question which I will neuer take vpon mee to answere whether King Henry were such or no vnlesse you will before hand interpret this word as fauourably as Guicciardine doth tell vs men are wont to doe in the censuring your heads of the Church For Popes he saith now adayes are praised for their goodnesse when they exceed not the wickednesse of other men After this description of a good head of the Church or if yee will that of Cominaeus which saith hee is to bee counted a good King whose vertues exceeds his vices I wil not doubt to say King Henry may be enrolled among the number of good Kings In speciall for his executing that highest dutie of a good King the imploying his authoritie in his Kingdome to command good things and forbid euill not onely concerning the ciuill estate of men but the religion also of God Witnesse his authorizing the Scriptures â—o be had and read in Churches in our Vulgar tongue enioyning the Lords Prayer the Creed and ten Commandements to bee taught the people in English abolishing superfluous Holy-dayes pulling downe those iugling Idols whereby the people were seduced namely the Rood of Grace whose eyes and lips were moued with wires openly shewed at Pauls Crosse and pulled asunder by the people Aboue all the abolishing of the Popes tyranny and merchandise of Indulgences such like chafer out of England Which Acts of his whosoeuer shall vnpartially consider of may well esteeme him a better head to the Churâ—h of England then any Pope these thousand yeeres In the last place you come to the Hugenots and Geuses of France and Holland You lay to their charge the raising of ciuill warres shedding of bloud occasioning rebellion rapine desolations principally for their new religion In the latter part you write I confesse somewhat reseruedly when you say occasioning not causing and principally not onely and wholly for religion But the words going before and the exigence of your argument require that your meaning should be they were the causers of these disorders You bring to my minde a story whether of the same Fimbria that I mentioned before or another which hauing caused Quintus Scaeuola to bee stab'd as F. Paulo was while I was at Venice after he vnderstood that he escaped with his life brought his action against him for not hauing receiued the weapon wholly into his body These poore people hauing endured such barbarous cruelties massacres and martyrdomes as scarce the like can be shewed in all stories are now accused by you as the Authors of all they suffered No no Master Wadesworth they bee the Lawes of the Romane religion that are written in bloud It is the bloudy Inquisition and the perfidious violating of the Edicts of Pacification that haue set France and Flanders in combustion An euident argument whereof may bâ—e for Flanders that those Geuses that you mention were not all Caluinists as you are mis-informed the chiefe of them were Romane Catholikes as namely Count Egmond and Horne who lost their heads for standing and yet onely by petition against the new impositions and the Inquisition which was sought to bee brought in vpon those Countries The which when the Vice-roy of Naples D. Petro de Toledo would haue once brought in there also the people would by no meanes abide but rose vp in Armes to the number of 50000. which sedition could not bee appeased but by deliuering them of that feare The like resistance though more quietly carried was made when the same Inquisition should haue beene put vpon Millaine sixteene yeeres after Yet these people were neither Geuses nor Caluinists Another great meanes to alienate the mindes of the people of the Low-countries from the obedience of the Catholike Maiestie hath beene the seueritie of his Deputies there one of which leauing the gouernment after hee had in a few yeeres put to death 8000. persons it is reported to haue been said the Countrie was lost with too much lenitie This speech Meursius concludes his Belgick history with all And as for France the first broiles there were not for religion but for the preferring the house of Guisâ— and disgracing the Princes of the bloud True it is that each side aduantaged themselues by the colour of religion and vnder pretence of zeale to the Romane the Guisians murthered the Protestants being in the exercise of their religion assembled together against the Kings Edict against all Lawes and common humanitie And tell â—ee in good sooth Master Wadesworth doe you approue such barbarous crueltie Doe you allow the butchery at Paris Doe you thinke subiects are bound to giue their throates to bee cut by their fellow subiects or to their Princes at their meere wills against their owne Lawes and Edicts You would know quo iure the Protestants warres in France and Holland are iustified First the Law of Nature which not onely alloweth but inclineth and inforceth euery liuing thing to defend it selfe from violence Secondly that of Nations which permitteth those that are in the protection of others to whom they owe no more but an honourable acknowledgement in case they goe about to make themselues absolute Souereignes and vsurpe their libertie to resist and stand for the same And if a lawfull Prince which is not yet Lord of his Subiects liues and goods shall attempt to despoile them of the same vnder colour of redâ—cing them to his owne religion after all humble remonstrances they may stand vpon their owne guard and being assailed repell force with force as did the Macchabees vnder Antiochus In which case notwithanding the person of the Prince himselfe ought alwaies to be sacred and inuiolable as was Sauls to Dauid Lastly if the inraged Minister of a lawfull Prince will abuse his authoritie against the fundamentall Lawes of the Countrie it is no rebellion to defend themselues against force reseruing still their obedience to their Souereigne inuiolate These are the Rules of which the Protestants that haue borne Armes in France and Flanders and the Papists also both there and elsewhere as in Naples that haue stood for the defence of their liberties haue serued themselues How truely I esteeme it hard for you and mee to determine vnlesse we were more throughly acquainted with the Lawes and Customes of those Countries then I for my part am Once for the Low-Countries the world knowes that the Dukes of Burgundy were not Kings or absolute Lords of them which are holden partly of the Crowne of France and partly of the Empire And of Holland in particular they were but Earles And whether that title carries with it such a Souereigntie as to bee able to giue new Lawes without their consents to impose tributes to bring in garisons of strangers to build Forts to assubjects their honors and liues to the dangerous triall of a new Court proceeding without forme or figure of iustice any reasonable man may well doubt themselues doe vtterly denie it Yet you say boldly they are Rebels and aske
Protestants Church not the true Church Againe by that saying Haereses ad originem reuocasse est refutasse and so considering Luthers first rancour against the Dominicans his disobedience and contempt of his former Superiours his vowe breaking and violent courses euen causing rebellion against the Emperour whom he reuiles and other Princes most shamefully surely such arrogant disobedience scisme and rebellions had no warrant nor vocation of God to plant his Church but of the Deuill to begin a scisme and a sect So likewise for Caluin to say nothing of all that D. Bolsecus brings against him I doe vrge onely what Master Hooker Doctor Bancroft and Sarauia doe proue against him for his vnquietnesse and ambition reuoluing the Common-wealth and so vniuâ—tly expelling and depriuing the Bishop of Geneua and other temporall Lords of their due obedience and ancient inheritance Moreouer I referre you to the stirres broiles sedition and murders which Knoxe and the Geneua Gospellers caused in Scotland against their lawfull Gouernours against their Queene and against our King euen in his Mothers belly Nor will I insist vpon the passions which first moued King Henrie violently to diuorce himselfe from his lawfull wife to fall out with the Pope his friend to marrie the Lady Anne Bullen and soone after to behead her to disinherite Queene Mary and enable Queene Elizabeth and presently to diâ—inherit Queene Elizabeth and to restore Queene Mary to hang Catholiques for traitors and to burne Protestants for heretiques to destroy Monasteries and to pill Churches were these fit beginnings for the Gospell of Christ I pray was this man a good head of Gods Church for my part I beseech our Lord blesse me from being a member of such a head or such a Church I come to France and Holland where you know by the Hugenots and Geuses all Caluinistes what ciuill wars they haue raised how much bloud they haue shed what rebellion rapine and desolations they haue occasioned principally for their new Religion founded in bloud like Draecos lawes But I would gladly know whether you can approue such bloudy broiles for Religion or no I know Protestants de facto doe iustifie the ciuill warres of France and Holland for good against their Kings but I could neuer vnderstand of them quo lure if the Hollanders be Rebels as they are why did we support themâ— if they be no rebels because they fight for the pretended liberty of their ancient priuiledges and for their new Religion we see it is an easie matter to pretend liberties and also why may not others as as well reuolt for their old Religion Or I beseech you why is that accounted treason against the State in Catholiques which is called reason of State in Protestants I reduce this argument to few words That Church which is founded and begun in maâ—ice disobedience passion bloud and rebellion cannot be the true Church but it is euident to the world that the Protestant Churches in Germanie Francâ— Holland Geneua c. were so founded and in Geneua and Holland are still continued in rebellion ergo they are not true Churches Furthermore where is not Succession both of true Pastors and of true Doctrine there is no true Church But among Protestants is no succession of true Pastors for I omit here to treate of Doctrine ergo no true Church I prooue the minor where is no consecration nor ordination of Bishops and Priests according to the due forme and right intention required necessarily by the Church and ancient Councels there is no succession of true Pastors but among Protestants the said due forme and right intention are not obserued ergo no succession of true Pastors The said due forme and right intention are not obserued among Protestants in France Holland nor Germanie where they haue no Bishops and where Lay men doe intermeddle in the making of their Ministers And for England whereas the Councels require the ordines minores of Subdeacon and the rest to goe before Priesthood your Ministers are made per saltum without euer being Subdeacons And whereas the Councels require three Bishops to assist at the consecration of a Bishop it is certaine that at the Nags-head in Cheap-side where consecration of your first Bishops was attempted but not effected whereabout I remember the controuersie you had with one there was but one Bishop and I am sure there was such a matter and although I know and haue seene the Records themselues that afterward there was a consecration of Doctor Parker at Lambeth and three Bishops named viz. Miles Couerdall of Exceter one Hodgeskin Suffragan of Bedford and another whose name I haue forgotten yet it is very doubtfull that Couerdall being made Bishop of Exceter in King Edwards time when all Councels and Church Canons were little obserued he was neuer himselfe Canonically consecrated and so if he were no Canonicall Bishop he could not make another Canonicall and the third vnnamed as I remember but am not sure was onely a Bishop Elect and not consecrated and so was not sufficient But hereof I am sure that they did consecrate Parker by vertue of a Breue from the Queene as Head of the Church who indeed being no true Head and a Woman I cannot see how they could make a true consecration grounded on her authoritie Furthermore making your Ministers you keepe not the right intention for neither doe the Orderer nor the Ordered giue nor receiue the Orders as a Sacrament nor with any intention of Sacrificing Also they want the matter and forme with which according to the Councels and Canons of the Church holy Orders should be giuen namely for the matter Priesthood is giuen by the deliuerie of the Patena with bread and of the Chalice with wine Deaconship by the deliuerie of the booke of the Gospels and Subdeaconship by the deliuerie of the Patena alone and of the Chaliâ—e emptie And in the substantiall forme of Priesthood you doe faile most of all which forme consists in these wordes Accipe potestatem offerendi sacrificium in Ecclesia pro viuis mortuis which are neither said noâ— done by you and therefore well may you bee called Ministers as also Lay men are but you are no Priests Wherefore I conclude wanting Subdeaconship wanting vndoubted Canonicall Bishops wanting right intention wanting matter and due forme and deriuing euen that you seeme to haue from a Woman the Head of your Church therefore you haue no true Pastors and consequently no true Church And so to conclude and not to wearie my selfe and you too much being resolued in my vnderstanding by these and many other Arguments that the Church of England was not the true Church but that the Church of Rome was and is the onely true Church because it alone is Ancient Catholique and Apostolique hauing Succession Vnitie and Visibilitie in all ages and places yet what agonies I passed with my will here I will ouer-passe Onely I cannot pretermit to tell you that at last hauing also mastered and
prophane nouelties of heresies Had they knowne of this infallible Iudge should wee not haue heard of him in this so proper a place and as it were in a cause belonging to his owne Court Nay doth not the writing it selfe of such bookes shew that this mattter was wholly vnknowne to Antiquitie For had the Church beene in possession of so easie and sure a Court to discouer and discard heresies they should not haue needed to taske themselues to finde out any other But the truth is infallibilitie is and euer hath beene accounted proper to Christs iudgement And as hath beene said all necessarie Truth to saluation hee hath deliuered vs in his Word That Word himselfe tells vs shall iudge at the last day Yea in all true decisions of Faith that Word euen now iudgeth Christ iudgeth the Apostle sits Iudge Christ speakes in the Apostle Thus Antiquitie Neither are they moued a whit with that obiection That the Scriptures are often the matter of Controuersies For in that case the remedie was easie which Saint Augustine shewes to haue recourse to the plaine places and manifest such as should need no interpreter for such there bee by which the other may bee cleered The same may be said if sometimes it be questioned which bee Scriptures which not I thinke it was neuer heard of in the Church that there was an externall infallible Iudge who could determine that question Arguments may be brought from the consent or dissent with other Scriptures from the attestation of Antiquitie and inherent signes of diuine authoritie or humane infirmitie but if the Auditor or Aduersarie yeeld not to these such parts of necessitie must needes be laid aside If all Scripture be denied which is as it were exceptio in iudicem ante litis contestationem Faith hath no place onely Reason remaines To which I thinke it will scarce seeme reasonable if you should say though all men are liers yet this Iudge is infallible and to him thou oughtest in conscience to obey and yeeld thy vnderstanding in all his detâ—rminations for hee cannot erre No not if all men in the world should say it Vnlesse you first set downe there is a God and stablish the authoritie of the bookes of holy Scripture as his voyce and thence shew if you can the warrant of this priuiledge Where you offiâ—me the Scriptures to be the law and the rule but alone of themselues cannot bee Iudges if you meane without being produced applied and heard yee say truth Yet Nicodemus spake not aâ—isse when hee demanded Doth our law iudge any man vnlesse it heare him first hee meant the same which Saint Paul when hee said of the high Priest thou sittest to iudge me according to the law and so doe we when wee say the same Neither doe wee send you to Angels or God himselfe immediately but speaking by his spirit in the Scriptures and as I haue right now said alledged and by discourse applied to the matters in question As for Princes since it pleased you to make an excursion to them if wee should make them infallible Iudge or giue them authoritie to decree in religion as they list as Gardiner did to King Henry the eight it might well bee condemned for monstrous as it was by Caluin As for the purpose Licere Regi interdicere populo vsum calicis in Coena Quarè Potestas 〈◊〉 summa est penes Regem quoth Gardiner This was to make the King as absolute a Tyrant in the Church as the Pope claimed to bee But that Princes which obey the truth haue commandement from God to command good things and forbid euill not onely in matters pertaining to humane societie but also the religion of God this is no new strange doctrine but Calums and ours and S. Augustines is so many words And this is all the Head-ship of the Church wee giue to Kings Whereof a Queene is as well capable as a King since it is an Act of authoritie not Ecclesiasticall Ministery proceeding from eminencie of power not of knowledge or holinesse Wherein not onely a learned King as ours is but a good old woman as Queene Elizabeth besides her Princely dignitie was may excell as your selues confesse your infallible Iudge himselfe But in power hee saith hee is aboue all which not to examine for the present in this power Princes are aboue all their subiects I trow and Saint Augustine saith plainly to command and forbid euen in the religion of God still according to Gods Word which is the touchstone of good and euill Neither was King Henry the eight the first Prince that exercised this power witnesse Dauid and Salomon and the rest of the Kings of Iudah before Christ And since that Kings were Christians the affaires of the Church haue depended vpon them and the greatest Synodes haue beene by their Decree as Socrates expresly saith Nor did King Henry claime any new thing in this Land but restored to the Crowne the ancient right thereof which sundry his predecessors had exercised as our Historians and Lawyers with one consent affirme The rest of your induction of Archbishops Bishops and whole Clergie in their Conuocation house and a Councell of all Lutherans Caluinists Protestants c. is but a needlesse pompe of words striuing to win by a forme of discourse that which gladly shall bee yeelded at the first demand They might all erre if they were as many as the sand on the sea shoare if they did not rightly apply the rule of holy Scriptures by which as you acknowledge the externall Iudge which you seeke must proceed As to your demand therefore how you should be sure when and wherein they did and did not erre where you should haue fixed your foot to forbeare to skirmish with your confirmation That though à posse ad esse non valet semper consequentia yet aliquando valet frustra dicitur potentia quae nunquam dueitur in actum To the former whereof I might tell you that without question nunquam valet and to the second that I can verie well allow that errandi potentia among Protestants be euer frustra This I say freely that if you come with this resolution to learne nothing by discourse or euidence of Scripture but only by the meere pronouncing of a humane externall Iudges mouth to whom you would yeeld your vnderstanding in all his determinations if as the Iesuites teach their Schollers you will wholly deny your owne iudgement and resolue that if this Iudge shall say that is blacke which appeares to your eyes white you will say it is blacke too you haue posed all the Protestants they cannot tell how to teach you infallibly Withall I must tell you thus much that this preparation of minde in a Scholler as you are in a Minister yea in a Christian that had but learned his Creed much more that had from a childe knowne the holy Scriptures that are able to make vs wise to saluation
simpliciter largo modo non in rigore verborum esse dicantur and againe cur inepte dicantur Sancti viri aliquo modo passionibus suis delicta nostra posse redimere so I hope and wish you would doe the like for calling vpon them and presenting their merits vnto God and as yee may more safely and sweetely speake vnto our Iesus who is our Aduocate with the Father entered into the Holy of Holies to appeare before God for vs. To his gracious protection I commit you and doe rest Horningshearth this 15. of Iune 1620. Your assured friend and louing Brother W. BEDELL To the worshipfull his much respected friend Master WILLIAM BEDELL at Horningshearth by Saint Edmundsbury in Suffolke these My very good Friend MAster BEDELL my last vnto you was by a Gentleman who went from hence about sixe moneths since but I haue vnderstood hee fell sicke at Paris by the way and so was first hindered there in his iourney and afterward againe at Brussels fell to a relapse which detained him so long that although now very lately I heare he is recouered and gone forward into England yet in so long delayes so often sickenesses I know not whether hee haue lost or forgotten my former Letters wherefore out of this consideration and by the opportunitie of this Bringer and by the true harty affection which I beare you being desirous to signifie vnto you the continuance of my sincere loue I could not pretermit this so good an occasion though hereby I haue nothing else to say nor intreate but if wee haue â—arres yet our dissention may be rather in the matter and cases then betwixt our persons as discreete Lawyers vse to pleade vehemently each for his Clyents iustice and yet remaine betwixt themselues without breach of amitie and abstaining from opprobrious iniurie wherein I haue great confidence that you will proceede both more moderately in all the circumstance and to better purpose in the substance then Master Ioseph Hall vnto whose Letter directed to you and by you sent vnto me I wrote certaine Marginall Notes onely and so returned the same by the aboue named Gentleman whereof also if it returne to your hands I would intreate you to send me a Copie both of his Text and my Glosse for then being in haste I remained with neither Our Lord keepe you and guide vs all to his truth and to heauen Madrid 8. Iune 1620. IAMES WADDESWORTH The Letter of Master D. HALL mentioned in the formerwith Master WADDESWORTHS marginall notes GOod Master Bedell what a sorry crabbe hath Master Waddesworth at last sent vs from Siuill I pittie the impotent malice of the man sure that hot Region and sulphurous Religion are guiltie of this his choler For ought I see hee is not onely turned Papist but Spaniard too Ibi viâ—itur ambitiosa paupertate The great man would not foyle his fingers for that is his word with such an aduersarie as my selfe hee should haue found this conflict his foyling indeede but hee scornes the match and what wonder if he that hath all this while sat on Father Creswels staires scorne the vnworthinesse of him whom an English Vniuersitie scorned not to set in the chaire of Diuinitie But whence is this my contempt I see but two vices to cleare my selfe of Poetry and Railing of the latter you shall acquit mee if you will but reade that my poore Epistle which he sleights thus Let your eyes iudge whether euer any thing could be written more mildely more modestly more louingly Of the former I must acquit my selfe Cuius vnum est sed magnum vitium Poesis what were I the worse if I were still a louer of those studies If he could haue had leisure to tend vpon any thing besides that Fathers Packets he might haue seene most of the renowned and holy Fathers of the Church eminent in that profession for which I am scornd amongst many others Tertullian Lactantius Nazianzen Prudentius Fulgentius Apollinarius Nonnus Hilarius Prosper and now in the vpshot deuout Bernard and why should their honour be my disgrace But the truth is these were the recreations of my minoritie nunâ— oblita mihi And if Poetrie were of the deadly sinnes of their Casuists I could smart for it in my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is this a fit scandall to â—ake vp from so farre What my proficiencie hath beene in serious studies if the Vniuersitie and Church hath pleased to testifie what neede I stand at the mercie of a fugitiue But if any of his Masters should vndertake me in the cause of God he should finde I had studied prose As for these vaine flourishes of mine if he had not taken a veny in them and found it smart he had not strooke again so churlishly Was it my Letter that is accused of Poetry there is neither number nor ryme nor fiction in it Would the great Schoole man haue had me to haue packt vp a Letter of syllogismes which of the Fathers whose high steppes I haue desired to tread in haue giuen that example what were to be expected of a Monitorie Epistle which intended onely the occasion if he had pleased of a future discourse Wee I slanders list not learne to write Letters from beyond the Pyrenees Howsoeuer I am not sorry that his scorne hath cast him vpon an aduersarie more able to conuince him I am allowed onely a looker on therefore I will neither ward nor strike his hands are too full of you my onely wish is that you could beare him sound againe whereof I feare there it little hope There was neuer aduersarie that gaue more aduantage hee might haue serued in thâ—se Coleworts neerer home I professe I doe hartily pittie him and so if it please you let him know from me What Apostacie which is the onely hard word I can be charged with impute to the Roman Church I haue professed to the world in the first Chapter of my Roma Irreconciliabilis if I offend not in too much charitie there is no feare say what you will for me I haue done and will onely pray for him that answers me with contempt farewell and commend mee to Master Sotheby and your other louing and reuerend Societie and know mee euer Your truely louing friend and fellow labourer IOS HALL Waltam Ian 10. 1615. Good Master Bedell this Letter hath lien thus long by me for want of carriage I now heare you are setled at Horningsherth whereby I wish you much ioy I am appointed to attend the Ambassador into France whither I pray you follow me with your praiers May 15. To my Reuerend and worthy friend Master Doctor HALL at Waltham deliuer this SAlutem in Christo. Good Master Doctor this Letter of yours since my receipt of it hath beene a traueller further then you or I which being some moneths since returned into England I returne to you that it may relate what entertainment it hath found
by the Souldiers hand but at the beck of the Priest and bidding of the Emperor But the Pope in a Decretall Epistle pretending to teach the world in a point as he pronounces necessarie to saluation with such an interpretation as this argues little reuerence to the Word of God and a very meane opinion of the iudgements and consciences of christen men if they could not discerne this to be a strangers voice not Christs Besides that he changes Saint Bernards wordes and cleane peruerts his meaning For exerendus he puts in exercendus For ille Sacerdotis is militis manu sed sanè ad nutum Sacerdotis iussum Imperatoris Pope Boniface thinking iussum to absolute in the Emperor makes him to bee the executioner and ioynes him with the Souldier on this manner Ille Sacerdotum is manu Regum Militum sed ad nutum patientiam Sacerdotis Saint Bernard makes the executiue power to be in the Souldier the directiue in the Priest the commanding in the Emperor Pope Boniface makes the Kings and Souldiers to haue only the executiue the directiue permissiue to be in the Priest Yea sword he saith must be vnder sword For where the Apostle saith There is no power but of God que autem sunt à Deo ordinata sunt more fully in the originall text the powers that are are ordained that is appointed of God the Interpreter here dreames of order and subordination and cities a saying of Dionysius that the lowest things are reduced to the highest by the middlemost a conceit that makes nothing to the purpose of the Apostle in that place Hee proceeds and tells vs that of the Church and power Ecclesiasticall is verified the prophecie of Ieremy Behold I haue set thee this day ouer Kings and Kingdomes c. Tell me good Master Wadesworth what is to peruerâ— the Scriptures if this bee not to apply to the power Ecclesiasticall that which is spoken of the word and calling Propheticall Yet more The earthly power if it swerue out of the way shall bee iudged of the power spirituall but if the spirituall that is lesser of that which is superiour to it But if the highest it may bee iudged of God onely not of man the Apostle witnessing the spirituall man iudgeth all things but himselfe is iudged of none Wee are come at length as it were to the fountaines of Nilus to the originall of the infallibilitie of your Iudge and if hee haue here rightly interpreted Saint Paul we learne that no earthly power no Magistrate is a spirituall man vnlesse hee bee one of the Popes spiritualtie For these be Saint Pauls spirituall men that iudge all things Yet this must receiue limitation For no man may iudge the Pope the supreme Spirituall man for of him it seemes Saint Paul meant it his authoritie hee saith is not humane but diuine by the diuine mouth giuen to Peter and his successors when the Lord said to him Quodcunque ligaueris For conclusion whosoeuer resists this power thus ordered of God resists the ordinance of God vnlesse as Manichaeus he faine two beginnings which saith hee wee iudge to bee false and hereticall sith by Moses record not in the beginnings but in the beginning God created Heauen and Earth Who would not acknowledge the diuine authoritie and infallibilitie of your Interpreter both in confirming his purpose and conuincing heresies from so high a beginning as this first sentence of holy Writ What rests now but after so many testimonies he inferre Furthermore to be vnder the Bishop of Rome we declare say define and pronounce that to euery humane creature it is altogether of necessitie of saluation Thus saith your infallible Iudge and Interpreter of Scripture the center of your conscience and foundation of your Faith not as a priuate Doctor but as Pope in his owne Law intending to informe and bind the Church and that in matters with him of the greatest importance that may bee touching his owne authoritie and as hee pretends absolutely necessarie to saluation to all the sonnes of Adam I might heape vp many more but these may suffice for a sample You may and so doe by your selfe I beseech you obserue these kind of interpretations in other points also and in other the Decretals Breues of Popes which as I heare are lately come forth in great volumes You shall finde many mysteries in your faith that perhaps you know not of as That you cannot please God because you are married for so is that place of the Apostle interpreted qui in carne viuunt Deo placere non possunt That not onely the wine in the Chalice but the water also is transubstaniated first into wine then into Christs bloud That it was not watry moisture but the true element of water which issued out of Christs side You shall finde confession of sins to the Priest proued by the text Corde creditur a'd iustitiam ore autem fit confessio ad salutem That the good ground that receiued the seed in the Gospel is the religion of the Friers Miâ—â—rs That this is that pure and immaculate religion with God and the Father which descending from the Father of lights deliuered exemplariter verbaliter by the Sonne to his Apostles and then inspired by the holy Ghost into Saint Francis aud his followers containes in it selfe the testimony of the Trinitie This is that which as Saint Paul witnesseth no man must be troublesome vnto which Christ hath confirmed with the prints of his Passion The text is decaetero nemo mihi molestus sit ego n. stigmata Domini Iesu in corpore nemo porto It is maruell if Saint Paul were not of the order of Saint Frances That when Christ said Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus hee meant it of remaining and being with them euen by his bodily presence Saint Augustine vpon the same text denies this and saith that according to the presence of his body hee is ascended into heauen and is not here That the Father of the childe christened and his Godfathers wife may not marry because according to the Lords word the husband and the wife are made one flesh by marriage That the number of Foure doth well agree to the degrees prohibited in corporall marriage of which the Apostle saith The man hath not the power of his owne body but the woman nor the woman power of her body but the man because there are foure humours in the body which consist of the foure Elements For conclusion you shall finde it by a commodious interpretation concluded contrarie to many texts of Scripture out of Scripture it selfe that no simple and vnlearned man presume to reach to the subtility of the Scripture because well it was enacted in the law of God that the beast which should touch the mountaine should be stoned For it is written Seeke not things higher then thy selfe