the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers to them which I haue before alleaged Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesia est non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco per totum orbem terrarum nec illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in Christū totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caputest Christus that is The bodie of this head is the Church not which is in this place onely but that which is in this place and through the whole world neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ euen the whole companie of Saints pertaining to one citie which citie is the bodie of Christ whereof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius est ipse caput Non solum autem fideles qui modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes ad corpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his bodie whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue been before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes sanctificati homines qui fuet unt qui sunt qui futuri sunt that is All sanctified men which haue been which are and which shall be citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Christo discedit ijsunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei permanent that is The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they be the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Haec nos Deo seruat haec filios regno quos generauit assignat that is The spouse cannot be defiled she is vncorrupt and chast she knoweth one house and keepeth with chast shamefastnes the holines of one chamber she keepeth vs to God she assigneth the children whom she hath borne vnto his kingdome Saint Hierome saith Ipsa ecclesia quae est Sanctorum omnium congregatio pro aeterna sibi in Domino stabilitate columna fundamentum dicitur veritatis The Church which is the congregation of all Saints by reason of her eternall stedfastnes in God is called the pillar and ground of truth Chrysostome saith Ecclesia est tabernaculū à Deo fixum non ab homine ab vno loco in aliū fugit sednon à pietate ad impietatē fugit that is The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight and not man she flieth from one place to another but she neuer flieth from godlines to impietie and wickednes Ambrose Apostolus omnem ecclesiam dicens summatim totum comprebendit quod in coelo est interra that is The Apostle meaning all the Church briefly comprehendeth the whole which is both in heauen and in earth Bernard saith Electi Dei sunt ecclesia Dei The elect of God be the Church of God So saith Clemens Alexandrinus as I haue before alleaged Non nunc locum sed electorum congregationem appello ecclesiam I call not now the place the Church but the congregation of the elect Yea Frier Lyra saith Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistat in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principes summi pontifices alij inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse à fide propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera confessio fides veritatis that is Whereby it appeareth that the Church consisteth not in men in respect of their ecclesiasticall or secular power or dignitie for many Princes and Popes and others of lower degree haue bin found to haue bin Apostates and to haue fallen away from the faith Wherefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whom is true knowledge and the confession of faith and truth This is that holy Catholike Church which we in the Creede confesse and beleeue euen the whole number of them whom God hath elected and chosen to eternall life whom God hath had in all ages and of all nations of which Church euery true and faithfull man and woman must beleeue himselfe to be a true and liuely member whereof he may be assured if he finde and feele that God hath lightened his minde with the knowledge of his truth hath wrought in his heart an vnfained faith to trust in his mercies and to beleeue that his sinnes be forgiuen him for Christs names sake and that God hath sanctified his soule and bodie to hate sinne and to haue a care and conscience to serue him in true holines and righteousnes all the daies of his life This being our confession and beliefe with what conscience and truth can this man say that the Church which the Protestants beleeue hath been interrupted all the ages betwixt the Apostles and Luther and in very deede was neuer seene before Luthers daies or that wee imagine the same to be comprehended within the narrow bounds of England I can say nomore but that a false witnes shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape But now let vs see what this man and his fellowes hold beleeue and call the Catholike Church forsooth the companie of all them that receiue and professe the religion and doctrine of the Church of Rome and submit themselues to be ruled and gouerned by the Bishop and Pope of Rome They that doe not this be Heretikes Schismatikes out of Noahs Arke and out of the Catholike Church And hereupon it followeth that the Christians in Graecia Muscouia Armenia Aethiopia c. where Christianitie hath continued vnto this day and among whom no doubt but some haue been of Gods elect and chosen people yet be they no Catholikes nor of the Catholike Church nor in the state of salnation And why because they neither haue been nor be subiect to the Pope of Rome For so it is with many words solemnely defined and determined by that holy and vertuous Pope Boniface the 8. Subesse Romano pontifici omni humanae creaturae
of Iudas not Iscariot did say what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not vnto the world In this sense I may grant that the world hath not had these gifts of Gods grace these thousand yeares and put another thousand and more vnto them But if we take the world more generally for this great globe and all the inhabitants thereof then proue by the testimonie of all antiquitie that the doctrine which we teach and professe hath not been these 1500. yeares in the world and we will yeeld and you shall winne the victorie But it is vsuall with you and your fellowes to make great and braue bragges to amaze the simple and ignorant and to bring small and poore proofes as you doe here none at all to perswade the wise and learned great braggers are no great doers In deede we confesse that the Church is well compared by Saint Augustine to the Moone For as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the true Church receiue her light from Iesus Christ the sunne of righteousnes And as the Moone is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnes and sometimes is in the waine and sometimes is eclipsed and doth little appeare euen so the Church is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnes and glorie as in the Apostles times and diuers hundreth yeares after it did sometimes it is in the waine and eclipsed as for many hundred yeares last past it hath been in which that Apostasie from the faith is come which Saint Paul by the spirit of God foreshewed and the euent hath proued by Mahometisme in the East and Papisme in the West During which time although the Church hath been driuen into the wildernes and the light of true doctrine which is the soule of the Church hath been eclipsed yet they haue neuer vtterly perished For in all ages God in mercie hath reserued a remnant according to the election of grace by whom the light of his truth hath been preserued and in whom those admirable promises of his mercie haue been performed These haue been not proude Popes treading vpon Emperours neckes deposing them from their Crownes and Kingdomes raysing bloudie battels and pouling and spoyling Christian countries with greeuous and horrible exactions and deuises as might be shewed not carnall Cardinals Princes peeres hauing 200. and 300. benefices apeece as Gerson and Clamangis Parisian Doctors before named doe affirme not popish blinde prelates Abbats Monkes priests c. wallowing in all worldly wealth and for the most part in great filthines of life as hereafter I will shew but such as the Apostle speaketh of that haue been tried by mockings and scourginges yea by bondes prisonment which were stoned hewen asunder tempted slaine with the sworde wandred vp and downe in sheepe-skinnes and in goates skinnes destituted afflicted and tormented whom the world was not worthie of which wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth Such were those good people in the time of the foresaid apostacie the Waldenses and Pauperes de Lugduno dispersed in diuers countries as namely Calabria Sauoye Prouence in Fraunce of whom many both long agoe in sundrie places and diuers times were burned as it is written in the old booke called Fasciculus Temporum and also of late yeares were most cruelly and vnmercifully perse cuted in Merindoll the valley of Angrone Luserne and Saint Martin Such were they that were called Begardi of whom to the number of 114. were burnt at Paris as the foresaid booke Fasciculus Tempo sheweth Such were they that were called Albingenses inhabiting especially about Tholossa in Fraunce of whom by the procurement of that false Frier and superstitious Hypocrite Dominicus an hundreth thousand were destroyed as writeth Bernardus Lutzenburgus and an 180. were together burned as both Antoninus the Arch-bishop of Florence writeth and Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Such were they of whom Albertus Crantius writeth which in Sueuia publikly preached that the Pope Bishops and prelaces were heretikes and Simoniakes that the begging Friers did peruert the Church with their false preachings for the which they were persecuted and some burned Such were they in Bohemia and Morauia in great number with whom Aeneas Syluius who was Pope called Pius the second hauing had conference writeth thus of one of them Finitis sermonibus istis assurrexit vnus de primoribus Thaboritarum animo satis inflato quid tu nobis inquit apostolicam sedem tot verbis amplificas Nos Papam Cardinales anaritiae seruos nouimus impatientes inflatos tumidos ventri ac libidini deditos ministros scelerum diaboli sacerdotes Antichristi praecursores quorum deus venter est pecunia caelum That is when these speeches were ended there did rise vp one of the chiefe of the Thaborites and with an hautie minde said What dost thou amplifie to vs in so many wordes the Apostolicall seate we know that the Pope and the Cardinals be slaues to couetousnes imputient proud arrogant giuen to the bellie and filthie lust the ministers of wickednes the priests of the diuell and the forerunners of Antichrist whose God is their bellie and whose heauen is money Such also was Arnoldus Brixianus persecuted by that proud English Pope Adrian the fourth anno 1155. Iohn Rochetailada burnt at Auinion by Pope Clement the sixt 1345. Michael Cesenas burnt 1322. Iohn Wickliffe who died 1387. and after his death his body was burnt Two Franciscan Friers burnt at Auinion by Pope Innocent the sixt 1354. Two others burnt at London 1357. William Swinderby burnt 1401. William White burnt 1428. Peter Clarke and Peter Paine 1433. persecuted and forced to flee into Bohemia Thomas Rhedonensis burnt at Rome 1430. Mattheus Palmerius burnt at Florence as witnesseth Sabellicus Dulcinus of Nouaria and Margaret his wife burnt about the yeare of our Lord 1304. Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage burnt at Constance 1415. 1416. Hieromus Sauonarola burnt at Florence 1499. These and many such other that might be produced with their faithfull fauourers and followers were the true Church of God in whom his mercifull promises were performed These are they that haue mourned in Zion that haue lamented and cryed for all the abominations that haue been don in Ierusalem or rather in Rome that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained and which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lamb. But these now haue beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnes for the spirit of heauines and are trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord in whom he is glorified they be now vnder the altar and are in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth
on the throne doth dwell among them neither doth the sunne light on them neither any heate But this man will say that these were condemned and punished by the Church for heretikes I confesse they were so euen as the Prophets of God Christ our Sauiour and his holy Apostles were before them condemned by the prelates and priests of the Church of Israel which caried the countenance of the Church of God as much and more rightly then the Pope and his prelates now doe Neither were these so few in number but that by confession of some popish writers the Romish false faith was sometimes in danger to haue been subuerted by them Wernerus a Charterhouse Monke of Colen in his foresaid booke called Fasciculus temporum writeth thus Fuerunt nihilominus postea quidam subtilissimi haeretici qui istam haeresim Waldensium defendere conabantur plura regna populos deceperunt that is notwithstanding there were afterwards some most subtill heretikes which went about to defend this heresie of the Waldenses and deceiued or rather truely instructed many kingdomes and nations And againe hauing made mention of certaine popish doctors in those dayes as Hugo Cardinalis c. he hath these words Quos diuina bonitas misit pro fidei defensione alioquin tota pene fides perijsset propter haereticorum multiplicitatem subtilitatem simul potentiam that is whom God sent for the defence of the faith for otherwaies it had like wholy to haue perished by reason of the multitude subtiltie and power of heretikes It appeareth by the testimonie of this popish Monke that in those dayes there were verie many of them whom he falsely calleth heretikes And whereas these detested the enormities and abominations of the Church of Rome and maintained the same substantiall and fundamentall points of doctrine that we doe as it appeareth by the articles obiected vnto them that they did how doth this man say that our religion was not these 1500. yeares in the world It was in the world but hated of the world which hated Christ yet was it constantly confessed euen to death of them whom God the Father hath giuen to Christ out of the world Hereby it may sufficiently appeare that the Synagogue of the Iewes hath not bin more constant in continuance nor more ample in place then the true Church of Christ hath been In deede it may be that the Synagogues of the Iewes haue continued in some certaine places more constantly then the true Churches of Iesus Christ haue done Yet hereupon it doth not follow that either Gods admirable promises haue not bin performed or that the true Church hath perished It is not the Synagogue of the Iewes but the true Church of God that is clothed with Christ the sun of righteousnes treadeth vnder her feete earthly things which be mutable as y e moone and is adorned with the Doctrine of Christs twelue Apostles which is forced to flee into the wildernes Chrysostome saith well Ecclesia est tabernaculū à deo fixum non ab homine ab vno loco in alium fugit sed non à pietate ad impietatem fugit that is The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight and not man she fleeth from one place to another but she neuer fleeth from godlines to impietie and wickednes As Barrabas found here more fauour with the prelates and priests of Iudah and Ierusalem then Iesus Christ the son of God did So the Popes and Iewes Synagogues haue found more fauour and more quietly rested in this wicked world then the true Church of Iesus Christ hath done As euen in Rome the Iewes professed and open enemies of our Sauiour Christ haue had and yet haue their Synagogues and liue paying their tributes in as great quietnes and safetie as the Curtizans Whores of Rome do which pay yearely to the Pope twentie thousand duckates It is written in the pontificall that at the coronation of the Pope and in his procession to y e Church of Laterane the Iewes vse to meete him and making curtesie do offer the law to him to whom he giueth a gentle answere But whereas the foresaid Arnoldus Brixianus a great learned man reproued the errors and enormities of the Church of Rome Adrian the foure our proud countriman who rebuked the Emperor for holding his wrong stirrop would not go vp to the Church of Laterane to be consecrate vntill he were driuen but of Rome There was also one Arnulphus in Rome a godly mā whom many of the inhabitants thereof acknowledged for a true disciple of Christ that was there murthered by the priests for inueighing against their wickednesse Also in a towne neere Rome called Pole the lord thereof with many others were counted heretikes for saying that none of them which followed Peter were y e true vicars of Christ but such as followed the pouerty of Christ These Pope Paulus the second persecuted and contumeliously intreated as Platina and Sabellicus doe write Hereby we see that it is a thing more allowable in Rome to denie Christ as the Iewes doe then to meddle with the Popes triple crowne or to reproue his pride and enormities This our doctrine of performing Gods admirable promises not in proud Popes and wicked worldlings but in the faithfull which feare God tremble at his word and are for the most part hated and persecuted in the world doth neither shew the path to Atheisme nor open the gap to Machiuilian deuises which by the testimonie of some papists themselues are no where sooner learned then in that schoole wherein T. W. the author of this slanderous libell hath bin as I suppose too much and too long trained I meane the schoole of Iesuites of whom William Watson a popish secular priest in his booke of Quodlibets lately published doth thus write Many Atheal paradoxes be taught in the Iesuites conclaue or close conuenticles Aga. Questionles the Iesuits want neither art nor euill will nor yet malitious meanes to effect it as hauing vsed from the beginning more Machauilian deuises and Atheal practises in secret conference by their inferior agents with schismatikes yea and with our common aduersaries then with catholikes Againe It must needes follow that there is not a Iesuite in all England this day but hath a bitter smack of father Parsons impiety irreligiosity treachery treason Machiuilian Atheisme Again neither Machiuel nor any that euer yet was in Europe came neere vnto the Iesuites for Atheal deuises to preuent the stopples of their stratagems and to further their proceedings Againe But I call them Iesuiticall that is the faction of the Iesuites by abbreuiation to auoyde circumlocution in one word expressing them to be a factious seditious ambitious auaritious treacherous traiterous Machiuilian Atheall consort that abusing the rules of their societie c. By the iudgement of this popish priest let the good reader consider who they be that shew
Chrysostom Omnibus vnum corpus proponitur poculum vnum One body and one Cuppe is propounded to all So saith Theophilactus Tremendus calix pari cunctis conditione traditus est The fearefull Cup is in like sort deliuered vnto all Yea this absurd exposition of theirs is contrarie to the practise of the Primitiue Church and to all antiquitie as might be shewed and of some Papists is confessed But to proceede and to shew how they handle other places I will ioyne two places together because they doe often alleage them together to proue the Popes supremacie ouer the whole Church of God dispersed ouer the whole world The one Hosea 1. 11. Then shall the Children of Iudah and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoynt themselues one head The other place is Iohn 10. 16. There shall be one fold and one shepheard These places be alleaged by Pope Pius the second epist 288. by Iohannes de Parisijs by D. Harding c. expounding the same not of Christ but of the Pope to be this one head and one shepheard The which what a priuat and false exposition it is I neede not greatly to shew it is so plaine and apparant The first place of Hosea Saint Hierome expoundeth thus Haec omnia fient quia magnus est dies seminis Dei qui interpretatur Christus i. All these things shall come to passe because it is the great day of the seede of God which is expounded not the Pope but Christ so also doth Frier Lira Congregabuntur filij Iudae id est Apostoli c. There shall assemble together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles and the Children of Israel that is to say the heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vnto themselues one head that is to say one Christ So doth S. Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 28. Whose words for shortnes sake I omit The other place is so plaine that a Cobler by hearing or reading of it may perceiue that our Sauiour Christ spake it of himselfe and not of the Pope He saith I am the good shepheard and knowe mine and am knowne of mine I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one sheepefolde and one shepheard Therefore doth my father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe Who is so blind as seeth not these words to be spoken of our Sauiour Christ himselfe and not of the Pope Yet that doughtie or rather doltish Doctor Iohannes de Parisijs is not ashamed to say that it is not to be vnderstoode of Christ but of some other Minister which should rule in his place His words be these Congregabuntur filij Iuda filij Israel vt ponant sibi caput vnum Ioan. 10. fiet vnum ouile vnus pastor Quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sed de alio aliquo ministro quipraesit loco eius i. The Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel shall be gathered together and shall appoynt themselues one head and Ioh. 10. There shall be one fold and one shepheard which cannot be vnderstoode of Christ but of some other minister that must rule in his place Behold the absurditie of this saying and exposition and let this cauiller who in his questions and challenge so disdainefully despiseth our learning consider what a blind ignorant and vnlearned Doctor and writer this was that so absurdly expoundeth this place and contrarily to the plaine words denieth them to be vnderstoode of our Sauiour Christ and blasphemously attributeth y t vnto the Pope which is only proper and peculiar to Iesus Christ Frier Lira was of better iudgement who writeth thus Fiet vnus pastor id est Christus i. There shall be one pastor that is to say Christ I will shew another place or two in like manner expounded for the proofe of the same matter In the booke of the ceremonies of the Church of Rome the which I wish were in English that our English Catholikes might see the goodly ceremonies and orders of that Church it is thus written Papa in nocte natiuitatis domini benedicit ensem quem postea donat alicui principi in signum infinitae potentiae pontifici collatae iuxta illud data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Item dominabitur à mari vsque ad mare à flùmine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum i. The Pope in the night of the feast of Christs Natiuitie blesseth a sword for a signe of the infinit power giuen to him which hee afterward bestoweth vpon some Prince according to that saying All power is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth also He shall rule from the sea vnto the sea and from the stood vnto the ends of the world Are not these sayings thinke you finely expounded of the Pope whereof the one our Sauiour Christ himselfe spake and the other the Prophet Dauid prophesied of Iesus Christ himselfe And the former of these places Stephen the Archbishop of Patraca applied vnto Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankefully accepted it and suffered it to be published and printed and so to this day was neuer by any Papist disliked By these places any man may discerne and iudge whether this Romish prelate be not that man of sinne and sonne of perdition an aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against or aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped sitting as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God of whom S. Paul before prophecied in taking these things vnto himselfe which Gods spirit spake properly and peculiarly of Iesus Christ The place of Saint Peter 1. chap. 4. Loue or charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes they expound in this sense that charitie maketh satisfaction for our sinnes and couereth and hideth our sinnes before God Iohn Fisher the Bishop of Rochester writeth hereof thus Tertius modus est per vehementis charitatis affectum Nam vehemens vtique charitatis affectus peccatorum etiam expurgat reliquias quum dicat diuus Petrus Charitas operit multitudinem peccatorum i. The third meanes to purge away sinne is by the affection of vehement charitie for surely the vehement affection of charitie doth also purge out the remnants of sinnes for S. Peter saith Charitie hideth the multitude of sinner That this is a priuate and false exposition a simple and meane man may see especially if he looke vpon the place in the Prouerbs chap. 10. 12. from the which Saint Peter doth alleage it and is commonly quoted in the margent Hatred stirreth vp contention but loue or charitie couereth all trespasses Where Salomon sheweth that
to beleeue must be vninersall for all time comprehending allages and vniuersall for place comprehending all nations but that Church which the Protestants beleeue was interrupted all the ages betwixt the Apostles and Luther which was 1400. yeares or in very deede was neuer seene before Luthers dayes therefore that Church they beleeue cannot be Catholike Neither is it vniuersall in place being contained within the narrow bounds of England which is accompted but as a corner of the world for the Lutherans in Germanie the Hugonites in Fraunce and the Guines in Flaunders detest their religion as much as the Catholikes neither will they ioyne issue with them in diuers essentiall points And therefore the Protestants Church which they beleeue can no more be called Catholike or vniuersall then England the vniuersall world or Kent the Kingdome of England or a pruned bough a wheate tree or a dead finger a man or a rotten tooth the whole head The second article is the communion of Saints the which they many wayes deny First by not beleeuing that Christ hath instituted seuen Sacraments wherein the Saints of his Church communicate and specially the true and real presence of our Sauiour Christ in the Eucharist by which all the faithfull receiuers participating of one and the selfe same bodie are made one bodie as all the parts of a mans bodie are made one liuing thing by participating one soule Secondly they denie the communion of the Church militant and triumphant by exclaming against inuocation of Saints by which holy exercise the blessed Saints in heauen and we in yearth communicate we by prayer glorifying them and they by meditation obtayning our request Thirdly they deny the communion of the Church militant and the soules in purgatorie bereauing them of that Christian charitie which charitable compassion and mercifull pitie requireth and by naturall affection the members of one bodie helpe one another The third article is remission of sinnes for they acknowledge no such effect in the Sacrament of Baptisme but onely count it as an externall signe or seale of a prereceiued grace or fauour of God by his eternall predestination against the expresse word of God which therefore calleth this Sacrament the lauer of regeneration for that in it the soule dead by sinne is newly regenerate by grace Moreouer they allow not the Sacrament of penance wherein all actuall sinnes committed after Baptisme are cancelled and that which exceedeth all in absurditie is to deny that our sinnes are all perfectly forgiuen but onely not imputed and as it were veiled or couered with the passion of Christ all the botches and biles the filth and abomination of sinne still remaining and as it were exhaling a most pestiferous sent in the sight of God For let them shift themselues as they list and scarfe their â—ores according to their fancies yet no veile nor mantell can couer their deformitie of sinne from the pearcing eyes of Gods perfit vnderstanding from which nothing can be concealed Fourthly the puritanes in effect deny that Christ is the sonne of God for they peremptorilie affirme that Christ is God of himselfe and not God of God So that he receiued not his diuinitie from his father The which position flatly taketh away the nature of a sonne for the nature of a sonne is to receiue his substance of his Father and it implyeth contradiction that the sonne receiueth his person of his Father and not his substance and essence for the substance of God is essentiall to euery person in trinitie Fiftly finally they deny the descension of Christ into hell and desperately defend that he suffered the paines of Hell vpon the Crosse whereby they blaspheme most horribly that sacred humanitie as if Christ had despaired of his saluation as if God had hated him and he had hated God as if he had been afflicted and tormented with anguish of minde for his offences for which he was depriued of the sight of God and eternally to be depriued all which horrible punishments are included in the paines of Hell and whosoeuer ascribeth them to Christ blasphemeth more horribly then Arius who denied him to be God for lesse absurditie it were to deny him to be God then to make God the enemie of God Answere IN this fourth article the syllogisme promised is not performed But in steede thereof here is an accusation that we know not what we beleeue nor why we beleeue Your proofe before I haue examined and what we beleeue I haue declared whereof the rule is not our owne fancie as you say and shew not as the rule of your faith and life is the Popes folly as hath been in part shewed You say we haue no rule whereby to know what is the matter of faith We haue the word of God contained in the canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testament and is that no rule I pray you what doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie but a rule and why be the Scriptures called canonicall but because they be the rule of our faith and life Thomas Aquinas saith Doctrina enim Apostolorum prophetarum dicitur canonica quia est regula intellectus nostri that is The Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called canonicall because they be the rule of our vnderstanding Dauid when he said Thy word is a light vnto my feete and a lanterne vnto my pathes what did he but make that same the rule direction and guide of his faith and life when Moses said Now therefore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances and to the lawes which I teach you to doe that ye may liue and goe in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your Fathers giueth you ye shall put nothing to the word which I commaund you neither shall take ought therefrom that ye may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your God which I commaund you what did he but make Gods word declared to him and written by him the rule of their faith and life When God said to Iosua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe What did he but make his written word the rule of his faith and whole life When Abraham said to the rich man condemned in Hell They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them what did he but shew that the writings of Moses the Prophets were the onely rule which his brethren should follow to auoyd damnation and consequently to attaine eternall saluation Chrysostom saith Ne igitur multorum opiniones habeamus sed resipsas inquiramus Quomodo autem non absurdum propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare pro rebus autem amplioribus aliorum sententiam sequi
simpliciter praesertim cùm habeamus omnem exactissimā trutinam gnomonem ac regulam diuinarum inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quidnam huic vel illi videatur deque hijs à scripturis haec omnia inquirite c. i. Let vs not seeke the opinions of many men but let vs search the things themselues for how is it not absurd not to beleeue men concerning mony but that we wil count it for matters of greater waight to follow simply the minde and opinion of others especially seeing we haue the most exact ballance square rule the doctrine of Gods lawes Therfore I request and beseech you all to leaue and forsake what seemeth good to this or that man of these matters search ye al these things by the Scriptures The same Chrysostom hath these words Vides in quantum absurditatē incidunt qui diuinae scripturae canonem sequi nolunt sed suis cogitationibus permittunt omnia i. Thou seest into how great absurditie they doe fall which follow not the rule of the diuine Scriptures but permit all things to their owne fancies and deuises And againe Satis sufficere credimus quicquid secundum praedictas regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis sententijs contrarium that is we beleeue that that is sufficient enough whatsoeuer according to the foresaid rules the writings of the Apostles haue taught vs so that we doe not at all iudge that to be Catholike which shall appeare to be contrarie to the foresaid rules Beda hath an excellent saying hereof which is recorded in Gratians decrees Nobis sacris literis vnica est credendi pariter viuendiregula praescripta that is The onely rule both of faith and also of life is prescribed vnto vs in the holy Scriptures This rule we haue and will you say this is no rule If you haue a better rule let vs know it And whereas you would haue the councels doctors and Church the rule of our faith and life bring such like plaine places out of the Scriptures and doctors for the proofe of it and then we will yeeld vnto you As touching the Apostles creede we acknowledge it to be abriefe abridgment of the especiall and principall points of Christian faith and doctrine yet there be some truthes which are not particularly expressed in the same But whereas you say or rather falsely slaunder that the Protestants denie three articles of our creede and the Puritanes fiue I say that you affirme much and proue little But first you might well enough haue forborne this distinction of protestants puritanes for although some haue differed in some outward matters concerning ceremonies externall orders in the Church yet these all greatly agree and consent in all points of the doctrine of faith and Articles of Christian Religion Neither doe I know any that so well deserue this name of Puritanes as you who glorie that you after baptisme be pure from all sinne and for actuall sinnes after committed can make so full satisfaction to God for them that he can request no more of you as hereafter I will shew and therefore it be you that may well be called Puritanes of whom that saying of Salomon may be well verified There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines But let vs come to the examination of your proofe of this your absurd and slaunderous assertion The first you say is the Catholike Church Credo Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam Doe wee denie this Article Why doe wee then not onely print it and rehearse it in our Creede but also expound it in our preachings and Catechising I haue said before that which may seeme sufficient concerning this matter and article yet the better to satisfie the Christian Reader and to stop the mouth of this malicious accuser I say againe that by the holy Catholike Church mentioned in the Creede is meant the companie of all Gods elect and faithfull people whom he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth to be vessels of his mercie and heires of his kingdome of glorie which is the bodie of Christ and he the head the spouse of Christ and he the bridegrome the house of Christ and he the foundation the flocke of Christ and he the shepheard And this Church wee confesse to be Catholike that is to say vniuersall both in respect of time for that it consisteth of al them that are written in the booke of life which haue been from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end therof and also of place for y t it is not now contained in any one countrie but as S. Peter saith In euery nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him and is a true mēber of this Catholike Church That this is the holy Catholike Church which we confesse beleeue whereof the prophane wicked hypocrites and reprobates be no part besides that which I haue said before I will further proue it by the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers Saint Paul saith Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Againe Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame These things belong only to the elect people of God who shall raigne with him in his eternall kingdome of glorie For they only be the bodie of Christ knit together in him sanctified here to be without spot or blemish hereafter The Apostle to the Hebrues saith Whose house we are if we hold fast that confidence and that reioycing of hope vnto the end Where hee sheweth that they belong to the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and stay of truth which vnto the end hold fast their confident faith and hope of Gods glorie wherof they reioyce which belongeth onely to the faithfull and chosen children of God This is that Church whereof he speaketh after But ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the assemblie and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men To whom can these things pertaine but only to the Ierusalem which is aboue
was neuer accursed of his Father but he bare in his body and soule the curse that was due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of God and to purchase to vs the blessing of God But these men who otherwayes are so full of curious distinctions doe herein erre because they doe not with Saint Augustine put a difference betweene that which appertained to Christs owne person and that which he suffered in the person and place of vs the which if this writer or rather slaunderer had done he might haue abstained from these his blasphemous collections of his owne and not our assertions As if Christ had despaired of his Saluation or God had hated him c. Whereunto I answere that Christ was farre from such despaire which properly is a sinne in the reprobate and not a punishment of Gods iustice And we hould that our Sauiour Christ suffered in our person and for vs those torments which are righteous punishments of Gods iustice against sinne and not such as properly bee sinnes in the deuils and in wicked and reprobate men as are despaire and hatred of God And therefore we confesse with our mouthes and beleeue with our harts that Christ was neuer hated of his Father but alwayes the deerely beloued Sonne of God in whom he was alwayes well pleased But he hated sinne the which as man had committed so in mans nature Gods iustice was to be satisfied The which for that corrupt and sinfull man was not able to performe the Sonne of God as I said became our surety tooke vpon him our nature and in the same hath suffered vpon the crosse the punishment of Gods anger due to our sinnes and thereby hath satisfied Gods iustice pacified his anger and purchased his loue and mercie to all those that truly beleeue in him And so Christ was tormented with anguish of minde not for his sinnes as you falsely gather but for our sinnes which hee bare in his bodie and soule vpon the crosse and God was not enemie to God but enemie to our sinnes which were imputed to Christ that his satisfaction and righteousnes might be imputed vnto vs. To conclude we beleeue that Christ suffered vpon the crosse those punishments of sinne which proceede from Gods iustice and be no sinnes which in some sense may be called the paines of hell because that as Christ by his Deitie ouercame them and it was impossible for him to be held and ouercome of them so the diuell and the reprobate shall eternally indure them And this is no desperate doctrine but a most comfortable doctrine to assure vs that in Christ Gods iustice is satisfied our sinnes are discharged hell is conquered and wee from it be deliuered So that we may with the Apostle say O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie The Pamphlet The Protestants haue no meane to determine controuersies and abolish heresies 5. Article AS the Protestants neither know what they beleeue nor why they beleeue so haue they no meanes in their Church to settle them in vnitie of beleefe nor to determine controuersies nor to abolish heresies as hath the Catholike Church for our Sauiour Christ by his diuine prouidence did foresee that heresies were to arise in his Church as his Apostle S. Paul doth warne vs the which as plagues were to infect his flocke and therefore he not onely forewarned vs of them but also gaue vs meanes how to preuent and extinguish them He willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted as Etlmicks and Publicanes He ordained Pastors and Doctors lest we should be carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine He promised to the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sort as they which would not heare her would not heare him The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainly that the Church cannot erre that the generall Councels cannot deliuer false doctrine that the Pastors and ancient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruths when heresies spring vp presently with the voyce of the Church plucke them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practized and after this manner hath ouerthrowne al encounters false opinions and errors which the diuell by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue been freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion But the Protestants admitting the sole Scripture as vmpire and Iudge in matters of controuersies allowing no infallible interpreter thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuate spirit singular expositioÌ„ cannot possibly without error winde themselues out of the laborynth of so many controuersies wherewith they are now inâ—â—â—gled and intricated And the irreconciliable iarres betâ—ixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall points of faith giue sufficient testimonie that they will neuer haue an end or can haue an end holding those grounds of opinion which they obstinately defend And finally they haue no argument to prooue that they haue the true Church true religion true faith which all heretakes which euer were will not bring to condemne the Church as well as they For example they alleage Scriptures so did the Arrians they contemne Councels the Arrians did not regard them they challenge to themselues the true interpretation the same did all heretikes to this day And to conclude they call themselues the little flocke of Christ to whom God hath reuealed his truth and illuminated them from aboue all which the Donatists with as good reason and better arguments did arrogate vnto themselues The same I say of Pelagians Nestorians Eutychians with all the rabble of other damned heretikes And to conclude these articles of faith I say that if the principles of the Protestants religion be true S. Paul himselfe exhorteth vs to infidelitie which I proue thus Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie The Maior is plaine for to doubt of matters in faith is manifest infidelitie because whosoeuer doubteth whether God hath reuealed that which indeede he hath reuealed being sufficiently proposed as reuealed vertually doubteth whether God saith truth or lieth The Minor is proued by the testimonie of S. Paul Cum timore tremore salutem vestram operamini With fears and trembling worke your saluation All feare whether it be filiall feare or seruile feare includeth doubt the one of sinne the other of punishment Answere AS it is false that wee neither know what wee beleeue nor why wee beleeue as hath been before sufficiently shewed so is it no lesse false which is here boldly affirmed but faintly proued That we haue no meanes in our Church to settle vs in vnitie of beleefe to determine controuersies and to abolish herefies We haue the word of God which wee acknowledge to be the onely touchstone
Hereof S. Paul speaketh Refuse the younger widowes for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ they will marrie hauing damnation because they haue broken the first faith The which is to be vnderstood of the first profession of faith in Baptisme and not of the latter vow of single life as the Papists falsely and foolishly expound it From this faith all they doe fall which turne either on the right hand to false doctrine or on the left hand to wicked life Many other waies faith is taken but this question is of that true liuely and iustifying faith which is the faith of Gods elect whereby Christ dwelleth in their hearts and they receiue nourishment and life from him This faith may be couered by temptations and falles as fire in the night with ashes but neuer vtterly extinguished For they in whom this true faith is are like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade And they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot bee moued but remaineth for euer They that by this faith are built vpō the rocki Iesus Christ hell gates shall neuer ouercome them Christ saith He that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life He that heareth my word beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Saint Paul saith Wherein after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redemption of that libertie purchased vnto the praise of his glorie These places sufficiently shew that that faith which is common to all Gods elect and proper onely to the elect can neuer perish nor be vtterly lost in them And this true comfortable doctrine bringeth no vaine securitie nor openeth the gap to any libertine sensualitie For they that by this faith haue tasted how sweete the Lord is cannot but loue and feare God and greatly delight in his commaundements And that faith which swimmeth in mens lips but is not printed in their hearts nor shineth by godlines and good workes in their liues is a dead faith and is no more that true faith whereby we liue vnto God then a dead man is a man To conclude this matter although we distinguish betweene iustification and sanctification yet we acknowledge that they be inseparable and the one doth necessarily follow the other For whosoeuer are iustified by Gods grace and mercie through faith in Christ Iesus be also sanctified with Gods holy spirit to abhorre that which is euill and to cleaue to that which is good and to serue God in true holines and righteousnes all the daies of their life And therefore we teach that they which without repentance persist in sinne wallow in wickednes and commit vngodlines with greedines haue no faith nor haue any assurance of the remission of their sins but may be assured that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and if they doe not truly repent and bring foorth fruites worthie amendement of life will fearefully fall vpon them So that you might haue spared your vaine and foolish exclamations concerning Epicures Heliogabalus Bacchus and Venus which are more honoured in Rome as hereafter I will shew then allowed of vs. For of whom did Mantuan the Italian Carmelite Frier an 100. yeeres past write this but of your Popes and his fauourers Neglecto superum cultu spretoque tonantis imperio Baccho indulgent Venerique ministrant that is Neglecting the worship of God they serue Bacchus and Venus Concerning the fourth point of doctrine of keeping Gods commaundements I haue spoken sufficiently before Onely now I say that our doctrine tendeth hereunto to shew vs our miserie by transgressing of them that wee may thereby bee moued to hunger for Gods mercie in Christ and although we cannot perfectly fulfill them for in many things wee sinne all yet wee ought according to the measure of Gods grace giuen to vs haue a care and conscience to walke in them and to frame our liues to the obedience of them Whereas fiftly you charge vs that wee deny the Sacrament of Penance thereby to make men careles how they liue I answer that although we deny your penance to be a Sacrament because it hath no outward visible signe and reiect your clancular confession your absurd absolution and your superstitious or rather blasphemous satisfaction thereby to answere Gods iustice and discharge your sins yet we truly teach y e doctrine of repentance as it is deliuered vnto vs in the word of God We teach men to come to the knowledge of their sins by y e law of God which is the glasse to shew vs our spots and the first step to repentance then to lament their sinnes whereby they haue offended their gracious God and mercifull father to confesse their sinnes with remorse of conscience both to God and men whom they haue offended and especially wee call vpon men for amendement of life in bringing forth fruits worthie of repentance without the which there is no repentance One part of which amendement is satisfaction to our brethren for iniuries committed and restitution of goods vnlawfully and vngodly gotten As touching our iniuries against God we plead not our owne satisfaction but craue Gods mercie in Christ Iesus who is our only satisfaction and by whom only we seeke to haue remission of them Whereas you say that your confession rubbeth the sores of sinne and causeth remembrance of them I say that this more truly and effectually is wrought by the preaching of Gods word whereby sinne is more shewed and the wrath and iudgements of God against sinne are more threatned and thereby the conscience more pricked and wounded then by your confession So Dauid was brought to repentance for his foule sinnes of adulterie and murther by Nathans preaching and thundring Gods iudgements against him and not by his secret confessing So the people hauing heard Peter preach the word of God were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe This is Gods holy ordinance the other a plant which God hath neuer planted but an inuention of man as euen your own Canonists against your Schoolemen do confesse And what wickednes hath come of it the ecclesiasticall historie partly sheweth and God who seeth al secrets knoweth To your sixt accusation I answer that we exclude and banish our Sauiour Christ neither from the Sacrament of his supper nor from the hearts of the faithfull but acknowledge that as by faith he dwelleth in the one so by the same he is receiued of the godly in the other Your false and grosse doctrine of Transsubstantiation which the Greeke Church neuer beleeued and the Latine Church lately defined as
Erasmus saith we iustly reiect and condemne We exhort men when they come to receiue that holy mysterie the Sacrament and pledge of our saluation in Christ to examine themselues and so to eate of that breade and drinke of that cup For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords bodie But if as you say sinfull liues conforte not with this sacred mysterie I meruaile how your Priests liues consorted with it which how holy they were I will shew hereafter Lastly you charge vs with a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of Sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes and other practicall points of the Catholike Church whereunto I answere that we deny nothing that God hath commaunded in the holy canonicall Scriptures the which as I haue before shewed is the onely rule of our religion and life In deede we deny and defie your trifling traditions and vnwritten vanities and inuentions with the which you haue gone a whoring as the Prophet saith If you can shew that we deny any thing which God hath commaunded as wee can plainely proue that you doe then spare not to charge vs with a new negatiue religion You deny the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and that all doctrine necessarie to saluation is contayned in them You deny the same Scriptures to bee in the vulgar tongue for all Gods people to reade and heare to their comfort You deny prayer and the publike seruice of God to be in the same vulgar tongue You deny Christ to be our only mediator betweene God vs. You deny the Cup of Christs Supper to Gods people You deny the lawful authoritie which Princes haue ouer their people subiects in all causes ecclesiasticall and temporall You deny mariage to ecclesiasticall ministers whereby what great and horrible wickednesse you haue caused I will hereafter declare You say we bring in for fasting feasting for praying playing c. Concerning your fasting consisting in a superstitious obseruing of times and diuersitie of meates and tending to the honouring of Saints and satisfying Gods iustice for your sins we deny it But fasting purely vsed according to Gods word to humble our soules before God to mortifie the wicked affections of our sinful flesh we allow and especially that great and principall fast in abstayning from sinne whereof Saint Augustine speaketh in these words Ieiunium autom magnum gerale est abstinere ab iniquitatibus ab illicitis voluptatibus seculi quod est perfectum ieiunium in hoc seculo The great and generall fast is to abstaine from iniquities and vnlawfull pleasures of the world which is the perfect fast in this world Chrysostome saith Ieiunium dico abstinentiam à vitijs I say that fasting which is to abstaine from vices Hereby let it be discerned who doe most truely fast In deede I know that it is your manner much to glorie in your writings and speeches of your outward fasting from meates as the Pharisee in the Gospell did who gloried that he fasted twise a weeke which neither God in his law had required nor the Apostles of Christ for any thing we reade vsed Whereby wee may note that true godlynes neither is to bee measured by such outward abstinence from meates nor is alwayes ioyned with it Iohn Baptist vsed greater austeritie in his diet and abstinence from meates then our Sauiour Christ did yet was his life nothing so holy Iohns Disciples vsed more fasting then the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ did Yet it is not to be doubted but our Sauiours Disciples liued as godly or more then they did The Montanists Heretikes were greater fasters then were y e true Christians as Tertullian sheweth And S. Hierome writeth y t they obserued three Lents in a yeere and yet were Heretikes condemned by the Church of God although then fauoured by the Bishop of Rome as Tertullian sheweth in the beginning of his booke against Praxeas The Iewes vsed such great abstinence and fasting that they brought weakenesse and sickenesse to their bodies as Saint Hieromie writeth who neuerthelesse were enemies to our Sauiour Christ The Moscouites which neuer acknowledged the Popes authoritie bee as great fasters as Papists are And so also be the Turkes And therefore these men neede not to boast so much of their fasting Saint Paul saith that bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promise of this life present and that which is to come Howbeit as I will not deny but that there may be lesse fasting and more feasting then were requisit yet that there is more feasting and superfluitie in fare now especially in ecclesiastical persons I thinke it would be too hard for this man to proue Whence came these phrases As fat as an Abbot he hath a face like an Abbot and an Abbey Lubber but of their immoderate fare and feeding And how these men were giuen to gluttonie and excesse I will shew at this time but by one example Giraldus Cambrensis in his Booke intituled Speculum Ecclesiae writeth that the Abbot and Monkes of Saint Swithens in Winchester came to King Henry the second hunting at Gilford in Surrey and fell downe in myre and durt before him pitifully crying out The King asked them what was the matter They answered that their Bishop had taken three dishes of meate from their dinners and suppers He asked them how many he had left vnto them They answered tenne but from the foundation of their house they had vsed daily to haue thirteene dishes at a meale The king turned to his Nobles and said By the eyes of God for that was his oath I thought their house had bin burnt and now I see it is but a matter concerning their paunches And then turning to the Abbot and Monkes said If your Bishop deale not with you as I haue done with my court to bring you to three dishes I would he were hanged This was the remedie that these gluttonous Monkes found at the hands of that prudent Prince Where the reader may note not onely the great gluttonie but shameles impudencie of these men or monsters in making such a lamentable complaint for wanting of three dishes hauing tenne remayning The same Cambrensis writeth that in some Abbeies they had at euery meale sixteene dishes which slender diet was a good meanes to preserue their vowed virginitie Hereof came the old ryming verse O monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi c. To come to the next I wish there were more praying and lesse playing then there is yet this wil I say that there is now more true praying according to the will of God lesse playing then was euer in poperie Dicing and carding is in some reformed Churches abolished and of those that truely professe the Gospel lesse vsed then it hath been of Papists But I wil not stand to