Creed what the Protestāts beliue is from the catholicks beliefe by proper definitiō And seeing the first words of our beliefe consist in this forme I Beliue So that after S. Pauls definition Heb. 11. Fayth is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things not seen This faith must be resolute and vndoubtedly belieued of all Christians which all good Catholickes vndoubtedly doe belieue both in hart and mouth without any waueringe or erronious opiniō and this is the Catholikes beliefe such was not the beliefe of Luther saying That he hoped so soone as the curiosity of these tymes should be fulfilled his monuments would decay and perish Serm. conuiualis fol. 158. in praef Tom. 1. Tomo 2. fol. 9 in praef lib. de abusu missae Moreouer he sayes I neuer dismisse these cogitations out of my head that I wishe I had neuer begunne this course In this remorse and distrust is Zuingl epist ad Alberum saying In matters of faith we defyne nothing but only delyuer our opinion Lykewyse how laboures Caluin as reportes Bols invita Calu. cap. 22. Beza Oecolampad Melanch That they haue euer adioyned to their inconstant fayth to bynd it to the compasse of reason For say they Gods word ought not so much to be followed in diuinity as the words of nature in that we should looke with the left eye at the word of Christ but with the right at the natures of things Lykewyse Caluin in Ioh. cap. 6. cap. 7. declareth this of his bretheren what opinion they be of for sayth he That by meanes of their carnall conceipt of Christ they cannot attayne to perceaue him worthely and by corrupt interpretations they are come to a contempt of the Euangely for when the reason of any thing appeareth not vnto them they suddainly dispyse it So that in the beginning they stumble and doubt before they proceed any further How repugnant are the Protestantes in the belieue to say I belife in God who are found lyers And when they say I belieue in God to make a foundation in whom they anker their faith they are found lyers and condemne themselues for how doe they belieue in God who are Atheistes in profession for by the true signification of the word they renounce disclame all from loue or belife of God Moreouer neyther belieue they in God who make him the author of euill who doth atempt none Iac. 1. who in mystaking the effect of the article transforme him into a diuell for sayes not Luther that God doth work euill workes in the wicked Roff. art 36. and Caluin lib. 3. inst cap. 23. § 7. cap. 21. § 7. sayes That it was decreed of God that Adam should sinne And lykewyse in the same booke he sayes whom God hath appointed to damnation by his iust The Protestants misbelieue God and irreprehensible decree he shuts vp from them the way of lyfe Do these men belieue in God who they make author of all euill and iniquity Are they not lyers and their beliefe abominable Is not this defended of Zuingl de prouid dei Tom. 1. fol. 365. when we commit adultery or murther it is Gods works as mouer author and inforcer for the murtherer by Gods impulsion doth kill and is often constrayned to offend Moreouer they belieue not in God who account questions concerning the deity but triffles and indifferent things and no wayes necessary to saluation and such be the question of Christ his office and mediation his consubstantialitie with the Father of the vnity of the Trinity of Predestination and of frewill of iustification of Angeles For in true beliefe the reputation and knowledge of God and what belongs to him is of greater importāce then al other things in Heauen and earth The Protestantes misbelieue God whill rhey cal him Father deny the Trinity Beza de Haeret. a ciuili Magist. puniendis Moreouer as concerning that word of the beliefe in calling him Father truely as they misbelieue God so do they misbelieue the Father whyle they deny and misbelieue the Trinity for sayes not Caluin lib. 1. inst cap. 13. § 5. lib. ad Valent. Gentil Epist. 2. ad Polonos That he would the name of Trinity were buryed that these words in the Litanies rehearsed of Christiās Holy Trinity one God haue mercy on vs is a Barbarous and vnproper prayer Lykwyse Ochim Dial. lib. 2. dial 19.20 Calleth the name Trinity a sathanicall and diuelish name Wherupon the family of loue hath reiected the name Trinity as a papisticall fiction Edw. Roger. cont fam Lond an 1578. Art 24.25.26 Lykewyse Luther in enchired Praecum ann 1543 he saies That his soul abhorreth that prayer Holy Trinity one God haue mercy on vs and lykewyse that word Homousion that is to say the consubstantiality of Christ betwixt the persones in the holy Trinity To animate this detestable hatred the more the Seruetians called the Trinity a thre headed Cerberus and hel hound Beza epist 81. And moreouer to this effect was not the Embassadge of the Caluinistes of Poll and sent to Zurick and to Geneua to haue this Article abolished out of the beliefe and that the name Trinity should not be mentioned Wherupon the Caluinian Synod ensued at Vilnaan 1589 11. May where it was ordeyned by publick decree that all Ministers in their Sermons should not make mention of the Trinity Symler an 1560 in vitae Bulling fol. 33. Brendenbachl 7. cap. 19. Lykewyse they misbelieue the Father who with Caluin lib. 1. inst cap. 13 § 13.23.24 vlt. doe affirme it folishnes to belieue or think that God doth cōtinually beget his Sonne Wheras by this continuall vnderstanding he must euer produce a word which is the wisdome of the Father his Sonne Lykewise all they misbelieue the Father who exclude the Sonne holy Ghost from infinit Diuinity and coequality with the Father Melan. loc com ann 2539. fol. 8. 10. ann 1545. fol. 53. an 1558. loco defilio How the Protestants denye God almighty In calling and attributing to him Almighty amongst the principall protestants this Article is denyed Caluin lib. 2 inst cap. 7. § 5. 24. lib. 4. cap. 17. § 24. in psal 37. v. 4. Moreouer whereas we Catholickes professe him maker of Heauen and earth the which right beliefe doth confesse that the Sōne holy Ghost created asmuch as God the Father seing they are not dinstinguished one from an other as they are God and consequently their doings are and must be all one in externall operations such as in the creation of the world Against this article fightes Calu. cont Valent. Gent. lib. 2. inst cap. 14. § 3. saying that the name of God peculiarly doth belonge only to God the Father and that Christ considered according to his persone may not be called Creator of Heauen and earth Which vngodly assertiō being allowed to be true besydes all other absurdities it followeth that
Church and approued by authority for trew doctrine according to the iudgment of men and of them who haue authority to iudge in matters of Fayth Otherwayes their mission and doctrine cannot be receaued nor belieued who without this ordinary authoritie by thēselues approue doctrine to be sufficient or insufficient and must be moued thēselues by some other preacher and his authority to belieue and therfore if there want myracles I know not how they shall approue their doctrine discusse ambiguities resolue doubtes neuer I say by their owne reasoning and vnderstanding of their priuie spirit but their doctrine shall euer be held suspect No doctrine can be known trew without myracles zuing affi mes the same And for the verity of this assertion Zuing. Tom. 2. eccl sayes how many haue vsurped the function to Preach and teach or to worke myracles were called of God cōfirmed by eléctiō of the pastores of the Church Thus he I hope Zuingl hath sayd as much as I would say that ordinary vocation is necessaey that therby God workes often tymes myracles for the maitayning of the same and therefore both lawfull mission and myracles are of God The heretycks make themselues Pastors without ordination to their shame and ignominie who sitting in the Chayre of pestilence contemne and blaspheme all lawful succession and ecclesiasticall ordination calling themselues and presuming to gouerne vvithout lawfull ordination and taking the name of Byshop on them and no man gyuing it to them as sayth S. Cyp. de Simpl. prael They succeed to none but beginne at themselues Hereticks are prophane persones Calu. flyeth to extraordinary vocation and are prophane and enemies to our Lords peace and his diuyne vnity But Caluin teaches in his book de vera eccl reform That God rayseth vp pastores extraordinarily by the inspiration of his owne spirit who should restore his decaying and ruinous Church as long since he did in the Synagogue of the Prophets And so in our tyme by the ordinary vocation of man he hath raysed Prophets and Pastors for the building of his Church as Luther Zuingl c. Whose commendations of their owne Bretheren of the Gospel is wonderfull and first The commendation of the extraordinary Pastores Towit luth and zuingl Bez. to Sanctezij calles Luther the wonderfull instrument of God most heauenly inspyred and an admirable seruant of God in whom who acknowledgeth not the spirit of God knowes nothing Iewell calls him the most excellent man of God sent of him to lyghten the world Apoc. part 4. cap. 4. § 2. Mathesius calles him the Supreme Father of the Church con 8. de lut pag. 88. Amdorff sayes that there was none lyke in the world in spirit and faith vvisdome and profunde knowledge of the Scriptures Amdorff praef tom 1. Luther Albertus calls him a trew Paul and Elyas and a man sufficient to appease and diuerte the vvrath of God from men to whō Augustin myght think no shame to be his Scholler lib. cont Carollost lib. 7. Some other call him the Angell of God Austen might haue bene Luther Scholler flying throw the myddest of heauen hauing the eternall Ghospel in his hand Illiricus in apoc cap. 14. Schussinburge sayth that Elyas and Iohn Baptist vvere but figures of Luther Elias Iohn baptist were figures of Luther Luther vituperation and disprayse of his owne professors Theol. cal lib. 2. fol. 124. in the end this extraordinary Prophet is descrybed of his owne for Schulss lib. 2. art 12. de Theol. cal calles him proude furious intolerable full of errour impudent a forger and a deprauer of Gods word deceyptfull a seducer a false Prophet lunatyck presumptuous a crucifyer and a murtherer of Christ Lykewyse Zuing. calles him a drunken dreamer and a head full of lyes Moreouer Caluin vvould be numbred amongst these Prophets Caluin would be accounted a Prophet and extraordinaryly called as is obserued in diuerse of his sermons saying I am a Prophet I haue the spirit of God am sent of God I cannot erre if I erre it is God that deceaues me and puts me in errour for the synnes of the people His myracles and lyf his Propheticall extraordinary vocatiō is rehersed of Schlussinburge one of their owne professiō His myracles and vocatiō is commēded of the professors of the Gospel lib. 2. art 12. fol. 72. de Theol. Calu. who sayes that God would not be mocked by men hath shewed his iudgment in the world against Caluin visyting him in the scourge of his fury punishing him before the day of his death for he strok this sacramētal heretyck in such sorte that he dyed desperate swearing and inuocating the diuells to whom he randered his spirit vvhich isued out of his priuy members and out of his vlcerous soores and lay so stincking that the people was notable to endure the stinck and thus miserably ended his lyf Besides this he vvas infamous by sodomy Calu. dieth desperat cursing God and inuocating the diuels his bad lyfe The Catholyckes haue registred the myracles of the Sainctes for a memory all as S. Luc did the actes of the Apostles cruell bloody tyrannous deceytfull treacherous a babler a contemner a sophist an epicure and a tosser of the Scriptures as Quid in his metamorphosis thus he So that this way they haue made their extraordinary vocation conformable to their extraordinary myracles but for the Catholyck part all the holy Fathers haue accounted of myracles and haue written the admirable lyues of the Sanctes and haue them in regyster from Christ tyme imitating S. Luc admirable and miraculous relation of the actes of the Apostles and Dauid praysing God in his Sainctes as also to follow their deuotion and holynes of because the Prophet sayes Ps 14. He that glorisyeth them that fearour Lord shall dwell in his tabernacle and rest in his holy hill For their myracles done on earth haue made them glorious in heauen for Caluin confesseth In heb 2.4 2. cor v. 12. That myracles are seales of doctrine Calu. is contrary to himselfe for now he sayes that myracles are seales of trew doctrine The Heretyks wāt myracles Myracles The ouerthrow of Idolatrie Myracls were the cause of the conuersiō of Scotland and do establish faith and Scripture Wherupon all the Sectaries haue great cause to distrust their faith as a nouelty vnsealed and vnestablished by the vertue of God for they are knowne altogeather to want myracle as also good lyfe Far otherwayes was the conuersion of Scotland from Idolatry to the Catholycke fayth which was not only by the preaching of the vvord but also was in the working of myracles as trew faith reuealed and approued from heauen with admirable holynes of lyfe and modest conuersation both in clergie and lay persons that many ages after death and solution of mortality we see and read the lyuing Lord honoured and worshipped in them whose bodyes whilst they liued were the temples of the holy Ghost
him againe fall with his owne waight in the waters breaking his bones strangled and almost left dead this was the euent of his myracle as witnesseth Thomas Bozio de signis eccl dei lib. 5. cap. 2. Therfore iustly of the reformed minysteres and all Protestants we Catholycks demaunde and aske by what power they haue entered into the church of God Myracles for confirmation of their doctrine iustly demaunded for no true faith is without myracles and with what supernaturall signes for the confirmation of their reformation for a new faith moust haue newe myracles and therefore seing they haue induced a new faith in all things repugnant to the faith professed and belieued this thowsand fyue hundreth yeares past and doe contemne the ordinary mission lawfull succession ordination of the Church and haue intruded theÌ„selue extraordinarly by their mouing spirit therfore rightly demauÌ„de we supernaturall myracles for the confirmation of their supernaturall vocation And seing from the tyme of the begynning of the old Church Myracles are necessary to proue trew faith and lawfull vocation vnto the vprysing of the new no man denyes and all affirmes that myracles were euer needfull For the Heretickes theÌ„selues affirmes myracles to be so necessary as a proofe of their lawful vocatioÌ„ That they who otherwayes would entre into the Church of God to be preachers reformers planters of Religion and Faith are to be adiudged bold temerous heretickes presuÌ„ptuous imitatores of Chore Dathon worthy for their intollerable Zuing. condemnes those that preach a new faith without myracles and diuelish arrogance to descend into Hell for taking more on them then Iohn the Baptist Peeter and Paul yea and Christ himself This hath zuingl vttered against the Euangelicall extraordinary vocation as is euident to be read in his owne booke Tom. 2. Eccl. fol. 52.53.54 Lykewyse Brentius declareth the effect to what end myracles are done Brent declairs that myracle are to confirme trew faith In cap 3. Luc. hom 6. hom 76. de Resurrectione Christi myracles sayth he haue this vse especialy that they are a testimony and a confirmation of a doctrine and religion reuealed from heauen Vnto Brent agreeth and subscrybeth Luther Tom. 4. in cap. 35. Isa Musculus in loc comm 41. de nomine dei pag. 394. The Hereticks seek myracles of the other Sectes and professores of the new Gospell In so much that the Heretycks themselues impugne and contradict other Sectaries and requyre of them myracles who professe a new doctrine For they affirme proue that no doctrine which is from heauen can want myracles for the confirmation of the same doctrine Therfore this their doctrine is not from heauen Heretycks are lyke the sons of Scena the Iewe in working of myracles who are men lyke vnto the sonnes of Scaena the Iew as is written of them Act. 19. v. 14.15.16 who were more presumptuous then wyse who thought to haue coÌ„iâ—red Diuells and for their laboures were beaten of the Diuels so the Protestant willingly would worke myracles but the proofe takes none effect not so much as onlay me-horses No maruail that they worke no myracles Casu blasphemy against myracles after the pharisies manner who account so little of myracles for they so esteem of them as Caluin sayth as of feined fantasticall and Diuelish things and not to be of God Cal praef instit So sayd the Pharesyes of Christ myracles Matth. 12. and the paganes of thoses myracles which were done amongst the Christians yea the Heretyckes shew themselues worse and attributed the working of myracles to the Diuell The Heretiks of old were of this same mynd against myracles Of this mynd were the Arrians Eunomians Vigilantius so that these myracles done by the Catholickes were ascrybed to be wrought by the power of the Diuell and not of God as witnesse the holy Fathers as Aug. lib. de ciuitat dei cap. 18. Ambros Serm. de Geru prof Hier. cont Vigil Victor lib. 2. de vandalica persecut But the Catholyks haue better assurance to wit the word of God and promise of Ghrist for the defence of myracles against all counterpoyses manyfolde sleightes of Sathan Moyses with lawfull vocation workes myracles in Aegypt or what such hyrelings can obiect For first is not Moyses sent to Pharao by diuyne vision and hath communicated to him myracles and the power to worke myracles that the Iewes may belieue that the God of their Fathers hath appeared to Moyses Iohn Baptist natiuity and lyf is full of myracles as Scripture witnesseth Exod. 4.5 Lykewyse is not Iohn the baptist sent to denounce the mysterie of the Incarnation hid to the world who vvas adorned and beautifyed vvith many heygh myracles and a man replenyshed with the holy Ghost Moreouer is not Iesus the sonne of God sent who hath not glorifyed himself as heygh Priest but aboad vntill the tyme that his Father sayd Thou art an high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech ps 109. And was approued of God by the oppenyin of the heauens Christ proues his owne mission with myracles and the desceÌ„ding of the spirit of God in the forme of a doue vpon him vvith a voyce saying This is my beloued sone in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. That after bearing vvitnes to the truth for vvhich he vvas sent sayes to the Ievves The workes themselues which I do bear witnes of me that the Father hath sent me Ioh. 5. And agayne he sayes in the 10. cap. If you will not belieue me yet beliue the workes that ye may know and belieue that the Father is in me and I in him And lykevvyse the Apostles The Apostles and Disciples are sent to preach and do confirme it with myracles and Disciples are sent into the vvhole vvorld to preach the Euangely but not except from Christ the chief presedeÌ„t of his Church vvho gaue them povver to preach baptisme and coÌ„secrat bread into his blessed body vvith povver to absolue and bynde synners and to vvorke myracles receauing giftes freely and commaunded to giue freely as witnesseth Mat. 10. saying He gaue them power ouer vnclean spirits to cast them out and to cure all deseases Moreouer in the 7. v. he sayth to them As ye go preach saying the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is at hand heall the sicke clense the leprouse rayse vp the dead cast out diuels frely you haue receaued frely giue And in lyke forte diuerse Prophets vvere sent extraordinarily The Prophets mission was approued with myraclest but not allowed except their missioÌ„ were approued of God vvith signes and myracles for so it agreeth vvell vvith the disposition of Gods prouidence as S. August disputes lib. 22. de ciuit dei cap. 8. For except mission and the doctrine be approued vvith myracles from heauen and receaued with common consent of men Trew doctrine must be approued from heauen with myracle and by the authority of the
Christ according to his persone should not be God or at least there should not equality of good-head be belieued And moreouer in his Comment in cap. 14. Gen. v. 18. and in 6. Ioh. v. 57 he sayes Christ our Lord to be but a second King next to God and a second cause of lyfe Hath this Arch-Rabbi had any respect to S. Paul Phil. 2. who iustifieth his equality with his Father to rob him so easily Moreouer the very deity it self could not retayne Caluin frō this abominable blasphemy Lykewyse Caluin affirmes That the word of the creation was imperfect for somuch that in Heauen he is not dutifully and sincerely serued without sinne committed euen by the Angells them selues Calu. in c. 1. col vers 20. Which doctrine is contrary to the Scriptures that witnes that in that Heauenly Citty is no vnclean thing or sinne Apoc. 21 Seing that all power and gouernement belongs to the Father all wisdome knowledge and doctrine belongs to the sonne all begnity liberaltty plenitude and sanctification is appropriated and imputed to the holy Ghost all good thinges are ascrybed to the three persones not excluding any good from any of them as being all three equall God and consequently not vnequally fountaynes of all good things as well in particular as in generall Morouer concerning this article which sayes and in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord Against the 2. Article How the Protestants deny Christ in the Creed 16.17.18.19 many of the Protestant Professors appeare to be against this article For some affirme that Christ is not the Messias others saye that the name of Christ is a filthy name Some other that he was a deceauer of the world and that he was not God Some other sayd that he had but a meane measure of Godhead Some lykewyse sayd that he was ignorant and his discourse absurde and himself no more God then Socrates and Trismegistus c. All these blaspemies are extant in the first and second article of the family of loue as wryteth Rogerus against the sect of the family of loue printed at Lōdon an 1579. Lykewyse Cartwright discentes nothing from his former false bretheren whyll he sayes in his 2. replic pag. 191. That he could not be persuaded that the Israelites was so madde as to belieue him to be the liuing God whom with their eyes they did behold to be a miserable and simple man And therefore all the world may see of themselues what distrust they haue of Ghrist to be God and our Lord. Morouer they impugne this Article who equal themselues in Gods fauour in right to Heauen vnto Iesus Christ the only begotten consubstantiall Sonne our Lord. Lykewyse they belieue not in Iesus Christ our Lord who distrust any part of his doctrine whether it be of the Sacramēts or whatsoeuer other point because they conceaue it not in their vnderstanding as Caluin affirmes in cap. 6. 7. Iob when the reason of any thing doth not appeare vnto vs such is our great Pryde that we esteeme it nothing Lykewyse they misbelieue this article who thereby haue made God the Father sometymes not to vnderstand which is his begetting For sayes Caluin it is foolishnes to think that God the Father doth continually begett his Sonne And so the sonne is abolished who is not otherwayes actually the Sonne of the Father but by determinating actualy the relation of the Father to himself Wherupon Luther disp de deo Thes 18. Tom. 2. VVittemb lat It is no marueil saies he if Arius if a Iew if Mahomet and all the wold denie Christ to be the Sonne of God And farlesse marueil if the Protestant be also thus persuaded to deny Christ cōsidering their principall Euangelistes teach the same Against the 3. Article Moreouer as concerning that Article Who was cōceaued of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie How the Protestants deny Christ to be conceaued of the holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary in the creed It is impugned misbelieued by those who blasphemously affirme the holy Ghost to haue been Father to Christ in manner of other Fathers towards their children as reportes Maldonat in cap. 1. Mat. Lykewyse others misbelieue this Article who belieue Christ to haue byn only cōceaued but not borne of a Virgin Caluino-Turc pag. 530. 531. Greg. de Valent. de Virg. S. Mariae To which assertiō Caluin condiscendes saying That the blessed Virgin was in manner weakenned in trauail vpon Christ as other women in their trauail Lyckewyse they misbelieue this Article who equal or prefer themselues to be the B. V. M. and such are the Houling-Puritā-typling Sisters with Rachel Arnot the maistresse of the congregation with Smythes doughters besides these ring-leaders there is not a dyrtie hussy or drabbe in the I le of Britane but will auouch the same which the poore people would not so ignorantly doe if they were not teached of their high diuynes soe to say and belieue against the true grounds of Scripture that pronunceth her prerogatiue to be blessed aboue all women and to conceaue and beare a child and he to be the God of Heauen earth which no other women euer had or did Moreouer they misbelieue this Article who make Christs body as much in Abrahams tyme as when it was conceaued and borne by the Virgin Mary not only in efficacy but also in essence nature as Beza did lib. cont Hesbusium fol. 284. On this sam subiect is the colloq mompel gart saying Christs body was extant euen in the tyme of Abrahā Wherupon these absurdities followes that Christ was true man in essence and in existence before his conception birth so consequently the Angel sayd not true to the sheephearders that this day is borne to you a Sauiour and that the Blessed Virgin Marie was not his Mother c. Moreouer they make Christ to haue two bodies one deliuered in the supper another borne of the Virgin Mary because they forge another Christ thē was her Sōne as witnes aucto diallactici vide Bellarm. 5. Euang. pag. 98. Colon. 1595. Moreouer they misbelieue this Article who affirme that Christ was not eternally but began only at the tyme of his birth Symler in praef lib. de aeterno dei filio Against the 4. Article How the Protestants deny this article that he suffered and how they euacuate his passion Moreouer as concerning that Article That he suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucifyed dead and buryed many Protestants deny this Article by euacuating the Passion of Christ and that by saying that the blood is putrifyed in the earth and for that cause which is putrifyed and corrupt cānot redeeme vs but the Apostle defendes the contrary 1. Pet. 1. who sayes VVe were not redeemed by any corruptible pryce Morouer they euacuate the passion of Christ according to all other partes who with Molineus in Harm Euang. makes the merits of Christs of no effect saying they profit vs
consequently the Churche neither was inuisible nor erred at that tyme. OBIECTION SAint Hier. Dial. cont Lucif the whole world sayth he hath sorrowed and maruelled to be an Arian ergo the Church hath erred ANSVVER HE calleth the world a great part not absolutly the whole world lykewise these Catholik bishops were assembled at Arimin to Abolishe that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which counsell they only materially erred not knowing the true signification of the Greek word neither were these fathers heretiks for furth with knowing the error they amended it with pennance OBIECTION ALl the Apostles in tyme of the passion of Christ lost their faith therefore the whole Church some tyme hath erred The Antecedent is proued Matth. 26. v. 31. all you shal be scandalized in me this night Luc. 24. v. 11. but these words seemed to them as fained neither belieued they him Marc. vlt. And he reproued their incredulites and hardnes of hart because they belieued not these who had seen him risen Ergo the Church in the Apostles hath erred ANSVVER THe Apostles at that tyme sinned becaus they were slow to belieue and were worthy of reprehension yet notwithstanding they were not infidelles howbeit they cōmitted a sinne in ouer much fearing quia timor cadit in virum iustam neither at this tyme had they receaued the holy ghost the doctor of Veritie to preserue them from humane error and feare neither by this argument hath the Church erred QVAESTIO XV. The interdicting of Scriptures WHerfor doth the Papists interdict and forbid the people the reading of the Scriptures which is easy of vnderstanding and cleare in themselues Luth. de lib. Arb. Caluin lib. 1. instit cap. 7. § 2. Beza conf fid Punct 4. art 27. Brent prolog cont à Soto Illiric in Claue Script c. ANSVVER I Deny the holy Scripture to be easy of vnderstanding as ye persuade your selues for it is a book full of mysteries and difficulties the knowledge of which none can attaine without the great help of Gods grace and morall Science so that the vulgar reading of the same without vnderstanding hath giuen occasion to many to interpret them after their own sense and filthily to err as the euidences bear witnes from whence ar heresies Schisme and dissention Are they not builded on the Scriptur because that euery mā wil vnderstand it after his own opinion and not according to the iudgement of the Churche And therefor we see by experience that the Scriptur is not facill of vnderstāding for the disciples thē selues were whole three yeares vnder the instruction of Christ Iesus the maister of veritie who were euer by him and often they heard him preach of his suffrings death and resurrection notwitgstanding they vnderstood not the scriptures perteining to that neither in the law Psalmes nor Prophets vntil Christ opened to them the sense that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Luc. 24. v. 45. that is to say that not only Christ hath expounded the Scriptures to them as a litle before he did to his disciples going to Emaus but also he giues to his Apostles and disciples a certaine diuyne grace of the sense and meaninge for the better vnderstanding of the Scriptures So that it is euident when the Apostles and disciples were thus dull to vnderstand the Scriptures how shall the vulgar people vnderstand them Moreouer S. Peeter 2. Epist. cap. 3. v 15. sayes As our beloued brother Paul according to the wisdome giuen to him hath writtin to yow and as in all his epistles speaking of them in which there are some difficil to vnderstand which the vnlearned instable depraue Therefore it followeth that all the writings of S Paull were not to euery one plaine but many things difficil to vnderstand Moreouer to what end haue the learned laboured in the knowledge of the tongues to seeke and search the vnderstanding of the Scriptur if it be so easy of vnderstanding why did S. Hiero. vex himself aboue twentie yeares in studying the Scriptures a man instructed in all tongues and indued with most singular learning yet we read of him that oft he doubted in expounding the Prophetes and hath beene in extasie of mynd through the profunde obscuritie of the Scriptures In the same laborinth was S August the pillar of diuinitie whilst he explicated the sinne against the holy Ghost lib. 2. de doct Christ cap. 6. in which he himself thinketh not to haue laboured sufficiently because of the difficulties that aryse in the holy Scripture which were aboue his iudgement Therefore S Hier. epist ad Paulin. sayes the law is spirituall and hath need of reuelation that it may be vnderstood as also that we may contemplate the glory of the reuealed face of God The sealed booke in the Apocalyps with seauen sealls is showen which if thou shalt giue it to a mā of vnderstanding to read he will answere thee I cannot for it is sealled How many at this day think thēselues to be of vnderstanding literature and yet hould the sealed book in their hand neyther may they open it except he open it who hath the key of Dauid who opens and no man shuts shuttes and no man opens thus he Morouer the Euangelists Matthew and Luke seeme to vary in the genealogie of Christ in that Luke sayes that Ioseph was the sonne of Heli S. Matthew sayes that Iacob begate Ioseph which disagreemēt Iulian the Apostate obiected to Christians Lykewyse S. Chryst. 1 Matth. sayes that it is to be numbred among hid things how that Elizabeth beyng of the trybe of Leui may be called the Cosin of Mary who was of the trybe of Iuda Moreouer S Marke speaking of the day of Iudgmēt sayes of that day hour no man knoweth it neyther the Angels which are in Heauen neyther the Sonne himself but only the Father In reading this no man seeth the doubt Lykewyse S. Hier. receaued some questions of Algasia and Hedibia about the reading of the Scriptures and the first is why did Iohn in prison sent to Christ demaunded saying art thow he that shall come or shall we looke for an other who before had pointed him saying behold the lābe of God c. How cometh he now to aske dout of him Hedibia ad Hier. Matth. 28. Iohn 20. 4.5 How agreeth this that Matthew sayes that Mary Magdalen fell downe at the feet of Christ after his resurrection and held his feet S. Iohn sayes the cōtrary that he forbad her to touch him Iohn 20. Lykwyse S. Marke sayes Matth. 16. Iohn 20. that the two Maryes in the morning in the first day of the sabaoths they came to the sepulchre when the Sonne was rysē and S. Iohn sayes the contrary that they came whē it was darke Lykwyse in the resurrection Matth. 28. Iohn 20. Marc. 16. there are a great number of apparant contrarieties as the tyme of the resurrection of the appearance of the Angells in the Sepulchre their
number and place Moreouer that Christ breathing on his Apostles sayd receaue yee the holy Ghost Now if he gaue them the holy Ghost before his Ascention what needeth he to send them the holy Ghost after his ascention seing they had receaued the holy Ghost already Hidib quaest 9 Lykewyse S. Paul sayes Rom. 3. We thinke a man to be iustifyed by fayth without the workes of the law And contrariwyse S. Iames cap. 2. sayes what auayleth it though a man say he hath fayth if he haue no workes can his fayth saue him for without workes faith is dead Moreouer it is sayd Rom. 5. That fayth was reckned to Abraham for righteousnes And contrariwyse S. Iac. 2. sayes that Abraham our Father was iustifyed by workes Lykewyse S. Paul Rom. 10. declaring the reiection of the Iewes and vocation of the Gentiles alledgeth the Prophet Isai saying I am found of them that sought me not and manifested to them that asked not for me but vnto Israell all the day long I haue streached forth my handes vnto a people that belieueth me not but speaketh against me And after this he sayes hath God cast away his people God forbid if the Casting away of thē be the reconciliation of the world Haue they so offended and stumbled that they should fall he answeres saying God forbid And yet after this he argumentes the contrary saying because of vnbeliefe they are broken and cast away I pray yow is this place by reading the plaine text easily vnderstood How opposite is the Apostle to the readers iudgement Lykwyse about predestination Rom. 9. where he sayes that it lyeth not in the will of man neyther in the running of man but in the mercy of God Againe the Apostle is contrary to himselfe Rom. 7. saying will is present with me Moreouer in the first Epistle Timoth. cap. 2. it is sayd that God will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth If God so willeth who can gainstand his will why then doe so many perish amongst Christians and others remayne in infidility Lykewyse the Apostle Rom. 9. wished to be accursed for his bretheren the Iewes yet he saies that nothing could separate him from the loue of Christ Roman 8. what may be gathered of these wordes but that he loued the Iewes better then Christ Algasia ad Hier. q 9. Lykewyse S Paule cor 15. sayes when al things are subdued vnder him then shall the sonne also himself be subiect vnto him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all this place fits well Caluin with the Arians to make Christ inferior to his Father Lykwyse the Apostle sayes Coll. 1. that he doth fullfill that lacked of Christs sufferings in his body This place seemes to make the passiō of Christ insufficient if we vnderstand it according to the letter Lykewyse to the Hebrues 6. saying it is impossible that those who once are illuminated haue Gusted the Heauenly gift and are made participant of the holy spirit and haue tasted of the good word of God of the ioyes of the world to come if they fall away The Scripture is of difficill vnderstāding should be renewed againe by pennance VVhich in cap. 10. For sinning willingly after the receipt of the knowledge of verity there is not left now for sinne any sacrifyce but a terrible expectation of indgement and burning fyre If these places were not fauourably interpreted by the literall sense no man can be saued that if a man sinne after he is Christened and hath receaued the gifts of God that after he cannot be reconciled with pennance and by this all hope of mercy for remissiō of sinnes is takē away which argument was the cause of Nouatus heresie Moreouer S. Hier. ad Algas quest 7. sayes what was the Apostles meaning What wonderful heresies hath rysen of the Scripture that scharcely wil any man die for the righteous man peraduenture for a good man durst a man die The words seemes to be plaine and easie of vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding for lack of knowledge two great Heresies arose of this sentence For Marcion by this defended that there were two Gods one iust creator of Heauen and earth and author of the Law and Prophets The other a good God the God of the Ghospell and Apostles whose sonne is Christ For the iust God few or none haue dyed for the good God innumerable martyres haue dyed thus Marcion Lykewyse Arius was in the contrary opinion that Christ was the iust God by this argument ps 71. Giue the King thy Iudgments o God and thy righteousnes to the Kings Sonne And the other good God he calleth the Father God of Heauen by reason by the Euangelist Luc. 18. why cal yow me good seing there is none good but God the Father All these being well considered is the Scripture easy of vnderstanding Think with your selues and iudge equally and if so be why haue your chief Rabbines written so many prolix cōmentaries on the Scripture and chiefly on the wordes of Christs institution which are so plaine and clear in themselues and yet there hath rysen aboue two hundrith diuerse opinions to interpret them For the words of a testament ought to be plaine without obscurity ambiguity doubt or equiuocation as the nature and condition of a testament requyres Therefore iudicious Reader obserue diligētly what facility is in the whole Scripture when in one word there is aboue two hundrith explications they go about to giue yow the light of Gods word whyll they inferre darknes and shut vp the verity from yow they will haue you vnderstand the hid misteryes of God by reading and yet they will be interpreters of the meaning of it and not delyuer it according to the spirit of God and his Church but according to the reuelatiō of ther priuy spirit as Cal. l. ◠inst c. 7 § 2. who sayes the obscurity and hard places of the Scripture in their sense and vnderstanding is no more difficill to iudge them then to iudge the colours of things blake and whyte swet and bitter which of the spirit and sense are iudged So that the reading of the Scripture in a vulgar tongue giues occasion to subuert the faith of Christ and giues place to euery Heresie and to make it a store-house of ech dogmaticall opinion as Luth. postilla dom post pent There is no heresie hovvsoeuer euill or grosse it be which will not defend it self by the Scriptures Lykwyse Tert. lib. de praesc the Scripture sayes he is the booke of Heretickes not of it self but occasionally OBIECTION THE Scripture is the food of the soule therefore the faithfull are not to be depriued of it by interdiction not to read the Scriptures ANSVVER IT is true the Scriptures are the food of the soule but this food is to be eaten by the mouth of the Pastors and teachers of the Church as Mal. 2. v. 7. the lyps of