himselfe and not God of God So that he receiueth not his diuinitie from his father I answere that if we consider of Christ absolutely in respect of the essence he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe to whom all things doe agree which are spoken of the diuine essence by it selfe but if we consider of him in respect of his person he is not of himselfe but sonne of the father yet coëternall and coëssentiall So saith Saint Augustine Christus ad se deus dicitur ad patrem filius dicitur that is Christ in respect of himselfe is called God and in respect of the Father is called sonne Saint Basil saith that it was an vndoubted principle of diuinitie in all ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The godhead to be begotten neither of it himselfe nor of any other but to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnbegotten And that Christ is God of himselfe I proue it thus He that is Iehoua is God of himselfe Christ is Iehoua ergo Christ is God of himselfe The first proposition cannot be denyed for God is called Iehoua because he hath his being of himselfe and all others haue their being of him And that Christ is Iehoua I thinke you will not deny and if you doe it may easily be proued For he that appeared to Esaias the Prophet cap. 6. and is there called Iehoua vers 3. is said of Saint Iohn to be Christ in these words These things said Esaias when he saw his glory and spake of him That which Esaias cap. 18. 13. 14. speaketh of Iehoua Saint Paul Rom. 9. 33. expoundeth of Christ The Angel that appeared to Moses in the bush is called Iehoua but Christ who is called the Angel of the couenant and the Angel of the great counsell was that Angel ergo Christ is Iâ—houa And so consequently is God of himselfe And therefore Epiphanius whom I trust you will not terme a Puritane calleth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe The Fathers of the Nicene councell in calling Christ God of God did thereby signifie that he is coëssentiall and of the same substance with the Father and not as you falsely affirme that he receiued his diuinitie of his Father which is in effect to make Christ no God For it is proper to God to be of himselfe The deitie is the diuine essence which is one and singular and the same wholy in the Father in the sonne and in the holy Ghost And so we acknowledge a Trinitie of persons and a vnitie of essence that is one only God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil c. it is manifest that the names of Father and sonne doe not signifie the essence but the proprieties of the persons So Damascene saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The deitie signifieth the nature or essence the word Father the person And the essence is wholy in the Father wholy in the sonne and wholy in the holy Ghost as euen your great Master of the sentences Peter Lumbard confesseth so that the Father is God of himselfe the Sonne God of himselfe the holy Ghost God of himselfe and yet not three Gods but one true and immortall God And therefore with Athanasius wee worship a vnitie in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie The fift article which you say those whom you disdainfully call Puritaines doe deny is the descension of Christ into Hell Can you shew and name any such puritanes which omit this article either in rehearsing it or in expounding it as you haue done the second commaundement of God I am sure you cannot Why doe you then say that they deny it forsooth because they receiue not your exposition of it to wit that Christ descended in soule to Hell and was there as long as his body was in the graue and there harrowed Hell and deliuered thence the patriarkes and all iust men there houlden in bondage vnto his death as your Rhemists write And doe all that receiue not this exposition deny this article Then did your owne Doctor Durand deny this article who held and published in writing that Christs soule did not in respect of the substance and essence thereof but by effect efficacy and operation descend into Hell Then did Iohn Picus that learned Earle of Mirandula and Cardinall Caietane whom the Pope sent into Germanie to suppresse Luther deny this article who concurre and agree with Durand yea I might say that then either Saint Cyprian or Ruffin denyed this article who expoundeth it of Christs buriall But you say that these nameles Puritans defend that Christ 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 c. I answere that this doctrine of Christs suffering the paines of Hell vpon the crosse is not so desperate as your collections thereof are false and blasphemous What desperatnes or absurditie is this that Christ our Sauior not in respect of himselfe but in that he became our suretie and tooke vpon him our debts and bare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the wood as Saint Peter saith did beare and indure in his humanitie the wrath of God and the paines and torments which our sinnes had deserued to deliuer vs from the wrath of God which we by our sinnes had prouoked and from the said paines and torments which we had merited We are not to thinke that Christ did suffer onely an externall and corpoÌ„ral death for then he had shewed greater weakenes then many meere natural men haue done who with great courage and cheerefulnesse haue gone vnto death but Christ our Sauiour was in such an Agonie that his sweate was like drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground so that an Angel appeared from heauen comforting him He cryed and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Whereby it doth euidently appeare that he suffered not onely an outward death of the body but did in his soule wrastle with the paines of Hell and beare the burden of Gods wrath dewe to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the same and to purchase the loue and mercie of God vnto vs. And when the prophet saith of him He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was laid vpoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Did not our Sauiour Christ heerein suffer the punishment which was due to our sinnes Saint Paul saith that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree yet Iesus Christ
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
penance consisting in shriuing to a Priest receiuing absolution frō him doing some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil worshippings appointed by him we allow not but true repentance which consisteth in vnfained sorrow for sinne earnest confession with remorse of conscience both to God and man offended and a true reformation and amendment of life we allow and commend and doe iudge that we can do nothing acceptable to God which proceedeth not from this true repentance The third thing whereby you would proue that we denie this article of remission of sinnes which you say exceedeth all in absurditie is that we denie that our sins are perfectly forgiuen but only not imputed as it were veiled or couered with the passion of Christ c. Wherunto I answer that you here bring an absurd distinction For what difference is there betweene forgiuing not imputing and couering and hiding of sinne Surely it seemeth that Dauid could find no such ods betwixt them as you dreame of whose words be these Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile Doth not Dauid here take these all for one attribute blessednes alike to euery one of thē Whē S. Paul saith God was in Christ and recōciled the world to himself not imputing their sins vnto them what doth he meane by not imputing of sin but forgiuing of sin Primasius expoundeth it thus Non reputans illis delicta ipsorum hoc est indulgens per solam fidem quae gratis donata est i. Not imputing to them their sinnes that is to say pardoning them by only faith which is freely giuen And whereas you so much extenuate Not imputing and make it not so much as Forgiuing Chrysostome a man of greater iudgement then you affirmeth the contrarie and maketh not imputing greater then forgiuing in these words Attamen cùm tanta sint nostra peccata non solum non exposcit poenam sed conciliatus est non solùm dimisit sed neque imputauit c. that is But whereas our sinnes be so great he doth not only not require punishment but also is reconciled with vs and not onely hath forgiuen but hath not so much as imputed our sins to vs. Bernard thinketh not basely of not imputing as you do his sweete words be these Sufficit mihi ad omnem iustitiam solum habere propitium cui soli peccaui Omne quod mihi ipse non imputare decreuerit sic est quasinon fuerit Non peccare Dei iustitia est hominis iustitia indulgentia Dei that is It is sufficient for me vnto all righteousnesse to haue him mercifull against whom onely I haue sinned whatsoeuer he hath determined not to impute vnto me is so as though it had neuer beene Not to sinne is the iustice of God mans iustice is Gods mercie Bernard here saith that the not imputing of our sins vnto vs is as much as though they had neuer beene committed And will you say that notwithstanding the not imputing of them yet their botches biles filth and abomination remaine still exhaling a most pestiferous sent in the sight of God Is not the sweet smelling sacrifice of Iesus Christ able so to perfume them and vs that we and all our actions may be sweet and acceptable in the sight of God And if the robe which the Father put vpon his prodigall sonne could so hide all his ragges that he was deare in his fathers eyes cannot the robe of Christs righteousnesse so couer and hide all our ragges yea our botches and biles that we may bee deare and precious in the sight of God our heauenly and most mercifull father And if those that had the mariage garment vpon them were admitted to the mariage without regard what the said garment couered shall not we hauing the mariage garment of Christs righteousnes be acpted to the mariage of the Lambe notwithstanding all the botches and biles which it couereth Yet we doe not say that we can couer or hide all our sinnes from the piereing eyes of God but this we say that euen God himselfe doth hide them with this robe of Christs righteousnesse and looking on vs in the face of Iesus Christ his Sonne doth accept vs his members for such as Iesus Christ himselfe is And do you not think that that which God hideth is well hid and shall neuer come to light Dauid saith of God Thou hast forgiuen the iniquitie of thy people and couered all their sinnes Doth not Dauid here take forgiuenesse and hiding both for one And therefore this your distinction betwixt perfect forgiuing and not imputing couering is as substantiall a one as that is of your blind and barbarous Schooleman Richardus de Sancto Victore Christus potuit dimittere peccata nos verò non possumus dimittere peccata sed tantum remittere As great difference as there is betwixt dimittere and remittere so much there is betwixt forgiuing not imputing and couering of sin This is as Erasmus saith Frigidissimis distinctionibus omnia confundere that is with friuolous distinctions to confound all things And this much for this Article of the Creede which you do as foolishly proue as you falsly affirm that wee denie it Now I come to the fourth Article that you say the Puritanes in effect denie which is no lesse then Christ to bee the Sonne of God But who bee these Puritanes that bee thus grieuously charged what are their names why be not their bookes named and sayings produced These things ought to haue beene done if you had beene disposed rather ratiocinari quā calumniari that is to reason then to raile and slaunder But to this your malicious and false accusation I wil first oppose the true confession of faith concerning this article whereunto all the reformed Churches whereof I haue either heard or read do assent and agree We beleeue and acknowledge one onely God who is one onely and simple essence spirituall eternall inuisible immutable infinite incomprehensible almightie most wise good iust and mercifull and that in that one and simple diuine essence there be three persons subsisting the Father the Son and the holy Ghost The Father the first cause in order and the beginning of all things the Sonne his wisedome and euerlasting word the holy Ghost his true power and efficacie The Sonne begotten of the Father from euerlasting the holy Ghost from euerlasting proceeding from the Father and the Sonne which three persons are not confounded but distinct and yet not deuided but coëssentiall coëternall and coëquall If you mislike any thing in this confession confute it if you know any of vs that maintaine any diuers doctrine dissenting from this name them produce their sayings and quote the places But you say that these whom you terme puritanes peremptorily affirme that Christ is God of
Church of England did hold himselfe to the matter and how vnlike he was to Doctor Harding in his long discourses and digressions who in his booke intituled A detection of lyes c. discoursed two hundred and sixe whole sides of paper onely in preambles and prefaces before he once stept into his matter as Maister Iewel truly told him let the vpright reader indifferently iudge The like I may say of that worthie man of famous memorie Doctor Whitakers who how briefely soundly and learnedly he hath answered Campion Saunders Duree Stapleton William Reynolds and Bellarmine any man that hath an incorrupt eye may see and discerne And if T. W. be the author of this pamphlet as I nothing doubt but he is he may remember that one which had conference with him did write a briefe epistle vnto him and did therein set downe short syllogismes concerning the controuersies of prayer to Saints and the sacrifice of the Masse and required to haue the like short syllogismes set downe of him for the defence of his assertions and could not receiue one but a long tedious discourse concerning prayer to Saints which was confuted and neuer defended But whether answers be briefe or long it maketh no matter so that they be learned sound and true to the effectuall confuting of the errour and satisfying of the reader Now as touching certaintie which you say but do not shew that our religon lacketh I answere and auonch that out Religion is farre more certaine consonant and agreeable to it selfe then the doctrine of the Church of Rome is the which if I do not effectually proue hereafter in place more conuenient I will not require any man to vse your owne words to accept or affect it But with what forehead can this man charge our doctrine with want of perspicuitie seeing he cannot be ignorant how obscure darke and intricate the popish religion and doctrine is as may appeere by their manisold both turious questions and intricate distinctions which be their chiefe shifts to elude the plaine truth And if any would see how darke the doctrine and writings of Papists are let him looke into the Schoolemen Tho Aquine Io. Scotus Alexander de Hales Gabriel Biel and many such other amongst whom he may finde as much certaintie vnitie and perspicuitie of doctrine as he may in holl But how we study for perspicuitie and seeke to make all matters plaine both in our preachings and in our writings auoyding all curious questions and intricate and needles distinctions we appeale to the consciences of all that reade and heare vs. As touching your method concerning errours in doctrine and inordinate affections in maners if you can prooue that our wits be inueigled with them and our liues stained with these more then we can prooue euen your holy Fathers the Popes forsooth Peters successors and Christes vicars haue been you shall winne the victorie You seeme to attribute too much to our very naturall faculties to the iudging and discerning of truth proposed not considering the corruption of our naturall faculties by sinne how both the minde is blinded and the will peruerted Our Sauiour Christ saith The light shineth in darknes and the darkenes comprehendeth it not Saint Paul saith that animalis homo the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discorned But of this I forbeare to speake any more and also will leaue the other wait words in your letter and do come vnto your articles of faith The Pamphlet The first article concerning knowledge and faith The Protestants haue no faith nor neligion THe Protestants haue no faith no hope no charitic no repentance no justification no Church no altar no sacrefice no Priest no Religion no Christ the reason is for if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeeres as they themselves must needs confesse vid elicet all the time their Church was eclipsed and 1500. as we will proue by all records of antiquitie as Histories Councels monuments of ancient Fathers Whereby it plainely appeaneth that the synagogue of the Iewes was more constant in continuance and more ample for place then the Church of Christ For they haue had their sâ—nagogue visible in diâ—ers countries eâ—en since Christ's death and passion euen vntill his day which is the very path to lead man into Atheisme as though Christ were not as yet come into the world whose admirable promises are not accomplisheds whose assistance hath failed in preseruing his Church vnto the worlds end whose presence 〈◊〉 absent many hundred years before the finall consummation and consequently they open the gap to all Machiuillians who say that our Sauiour was one of the deceiuere of the world promising so much concerning his Church and performing so little Answere LOoking in this first article to haue found a syllogisme which this worthie writer vseth in some articles following but heere for want of a good medium as it may seeme to frame one by hath omitted I found a false assertion and a foolish probation The assertion that we haue no faith Haue we no faith The Deuils haue some faith Saint Iames saith The Deuils beleeue and tremble and haue we no faith we are much beholden vnto you for your charitable opinion of vs. You are by the doctrine of Saint Paule not to thinke so euill but to hope the best of them that professe Iesus Christ and his holy Gospell But to this your false and slaunderous assertion I will oppose a true affirmation and confession We beleeue all that God hath deliuered to vs by Moses the Prophets and Apostles in the old and new Testament yea we beleeue the contents of the Creeds of the Apostles Nicene and Athanasius and yet haue we no faith We hope to passe hereafter from death vnto life and to be partakers of that kingdome of glory which God hath promised and Iesus Christ hath purchased for all those that truly beleeue in him We trust that we haue charitie and loue both towards God and man although we confesse not in such full and perfect measure as we ought to haue we with Saint Iohn say He that loueth not his brother abideth in death We acknowledge repentance to be one of those chiefe heads wherein the summe of Christianitie is comprised Saint Marke setting forth the summe and substance of Christes doctrine comprehendeth it in these two Repent and beleeue the Gospell so did Saint Paule witnessing both to the Iewes and to the Grecians the repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ We beleeue to be iustified not by our owne works of righteousnes which we vnprofitable seruants and prodigall children haue done nor by the merits of any Saints in heauen or in earth but by the mercies of God purchased vnto vs by the blessed and bloudy merits of Iesus
the Euangelist expoundeth himselfe So Hilarius saith Dictorum intelligentia aut ex praepositis aut ex consequentibus expectetur that is The vnderstanding of the sayings is to be looked for either of those things which goe before or those that follow after So Clemens saith Ex ipsis scripturis sensum capere veritatis oportet From the Scriptures themselues we must take the sense and exposition of truth Finally so Pope Pius the second Ab ipsa scripture recipiendus est sensus veritatis that is The vnderstanding of the truth is to be receiued from the Scripture it selfe Now how carefully and diligently we endeuour to doe this that is to expound the holy Scriptures truely and sincerely by the Scriptures themselues God knoweth our writings and sermons doe shew and the consciences of those that reade and heare them can witnes with vs. And this is also an argument hereof that you cannot bring forth any places of the Scriptures which we falsely expound or seeke violently and wickedly to wrest from the true and simple sense of the holy Ghost contained in the holy Scriptures The which this cauiller should haue done and thereby declare how we builde our faith vpon priuate and false expositions But let vs see and examine his proofe of his Minor which is that because we builde not our faith vpon the exposition of the Church the Fathers or Councels therefore we builde vpon our owne priuate expositions I answere that although we reuerence the iudgement of the true Church of God the holy Fathers and Councels yet by this that I haue before alledged it plainely appeareth that we are to fetch the sense and exposition of the Scriptures not from them but from the Scriptures themselues And whereas you by the Church doe meane the Romish Church I will shew hereafter that she hath corrupted and falsely expounded the Scriptures As touching the Doctors we are not bound vnto their expositions which sometimes be not sound and sometimes differ among themselues Yea Cardinal Caietanus plainely auoucheth this and doubteth not to bring sometimes senses and expositions to the Scriptures which be not in all the Doctors His words be these Nullus itaque detestetur nouum sacrae scripturae sensum ex hoc quod dissonat à priscis doctoribus Sed scrutetur perspicacius textum ac contextum scripturae siquadrare inuenerit laudet Deum qui non alligauit expositionem scripturarum sacrarum pristorum doctorum sensibus c. that is Let no man hereupon detest or dislike a new exposition of the holy Scripture because it dissenteth from the ould Doctors But let him more sharpely search the text and Coherence of the Scriptures and if he finde it to agree therewith let him praise God who hath not bound the exposition of the holy Scriptures to the senses and expositions of the ancient Doctors Yea Bishop Fisher a great patrone of the Popes doubteth not to affirme that many things in the Gospel and other Scriptures be now more exactly discussed and more plainely vnderstoode then they were of old time of the Fathers and that there be yet many obscure and hard places which will be much better vnderstoode of the posteritie whereby it appeareth that his Iudgement was that the exposition of the Scriptures is not to be tyed vnto the Fathers and then much lesse to the Councels which doe not expound in order the bookes of the Scriptures as the Fathers did but onely examined some places and discussed some Doctrines which were in controuersie Moreouer whereas Saint Augustine in his foure bookes de doctrina christiana entreateth largely of the exposition of the Scriptures and giueth many good and learned lessons concerning the same and namely seuen rules of Ticonius the Donatist which he commendeth and calleth them keyes to open the Scripture neither he nor Ticonius doe make mention of these rules which the author of this pamphlet doth here set downe nor referre vs vnto them Therefore these be new coined rules of your owne voyde of the testimonie of antiquitie But that the Christian reader may see who they be that builde their faith vpon priuate and false expositions of the Scripture let vs come to the examination of some particular places of the Scripture and see who they be that follow priuate and false expositions The wordes of our Sauiour Christ drinke ye all of it they expound that Christ spake them onely to his Apostles which as they terme them were priests and therefore this bindeth priests to drinke of the Cup but not the lay people So saith Iohn Fisher the Bishop of Rochester Bibite ex eo omnes Quae verba proculdubio solis erant dicta sacerdotibus quibus potestas tum fuerat collata conficiendi sacramenti nimirum hijs verbis hoc facite in meam commemorationem that is Drinke all of this which words without all doubt were spoken onely to priests to whom power also was giuen to make the Sacrament that is by these words doe this in remenbrance of me The same in effect wrote Cardinall Hosius Doctor Harding Andradius Aeneas Siluius and others This exposition although peraduenture it wil not be counted priuate for that it is maintained by so many great men yet it is a very false absurd exposition and easily to be discerned by any simple man For if these words Drinke ye all of it were spoken onely to priests then likewise these Take ye eate ye were spoken onely to priests And so by your wise exposition as none but priests by these words are bound to drinke of the Cup so none but priests are bound to take and eate the bread as it was the manner and custome of the common people in Liuonia not to receiue this Sacrament at all as Gerson writeth But if our Sauiour Christ did speake the one to all both priests and people why not theother If the one doe binde all why not the other Moreouer Saint Paul deliuering to the Corinthians the Supper of our Sauiour Christ according to the institution which he had receiued of Christ deliuered not onely the breade but also the Cup to the whole Church of Corinth which I suppose you will not say were all priests This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud As often as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this Cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Paschasius expoundeth these words thus Bibite ex hoc omnes hoc est tam ministri quam reliqui credentes that is Drinke ye all of this that is to say both ministers and the rest that beleeue The glosse as it is alledged by Cassander thus Bibite ex hoc omnes scilicet sine personarum acceptione that is Drinke ye all of this that is all without respect of persons So doth
as enuy and hatred moueth men to contention and to blow abroad the faults of their brethren to their infamie so loue and charitie should moue vs to couer and hide their faults and infirmities and rather seeke to amend them then to defame them and therefore these words are not ment of satisfying for our sinnes or couering them before God but of the couering of them before men And so doth D. Bayne Bishop of Lichfield in Queene Maries daies expound them What should I shew how priuatly or rather falsly they expound the places of Gen. 14. 18. touching Melchesedeck bringing forth bread and wine and that of Malachie 1. 11. of the incense and pure offering which in euery place shall be offered to God by which they seeke to maintaine their Masse and the false forged sacrifice thereof I would haue passed these places ouer in silence but that D. Harding doth so hardly handle vs and so grieuously charge vs for them in these words The Scripture it selfe ministring euident proofe for the oblation of Christ to his father by the Priests of the new Testament in the institution of this holy Sacrament in the figure of Melchisedeck and in the prophesie of Malachie the Prophet the authorities of the Fathers needed not to be alleaged were not the same Scriptures by the ouertwhart and false interpretations of our aduersaries wrested and turned to a contrarie sense to the hereticall seducing of the vnlearned These be Master D. Hardings modest words Let it therefore be examined and tried who they be that thus ouertwhart these places and turne them to a contrarie sense As touching the first place out of Genesis they expound it that Melchisedeck offered bread and wine for he was the Priest of the most high God and that was a type and figure of the sacrifice of the new Testament wherein Christ is offered vnto his father vnder the forme of bread and wine Pighius Controuers 5. Hosius Confess Petriconiensi cap. 41. Who saith that this is the opinion of all the holy Doctors of the Church that this bread and wine was offered for a sacrifice to God and not for a refection to Abraham But this both exposition and assertion is false for both Tertullian contra Iudaeos and also Epiphanius Haeres 55. expound it of his bringing forth of bread and wine to Abraham Epiphanius saith Abraham fuit 88. aut 90. plus minos tunc Melchisedec ipsi obuiam venit proposuit ipsi panem vinum i. Abraham was about 88. or 90. yeeres old when Melchesedeck met him and brought forth bread and wine vnto him So doth Iosephus expound it Melchisedec milites Abrahami hospitaliter habuit nihil illis ad victum deesse passus simul ipsum adhibuit mensae Melchisedech vsed hospitalitie to Abrahams Souldiers and suffered them to want no victualles and did take Abraham to his Table That this is the true sense it appeareth by the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth neuer signifie to offer and sacrifice but to bring forth and the force of truth forceth some of their owne side to confesse this to be true Cardinal Caietanus vpon this place writeth thus Nihil cribitur hic de sacrificio seu oblatione sed de prolatione seu extractione quam Iosephus dicit factam ad refectionem victorum Quod autem in vulgata editione subditur vt causa oblationis erat enim sacerdos dei altissimi in Hebraeo non habetur vt causa sed vt separata clausula that is There is nothing here said of sacrifice or oblation but of bringing forth which Iesephus saith was done to the refection of them which had gotten the victorie And that which in the vulgar edition is put after as a cause for he was the priest of the most high God in the Hebrew is not set as a cause but as a clause separated from it Andradius also the Iesuit doth herein forsake his friends and acknowledgeth this to be the true exposition his words be these De offerendi autem vocabulo non est Kemnici quod digladeremur cum in correctioribus latinis exemplaribus sanctis patribus qui locum hunc Eucharistiae accommoundat extet proferens atque ego cum illis sentiam qui lassos Abrahae milites diuturna pugnafractos Melchisedecom pane vinoque refecisse aiunt that is We neede not Kemnicus to striue about the word of offering seeing that both in the best corrected Latine coppies and also in the holy Fathers which apply this place to the Eucharist it is proferens brought forth and I in iudgement agree with them which say that Melchisedech refreshed Abrahams souldiers wearied and fainted with long fight Their exposition of the other place of Malachie is as absurd in applying it to the sacrifice of the Masse which is neither a pure sacrifice nor is offered in all places And the Fathers Tertullian Hierome and others expound it of the spiritual sacrifices of the faithfull which they offer in all places to God Tertullian in three places doth so expound it whereof I will set downe but one Et in omni loco sacrificium nomini meo offeretur sacrificium mundum scilicet simplex oratio de conscientia pura that is and in euery place a sacrifice shal be offered to my name and a pure oblation to wit simple prayer from a pure conscience S. Ierome expoundeth it thus Dicit orationes sanctorum domino offerendas esse non in vna orbis prouincia Iudaeae sed in omni loco à . He saith that the prayers of the Saints shall be offered to God not in Iudea one only prouince of the world but in euery place But I wil forbeare to write any more of the peruerse exposition of this place and wil refer the reader to that most learned conference of that excellent ornament of this Church of England Master Doctor Reynoldes with Iohn Harte where he shall finde this place fully discussed and Cardinall Allens reasons which he braggingly calleth valida planè bona that is strong and very good fully confuted Which booke I meruaile that neither this challenger nor any other of our Iesuites could as yet finde leasure to confute I might alledge many moe places most falsely expounded by these Romanistes but I will forbeare them and will shew you one place out of the 26. of Ieremie trimly applyed by Bonauenture a Seraphicall Doctor a Bishop a Cardinall of Rome and a Saint canonized by Pope Sixtus the fourth who did as holy an act in Saincting of him as he did in building nobile admodum Lupanar a noble stewes in Rome as Agrippa a papist writeth Bonauentures words be these Septimo eleuatur Corpus Christi ad ostendendam bonitatem Christi Quae enim maior bonitas quà m quod Christus dignatur captiuus esse in altari vnde ipse dicit in persona Hieremiae prophetae Ecce ego in mambus vestris sum
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
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
in your margent Genes 48. 16. and Apoca. 1. 4. which make asmuch for prouing inuocation of Saints as Tityre tu patule doth The words of the place of Genesis be these The Angell which hath deliuered me from all euill blesse the children and let my name be called or named vpon them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac that they may grow as fish into a multitude in the midst of the earth Out of this place the Papists take two arguments to proue prayer to Angels and to Saints The first out of these words The Angell which hath deliuered me c. the other out of those let my name be called vpon them c. But yet let the reader note this that of the Papists some doe finde the one saying and some the other so weake that some alledge the one and some the other and I haue not read any one that doth vse them both T. W. in a discourse of this matter alledged the former words of the Angell and Ecchius the latter To the which I wil briefly answere By the Angel is ment Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant as Malachie calleth him and the Angell of the great counsell of God So doth Aloisius Lipomanus that great Catholike Bishop of Verona both out of Cyrillus and of himselfe expound it in these words Cyrillus Iacob pueris benedicens deum patrem nutrientemse Angelum liberantem nominat illum nempe Angelum qui Angelus magni consilij ab Esaia dicitur quia omnis benedictio omnis gratia non aliter quà m à deo per Iesum Christum in homines descendit Considerandum quòd dictio hagoel vel redimens vel qui redimit propriè reddi potest quo loquendi modo clarissimè filius dei mundi generalis redemptor denotatur Et si diligenter aduerteris tacitè propheta domini sanctissimam inuocat trinitatem patrem scilicet spiritum S. sub nomine dei bis repetiti vnigenitum verò dei filium sub nomine Angell Angelum verò intelligit redemptorem verbum diuinum saluatorem nostrum vel auxilij dispensationis diuinae ministrum ipse inquam ille benedicat pueris istis That is Cyrill Iacob blessing thy children doth name God both the father which did nourish him and the Angell which did deliuer him to wit that Angell whom Esay calleth the Angell of great counsell because all blessing and all grace descendeth no other wayes from God vpon men but by Iesus Christ We must consider that the word Hagoel may be translated either redeeming or he that redeemeth by which phrase of speech the sonne of God the generall redeemer of the world is most manifestly signified and if thou diligently marke thou maist perceiue that the prophet in secret sort calleth vpon the most holy Trinitie to wit the father and the holy Ghost vnder the name of God twise repeated and the onely begotten sonne of God vnder the name of the Angell For by the Angell he vnderstandeth the redeemer the word of God our Sauiour or the minister of Gods helpe and dispensation euen he I say blesse these children Hitherto Lipomanus who with that ancient Father Cyrill truely vnderstand by this Angell Iesus Christ and not any other ministring spirit or created Angel And therefore this place proueth the inuocation of Christ but not of other Angels By the other words Let my name be called vpon them c. Iacob meant nothing else but that Manasses and Ephraim Iosephs sonnes should be counted amongst his sonnes to make vp the twelue tribes of Israel And euen so Frier Lyra doth truely expound it in these words Inuocetur super cos nomen meum quia vocati sunt filij adoptiui Iacob facti sunt capita duarum tribuum sicut alij filij Iacob that is Let my name be called vpon them because they were called the adopt sonnes of Iacob and were made the heads of two tribes as were his other sonnes This phrase of speech is so vsed in other places of Scripture as Isa 4. 1. In that day seuen women shall lay hold of one man saying we will eate our owne bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let thy name be called vpon vs and take away our reproch Whereby is meant that he should be their husband and they counted and called his wiues The like phrase is 2. Sam. 12. 28. Hierem. 7. 10. c. And therefore that this exposition of this place whereby they go about to proue inuocation of Saints is a priuate and false exposition any man may easily perceiue And this is the more euident for that some great papists are forced to confesse that inuocation of Saints is not commended nor commaunded in al the Scriptures There is one Francis Hamilton a Scot a papist and fugitiue prior of S. Iames at Herbipolis in Germanie who in a discourse concerning inuocation of Saints writeth thus Porro lihic concedimus disertis scripturarum verbis ipsam inuocationem sanctorum non commendari Quibus enim cuius authoris cuius libri cuius instrumenti Noui an veteris commendantur Sancti commendatur oratio quam pro nobis ad deum faciunt vt ipsos inuocemus atque vt pro nobis orent rogemus nullo loco commendatur Vbi consulatur locus demonstrari non potest Sed neque conueniebat vt aut commendaretur aut consuleretur nascentis maxime ecclesiae exordijs ne plures sibi deos more gentium fingere aut constituere existimarentur christiani quando etiam in suspicionē Idololatriae venerunt dū sub specie panis vini verum deum colerent 83. praecepta ne est Non est praecepta c. that is Moreouer we doe heere willingly graunt that inuocation of Saints is not commended to vs by expresse words of the Scriptures For by what words of what authors of what booke of which testament the new or the old Saints are commended prayer which they make to God for vs is commended but that we should call vpon them and that we should intreate them to pray for vs is in no place commended No place cā be shewed where it is counselled Neither was it couenient that it should be either commended or counselled especially in the beginning of the Church arising lest christians should be thought to make vnto themselues after the maner of the gentiles moe Gods seeing they were suspected of Idolatrie for worshipping the true God vnder the forme of breade and wine 83. Is it commaunded It is not commaunded Hitherto the words of this Papist Hamilton by which it appeareth that inuocation of Saints is not commaunded nor counselled in the Scriptures and therefore they doe wrest them and bring a priuate and false exposition to them which seeke to proue it by them You quote also in the margent Apoc. 1. 4. where at a man might well wonder that you would quote a place so impertinent for this purpose but that it is euer
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
was Bernards iudgement concerning our keeping of Gods commandements and fulfilling of the law Ferus also a late Frier but yet a man of better iudgement in many matters then many others were or be hereof writeth thus Per Christum implenda erat omnis iustitia per quem solum lex poterat impleri nam maledicta erat natura humana legemque implere non potuit iuxta illud neque nos neque patres onus hoc portare potuimus that is All righteousnes was to be fulfilled by Christ by whom onely the law could be fulfilled For mans nature was accursed and could not fulfill the law according to that saying neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare this burden Againe the same Ferus saith Si nemo potest gloriari se á peccato immunem nec quisquam gloriari potest se legem seruasse cum peccatum nihil aliud sit quà m transgressio legis that is If no man can glorie that hee is free from sinne neither can any man glorie that he hath fulfilled the law seeing that sinne is nothing else but the transgression of the law Hence from it followeth that zealous Protestants want neither a liuely faith in Gods mercies nor true obedience to Gods commaundements although they vnfainedly confesse their manifold imperfections and sinnes by which they bee farre from perfectly fulfilling the law of God And now pro coronide I will requite you with another Syllogisme They that thinke they can fulfill the law of God be proud Hypocrits and Pharisees but the Papists thinke that they can fulfill the law of God yea can doe superarrogant workes I should say workes of Supererogation aboue them that the law requireth Ergo the Papists be proud Hypocrites and Pharisees The Pamphlet The most points wherein the Protestants dissent from the Catholikes tend to loosenes of life and carnall libertie 4. Article His article may be proued by a generall induction in all such matters as now the Protestants call in question First say they that man hath not free will to doe good but all goodnesse proceedeth so from grace that it lyeth not in his power neither to haue it nor resist it but of necessitie it must haue effect To what other ende tendeth this senceles doctrine and fatall fancie but to make men negligent in disposing and preparing their soules to receiue Gods grace and to rouse it vp and put it in execution after they haue it making man not much vnlike a sicke asse who neither can dispose nor prepare himselfe to seeke for his medicine but of necessitis must expect till his master thrusteth it into his throate neither after hee hath drunke it can cause it cure his disease but carelesly letteth it worke as it will Secondly they defend that men be iustified by faith alone the which solifidian portion ouerthroweth flatly true repentance sorrow for sinnes mortification of passions and all other vertues which tend to perfect reconciliation of the soule with God causing men only to procure a certaine false fantastical apprehension of Christs death and passion the which faith although they erroniously auerre cannot be seuered from charitis vertues and good workes yet both experience teacheth that it may for also few or none haue faith because few or none of them haue these workes and the Scriptures plainely proue that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath force to remoue mountaines may be without charitie Thirdly they assure vs that faith once had can neuer be lost the which vaine securitie openeth the gap to all libertine sensualitie for if a man be certaine that he hath true faith if it be impossible he should lose it if he be secured that by it alone he shall be saued why may be not wallow in all licencious pleasures in this life and neuer doubt of glorie in the other could euer Epicurus haue found a better ground to plant his Epicurisme could euer Heliogabalus haue better patronized his sensualitie could Bacchus or Venus euer haue forged better reasons to enlarge their dominion Fourthly they say a man cannot keepe all the commaundements for what other cause I pray you but thereby to make men negligent in keeping of them to pretend an excuse of impossibilitie whensoeuer they transgresse them Fiftly why deny they the Sacrament of penance but to make men careles how they liue and neuer regard the auoyding of sinnes as though they were neuer to render an account of them to hinder that shame and blushing which men conceiue in discouering their sinnes the which are most excellent meanes to deter them from sinning another time to shuffle vp restitution and satisfaction of iniuries committed against our neighbours to draw men from remorse of conscience by burying their sinnes in eternall obliuion the sores whereof confession rubbeth and causeth Sixtly why exclude they the true and reall body of Christ from the blessed Sacrament of the altar but for that they perceiued how by the presence thereof they were deterred from sinne and wickednes for they knew well that sinfull liues consorted not with those sacred mysteries and therefore they rather resolued to banish Christ from the Sacrament then sinnes from their soules Finally for what other cause haue they ioyned a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of Sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes and other practicall points of the catholike Church but for fasting to bring in feasting for praying playing for deuotion dissolution for religious feare of God vaine securitie for zeale and mortification a number of vaine verball sermons and to conclude for a positiue working a flat deniall almost of all points of faith and religion Answere COncerning this article I will first answere these cauils which this cauiller obiecteth to the slaundering of our doctrine as tending to loosenes of life and carnall libertie Secondly I will shew to what loosenes and wickednes of life the doctrine of the Church of Rome tendeth and what fruites or rather weeds of wickednes it hath brought fourth euen in Popes their clergie and namely in Rome that holy Citie where that holy Father resideth and whereupon he especially breatheth and blesseth He beginneth with free will wherein he neither setteth downe truely our doctrine nor the state of the controuersie which is a vsuall customewith his companions to peruert and alter the state of the question as Doctor Whitakers sheweth that Bellarmine vseth to do I wil therefore lay downe our doctrine truely as we teach concerning this matter wee beleeue that although in worldly matters concerning this life man haue wit reason and vnderstanding to know and will for the choise of good and euill iust and vniust yet in spirituall matters pertayning to eternall life and the worship of God we beleeue that mans reason is so darkened and will so corrupted that he can neither truely know loue nor couet much lesse doe and performe those things which be agreeable to Gods will and acceptable vnto his Maiestie vntill God
prosecute the particularities that here you name I will say vnto you as Tullie said to Tubero Habes Tubero quod est accusatori maxime optandum confitentem reum c. Thou hast O Tubero that which an accuser would most wish for the partie accused confessing himselfe guiltie yet so confessing that hee was on the same side that thou Tubero and thy Father were So we say and confesse that there is lesse deuotion and more dissolution lesse religious feare and more vaine securitie lesse zeale and mortification then there ought to be but I trust hereafter to shew that these vertues haue as much or more wanted these vices abounded among Papists as they doe with vs. Now I will come to the second part of my answere promised to this article To shew to what loosenes wickednes of life the popish doctrine doth tend and what weedes of wickednes it hath brought forth First their doctrine of keeping Gods word in a strange tongue and restrayning Gods people from reading and hearing of it hath been and is a great cause both of error in doctrine and wickednes in life Our Sauiour Christ saith You erre not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God Dauid saith That the law of God giueth wisedome to the simple it lightneth the eyes it maketh Gods seruant circumspect and that it is a light vnto our feete and a lanterne vnto our steppes He sheweth also that it is a meane to preserue men from sinne For speaking of the righteous man hee saith The law of his God is in his heart and his steppes shall not slide And againe I haue hid thy words in my heart that I might not sinne against thee That good Father Chrysostome who was a most earnest exhorter of all men to the reading of the Scriptures saith Magna aduersus peccatum munitio Scripturarum lectio magnum praecipitium profundum barathrum Scripturarum ignoratio Haec haereses peperit haec vitam corruptam inuexit haec sursum deorsum omnia miscuit that is The reading of the Scriptures is a great sauegard against sinne the ignorance of the Scripture is a slipperie meanes to fall into sinne and a deepe gulfe of sinne This hath bred Heresies this hath brought in corruption of life this hath turned all things vpside downe Againe Hoc omnium malorum causa est quod Scripturae ignorantur that is This is the cause of all euils that men be ignorant of the Scriptures Saint Hierome who exhorteth Ladies to bring vp their young daughters being but seuen yeares old in the reading of the holy Scriptures saith Ama scientiam Scripturarum cartis vitia non amabis that is Loue the knowledge of the Scriptures and thou shalt not loue the vices of the flesh Many such other sayings might bee alledged out of the Fathers which plainely shew that the keeping of the holy Scriptures in an vnknowne tongue and the restrayning of Gods people from reading hearing of them is a doctrine tending to loosenes and great wickednes of life Their doctrine of vowing chastitie and single life and prohibiting matrimonie what an occasion it hath been of horrible filthines and wickednes of life I will briefly declare Chrysostome of some women in his time which vnder a profession of virginitie liued wickedly saith thus Virginitas ista cum viris plus ab ominibus argultur quà m stuprum ipsum that is This virginitie of women with men is more reproued of all men then whoredome it selfe Saint Hierome in his time complained of the like women Sanctum virginum propositum c. that is The euill name of some which behaue not themselues well doth slander the holy purpose of virgines Saluianus the Bishop of Massalia who liued in the yeare of our Lord 480. writeth thus Nouum est prorsus religionis genus Licita nō faciunt illicita committunt Temperant à concubitu quamuis nec hoc faciunt nisi à licito non temperant à rapina c. i. This is a new kinde of religion They do not things lawful and commit things vnlawfull They abstaìne from copulation although they abstaine not from that neither but frō that which is lawfull and refraine not from rape What doest thou O foolish perswasion God hath forbidden sinne and not mariage your deeds agree not with your studies or profession You ought not to bee fauorets of vices There is extant an epistle of Huldricus Bishop of Augusta who liued about the yeare of our Lord 860. vnto Pope Nicholas the first concerning the forbidding of Priests marriage wherein is declared that Gregorie the Pope hauing giuen forth a decree for the single life of Priests vpon the finding of 6000. childrens heads in ponds of water where they had been drowned did reuoke the same decree and commended the saying of the Apostle It is better to marrie then to burne adding thereunto that it was better to marrie then to giue occasion of murther Of this epistle Pope Pius the second maketh mention intreating of Germanie and it was found in a librarie in Holland before Luthers time Bernard the Abbot who liued Anno domini 1150. complaineth of the wicked life of the clergie in these words Episcopi sacerdotes huius temporis castitatis sanctimoniam sine qua nemo videbit deum tam in corde quam in corpore quomodo student obseruare traditi in reprobum sensum facrunt quae non conueniunt Quae enim in occulto fiunt ab episcapis turpe est dicere that is How doe the Bishops and Priests of this time keepe holy chastitie both in heart and bodie without which no man shall see God Being giuen vp into a reprobate minde they doe the things that are not conuenient for what things bee done of Bishops in secret it is a shame for to speake Againe Tolle de ecclesia honorabile connubium c. Take from the Church honorable marriage and the bed vndefiled and thou shalt fill it full of whoremongers incestuous persons buggerers and all kinde of vncleane ones Againe hee sheweth that there were very many who abstayning from the remedie of marriage fell afterwards into all kinde of wickednes About that time the Pope sent a Cardinall called Ioannes Cremensis into England to dissolue Priests marriages who in a synod hauing inueyed against their marriage saying that it was a shamefull thing that a Priest should rise from his wife to consecrate the body of Christ was the same night after taken with a whore as Fabian and other writers doe witnes And I reade the same storie in an ould written booke which I thinke was the storie of Henrie Huntington where these words were added Celari non potuit taceri non debuit .i. It could not bee kept secret and it ought not to be suppressed in silence In the glosse vpon Gratians decrees it is said that a Priest for simple fornication is not to be
Barnabas betweene Anicetus Bishop of Rome and Polycarpus betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius and manie others who all were godly men agreeing in vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God But you that are so eager in traducing our iarres cannot see your own manifold and vnreconciliable iarres and controuersies among your selues As betweene your Schoolemen namely your Thomists and Scotists differing in sundrie matters of moment as not onely Erasmus hath declared but also Iohn Bishop of Rochester hath affirmed Also betweene your Dominican and Franciscan Friers about the conception of the virgin Mary debated not onely by words but also by blowes which controuersie was neuer yet decided but in the Councell of Basil which the Papists count a schismaticall Councell and in the same was the false doctrine approued to wit that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne You cannot see your iarres betweene your great Maister of Sentences Peter Lumbard who iustled Saint Paul out of the schooles and your Sorbonist Doctors of Paris which found and condemned 26. errours in him nor the iarres betweene Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Minorien and Dominicus de Soto confesson to Charles the fift concerning assurance of Gods grace predestination originall sinne freewll and induration of a sinner as in their bitter bookes one against another about these matters appeareth nor y e iarres betweene the said Catharinus and Cardinall Caietane whom Catharinus chargeth with 200. errors of which he writeth thus Quae vt non solum euidenter falsa meritò culpari possent verum etiam vt Christianae religioni perniciosa c. Which may be worthily reproued not onely as euidently false but also as pernicious to Christian religion I might mention many mo iarres among the Papists and namely betweene the secular Priests and Iesuits as appeareth by their bitter bookes one against another and particularly that of William Watson a secular Priest lately published in print against the Iesuits which this camlling exclamor cannot espy who can see a moate in our eyes but cannot behold great beames in their owne but for shortnes sake I omit them at this present onely the learned may see how that great Rabbi Rob. Bellarmine iarreth with all other his pewfellowes and in very many essentiall points of doctrine dissenteth from them and controuleth them Whereof also Iohannes Pappus hath made a large collection Whereas you say y t we haue no argument to proue that we haue the true Church true religion and true faith but such as al heretikes haue euer vsed I answere that we haue that argument proofe for these things which although Heretikes haue falsely pretended as popish heretikes now doe yet the godly learned Fathers haue sincerely vsed And that is the holy word of God the onely touchstone of truth and piller of the Church for as the Church in one respect is the piller of truth as Saint Paul saith so in another the truth is the piller and prop of the Church as Chrysostom saith For by what meanes els haue the godly and learned Fathers in all ages confuted heresies and proued the Church but by the Scriptures by them out Sauiour Christ foyled the Diuell and put him to flight By them he answered the Pharisies By them he confuted the Sadduces By them he proued himselfe to be the promised Messias and Sauiour of the world By them Saint Paul confirmed the Gospell which he preached By them hee perswaded the Iewes those things which concerned Christ Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets By them Apollos confuted the Iewes with great vehemencie shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ By them the godly and learned Fathers confuted and confounded the Arians and other Heretikes whom you here name as by their bookes and particular sayings it euidently appeareth Athanasius speaking of the godly decrees of the Councell of Nice against the Arians writeth thus Atque harum rerum non aliunde nos quà m ex scriptutis persuasionem habemus that is We be perswaded of these things by no other meanes but by the Scriptures Epiphanius saith In Scripturis sanctis Trinitas nobis annuntiatur ac creditur citra curiositatem c. The Trinitie is in the holy Scriptures preached vnto vs and without curiositie beleeued And that by thē all doctrines are to be confirmed and all errors and heresies to be confuted they plainely and plentifully shew Tertullian saith that if Heretikes bee brought to examine and try their questions onely by the Scriptures they cannot stand Epiphanius saith that we are not to discusse questions by our owne wits and reasons Sedex scripturarum consequentia By the consequence of the Scriptures Saint Basil saith Let vs stand to the arbitrement of the Scripture inspired of God and with whome bee found doctrines agreeable to those diuine words let the truth be iudged to be with them Constantine said vnto the Bishops in the Nicene Councell The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the oracles of the Prophets doe plainely instruct vs of God wherefore laying away all enimitie and discord let vs take the explication or resolution of the questions in controuersie out of those sayings inspired of God So saith Saint Augustine Verum nos sacris literis accommodemus auditum c. that is Let vs harken vnto the holy Scriptures and according to them let vs by the helpe of God dissolue this question And againe Non secundū opinionem c. We must consider of this matter not according to y e commō opinion but according to the holy Scriptures of our religion And of the church he saith thus Sed vtrum ipsi ecclesiam teneant non nisi diuinarum Scripturarum canonicis libris ostendant that is But whether they haue the Church let them shew by no other meanes but by the Canonicall bookes of the diuine Scriptures Chrysostom saith that we cannot know which is the true Church of Christ Nisi tantummodo per Scripturas that is but onely by the Scriptures Therefore by the Scriptures proue your doctrine and shew your Church But you say the Arians and other Heretikes alleadged the Scriptures whereunto I adde that so did the Diuell also but 〈◊〉 in such sort as you and your fellowes do in mangling them and falsly expounding and applying them as I haue in some part before shewed I am cōtent to ioyne this issue with you that they which be proued to depraue detort mangle and falsly expound and apply the scriptures be heretikes and to bee condemued with these old heretikes whom you here name To whom whether you or we bee more like let the vpright Reader indifferently iudge The Arians seeing that they could haue nothing out of the Scriptures fled as Athanasius saith vnto the Fathers and euen so do you The Arians vsed subtill distinctions to elude and shift off the truth and so do you They denied
the person of Christ and you denie the office of Christ in not acknowledging him to be our onely Prophet and teacher whose onely voyce wee must heare and obey nor the only King and head of his Church nor our onely high Priest with the sweete smelling sacrifice of himselfe once for euer offered to redeeme and reconcile vs to God nor our only mediatour to make intercession for vs. The Arians did cruelly persecute the true Christians and so do Papists when power is in their hand to do it The Arrians when they could not preuaile against that excellent man Athanasius fell to raile vpon him and to slaunder him accusing him of adulterie murther and sorcerie and euen so do you deale now with such as for their godlinesse and learning may well bee compared with Athanasius I meane especially Caluin whom the Authour of that vnlearned libell and beastly booke intituled A quartron of reasons of Catholike religion c. is not ashamed to call a seare backt priest for Sodomie O thou shamelesse man or rather monster art thou not ashamed to slaunder and belie such a man of whom they that knew him did truly write of him ipsa à quo potuit virtutem discere virtus that euen vertue it selfe might as it were haue learned vertue of him How doest thou know that Caluin was such a man I assure my selfe that thou didst neuer see him nor know him yea I nothing doubt but that thou wast scarsly borne whē he died And how doest thou know y t he was subiect to such a filthie sinne where was hee euer accused or conuicted of such a matter In that Citie adulteries be punished by death and would Sodomie haue bin winked at in the Preacher And if it were not knowne there how doest thou know it But I will not insist any longer in cōfuting this shamelesse slaunder For most true it is which Tully saith Nonne vt ignis in aquam coniectus continuò restinguitur refrigeratur sic referuens falsum crimen in purissimam castissimamque vitam collatum statim concidit extinguitur that is As fire being cast into water is straight waies quenched so a feruent false crime and slaunder being cast into a most pure and chast life such as Caluines was forthwith falleth downe and is extinguished And euen so let this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. slanderer and Bolsec the Apostata and all other raile and slaunder what they can yet Caluines memorie with God and all good men will be blessed for euer And this railer herein sheweth himselfe like not onely to the Arians but also to that ancient enemie to Christianitie Porphyrius who as Eusebius saith going about to reprehend and finde fault with the Scriptures and Preachers of the Word not being able to reproue their doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wanting reasons he fell a railing and slaundering the Preachers But to returne to my matter let the reader also with indifferencie consider who be like to the Donatists Pelagians Nestorians and Euty chians we or the Papists The Donatists affirmed the Church to haue perished from the rest of the world and to haue remained onely with them in Africa Doe not the Papists in like manner affirme only them to be the Church of God which in a part of Europe be vnder the obedience of the Bishop of Rome vnlesse now they will adde the West Indians of whom as the Spaniards haue murthered many millions so peraduenture a few be either perswaded or coacted to professe Poperie and submit themselues to the Pope of Rome But the Christian Churches in Grecia Aethiopia Armenia Muscouia and other countries they acknowledge not for the Church of God because they doe not subiect themselues vnto the Church of Rome we acknowledge al them to be of the Church of God which in all the world hold the truth in the chiefe and fundamentall points of Christian religion The Pelagians held first that the grace of God whereby wee be deliuered is giuen according to our merits Secondly that the law of God may be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that wee haue free will the Papists herein be so like to them that as they maintaine in effect the same matters so for the defence of them they alleage the same places of Scriptures now as the Pelagians of old time did as appeareth by the writings of S. Augustine and S. Hierome against them Nestorius did as Theodoretus writeth of him trouble and intangle the simple and plaine doctrine of Christian faith with Greekish Sophistications How the Papists haue herein ioyned with him and by their curious Questions and vaine Sophistications haue troubled and peruerted the pure simple and plaine faith of Christ by their Schoolemen it doth euidently appeare Entyches confounded the two natures in Christ and the properties peculiar to them So doe the Papists in making the bodie of Iesus Christ to be at one instant in heauen and earth and infinite places of the earth which is only proper vnto the Deitie This shall suffice to shew that the Papists be liker to these olde heretikes then wee are whose doctrine wee abhorre and be farre further from it then they be Yea I may not onely truly say but can also plainly proue Poperie to be an hotchpotch of old heresies long agoe condemned in the Church of God The which as I did once in publike place shew so I may if it be the will of God hereafter more plainly and plentifully proue Now this worthie writer or rather lewd libeller will proue and that by a syllogisme out of the principles of our religion that S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie This subtile syllogisme is thus framed Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to infidelitie But Saint Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluation which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion Ergo Saint Paul exhorteth vs to infidelitie As the assumption or second proposition of this syllogisme as it now standeth is false so by a small alteration both it and all the rest may be very true that is by putting out the name of S. Paul and putting Papists in place thereof in this sort Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth vs to infidelitie The Papists exhort or at leastwise teach vs to doubt of our saluation Ergo the Papists exhort vs to infidelitie The first proposition of this syllogisme is affirmed by this writer to be plaine The second is the doctrine of the Papists concluded and determined in that Tridentine Cōuenticle where it is said that they which be truly iustified cannot without all doubt account themselues to be iustified And againe that no man can know by certaintie of faith which is not subiect to error and falsehood that he hath obtained the grace of God And againe Siquis dixerit omni homini