 4. Reg. 4. v. 37. Luc. 8. v. 47. Luc. 7. v. 38. Act. 8. v. 27. Pilgrimage to holy places Phil. 2. v. â—0 D. Whit. defens tract 21. c. 7. pa. 743. M.W. taketh parte with Iewes and Infidels against Christians Why Christians do honour at the name of Iesus The Protestantes vse more deuotion and yelde more reuerence to the pictur of a dog and a lyon then to the name image or crosse of Christ. The Protestants wil haue no reuerence done at the name of Iesus How Catholikes honour the name of Iesus and other things pertaining to him Wherevnto the Protestants tenâ—t by such ridiculous coÌ„clusions Heb. 1. v. 1. Ibi. c 11. v. 1. Rom. 8. v. 24 The true nature of Christian faith Marc. 12. Mat. 22. 1. Cor. 15. How S. Paul proueth the resurrection Cor. 15. How one part or article of faith is applied to the confirmation of an other Before pa. 177.178 Whitg defeÌ„ce against M. Car. Trac 3. c. 6. ¶ 4. The English writers teach the way to scorne al Christian religion M. Iewel thoroughout his first booke against â— Harding Pag. 2â— Pag. 114. Annot. in Mat. cap. 10. v. 22. The antiquitie of the Protestants church Haddon in fine epist contra Osoriâ—â—â— Aug. de nupt et con cupis lib â— cap. 31. Luth. to 7. defens verboruÌ„ coenae fol. 400. Debacchari The Zuinglians notable lyers The pitiful shiftes of our aduersaries Pag. 23. Hebr. 7. v 17. The first blasphemy The answere Lye vpoÌ„ lye S. Paules epistle to the hebrewes reiected by the protestants Before pag. 414. 1. Cor. 3. v. 12 Bible of the yere 1579. in the preface of this epistle How Christ is a priest for euer Christs eternal priesthod consisteth in the perpetual sacrifice of his body bloud in the Church The protestants cauilling vpon particles against Melchisedecks sacrifice priesthod directly against the Apostle Christs eternal priesthod and sacrifice in the Church is proued out of the fathers Heretikes very blynd in the scripture though they crake much of their deepe insight in them Tit. 3. v. â— Rom. 1. v. 28 Luc. 8. v. 10. 2. Thess 2. v 11. See the Anotations in cap. 5. v. 11. 7. v. 11.12 c. 9.12.15.25 c. 10. v. 2. Multiplication of lyes 7. v. 4.11.23.9 v 12.15.10 v. 2.4.5.11 No time to talke of the Sacrifice of the church wheÌ„ the Sacrifice of the crosse is not first beleeued The auncient fathers speake more plainely of the church Sacrifice then doth S. Paule without any derogation to S. Paule Act. 2. v. 22. Ioan. c. 12.13 14.15.16.17 The councel of Nice expressed the consubstantialitie of Christ with his father more plainely then any Euangelist M.W. last obiection Answered Answered by him self before pag. 17. Answered by M. Iewel Iewel in his Replie art 1 ¶ 5. in M. W. translation pag. 9. Answered by Illyricus Illyric ad Heb. c. 7. v. â— Who euer saw such foly pride and partialitie Mat. 7. v. 3. The second and last blasphemie pag. 24. Rom. 6. v. 23 The principal of these Sorbonists after S. Paule is S. Austin Life euerlasting a stipend and yet grace Aug. epist 105. How eternal life is of grace yet the reward of iustice Let M W. marke this True it is Al the Prophetes Euangelists Apostles were Sorbonists by M. W. iudgment a Prou. 11. v. 18. c. 24. v. 12 Sap. 5.16 ca. 10.17 Ecclesia 16.12 c. 51.38 b Psal 61.12 c Esa 40.10 c. 62.11 d Ierem. 31.16 e 1. Peter 1.17 f 2. Ioan. 8. Apoc. 2.23 c. 22.12 g Rom. 2.6 1. Cor. 3.8 2. Cor. 5.10 2. Thess 1. v. 6.7 h Mat. 5.12 c. 6.1 c. 10.41 c. 16.27 c. 20.8 c. 25. Sorbone a famous College in Paris Shameful ignorance See before pag. 99.100 c. M. W. hath vndertaken hard matters to defend Chap. 1. Chap. 10. Chap. 5. M Iewels chalenge Chap. 7. The proceeding of our aduersaries Many of theÌ„ are proceeded thus far already See the prface pa. 65.66 c 2. Cor. 4. Hieron ad TheophiluÌ„ contra errores Ioannis Hieros Nicep li. 8. cap. 42. Mar. 2. v. 11. See before chap. 11. pag 31.32 If Luther be saâ—ed al they of English religion are damned See before chap. 3. Aug. epi. 56. 2. Pet. 2. v. 28 The ZuingliaÌ„s proue al thing by boasting Luther defens verborum caenae fol. 405. Ibi. fol. 381.382 Ibid. fo 394 406. No more reason to be a Zuinglian then a Lutheran or Arrian â—nfinite difâ—â—rence beâ—wene the Catholike â—ause and â—he proteâ—tantes Church of â—he tyme present Church of the tyme past Scriptures Preface pa. 35.36 Iudgment Neuer was there any common welth worse ordered theÌ„ the Church of Christ by the Protestants diuinitie No ground of the English religion See chap. 7. pag. 165. Chap. 4. pa. 69.70 c. c. 6. p. 121.122 Chap. 3. pag. 45. Chap. 1. 2.