coÌ„teÌ„ned Li. 2. doct Christ c. 6. knovvledg hardly gotteÌ„ is highly priced And therfore as S. Austine noteth the holy ghost in scripture hath prouided easie things to satisfie our honger obscure places also to take avvay lothsomnes Bicause our vnderstaÌ„ding vvith easie things only vvould be soone cloyed vvith obscuritie only vvould easilie be deterred Thirdly this difficulcie imprinteth in our memorie the vvord of God more deeply For as the iroÌ„ is more harde to receue impression then vvax or vvater yet keepeth it more firmly so that vvhich vve learn hardly vve forget not easilie Fourthly it controleth our high-clyming and deep searching vvittes maketâ— vs to acknovvledge the vveaknes of our intellectuall eye-sight vvhich if it bee so dim ne that it can noe more susteyne the blazing spleÌ„dour of naturall verities theÌ„ can the night-crovves eyes the beames of the sonne much lessâ— can it behold vnlesse it be by a glimse and glimmering the splendent rayes of supernaturall verities revealed throughe the darke veale of holy scripture Fiftly this difficultie increaseth merit and deserte vvhen so constantly vvee beleeue those verities vvhich in scripture are rather vealed them reuealed Sixthly this difficultie preserueth scripture from prophanation and is the cause vvhy euerie one can not babble of scripture as they do of easie thinges and as the heretiques of this tyme do bicause they imagin scripture to be easie Seauenthly it hides our sacred mysteries froÌ„ ê“phane infidells vvhoe are noe more vvorthy of this diuine knovvledge then are the beastly svvine of preciouse pearles Orig. li. 1. in Leâ—it Eightly as Cirill or rather Origen very vvell obserueth these obscure phrases and figures vvherin the diuine veritie is cladde are as it vvere a seemly habit vvhich graceth the vvorde of God and makes it seeme the better vnto our vveakish eyes For more are vve delighted to see the veritie of the sacred Eucharist vnder the figure of Manna and of the Sacrament of Baptisme in that shadovve of the redde sea then if vve savve the same sett forth to ourvevve in bare vvordes though neuer so playn But novve let vs see vvhat our ghospellers can saye to this experience and reason by vvhich I haue proued scriptures to bee hard and difficile It is true sayeth Luther scriptures are in many places harde but vvhere they treat of thinges necessarie to saluation there are they playn and perspicuouse Is it true Luther that so me partes of scripture are harde Supra then must thou eate that vvorde of thine in vvhich thou sayedst Ego de tota scriptura dico nullam eius partem obscuram dici volo I say of all scripture I vvill haue no part of it called obscure And vvilt thou stand to it that vvhere scripture treateth of thinges necessarie to saluation ther it is plain and easie I aske then of thee vvhether the doctrine of Baptisme bee not necessarie to saluation And if thou say yea then is some parte of scripture vvhich treateth of thinges necessarie harde and difficile for othervvise Caluine vvould neuer haue cauilled so much about those vvordes of Christ Io. â— Vnlesse a man be borne agan of vvater and the holy ghoste Is not the doctrine of the blessed Sacrament necessary to bee beleeued And yet vvho seeth not hovv many diuerse expositions the ghospellers haue deuised vppon those fevv vvords Mat. 26. Luc. 22. This is my bodie Is not the doctrine of iustification necessarie And yet it is so obscurely set dovvn in scripture that Osiander a voucheth Ex Bol to 3. l. 3. l. 2. de Iustif initio that amongest the confessionistes there are tvveÌ„tie different opinions about the formall cause of iustificatioÌ„ and euery one is deduced out of scripture At least they vvill graunt mee that the doctrine and fayth of the blessed Trinitie and of Christes diuinitie and humanitie is of necessitie to bee beleeued yet the Ebionites Arrianes Nestorians Eutichians Valentinians Monothelites and Appollinaristes vvho helde diuerse heresies concerning the Trinitie and IncarnatioÌ„ proued theÌ„ all to their thinking out of scripture Vvhich is a signe that scripture is not easie for vvher al is playne all men commonly aggree and if scripture vvhere it speaketh of those mysteries vvere perspicuouse they vvould neuer haue banguered so grossely in expounding them But rather then my aduersarie vvill stand out he vvill bee content to play smalle play If sayeth hee thou bee a good GraÌ„marian all vvill seeme easie vnto thee And vvas not I pray thee S. Austin vvho read Rhetorike in Millan vvas not S. HieroÌ„vvhoe vvas excellent in all the three tongues a Grammarian They vvere They vvere and yet they coÌ„fessed as I haue declared that scriptures vvere full of difficultie Yea in England our ministers haue the Bible in English and so haue no need of any helpe of Grammer and yet can they not aggree about the scriptures meaning Yea in all sciences it is one thing to be a grammarian another thing to attayn to the knovvledg of the science for many a school maister in England can constrevv Aristotle vvhich yet can not vnderstand him and if grammer vvere sufficieÌ„t then after grammer vvee should need no studie nether in diuinitie nor philosophie nor any other science And to vse no other argument then experiens let our GraÌ„marians in Ingland after they haue constrevved the psalmes tell me vvether they do yet vnderstand the psalmes But my aduersary vvill shevv that hee is not tongue tyed and therfore vvill not bee put to silence If sayeth hee you confer one place vvith another one vvill explicate another This is another starting hole vvhich hee hath found out But this also is but a poore shifte For although one place conferred vvith another many tymes giueth a great light to both yet doth it not so allvvayes fall out For diuerse haue conferred the same places and yet haue gathered diuerse meaninges yea somtymes conference of places augmenteth the difficultie and maketh a shovv of contradiction vvhich before appeared not Novv gentle reader thou vvouldst think that this man vvere satisfied or else that his mouth vvere stopped but yet he desireth one ansvvere more and if that vvill not serue he vvill ether yeeld or hold his peace If you pray to God sayeth he to illuminate you he vvill reveal the meaning of scripture vnto you or if you haue the spirit be not carnall but spirituall or if you be praedestinate you shall finde all as playne in scripture as the kinges high vvay This ansvvere is so poore that it vvell argueth that our aduersarie is put to an harde shift and to a last reply bicause in this ansvvere hee declareth ignotum per ignotius an vnknovven thing by that vvhich is more vnknovven As for example I vvould haue him to assure vs vvhether that vvee expound scripture rightly or vvrongly hee telleth vs that if vve praye as vve ought to do or if vvee bee of the electe or if vvee bee spirituall
can faine or imagin But I vvill bee so bold as to take this meanes from theÌ„ and then I vvill aske them hovv they knovve that the nevve and old testameÌ„t are not meere fables and fictioÌ„s as the Atheistes say that they are For they are of opinion that the Romaine Church maye deceue bee deceeued and therfore they vvill not beleeue her for the number of canonicall bookes nor for the meaning of scripture hovv then can they credit her vvhen shee defineth that the old and nevve testament are holy scripture her authoritie is one and the same in the affirmation of this and of other thiges if theÌ„ they beleeue her not in those thinges they caÌ„ not beleeue her in this For as if the Astrologer saye that to morrovv shall be rayne that vvith in three monethes ther shall bee rayne I caÌ„ not beleeue this to bee true for his assertion vnlesse I also beleeue that bicause his authoritie is the same and yet I maye beleeue rather that vvithin three monethes vvee shall hauerayne theÌ„ that to morrovv vvee shall haue rayne bicause that in it selfe is more likely so if vvee beleeue one thing vvhich the Romain Church affirmethe and not another vvee beleeue not any thing bicause shee sayeth so but ether for the probalitie of the thinge or for some other reason vvhich pleasethe vs. Vvherfore seing that out reformers beleeue not the Romain Church in all pointes it must neede follovve that they can not beleeue that the old and nevve testament are holy scriptures bicause shee sayeth so but for some other imaginations vv ch they haue for if they belecued this bicause shee sayeth so they vvould beleeue other thinges also vvhich shee auouchethe bicause her authoritie being the same deserueth the same credit in the one and in the other But let vs suppose that they beleeue that the old and nevv testament are holy scripture bicause the RomaiÌ„ Church sayeth so yet bicause they affirme that the Romaine Church maye lye and hathe also lyed loudly in many importaunt matters it follovveth that they haue herby no assuraunce of Scripture bicause as the Church in their opinion hathe erred in other thinges so may she in this if she may peraduenture she hathe erred and so they haue no assuraunce of scripture They vvill saye peraduentur that they are assured by tradition froÌ„ tyme out of mynde vnto this present that those bookes are holye Scripture bicause our forfathers euer esteemed them soe But nether can this bee a sufficient vvarrauut bicause they are vvont to saye that all thinges necessarie to bee beleeued are conteined in scripture and that therfore they vvill beleeue no traditions And if they beleeue that these bookes are holy scripture bicause by tradition so it is deliuered vnto them vvhy do they not beleeue the real presence and the Sacrifice of the Masse Vvhy coÌ„temne they the Fast of lent Images holy vvater the signe of the crosse such like vvhich vvee haue by the same tradition by vvhich vve haue the scriptures Yea seing that Tradition is nothing else but an opinioÌ„ or custome of the Churche not vvritten in holy vvritte but yet deliuered by the handes of the Churche from tyme to tyme and from Christians to ChristiaÌ„s euen vnto the last age and Christians if the Churche can erre she may allovv of euil traditions and so traditions also may bee erroneous coÌ„sequently can be noe sufficient vvarrant vnto the Reformers for the authoritie of holy scripture They vvill say peraduenture that they beleeue most voices and therfore seing that all the vvorld allovveth these bookes for holy scripture they vvill ioine vvith them in this opinion bicause the voice of the people is the voice of God but nether can this voice assure theÌ„ for ether they vnderstand by this commoÌ„ voice the voice of the vvholle vvorld or the voice of the Christian vvorld if they meane the voice of the vvholle vvorld theÌ„ haue they moe voices against them then for them bicause the greatest parte of the vvorld vvas euer Pagane if they meane the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld then in deed the most voices are for Scripture bicause the Catholike Church vvhich allovveth of scripture vvas is and shal be the greatest part of Christianitie but bicause they saye that this Church may erre they can haue no assuraunce of scripture by this voice They vvill saye peradueÌ„ture that they belceue that scâ—ipture is the vvord of God bicause their ovvn Churche vvhich is the true Churche affirmeth it to be so But nether vvill this shifte serue their turne Bicause first of all they caÌ„ not proue their Churche to bee the true Churche not their Pastours to be the true Pastours Bicause their Church hathe not the markes of the true Churche hauing nether succession from the Churche planted by the Apostles vvhich should make it Apostolique nether hauing euer possessed the greatest parte of the knovvn vvorld vv ch should make it Catholike and being so farre froÌ„ being one that it is diuided into coÌ„trarie sectes so farre also from being holy that it leadeth to all vice and Atheisme yea hauing all the Markes of heresie as my second booke demonstrateth As for their pastours they can not proue their mission as also is proued But if I should graunt them that their Church is the true Church yet by their Churches vvarraunt they can haue no assuraunce of Scripture bicause they are of opinioÌ„ that the true Church maye erre and consequeÌ„tly their Church also maye erre and if it maye erre in other thinges it may erre in this and if it may erre in this peradueÌ„ture it hath erred in this and so they haue no assuraunce of Scripture Vvherfore laying a side the Churches authoritie as insufficient in their opinion I demaund vvhat assuraunce they haue of scripture They can not alleage Scripture to proue scripture bicause no part of scripture affirmeth that the bookes called Scripture are the vvord of God dictated and indighted by his spirit And if Scripture did affirme it selfe to be holy Scripture yet vvere not that a sufficient vvarraunt for as I may doubt vvhether the bookes called Scripture be the vvord of God so may I doubte of that testimonie vvhich scripture giueth of her selfe vnlesse by some other meanes I bee assured that these vvritinges are the vvord of God They vvill say peraduenâ— that the very maiestie of the phrase of Scripture and the diuine matters and mysteries vvhich it conteinethe do argue that it is the vvord of God But this ansvvere is also insufficieÌ„t bicause to a vvordly man or Prophane Philosopher the stile of Scripture seemeth base and barbarous and the mysteries seeme to bee nothing else but dreames and imaginations the histories seeme tales and the matters seeme ether follies or impossibilities and so they vvould seeme vnto vs also vvere it not that vvee haue a reuerent conceite of them bicause vvee beleeue them to bee the vvord of God Vvherfore Iulian the Apostata Celsus Porphirius Apion
and others contemned scriptures bothe for the Phrase and matter and esteemed no more of them then vve do of Aesops fables They may ansvvere mee peraduenture and novv I knovv not vvhat else they can ansvvere that the spirit assurethe them that these bookes no other are the holy Scripture But against this spirit I haue disputed at large in the â—rst booke and third Chapter and so I might referre the reformer and the reader vnto my argumentes vvher vvith in the afore sayd place I haue refuted this phantasticall spirit yet to ease them bothe of that labour I vvill in a vvorde reiecte this ansvvere by reiecting this spirit I vvill aske of him that thinkes him selfe moste deeplye inspired vvhy bee beleeueth this his ovvn priuate spirit rather then the common spirit of the Churche especially seing that it is more like that God vvil more amplye communicate his spirit to his Churche then to a priuate man and if the Churche may be deceued as they say shee may not vvith standing that Christ promised her a spirit vvhich should teach her all veritie Io. 14.15 vvhy maye not euery priuate maÌ„ doubte at least least his ovvne priuate Spirit bee a lying and deceiuing spirit hee ansvvereth that his spirit assures him that it is a true spirit But hovve dothe it assure him by vvhat reasons miracles or reuelations by no such meanes saieth hee it dothe assure me but yet I ame sure Vvhy art thou sure if nether for reasons nor miracles nor reuelations then art thou sure only bicause thou thinkest thy selfe sure And so did Suenlkfeldius thinke him selfe sure of a right spirit vvhen he denyed all scriptures and vvould bee ruled only by the invvard spirit and yet hee for all his suernes vvas deceued and consequently so mayst thou bee thoughe thou thinke thy selfe assured And do not all heretiques thinke then selues to bee inspired vvith the right spirit As they therfore are deceued So mayst thou bee vnlesse thou haue some certaine rule and Iudge suche as the Churche is to acertaine thee of thy spirit If novve some infidel or atheist vvould deny the old and nevve testament to bee holy scripture hovve vvouldst thou conuince them vvhat a Catholike could saye for the proofe of scripture I haue allready declared I demaund therfore vvhat thou vvho takest vppon the to bee a reformed Christian couldst alleage for the authoritie of Scripture Vvouldst thou alleage the Churches definition or tradition or common coÌ„sent hee vvould saye Tushe tell mee not of Churche Tradition Fathers Councels all these by your ovvn confession maye erre and haue erred in other as great matters as this and therfore this can bee no sufficient vvarraunt Vvouldst thou saye that scripture giueth testimony of her selfe that shee is Scripture hee vvoulde aske thee vvheare and thou shouldst not bee able to quote the place if thou couldst yet hee vvould say that Scripture is not to bee beleeued in her ovvne cause and that as hee doubteth of scripture so hee doubteth vvhether it bee Scripture vv ch affirmethe these bookes to be Scriptur Vvouldst thou say that the phrase of scripture argueth it to bee god his ovvn vvord Hee vvould tell thee that hee vvill shevve thee as good phrases in Tullie Liuie other ê“phane vvriters And if thou shouldst saye that thy spirit assures thee that these bookes are of Gods ovvn indighting hee vvould laughe at thee and tell thee that Suenkfeldius by his spirit denyed all scripture and that hee hathe no more assuraunce of thy spirit then of his Yea hee vvill come vppon thee vvithe the coÌ„mon spirit of the Romain Churche and tell thee that if that spirit maye deceue as thou sayest it maye muche more may thy priuate spirit deceue thee and all that vvill bee so mad as to beleeue thee And so if thou contemne the authoritie of the Romain Churche thou shallt bee able to assure him no more of Scripture then of a Robin Hoods tale If the Churches authoritie then bee reiected as insufficient vvee haue no probable assuraunce of scripture and so vvee may iustly doubte least it bee but some Apocriphal vvriting vv ch hathe hetherto been called the vvord of God to keepe fooles in avve And if vvee may doubte of the bookes of Scripture vvee maye as iustly doubte of the conteÌ„tes and so the mysteries of the Trinitie and incarnation Christes life doctrine Passion death and resurrection may bee called in question and soe Christian religion falleth and seing that after an Apostasie from Christianitie vvee haue noe reason to imbrace Turcisnie or the Iudaicall ceremonies much lesse the superstitions of Paganes and Idolatours adevve all religion and vvelcome Atheisme And thus thou seest gentle reader hovve contempt of Scriptur must needs follovv the contempte of the Churches authoritie vvhich being layed a side vvee haue not so much as probable assuraunce of Scripture or Christian religion Vvherfore let vs holde faste vvith the Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Churche and let vs neuer linke our selues in religion vvith the reformers vvho like Chammes contemne their mother the Churche least vvee bee inforced to shake handes vvith Atheistes vvhose frendship vvee can not refuse if vvee breake amitie and league vvith the Romaine Churche as is most euidently demonstrated The fourth Chapter shevveth that in admitting some bookes of Scripture and reiecting others they open the gapp to contempt of all Scripture and religion Vve say commonly that a lyer had need to haue a good memorie for othervvise he being allvvayes ready to speake not as the truthe requireth but as he may best for the present serue his ovvn turne vvill bee in daunger to contradict him selfe and to varye in his ovvn tale for vvant of vvhich memorie the reformers do often eate their vvordes and goe from that vvhich before they stood vnto And amongest many other examples this may serue for one that they vvill needes receue scripture at the Romain Churches hand and for this point accompte her authoritie sufficient but their memorie is so shorte that forgetting them selues they vvill not accepte of the number of the bookes of scripture vvhich shee hathe deliuered vnto them althoughe they haue not any other vvarrauÌ„t of Scripture then they haue of the number of the bookes of Scripture vvhich is the Romain Churches authoritie I must therfore desire them better to remeÌ„ber them selues For if the Romaine Churche bee of sufficient credit to vvarraunt vs of Scripture vvhy is not her authoritie a sufficieÌ„t vvarraunt also for the nuÌ„ber of the bookes of Scripture Or if shee maye erre in the nuÌ„ber of the bookes of scripture she may erre also in scripture and so if they vvould remember them selues better and tubbe their brovves harder they vvould see plainly that ether they should take all or none of her bicause her authoritie is as sufficieÌ„t being one and the same to vvarraunt vs for the number of the bookes of Scripture as for scripture If they beleeue then that ther is scripture bicause shee
meaning of scripture vvhich seemeth to haue more difficultie then that the Churche and her common spirit vvhich Christe promised her â—â— 1â— 1â— should chalenge vnto her such authoritie Giue vs therfore true scripture and vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God but corrupte this scripture by putting a false sense and signification to the letter as the reformers do and then vve vvill not acknovvledge it for the vvord of God bicause it explicateth not his mynd and meaning but rather vve detest it aboue all other vvords vvritings vvhatsoeuer bicause in that it beareth the name of the vvord of God and yet is not it is the most pernicious vvord that is For as the sovvrest vyneger cometh of the best vvine so the moste pernicious vvord is the letter of scripture corrupted and misinterpreted If then our aduersaries vvill haue scripture to be iudge in controuersies of religion let them alleage true scripture that is the letter vvith the true meaning of vvhich not euery priuate spirit but the common spirit of the Church must be iudge as shall herafter be proued But if they vvill make the bare letter to be iudge vvee deny first that the bare letter is scritpure and then vve auouch that the bare letter is noe good rule nor lavvfull iudge of religion bicause the letter of scripture may haue diuers senses and may serue euery heretike for his purpose as before is declared and so can be no rule nor iudge vvhich bothe must be assured and certaine To this they ansvver that scripture is so easie that the meaning is euident to euery one that hathe eyes to see it so he may as easilie see the conformitie of their religion vnto the rule of scripture For as vvhen the measure is knovvn it is euideÌ„t hovv long the cloth is vvhich is measured by it so scripture as they say being easie it is most euident vvhen religion is true bicause it is euident vvhen it is agreable and conformable to the assured and knovvne measure of scripture by vvhich all religioÌ„s are to be squared out and measured But that scripture is not easie to be vnderstood it is easily to be proued and so this ansvvere is as easilie to be reiected â— Pet. 3. For first scripture her selfe confesseth her ovvn obscuritie For sainct Peter in his epistle vvhich is a parte of scripture auoucheth that in S. Paules Epistles vvhich our reformers vvill not deny to be another part of scripture are certain hard things hard to be vnderstood vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the scriptures lib. de fid op c. 14. to their ovvn perdition And saint Austine saieth plainly that those hard thinges are his commendations of faith vvhich the ignoraunt euen from the Apostles tyme did so miscoÌ„ster as though his meaning had been that only faith vvithout charitie and good vvorkes doth iustifie Act. 1â— The Eunuch could not vnderstand Esaie vvithout an interpretour Psal 1â—8 Dauid cryeth for vnderstanding at Gods hands before he dareth aduenture to search the lavv Luc 24. the Apostles could not vnderstand scripturs till Christ opened their sense and eyes of vnderstanding and yet our reformers are so eagle-eyed that they can see clearly and that at the first sight into the darkest and obscurest place of scripture The ancient fathers affirme that scriptures are obscure and amongest them sainct Hierome sayeth that the beginning of Genesis and the end of Ezechiel Ep. ad Paul in tymes past vvas not permitted to be read of any till he vvere thirtie yeares of age and vvhy but for the obscuritie vvhich might rather deceue theÌ„ direct the yonger sorte l. 2. con c. 14. S. Austine that great light of the Church miraculous vvitte vvho vvhen he vvas but tvventie yeares of age vnderstood the predicameÌ„tes of Aristotle at the first sight thought nether so highly of him selfe nor so basely of scripturs as to thinke him selfe able by reach of vvit to attain vnto the profound sence and meaning of them but rather though he had studied them more dayes nightes then our ministers haue done dayes only Ep. 3. ad Vâ—lus yea or houres and had vvritten more for the interpreting of scripturs then euer they read yet saieth he So great is the profunditie of them that I might euery day make profit in them if I should vvith greatest leisure greatest studie and a better vvitt endeuour to come vnto the knovvledg of them only and that from my tender youth vnto crooked olde age And in his bookes vvhich he vvrote vppon Genesis in his tractes vppon sainct Ihon and diuers other partes of scripture he moueth many doubtes and difficulties Prafat assert â—rt daâ— and yet Luther sayeth that scripturs are more playn and easie then all the fathers commentaries Petrus Lombardus commonly called the master of senteÌ„ces Liâ— â— d. 12.1 p. q 65. saint Thomas other diuines armed vvith philosophie and furnished vvith the schoole literature apply not vvithstanding all their vvittes to the explicating of the first chapter of Genesis and the creation of the vvorld in the first six dayes 〈◊〉 Hexamâ—â— as also saint Basil saint Ambrose others doe And yet Luther boldly affirmeth that no parte of scripture is to be called our counted obscure l. de seruâ— ar bit Saint Gregorie Nazianzeen and saint Basil studied scriptures for thirtene yeares together and yet durst not svverue a iotte from the interpretation of the auncient fathers Ruff. l. 11. c. 4 Saint Hierom not vvithstanding that he vvas so vvel seen in the Greeke and Hebrevv tongue ep tot â—â— and other both prophane and sacred literature yet vvent he as farre as Alexandria to conferre vvith Didimus Vvho also ronning after a cursorie manner ouer al the bookes of scripture fyndeth such difficultie in euery one as though he vnderstood this only in scripture that he vnderstandeth not scripture or as though this only in scripture vvere easie to be vnderstood that Scripture is not easie ending vvith the Apocalipse thus he concludeth Apocalypsis Ioannis tot habet sacramenta quot verba parum dixt pro merito voluminis laus omnis inferior est in verbis singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae The Apocalipse of Ihon hath as many sacrameÌ„ts as vvords I haue sayed litle for the merit of the volume all prayse is inferiour in euerie vvorde there lye hiddeÌ„ many senses and meaninges And yet Luther and Caluin and commonly Puritanes and Protestants auouch scripture to be facile and perspicuous that by the ovvne light you may see it and see into it and neede noe more helpe of an interpretour theÌ„ of a candle to see the sonne vvhen it shineth in the midde-daye But if this doctrine be true vvhy is ther such contention amongest the Reformers for the true explication of diuers places of Scripture Vvhy did the fathers and vvhy do the Reformers make so large commentaries vppon
he not iustly prouoke all mens hands against him vvhose hands are against all All sayeth he shink thus but I think othervvise But vvhat doest thou think vvhat bringest thou better Vvhat more subtilitie doest thou find Vvhat greater secret doest thou boste to haue been reuealed vnto thee vvhich hathe not been knovven to so many saincts vvhich hath escaped so many vvisemen yet tell vs vvhat that is vvhich seemeth true vnto thee unto no man else And so forth If to these vvords of Sainct Bernard gentle reader thou adde Luther or Caluin in steed of Petrus Abailardus and putting out his singuler opiniō put one of theirs in the place thou vvilt easilie peroeiue that these vvords maye as vvell be vsed against them as him for they are noe lesse singuler then he as appeareth by their proud assertions vvhich I haue alleaged Luth. art 27.28 Ca u l. 2. Inst and may appear more by their opinions of the priuate spirit vvhich in other places they make the iudge of the meaning of scriptures of all other controuersies of religion Do not they saye still in effect that vvhich sainct Bernard calleth intolerable and damnable I say so let all the vvorld saye the contrarie Do not they prefer their ovvne exposition of scripture before fathers councels Churches yea Angels also Do not their mouthes out of vvhich haue proceeded such arrogāt speaches deserue rather to be beaten vvith stones then to be refuted by reasons Behold England my deare fovvly deceaued countrie to vvhat pride these Lucifers haue induced the. Why didst thou forsake the Romain Church vvhich vvas euer taken euen of infidels for the only Christian societie Vvhom diddest thou follovv vvhē thou didst leaue that Church but only a singuler spirit And vvhereon novve doest thou rely vvherō doest thou ground thy religion Not vppon fathers nor councells nor antiquitie nor Church nor common consent for al these thy nevvapostles vvhom thou hast follovved haue reiected doest thou then rely vppon Luther or Caluin or the nevvfound ministers Thou seest by the first chapter hovv they can not proue their mission nor distinguish them selues from falle prophets vvhich are assuredly to come and are all ready come And vvhat reason hadst thou to forsake thy graue learned for fathers for these skipiacks and the common spirit of the Churche for their fingular spirits vvhich are so priuate that thou shalt hardly finde tvvoe of them conspiring in one opinion Doest thou ground thy self on scripture Bare scripture as I haue proued in the second Chapter is no sure ground vvithout the true sense and hovv doest thou knovv that thou hast the right meaning of scripture I knovve thy ansvver My spirit sayest thou telleth me so This then is thy staye this is thy ground in religion this is thy last refuge to vvhich thou must needs stick vnto as I haue declared vvhen thou leauest the Catholique Churche But is not this intolerable pride to make thy priuat spirit to be iudge of scripture and sense of scriptur Is not this intolerable arrogancie to make thy ovvne priuate spirit iudge of councels fathers Churche and all and to prefer thyn ovvne priuat opiniō before their cōmon cōsent as though thou being but one couldst see further into scripture and that at the first reading then they all could do by great studie and labour But vvhat assured stay thou hast in this thy spirit vve shall see anone novve I vvill put a difference herin betvvixt these spiritual men and that absurd heretike Suēkfeldius least I seeme to do iniurie to my aduersarie and not to be able to ouercome him vnless I bely him Suenkfeldius therfore denieth all Sacraments and scripture and is so spirituall that he vvill liue only of the spirit and nether of the vvorde nor Sacraments But Luther and Caluin admitt both Sacraments and the vvorde of scripture mary yet they vvill haue the spirit to giue sentence of scripture and the meaning of scripture For if you aske them hovv they knovve that fayth only iustifieth they vvill ansvver by scriptur But aske them hovv they knovv that vvhich they alleage for that opinion to bee scripture or that to be the true meaning of scripture in vvhich they take the scriptures by thē alleaged They vvill not say that by the fathers councells or Church they at assured but by their ovvn priuat spirit So that although Caluin vvriteth against the Libertines for relying only on the spirit yet at last hee falleth into the same labyrinth him selfe for vvhilest he vvill be iudged by scripture yet so that his spirit must giue sentence vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the meaning therof he pronounceth the last sentence from vvhich is no appeal by his priuat spirit Against this spirit of theirs I could bring many arguments but of it self it is so phantasticall that these fevv shall suffice to refute it First I say that allthough God might haue gouerned his Churche by internall reuelation of a priuate spirit vvhich should propose vnto euery one in particuler vvhich is scripture vvhat is the meaning therof vvhich is true fayth vvhat is the vvill of God vvhich is the vvay to saluation and vvhat are the cōmaundemēts neuer theless this vvere a gouernmēt rather for angels then for men for men are visible and haue a visible conuersation and therfore are tobe directed by visible pastours visible lavves and rules and nor by an inuisible spirit For this cause allmightie god vvhoe could sanctifie vs as he dothe the angells vvithout any visible meanes yet bicause vvee ar men he hath alvvaies bestovved his graces vppon vs by sensible signes and sacraments and by a visible dispēsation of men Secondly suppose God should gouern euerie one by his invvard spirit yet this vvere not sufficient for others amongest vvhom vve conuerse for hovve shall they knovv my spirit to be of God and not of the deuill Vvherfore this spirit is not sufficient to gouern and directe men in a peaceble cōuersation bicause vvhilest euery man vvould bragg of his spirit and none could proue the same vnto othersno more then our spirites in Inglād can they vvould fall together by the eares about their spirits and neuer should bee able to parte the fray or to end the controuersie Thirdly nether is this spirit vnless it be ioined vvith a plain reuelation as our spirituall heretiks see by experience that it is not sufficiēt for a mans ovvne selfe to rely on for the assuraūce quietness of his cōsciēce For I ask of him that thiks him self most assured hovv he knovves that his spirit is of God not of the deuil If he answere that the spirit bringes vvith it a certain firme persuasiō vvhich makes a mā to his thinking aslured I say that this is not sufficiēt bicause euerie heretike yea euery Turk hath this invvard persuasion and Suenkefeldius vvho denyed all Sacramēts and scriptures and vvould be guided only by the spirit vvas fully thus persuaded by his spirit
yet I am sure they vvould not entermeddle in matters of religion to giue sentence vvhat is the meaning of scripture vvhich bookes are canonicall and vvhat opinions are hereticall and contrary vnto god his vvord no more then they vvould entermedle in ministring of Sacramēts or preachīg of Gods vvord For they knevve full vvell vvhat Iosaphat that good king sayed ◠par 19. to vvit that Amarias the high preest vvas to rule in matters of religion and Captain Zabadias to menage matters belonging to the Kings office And ozias may be a sufficient example vnto all princes ◠par 26. vvho vvas stricken vvith a leprie for vsurping the preests office in incensing Vve read in deed that Christ commaunded Saint Peter to feed his sheepe and to gouerne his Church Io. 21. Act. 2◠Ephes 4. preests also and pastours haue the same charge committed vnto them yea the prophet Isaie sayeth that Princes are Nurces furtherers and fauourers and defenders of the Church Is 49.38.60 but he neuer calles them rulers of the Church nor Iudges in religion Vvherfore saint Ambrose Bishop of Milā vvriting to his sister sayeth that he told Valentinian the Emperour vvhat belonged to his office in these vvordles Ep. 13. Trouble not they self O Emperour as to thinke that thou hast any Imperiall right to meddle in diuine matters Extolle not they felf but if thou vvilt raygne longe be thou subiect to god It is vvriten giue to god vvhich is belonging to god and to Caesar vvhich belongeth to Caesar Vnto the Emperour pallaces appertain vnto the preest Churches The charge of the publique vvalles is commited to thee but not of sacred and holy things A sentence vvorthy to be set in a tablet of gold and to hange about a Princes neck And truly if Princes vvere Iudges of religion vve must chaunge religion at their pleasures and so vve should haue allmost as many religions as Princes Much lesse can the parlament be Iudge in religion for that cōsisteth of temporall men and although in Englād the lordes spirituall are ioyned vvith the temporall yet are they all ruled by the prince And vvher I pray you doth scripture vvarraunt vs that the parlament is our Iudge in matters of religion yea vve see that parlamentes varye in religion and so they can giue noe certain sentence for religion In Fraunce the Parlament is Catholike and is content to be subiect to the Pope and in no vvise vvill meddle vvith matters of religion In King Henries tyme the eight of that name the parlament enacted six Catholike articles In King Edvvards tyme the parlament allovved of another religion in Queen Maries tyme of another and in Queen Elizabethes tyme of another If then the same man had liued in all these princes tyme as many haue doone then if the Parlament be Iudge he must in cōscience thoughe religion be but one haue chaunged fovvre tymes his religiō else had he been fovvre tymes an heretike and as often traytour Yea I thinke if the parlament vvere demaunded to define vvhich bookes of scripture are canonicall and vvhich is the true meaning they vvould ansvvere that such matters belonge not vnto them But they vvill ansvver that the parlament is Iudge vvhen it is conformable to scripture as it is at this present but vvas not in Queen Maries tyme. Thus they may ansvver but vvith hovve litle reason it vvill easily appeare For ether the parlament precisely or the parlamēt aggreeing vvith scripture is this Iudge If they graūt me the first then must vve in conscience chaunge religion as often as the parlamēt chaungeth decrees If they graunt only the second then is the parlament noe infallible Iudge yea no Iudge at all for yet vve must haue a Iudge to Iudge the parlament and to determine vvhen the parlament follovveth the vvord of God else shall vve neuer be satisfyed And vvho I pray you is this Iudge Novve I see not vvhom they can name vnless it be my lord of Canterbury or the ministerie of England or of all countries vvhere their religion florisheth But then I demaund of them first vvhere they read in Scripture that their Clergie is an infallible Iudge in matters of religion They vvill say that the scripture commaundes vs to giue credit to our pastours True but if I deny that they are true pastours they can not proue them selues to be soe bicause they can not proue their mission as in the first chapter is proued most euidently Secondly the Clergie of England since King Henry the eight hathe chaunged religion diuers tymes and this nevve Clergie vvas neuer yet constant in fayth for one vvholle year together yea they aggree not amongest them selues and so can be no assured and infallible Iudge Thirdly ether the Clergie of England is Iudge in matters of religion bicause it is the Clergie of Englād or bicause it is the Clergie of a vvholle countrie or bicause it conspireth vvith the vniuersall Clergie of their religion If they graunt me the first then doth it folvvith vve must haue a Iudge to Iudge the parlament and to determine vvhen the parlament follovveth the vvord of God else shall vve neuer be satisfyed And vvho I pray you is this Iudge Novve I see not vvhom they can name vnless it be my lord of Canterbury or the ministerie of England or of all countries vvhere their religion florisheth But then I demaund of them first vvhere they read in Scripture that their Clergie is an infallible Iudge in matters of religion They vvill say that the scripture commaundes vs to giue credit to our pastours True but if I deny that they are true pastours they can not proue them selues to be soe bicause they can not proue their mission as in the first chapter is proued most euidently Secondly the Clergie of England since King Henry the eight hathe chaunged religion diuers tymes and this nevve Clergie vvas neuer yet constant in fayth for one vvholle year together yea they aggree not amongest them selues and so can be no assured and infallible Iudge Thirdly ether the Clergie of England is Iudge in matters of religion bicause it is the Clergie of Englād or bicause it is the Clergie of a vvholle countrie or bicause it conspireth vvith the vniuersall Clergie of their religion If they graunt me the first then doth it follovv that only the Clergie of England is this Iudge and so all other countries must be subiecte to the Inglish Clergie to vv ch they vvill neuer aggree If they graunte the secōd then euery Clergie of a vvholle countrie is iudge and so vve shall haue as many religions al most as countries and although the nevv Clergies of Ingland Germany Scotland Holland Geneue are cōtrarie the one to the other yet the people of euery country must acknovvlege them as Iudges in religion and so must imbrace cōtrarie opinions If they graunt the third I must desire them to aggree all amongest themselues before vve stande to their iudgement
sayethe so they must beleeue that ther are so many bookes of scriptures bicause shee also sayeth soe her vvord being as good for the one as for the other But as they are lyers so are they forgetfull therfore so contrarie in their tale that they vvill saye that they beleeue her in that but not in this vvher as rather it follovvethe that they beleeue her nether in the one nor in the other but onlye do giue credit to their priuate spirite imaginations affirming that to be scripture vvhich they imagin those bookes only to bee scripture vvhich their spirit liketh of Vvherfore Luther affirmeth that the booke of Iob is but a tale in ser con tit de libris vet noui test deuised to set forthe an example of patience before our eyes hee iesteth at the autour of Ecclesiastes saying that he vvanteth bootes and spurres and therfore rideth in his sockes as he did vvhen he vvas a fryar Praef. in nouum Test Yea he spareth not the nevve testament affirming that he liketh not of the common opinion vvhich allovveth of fovvre ghospelles and hee addeth that sainct Ihons is the onlye true and principal ghospel vvhence it follovveth that the other three are not authenticall For if they vvere then vvere all fovver of equall authoritie Prafat in Heb. and so saint Ihons ghospel vvere not the principal hee denyes that the epistle to the Hebrevves is Apostolical the like is his ceÌ„sure of the epistle of Iude and Iames. Praefat. li. 1. Inst c. 11. §. 8 l 2 c. 5. §. 18. l. â— c. 5. §. 8. Ant. sâ—ss 1â— Caluin reiecteth the bookes of vvisdom of Ecclesiasticus of Iudith of the machabees of Tobie And vvhy trulye for no other reason then that these bookes seem most coÌ„trarie to diuers points of their doctrine For other vvise seing that they can not discerne scripture from other vvritings but by the ceÌ„sure of the Romain Church as is proued in the last Chapter they haue noe reasoÌ„ to receue some bookes on her vvord and not all seing that she giueth the same testimonie of all But giue an Atheist this aduaÌ„tage and vvhat vvill hee say hee vvill tell the Reformers that hee seethe no other vvarraunt vvhich they haue for the epistle to the Romains then for the epistle to the Hebrevves and the epistle of saint Iames nor for saint Ihons ghospel more then for the other threeâ— nor for Genesis more then the first and second booke of the Machabies Tobie Iudith and Iob and that therfore if the reformers denye these hee vvill deny all the other bicause if the Romain Churches vvarrant for they haue no other vvarrant as in the former Chapter is proued bee not sufficient for some of these bookes it can bee no sufficieÌ„t vvarraÌ„t for any And so he vvill saye that you maye as vvell denye all scripture as some bookes of scripture or if you vvillnot he vvill denye it for you and ground him selfe in your ovvn doctrine And hee vvill yet goe farther auouche that if hee maye doubte of Scripture as vvhy not bicause ther is no other vvarraunt for it but the Romaine Churches vvord hee vvill doubte also of the contentes of Scripture and so hee vvill call in questioÌ„ Moyses Christe the Apostles the Trinitie the Incarnation the Passion of Christe and ResurrectioÌ„ and all the mysteries of Christian religion Vvherfore as you credit the Romain Church for scripture so giue her credit for the nuÌ„ber of the bookes esscripture bicause her vvord vvarraunt is as good for this as for that or if you vvill not beleeue her in this you can haue no assuraunce of any parte of Scripture and so you maye bringe all into question vvhence follovveth contempte of all religion as is before proued The fifte Chapter proueth that their dissension in religion openeth the gap to contempt of all religion NOthing is of more force theÌ„ religioÌ„ vvhich keepeth vs in avve bridleth our appetites ruleth our actions gouerneth our life and inculcateth vnto vs our dutie tovvards God and man And if there vvere noe other argument then the example of so many thousand martyrs vvho haue endured so exquisite tormeÌ„ts and so horrible deathes rather then they vvould denye their religion it vvere sufficient to beare vvitnesse for religion that it is of greater force then all the violence of the tyrauntes then all their engiues and instrumentes of crueltie yea then death it selfe But so the force of a riuer is great and so great that sometymes it ouer-throvveth hovvses and bridges and beateth dovvne all vvhich staÌ„dethe in the vvaye of his streame but yet diuide it into many litle brookes and a childe vvill resiste his force Euen so religion is of great force and efficacie and beareth a great svvaye in the life of man but yet if it bee diuided into diuers sectes it looseth force and vigour and vvheras vvhilest it remaineth vnited See the second booke chap. 6. it vvill not bee resisted vvhen it is diuided it is easilic coÌ„temned I haue already described the iarres and dissensions of the Reformers in matters of religion and by this marke I haue descried them to bee heretikes novv let vs see vvhat an aduantage this their dissention giueth to an Atheist and vvhat a vvide gap it openeth vnto Atheisme An Atheist out of these their diuersities of opinions maye easilie dravv this discourse I see sayeth hee or at least hee maye saye diuers sects and opinions diuers Synagogues and religions diuers conuenticles and congregations amongest you vvhich as they haue diuersnames so professe they diuers doctrines and follovve diuers Authours And some of them are called Lutheranes some Caluinistes vvhich are by a subdiuision parted into softe and rigorous Lutheranes and into Protestantes Puritans others are called Zuinglians others Bezites others Anabaptistes others Libertines others Brovvnistes others Martinistes others are of the familie of loue others of the daÌ„ned crevve And althoughe all these aggree against the Romaine Catholike and Apostolike Churche yet they disagree amongest them selues and althoughe they hold many and those also contrarie opinions yet they all vse one argumeÌ„t to proue their opinions to vvit Scripture sensed by their priuate spirit And so vvill this Atheist saye if I beleeue one of these sectes I must beleeue all bicause they alleage one proofe for their religion but seing that I can not beleeue all bicause they teache contrarieties least I do any partial vvronge in preferring one before another all hauing the same reason I vvill beleeue none of of them all nor none of their opinions And seing that they condemne the Catholike and Romain religion for a fardell of superstitions vvhich not vvithstaÌ„ding vvas euer counted the true Christian religion euen by the Paganes them selues vvho therfore persequuted it and haue noe reason to bynde mee to any of their religions vnlesse I vvill be bound to an impossibilitie that is to bee of all their religions and nether can nether
liued I vvas thy plague and dying Pope I le be thy death But yet Popes liue and maie treade vppoÌ„ Luthers graue still Popes raigne thoughe they be excluded from InglaÌ„de Germanie Scotlande and some fevv other places yet doe they exercise their authoritie still and as muche as euer in Italie Spayne France and other countryes and haue by the Benedictins Dominicanes Iesuites Lopes l. r. c. a. Gen. l. 4. â—ron â—nno Christi 1492 GoÌ„zal 2. p hist de la Chine c. 24. l. 3. hist gen c. 28. â— careâ— Regem Angl. Augustines and Franciscanes meanes and industrious laboures extended their iurisdiction to the Indies and other nevve-founde landes countreys Likevvise the same Luther in his railing booke againste kinge Henry the eight thus againe prophecieth Dogmata mea stabunt Papa cadet viderit Deus vter prÃmo fessus defecerit Papa an Lutherus My opinions saieth he shall stande and the Pope shall falle lette God looke to it vvhether the Pope vvearied out or Luther shall first fayle And yet vve see that Popes liue and raigne Luther is deade descended to hell and his doctrine decaieth more and more and manie are novve vvearie of it and see more and more into his absurdities On a tyme also this man of God this greate patriarchâ— and fifte Euangeliste this secoÌ„de Elias and eight vvise man to gette him self a name Stephilus â—pol 2. Genebr chroÌ„â— 4. ann Christi 166. assaied vvhat he coulde doe in dispossessing of a deuill but it vvoulde not be the reason I thinke vvas bicause one deuill vvill not or caÌ„ not cast out an other yea the deuill so scarred Luther for attemptinge so greate a matter that the dores beinge shutte by the deuil the man of God vvas fayne to breake the vvindovves least thedeuill should teare him in peeces But peraduenture he vvill bragge of his natiuitie in deed that vvas straunge for althoughe he vvas not borne by miracle as saint Ihon Baptiste vvas yet some are of opinion that he is descended either by father or mother from the deuill him self vvho vvas incubus to his mother Fout in tract sacr de statâ— rel or succubus to his ffather Ihon Caluine also an other patriarche of the nevve Church made the like attemptes but they had the like successe Bolsec â— 13. He aggreed on a tyme for a peece of money vvith a man to fayne him self first sicke after deade and he coniured his vvife to vveepe and lament the deathe of her husbande that by her teares and lamentations the iest might seeme more probable The sicke man vvas commended at euerie preache to be praied for after vvarde the man fayned him selfe to be dead his vvife crieth out Caluine goeth a vvalkinge vvhich a great troupe and passinge by the sicke mans house demaunded as one altogeather ignorante of the matter vvhat vvas the cause of those cryes and lamentations and ansvverre beinge made that one vvas deade he entreth in falleth dovvne on his knees praieth to God to shevve his povver in raising the deade to life and their in to glorifie his seruaunte Caluine that the vvorld might knovve that he vvas the maÌ„ vvhom God had culled out to be the only man vvhoe should reforme repaire the Churche of Christe And haiunge ended his praier he takes the man by the hande commaundes him in God his name to a rise But the man after muche callinge not a risinge his vvife calleth on him also rubbes him on the side to signifie that novve vvas the tyme to rise but he neither could ansvvere nor moue but by God his inste indgment vvho neither vvill nor can vvorke a miracle to maintaine a falshoode vvas stone-deade and as colde as claye so the ieste vvas tourned into good earnest and the comedie into a tragedie vvhich his vvife perceauinge cried out on Caluine and called him a cooseninge knaue and murderer of her husbande but Caluine departeth vvith a flea in his eare saying that ouer much greef had operessed the vvife depriued her of her vvittes Vvherfore since that the nouellers can vvorke noe miracles rayse noe deade men dispossesse noe deuills foretell noe future thinges heale noe diseased not so much as a lame dogge to proue their authoritie vvhat reason haue vve to harken vnto them And if vve giue eare vnto them vvhoe maie not chalenge audience at our handes For suppose some branisicke Brovvniste some brother of the ffamilie of loue or some other if it maie be more phantasticall should preache the dreames of his drovvsic head vayne conceiptes of his idle brayne calling them nevve points of religion and reformations of the olde might he not alleage some scripture for euery fancie of his thoughe neuer so vayne and make a shevve also of proofe if he expounde it as he please might he not discannon bookes of scripture vvhich seeme to stande in his vvaie being demaunded by vvhat authoritie he taketh all this vppon him might he not saie that he is sent from Christe immediatlie And being further requested to shevve some miracles as extraordinarie signes to proue an extraordinary mission might he not easilie ansvvere and that out of scripture also that miracles are for insidells and that Luther Caluine are accepted of vvho neuer coulde so much as heale a haltinge dogge and therfore that he his preachinge cannot be refused if they theirs be admitted And so vve see that if vve accept of the reformers of this tyme as the true Apostles ministers messengers of God not vvith standinge that they can nether shevve succession for their ordinary nor miracles for their extraordinary mission vve open the gappe to all false-apostles and heretikes vvhatsoeuer the dore is open for them they maie enter in thicke threefolde into the ministerie and can not be excluded if these nevve reformers be receiued vvithout playne and palpable partialitie And so thon seest geÌ„tle reader that in Inglande and other places vvhere this nevv doctrine hath taken roote that they haue noe probable assurance of their religion by the authority of their preachers bicause they can saie noe more for proofe of their authoritie then can the false Apostles Sithence therfore thou art vvarranted that the Churche and succession of her pastours shall neuer fall nor fayle and arte forevvarned also that false prophetes shall come and saie they are sent vvhen God neuer sent them at all hovve canste thou hange thy saluation on these nevve ministers vvhome thou canst not distinguishe from false prophetes bicause they can shevve noe more probabilitie of their ordinarie or extraordinarie mission then they did and to vvhoÌ„ thou canst not giue care but thou must harken also by the same reason vnto all false propheter vvhoe canne saie as muche for them selues as thy preachers can do therfore can not be reiected if these be receiued vvith out playne partialitie The second Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers grounding their Religion on bare scripture
of scripture the iudge must needes giue senteÌ„ce for the Catholike par tie vvhich vvas the first possessour possessour euen from the Apostles of holy scripture Yea the Reformers of this age Luther and Caluin vvhen they began to preach receiued not the Bible of any of their praedicessours bicause before Luther ther vvere no Lutheranes nether vvere there Caluinists before Caluine but they found the Bible in the Catholike Romain Churche vvhich euer had the custodie of this treasure and out of this Churche they tooke the Bible else had they neuer come to the knovvledge of it and seing that they tooke it vvith out the lavvfull ovvners leaue it must needs follovv that they are theeues and noe lavvful possessours and consequently haue no right to vse it especially against the right ovvner Vvherfore if they vvill fight vvith vs vvith noe other vveapons then scriptures vve must first put them to the proofe of their title least vve admitte theÌ„ to scriptures vvho haue no right vnto them and permit them to vse our ovvn vveapon to cut our ovvn throats And seing that they can not proue them selues lavvfull possessours of scripture nether are vve bounde to dispute vvith them by scripture nether haue they any right or reason to alleage scripture against vs. But yet as I haue declared heretikes fingers itche and are neuer vvell but vvhen they are fingring of Scripturs and their tongues are neuer so glibbe as vvhen they are fauced vvith textes of scripture And vvhy thinke you do they so vvillingly alleage scripture and decide all by the bare letter of scripture Many reasons there are vvhy they do soe For first their guiltie conscience vrgeth them therevnto For as the fovvle and beautilesse mayde perceuing her defect and vvante of natural beautie is fayne to vse extrinsecal colours to make a shevv of beautie vvher in deed is none so the heretikes ether doubting in conscience of the veritie of their opinions or at least not able othervvise to defende theÌ„ from errour are coÌ„strained to vse scriptures as colours to make at least a shovve of veritie vvher in deed no veritie is to be soound Amb in â— vlt. ad Tit Fos as S. Ambrose sayeth impietie seeing authoritie to be esteemed couereth her selfe vvith the veale of scripture that vvheras by her selfe she is not acceptable byscripture she may seeme most coÌ„meÌ„dable Vvherfore Vincentius LyrineÌ„sis sayeth Supra â— 17. that heretikes herin are like to sluttes vvho perfume vvith svvet odours and pouders those things vvhich of theÌ„ selues are stinking or to those nurses vvho anointe the cuppe brimmes vvith hony to make heedles children to drinke dovvn the bitter potion or to those Apothecaries vvho vppon the boxes vvhich coÌ„tein poison vvrite the names of soueraine restauratiues for so heretikes vvith the svveet odours of scriptures perfume the ordurs of their heresies vvith the svveet hony of Gods vvord vvhich tasted to Dauidlik the hony combe Psal 11â— deceue the vnheedy and make them drinke poison in their golden cupps applying scripture to their poisonfull doctrine they make the simple to buy of them deadly poison in steed of holsome medicins that is heresies insteed of true faith and religion Let not then our Reformers bragge so much of scripture nether let them thinke to cary avvay the bucklers bicause they alleage scripture for euery thing and let not the simple people thinke them selues secure bicause their minister proueth vvhat he preacheth by scripture bicause euery heretike doth the same the deuil him selfe hathe alleaged scripture Mat. â— and vvould haue proued that Christe must cast him selfe headlong from the pinnacle if he might haue had that libertie vvhich all heretikes do take Li praescrip c. 19. that is to expound scripture as he pleaseth Vvherfore Tertulian refuseth flatly to dispute vvith heretikes by bare scripture and countes it but lippe labour And good reason had he bicause ether they vvill deny scripture vvheÌ„ they can not dravve it to their byas or they vvill expound it as they liste if it may abide glossing and so they shape not their doctrine according to scripture but rather scripture according to their doctrine yea it is so vsual a thing amongest them to discanon bookes of scripture or to dismember and may me them if they stande in their vvay that ther is almost no part of scripture vvhich by one heretike or other hathe not beene reiected or mangled Cast no 〈◊〉 Scriptura Siâ—tâ—â— l â— â— Bibl. Marcion vvas so coning in this point that Tertulian calleth him mus Ponticus the moâ—â—se of Pontus Li. â— contra Marcionem for gnavving of scriptures Cerdon denyed saint Matthevves Ghospel bicause it settes dovvn the Genealogie of Christe vvhich could not staÌ„d vvith his heresie that avouched that Christe had no true flesh Ters l praescr c. â—1 and that he vvas not truly borne Iron l. 1. c. 28. Epiph. ser â—0 The Ebionits refused saint Paules Epistles bicause they reiecte the Ievvish ceremonies vvhich those heretikes allovv ed of Prefat in Euang Cocl in vitae And vvhy did Martin Luther the Archeretike of this age disallovv of S. lames epistle but bicause it is so opposite to his solafidian iustice othervvise vvhat more certaintie hath he of saint Paules epistles then of that of sainct Iames especially he hauing noe knovvledge nether of the one nor the other but by the Romain and Catholike Church vvhich esteemeth of both alike Saint Austine vvas so farre froÌ„ doubting of the veritie of this epistle of Sainct lames that he affirmeth it to haue beene vvritten of purpose against certain heretikes vvho misconstred Saint Paules epistles V. de operibus â— 14. Infra l. vltio c. 3. as Luther and Caluin doe Vvhy dothe Luther discanon Iob Vvhy iesteth he at Ecclesiastes Vvhy contemneth he all the Glospells but saint Ihons the epistle to the Hebrevves and that of Iudas Vvhy dothe not Caluin like of Ecclesiasticus Iudith and the Machabees but bicause that these bookes are opposite to some pointe or other of their doctrine Vvhat merueil then if vve refuse to decide controuersies vvith them by bare scripture vvho if vve bring a place of scripture against them vvill deny it to be scripture though all the vvorld saye contrarie And although they admit some bookes of scripture yet those they so admitte that they vvill haue the bare letter or ioined vvith their voluntarie exposition to bee the iudge of controuersies that so they may make scriptures to speake as they liste and to giue that sentence vvhich pleaseth them For bare scripture is of a vvaxie nature and is as plyable to admit diuers expositions as vvaxe is to take diuers impressions Vvhich is the cause vvhy heretikes out of scripture so easilie can excogitate and deuise euen contrarie heresies Li â— contrae Brent Luther therfore calleth scripture the booke of heretikes and Hosius relateth hovvone compared scripture to Aesops fables bicause you may
as diuersly interpret scripture as you may moralize those fables Others calle scripture a nose of vvaxe bicause it may be vvrested and vvried euery vvaye vvhich comparisons although they bee odious and litle beseeming the maiestie of scripture yet are they true if by scripture you vnderstand the bare letter of scripture vvithout an assured interpretour as the Reformers doe For the baâ—e letter of scripture is so ambiguous may haue so many senses and meanings that it may be applyed to vvhat you vvill may be already hath been vsed for the proofe of the moste absurde heresies that euer vvere But vvhilest they alleage the bare letter of scripture for coÌ„firmation of their doctrine vvel may they so delude the vnlerned but men of learning and intelligence are vvel assured that the bare letter is no more scripture then the body of a man is a man For as the soule is the life of the body that vvhich maketh a man so the sense is the life of the vvorde and that vvhich giueth scripture life esseÌ„ce being Com. ad Gal. Vvherfore sainct Hierome sayeth that The ghlospel is not in the vvorde but in the sence not in the barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the vvords but in the roote of the meaning Let not therfore out Reformers vaunte in their pulpits that they trye their doctrine by the touchstone of scripture nether let them insulte ouer Catholikes as though they relyed only on mens decrees and Popes Bulles for if they giue vs the letter of scripture vvith the true meaning vvhich is the formal cause and life of the vvord vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God and preferre it before all the decrees and vvritinges of Pope and Church but take the true sense from it and it is no more scripture then is a man vvithout a soule bicause as the same body may be the liuing body of a man and a dead carcas also so the same letter vvith the true meaning is the vvord of God vvith a false meaning it is the vvord of the deuil As for example those vvords of our Sauiour The father is greater then I Io. 1â— taken in the right sence that is according to Christes humain nature are the true vvord of God but taken in the meaning of the Arrians vvho imagined Christe a creature inferiour euen in person to his father they are noe vvord of God but of the deuil vnlesse you vvill graunte heresie to be the vvord of God The reason of this is bicause vvords are vvordes in that they are signes of the myndes meaning and do explicate her invvard conceipt and consequently that is Gods vvord vvhich explicateth his meaning and diuine conceipt but if it explicate the mynd of the deuil or of his ministers such as all heretikes are then is it not the vvord of God but rather of the deuil Vverfore vvhen the letter of the scripture is ioyned vvith the right meaning then do vve graunt though men vvrote it that is is the vvord of God bicause it explicateh his meaning vvho spake vnto the holy vvriters in that meaning and directed their hartes and handes in the vvriting of the same Isa 1. In so much that God sayeth to Isaie Heb. 1. Behold I haue put my vvords in thy mouthe And saint Paul saieth that God diuersly and by diuers meanes spake in tymes paste vnto our forfathers in the Prophets that is in the mouche of the prophets puttiÌ„g in their mouthes that vvhich they vvere to speake and directing their hands to vvrite it For as the vital spirit of man frameth his vvordes in his mouthe and giueth them their meaning so the vvords of the prophets and other holy vvriters vvere framed in their mouthes by the spirit of God Vvhich is the very cause vvhy diuines saye that God vvas the principal speaker and vvriter of scripture and that the Prophet Apostle or Euangeliste vvas his instrument and as it vvere the pen mouthe and tongue of God Psal 44. Praefat. in Mat. 1. Li. 7. conf â— vlt l â—â— Ciuit. c. 38. Hom 10. in â—exam in that he vvas guided directed by him and his holy spirit Vvherfore Dauid vvho vvas one of these vvriters sayeth that his tongue is the penne or quill of him that vvriteth svviftly and saint Gregorie and saint Austine affirme scripture to bee the venerable stile of the holy ghost and saint Basil sayeth that not only the sense of scripture but also every vvord and tittle is inspired by the holy ghost Vvherin a difference is put betvvixte scripture and definitions of the Church Pope or Councels Bicause these are assisted by the holy ghost only that they may define the truth and so the sense of a Councells definition confirmed by the Pope is of the holy ghost but it is not necessarie that euery vvord or reason in a Councell proceed from the holy spirit of God and therfore diuines say that in a Councell that thing only is necessarilie to be beleeued vvhich the Councell of set purpose intended to define But as for other thinges vvhich are spoken incidently and as for reasons vvhich the Councel alleageth they are not of that credit although vvithout cuident cause they are not to be reiected And this is the cause vvhy the ancient fathers do vvay and ponder euery vvorde and tittle vvhich interpretours of the Councels canons or definitions do not Vverâ—ore as I sayed let them not charge vs vvith contempt of scripture for our opinion and estimation of scripture is most venerable if it be in deed scripture yea vve auouch that in it selfe it is of farre greater authoritie then is the Church or her definitions bicause though God assiste both yet after a more noble manner he assisteth holy vvriters in vvriting of scripture bicause he assisteth them infaillibly not only for the sense and veritie but also for euery vvord vvhich they vvrite and euery reason and vvhatsoeuer is in scripture vvheras he assisteth the Pope and Councell infallibly only for the sence and veritie of that vvhich they inteÌ„de to define but nether for euery vvord nor for euery reason nor for euerie thing vvhich is incidently spoken as is already declared And yet vvee say also that although scripture of it self be greater then the Church and indepeÌ„dent of her bicause not from her but from God it hathe authoritie and veritie yet the Church is better knovvn to vs then scripture and therfore though she make not scripture yet of her vve are to learne vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the meaning therof vvhich is noe more disgrace to scripture then that faint Ihon and the Apostles should giue testimonie of Christe bicause they vvere better knovvn then he though his authoritie in it selfe vvas greater theÌ„ theirs not depeÌ„ding of them yea the reformers euery one in particuler be he a Cobler is according to their doctrine to iudge by his priuate spirit vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the
scripture Vvhy retayne they a diuinitie lesson in Oxford and other Vniuersities especially novv that they haue turned the Bible into the vulgare tongue vvhich being done by the priuate spirit of the minister at the first sight it is easilie vnderstood If this be true then certainly had the ancient fathers very dull pates vvho vvith all their studie industrie prayer fasting solitude tōgues philosophie and sanctitie of life could not attain to that knovvledge of scripture in a longe lifes tyme vvhich a minister by and by getteth at the first opening of the Bible But tell me in good sadnes are you in iest or earnest vvhen you say that scripture is easie Vvhen you read the first chap. of Gen. the prophecies especially of Daniel the Psalmes of Dauid Iobes vvitty sayinges Salomons Prouerbes and Canticles sainct Paules epistles S. Ihons Apocalipse do you fynde no difficultie I can not thinke it bicause euen experience teacheth that nothing is more euident then that scripture is not euident For first the very letter and phrase of scripture is obscure and ambiguous Secondly many speeches in scripture are prophetical many parabolical many metaphorical vvhich commonly are full of obscuritie Thirdly it is proper to scripture to haue many senses vnder one letter as the literal sence vvhich the holy vvriter first intended and this sense some tymes is signified by proper vvords some tymes metaphorical yea sometymes also this literal sense vnder one letter is diuers Sometymes the sence is spiritual vvhich is that vvhich the thinges vnder the letter do signifie as for example those vvords of sainct Paule Abrahame had tvvoe sounes one of the handmayd another of the free vvoman Gal. ◠literally do signifie Abrahames tvvo sonnes bicause that the letter importeth and that first is intended but these tvvoe sonnes vvere figures of the old and nevv Testament or the tvvoe peoples vvhich liued vnder those Testaments and so this is the spiritual signification of those vvords vvhich they not immediatly but by meanes of those tvvoe sonnes do signifie And this sence is ether moral or tropological vvhen it tendeth to manners or allegorical vvhich tendeth to fayth or the Churche or anagogical vvhich tendeth to heauen or life euerlasting Vvherfore this vvorde Hierusalem literally signifieth the citie so called morally the soule of man vvhich God inhabiteth by good life or the deuil by badde allegorically the Church militant and anagogically heauen and the Churche triumphant Novv vvho is he that dareth promise to tell vs infaillibly vvhen a place of scripture is to be vnderstood literally or spiritually and in vvhat literal or spiritual meaning in c 16. Ezec. Sainct Hierome affirmeth that Apollinaris Tertulian and Lactantius and other millenarians imagined after the resurrection a reedification of the Temple and terrestrial Hierusalem and that Christ in it should raigne for a thousand yeares and vve that tyme should liue in all corporal pleasurs bicause they vndetstood certain places of scripture literally and properly vvhich should haue been vnderstood spiritually metaphorically And contrarivvise the same father ascribeth Origens errours in the exposition of the beginning of Genesis to no other cause ep ad Paul then that he imagined that the sayed chapter ought to bee vnderstood metaphorically and spiritually vvhich should haue been interpreted historically properlie and literallie And vvhat man in his vvitte can thinke it so easie to hit allvvayes of the right sense vvhere the senses are so diuerse and in vvhich so many learned men haue banguered Truly vvhen I consider vvith my selfe hovv euident a thinge it is that scriptures are hard and obscure I meruaile hovv our Reformers can persvvade thē selues that scriptures are easie and some tymes I ame induced to think that vvhen they say so they speake not as they thinke but yet vvhē I call to mynde another opiniō of theirs vvhich is that the true meaninge of scripture is that vvhich euerie ones priuate spirit imagineth I see it to be as easie to interpret scripture as to imagin vvhich is most easie bicause the imagination is free and can as vvell imagin Chimeraes as true obiectes As for example if that vvere the true meaning of Aristotle vvhich euery one vvould imagin then vvere it an easie matter for euery cobler to vnderstand Aristotle vvere he in Greek or Latin bicause he can imagin vvhat it pleaseth him vvith great facilitie And this if I be not deceued is the cause vvhy novv euery sister of the lord vvhom sainct Paule commaundeth to be silent in the Church vvill needs bee a bibliste and an interpretour of Scripture For if that bee the true sense of scripture vvhich the priuate spirit imagineth if she haue the spirit as vvhy should she not as vvel as the minister especially it being a receued doctrine amongest them that euery one by his priuate spirit can iudge of scripture vvhy may not she comment vppon the scripture and mount also into the pulpit there to preach the doctrine of her spirit But o fancies o Luciferiā pride to vvhich heresie leadeth euen the frayle and imperfect Sexe vvhich nature seemeth to haue debarred from pulpits Lib. praesc This pride Tertulian espyed in the heretical vvomen of his tyme. Ipsae mulieres hereticae quam sunt procaces quae docere audent contendere exorcismis agere curationes repromittere forsitan tingere Euen the heretical vvomen hovve malapert are they vvhich dare be so bold as to preach and to take vppon them to exorcise and to promise miraculous cures yea perhaps to baptize And vvheras Apprehētices are bound seauen yeares to an occupation to learne only a mechanical trade the arte and science of expounding scripture vvhich is the highest science that is seemeth to these subtile vvittes so easie Ep. ad Paul that as saint Hierome obserued in some of his tyme euery cobler euery olde trotte and doting foole can vvith out a Doctour fynde out the secret meaning of scripture and teach before they be taught But let them saye and beleeue if they can or vvill that scripture is easie the experience reason vvhich I haue alleaged vvill proue the contrarie And truly if hony bee hidden in the combe marovv in the bone and pretiouse stones in the sea if gold be gotten vvith labour out of the bovvels secret vaines of the earth and roses be hedged in vvith pricking thornes if nature hath hidden all perfection and naturall sciences vealed them vvith such obscuritie that vvithout great industrie they can not be discouered good reason vvas there that the mystical meanings and sacred senses of scripture should be vealed vvith an obscure letter and couered vvith many aenigmatical speeches For first by reason of this difficultie the study of scripture asketh a mās vvholle life and so keeping him occupied distracteth him from prophane idle and euil occupatiōs Secōdly the difficultie of scripture makes a man to haue a better esteem and higher conceipt of the same bicause things easily learned are easilie
men vvee shall easiilie finde out the meaning of holy scripture And seing that nothiÌ„g is more vncertayne theÌ„ vvhether vve praye as vvee ought to doe vvhether vvee bee electe or noe or vvhether vvee bee true spirituall men or noe by this rule vvee shall neuer bee assured of the true sense of scripture And vvere not I praye you sainct Austine sainct Hierom and other ffathers before mentioned the electe Saintes of God vvas it not like that if any prayed a right that they did so vvere not they liker to bee spirituall men then our fleshly ghospellers vvhom their vviues can not content Or can the reformers assure vs that they them selues are electe that thy praye iuste as thy ought to do that they are spriritual menne vvhoe haue the right spirit of interpreting scripture It follovveth therfore vvhich I intended to proue that if vve beleeue these reformers bicause they alleage scriptures according to their ovvne expositioÌ„ vvee must of necessitie giue eare vnto all false prophetes vvho can and haue already herafter vvill alleage scripture for vvhat soeuer they shall preach and so if these Reformers be admitted no heretikes nor heresies can be excluded or reiected Vvhich conclusion although it necessarily ê“pceedeth froÌ„ the premises vvhich before are layed dovvne yet to helpe the readers memoire I vvill laye theÌ„ dovvne again breefly that out of them he maye gather the intended conclusion more easily Thou must therfore gentle reader calle to mynde vvhich before is proued to vvite that it hathe allvvayes been the manner of heretikes to alleage scripture and vvith such cloakes to conceal their heresies That they had no authoritie to vse scripture against our vvilles vvhoe ar the only lavvfull possessours that all thoughe they perforce haue ever vsed them yet in very deed they gained nought therby bicause that vvorde vvich they vsed vvas no scripture and is so harde obscure and ambiguouse that vnless the meaning be first aggreed vppon it may ferue for a proofe of all heresies as hether to it hath done and seing that our reformers vse no other proofe for their doctrine but the letter of scripture interpreted at their pleasure vve can giue no credit vnto their doctrine vnlesse vve vvill allovve of all ancieÌ„t heresies nether caÌ„ vve admitte their persoÌ„s for lavvfull preachers vnless vve vvill admit also al false apostles vvho haue alvvayes alleaged scriptures for their heresies and so can not vvithout plain partialitie be reiected if our nevv pretended reformers be receiued The third Chapter treateth of the priâ—at Spirit vvhich the pretended Reformers haue made supreme iudge in earth in the interpretation of scripture vvherby as it is proued the gappe is opened to all heretikes and none can be excluded if these nevv Reformers be admitted to determine of religion by the priuat spirit SELFE-loue sayeth one is as good as guilding vvhich maketh that to seem goodly vvherin our selues be parties For as guidling maketh all to seem gold be it but stone or vvood vnderneath So selfe-loue maketh to our selues euen our selues and all our actions to seem comelie seemly be they neuer so absurd vnseemly Suum cuique pulchrum sayeth the latin adage to vvhich is ansvvearable our English prouerb Euerie man as he likes quoth the good maÌ„ to his covve To Pan his ovvne pipe and piping sounded more melodiousely theÌ„ A pollo his harpe harping Euery mayd thiÌ„kes her selfe of all to be the fayrest or if she acknovvledg any one defect in beautie she thiÌ„ks that to be counteruayld in many other perfections Euery mother deems her ovvne children the most vvel fauoured to euery henne her ovvn chicken is most pleasing yea euery ovvle and crovv thinkes her ovvn youngone fayrer better fethered then the vvhite doue hauke or Eagle Artizanes prayse most their ovvne vvorkemanship Poets price their ovvn poemes at the highest rate euery scholer thinks his ovvn vvitte most pregnaunt and euery doctour preferres his ovvne books vvritinges before all other Yea all men by nature not ruled by reason nor corrected by grace fall most vvilling ly in loue vvith their ovvn coÌ„ceipts and the broods and youngones of their ovvn deuising vvitts The reason herof is ovvne selfe to vvhich as euery one is more near then to another so is he most addicted and affected For to our selues vve are one to others vve are only vnited and so first vve like our selues our ovvne doings next of all those and their actions vvho arnearest and most vnited vnto vs. Vvherfore although in that God is the cheefest good and goodness it selfe hee should by all reason be first and best beloued yet bicause he is not so neere vnto vs as vve are to our selues vve giue the may denhead and prime of our affection vnto our selues l. de diligende Deo This sainct Bernarde in his book vvhich hee made of the loue of God obserued longe since Imprimis sayeth hee diligit hemo seipsum propter se caro quippe est nihil sapere valet praeter se cumque se videt persenon posse subsistere Deum sibi quasi necessariâ—m incipit diligere at verò cum Deum coeperit occasione propriae necessitatis colere diligere Deus illi dulcessit sie gustando quam suauis est Dominus transit ad tertium gradum diligit Deum propterse First of all man loveth him selfe for him selfe bicause he is flesh and can like of nothing but him selfe and vvhen he seeth that of him selfe he can not stande he beginnes to loue God as a thing necessarie vnto him but vvhen he beginneth to loue God vppon occasion of his ovvn necessitie then God beginneth to vvax svveet vnto him and so by tasting hovv svveet God is he passeth to the third degree and loueth God for him selfe And as vve loue our selues and our ovvn thinges best so doth this selfe loue blynde vs and hide from our ovvne eyes our ovvne defectes Vverfore Demosthenes vvas vvont to saye that it is a most easie thig to deceiue our selues for vvhile vvee desire especially to haue our ovvn actions liked vve easilie persuade our selues that they are to be liked l 9. de leg â— p. And therfore Plato counsayleth euery man to flye this vice of selfe loue vvhich the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to bee ashamed to learne of others especially vvhen they are our betters Novv if euer any vvere sick of this disease it is the heretike especially of our tyme vvho preferreth his ovvne opinion before the common coÌ„sent of fathers and his ovvne priuate and particular spirit before the common spirit of the Churche vvho thoughe a generall councel in vvhich all the grauitie sanctitie vvisdom and learning of the Church is assembled together define the contrary vvill neuer chaunge his opinion but vvill prefer his ovvne particuler opinion and priuate spirite before all councelles fathers ages Churches and he but one vvil stande against all and he but one vvill be
iudge of all in interpretation of scripture and vvill be iudged of none l. â— cont haer â— 2 This intolerable pride self loue of their ovvne opinions Sainct Ireneus auoucheth to bee a common disease amongest heretiques Vnusquisque sayeth he fictionem quam à semetipso adinaenit illam esse sapientiam dicit seque indubitate incontaminate sincere absconditum scire mysterium Euery one sayeth that his ovvne fiction vvhich he hath deuised is vvisdome and that he vndoubtedly incontaminatly and sincerely doth knovv the hidden mysterie A rius that famous or rather infamous heretike not for spoiling Dianaes temple but for robbing Christ of his diuinitie vvas so vvise in his ovvne conceipte Nic l. 8. c. 7. l. 4 c. 12. that he thought none of the ancient fathers vvorthy to be compared vvith him Aetius another souldiour of Lucifers baÌ„de vvas vvonte to say that he knevv God as vvell as he knevv him selfe Theodoreth l 4. her fab Manicheus bragged that he vvas not only an Apostle of Christe Aug. cont ep fund but also a Paraclete Nestorius eloquent indeed though not so svveet in vttering Socr l. 2.3.22 as forvvard to come to the vtteraunce took such pleasure therin that he had noe mynde to read the ancieÌ„t fathers But to leaue the olde and to come to our nevv-borne heretikes you shall see that in this selfe loue and liking of their ovvn opinioÌ„s they degenerate not a iotte from their ancetours Luther seing him selfe oftentymes to be pressed vvith the old fathers authority preferreth his ovvne priuate opinion before their common sentence and decree and blusheth not a vvhit at the matter Li cons. â—â—gem Angl. Nihilcuro sayeth he si mille Augustini mille Cipriam mille Ecclesiae contra me sentiant I care not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Ciprianes a thousand Churches thinke othervvise then I do Pro l. lib constatutâ— Eâ—clesiae And in a nother place Doctrinam meam sayeth he nolo iudicari à quoquam necab Episcopis nec ab Angelis ommbus volo per eam Angelorum iudex esse I vvill not haue my doctrine iudged of any nether of Bishops nor of all the Angells I vvill by my doctrine be iudge euen of the Angels And againe in another booke of his L do sâ—râ—â—â— arbierâ—â— Ego sayeth he in hoc libro non contuli sed asserui assero net penes vllum iudicium esse volo sed omnibus suadeo vt praestent obsequium I haue not conferred in this booke but I haue affirmed and I affirm nether vvill I that any man iudgè herof but I counsayle all to obey myn opinion But especially he triun pheâ—liâ—n another place of the afore sayed booke vvhich he vvrote against Henry the eight I oppose sayeth he the ghospel but expounded as hee pleaseth against the sayinges of fathers and Angeles as though Angeles vver in opinion coÌ„trary to the ghospell Here I stand here I remain here I glorie here I triumphe here I insulteagainst the Papistes Thomistes Henricistes Sophistes and all the sayings of men though neuer so holy See hovv this man pleaseth him self in his ovvn opinion and hovv he preferreth it before all men and Angeles For all though he vvill seeme to preferre only the ghospelle before them yet seing that the controuersie is not betvvixte scriptures fathers bicause the fathers reuerenced scriptures more then euer Luther did but vvhether Luther or they expounded scripture most righthy hee in deed preferreth him selfe before all the fathers that euer vvere and in conceipt triumpheth ouer them all but before the victorie Caluin also in this selfe pleasing opinion shovveth him self as bragging and Thrasonicall as Luther for his harte and conteÌ„deth vvith him vvho shall stout it most l. 4. Inst. â— 9 Nulla Conciliorum sayeth he Pastorum Fpiscoporum nomina nos impedire debent quo minus omnes omnium spiritus ad diuini verbi regulam exigamus No names of Councells Pastours Bishops ought to hinder vs from examining the spirits of all men by the diuine vvord And in another chapter of the same book c 〈…〉 explicating those vvords of scripture This is my body in a contrary sense to the Lutheranes he sayeth that he having by diligeÌ„t meditatioÌ„ examined those vvordes doth imbrace that sense vvhich the spirit telleth him Mat. 26. and leaning to this sayeth he I despise thevvisaoÌ„ of all meÌ„ vvhich can bee opposed against mee See see the pride of an heretike may not Luther and euery false prophet say that he hath vsed diligence and that the spirit telles him the contrary Vvere not the fathers as diligent as Caluin as Vvise as learned and as vertuouse vvho expounded those vvordes in their proper sense No no one Caluin in his ovvn conceipt surpasseth them all and his opinion and priuat spirit must take the place and vpper hand of all the Austines Ambroses Gregories Hieromes of all the Councells yea and Churches allso all though they vvere thousands in number Virg. Aeneid 9. Ouid. meo 1. Of these mens priuate spirits may be sayed that of the Poet Sua cuique Deus fit dira cupido Euery ones cruel lust is his God Sibi quisque profecto est Deus Euerie one truly is to him selfe a God For these men especially vvho preferre their priuat opinions before Fathers Councells Churches yea and Angells also Vvhat do they but adore the idolls of their ovvne imaginations as their God Truly these men vvhich are not sicut caeteri homines like other men at ether goddes or beasts and that by the sentence of Aristotle the prince of Philosophers For if by this philophers verdit solitarie men or rather haters of societie vvhom the Grecians vse to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee other gods or sauage beasts vvhat are these men vvhoe flying allvvayes the company and common consent of Christians vâ—ill go alone in all their opinions and symbolize or sorte them selues vvith no men But this it is to leaue the Catholike Church vvhich vvhen the heretike forsaketh he bidds adevv to all fathers councells antiquitie and commoÌ„ consent vvhich only are to be founde in this Charch and must of necessirie stande post-alone and stick to his priuat spirit opinion against all the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld I vvould saint Bernard had been to deale vvith these singular spirits but bicause he is ridde of these troublesom companions vve vvill at least alleage his vvords vvhich he once vsed against one Petrus Abailardê° possessed vvith the same euill spirit vvho sayed that man vvas not deliuered by Christe from captiuitie of the deuill and although sayeth he the doctours of the Church think the coÌ„trary yet other vvise it seemeth vnto me Vvhat sayeth sainct Bernard shall I deem more intolerable in these vvords Epist â—â—0 blasphemie or arrogancie Vvhat more damnable rashnes or impietie Vvere it not more meete that such a mouth should be bobbed and beaten vvith stones then refuted by reasons doth
doth and all the Luthers in the vvorld can not proue that all the fathers held any one opinion against scripture but the question must be vvhether Luther or all the fathers did best vnderstand the scripture and therfore if Luther hold against the fathers in exposition of scripture he preferreth him selfe before them all As for example Luther alleageth scripture to disproue free vvill all the fathers alleage scripture to proue it and Luther expoundes scripture one vvay they another else they could not both alleage scripture for contrarie doctrine Vvherfore if Luther sayeth that he expoundeth scripture truly and therfor cares not for all the fathers he preferreth his ovvne iudgment before them all and so can not ansvvere that argument grounded in the fathers authoritie nor comfort him selfe vvith this that he forsooth hath the vvord of God vvhich is aboue theÌ„ all And so Luther must giue vs leaue to come vppon him vvith his ovvn argument vvhich he shall neuer ansvver The Church from the begiÌ„ning hathe taught and expounded scripture other vvise then thou doest so many Austines Ambroses Ciprianes Councells and ages haue preached other vvise Are they all deceiued hast thou only found out the truth What if thou rather arte deluded Thou art but one they are many thon art of late they of ancient standing thou a sinner they saintes thou some scholler but they vvere learned doctours thou hast a vvitte but all their vvittes vvere of a greater reach thou seest some thing but so many eyes must needs haue a greater insight Thou hast studyed scripture but they more thou hast vvatched at thy booke but they in night-studie haue spent more oyle then thou though thou peraduenture more vvine theÌ„ they thou alleagest scripture for thy doctrine they for the coÌ„trarie And so their iudgemeÌ„t must be preferred before thine coÌ„sequeÌ„ly theirs shal be the true doctrine they the true Pastours theirs the true Churche so ours novv is the true Christiane religion vvee the right Christianes vvho aggree vvith those fathers and the Church of vvhich they vvere pastours and preachers and Luther and the reformers vvho vvill haue noe parte vvith the fathers are no members of the true Churche bicause the ancient fathers and the true Churche vvere neuer yet separated but alvvayes vvent together The first point being proued vve vvill come to the secoÌ„d in vvhich I shall proue that in reiecting fathers they open the gapp to all heretiques vvho may say vvhat they vvill as the reformers do if that authoritie be contemned But first it shall not be amisse to declare vvhat authoritie the fathers haue vvhether they haue infaillible assistaunce of God to expound scriptures righthly for if they haue not nether are Catholiques assured of their fayth by their authoritie nether do the heretiques open the gappe to heresies by reiecting their authoritie vvhich if it be not infallible may it self also authorise and countenaunce heresie Ephes â— Sainct Paule sayeth that God hathe prouided vs of some Apostles some Prophets others Euangelists others Doctours Pastours to the consummation of saintes to the vvorke of the ministerie vnto the edifying of the body of Christ that if for the instruction of his Church Vvhere the first place is giuâ—n to Prophets Apostles and EuaÌ„gelistes vvho vvrote the scripture in the second place follovv doctours and pastours bicause their office is not to vvrite scripture but to interpret it And the reason is yeelded vvhy these doctours are giuen vnto vs least that vvee should vvauer like childrem and be caryed about vvith euery vvind of the doctrine of men Ibidem Novv if all the pastours and doctours vv ch vve call fathers should of could erre then vvere they not appointed to keepe their sheep from vvaÌ„dering rather should they be the cause of their errour for the sheepe must here the voice of their pastours and so if the pastours erre the sheepe must erre vvith them if they vvander the sheepe vvho knovv nothing but by their pastours can not keepe the right vvaye And if thou saye that in case of errour the people must leaue the pastours I demaund of thee hovv they shall knovv vvheÌ„ the pastours erre vvho knovve nothing but by the voice of their pastours And suppose they should leaue their pastours then is the frame of the body of Christes Church dissolued and the members are separated from the head and the Church is a headless body then do they leaue the salte by vvhich they should be salted and preserued from corruption in religion Mat. 5. Then do they leaue the ligt by vvhich they should be illuminated Mat. 2â— And hovv then is that true vppon Moyses chear sit the Scribes and Pharisies do those thinges vvhich they saye are the pastours of the Church of lesse authoritie then the pastours of the synagogue If they can erre then is it not true vvhich Christe sayed vvhoe heareth you heareth me vnless you vvill say that Christe allso may erre in them and vvith them But our heretiques vvill say that all the fathers are men I graunte it but they are men directed by the holy ghost and Christ vvas a man and yet not only as God but as man also he could not erre and the vvriters of scripture as Moyses and Salomon and the prophetes of the olde lavve and the Apostles and Euangelistes in the nevv lavve vvere men and yet they erred not nor could not erre vnlesse vve vvill call scripture in question But vvhere saye they read you that the fathers haue the infallible affistaunce in exposition of scripture Vvhere I read that they are light that they are salte that they are pastours to vvhom vvhen vvee harken vve harken to Christ Mat. â—â— Io. 21. Vvher I read that vve must doe vvhat they say vvhere I read that the Church caÌ„ not erre vvhich must follovve her pastours vvhere I read that the Church vvhich learneth all of her pastours is a piller of truthe 2. Tim. â— But some fathers haue erred I graunte it but neuer all aggreed in one errour together neuer all the fathers of all ages yea not all of one age for to these also vve must harken haue conspired in an vntrutrh And I demauÌ„de of our reformers Vvhether they bee not men also And I thinke they vvill not denye it If they be men I aske vvhether they can not erre in expounding scripture If they can then haue nether they nor others by them any assuraunce If they can not erre bicause euery one of them hathe the spirit Then say I that more probable it is that so many spirits of the fathers conspiring in one can not erre then that noe particuler and priuate spirit can erre especially seing that these priuate spirites are diuerse and contrarie and vve haue noe more assuraunce of one then another Iudge novv gentle reader vvhether that the Catholiques religion vvhich is conformable vnto the fathers and pastours of the Churche be the sincere christian religion or
amply Truth allso is the daughter of tyme vv ch in tyme bringes the truth to light and therfore vve are most prone to beleene olde men to vvhome longe tyme brings great experience and vvee vvell imagin that to bee true vvhich for a longe tyme hath been holden for true And bicause many men see more they one alone vve count the voice of many men the voice of God and vve reuerence that for a veritie vvhich most men haue auerred Rom. 1â— and lastly bicause all authoritie is of God and men in office are appointed by him to gouerne vve are ready to thinke that God especially directeth theÌ„ vvho haue charge not only of them selues but of others also vvhich is the very cause vvhy vve vse to reuereÌ„ce superiours decrees vnless vve see a manifest absurditie in them If then the reformers vvill haue vs to forsake old pastours and to harken vnto nevv if they vvill haue vs abiure old religion and imbrace a nevv let them shevv vs greater authoritie then that of the ancient fathers else vve haue no reason to preferr them and their doctrine before old doctours and old religion But this they can neuer doe and so they can neuer bynde vs in reason to accept of their religion For if vve compare them vvith the olde and ancient fathers in all the meanes alleaged by vvhich credit and authoritie is gotten vve shall finde them to come shorte by many furlongs in euery one of theÌ„ And first for vvitt and learning I think nether Luther nor Caluine nor any of them all vnless theyr faces be brasen haue the face to compare vvith the ancient fathers For they vvere Gregories Austins Ambroses Basilles Hieromes Cirilles and such like vvho vvrote more then euer they read and studied more then euer they loytered and vvere in all literature so learned that the reformers vvere scarse vvorthy to cary their bookes after them And allthough Luther and Caluin vvanted not altogether learning yet they came short of these men And as for their follovvers vv ch vvere neuer trayned vp in our schooles vvell may they prattle in Greeke and florish in a fevve vayne latin phrases yet solid learning ether in diuinitie or philosophie they haue not Let the vniuersities of Oxford and Cambridge of Basill and other places let the confraternitie of Geneua shevv vs a Bellarmine Baronius Molin Suares Vasques Bannes Gregorie of Valence an Allene Hatding Bristovve Gregory Martin Stapleton if they can Vvhat vvorkes haue they set out coÌ„parable to the bookes of these Catholique vvriters Let an in different reader pervse the learnedest booke of these reformers Ievvel Plessis he shall see in them false allegations of fathers corruptions of scriptures fathers and councells lyes impostures affirmations vvithout proofes vvordes vvithout matter praeterea nihil and nothing else As for vertue if they haue any modestie remayning they vvil not being guiltie of so vicious liues make any comparison vvith the former fathers vvho by the common report of all vvere saintes and their vvritinges miracles almesdeedes fastinges austere penaunce prayer chastitie mortification contempte of the vvorld and such like vvill testifie no lesse And althoughe they may obiect that many amoÌ„gest vs also haue liued viciously yet vvee can giue theÌ„ herin a ma nifest differeÌ„ce For first the first founders of our religioÌ„ vvere meÌ„ of great perfectioÌ„ as the Apostles their successours in the primitiue Churche yea as the planters of religion in euery countrie vvere l. 1. c. 23. 26. Read sainct Bede and you shall see that the benedictines vvhome S. Gregorie sent into our country to recall vs from idolatrie vvere Sainctes moued mâ—â—e the kinge by their holy coÌ„uersatioÌ„ theÌ„ by their preaching and miracles And yet euen the first of these nevve families the first preachers of this reformation euen Luther and Caluin then selues vvere notorious and infamous for euil life Luther vvas an Apostata he maried a Nonne he liued beast-like dyed accordingly for after a merry and a moyst supper he vvas found dead the next morning in his bedde vvith his tongue hanging out Caluin liued like an epicure serued his belly for his God he vvas a man giuen to reuenge puffed vp vvith pride and ambition True it is hee caryed markes on his backe but not such as saint Paule caryed but such as the minister of iustice noted him vvith all for his abominable lethery â—â—lsec in vita qius Gen. l. 4. an Christi â—â—66 and as he liued so hee dyed an Herodes death bicause lise vvere his executioners Secondly although many be badde amongest vs yet I thinke moe amongest them Thirdly euill life amongest vs is a fault of our ovvne peruerse vvill and nature but amongest them it is the frute of their doctrine vvhich as by many arguments I shall proue hereafter leadeth and induceth vnto all dishonestie In the seuenth booke Lastly they vvhich amongest vs lead a viciouse life are neuer amended by comming vnto you vvhich experience hath taught proued in some loose Catholiques vvho partely for feare partely for libertie haue repayred vnto you For they vvere soe farre from being reformed by you that so long as they conuersed vvith you they fell dayly from one vice to another and neuer stayed till they came to the depthe of iniquitie And yet vve haue seeÌ„ many vvilde GallauÌ„tes loose in life and rioutouse in coÌ„uersation vvho after that they bee admitted into our Church ad societie and instructed in our fayth and religion do cast of all euil customes become modest in behauiour temperat sober and vvho before feared nether sinne nor God nor the deuill vvaxe scrpulous and fearfull of conscience and vvho before could not spare one halfe hovver in a day for prayer thiÌ„ke novve vvholle dayes to short a tyme. Yea you seem to giue good life vnto vs. For you vvill trust our vvord more then an obligation of one of your ovvn secte and if you see a man milde modest chaste temperate giueÌ„ to prayer fasting almesdeeds vpright in all his actions and exemplair in conuersation you suspect him for a papiste Yea vvhen our preests vvould the better escape your Pursiuauntes they must fayne then selues in out vvard shevv and habit to be roistours ruffions and dissolute companions as though vice vvere the badge of your religion As for number vvee exceed them by many countries and ages in vvhich they neuer liued and for one nevv minister vvee haue hundredâ— of ancient pastours and learned fathers For antiquitie although they fayne an inuisible Church before Martin Luther yet as I haue proued in the first chapter and shall again herafter their preacher are vp startes theyr doctrine is as younge and vvheras vve can shevv a succession of our religion and pastours for the space of sixteen hundred years euen from the A postles they can deriue their pedegree noe higher then from Martin Luther Lastly our doctours vvere pastours and boare great offices in
of their ovvne kinges but of straungers also hamely by the kinges of Asia and that ther vvas neuer doubt of this till the Samaritanes made a schisme After that Andronicus had tolde this tale the proloquutours of the Samaritanes beganne to speake but being demaūded to shovv the like antiquitie and succession they could not but rather vvere enforced to bevvray their infancie and the reuolte vvhich longe after that God had beene vvorshipped in Hierusalem they made from the Ievves Vvherfore the king pronounceth sentence for the Ievves and declareth them to be the right vvorshippers the Temple to be the right place vvhere the Ievvish religion vvas to be exercised If in like manner before the like Iudge I for the ancient Catholique religion and some one of the ministerie for the nevv religion vvere appointed proloquutours for vvhom thinkest thou gentle reader vvould the sentence be pronounced If I should beginne to shevv a succession of our pastours and religion by all histories and monuments euen from the Apostles Iren. l. ◠c. 3. If I should shevve a catalogue out of Ireneus of all the Popes from sainct Peter to Eleutherius l. ◠cont Donatist Epist 16◠out of Optatus vnto Damasus out of sainct Austin vnto Anastasius out of Eusebius Genebrard and others euen vnto these dayes and that in this succession by noe Historiographer vvas euer noted any chaunge or falle in Church or religion If I should proue out of the same histories that this ancient catholike Church vvas that vvhich vvas persequuted by the euill Emperours and aftervvards enriched by Constantine and other good Kings and princes that for this Church Churches and monasteries vvere builded that in this Church all the generall Councells vvere holden that by this Church all heretikes vvere condemned that this Church vvas euen by paganes counted the only christiane Church that all anciēt fathers doctours Martyres Saintes vvere mēbers of this Church should I not incline the Iudge to my parte If vvhen I had doone some one of the Ministery should rise vp and beginne to tell his tale and saye that all the ancient Christians vvere deceiued and liued in errour and ignoraunce vntill that Luther or Zuinglius or Caluin like so many sonnes appeared in our horizont that the religion of these men is the reformed religion thoughe it vvas neuer hard of before And if being by me demaunded hovv their preachers proued their mission he could alleage no proofe at all or being asked hovve they proued their religion he should ansvvere by scripture sensed by his priuate spirit vvhich allvvayes hath been the proofe of all heresies and being commaunded by the Iudge to shevv if their Church bee Christian a succession of their bishopes preachers and practise of religion he should fly vnto an inuisible Churche or saye that the Churche Christian decayed quite after the Apostles tyme and yet could nether tell the tyme nor the occasion of so notoriouse a fall nor alleage one historiographer that vvriteth of so great a mutation in the vvorld If I should tell the first tale and he the second for I see not vvhat better ansvvere hee can make for him selfe thinkes not thou gentle reader that the iudge vvould ansvvere that although hee beleeued not at all in Christe or his religion yet that it seemed most probable that Catholikes are the true Christianes and that their Churche is the place of the practise of this religion as the Tēple of Hierusalem vvas of the Ievvishe seruice and vvorship of God If thē there be no probable reason by vvhich these Reformers can persuade vs to their reformatiō there is noe reasō vvhy vve should forsake our ancient pastours to follovv them vnless vve vvil byndeour selues also to harken vnto all false prophetes preach they neuer so absurde improbable doctrine and so open the gappe vnto all heretikes and heresies The Sixt Chapiter proveth that they haue noe Iudge in matters of religion and so do open the gappe to all heretikes vvho may preache vvhat they list if ther be noe iudge to contrelle them AS yet ther vvas neuer seen any societie vvell ordered vvere it great or litle but some gouernour or moderatour ruled and menaged the same for many men as they haue many heades so haue they diuers opinions and as they are of different complexions and constitutions so are they of diuerse conceipts and inclinations and therfor vvill neuer aggree in one vnless they be directed and commanded by one or at least by diuerse vvhich aggree in one Vvherfore vve see that every kingdom hath his king euery dukedome a duke euery common vvelth a magistrate euery Citie a Maiour or Baily euery army a Generall yea euery village allmoste hathe a constable euery familie a good man of the hovvse euery schole a scholemaister And shall not the Church of god the societie of his faythfull and chosen seruauntes haue a visible head to direct it and a Iudge to rule it by lavves and gouern it by authoritie Or shall vve think that he hath left that societie vv ch hee calleth his spouse vvhich he loued so dearly that he dyed for it as a kingdom vvith out a kinge a Citie vvith out a maiour an army vvith out a Generall a shipp vvith out a Pilot a fold vvith out a pastour or a body vvith out a head No no I vvarraunt you he that descended from heauen to earth to establish this spiritual kingdome and shedd his blood to enrich it hath vvell prouided for the gouernment of the same and so vvell that therby you shall perceiue the skill and vvisdome of the Gouernour And truly if by the effect vve may take a scantling of the cause the good ly order the firme peace and longe continuance of the Church vvill beare vvitnesse of a most prudent princes gouuernement For as diuerse stones in a building could neuer haue kept that order as to make a goodly pallace had not some intelligent vvorkeman disposed them so this goodly order Hierarchie in the Church could neuer haue beene established had not some prince and gouuernour put euery subiect in his roome and place And as many stringes or voices can neuer make one musicall harmonie vnless some coning musician tune the stringes and giue vnto euery voice his tone so shall many people of diuerse dispositions nations sexes conditions such as are in the Church neuer liue in peace free from iarres discords vnless ther be a Superiour to tune these diuerse natures a head to direct these diuerse membres of the body of the Church And as the Sheep vvhich vvant a Shep heard can not longe keep together but are like to vvander and to come in daunger of the vvolfe as an armie can not longe vvithstand the enemie vnless some Generall appoint and commannud euery souldiour to his standing and as the Shippe is neuer any longe tyme free from sandes or rockes vvhen the mariner is absent so could neuer the Church of Christ especially
that his fayth might not fayle and bicause he hathe suprem authoritie vvhich all Catholike Bishops haue euer acknovvledged he hathe called many Councells and determined many controuersies and vvhilest the Church euer standeth to his Iudgement vvhich neuer yet vvas contrary to it is selfe she enuoyethe great peace and vnitie in faythe and religion vvher as the ghospellers bicause they haue noe visible head could neuer call Councells neuer aggree vppon any one point of religion vvhich vvas before in controuersie and neuer shall hereafter bicause matters of religiō are hard and therfore vvher ther-are many heads there are many opinions vvhere are many opiniōs there are many cōtradictions so no peace nor vnitie bicause noe one supreme visible iudge to determine And as for vvant of a visible Iudge they can not appease dissensiōs after they are arisen so can they not preuēt them For if ther be noe visible Iudge euerie Cock-brain may preach his ovvne fancies for true fayth and religion and no man shall controlle him nor condemne his doctrine nor forbid his preaching bicause if ther bee no visible Iudge no man hath the authoritie so the gapp is open to all false prophetes vvho may enter into the nevve Church thicke and three fold bicause noe man therin is of authoritie to forbid them vvhence it follovveth that if vve accept of the nevv religiō and incorporate our selues to the nevv Church vve expose our selues to all false prophetes vvho may preach vvhat they please bicause no man hath authoritie to controlle them THE SECOND BOOK CONTEYNETH A SVRuey of the Markes of heretikes vvhich are proued to aggree so fitly vnto the professours of the nevv religion that if euer ther vvere any heretikes they are heretikes The first chapter handleth the first marke of an heretike vvhich is his breach vvhich he maketh out of that Church vvhich is commonly counted the true Christian Church THEY say commonly that although the deuill disguise him self neuer so much yet by one marke or other he bevvrayeth him selfe For although sometymes hee inueste him selfe in the habit of a younge gallaunte or of a mortifyed religiouse man yea although in out vvard shovve he transforme him selfe into an angell of light yet so it happeneth and I think bicause God vvill haue it so that by one marke or other he is discouered For ether his staring eyes or stinking sauour or horned head or forked feet or base voice discryeth this gallaunt creature to be not as he seemeth but as he is indeed a fovvle and deformed mēber of the deuill vvho though he shrovvd him selfe vnder the goodly name of a christian and vvrapp lapp him selfe from top to toe in the innocent habit of a pastour Vincent Lytin ◠contra proph heres nouit c 36. vvhich is scripture and the vvord of God yet by one marke or other yea not by one only but by many he descrieth him selfe to be as he is an heretike And the reason is bicause the counterfet neuer attayneth vnto the perfection of the currant and arte though she may imitate nature yet shall she allvvayes be vvanting in one thing or other The counterfet gold of the Alchimistes hath a great resemblaunce vvith the true gold but ether the sound or vvayte or operation vvill proue the old prouerbe to be true that all is not gold that glisters Appelles paīted grapes on a boyes head so liuelie that the byrds pecked at them but yet arte came short of nature for if the boye had been painted as vvell as nature frameth her vvorkes the byrds vvould not haue been so imboldned yea the grapes vvanted some thing for at least by pecking the byrds perceiued that all is not grapes that seemeth so Lysippus could in marble stone make so goodly a portrait of a man that he vvould shevv euery bone vaine and vvrincle vvith all proportion but the vvant of life and motion vvell declared vvhere in arte vvas enforced to yeeld to nature Vvherfore let the heretike counterfett neuer so coningly let him vse all the arte possible to shevv him selfe a sincere and true Christian yet the counterfet must come shorte of the currant and arte must yeeld to nature and hee in one point or other vvill bevvray him self to bee no true christian vvhich he professeth him selfe to bee but a faythless heretike vvhich he vvould not seem to bee And the first mark by vvhich he is bevvrayed is his breach vvhich he maketh out of the Church and Christian societie For as the vvandring sheep vvas once of the fold and the rebell vvas once a subiect and the bovve cut of once liued and florished in the tree so heretikes especially Arch-heretikes vvere at least for the most part once sheep of Christes fold subiectes of his kingdome and members of his body the Church Vvherfore sainct Ihon giues vs this mark to knovv an heretike by Ex nobis prodierunt l. Io. 8. sed non erant ex nobis They vvent out from vs but they vvere not of vs. That is they liued amongest vs for else they could not haue gone out yet so that they vvere not vvorthy our company and therfor as rotten bovves are soone broken of so they vver soone shaken of and took occasion to go from vs vvho before for their euill life in desert vvere none of vs. Or else to follovv another exposition Aug tract 3. in cp 10. they vvere emongest vs in out vvard shevve bicause they frequented sacraments vvith vs but they vvere heretikes in mynde and so none of vs and therfore they vvēt out from vs. They vvere in the Church but as euill humours in mans body and therfor vvere to be expelled bicause they vvere hurtfull to the body and no part of the substaunce For commonly heretikes liue some tyme secret befor they open and disguise them selues and so before they vvēt out from vs openly they vvere none of vs secretly Or else according to another interpretation they vvere once amongest vs and like true Christianes liued vvith vs Aug tract ◠〈◊〉 10. but euen then vvhen they vvere by present fayth and iustice mēbers of our Church God forsavv by his diuine foresigt that they vvould not continevv amongest vs and therfor they vvent out from vs bicause euen then vvhen they vvere amongest vs they vvere none of vs finally to perseuer vvith vs not that God his presciēce vvas the cause but bicause he forsavv vvhich vvas to be that is that they vvhich vvere as yet of our societie vvere of their ovvn free vvill to leaue vs and so in God his foresight vvere finally none of our company So that one euident marke of an heretike is that he makes a breache out of the body of the Churche of vvhich hee ether vvas or seemed to bee a member The same marke sainct Paule giueth vs also to knovve an heretike vvhen he sayeth that Some shall depart from the fayeth 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. and that some are accoustumed to
his institutions l. 1. ◠14. §. 12. l. 3. c. 20. §. 20. Roding l cot Schol Iesuit And one Vvilliam Roding in a booke or libel vvhich he made against the schooles of Iesuits for their teaching and bringing vp of youthe especially is disliked of heretikes bringes in the blessed virgin speaking in this manner Leaue of this saluting me and in saluting me to honour me leaue of vvorshipping of Saints and those that are dead vvee detest thy salutations and prayers vvhere thou arte vvhat thou doest or vvhether thou beest a liue or dead vve knovv not and vve care not so farre are vve frō hearing thy prayers Cal. l de ref mag cént 4. c. 6. col◠36. As for images and reliques of Christe his mother and his saintes they detest them and therfore Luther vvisheth that all relikes vvere buried in the earth Ser. de Cruce yea their breaking and defacing of images and their burning of reliques argevveth their mynde and opinion in these matters sufficiently Ex Cocl l. 3. hist. Hussit Vvherin they imitate Hierome of Prague vvho pulled dovvn the Crucifix and defiled and abused it and yet reteined Vviclephs picture crovvned vvith a diademe for so these men thinke the best place of their hovvse not good enoughe for Luthers and Caluins pictures and yet deface and defile the images of Christe his mother and his Saincts But they say that this they doe for pure loue and honour tovvards Christe vvho should bee highly iniuried if any but hee should bee honoured Deut 6. Mat. 4. 1. Tim. 1. and they haue a vvarrant for the same out of gods ovvn vvord Thou shalt adore thy lord god and him only thou shallt serue And againe To God only honourand glorie But yet bicause scripture can not be contrary to reason and much less to it selfe they should haue soughte meanes to haue expounded those vvords rather then to haue fallē into these grosse absurdities for the same God vvho commaundeth to adore and serue him only commaundeth vs to honour our parents and to serue our masters And reason teachethe vs that if vve honour and loue God vve must respecte his frends and those that he respecteth for the prouerb must needs be true Loue me loue myne bicause it is grounded in reason and the very nature of frendship Vvherfore I ansvver that God is aiealouse God and therfore vvill haue suprem honour and affection giuen vnto him selfe only bicause he only hath supreme soueranitie vvhich only the alleaged places do proue but if it be lavvfull to make this argument God only must haue supreme honour ergo saincts must haue none at all It may also be as vvel inferred that nether our parentes nor our Princes must be honoured or affected Let therfore the reformers calle to mynde that to excellencie and dignitie honour is devve therfore seing that ther are three kinds of excellencies vvell haue the diuines distinguished three kinde of honours or vvorships The first excellencie is increate and supreme vvhich is proper to God and therfore to him is devv supreme honour vvhich is called Latria and to giue this honour to any creature is idolatrie The second is called morall or ciuill excellencie vvhich consisteth in authoritie morall vertue and learning or such like and to this is devv a ciuill honour vvhich vve giue to Princes and superiours and morall-honest men and learned men for authoritie vertue and learning are to be respected The third excellencie is supernaturall vvhich consistethe in grace sanctitie and glorie to this is devv a religiouse honour yet bicause this excellēcie is infinitely inferiour to gods excellencie vve must giue vnto it a religious but yet a farre inferiour honour And vvith this honour our blessed lady sainct Ihon Baptiste sainct Peter sainct Paule and other Saincts vvhilest they liued deserued to bee respected and sithence that their sanctitie is noe less in heauen then it vvas in earthe they are noe less after death to be honoured then they vvere liuing And therfore as Ciuile honour giuen to Princes learned and morall men derogateth not to Gods honour bicause it is inferiour so nether dothe this religiouse honour bicause it is inferiour But Caluin sayeth that religious honour is only devve to God This he affirmeth but he can not proue it and therfore I deny it and vvill proue the contrarie For religion is a vertue vvhich giueth to god supreme vvorshippe and to Saincts and holy thinges inferiour honour and so respecteth euery one in his kinde To God this vertue giues a supreme honour called Latria to the Saincts an inferiour honour called Dulia to the blessed virgin bicause she farre excellethe the other Saincts it giueth an honour inferiour to Latria but superiour to Dulia vvhich diuines calle Hyperdulia And I vvould demaund of Caluin if Saincte Ihon Baptiste vvere in earthe vvhether hee vvould honour him or noe for his sanctitie If hee saye hee vvould then I aske of him vvhat honour hee vvould giue him not Supreme honour bicause that is devv to God not Ciuill honour bicause that is giuen to morall vertue only authoritie and learning Vvhat honour then shall sainct Ihon Baptiste haue for his Sanctitie certainly ether an inferiour religious honour called Dulia or none at all And if Caluin vvould honour him in earthe and religiously also for his sanctitie vvhy feareth he to giue him that honour in heauen sithence that his soule vvhich is the proper subiecte of sanctitie is noe less liuing there then it vvas here and is indevved vvith noe lesse sanctitie in heauen then is vvas in earth and besides that is also there enriched vvith glorie vvhich it had not here Novv if Caluin vvill saye that at least images and reliques are not to be honoured bicause in them is none of these three excellenties afore mentioned I vvill tell him that althoughe none of these excellencies be formally in images or reliques yet bicause these are appertainning vnto them vvho are honoured they may and muste also bee something respected and reuerenced but vvith a farre inferiour respecte and that for their sakes to vvhome they apperteined For as the Prince Superiour hathe only the ciuill excellencie and yet not he only but for his sake his image his chaire of estate his ringe and after his death his dead body also is to bee respected but yet not vvith that honour vvhere vvith his ovvn person is honoured so if God and his sainctes maye be honoured vvith religious honour then for God his sake his image may be respected and for Christes sake his name his vvorde his Sacramentes his crosse nayles and other thinges belonging vnto him and for the Sainctes sake their images bodyes bones clothes and such like may and must bee religiously honoured yet vvith an inferiour honour And the reason is first bicause in these things also by a certaine participation and representation vve behold in some sorte their excellencie to vvhome they pertaine and therfore vve respect them
there in the Church for Anti-Christe to take a vvay then that of the masse Let the ghospellers name vs it if there bee or euer vvere any other Malachie the prophete or rather God by the mouthe of his prophete sayethe that he is vveary of the Ievves sacrtfices that his vvill is not amongest them and that henceforth hee vvill receiue no guiftes that is noe sacrifice vvhich is offered by their handes but sayeth hee From the rising of the sonne to the setting of the same my name shal be great amoÌ„gest the gentils and in euery place shal be offered vnto mee a cleane oblation And vvhat oblation or sacrifice is that Not the Ievvish facrifice bicause he sayeth this facrifice shal be offered amoÌ„ge the gentiles yea he protesteth that he is vveary of all Ievvish sacrifices Not the idolatricall sacrifices of the geÌ„tiles bicause he vvould neuer haue called them cleane sacrifices nether can they besaied truly to be offered vnto him but rather vnto the deuill Not improper sacrifices of prayer thankes giuing and good vvorkes bicause he compareth sacrifice vvith sacrifice and so promising a nevv sacrifice insteed of the olde as hereiecteth proper sacrifices so must he in licu of them prouide another proper sacrifice vvhich in the dignitie of a sacrifice surpasseth them all Yea by this cleane sacrifice according vnto the reformers opinion it is impossible that he should mean prayer thankes-giuing or such like good vvorkes bicause the best of these sacrifices in their opinion See the 〈◊〉 books are so vnclean that they are mortall sinnes and abominable in the sight of God Nether can he mean the sacrifices vvhich Iob and others offered amongest the gentils bicause he speakes of one sacrifice those vvere many and could bee noe cleaner then those of the levves yea those vvere oftered but in fevv places and so can not bee the facrifice vvhich Malachie sayeth shal be offered in euery place euen from the East to the vvest He speaketh therfore of a Sacrifice vvhich in the nevv lavve shal be a moste cleane and pleasing sacrifice and vvhich in all the partes of the Christian vvorld shal be offered vnto God And vvhat such sacrifice can the reformers name but the sacrifice of the masse Vvhat other oblation vvas euer counted a sacrifice in the Church vvhat other sacrifice is offered euery vvhere but the sacrifice of the masse vvhich is a moste cleane sacrifice not only in respecte of the out vvard forme vvhich is vnbloudy but also in respecte of the moste chaste pure virginall fleshe and bloud of Christe vv ch it conteineth Mat 26. Luc. 22. Mar 14. â— Cor 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is the Sacrifice vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper vvhen taking bread and vvine in to his handes he blessed them and by blessing turning them into his sacred body and bloud he told his disciples that it vvas his body and bloud vvhich hee gauefor them In vvhich vvords he can meane noe other thing then the sacrifice of his body and bloud vvhich he offered vnder the formes of bread and vvine For to glosse those vvords as Caluin dothe as thoughe Christe had sayed this is my body that is this is a figure of my bodye vvhich shal be giuen for you is very violent and repugnaunt to the texte bicause the greeke texte vsethe the presentence vvhich is giuen for you vvhich is povvred out for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therfore vnderstandethe some thinge vvhich euen then vvas giuen for them And seing that Caluins bread and figure could only be sayed to bee giuen to them but not for them that vvhich then he gaue for them vvas his body and blood vvhich vnder the forme of bread and vvine he offered for them And seing that he bad his Apostles to doe as he had doone that is to offer the same sacrifice vvhich hee did for so muche the Latin vvorde facite in that place and vvith such circumstances importeth It must needes follovve that hee commaunded the Apostles and in them their successours to offer Sacrifice and the same sacrifice vv ch hee offered for his Apostles at his laste supper vvhich is the sacrifice of the masse This veritie I could proue more largely by other circumstances of this place especially according to the greeke and I could alleage that place of sainct Paule vvhere hee compares table to table 1. Cor. 10. that is altare to altare saying that vvee can not be pertakers of the table of our lord and of the deuill that is vve can not participate of that vvhich is offered on the altars of the gentils and of that also vvhich is offered on the Christians altare and out of this place I could proue that in sainct Paules tyme there vvas some thing offered on the Christians altars vvhich hee opposeth to that vvhich vvas offered on the paganes altars Hier. ep ad Marcellam Aug. l 16 cit c. 22 lib. â— cont â—â—uersarium egis c. 10 Damase l. 4. de fice c. 14. Theoph in c 5 Heb Arnob in Psal 109. I could also presse our aduersaries and oppresse then vvith the authoritie and multitude of fathers vvhoe all acknovvledge that Christe at his laste supper offered a sacrifice of his ovvne body and bloud vnder the forme of bread and vvine and that therby he vvas a preest according to the order of Melchisedech but this veritie I haue partely proued allready in prouing Christ to bee an aeternall Preest according to the order of Melchisedech partely I shall herafter proue vvheÌ„ in the laste booke vppoÌ„ occasioÌ„ I shall demonstrate the reall preseÌ„ce of Christes body bloud in the sacrameÌ„t of the Altare as for the fathers authoritie it vvere but loste labour to alleage it for any proofe of this veritie l. de abrog Missa bicause Luther hathe allready debarred vs froÌ„ suche proofes and vvill telle vs plaiÌ„ly that they are not to bee credited in this matter bicause they vvere but meÌ„ And Caluin also vvill tell mee l â— Instit c. â—◠§. 10. that seing that this supper is the supper of the lorde there is noe reason vvhy vvee should bee moued vvith any auctoritie of men or prescription of yeares Vvherfore let them cary avvay the bucklers let them be credited before practise of the Churche vvhich as yet allvvayes offered sacrifice before reason vvhich telleth vs that religion can not stande vvithout a sacrifice Mat. â—6 Luc 22. Mar. 4. 1. Cor. 11. before the plaine texte of scripture vvhich in plaine vvords affirmeth that Christe gaue his body and povvred out his bood at his laste supper for his disciples vvhich vvords can importe noe lesse then a sacrifice before all fathers also bicause they vvere but men and our reformers as it seemes are godds let theÌ„ gaine the gole and gette the victorie in this coÌ„trouersie vvhat shall they game therby truly only this that amoÌ„gest them is noe religion For if they haue noe
not only by faithe but also in very deed Vvhat thinke you novv of this man is he not a Catholike do the hee not really auouch the reall presence But if you vnmaske this vvilye fellovve you shall see a vvolfe vnder a sheepes skinne for the same Caluin in the same chapter in plaine vvordes telles you Sect. 20.21.22 that Christe is not really in this Sacrament nor any vvhere else out of heauen but yet sayeth he the bread vvine is called the body and bloud of Christe by a figure vvhich calleth the signe by the name of the thinge it selfe as the Arke or rocke may be called Christe bicause it vvas a figure of Christe Vvhat meaneth he then vvhen he sayeth that vvith the signe vvee receue the body and bloud of Christe verily His meaning is Sect. 16. that althoughe Christes substaunce be as farre from this Sacrament as heauen is from earthe yet bicause this signe stirreth vp faithe and faithe apprehendeth Christ by this signe and vvith it vve receue the body bloud of Christe But here Caluin seemeth to go from him selfe Supra for as you haue hard he sayed before that vvee eate not Christ only by faithe but also in very deed yet to saue him selfe from coÌ„tradiction he hathe deuised a subtile distinction Sect. 5. I graunt sayeth he that ther be that in one vvorde define that to eate the body of Christe and to drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beleeue in Christe but I say that the flesh of Christe is eaten by beleeuing bicause by faith it is made ours So that Caluin is of opinion that this Sacrament is but a signe and conteineth not really the body and blood of Christe but yet bicause this signe stirreth vp faithe vvhich apprehendeth Christes body vve receue verilie the body blood of Christe vvith this signe and by it bicause faithe apprehending Christe vniteth him vnto vs and maketh him verily our ovvne This is Caluins opinion Out of vvhich let vs take as graunted that Christes body and blood is not really conteined in the Sacrament and consequently that this sacrameÌ„t is no better yea nor so good as manna vvas vvhich vvas as good a signe of Christe as this SacrameÌ„t is if this coÌ„teine not Christe really vvas as apte to stirre vp faithe SecoÌ„dly let vs proue that if Christe bee not really in this Sacramente that faithe can not really vnite him vnto vs and consequently that in and by this Sacrament vve can in noe vvise really bee pertakers of Christes body and blood For proofe vvherof I demaund of Calnin hovve faithe can really conioine vs vvith Christe ether this faythe really plucketh Christe out of heauen vvhich Caluin nether can saye bicause faithe is but an apprehension nether vvill saye bicause he sayeth that Christes body since his asceÌ„sion vvas neuer out of heaueÌ„ or else it really lifteth vs vp to heauen vvhich is against experience and so can not really vnite Christe vnto vs bicause it nether bringethe him really vnto vs nor vs vnto him And so in beleuing in Christe by faithe vvhich is but an apprehension of the vnderstanding vve do noe more really eate the body of Christe then dothe the hongrye man his dinner vvhen he apprehendeth and desireth it but can not haue it And so Caluins boste is greater then his roste and his promise is more ample then his performauÌ„ce and Christes supper is but a bare signe and noe roste at all but only a sauour and signe of good cheare and our eating is noe reall eating but only a naked apprehension And seing that preaching and pictures can better stirre vp faithe then bread and vvine can doe this Sacrament of Christe is altogether needlesse bicause as good neuer a vvhit as neuer the better And so my intended conclusion follovveth to vvitte that amongest our reformers there is noe religion bicause fiue or six of seuen Sacramentes they haue quite taken avvay and the other in vvhich all of them aggree to vvit baptisme and the Eucharist they haue so disgraced and defaced that they are to litle purpose and so they haue no religion bicause noe Sacramentes noe religion The Sixte Chapter shevveth that according to their doctrine they can haue no prayer and consequently noe religion ONe of the greatest benefits vvhich God hathe bestovved on man is prayer by vvhich man hathe accesse vnto God and the creature is admitted vnto the speeche of his Creatour in Psal 75. and flesh blood conuerseth familiarly vvith the diuinitie for as saint Austine sayethe vvhen vve read scriptures vvhich are the vvord of God then god speaketh to vs but vvhen vvee occupie our selues in prayer theÌ„ doe vve speake familiarly vnto God vvhich is so great a thing that Angels dare not do it vvithout couering their faces vvith their immortall vvinges blushing to appeare before such Maiestie and treÌ„bling to speake to a Prince so mightie Prayer is honourable to God honourable also and profitable to our selues it is honourable to God bicause it is an acte of religion by vvhich vvee prostrate euen our soules and spirits vnto God acknovvledging him the supreme essence fountaine and autour of all goodnesse and our selues his needy and naked creatures vvho haue nothing of our selues yea nothing not from him not so much as our our selues bicause he gaue vs our selues being for nothing and of nothing It is honourable to our selues first bicause it aequalizeth vs vvith Angels making vs Queresters of their chappell vvhere by prayer vvee ioine voices vvith them in praysing God as they do and praying vnto him Secondly bicause it procureth familiare conuersation vvith God vvhich is so honourable a thing and so rayseth vs in state and dignitie as allmost nothing more Orat. 1. de orando Dâ—â— For as sainct Chrisostome sayethe if it bee suche an honour to conuerse familiarly vvith Caesar that suche meÌ„ thoughe other vvise neuer so base and poore can not vvhilest they are in this credit vvith him be any more ether base or poore hovve can they vvho in prayer coÌ„uerse dayly and familiarly vvith the diuine maiestie be of base or lovv condition It is profitable also vnto vs bicause by it vvee obteine at gods handes vvhat is expedient for vs. For god is the Source and fouÌ„taine of all goodnesse and perfection sufficient of him selfe and vvith in him selfe needing not in any thing the helpe of any Psal 15. To vvhom vvhen vve haue giuen all the prayses and offered all the Hecatombes and sacrifices in the vvorld vve haue not abettered his state or his person and vvhen vve haue reuiled him and blasphemed him to the vttermoste of our mallice vve haue not made him a iotte the vvorse but maÌ„ in that he is a creature is depeÌ„dent of his Creatour noe lesse yea more then the riuers of the fountaine the branches of the tree or the soÌ„ne beames of the Sonne vvho of him selfe hathe nothing yea is nothing but is to
from a good tree bicause they are contrarie to the good nature and disposition of the tree Mat. 7. so from so good a nature as God is vvho is summum bonum and goodnes it selfe vve must not looke for so euill frutes as sinnes are in vvhich is no goodnes at all and therfore to saye that hee is the autour of sinne is to make him an euill God and of a malitious nature as Cerdon and Manicheus did and so no God at all for God and good must of necessitie go together Secondly sinne is as opposite to Gods goodnes as falsehood is to his veritie but God can not lye nor authorize a lye bicause he is the first verttie ergo he caÌ„ not be the autour of sinne bicause hee is the cheefest goodnes or if such goodnes can do euill such veritie and truthe maye lye and so the scriptures loose their credit For if God can lye peraduenture in scriptures he hathe lyed and so to say that God can be the autour of sinne is to saye consequently that hee maye be the autour of lyes vv ch is to open the gap to Atheistes and misprisets of scriptures For as vvel may be moue the vvriters of Scriptures to vvrite lyes as he may moue them to sinne and vvickednes Thirdly if God be autour of sinne Psal 11â— then by his vvill vvhich is the cause of all thinges he vvorketh sinne vvhich if it be so then sinne is according to gods vvill so noe sinne bicause that vvhich is according to the Princes vvill can nether displease his vvill nor impeach his commaundement and consequently is nether offence nor preuarication fourthly euerie errour is a svveruing froÌ„ the rule vvhich is prescribed and therfore the artificer banguereth vvhen hee vvorketh not according to his platforme or idea and the singer erreth vvhen he singeth not according to his Gammot and the vvriter scribleth vvhen he follovves not his example and the subiecte transgresseth vvhen hee liues not according to the Princes lavve and the morall man offendeth vvheÌ„ hee follovveth not reason vvhich is the lore rule and square of all his actions And bicause all these vvorkers are distincte froÌ„ their rule they may svverue from the same and so commit a faulte in their arte but God sayeth sainct Thomas is to him selfe a rule Th. 1. p. q. 63. â—â— 1. in Cor. and follovveth noe other lavve or rule then his aeternall reason and lavve vvhich is him selfe and so can noe more sinne vvhich is to svverue from his reason theÌ„ hee can denye him selfe or goe from him selfe Lastly sinne is an auersion from God and an offence vvhich highly displeaseth him and so by consequence if god could sinne hee should as it vvere turne him selfe from him selfe and be auerted from him selfe and displeased vvith him selfe and so he should be so farre froÌ„ endevving others vvith felicitie that he should vvante it him selfe and liue in a continuall miserie as hee must needs doe vvho hath an auersion from him selfe and is displeased vvith him selfe But Caluin sayeth that althoughe God be the autour of sinne yet hee is noe sinner bicause hee vvorketh it for a good ende l. 2. s. 4. sect 2 As for example sayeth he of the same sinne vvhich the Chaldees committed in vniustly afflicting Iob God vvas the autour Sathan vvas the autour and the vvill of man vvas the authour but bicause God vvas the autour of it for 2 good end to vvit for the exercising of Iobs patience he sinned not in that actioÌ„ but did vvell and iustly in the same action in vvhich they sinned and transgressed But this vvill not serue for an ansvvere for first if god may bee the autour of sinne to exercise the patience of the iuste or to chastice the vvicked he may also be the autour of a lye for the punishment of sinners and so Scriptures must lose their credit bicause peraduenture they are lyes vvhich God hathe put in the toungue and penne of MoÌ„yses the Prophets and the EuaÌ„gelists for a good end that is to shevv his iustice in the Ievves geÌ„tils vvhome for a iuste punishement he hathe seduced and deceiued vvith a false vvritten lavv bicause they vvould not follovve the lavv of nature vvhich he had grauen in their hartes SecoÌ„dly to make a sinner it is sufficient if he be the autour of sinne and good ende or intention vvill not excuse vvhen the meanes and electioÌ„ are naught Vvherfore if God be the autour of sinne hee sinneth vvhatsoeuer his intentioÌ„ bee and if a good inteÌ„tion may excuse it may also excuse vs and so a man may steale to helpe his pareÌ„tes or to offer Sacrifice and oblations of his theftes vnto God and yet god condemneth such offrings and sainct Paule sayeth plainly that euill things are not to be doone that good therby may happen Rom. â— But novv it is more then tyme to dravve necro our conclusion and therfore out of Caluins blasphemies I vvill deduce these illations The first is that such men if they had liued in Platoes tyme vvho by lavv banished those that vvould father their sinnes vppon God they should not haue beene permitted to haue liued in any citie or common vvelthe l. 2. de Repub. and if that learned Ievv Philo had been appointed their iudge l. de Agricult he vvould haue adiudged them to be stoned to death SecoÌ„dly I gather herby that these men are not led by the Spirit of God and that their doctrine can not be of God bicause it is vnlikely yea impossible that the spirit of god should dictate such doctrine vvhich is so iniurious to God and so opposite to his goodnesse rather this doctrine is like to proceed froÌ„ him vvho sayed that he vvould be a lyiÌ„g spirit in the mouthes of all false Prophets 1 Reg 22. 2. Para. 1â— Thirdly I gather vvhat litle credit is to be giuen vnto them in other matters vvho banger so grossely in this opinion vvhich the light of reason argueth of falsitie and is as euidently false as is is euident that there is a God The second Chapter shevveth hovv their doctrine maketh God not only a sinner but also the only sinner IT is the opinion of Ihon Caluin and of the Caluinists also l 3. Inst c. 21. §. 4. that God is not only the authour of sinne but that his vvill and povver also dothe so domineere ouer the vvill of a sinner that he can not resiste Gods motion vvhich eggeth and vrgeth him to sinne but must of necessitie sinne Yea Sect. 〈◊〉 I saieth Caluin vvill not doubt to confesse simply vvith Austine he vvould haue sayed vvithout Austine bicause he hathe no such thing in the place l de Gen. ad lit c. 15. vvhich he alleageth that the vvill of God is a necessitie of things and that vvhat he vvilleth must of necessitie come to passe Sithence then God vvilleth all our sinnes as Caluin hathe in the former
chapter coÌ„fessed it follovvethe that vve of necessitie sinne bicause Gods vvill is a necessity of things He affirme the also as is already declared in the laste chapter that the deuil in solliciting and tempting vs is the instrument of God and the executour of his vvill determination and consequently it is Gods vvill that he should tempte vs and seing that as Caluin sayeth his vvill is a necessitie of things it follovveth also that the deuil of necessitie tempteth vs. Out of vvhich premises follovveth euidently my intended conclusion to vvit that God only is the sinner For if God so forcebly moueth the deuil by his ovvne vvil and ordinaunce that the deuil can not chose but tempte vs and if the vvill of God do the so ouerrule and presse the vvill of man that vvhen God vvill haue him sinne as Caluin sayeth he vvill he can not resiste it muste needs follovve that God is the only sinner and that man the deuil are to be excused For as Caluin affirmethe God is the authour of all sinnes and consequently is a sinner bicause his good intention can not excuse him as is all ready proued in the laste chapter nether can he alleage necessitie for an excuse bicause ther is none vvhich bovveth his vvill by force but hee him selfe most frankely and freely vvilleth and vvorketh our sinnes and seing that the deuil as Gods instrument is violently or at least necessarily moued to tempte vs he can not sinne bicause he can not iustly be blamed for that vvhich he could not auoide and for as much as mans vvill is compelled to sinne by the ouerruling vvill of God he also for the same reason can not sinne and so God is the only sinner and man and the deuil are innocentes vvorthily to be excused and in no vvise to be counted sinners The third Chapter shevveth hovv their doctrine vvhich affirmeth that the commaundementes are impossible maketh God an vnreasonable Prince IT is a common Maxime amongest the ghospellers that the commaundementes of God are impossible and that a man can as soone touch the heauens vvith his finger as fulfill the least commaundemeÌ„t Luther sayeth that vvhen the Scripture vseth these vvords or the like l. de serue arbitrio If thou vvilte keepe the commaundementes or keep the commaundemeÌ„tes God dealeth vvith vs as the mother dalyeth vvith her infante For as shee calleth her childe to her not in earnest bicause she knovveth vvell that he can not vvalke but to make him to see his ovvne imbecilitie and to shevve his desire to â—ome vnto her so vvhen God biddes vs keepe the commaundementes according to Luther he iesteth vvith vs and biddes vs obserue the lavve not bicause that hee thinkes vvee are able but bicause he vvill make vs knovve our ovvne impotencie and yet to shevve our good vvill and desire to keepe his lavves if vve vvere able But this is a straunge iesting and dalying vvnen god vvill commaund vs things impossible to make vs knovve our insufficiencie and yet vvill damne vs eternally if vve obserue not these his commaundemeÌ„tes l. 2. Inst c. 7. fact 2. Caluin sayeth plainly that the lavve is impossible and therfore vvas neuer fullfilled by any and hee giues a reason bicause saieth he it is hindred by the ordinaunce and decree of God that it shall not bee fulfilled And if you obiecte that christe sayed vnto the younge man Mat. 19. Calu in har ibidem If thou vvilte enter into life keepe the commaundementes Caluin vvill ansvvere that Christe sayed so not that he thought hee could keepe them but bicause hee vvould represse his pride in proposing a thinge vvhich he could not doe As if Caluin should vaunte that hee is a nevve Apostle and one should saye vnto him to represse his vanitie if thou beest an Apostle vvorke I praye thee some miracles for proofe of thy Apostleship vvhich hee can not do And if you againe replye that the younge man sayed that her had obserued the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts from his you the. Caluin vvill be so bold as to tell him that he lyed Ibidem vvhich Christe him selfe vvould not saye thoughe hee knevve better or at least as vvel as Caluin hovve truly he auouched that he had kepte the commaundementes c. 1â— and sainct Marke sayeth that our Sauiour loued him vvhich is at least some argument that Caluin rather lyeth in saying that he lyed bicause Christe loueth nether lyes nor lyers Sap. 18. Bicause to God is odious the impious and his impietie I could here vse many argumentes to proue that the commaundementes are not impossible And might beginne vvith the old testameÌ„t and proue that the Ievves vvere able to keepe the commaundementes and consequently that much more Christians are able bicause that on them God bestâ—ovveth his grace more liberally For after that God had giuen vnto that people the lavve and Decalogue he in diuerse places telleth them that he commaundeth them not to do more then they are able Exod. 20. Deut. 30. The coÌ„maundement sayeth God vvhich this day I commaunde thee is not aboue thee not placed farre from thee not in heauen not beyonde sea that thou mayest pretende an excuse but my speech is very neer thee in thy mouthe in thy harte that thou mayest doe it To this subscribeth our Sauiour Christe the lavvegiuer of the nevv lavve Mat. 19. telling vs that if vve vvill enter into life vve must keepe the commaundementes And least vvee should excuse our selues by a pretence that his commaundementes are impossible Mat. 11. he preuenteth vs saying that his yoke is svveet and his burden lighte And sainct Ihon his louiÌ„g and beloued disciple auoucheth that his commaundemeÌ„tes are not heauy l. Io. 5. Novv if the commaundementes be impossible then are they as farre out of our reache and povver as if they vvere in heauen or beyond sea then are they not neere vs then are they not so at haÌ„d that God may saye that they are in our mouthe and hart to doe and full fill them For vvhat is farther of then that vvhich is cleane out of our reache and povver If the lavve bee impossible then it is not a light burden For vvhat can bee more heauy then that vvhich vve can not beare at all But to mee this only argumeÌ„t seemeth sufficient to stoppe Caluins mouthe that if the commaundement vvere impossible God should bee the moste vnreasonable Prince in the vvorld Nether caÌ„ that suffice vv ch Caluin alleageth to vvit that althoughe the commaundements be impossible yet God had reason to commaund them to shevve vs our infirmitie to prouoke vs to shevve our vvilling mynde to doe vvhat vvee can this I saye vvill not suffice to excuse God from being vnreasonble bicause at least in that ouer plus vvhich exceedeth our force and povver hee shevveth him selfe vnreasonable as for example if the King vvould commaund a creeple to follovve him thoughe therby hee might make him see his ovvne impotencie and
can not fullfill any lavve of God as all Lutheranes and Caluinistes are is persuaded also that hee can auoid noe sinne and consequently if any sinne moue or allure him ether by profit or pleasure vvhich it implyeth hee can not being so persuaded endeuour to vvithstande the temptation bicause that vvere to shevve him selfe able to resiste sinne and to fullfill the commaunde mentes and consequently to condemne Ihon Caluins doctrine And althoughe in so doing hee openeth the gappe to all manner of iniquitie yet therin hee shevveth him selfe a true Caluiniste vvhoe being persuaded by religion and conscience that hee hathe nether force nor vvill to resiste any sinne or to fullfill any commaundemeÌ„t must not yea can not vvithout offence of conscience and hazard of faithe go about to fullfill any lavve for so thoughe not in vvordes yet in facte and deed hee should deny his religion The eight Chapter shevveth hovve in affirming that Christ hathe freed vs from all lavves they loose the bridle to all vice THe reformers as is recounted partely in the third booke and second chapter partely in the fifte chapter of the same booke are of opinion that Christe vvas noe lavvgiuer but rather that he came to free vs from all lavves vvhich doctrine althoughe I haue in the former places alleaged yet to ease the reader it shall not bee amisse here also to set dovvne the samedoctrine in other their ovvn vvords in cap. 4. Gal. Luther in a comment of his on holy scriptur often tymes inculcateth that by Christ vvee are so freed from all lavves that none of them can bynd vs or touch vs in conscience These are his vvords Discat igitur pius legem Christum duo contraria esse prorsus incompatibilia praesente Christo lex mullo modo dominari debet sed cedere debet è conscientia relinquere cubilâ— quòd angustius est quam vt duos capere possit soli Christo Let therfore the godly man learn to knovv that Christ and the lavv are tvvoe contraries altogether incompatible Christe being present the lavv must in no vvise rule but must depart from conscience and leaue the bedd vvhich is to narrovv for tvvoe to Christe alone Vvhere you see that hee makes Christe and all lavves euen his ovvn lavves so contrarie that if Christ stand noe lavv can stande nor haue any force ouer conscience in c. 2. Gal. And in another place of the same comment thus hee defineth quatenus est Christianus est supra omnem legem as hee is a Christian or in that hee is a Christian he is aboue all lavve And yet again in another vvorke of his l. de libertaâ—â— Christiana hee speaketh more boldly and plainly nullo opere nulla lege homini Christiano opus est cum per fidem sit liber ab omnilege for a Christian no lavv nor vvorke is needfull seing that by faith he is free from all lavve Supra l. 2. Inst c. 2. §. â— 14 The same opinion holdeth Ihon Caluin as in the former and many other places is plainely to be seen By vvhich doctrine althoughe they vvill seem to make Christe a more perfect redeemer as before is noted yet in deed they make him a fauourer and patrone of all vice and vvickednes For if vve be freed from all obligation of lavves then do they noe more bynde vs then lavves abrogated if they bynde not in conscience then noe man is bound in conscience to obserue them If he be not bound in coÌ„science to obserue them then he sinneth not in transgressing them no more then in doing contrarie to a lavv vvhich is abrogated bicause euery sinne is against the obligation of one lavve or other yea then he transgresseth not bicause vvhere is noe obligation ther can be no transgression If it be no sinne to transgresse lavves as Luther and Caluin say that to a Christian such transgressions are not imputed as sinnes then need not any Christian make any scrouple of any action by vvhat lavv soeuer it be forbidden and so hee may as freely steale as giue almes and as boldly hee may follovv his lust and sensualitie as liue chastly and moderate his appetites for vvhere noe lavv byndethe in conscience all is lavvfull that liketh and so the gappe is open to all manner of vice The ninth Chapter proueth that in affirming God to be the autour of sinne the Reformers open the gappe to all vice I Haue already related the blasphemies of our nevv Christians against the goodnes of God and I haue demonstrated that they are senseles absurd and impious in making God the autour of our sinnes vvhose mercie pardoneth and vvhose iustice punishethe sinnes but can not vvorke or commit the least sinne vvithout preiudice of his goodnesse and deitie also vvhich is goodnes it selfe So that novve I vvill suppose for my premises that they are of that opinion and I vvill deducefor my intended conclusion that this doctrine looseth the bridle vnto all iniquitie For if a man be once persuaded as all Caluinistes are that God is the autour and vvorker of his sinnes vvhat is ther remaining to restrayne and vvith-hold him from sinne he may and vvill easily discourse thus vvith him selfe vvhen soeuer the deuil vrgeth or the flesh allurethe or the vvorld intiseth him to sinne This acte to vvhich I ame tempted and vvhich commonly is called a sinne is the vvorke of God as vvell as myne and more his then myne bicause as my oracle that is Ihon Caluin telleth me he vvorketh it in me and vrgeth me vnto it Vvhy then should I ether be a frayed or ashamed to do that vvhich God not only dothe vvith me but also so forcibly moueth mee vnto it that as M. Caluin telleth me I can not possibly resiste him Ame I better then he or can any sinne be so vglye as not to beseeme me vvhich beseemeth him vvho is goodnes it selfe But peraduenture God dispenseth vvith him selfe but not vvith me and therfore vvill not haue me to sinne Vvill he not Vvhy then dothe he vrge and egge me to sinne vvhere I ame vrged certes I ame vvilled and vvilled by him by vvhom I ame vrged Yea if sinne be the vvorke of God as it is vnless Caluin lye then is it the effect of his vvill for as Dauid sayeth hee dothe all by his vvill and as diuines say his povver is his vvill and so I in sining shall do his pleasure and conforme my selfe to his vvill Let vs sinne then freely vvee do but Gods vvill and let vs not make scruple of that of vvhich hee is the vviller and vvorker let vs not blushe at the turpitude of sinne of vvhich God him selfe is not ashamed nether lette vs feare offence vvhere vve doe our masters vvill and pleasure rather let vs persuade our selues that all sinnes are lavvfull and pleasing to God bicause they are the vvorkes of his vvill and consequently according to his vvill But fye rather vppon this impious and licentious
intended conclusion vvhich I maye doe vvith as muche breuitie as facilitie For if God bee the autour of all sinne then if vvee maye gather vvhat the tree is by the frute hee is of a malitious nature as is before proued and if hee commaund vs impossibilities and punishe vs vvith Hell fyer for not fullfilling them then is hee vnreasonable cruel and barbarous And if vvee once make this conceit of God as vvee must needes if vvee beleeue the aduersaries opinioÌ„ then must our hartes of necessitie bee cold in religion and vvorship of God For vvho can bee induced to vvorship loue and honour such a God in vvhome is nothing vvhich is amiable nothing vvorthy honour vvel may vvee feare him for his crueltie but loue him and honour him from the harte vve can not And so religion fallethe The third Chapter shevveth that in contempte of the Churches authoritie they bring all religion in contempte IT is a maxime and almost an article of faithe receued amoÌ„gest the reformers that the true Churche vvhich once vvas hathe erred grosselye in no lesser matters then faithe iustification merit freevvil vvorkes satisfaction purgatorie prayer to Sainctes vvorship of images nuÌ„ber and vertue of Sacramentes Sacrifice such like Yea they confess that the Romain Church vvas once the true Church but thy adde vvith all that aftervvardes it erred grossely and fell sovvlye novv of the Church of Christ is become the Synagogue of the deuil This is the cause vvhy vvhen vvee vrge the authoritie of the ancient and present Churche for the proofe of the reall presence free vvill prayer to saintes sacrifice of the Masse they ansvvere vs that the Church vvas but a congregation of men vvhich hathe erred in these and other matters And therfore Luther careth not for a thousand Churches and Caluin Beza and others despise all the Councelles and ancient fathers as appearethe by their vvordes vvhich are related in the first booke and the third and fourth chapter So that vppon the bare authoritie of the Churche they vvill not hange their faithe as they saye least they hange their soules bicause the Churche as it maye bee deceued so it maye deceue I demaund of theÌ„ therfore vvhat assuraunce they haue of scripture and by vvhat meanes they come to the knovvledge of it A Catholique vvould say that he beleeuethe these bookes to bee the vvorde of god bicause the Catholike Church vvhich is it the piller of truthe vvhich by the sonne of God vvas promised a spirit vvhich should teach her all veritie 10.14.15 l. on t epist fund c. â— hath cuer so beleened and defined Vvherfore saint Austine sayeth that hee vvould not beleeue the ghospel vnlesse the Churches authoritie mâ—ued him not that the Church maketh scriptures or giueth them their truthe and veritie for that they haue of God vvho vvas the indighter of them but bicause vvee can not knovv vvhich is Scripture vvhich is not but by the voice of the Church to vvhich only in this matter the ancient fathers vvere vvont to harken as Ireneus l. 2 c 2 3. 4. l prâ—esc de expos Symb. l. 2 c 1. 46. l. 4. c 11. Tertulian sainct Hierom Leo the first and dâ—uers others of vvhom Nicephorus maketh mention Vvherfore the first Toletane Councel in the one and tvventith canoÌ„ accurseth theÌ„ vvho accept of any other Scriptures theÌ„ those vvhich the Catholique Churche receiueth Hee vvould alleage for an argumeÌ„t that Christemade Peter his successour the Pope supreme pastour of the Church and commaunded him to feed his sheep lo. 2. and seing that a principal office of the shepheard is to shevv them suche pasturs as are most holsom for them it perteineth to the â—uprem Pastoure of the Churche to tell vs infallibly vvhich are the true scriptures for vvhen hee declareth vv ch are the true Scripturs he shevves vs our pasture the place vvher vvee are to graze and vvhen hee expoundethe them hee feedethe vs. And seing that the Pope of Rome is this Pastour as is proued in the last chapter of the first booke it follovveth that vvee must receue that for scripture vvhich hee allovveth of as scripture He vvould alleage also the antiquitie of scriptures for a profe of their sinceritie l. 2. cont Ap. 〈…〉 prabar Euangel in Apolog c 19. 20. 24. bicause Moyses vvhoe vvas the vvriter of a great part of the old testament as Iosephus Tertulian and Eusebius affirme by many handred yeares vvas more ancieÌ„t then all the vvritâ—rs of the Romains and Grecians also vv ch therfore deserue great credit reuerence 1 Tuse bicause as Cicero sayeth in his Tusculane questions to Antiquitie noe lesse is devve Hee vvould confirme this argument by another of no lesse efficacie to vvit that these bookes haue beene conserued so many thousand yeares not vvithstaÌ„ding so many captiuities of the Ievves and persecutions of the Christians vvhich argueth that God vvho vvas the Authour of them had a speciall care of them and a vigilant eye vnto them as vnto his ovvn vvord and vvriting Hee might alleage also the coÌ„formitie of those booke vvhich vvere indighted of diuers at diuers tymes and yet haue in them no contrarieties and vvere translated out of Hebrevv into Latin by 70 Interpretours â—nstin orat paroen ad geÌ„â—â—â— diuersely disposed vvho yet not vvithstanding soe aggreed as if all their traÌ„slations had been copied out of one For vvhich causes euen the Gentils Paganes them selues haue borne great respect vnto these vvritinges not daring to mingle them vvith their ê“phane vvritinges bicause as Iosephus and Eusebius affirme some that haue atteÌ„pted it l â—â— Aut. c. 1. â— l. â— praeparâ— â— by the diuine and secret povver haue beene very sharpely and seuerly punished all vv ch is vvarraÌ„ted by historie traditioÌ„ This a Catholike vvould saye vvith great applause and no lesse probabilitie for the authoritie of scripture But vvhat vvould or vvhat could our reformers saye vvould they saye vvith the Catholike that they beleeue them to bee holy scripture bicause the Church sayeth so â—â— Hostâ— l. 3. â—â—nt Brent Luther in deed sayeth that hee in this point beleeuethe the Churche and Pope and good reason hathe hee bicause of vvhoÌ„ did hee receue the scriptures vvhen hee began first to preach his nevv doctrine but of the Romaine Churche vvho cuer had the custody of them euen since the tyme of the Apostles And hovve could he knovve that the ghospel of the Nazarens of sainct Barnabas Euseb l. â— c. 25. and sainct Thomas vvere not as rrue scripture as the ghospel of sainct Matthevve and other Euangelistes but that the Romain Churche allovved of these and not of those For this cause some of them do saye that in this point they must needs beleeue the Pope Romain Church bicause they caÌ„ not in deed haue any probable knovvledge of Scripture but by this meanes as shall appeare by the refutatioÌ„ of all other meanes vvhich they
hee is our God novve that these three are one God sainct Ihon vvill acertaine vs for sayeth he three ther are vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord I. Io. 5. and the holy ghoste and these three are one No lesse pregnaunte proofes doth holy vvrit afforde vs for the incarnation in vv ch mysterie vve confess one diuine persone Christe Iesus to bee true God and man And first let the father speake for his sonne Mat. 3. This is my beloued sonne in vvhom I haue taken great pleasure Secondly let the disciple speake for his master cap. 18. thou art the sonne of the liuing God Let another disciple and no other then hee vvhome Iesus loued bicause hee loued tell vs his opinion in this point Io. ◠hee sayeth that in the beginning vvas the vvord and that the vvord vvas vvith God yea vvas God and after vvards hee sayeth that this vvord vvas made fleshe that is became man Let Christ him selfe bee credited also in this matter bicause hee is the truthe vvhen the Ievves told him that hee had not yet 50. Io. 8. yeares of age and therfore could not see Abrahame he ansvvered that hee vvas before Abraham and yet the same Christe is called by saint Mathevve Mat. 1. the sonne of Abrahame vvhich must needs argue tvvoe natures in one person of Christe the one diuine in respect of vvhich hee vvas before Abraham the other humaine by vvhich hee vvas after Abrahame as the sonne is after the father and so the selfe same person is God and man and that man Iesus that liued in earth and conuersed amongest vs is the naturall sonne of God the vvorde of God is the vvorde Incarnate vvho in respecte of his diuinitie vvas before Abrahame but in respect of his humain nature vvas longe after him Novv as cōcerning the third mysterie if I bring not as plaine texte for it as can be brought for the others I vvill yeeld the bucklers and graunt the victorie vnto my aduersarie But to auoid multitude of allegations I vvill make choise of tvvoe places only vv ch seeme to mee to bee the plainest And the first shal bee taken out of the Sixt of saint Ihon Io. 6. vvhich Chapter althoughe of some it bee expounded only of Spirituall eating of Christe yet by the common consent of Interpretours it speaketh not only of a spirituall but also of a Sacramentall and reall eating as shall be made moste manifeste For first our sauiour Christe to dispose them to a firme beleefe of this mysterie made such a multiplication and increase of fiue barley loaues tvvo fishes that hee fed and filled about fiue thousand persons thervvith and that so sufficiently that the fragmentes of the banquet vvere as much as the vvholle feast For if hee could make so much of a litle vvhy can hee not turne bread and vvine into his bodye and if hee could vvithout diminution of the feast satisfie so many vvhy may hee not feed vs all vvith his body vvithout diuision or diminution of the same And if after that fiue thousand had eaten their fill of the loaues and fishes the fragmentes and reliques vv ch they lefte vvere as muche as the feast vvith vv ch they vvere filled vvhy should it seeme impossible that Christes bodye should bee eaten of vs and yet remaine in the pix or Altar or that after that the communicantes haue receued it the Reliques vvhich they leaue should remaine still as great as the vvholle banquet vvas Secondly after that this miracle vvas vvrought bicause there vvas a great aggreemēr betvvixte it the blessed Sacrament thus hee taketh the occasion to discourse vvith them of it and to induce them to the beleefe of the same Amen Amē I say to you you seeke me not bicause You haue seen signes but bicause you did eate of the loaues and vvere filled so svvet a tast had that miraculous banquet and such contentmēt it gaue thoughe of it selfe it vvas meane that they follovved him for the good cheare hee made them but sayeth Christe vvorke not the meat that perisheth but that vvhich endureth to life euerlasting vvhich the sonne of man vvill giue you They ansvvered vvhat shall vvee do that vvee may vvorke the vvorkes of God This is the vvorke of God sayeth Christe that you beleeue in him vvhō he hathe sent Vvhat signe sayed they doest thou for vvhich vve should beleeue thee Our fathers did eate manna in the desert and God gaue them bread from heauen to eate Here Christe beginneth to close vvith them and to enter in to his intended discourse of the blessed sacrament True sayeth Christe but Moyses gaue you not that bread but my father only hath the giuing of bread from heauen Lord sayed they giue vs alvvayes this bread Iesus ansvvered I ame the bread of life At vv ch the Ievves murmured bicause they vnderstood him not And yet most fitly is he called the bread of life for first in Scripture all that nourisheth is called bread vvherfore seing that Christe is the food of our soule vvell is hee called bread and not vvhatsoeuer bread but the bread of life to distinguish him from common bread Secondly in scriptures vvhen one thing is chaunged into another that into vvhich the chaunge is made taketh the name of the thinge chaunged So the serpēt into vvhich Aarons rodd vvas chaunged is called a rodde Exod. 7. bicause it vvas made of a rodde vvherfore bicause bread vvas to be changed into Christes bodye and blood vvell is hee called bread Thirdly bicause his body vvas to bee couered vvith the formes of bread it is called bread bicause it hath the shevve and forme of bread Gen. 49. and for this cause his blood is called vvine and the blood of the grape bicause it vvas to be inuested as it vvere vvith the accidentes of vvine in the same blessed Sacrament But not vvithstanding the Ievves murmuration Christe vvill not eate his vvord but againe he repeateth it I ame the bread of life your fathers did eate manna in the desert and they dyed this is the bread that descended from heauen that if a man eate of it he dye not And I sayeth hee ame this liuing bread that came from heauen of vvhich hee that eateth shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my fels he for the life of the vvorld Novve hee speaketh his mynde plainly and so plainly that he compareth the figure vvith the veritie manna vvith his bread of the blessed Sacrament and giues the preminence to the veritie for sayeth hee your fathers did eate of manna and yet dyed but my māna is a more soueraine viande bicause vvho soeuer eateth of it shall liue for euer Novv if it bee true that the blessed Euchariste is only a signe of Christ and his body and blood then I demaund of our aduersaries vvith vvhat shevve of truthe Christe could preferre it before manna Vvhy should Christes bread giue life
Church for defect of a visible heade 151. 156. Three great inconueniences if Christ shoulde haue suffered the paynes of hell as Caluin diabolically contendeth that hee did 337. The institution of Preesthoode and Preestly function 366. Certaine interpretations of places impiouslie alleaged of heretikes to proue Christ ignoraut 313. That there is no sufficient Iudge of controuersies in religion in Englande or any other Church of the reformers 145. vsq ad 148. The large and supreme iurisdiction of the Popes of Rome accordinge to the vvhich they haue allvvayes practised 142. Imputed Iustice dothe not really heale the soule or sanctifie it 274. The heretikes imputed Iustice admitteth no augmentation or increase 305. it makethe euery man as iust as Christ himselfe K Christes Knovvledge 309. Adams Knovvledge 308. Salomons Knovvledge 308. L Hovv agreable labour is vnto man 603. The succession of gouernement in the Church euen in the lavve of nature 138. Recourse had to the highe Preist concerning all difficulties in religioÌ„ in the lavve vvritten 139. The lavve of grace requireth a visible heade 140 the excellencie therof aloue all others 275. it consisteth in beleeuing and obseruinge 276. To say that the lavves and coÌ„maundements of God bee impossible giueth occasion to all impie-570 the like dothe to saye that Christ hathe freed vs from all lavves 572. The libertie that Luther and Caluin giue all faythefull men to sinne 547. that they giue all men leaue to sinne in sayinge that all our actions are mortall sinnes 549. By vvhat Likelyhoode sentence vvould passe of the Catholicke parte if the matter vvere put to the hearinge of any indifferent person 130. Luthers presuÌ„pâ—ions proude vvordes against all fathers vvith his raylinge tearmes against king Henrie 8.24.86 his attempte vvith the success in dispossessinge of a deuill 25. Hee accusethe the councell holden at Hierusalem of eâ—rour 297. his reprochefull vvordes against the councell of Nice 198. against saint Iames his Epistles ibid. His litle flocke and inuisible Churche disproued 202. hee despoilethe Christ of the title of a lavv maker 280. hee reiecteth prayer 446. the opposition that is betvvixte his doctrine and S. Paules 623. betvvixt his and our sauiours 635. Luther admitterhe a pluralitie of vviues at once 624. his foure cases vvherein as hee sayethe it is lavvfull for a man to leaue his old vvife and 〈◊〉 take a nevve 625. his notorious infamous lyse 〈◊〉 deathe 122. his opinion of sacraments 408. of Baptisme vvherin he thinketh no forme of vvordes necessary 4.6 the reason vvhy a man is more ashamed of his lustes then other vices and Passions 61â— Hee thinketh no forme of vvordes necessary 41 M Tvvo maner of missions coÌ„cerning preachers 7. Extraordinarie mission require the extraordinarie signes and confirmations 20. tvvo vvayes Christ proued his mission 106. Marcious heresie concerning the creation of the vvorlde 30. Markâ—s of heretiks to make a breaehe out of the Churche 159. noueltie 166. a particuler name from their sectmaster 172. a renouation allmost of all olde heresies 179. vvant of succession 188. dissention in doctrine 208. to bee of a particulet sect 228. to bee coÌ„demned for an heretike by the Cath. Churche 236. many others 241. all vvith in their seuerall places aboue noted are seuereally proued to agree to the reformers of this tyme. Mennes to induce men to religion 115. a meane to distinguishe the true Churche from a bastarde and hereticall synagogue 191. The maner of refuting heresies before the tyme that generall councells could bee called 237. The different maner of prayer to Christ and to his Sainctes 354. Melancthon couertlie detracteth from Christ 247. Mans miserie and seruitude after sinne 254. Caluin could vvorke no miracles p. 25. N The nature of goodnes 229. The Nestorian heresie 32. The generall and ancient name of Christians and Catholikes argueth the trevve Catholike religion 177. Noueltie a marke of heretikes 166. Vvhat the name Catholike importeth 231. The number of prelates present at the councell of Trent 240. The necessitie of a visible heade ouer the Churche here in earthe 365. The rayling speaches and odious names that heretikes especially Caluin vvith greate contempt vse against all Saints 346. their reproche-full vsage of reliques and Saincts pictures 347. O The order that vvas taken to reclaime Luther 240. the maner of proceeding against his obstinacie ibid. his heresie condemned by the councell of Trent 240. The Catholike opinion of iustification vvith vvhat reason it is affirmed 261. The iust occasion vvee haue to suspect the reformers sincerity tovvards Christ 355. The distinction of holy orders and the maner of giuinge them proued out of the scriptures 367 The auncient opinion for the number of seuen sacraments 399. The diuersities of opinions amongest the reformers them selues for the number of the Sacraments 408. their erronious opinion for the forme of vvordes vsed in sacraments 427. The Epicures vvitles opinion concerninge the origin of the vvorlde 654. An obiection of our voluptuous heretikes against chastitie 619. the same ansvvered ibid. the obiect of religion 661. P Intolerable pryde in heretikes 73. 66. The probabilitie of the Catholike religion 102. Sainct Peters commission and preeminence aboue the rest 142. Pelagius his heresie 182. A propertie of heretikes vvhich sainct Austine obseruethe 199. The different maner of prayer to Christ and to his Saincts 354. The peace and agreement that is in the Catholike Churche 214. 228. that the same must needs proceede of God 218. The superabundant price of our redeÌ„ption 156. Christs passions or rather propassions 327. The chaunge of preesthood vvith the chaunge of the lavv 364. The coniunction or inseparabilitie of preisthood and religion 363. 369. Plaine proofes bothe by scripture and reason for the sacrifice of the mass 384. 389. Predestination 420. The excellencie of prayer 430. the continuall practise of it in the Churche 437. the contempt of it conformable to the reformers doctrine 438. prayer to Saincts 355. Vvhy the Pope can not erre in defining scriptures and their exposition 155. 677. Precepts of good life reduced to tvvoe heads 277. Parricide aggreing to heretikes 81. R The truthe and euidence of the Catholique Religion 105. The reason vvhy the Churche relyethe vpon the Popes sentence as infallible 155. that a visible heade in the Churche is necessarie 144. the reason of the dayly sacrifice in the Church 288. vvhy Christ is sayed to bee a preist after the order of Melchisedech 289. the reason that vvee maye suspect heretikes for false Prophetes 25 vvhy vvee giue a religious honour to sainctes and their reliques 341. vvhy vvee make intercession 353. The libertye of rebellion that Luther and Caluin giue to all their follovvers 485. Recourse had to the highe Preist about all difficulties of religion in the lavve vvritten 139. The certaintie that the reformers are heretikes 172. nothinge can excuse them from heresie but Apostasie 187. theire absurde doctrine of â—usâ—â—â—cation vvith their pernitious coÌ„sequences vvhich they inferre vpon the same 258. their doctrine hovv iniurious it is to Christ and Christian religion 633. 260. vsq ad 267. 318. to all ciuill gouernement 490. vsq ad 534. hovv it openethe the gapp to all vice and sensualitie 547. vsq ad 598. 621. vsq ad 727. it take the 579. avvaye all speculatiue sciences and morall vertues 550. all conscience 594. it directlye tendeth to atheisme 666. it bringethe into contempte all scriptures and religion 674. 689. vsq ad 696. The proude conceipts that the reformers haue of their sanctirie 206. they affirme that all our actions good and bad are mortall sinnes 300. that all sinnes are equall 301. that vvee haue no libertie nor freevvill in our actions ibid. that God is the autour of all sinnes 302. The libertie of rebellion that Luther and Caluin giue to all theire follovves 485. The reformers vppon necessitie beleeue in some thinges the Pope and Romaine Churche 679 they take avvay in effect all sacrameÌ„ts 12. 16. Examples out of scriptures for religious respect to reliques and images 356. S The custome of offringe sacrifice euen by the Apostles them selues 367. The necessitie of a dailie sacrifice in the nevv lavve for the vpholding of true religion 379. of a visible sacrifice heare in earthe 360. of a proper sacrifice not metaphoricall 383 ExaÌ„ples of selfloue and pryde in heretikes 66. The conuenience or rather necessitie of corporall and sensible Sacraments 391. the proofe of them seuerallye out of scripture 398. 402. the reformers haue no Sacraments at all 416. The only seruice of our heretikes a sermon 447. that also absurde according to their doctrine ibid. The difficultie of vnderstaÌ„dig scriptures 49.57 the bare letter vvithout the true sence no scripture 40. the reason thereof 45. hovv the scripture is sayed to be dependent of the Chut-che 44. 676. Arguments against the priuate Spirit 53. 65. Selffeloue a common disease to all heretikes 65. Thet insufficiency of resoluing all by a priuate Spirit in matters of religion 75. vsq 80. The force of Succession in Preisthoode 193. tvvo shiftes of heretikes disproued touching Succession 196. The Lords Supper according to Luther can not bee eaten 422. Caluins doctrine makes it a niggardlie Super. 424. T Tertullian complayneth of heretikes in his tyme 374. The reason that God can not giue testimonie of an vâ—â—truthe by miracles 106. Proofes of the blessed Trinitie 700. V Valentinus his heresie 30. The Lutherane vbiquetaries take avvaye Christes diuinitie 248. The commendation of virginitie 614. The right vnderstaÌ„ding of certaine places of the scripture vvhich seeme to impeach the freedome of the vvill 167. W Vvilliam Rodings foolishe fiction vvhich hee inuented to derogate froÌ„ the blessed virgin 347. A vvoemans complaint of Caluins doctrine as derogating to their sexe 690. The foure vvoundes vvhich vvee receiued in our soule by sinne 269. Z Zuinglius reiecteth fathers 87. His opinion of the number of Sacraments 408. Excuse this Table I vvas enforced to comit the making of it to a freinde vvho also had not leisure to make it exactely