to faith artic 10. that workes done before the grace of Christ are not pleasant to God artic 13. workes of supererogation can not be taught without arrogancie and impietie artic 14. they are to be cōdemned which say they can no more sunne as long as they liue here artic 16. The Slaunderer then himselfe and his adherents are those that condemne the doctrine of the Church 8. He chargeth the Replyer with heresie tending to Atheisme pref p. 5. it is to be feared least in time you become as bad members to the Church of England as they that is the Anabaptists were to the Church of Germanie 2. b. p. 8. there were certaine omnifidians c. who held the like opinion as you doe of which number was one Appelles who affirmed that it was needelesse to discusse the particulars of faith 2. b. p. 90. he calleth his exposition of some places of Scripture which he tearmeth misconstruction hereticall 2. b. p. 91. blasphemous p. 92. These imputations of heresie blasphemie Anabaptisme are most vile and pestilent slanders so is this that the Replyer is burthened to hold an implicite faith p. 91. and that it is needelesse to discusse the particulars of faith whereas he directly holdeth the contrarie condemning els where the Popish implicite and simple faith he onely wisheth that seeing we all hold the foundation the peace of the Church be not broken in contending about the manner of Christs discension Limbom p. 5. 9. Slaunder That he bitterly exclaimeth against the whole state of the Church 1. b. p. 10. reuiueth clamorous inuectiues their heads plotting and their hands practising Babylonian warres they can not auoide the name of dissemblers in the Church of England nor yet disturbers of it p. 18. his petition and complaint are in plaine English nothing els but a bitter inuectiue against the doctrine and discipline of the Church glossed with flatterie and gilded with hypocrisie 2. b. p. 19. that they thought his Maiestie would erect the Genevian Consistorie or Scottish Presbyterie p. 23. and change the state of religion ibid. the picture of a discontented if not turbulent spirit p. 29. he rebelleth against the Church p. 31. those whome you call reuerend Fathers you vouchsafe them no sonne-like obedience p. 68. All these are most vntruly obiected 1. to complaine of some abuses of the Church is not to exclaime against the Church the late Canons and Constitutions of the Church doe shew that many things had neede of amendment and reformation in the Church 2. what reuerent opinion the Replyer hath of the Gouernours of the Church is before shewed slaund 6. 3. how farre he is from a turbulent spirit God he knoweth and some of the greatest place in the Church can tell how his courses haue tended to a pacification in the Church A more vile slaunderous tongue I think hath seldome beene heard to speake 10. Slaund The Kings most excellent Maiestie can not escape the Taint of his intemperate tongue for whereas his grace saith that he acknowledgeth the Romane Church to be our mother Church it is saith Limbomastix a foolish conceit and imagination he maketh him a very nouice in the faith 2. b. p. 28. In these foule slaunders he doth bewray nothing else but to vse his owne tearmes falshood and malice 1. Is it like that the Replyer had the least imagination to crosse his Maiesties speech when as the booke which the slaunderer quoteth was published ann 1603. about the time of his Maiesties coronation in the moneth of Iulie and the Kings oration followed aboue sixe moneths after in the moneth of March what an absurd collection is this 2. But this slanderous obiecter doth his Maiestie the wrong to suppose that he is contrarie to himselfe for his Maiestie holdeth the Pope to be Antichrist and to be the head of a false and hypocriticall Church is he so shamelesse to imagine that his Maiestie thinketh a false and hypocriticall Church to be our mother it is cleare then that the King in acknowledging the Romane Church to be our mother meaneth not the Popish Church as it now standeth but that sometime while it stood in the integritie it was our mother Church that is a principall and chiefe church where the Patriarchall seat was of the Occidentall parts for these are his Maiesties owne words I acknowledge the Romane Church to be our mother Church although defiled with some infirmities and corruptions as the Iewes were when they crucified Christ. The Church of Rome is no otherwise then our mother Church then the Church of the Iewes was of our Sauiour Christ and the Apostles 3. Neither yet is it in the place giuen in instance called a foolish conceit to say that the Romane Church is our mother which in the Kings sense being admitted yet as he blindly taketh it will be denied but that Rome should be the mother Church and nurserie of all the world the Accuser then himselfe is found to be a falsifier and slaunderer 4. Yea it is his owne intemperate tongue the taint whereof his Maiestie can not escape whereas he calleth diuers points of doctrine true and sound positions 2. b. p. 20. some of which are before set downe slaund 7. which his Maiestie in his iudgement condemneth the King affirmeth that all which is necessarie to saluation is contained in the Scripture that no man is able to keepe the law or any part thereof that we are saued by beleeuing not by doing that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne that we can not thinke any thing of our selues and consequently that we are not apt of our selues to beleeue the contrarie positions to all these with others this cauillous aduersarie calleth sound and true positions as that the Scriptures of themselues are not compleat to saluation that it is not impossible in this life to be preserued from all sinne and so consequently to keepe the law that our workes and so not onely faith and beleeuing are meanes to blot out sinne that naturall workes are acceptable to God euen such as are without faith that mans will is apt to take or refuse any particular obiect and consequently to beleeue Then in this slaunderous excepters opinion the King holdeth vnsound and vntrue positions the contrarie whereof he calleth sound and true positions and thus he thwarteth not onely the doctrine of the Church in the articles of religion as is before shewed 7. slaund but his Maiesties iudgement also see more of this pref to Antilog p. 4. 5. But the other obiection is friuolous and childish that the Replyer maketh him a Novice in the faith affording his Highnes onely a liuely feeling and inward touch thereof for 1. he addeth onely deceitfully of his owne the Replyers wordes are these as God hath endued his princely heart with a liuely feeling and inward touch of true religion 2. he bewraieth his carnall and grosse ignorance in
absurditie herein appeareth that he alleadgeth this Cauillous Accusers testimonie more then twentie seuerall times against me as p. 5 6. most of all p. 35. that I condemne all the ancient Fathers for dreamers that I condemne all learned godly Divines that I falsly corrupt translate iniuriously handle abuse the Fathers that I straungely pervert belie depraue abuse the Scriptures and all this he taketh for truth vpon an aduersarie and euill willers report All which slaunderous accusations are I trust sufficiently answered in this defense vnto the which the Table annexed in the ende of the booke may direct the Reader that desireth further to be satisfied He might haue thought of the common saying Euill will neuer said true and if that vsual by-word sound to harsh in his eares aske my fellow if I be a theefe yet I may vse Hieromes words possem credere si vnus assereret nunc aut duo mentiuntur aut omnes if one honest man said it I could beleeue it but now either both lie or all as wel he that receiueth a false report and carieth it as he that first coined it is counted a gloser His falsitie he bewraieth in misreporting and peruerting diuers places by him produced as that I call the rules and principles of Religion which his Maiestie approoueth a foolish conceit and imagination p. 6. quoting Eccles. triumph p. 40. and again p. 31. he harpeth vpon the same harsh string that I call the Kings sentence that the Romane Church is our mother Church a foolish conceit and imagination whereas I affirme no such thing see mine answer p. 17. of this booke p. 10. he saith I speak of his Maiesties mother applying that saying of one to Augustines mother the child of such prayers and teares can not possibly fall away pref to Antilog whereas I speake onely of his Maiesties prayers and teares making no mention at all of his mother So p. 21. he chargeth me to say that all scriptures haue beene doubted of by one Church or other Synops p. 2. in which place no such thing is affirmed but onely diuers heretiks are rehearsed by whom one or other most of the Scriptures haue beene doubted of p. 27. that I should say that Vigilantius was condemned of heresie for denying Reliques to bee reuerenced Antilog p. 13. whereas my words in that place are these Some of these as they are imputed to Protestants wee denie to be heresies at all as that of Vigilantius that Reliques are not to bee adored Here no such thing is affirmed that Vigilantius was herein condemned of heresie P. 30. that I account the Councel of Florence a generall Councell Synops. cont 1. qu. 7. whereas I there vrge it onely against the Romanists as in their opinion generall for otherwise else-where I haue prooued that indeed it could not be a generall Councell the great Synode at Basil beeing at the same time assembled Antilog p. 61. P. 31. that I call the primitiue Councel of Neocaesarea Toletane the first and the sixt generall Councels the papal Church poperie c. Antil p. 88. 89. whereas I onely shew in that place that diuers errors decreed in all these Councels the first onely excepted whereof I make no mention at all there are allowed in the popish church see the place Such deprauing and wresting of sentences sheweth a badde cause and a worse mind in those that vse such beggerly shifts the truth neede not to be so defended and such false and deceitfull dealing will fall of it selfe without any confutation as Hierome saith non necesse habet convinci quod sua statim professione falsum est That need not to be conuinced which at the first is discouered of falshood Thirdly his impertinent allegations are these p. 10. to prooue by our owne testimonies that they which liue and die in the Romane Church may bee saued he vrgeth these words of mine that many renowned Kings and Queenes which professed the Romane faith are Saints in heauen Antilog p. 144. as if he should reason thus many ignorantly misled in those daies of darkenesse yet holding the foundation might through Gods mercy be saued therefore they which now wilfully resist the truth in the Romane Church in these daies of knowledge and erring in some fundamentall points may be also saued P. 24. to prooue by our confession that there is no true lawfull and iudiciall exposition of Scripture among the Protestants hee presseth these words that the reformation of religion belongeth to the iudgement and redresse of the Prince and yet he is not priuiledged from error Antilog p. 120. The argument followeth not for we neither referre the exposition of Scripture vnto the Prince nor hang religion absolutely vpon his iudgement but according to the word and wee interpret Scripture by Scripture which is the most lawfull sure and certaine way of expounding P. 30. propounding to himselfe to prooue by Protestants writings that the testimonie of the auncient Fathers is for the doctrine of the Church of Rome he alleadgeth this sentenee of mine quite contrary Antilog p. 263. the same faith and religion which I defend is taught and confirmed in the more substantiall points by the Historians Gouncels Fathers that liued within fiue or sixe hundred years after Christ. Who but this lawlesse disputer would inferre hereupon that euen by the Protestants own testimonie the Fathers and Councels make for the Romish religion Thus absurdly falsely impertinently this Popes penne-man wresteth and depraueth my writings and the like measure he offereth to the rest whose chiefe strength lieth in the weapons of a false brother at home And such is the fruite that commeth of these domesticall contentions that thereby we put a sword into the aduersaries hand whereas I could haue wished rather that al these vnnecessarie brabbles at home had beene staied according to that saying of Dauid Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in the streets of Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce for by these vnbrotherly dissentions we giue occasions to the enemies of God to reioyce mispend our time which might more profitably be imployed And as for mine owne part I say with Hierome Opto sifieri potest si aduersarij siverint commentarios potius scripturarum quam Demosthenis Tullij sâ—ribere I wish if it may bee and if mine enemies would permit to write rather commentaries of Scripture which course I am now entred into then Demosthenes or Tullies Philippices And as for any thing which mine aduersaries at home or abroad can obiect I passe not much but comfort my selfe in that saying of the Prophet Reioyce not against me O mine enemie though I fall I shall arise when I shall sit in darkenesse the Lord shall bee a light vnto me ERRATA In the Preface p. 13. l. 17. read divulganda for divulgenda p. 21. l. 4. r. Erasmus Sarcerius for Erasmus Sarcerius p. 26. l. 13. r. denieth not f. deemeth not p. 27. l.
emendare quam perseuerare in prauitate sententiae There are many years wherein since my youth vnto this age I haue written diuers works I do prouoke mine aduersaries to examine all my writings afresh and if they finde any fault in my small wit and vnderstanding let them bring it forth I will confesse mine error willing rathr to amende it then to perseuere in a wrong sentence And concerning such slaunderous libels and immodest inuectiues as his are I say vnto your Gr. as Bernard wrote sometimes to Eugenius Miror quomodo religiosae aures tuae audire sustinent huiusmodi pugnas verborum que magis ad subversionem quam inventionem proficiunt veritatis corrige pravum morem praâ—ide linguas vaniloquas c. flagellum tenes timeaâ—t nuâ—â—â—ularij ne fidant nuÌ„mis I maruel how your religious eares can endure to heare such strife of wordes which auaile more for the subuersion then finding out of the truth correct this euill vse and stay such vaine tongues c. you hold the whip let the money chaungers feare to trust to their counterfeit coyne And so I ende with that salutation of the same Father Plenum vos dierum suscipiat dies vna illu melior in atrijs Domini super millia Venerabilis patâ—r Epist. 61. Your Gr. readie to be commanded in the Lord Iesus ANDREVV WILLETT THE PREFACE TO THE Christian-Reader WHen Rezin King of Aram and Pekah King of Israel had conspited against Iudah and fought against Ierusalem the Prophet was sent with this comfortable messages Feare not neither be faint hearted for the two tayles of those smoaking firebrands c. two such suming rather then fiering brands haue raised of late a smoake against me some foure yeares since a Popish Aramite and now of late an English Israelite But as the flames of the first were soone quenched so I doubt not but the irefull heate and vaine smoake of the other will quickly be laide It were somewhat too hard to say of these two aduersaries as Tulke did of his two enemies Dâ—labella and Antonie Duo haec capita nata sunt post homines natos tetâ—rrima 〈…〉 quorum alter effecit quod â—pt abat de altero pâ—tefactum est quod cogitaret these two heads are sprung vp the worst and most dishonest of all men aliue the one whereof hath effected what he desired the other hath discouered what he thought for neither will I thinke so vncharitably of them though they thinke and speake most basely and vilely of me neither hath either of them had his pleasure of me but in seeking to disgrace me haue defamed themselues and haue rather bewraied what they thought then effected what they intended Dyâ—nisius when he heard of two young men that railed vpon him and perceiued that the one spake in drinke but the other seemed to be sober and yet reuiled he dismissed the one as a drunken and foolish person but punished the other 〈…〉 Antagonists The one beeing 〈…〉 Babylons cuppe and hauing wrung out the very dregges of Romish superstition writ his pleasure of me in his madd and drunken fittes the other professing himselfe a sober Protestant but let him take heede if all be true I heare least that one cuppe of nimis more make him not as drunke as the other hath in his pretended 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—ded the raging fittes of the other lightbraine But I passe very little neither doe I regard their rayling speech comforting my selfe with that saying of the Apostle If ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ blessed 〈◊〉 ye aâ— all they are which are maligned for the defense of the 〈◊〉 and here I may fitly vse those words of Augustine â—go volo te esse sanum quare tu furis in me sicut insanus I would haue thee to be found and whole and you rage against me as one vnsound or madde If they are become mine enemies for the Gospel and the truths sake I will therein glorie The one of them shooteth his darts at me because I strike at the very bodie of Poperie the other â—arpeth because I prune off one of the branches thereof that superstitious opinion of Limbus patrum as euen now shall be sâ—ewed But I say here with Hierome Breâ—iter responâ—eo nunquam me haereticis peperoâ—â—sse omni egâ—sse studio vt hostes Ecclesiae mei quoque hostes fieroâ—â— I answer briefely that I neuer spared heretikes and haue endeauoured with all my studie that the enemies of the Church should also be enemies vnto me Let them diuide this sentence betweene them let the first take the first part and the other that which remaineth for this I speake bordly and confidently that I know no enemies of mine in matter of religion some difference in opinion there may be among friends and wel â—illers whome yet I count no enemies but they are also enemies I dare say to the Church of God and religion that I may here truly vâ—e the Orators words Quonam meo fatâ— fieri dicam vt nemo his annis viginti Reipuâ—â—hostis fuerat quinon bellum eonam tempore mihi quoque indixerit I can not tell by what fatall destinie it happeneth that there hath not beene these twentie yeares an enemie to the Commonwealth and so to the Church also which hath not the same time bid battell vnto me Now I come to shew that this mungrell Protestant directly holdeth that Christ descended in soule to hell to deliuer some from thence that were there and so consequently maintaineth the Popish opinion of Limbus patrum where they imagined the soules of the Patriarks to be till the comming of Christ thither 1. Place These are his owne words S. Peter mentioneth sorrowes which Christ loosed at his resurrection which could not be in the sepulchre where his bodie lay dead and senselesse and in an other place he affirmeth they were the sorrowes of hell which Christ loosed out of which words this argument is pressed The sorrowes of hell which Christ loosed he loosed for himselfe or for others ther. deteined but not for himselfe Ergo for others To this he answeareth 1. in graunting all this to be true and yet it will not follow that the Fathers were deliuered out of Lambus vnlesse by bell you vnderstand Limbus patrum and the persons there deteined the Patriarks then you will fall into the same ditch your selfe c. Contra. 1. It followeth well if the conclusion be graunted that Christ loosed the sorrowes of bell for others for either they must be the Fathers which were deliuered out of Limbus which the Papists make a member of hell or els he falleth into a worse heresie that some of the damned deteined in hell were thence deliuered 2. Is he so blind and absurd that he seeth not how this conclusion is enforced against him and not out of the Replyers iudgement doth the opponents conclusion force the disputer I pray you or
the Orator againe saith Pergit in me maledicta congerere quasi vero ei pulcherrime priora processerint quem ego inustum verissimis maledictorum notis tradam memoriae hominum sempiternae he proceedeth still to speake euill of me as though he had sped so well in the former whome branded with the true notes of disgrace I will deliuer ouer to the euerlasting memorie of men The 2. imputation of slaunders The accusation 1. The Replyer is noted as a slaunderer because he chargeth the Antagonist to vnderstand directly by Christs death hell 2. b. p. 36. 2. He calleth it a slaunder that he is charged by the Replyer to maintaine Limbus patrum 2. b. p. 40. The satisfaction or iustification 1. THe slaunderer himselfe mistaketh the Replyers wordes which are these he directly by his death vnderstandeth hell where this word his should by the Compositor haue beene made this which missing of a letter in the word this is an ouersight of the Printer as may be seene in other places of the Replyers workes the Printer therefore setteth his death the Author wrote this death neither of them hath Christs death as he misreporteth he is therefore the slaunderer himselfe 2. Whether he be not without any slaunder or false imputation directly a Limbist it hath beene sufficiently prooued before in the preface The recrimination That eloquent declamer said well Carere debet omni vitio qui in alterum paratus est dicere he should himselfe be voide of blame that speaketh against an other with what face then could the Accuser impute that to others which he falleth into himselfe and wracke himselfe vpon that rocke which he imagineth others to runne against for here followeth a rabble of his slaunderous accusations 1. Limbomastix is become Symbolomastix that is a scourger of the Creede epist. dedic p. 10. you cunningly went about to casheere an article of the Creede 2 b. p. 166. you still labour to discreede this Article of our faith 3. b. p. 3. 179. you still labour not onely to discredit it but to discreede it also 3. b. p. 198. And in diuers other places he laieth this grieuous imputation whereas the Replyer directly saith Who denieth the article of Christs discension 3. b. p. 197. 2. That he conueyeth an appeale frō his Maiestie and the Clergie vnto the Parlament epist. p. 10. whereas the Epistle Dedicatorie to the Parlament house is directly intituled to the Lords spirituall and temporall 3. That in Synopsis he striketh at some maine points of faith shaking the foundation it selfe and calling in question heauen and hell the diuinitie and humanitie yea the very soule and saluation of Christ himselfe epist. p. 6. all which are meere slaunders the author of Synopsis holdeth all these points more soundly then this slaunderous carper neither shal he be able to fasten any such imputation vpon that booke and therefore he glaunceth ouer with this generall fiction descending to no particular 4. That the Replyer holdeth this blasphemous paradox that Christ our Sauiour suffered in his sacred soule the hellish horror and paines of the damned epist. p. 10. whereas he misliketh this phrase of speech that Christ suffered the paines of the damned and wisheth it to be forborne Synops. p. 974. err 7. 5. That he maintaineth impious and hereticall paradoxes pref p. 2. seeketh to bring in a new Puritane heresie p. 43. that neither Rhemist nor Romanist could lightly haue more disgraced the discipline and doctrine of the Church epist dedic p. 10. how falsly he hath herein slaundered the Replyer his writings alreadie extant can giue sufficient testimonie both to this age present and to posteritie that he is as farre from all heresie and popish doctrine as this Reviler is from a sober and modest man 6. That he falleth to scourging the guides and gouernors of the Church 2. b. p. 2. transformeth the order thereof into an Anarchie p. 29. that he reiecteth Ecclesiasticall authoritie euer repining at that gouernment whereby you should be ruled p. 110. But what a reuerent opinion the Replyer hath of the calling of Bishops it appeareth both by his iudgement deliuered Synops. p. 241. l. 3. wherein he confesseth in the calling of Bishops in the reformed Churches such as the Church of England is somewhat no doubt to be diuine and Apostolicall and Antilog pref to the King p. 9. where he esteemeth the calling it selfe of Bishops as one of the profitable parts of the Church As also by his practise who hath dedicated diuerse bookes vnto certaine reuerend Bishops and Prelates more I thinke then any one writer of the Church in this age hath done beside which he hath done onely of dutie and loue toward them not beeing mooued thereunto by any present fruition or future hope of any preferment either receiued at their hands or expected 7. As for personall inueighing against the writers of our Church there is none that hath more peremptorily directed his penne or more presumptuously emploied his paines then your selfe 2. b. p. 7. There is none among all the impugners of the locall discent of Christs soule to hell who hath in more disgracefull manner reproached some of the best Preachers and writers of this English Church then you haue done 2. b. p. 81. he falsly and slaunderously condemneth the doctrine and teachers of the Church for Popish vnsound corrupt erroneous yea hereticall 2. b. p. 29. you affirme some Popish bookes to haue beene written by Protestants 2. b. p. 54. All these are vncharitable slaunders 1. for he can not name one writer of the Church that the Replyer hath personally inueighed or directed his penne against 2. of like truth is it that he hath vsed reproachfull tearmes against some of the best preachers what are those reproachfull words where and when vttered 3. it is as true that he chargeth the doctrine and teachers of the Church with hereticall opinions and writing of Popish books he saith that some bookes set forth doe maintaine doctrine too much declining to Poperie which can not be denied of any of sound iudgement if these and the like positions that the Scriptures alone are not compleate to euerlasting felicitie that mans will naturally is apt without grace to beleeue that mens naturall workes are acceptable vnto God that there are workes of supererogation that to be preserued from all sinne in this life is not vnpossible and such like as they are noted els where be not doctrines too much declining to Poperie then it must be confessed the Replyer is ouerseene if they be then the wrongfull Accuser is prooued a slaunderer Doth he count these the doctrines of the Church which are directly opposite to the articles of religion established which thus affirme that the holy Scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation artic 6. that man of his owne naturall strength can not turne and prepare himselfe
translations of the Bible which are vsed among vs as first beside his light regard of the Geneua translation calling them in scorne your Genevian translators 2. b. p. 131. and 3. b. p. 27. hee thus in most vile tearmes disgraceth them For your Geneva Bibles c. it is to be wished and I trust God will worke it in his Maiesties most religious heart that either they may be purged from those manifold errors which are both in the Text and Margent or else vtterly prohibited 3. b. p. 49. 6. Neither doth he thus deale onely with the Geneua translation but euen the great English Bible also authorized publikely to be read in the Church cannot escape his virulent censure as 2. b. p. 48. thus he saith I cannot conceale a foule intollerable corruption which is lately crept into a late edition of our Church Bibles And further thus peremptorily he proceedeth in condemning the said translation together with the notes for that diuerse of your Geneuian notes especially such as tend to the maintenance of that blasphemie of hell torments in Christs soule are foisted into the margent of the said Bibles and some other before them which you vrge as if they were the very word of God making them the pestilent premises of your blasphemous conclusions 3. b. p. 50. he meaneth the annotation Luk. 22. 24. he felt the horror of Gods wrath and iudgement against sinne and another Heb. 5. 8. beeing in perplexity and fearing the horrors of death Who can endure such presumption to heare our authorized Bibles charged with maintenance of blasphemie and pestilent premises of blasphemous conclusions But he goeth on still in this his arrogant inuectiue and taketh not onely exception to the marginall notes as 2. Cor. 13. 7. wherein though some ouersight might bee committed by the Compositor in transposing some notes hee had no reason thus sawcily to checke and controll the translation it selfe but further saith neither is the text it selfe free from error in translation and here hee noteth in the margin 1. Co. 9. 21. where al the exceptiō he can take is to these words when I am not without law as pertaining to the law of God whereas in the originall it is onely not beeing without law vnto God the Geneua translation readeth as pertaining vnto God where who seeth not that in the one translation these words as pertaining to the Lawe and in the other as pertaining are no part of the text but inserted by way of explanation and should bee written in other characters But against that other place Eph. 6. 12. I wonder with what honestie he can take exception seeing it agreeth exactly with the originall better then the vulgar latine which is such a pearlesse translation in his eie Wee wrestle not against blood and flesh saith the English as it is in the originall against flesh and blood saith the Latine against Princes saith the Latine against rules saith the English not rulers as some Bibles haue for the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against rules or principalities not princes or rulers 7. From finding fault with translations he ascendeth to carpe at the originall saying whether the Greeke now extant be the true authentike originall or no is the question and he saith further it is not free from corruptions in diuers places 3. b. p. 14. 8. He goeth on and secretly taxeth the fathers as first Augustine for he counteth it a badge of presumptuous singularitie and pernicious nouelty to reiect the generall confession he meaneth opinion or exposition of the fathers 2. b. p. 131. And yet Augustine hath a speciall interpretation of that place of Peter contrary to the current interpretation of most of the fathers of those times applying it to the times of Noah 9. Hee meeteth also with Bernard calling it absurd to apply descension to the graue 2. b. p. 155. whereas Bernard maketh direct mention of three descensions of Christ ad carnem ad crucem ad mortem to the flesh to the crosse to death which is to the graue so that Bernard also must be content to weare his liuerie of absurditie 10. Among these fathers may bee numbred the reuerend Prelates of the Church towards one of them yet liuing a reuerend writer and publike defender of religion he thus vaunteth himselfe That whereas he seemed in the first booke to incline to that opinion in Noahs time in the exposition of that place of Peter he is not so mislead with selfe-loue and singularitie as you and others are though euery way farre his inferiour but hath much altered his former iudgement moued as it may appeare vpon those reasons laid downe by me and none but me in the former booke 3. b. p. 101. wherein how vnmannerly hee vseth so reuerend a man who seeth not first saying by way of comparison that hee is not so mislead with singularitie c. as though he should be somewhat mislead that way but not so much as others secōdly he thinketh he hath his school-boyes in hand and would put that deepe learned father to schoole to learne his lesson of him thirdly his vanitie appeareth that hee and none but he hath hit vpon those reasons which changed the Bishops minde whereas in truth he hath borrowed the most of his reasons and testimonies from the other as may appeare by comparing their bookes together fourthly beside all this it is vntrue which he saith for that reuerend learned man is still of the same opinion concerning that place of Peter for these are his words I binde no man to my priuate exposition of the Scripture but rather stand on those places which haue the full consent of all antiquity to pertaine directly to this matter And againe I thought not fit to presse them when Augustine had once resigned them 11. But no maruell if particular fathers be thus taxed when he spareth not whole Churches as 2. b. p. 180. in saying The Orientall and Romane Church wanted this clause of Christs descension into hell sheweth a defect in thē no fault in the Apostles Creede But the truth is there was neither fault in the one nor defect in the other in the omission of that article then Thus he prowdly maketh the whole Oriental and Romane Church defectiue vnlesse he will giue Ruffinus the lie or Cyprian for vnder both their names that treatise goeth who so affirmeth that the article of the descension was not added of olde neither in the East nor Romane Church 12. He bringeth a scandall vpon the whole Church of England affirming that in the same there is dissention about substantiall points of doctrine for he misliketh and condemneth that defence of the Replyer against the obiection of the Romanists wherein he affirmeth that in the Church of England there is no difference in any substantiall point of faith and concerning the descending into hell giuē in instance by
such Ministers prouided in their roomes as heretofore for their zeale and diligence haue been excluded which haue store of milke in their breasts which seeke in peace and in a good conscience to nourish the people of God being like babes ready to starâ—e for want of such Nurses All these words inclosed as the Reader seeth are added by the Falsifier 5. The Falsifier thus forgeth that hee i. the King acknowledgeth the Romane Church to be our mother Church it is saith Limbomastix a foolish conceit and imagination 2. b. p. 28. The Replyer thus writeth a foolish conceit imagination it is that Rome should bee the mother Church and Nurserie of all the world where there is no reference at all to the Kings Maiestie neither are the words as hee repeateth them for it is one thing to say the Romane Church is our mother Church in respect of the antiquitie of the place because the Romane faith and religion before it yet declined did spread into these westerne parts another that it should be our mother Church as it now standeth corrupted in religioÌ„ it is one thing to say it is our mother Church another that is the mother Church and nurserie of all the world 6. The Confuter thus forgeth doth it follow because I say it ought to be translated to the spirits which were not which are in prison that therefore they were in hell and are not I deny your argument 2. b. p. 39. whereas hee leaueth out this other part of the Replyers argument or else hee striueth about words 7. He imagineth the Replyer to say that Christ loosed the sorrowes of hell for others detained in hell and that to thinke otherwise is very absurd 2. b. p. 42. whereas the Replyer so affirmeth not out of his owne iudgement but vrgeth the Confuter with that inconuenience and concerning the inference of absurditie these are his words and not as he repeateth them I thinke he is not so absurd as to thinke he loosed them for himselfe who was neuer in the sorrowes of hell after his death 2. b. p. 36. 8. You affirme some Popish bookes to haue beene written by Protestants whereas these are the Replyers words There are bookes abroad maintaining offensiue doctrine too much declining to Poperie 9. The Replyer saith Durand maintaineth contrary to the opinion of the rest but he thus falsifieth the place Durand maintaineth an opinion contrary to all the rest where all is added the order of the words inuerted 10. You graunt that these two particles not and neither doe shew a difference of the clauses and a diuersitie of matter whereas these are the words of the Replyer here these two negatiues lo lo are vsed yet there is no great difference in these two clauses c. nor they shew no great diuersity of matter he setteth it downe negatiuely the other repeateth his words affirmatiuely 11. His glory victory and triumph remained vnaccoÌ„plished this word vnaccomplished is added of his owne 12. That Christ hath 2. kingdoms belonging vnto him one as he is God and another as he is God man but these are the Replyers words that kingdome whereof Christ promiseth to make the thiefe partaker is not that kingdome which belongeth to him as God 13. The sorrowes of hell or death had fastned on Christ but the Replyer hath the sorrows of death and the graue 14. You most grossely ouerreach your selfe so prophanly and vnchristianly to censure theâ— i. the fathers to prepare the way to a most grosse heresieâ— whereas these are the Replyers words rather this sense of the place to interpret it of the descending of Christ to hell where the disobedient persons and vnbeleeuers were giueth way and openeth a most wide gap to a most grosse heresie He doth not simply charge the fathers or any other but speaketh onely by way of comparison 15. Your bookes saith the falsifier should be in so base esteeme of all hands that many would not vouchsafe the reading of them c. nay that the labours of your sacred wit were onely vsed to beautifie walls whereas the Replyer onely hath bookes were growne into such small request c. and the labours of sacred witts â—he speaketh not of his owne bookes for he thanked be God had no cause to complaine of his owne which he doubteth not but will liue in the memorie of the world more yeares then his shall moneths or daies 16. The Replyers words are these this phrase is neither straunge nor vnusuall to say that Christ went in spirit or the spirit of Christ went seeing Noah went in the spirit of Christ which the Confuter corrupteth thus Christ went in spirit that is saith he Noah went in the spirit of Christ and yet he denieth that he corrupteth the words whereas he leaueth out this clause altogether or the spirit of Christ went which the Replyer insisteâ—â— vpon making these in a manner all one that Christs spirit preached in Noe and Noe preached in the spirit of Christ. 17. It followeth not say you Christ died not the death of the soule by sinne or damnation Ergo he can not be said to haue died in soule But the Replyer hath can not be said any waies to haue died in soule which words any waies he clippeth off 18. He chargeth the Replyer to say that many of the auncient fathers affirme that Christ was crucified in his soule where he clippeth off the Replyers words which immediatly follow that he gaue his soule a price of redemption for our soule So he saith not that many of the fathers affirme the first wherein Ambrose onely is produced but both must be put together 19. The Replyer saith this article of the present tense beeing here to be supplied and the sense not enforcing a change of time doth rather giue to be translated are then were The falsifier clippeth off all that clause and the sense not enforcing a chaunge of time and repeateth the words thus because you make a difference betweene the sense of a word expressed and a word supplied not making any mention of the enforcing of the sense and therefore all these 14. examples produced by him wherein the necessitie of the sense enforceth a participle of the time past as Matth. 1. 36. 2. 25. 5. 40. They that were with him and so in the rest are impertinent for the sense doth necessarily giue that it must be vnderstood of the time past 20. The Replyers words stand thus doth he thinke that these disobedient spirits were in hell and are not if he doe not he trifleth for the word were will helpe him nothing Now commeth this deceitfull forger and thus turneth the sentence whosoeuer thinketh that those disobedient spirits were in hell but are not is a trifler whereas the Replyer saith the contrarie if he doe not thinke so he is a trifler 21.
Church c. but that all people and nations whatsoeuer without difference of place or distinction of persons should be gathered vnto his Church He would be asked whence he hath this application for Origene onely alleadgeth the prophesie of Isai and the vision of Peter without any speciall application in that place And if nations that were at enmitie and of diuers religions shall be conteined in this sheete of faith much more they which are of one faith differing onely in some priuate opinions But he is the man that clippeth and corrupteth Origene for beside that he translateth ill as turning the passiue into the actiue quae alia nobis figura servanda est what other figure should we obserue for what other figure is to be obserued of vs which I would not note but that he is so captious in other places to finde fault with the Replyer in the like to shew his grammer learning he also englisheth simul ire ad pascua to feede together which signifieth to goe together to the pastures He leaueth out also a whole clause eorumque foetus simul paleis vesci and their young shall eate straw together 2. Had malice so blinded him that the Replyer translating in the tree of the crosse he could not consider that it might be the Printers fault to set cum ligno for in ligno especially seeing in the printed copies of Origene it is in ligno as in an other place he saith principatus traducti triumphati in ligno the principalities were traduced and triumphed vpon in the tree tract 3. in Matth. 2. Origenes words are these inveniemus quia nunquaÌ„ fere in sanctum quis locum descendisse legitur we shall find that neuer almost any is said to descend into an holy place hereupon he taketh this exception because this word fere almost is omitted by the Replyer A doubtie exception sure But is Origenes sense any thing chaunged by the omission of that word nay is not his sense made more full to the Replyers purpose by the supplying of that word for is he so ignorant in his owne grammar learning that he knoweth not that fere is sometime a word of vniuersalitie if he had consulted with Calepine he could haue told him that fere is otherwhile taken for semper for alwaies as he sheweth out of Cicero And that it is so taken here it may be gathered by the sentence going before observandâ—m est c. quomodo in singulis quibusque locis ascendere dicatur descendere it must be obserued how in euery place it is said to ascend and descend so then in the next sentence fere almost is taken in the same sense that quibusque euerie is in the former 4. The place cited out of Origene is this si quiâ— mente cogitatione descendit in abyssum c. if any man in thought and minde descend to the deepe thinking Christ there onely to be contained as though it were all one and alike to call him from the dead c. Origene he saith is here abused because he speaketh not of Christs humanitie but of his diuinitie his words also are clipped First the Replyer onely alleadgeth Origene in this place for the meaning of this phrase to descend to the deepe which he sheweth out of his owne words quasi simile sit revocare Christum à mortuis ita subiungit hoc est Christum reducere à mortuis as though it were alike to call Christ from the dead he adioyneth thus that is to bring Christ againe from the dead He euidently sheweth that to descend into the deepe and to bring Christ from the dead is in a manner all one whether he speake of the diuinitie or humanitie of Christ concerneth not the vse of the phrase Secondly the Replier leaueth out the latter clause ita subiungit c. partly because the same in effect was saide in the former wordes partly supplying it by an c. for breuitie sake which clause beeing added maketh the Replyers collection more strong and full and therefore it was not omitted of any fraud Thirdly he himselfe is the man that corrupteth Origene for whereas Origene thus rehearseth the Apostle therefore the iustine which is of faith saith thus say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen he turneth it say not in thine heart who shall descend into the deepe thus corrupteth both the Apostle Orig. that citeth him 5. Origene is alleadged by the Replyer to vnderstand Christs descension sometime of his comming downe from heauen to the lower parts in these words Paul us quoniam descensionis Christi mysterium praedicat c. Paul because he preacheth the mysterie of Christs descension into hell he named the deepe as of one comming from the higher to the lower parts c. Could any thing be spoken more plainly what vnshamefast dealing then is this or what meaneth this bold fac'd fellow to say that Origene speaketh not a word of any of the former fictions he meaneth belike the mysterie of Christs descension whereof the Replyer entreateth but onely of the length breadth and height of Noahs Arke And that by the higher parts he vnderstandeth the heauenly by the lower the earthly which is an other thing that he cauilleth at it is euident by the words following in the next sentence de terrenis humilibus ad coelestia excelsa conscenditur froÌ„ terrene and low things it is ascended to heauenly and high He himselfe also clippeth Origen here for whereas Origen thus reciteth the Apostle vt sciat is quae sit longitudo latitudo c. that yee may know what is the length breadth height and depth he leaueth out breadth 6. In the sixt place cited out of Origen the Replyer abridging his testimony in those places for the which hee is not alleadged leaueth out in diuers clauses in coelum de coelo in coelo into heauen from heauen in heauen and not onely these words but a whole sentence is omitted qui noÌ„ rapinam arbitratus c. which thought it no robbery to bee equall to God but made himselfe of no reputation taking the shape of a seruant that he might hasten to that part of the sentence which is vrged our Lord descended not onely to take care of vs but to beare our insirmities If hee can shew any word of moment for that purpose wherefore Origen is produced to be omitted let him crie out that Origen is abused And doth not Origen himselfe abridge his owne words when in the next sentence hee saith cum descendit when he descendit omitting de eoelo from heauen And how chanceth it that he could not see his owne fault cutting off this whole clause astiterunt inquit tres viri super eum three men saith he stood by him which followe immediatly after those words as we haue declared before It is a fond part of him to spie a mote in another mans eie when
Dominus non secundum formam Dei c. Our Lord prayed not according to the forme of God but according to the forme of a seruant according to the which he suffered For if he will stil stand vnto it that Christ as God prayed vnto his father and not as man hee will make Christ a Priest as he is God and so inferiour vnto his father as God and so fall apparantly into Arrianisme from the which hee cannot shift himselfe with all the â—â—eights that a subtile head and froward wit can affoard him 8. He would wrest a sentence of Augustine to shewe that he thought Abrahams bosome to be in hell producing this place if the holy Scripture had said that Christ after his death came into that bosome of Abraham not mentioning hell and the sorrowes thereof I maruell if any durst haue said that he descended to hell c. It is a strange thing that a man should so cast off all modestie as so apparantly to fasten vpon Augustine an opinion contrary to his owne words for a little before he said ne ipsâ—s quidem inferos c. I cannot finde hell in any place of the Scripture to be called for good and immediately after he inferreth that the bosome of Abraham that is the habitation of quiet rest is not to be beleeued to be a part of hell yea and in these words which he ignorantly presseth as much may be gathered for in saying that vnlesse mention were made in Scripture of hell and the sorrowes thereof but onely of Christs going to Abrahams bosom no man durst haue said that Christ descended to hell hee insinuateth that Abrahams bosome was not hell for then any durst haue so said without any further mention of hell Thus he confoundeth himselfe with his owne testimony 9. He citeth a place out of Augustine to prooue that vnity is a note of the Church quoting lib. 2. cont liter Petilian c. 54. Dissentio diuisio facit haereticos c. Dissention and diuision maketh heretiks but peace and vnitie maketh Catholiks But in that place no such sentence at all is to be found which sheweth what vaine oftentation hee maketh of his reading in the Fathers beeing vtterly ignorant in them The place which he aimeth at is the 96. not the 54. chapter of that booke which he corruptly alleadgeth for Augustine saith Dissentio quippe vos diuisio facit haereticos c. Dissention and diuision maketh you heretiks peace and vnity maketh Catholikes But hee leaueth out you wherein the force of Augustines speech lieth His meaning is that not the diuersity of faith or dissenting in religion but diuision onely and seperation from the Catholike Church made them namely the Donatists heretikes for the Donatists confessed of themselues and Augustine denied it not nobis vobisque vna est religio c. You and we haue the same religion the same sacraments nothing diuers in Christian obseruation Other heretiks were discerned then by their hereticall opinions the Donatists by their schismaticall seperation Againe Augustine meaneth not that vnity simply is a note of the Church but vnity with the Church of God for the Pagans had vnity among themselues As Augustine in another place saith Non proferant nobis quasi concordiam suam hostem quippe quem nos patimur illi non patiuntur Let them not obiect vnto vs as it were their concord for they suffer not that enemie whom we suffer Therefore he two waies abuseth Augustines sentence both in clipping his words peruerting his sense in making vnity and dissention in the Church the cognizances and causes distinctiue c. wheras Augustine speaketh not of vnitie and dissention in the Church and among themselues but of vnitie with the Church and of dissention seperation from the Church Wherefore this sentence was impertinently alleadged against the Replyer who thus saith That one bond of faith in the diuersitie of some priuate opinions may containe and keepe vs in peace There may be some diuersitie in opinion in the Church and yet neither faith peruerted nor peace violated 10. Augustine is brought in thus writing tract 12. in 3. Ioann Behold Christ was here and he was in heauen for so he came thence that he departed not thence and so returned thither that he left vs not here and what maruaile you this God doth for man according to the body both is in a place and goeth out of a place but God filleth all places and is whole euery where yet Christ was at that time according to his visible flesh in earth But Augustines words in that place are these writing vpon this text No man hath ascended into heauen but he that descended c. Ecce hic erat in coelo erat c. Behold he was here and hee was in heauen he was here in his flesh and in heauen in his diuinitie yea euery where in his diuinitie borne of his mother and not departing from his father c. And â—ome fewe lines after he saith mirariâ— c. Do you maruell that he was in heauen also he made his disciples such heare the Apostle saying our conuersation is in heauen if Paul the Apostle beeing man did walke in his flesh in the earth yet was conuersant in heauen could not the God of heauen and earth be both in heauen and earth The iudicious Reader may see what small affinitie and agreement there is betweene these two sentences and although Augustines testimonie had beene truely alleadged yet had it not beene to the purpose for the question is not of the meaning of these words of our Sauiour Iohn 3. 13. The sonne of man which is in heauen but of those Iohn 17. 24. I will that they c. be with me where I am Other places cited out of Augustine and other Fathers are handled with the like vncleane fists but these giuen in instance doe sufficiently bewray his cunning counterfetting of antiquity and the like fidelitie he sheweth in producing the new writers as now shall be seene 8. Caluinee falsified 1. In alleadging Caluin lib. 2. Institut c. 16. ser. 8. these corruptions are committed 1. Hee clippeth off diuers sentences for after these words There is no small force to the effect of our redemption this sentence followeth Quanquam enim ex veterum scriptis c. For although it appear out of the writings of the auncient that this particle was not of olde so much vsed in the Church yet in handling the summe of doctrine place of necessitie must be giuen vnto it theÌ„ follow the words next obtruded by him It coÌ„taineth a profitable mysterie c. then in the last part of the senteÌ„ce There is none of the auncient Fathers which doth not in his writings make mention of Christs descension into hell Hee quite cutteth off the words following tametsi interpretatione diuersa although in a diuers sense and interpretation the which words doe euidently shewe that