in the worlde They are therefore in deede those theeues of the Scriptures that Origene mentioneth that haue not right vnto them being not the Churche of God because they renounce obedience to the will of God and heare not his voice And thus much for this point The third thing you charge him with is that in his eleuenth Assertion hee should charge the Iesuites to holde that there bee many things more greeuous and more damnable then those that repugne the lawe of God and yet the lawe condemneth them not namely traditions mans lawes and precepts of the Church Here also you play with a fethar and woulde catche the winde in a net For you say the Iesuites doe teache the quite contrarie to wit that what souer is sin is condemned by the law of God which none but wicked men past shame can denie but you dare not say that whatsoeuer is contrary to the lawe of God is sinne least concupiscence which you defend and some haue not beene ashamed to maintaine as a vertue 〈◊〉 assuming that if God shoulde commaund the 〈◊〉 not to lust it were as if he should commaunde the Sun and Moone not to shine the fire not to 〈◊〉 muche like as Campion in the disputations at the Towre 〈◊〉 that it was a speciall vertue that beeing in the Queenes Iewell house and being suggested to steale did yet abstaine from it abusing that place of Saint Iames Blessed is hee that is tempted But say you whatsoeuer offendeth the lawe of God if it bee done wittingly and with consent of hearte for otherwise it offendeth not the lawe it is sinne whereby you establishe that whatsoeuer sinne is committed if he that committeth it knoweth it not to bee sinne or if hee doe not approue it by 〈◊〉 his seale of consent vnto it it is no sinne And heere also you shut out originall sinne in infants who are notwithstanding sinners by reason of their corrupt nature that is in them and subiect to condemnation without Christe But if Gods lawe bee a perfect lawe that reacheth not only to the outwarde man but to the inwarde and to the very thoughts of man and therefore your venial sinnes whereof you make no accounte and teach that in respect of themselues we need not to repent of them but as they make way to daunger if those I say bee called sinnes for that they are against the lawe of God it must needes bee that they which are committed against the first table though they bee onely conceaued by lust though the hearte and will haue not subscribed yet they are to bee condemned This is but a ciuill righteousnesse before men but cannot stande before God whose lawe is plaine Cursed is 〈◊〉 one that abideth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them Whatsoeuer therefore resisteth the lawe of God in it selfe and by nature it deserueth the curse of God But sinne in it selfe and in it owne nature kindleth the wrath of God in him that transgresseth in one there is giltinesse in all and the 〈◊〉 of the least iote of Gods lawe setteth a man giltie before God in all And what a beastly shame is this in all your Iebusiticall sort that dare to lessen the breach of the lawe of God and will aggrauate the transgression of such traditions as your selues deuise vnto your selues vnder the name of the traditions of Christe and his Apostles But how shall wee knowe them so to be either they muste bee written or vn written If they be written shew vs the word if they be vn written and haue been deliuered from hand to hand let vs see howe they agree with the written tradition which is called the doctrine of the Apostles But if we can shew you when they were hatched who were the deuisers of them that they are against the puritie of Christs doctrine seruing neither for comelinesse nor edification being besides impious in them selues because you aduaunce them in equalitie with 〈◊〉 commaundements of God 〈◊〉 aboue them then M. Hanmer hath iustly collected both in this and other poyntes noted also by other learned 〈◊〉 before him that you make those sinnes which the law of God hath made no sinnes and whiche the lawe hath condemned for sinnes those you make vertues But say you if they be traditions or precepts of the church then the breach thereof as also of our superiors commaundementes are offences against men but yet consequently also against God for he hath commaunded men to obey their superiors which rule them and foole wisely that they must doe it of conscience as Saynt Paule proueth Rom. 13. But here first we denie that they are preceptes of the Churche for though you boast the church of Rome to be the Churche of Christe 〈◊〉 that is the question and we haue and doe still for good causes denie it But to giue you somewhat to plaie withall admitte it were yet wee saye that the church may commaund nothing either contrarie or besides the worde of God If it doe we are not to obey it The place of the Apostle is euen vnderstood of you as all the rest of the scriptures are which you 〈◊〉 to your owne destruction and yet your new Maisters of Rhemes tell vs that this place is to be vnderstood of remporall rulers which you wil haue to be vnderstoode of the Churche And though Chrisostome and others shew you that whether hee bee a Bishoppe or of any other calling yet he must be subiect you wil not be subiect to your naturall princes no not in thinges concerning God that are commanded according to his worde but to mainteine a forreigne 〈◊〉 tyrannie in a countrey and church where he hath nothing to doe You care not what treasons you committe that you may yet haue the name of Martyres and may be chronacled in his Chronicles and haue your names in his Kalenders Of the traditions commaundements of the churche whiche without the promise commandement of God you faine to be necessarie to saluation reade before The fourth falshood you charge him with is that hee saith That the Iesuites say that there is no other iustification then the seeking or searching of righteousnesse or to speake philosophically a motion vnto righteousnesse This you say is follie besides malice shewing that hee knoweth not what he speaketh himselfe and therefore out of Canisius you set downe another description as though the other had bin sucked out of his owne fingers But it is playne what soeuer Canisius say that Censura Celoniensis hath the same words Dialogo 〈◊〉 in the very beginning sol 141. and this they say is the Catholike doctrine that is the doctrine of the papists of whom I coulde aduouch a number besides if I studied not to be short The 〈◊〉 charge is gathered out of the 19. and twentieth assertions first that the Iesuites holde a twofold iustification whiche you confesse to be true and therfore needed
you say it is such a 〈◊〉 as hee made in the Tower surely both this and that in the Tower thankes bee to God were so twisted as your greatest Gordian could not otherwise vndoe them but by a plaine hacking them asunder as also you doe now As for Campions conclusion at Tyburne it followed rightly of those premises where into hee was entred For beeing a traytour hee receiued the rewarde of a Traitour and so did the rest that suffered and I beseeche God that such conclusions may followe to all the sort of you that shall enter into the like practizes For it is meeter that they dispute with the gallowes then with their pretended disputations to bring the truth into doubt to disquiet the state and to practise the ouerthrowe and destruction both of the Churche and common wealth But you aske what there is in this illation that can prooue the Iesuites a secte if all were graunted That they vow to preache heerein you say they doe but as the Apostles did that they did it of free coast why hee may bee ashamed to finde faulte with that seeing Christ commanded it As for whipping and tormenting themselues why Paule chastized his owne bodie hee carried the brands of Christe in his flesh and there is much talk in the scriptures of mortifiyng the flesh Surely all these doe proue them no table sectaries as like the Circumcelions as can bee and shewe most liuely vnto vs howe wickedly you peruert the scriptures to your owne damnation For will you make that commandement giuē to the Apostles stretch to the maintenance of a gadding ministerie in al places for al posteries in your order of Iesuits which yet is not reckoned amongest any the Ministers of Christe Was the office of the Apostles temporall their extraordinarie giftes ceasing their office of Apostleship also ceasing because they must bee called immediately of God bee conuersant with Christe and seehim in the fleshe whose ministerie was the wide worlde without all limitation as appeareth by the same commandement that you alleadge What bussarde but a Papist or an 〈◊〉 woulde euer alledge the scriptures so The Apostles forsooth vowed to preache Therfore Iesuites that are no Apostles haue no office place or calling in the Church they must vowe to preach The Apostles were commaunded to preach euerie where and of free coast as you say therefore the Iesuites will become newe Apostles and they will preache euery where and gad vp and downe of free cost And yet further as these argumentes are false so these scriptures whereupon they are grounded are wrested For where can they proue that the Apostles vowed to preache seeing preaching was layde vpon them of necessitie and was not voluntarie as they 〈◊〉 Againe how can they out of these proue that they must preach begging seeing they make nothing against the taking possessing of those things that are necessarie for Christe in the same places teacheth that the labourer is worthie his rewarde and themselues expound it that preachers may not carefully seeke after the superfluities of this life or any thing which may bee an impediment to their function But for necessaries they deserue them at their hands for whom they labour spiritually yea the Iesuites thēselues vnder this colour of free cost receiue double the value of the stipends of painful godly pastours whereas in deed they haue no right so to doe hauing no ordinarie calling in the Church of God As for the chastising that Paul vsed it was such as was inioyned and is necessarie for all Christians Mortification of the corruption of olde Adam is taught ought to be put in practise to the humbling of all to bring that vnder the obedience of Christ. This maketh nothing against that cherishing maintenānce of our 〈◊〉 which is meet to be done in sobrietie Paul speaketh therfore of taming the corruption of the fleshe would not haue men to hate their flesh It is written in the law of nature that no mā hateth his owne flesh but rather cherisheth nourisheth it For this is the reason of the commandement That hushands should loue their own wiues because they are one flesh with thē He meneth 〈◊〉 not that outward exercise of the body which bringeth little profit but the inwarde Moreouer the markes of Christ that S. Paule carried in his body were the 〈◊〉 of his stripes laid vpon him by persecutors and tyrants and such you were wont to lay vpon vs. But what maketh all these to proue whipping of your selues The examples of Iohn and of those holy men mentioned in the 11. to the Hebrewes proue no such matter the example of Baals Priestes that launced themselues would haue proued it better The one was extraordinarie in Iohn the greatest though the last amōgst the Prophets the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy men indured laid vpon them not by themselues but by others whē either they must haue forsaken God or els haue lost their liues As for Marcus Marulus whē wee get his booke and reade it wee will then tell you more of it but 〈◊〉 it bee of your religion wee perswade our selues that there is no greate 〈◊〉 or foundnesse in it But if whipping cheere be such a good cooling to your flesh eyther your Popish Votaries vse it not or els it hath not that effecte For in truth all the worlde 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wicked 〈◊〉 belike they lay not on harde enough If it bee so good a remedie why doe you not vse it oftener Why do you not suffer others to lay you on that wil pay you more surely then your own partiall hands Certainely if you had done it in good earnest your kingdō wold not for shame haue stood so for the stewes as it hath done nor for the maintenāce of simple fornication to bee no sin neither woulde your monsters haue written in the praise of Sodomitree and haue been found so filthie in all their wayes as they haue beene Concerning Hieroms practise and others punishing their owne bodies so immoderately wee giue them no farther credite therein to folow their example then wee finde them warranted by the word of God Our liues are not our owne no more then our bodies are and therefore wee must cherishe them by those meanes that God hath appointed No man hath hated his owne fleshe but cherisheth it This is written in the lawe of nature which is the lawe of God Mortification respecteth the killing of the corruption of the olde manne it teacheth vs not to kill our bodies yee may aswell say you will pine your selues hang and draw your selues cut and slash your selues as whip your selues As for your 〈◊〉 and ruffianlike speech calling him runnagate Fryer as also you do Luther whiche I maruell considering it is an abasing of your owne order it is a fit couer for such a cuppe And yet I thinke you faile in your quotation For Peter Martyr neuer wrote vpon the thirde booke of
frō faith to works making them the cause of iustification breathing out his poysō with a sweet breath with sweete words couering his deadly venome Leuit. 20. Gen. 4. 1. Re. 22. 38. 3. Reg. 2. 37. Rom. 13. Iugdes 14. Mark this frūper at the phrase of the scripture As though if twenty had alledged one thing hee that alledged but ten or two had concealed the 〈◊〉 Reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. Censura Fol. 17 117. 220. Pet. a Soto contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 119 1. Pet. 2. Iohn 15. Luke 15. 1. Tim. 3. Collos. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mulus 〈◊〉 seabit * In the disputations the last day when it was agreed that both sides should stay tyll their 〈◊〉 were set down In the preface to the dispu The 〈◊〉 which the Papists at 〈◊〉 require before they 〈◊〉 dispute What cause they had may appear by their own stories by the cruell death they were put to So doth Staphi Ius Ficklerus the rest to bring those that were sound godly into 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 14. 32 〈◊〉 a Soto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVittenb cap. de concilijs Alfonsus a Castro aduersus Heres lib. 1. cap. 8. Verractus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 24. c. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 15. August 〈◊〉 de correctione 〈◊〉 cap. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epi. cap. 3. Where knowledge and trial is to be sought August lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 1. ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our doctrine the same that the Prophets Christ and his Apostles haue taught Papists 〈◊〉 all things for the praise of men Mat. 6. Read all the Fathers this shalbe found true Councels against Councels Fathers against fathers Lib. 〈◊〉 Reade their workes who shal and they shal find in thē iudging thē by the Scriptures 〈◊〉 Illirie lib. de 〈◊〉 Papist Traditions infinite variable vnnecessary hurtful offensiue See their Pontificall their masse booke and such other good stuffe 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Catechisme See the harmonie of the confessions of the Churches that cleare vs from this slaunder VVhē Luthers booke De captiuitate Babilonica was written King Henrie not the head of the Church as the Papistes vnderstand by head in their Antichrist Heretikes are to be cut off not such as they cal Heretikes but suche as they are thēselues who are proued to be Heretikes by Gods word This also he handleth afterwardes Concerning Luthers heat 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Papists The papistes account that a fault in vs which they challenge them selues VVho vse grea ter libertie the Papists or we we that onelie keep our selues to the scripture or they that roue vp and downe are boūded within no lists or boundes Chrisost. in Ioh. bomil 16. 〈◊〉 3. in opere imperfecto Ioh. 10. 2. Pet. 1. 20. 2. Tim 3. 17. 〈◊〉 Ioh. 4. Testamente 〈◊〉 in the annotat vpon 1. Tim. cap. 2. Lut. Cortez in li. 3. distin 3. 〈◊〉 Aquin. Iohn de 〈◊〉 Cremata Iren aus lib. 1. Epiphanius August Read Tapperus Ficklerus the whole broode of them This may appeare through out S. August in many places They that denie the offices of Christ his kingdome priesthood prophetshippe they denie Christe Ephe. 4. For he meneth by Puritās not the Anabaptists spiritual illuminates but those that dutiefully seek the reformation of the Church 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 11. c. Authoritie of the Pope vsurped The Masse an Idoll of the Popes making patched togeather by many long after Christes ascention 〈◊〉 7. 9 See there how trimly they alleadged interpreted the 〈◊〉 in defence of 〈◊〉 images Syricius The place 〈◊〉 of the 19. of 1. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 Sozomenus So 〈◊〉 onius Tutelares dei Camp in Epist. set out by 〈◊〉 us In Paris a great 〈◊〉 against Iesuits and wheresoeuer they come where other such vermine are like vipers they gnaw out the bellies one of another Hier. in Epist. ad Eustochiū ad Rusticum Concil 〈◊〉 Concil 〈◊〉 Quest. 16. sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guliel de sancto amore Nicolaus de Cle. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Real presence An. bros hb. 〈◊〉 Sacra cap. 〈◊〉 And. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. Lib. de Sacra Lib. in Iob. 4. cap. 14. In 〈◊〉 22. This also he mētioneth afterward where looke for further answeare Vowes Psal. 76 Perfection in selling all Things spokē to singuler persons in respect not simply The place of Iames concerning Iustification 2. Cor. 9. Fathers Our owne writers Who is Caietane or Conturene against the whole Church Disputation Peter Martir first Latimer Ridley Cranmer at Oxeford in Queen Maries dayes Maister Philpot M. Elmer Haddon Cheney and the rest that disputed in the Cōuocatiō house 1553. Octob. 18. Reade M. Foxes booke of Acts and Monuments printed in 1570. fol. 1571. fol. 1579 in manie places Conference at VVestminster anno primo Regni Eliza. 〈◊〉 King 17. 4 Reade the spanish Inquisitiō Acts monuments of M. Foxe M. Cryspius historie in French of their martyrs and the last French history of the beginning grouth of the churches in Fraunce Popish writers 〈◊〉 agreed yet about the Canonical scriptures whiche are the bookes and matching their constitutions with Gods word 〈◊〉 20. cap. de libellis dist 19. cap. in Canonicis Agath dist 19. cap. Sic omnes Read August vpō this place and Hierome vpon 38. of Esay Ephe. 6. Gathered out of their 〈◊〉 Bibles Mat. 26. Luke 22. Luke 23. Rom. 8. Reed Rationale Diuinorū Gab. Biel Vaux his Catechism and there you shall see suche misteries fetched out of the scriptures as are pitifull to heare VVhy salte creame spitle are vsed why they haue lights at noone dayes why bels ringe not on good Friday but they vse wodden clappers and suche 〈◊〉 stuffe General 〈◊〉 Reade Onuphrius ioyned with Platina in his Epitom Doctors Consent in the truth allowed by vs. Vniuersalitie antiquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholique what it meaneth Howe wee are departed because they are gone from the truth 〈◊〉 Tim. 4. 1. Aug. con Epist. 〈◊〉 cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 worst great consent in 〈◊〉 In their 〈◊〉 Testament set out by the scho lers of 〈◊〉 ful of ridiculous 〈◊〉 1. Thes. 2. Ioh. 10. In his 〈◊〉 before his booke of images Diui. 17. 76. c. * Belarmi quest 5. in dicta scriptis Cocleus Hosius Pet. a 〈◊〉 Stapletonus 〈◊〉 7. lib. 2. cap. 12. saith that faith is not learned out of the scriptures Again that the holy ghost teacheth the church many things without thescripture Censu Colonien fol. 2 20. Andradi lib. 2 Concil Trident. Andradius in defen Conc. Tri. priest of Potiers of Later an in conc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Papae Eccius Verractus Pighius de Hierarch The impietie of the papistes in interpreting the holy scriptures In antididagmate Colo. sol 17. The doctors corrupted and many bastarde writings vnder their names thrust vpon vs. Euseb. li. 3. 〈◊〉 38 Nicepb lib. 3. cap 18. Epipha 〈◊〉 1. to 2. beresis 38. 〈◊〉 in vita Clem 〈◊〉 Gennadi in catal
reason of his high place gay apparrell great wordes assistance of friendes c. It is but a stale lying 〈◊〉 to fill vp the booke for 〈◊〉 man is sufficiently knowen to stand vpon none of these things If God strengthened his ministerie to daunt suche an aduersarie which is the thing that most stingeth you wee praise God for it Whether his dealing be false or true for which by your assignement hee may weare the garland hee will sufficiently declare in his answere Hee is olde enough to answere for himselfe and when these examples come wee shall consider of them I loue not to bring sod Colewortes twise that is a propertie belonging to the papists and fittest for them that will receiue no answere That question allo concerning concupiscence which is the greatest bulk of your booke shal at this time be omitted of mee as being often handeled in other places As for his other trickes which you say proceed not of negligence simplicitie or ignorance but must needes bee of set malice as for example the repeating of diuers vntruths out of Gotuisus concerning the lesuites you say in the first booke hee concealed the authours name whiche is most false For he nameth him often in that booke Now you say necessitie compelling him he confesseth Wherein you discredite your selfe and bring credite to him that hee doth not conceale them but yet you say finding in his owne conscience the things to bee false which he reporteth whereas his authour citeth alwayes two bookes Censura Coloniensis and Canisius great Catechisme he citeth but one and that not to bee had which is another lye and omitteth the other whiche sheweth the falshood both of M. Chark and of his authour Yea which is more when Gotuisus did not belie the Iesuites sufficiently M. Charke without blushing will falsifie his wordes to make them more odious Is not heere a merueilous long threed drawen out of a little flaxe and no bottome What a fine spinster is this that can make so much of a little of concealing the one and aduouching the other As though men were alwayes bounde to alleadge all and in the very wordes of their authours also might not choose amongest store which to alleadge or as though one authour were not to be cited vpon the credit of another but all the rest must bee discredited whye doeth not sir Robert confute Gotuisus and so make way to confute master Charke But as he vseth in other thinges so in this hee leapeth ouer hilles and dales and when hee shoulde ouercome the formost he striketh at the the hindmost and when hee cannot touche the hearte hee hitteth the heele But what are the matters forsooth that Gotuisus saith the Iesuites holde The Scripture is as it were a nose of waxe and master Charke saith theyr wordes are the Scriptures are a nose of waxe What els O infinite such things in the treatise whiche sheweth master Chark to bee a man of no sinceritie Is not heere wonderfull a doe about nothing But I pray you what difference is there doth not hee say that the scripture is a nose of waxe that saith it is as a nose of waxe that may bee turned and wrested which way a man will Is not their doctrine generall to derogate from the authoritie of the scripture that it is a dead letter a matter of strife dark maymed vncertaine a nose of waxe a leaden rule a lesbeian building an occasion of all heresies which comprehendeth not all thinges necessary to saluation Is not this doctrine as full in abhomination as that allegation And therefore Cardinall Hosius worse then any Anabaptist saith That it is a vaine labour that is bestowed vppon the Scripture whiche is bestowed as vppon a dead and beggerly element that rather wee must looke for voyces from heauen that must instructe vs. This is the foundation of all their vnwritten verities of man his traditious which they preferre before the worde of God because as Andradius saith It often times commeth to passe that hee is wrapped in a greater wickednesse that breaketh the Ecclesiasticall traditions then those that are Goddes adding that example of the Sacrament in one kinde c. And yet who knoweth not that the holy Scripture commendeth the Scripture vnto vs as a light shining in a darke place vntill the day breake foorth And Christe himselfe though they woulde haue vs to shunne them 〈◊〉 vs to search them as those that witnesse vnto his both his nature and his will Abraham also signifieth to the ritche man that was in hell that his brethren were to bee taught out of Moses and the 〈◊〉 to the ende they might bee deliuered and obtaine euerlasting saluation So Paule affirmeth to Timothie that all Scripture is inspired from aboue and comprehendeth all thinges necessarie to the perfection of saluation Nowe hee wrote this Epistle when in a manner all the Apostolicall writings were committed to writing as may appeare out of the fourth Chapter And concerning your traditions Christ saith They worship me in vaine with the precepts of men and Paul plainely condemneth that will worship in the second to the Collossians For his behauiour towards Campion in the Tower whome you so highly aduaunce for singuler learning those that were present can tell the vanitie of this accusation Hee gaue him no vncomely wordes but such as became both his owne person and his to whom he spake The one being a godly man standing for the truth and the other an enemie traitour both against god and it There was not any one word vttered of barbarous threat onely hee might when hee was insolent bee put in minde of his place and condition Of the like vanitie is it that you tell of his turning and speaking to the people that they shoulde prayse God for his good argument and of shutting the dores to keepe the people in to heare his prayer Hee might perhaps now and then as reason was admonish the people to beware of suche a runnagate Fryer who hauing challenged our whole churche shewed himselfe so insufficient to maintaine his owne cause As for hatred in his hart putting it in execution it is too malitious to be suspected of master Charke or any such of his profession You are the blood suckers the malicious men whose furie could neuer yet be otherwise quéched then with the effusion of christian blood If I lye thē let all the places and countries where euer you ruled witnes against mee If master Charke had had such malice as you say yet how could hee put it in execution being a priuate man To whome did he euer complaine What inditement did hee euer drawe or cause to bee drawne against him Where did he euer goe or intermeddle in any these matters but when and wherein hee was called But you may lye by authoritie For here are no lesse then fiue together one that he dealt inciuilie Another that hee commended his argument
they be As for other thinges without that compasse we refuse not such trials as are 〈◊〉 for them also But he sayeth This is a shifte common to all 〈◊〉 suche as Maister Charke is And the cause thereof Augustine doth testifie of the Heretikes of his time But first he should haue prooued vs Heretikes and then haue giuen vs that name August testifieth truely that al Heretikes abuse the letter of the Scriptures as doe the Papistes Anabaptists Familie of loue and such others But is not this a good 〈◊〉 Heretikes catche at the letter and wordes of the Scriptures to mainteine their errors Ergo the scriptures are not the touch stone to try al spirits by yea but 〈◊〉 are other thinges to trie the meaning of the scriptures by what are they Forsooth the sense of the Churche Of what churche Forsooth of that Synagogue of Rome of her Doctours of her generall councelles and such like conspiracies and I cannot tell what As though the scripture written by Gods spirite shoulde bee expounded by the spirites of men and of such Erroneous men as from time to time by the scriptures haue been founde to 〈◊〉 the sonne of God as though there should bee vncertaintie in GOD and certaintie in these men Emptinesse in 〈◊〉 writings of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 in their balde and absurde 〈◊〉 especially when they haue deliuered That the Scriptures are to be fitted to the tyme and to be vnderstood 〈◊〉 so that at one time they are to be expounded according to the vniuersal currant rite or ceremonie But if that ceremonie be changed then the sentence is to be changed Againe if the Churches iudgement be changed why then Gods iudgemēt is also changed Farther the scripture as touching the letter is not of the essēce of the church which may be vtterly destroyed by a Tyrant but it is the spirit that quickeneth 〈◊〉 Prierias Eckius Hogstratus holde that the Pope alone may determine all matters of faith and that the Pope may expounde the scripture as he wil. Habet authoritatem interpretandi sacram Scripturam authoritatinè pro suo sensu Therefore what may we hope for concerning the Synagogue of Rome that challengeth to be iudge ouer all seeyng it is prooued by the practise of it that sometime they interprete the scripture one waye and somtime another as afterwardes may appeare by their contradictory doctrines But here M Defender putteth downe three causes why these newe Teachers appeale 〈◊〉 to Scripture Wee must by the way endure 〈◊〉 names without anie proofe when it is euident that they are the newe Teachers and we the old teaching the same doctrine that Moses the Prophetes Christ his Apostles and all holie Martyrs haue taught and professed according to that worde 〈◊〉 the beginning of the world and they resisting it and persecuting it But what are these three Forsooth the first is to gette credite with the people The seconde because we woulde exclude Counselles Fathers and Auncetours of the Churche who from time to time haue declared the true sense of scripture vnto vs that wee might haue libertie and authoritie to make what meaning wee list and thereby giue colour to euerie fansie wee list to teache The thirde because wee woulde deliuer our selues from all ordinaunces or doctrines lefte vnto vs by the first pillers of Christe his Churche not expressely set downe c. For the first whether it bee a way to get credite to cleaue to the worde of GOD with the common people let them iudge that knowe howe contrarye it is to mans corruption onelye to relye vppon it Indeede it deserueth credite with all when they shall see that wee iustifie God in his woorde and forsake our owne testimonies and the testimonies of 〈◊〉 and blood 〈◊〉 who made him a God to knowe our purpose and to enter into our heartes We leaue it to all the worlde to iudge whether they hunt not more for the prayse of the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of men then we doe who like proude Pharisies doe whatsoeuer they doe to be seene of men and to be praysed of them And therefore bring the scriptures of God into captiuitie vnder men and vnder their interpretation to flatter them withall And so in other thinges they fast and praye openly at euery piller and euery streete they giue their almes like 〈◊〉 blase their vainglorious good woorkes to all men c which also sheweth the purpose of their heart For the second touching Councels Fathers 〈◊〉 c. Wee indeede exclude them from being eyther aboue or equall with the worde of God we make them not Iudges though some tymes in matters of storie to shewe the practise of the Churche wee admitte them for witnesses The 〈◊〉 is because Generall councelles haue erred and haue beene one agaynst another one Doctour agaynst another and diuers tymes against them selues The seconde Councell of Ephesus was agaynst the Councell of Chalcedon the one condemning and the other absoluing Eutiches The second of Nice 〈◊〉 that of Franckford about images The first of Nice and those of 〈◊〉 Mentz and of Carthage about the marriage of Ministers Those of Constance and Basill against those of Florence and Trent about your holy fathers vsurped Supremacy and so of diuers others Concerning Fathers and Doctors whether you meane the former or the later it is so also of them For if councels gathered together in the name of God hearing eche others reasons and debating matters for finding out of truth haue yet thus iarred to the end we should not rest vpon them as iudges but onelie vpon the Scriptures what are wee like to finde amōgst men yea amongst the eldest and what then amongest the latest If in the eldest as in Irenae the errour of the Chiliastes in Cyprian Anabaptisme in Tertullian the heresie of Montanus that there should come a new holie Ghost a new Prophesie also condemning seconde marriages and denying it to be lawful to flie in time of persecution In Origene in finite which Hierom writing to 〈◊〉 hath noted before vs and so in all the rest howe may wee bee iudged by them we speake not of those that you count errours but suche as are errours indeede both with you and vs. What shal we say then of Thomas and Scotus and your other schoole men foole men What shal wee say of your other late writers of your Popes of their Canons in al times It would fil a whole volume to declare al their errours and dissentions O But we cleaue to onely scripture that we might deliuer our selues from traditions which you call ordinaunces and doctrines of men and surely we haue also good cause so to do For as they are infinite variable so also they are impious and ridiculous neither fitte nor possible to be kept If any can be proued out of the word of God as deriued from those first pillers of his Church containing in
is to denie all Fathers Doctours Councelles histories examples Presidents customes 〈◊〉 and prescriptions and to make our selues Iudges ouer them Yea it is to denie the Bookes of Scripture them selues and the sense reseruing all interpretation to our selues But what is this els but to begge that which is in question To charge vs with that whiche your selues vsurpe and put in continual practise And howe is this to denye the bookes of Scripture when wee staye onelie vppon the Scripture And howe is this to denie the sense of the Scripture when wee staye vppon that interpretation of the scripture whiche is by scripture whiche is not priuate of or by any man but from the holye Ghost And is this to denie Councelles Fathers Doctours Hystories and Examples c When wee reade them consider of them thanke GOD for the lighte and helpes they yeelde to vs by these giftes God hath giuen them yet alwayes trying them and all things by the onely touchstone which is the scripture Is this that Iesuiticall Logicke that will make vp the mouth of Poperie against whiche no man shall dare to wagge Surelie it is peeuishe it is foolishe Yea but Catholikes though they giue soueraigntie in all thinges to it yet they bynde them selues also to other thinges besides Verie well that is to saye though the scriptures be chiefe yet they set other thinges equall with them And what other thinges bee they If they bee of men Why then it must followe that you matche the thinges of men with GOD you make earth equal with heauen the wisedome of the 〈◊〉 you couple to the wisedome of the spirite And this is one of your chiefest Abhominations your wittes are vnhappie enough to abuse the truth But 〈◊〉 whether they haue more libertie to roaue abroade that haue the wyde worlde to wander in or they that are sh ut vp in a parlar Whether are they looser to choppe and chaunge affirme and denie allowe and mislike that rest in the Scriptures or they that wil wander in euerye wildernesse of mens deuises customes prescriptions and I cannot tell what Indeede I know that the word of God is larger then al the world and he is at greater libertie that is bound vnto it then he that wandreth after men and yet we acknowledge Gods giftes in men and when the fathers speake as the worde we acknowledge the worde in them and reuerence them for the wordes sake But if they speake as Chrisostome sayth With the voyce of a stranger then we cannot hearken vnto them We know the voyce of Christ but not the voyce of a stranger And al that are Christes doe alwayes speake in Christes voyce and if this exception be to be taken of them that are Christes How should we except against them that haue plainely prooued themselues to be none of Christes You may therefore put vp your pipes concerning those whom by supposition you cal Heretikes but yet could neuer proue them so to be for standing only to the Scripture As for the interpretation of the Scripture it is from the Authour of the Scripture not from mens writings but from the Scriptures themselues which are not of any priuate interpretation as the Apostle saith Maister Charke chanteth therefore worthilie as a good Musition vpon this special point treading the path of al faithful Christians before him in keeping himselfe fast to the Scriptures and you like a rouing Heretike followe the pathes of your forefathers that dare not be tried by that rule of righteousnesse but followe your owne sinneful deuise and as you are a corrupt flesh flie so you feede vpon the corruptions and soares of men because you loue that which is moste agreeable to your corrupt nature That Spirites must be tried you confesse but that full and 〈◊〉 rule out of the Apostle vexeth you to the heart and howsoeuer you raue at it bringing in a diuersity of interpretations to set them at oddes with M. Charkes as that the auncient fathers interpreted it of the Iewes and against Ebion and Cerinthus that denied the Godhead of Christ and 〈◊〉 his comming in the flesh and rather against M. Charke and his fellowes yet it wil sit neerer your skirts then that you can so easily remoue it For albeit it be nothing to the purpose if you shoulde bring twenty diuers interpretations of sundry to preiudice the true meaning gathered naturally out of the circumstances of the text yet what letteth that interpretation of the Doctors that it should not bee also applyed to you For Christe is resisted by some one way and by some another As the Iewes therefore Ebion and Cerinthus denied Christe dissolued Iesus that I may vse your owne worde so doe you in truth though you confesse him with your mouthes For of him with the Iewes you denie him to bee a sole sufficient and onely Sauiour You destroy his true humanitie and crucifie him continually as they did You stand vpon former priuiledges pretend a personall succession and fathers euen as they did when yet they crucified the Lord of glory for which act you praise them and teache they had sinned deadly if they had not done it Euen as the Ebionites also taught that faith was not only sufficient to saluation but that the keeping of the lawe must bee ioyned with it so doe you Againe you holde with them that Christe was not before the Virgin Mary What heresie is there in the worlde that you doe not communicate withall in one poynt or other I haue shewed it largely in another place and therefore meane not no we to stand vpon it With the Valentinians you haue deuised an infinite number of Goddes As the Collyridians sacrificed to the virgin Mary and worshipped her so doe you As the Angelists gaue diuine honour to the angels so doe you As Montanus deuisyd lawes for fasting and dissolued Matrimonie so do you As the Tatians Eucratians and Manichees cryed out that mariage was a carnall kinde of life and forbade it to those that woulde bee perfect so doe you As the Pellagians denied concupiscence of it selfe without consent to bee sinne and ascribed to the naturall powers strength to doe spirituall thinges and affirmed that a man is saued by keepyng the lawe so doe you and it is the greatest matter handeled in this booke Master Charkes good grace therefore in interpreting that place of Iohn cannot bee so easily wyped away For if Christ must bee confessed as hee must in deede then the controuersie is not of the confession of his name in bare wordes and with the mouth only but of his power of his offices that is to say of his prophetship of his kingdome and of his priesthood acknowledged also from the hearte And though all the papists in the worlde sweare that they allowe these in Christe and answeare the matter with a 〈◊〉 flam that they allowe Prophetes teache kinges to raigne vnder
to draw them to their purpose as namely in their late Testament applying that which is spoken of Christ Heb. 4. 16. to the Pope whiche they make the Epistle at their Masse for the election of the Pope reade He. 4. their annotations vpon the fift 7. 9. 10 and 11. c. The places therefore of Theoderet and Augustine concerne not vs but rather such wretches as your selues are who haue ouerthrowen that true sacrifice of the new Testament in deede Nowe though by his owne confession he might haue made an end and for the goodnesse of the matter might in deede haue put vp his pipes long agoe yet here wee haue a 〈◊〉 onset concerning their reasonable offers of tryall and that wee admit none We forsooth name scripture in woordes to no purpose seeing the controuersie is about the sense Wherein wee say they admit no iudge but our selues Wherein he saith no otherwise but thus that for the sense wee must not goe to the Scriptures but to them who are for sooth the church and then that wherewith he chargeth vs falleth flat to his owne head Again he is greeued that if they bring scripture wee shift it of with some 〈◊〉 interpretation Wherein we know not what hee woulde haue vnlesse he woulde haue vs to admit whatsoeuer they bring without interpretation But he belyeth vs when hee saith wee shifte it of All heretikes as themselues will alleadge the wordes of the Scripture but they will not way the circumstances nor admit one place to bee 〈◊〉 by another but abuse the Scriptures dallying with them as their forerunners did in the 7. session of that trifling Nicene councell in 〈◊〉 of images to their owne destruction Concerning that the fathers wrote in the praise of virginitie it cannot 〈◊〉 denied but they were to excessiue that wayes wee also prayse the gift in them that haue it and yet we derogate not from holy matrimonie wee dare not affirme that to liue in matrimonie is to liue in the flesh as some of their Popes and others haue wickedly done The place of the 19. of Matthewe is as yll applyed of you as may bee For the purpose of Christe in that place is to take away that offence that was obiected by the Disciples that if they might not put away theyr wiues as Moses had practised then it were not good to marry But Christe sheweth that all are not capable of that saying but to whome it is specially giuen There are in deed 〈◊〉 from their birth and Eunuches made by men and Eunuches which for the kingdome of heauen sake haue gelded themselues that are vnfit for mariage and neede not that remedie either in respect of themselues or in respect of the gist of GOD but what maketh this against the lawfull and honourable ordinance of God appointed to all that haue neede of it Againe that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. ver 38. is a conclusion in respect of circumstances that went before and not simply in it selfe For if they haue not the gifte whether they haue vowed or not vowed let them marrie It is better to marrie then to burne your doctrine of forbidding marriage to your vowed creatures is the doctrine of Diuels It hath beene the sincke of the whole worlde and the cause of vnspeakable abhominations Reade into what 〈◊〉 your Pope Nicholas fell affecting this sole life forgette not Paules young Widdowes that hee mentioneth 〈◊〉 Timothie 5. Reade Epiphanius Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 11. aniste or an Assumptionist shewe mee what was his order Tell vs who they were that helde of him or of his name and office were called Baptistes vnlesse they were some heretike and whether it were not safer to followe the best I meane Christe then Iohn wee knowe Christe had his Disciples and so had Iohn but Iohn sent his Disciples to Christe and kept none from him And though you name Elias Iohn Baptist c. as patrones of Monkerie yet some attribute theyr beginning to the Essaeis whome Philo in 〈◊〉 of his Countrie men the Iewes describeth to haue beene the streightest and holiest order and some ascribe their beginning to Marke some to one some to another But yet I pray you tell vs by what authoritie you can frame vs so infinite a number since without any father or author in the scripture far vnlike those that in time of persecution for sauing of their liues liued in such solitarie places For your number groweth so great that I thinke they cannot well bee reckoned and these latter as that pretende to followe Iesus our Lorde and Sauiour whome they forgate all this while to make their patrone exceede all others and the 〈◊〉 are but drudges in comparison of them vnlesse these last gay Anuncianistes put them out of countenance Euery particuler company haue a peculiar patrone and according to their Cities and Townes so are their Goddes Euerie Citie euerie Churche euery vyllage euery house and euery man worshippeth a peculiar patrone euen as you appointed to euerie disease sickenesse and daunger a peculiar Sainte and these in necessitie must be called vpon as singuler Saviours And as your Goddes patrones and heades were infinite so are your meanes to saluation diuers and variable to wit by woorkes of supererogation by pardons from Rome by Masses almes deedes building of Churches putting on coules washings whippings and a thousande suche trumperies Your rules and orders in your seuerall Monkeries and fraternities were of as great diuersitie in your 〈◊〉 ceremonies as many as there are colours in the raynebowe 〈◊〉 yet all must merite saluation yea and Cardinall Hosius dareth affirme that these diuers kindes of worshippes deuised of men are more acceptable then if 〈◊〉 were commaunded of GOD because they are voluntarie 〈◊〉 doone without constrainte And surely as these monastical sectes are variable so they are together by the eares one with another about their prerogatiues who shal exceed others in the worthinesse of merites Doe not all the world know how the Priests and Chanons rayle vppon you Iesuites for 〈◊〉 late deuised order from Layolas the souldier And besides other thinges doe they not complaine of you that whilest you woulde be accounted poore yet you lye in wayte for the wealth and riches of the whole worlde and vnder the colour of lacking all things you possesse all commodities whatsoeuer And that there haue growen such a number of sectes and orders that your Popes and their councelles haue made canons against them it is plaine and euident Concerning the real presence for which you vrge Luther against vs with whom yet you doe not agree it is worthie no answeare That spiritual presence which Ambrose 〈◊〉 Epiphanius and Chrisostome in the places by you alleadged doe mainteine we maynteine and confes We beleeue such a presence as is aduouched to be in all Sacramentes we looke not to reason nor to our senses but to Faith but wee may not destroy the nature of
Sacramentes which can be no Sacraments if there be not the signe as well as the thing signified The one offered to the sense as consisting of an earthly part the other to faith as being the heauenlie and spiritual parte And where as you say that we haue found out a new exposition of these words this is my bodie affirming that we say it must needes be thus construed It is the onely signe of my bodie We say not so It is an impudent slaunder and you declare of what spirite you are when you shame not in the light of the sonne and before al the 〈◊〉 to aduouch such a manifest vntruth Amb. saith As thou 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 receiued the similitude of death so doest thou in the Sacrament drinke the similitude of his blood And againe in eating 〈◊〉 the bread Wine we doe signifie the eating 〈◊〉 of the flesh and blood he offered for vs. And in the very place by you alleadged 〈◊〉 thou wilt say saith he I see no appearance of blood no 〈◊〉 hath a 〈◊〉 For euē as thou hast taken a similitude of his death so thou 〈◊〉 the similitude of his most precious blood As for Cyrill none is playner then he Christ gaue saith he peeces of bread to his disciples saying Take yee eate yee this is my body Chrisostome saith 〈◊〉 ordained the Table of his last holy supper for this purpose that in the Sacrament he shoulde daily shew vs bread and wine for a 〈◊〉 of his bodie and blood But why doe I enter into this course with you The Doctors in infinite places doe testifie the truth of this doctrine that wee holde and mainteine in our Churche If you haue any thing it is either by clipping thē adding vnto them or diminishing from thē And though Luther in his time brought not onely 8. but 8. score interpretations and your not learned Claudius de Zanctes not 84. but 800. and 4. what maketh this to diminish the authoritie of the Scripture This is your reasō Luther in his time noted 8. sundrie interpretations vpon these wordes This is my body which yet is malitiously gathered of you and Claudius Zāctes 84. who is an impudēt Frier therfore a liar and althese alledge the Scriptures therefore there is no fit trial by the scriptures We leane not so to men that we in their names receiue whatsoeuer commeth from them that is common with papistes that if any thing be thrust vpon you in the name of any whō you like of by by you admit it how corrupt soeuer it be And though Luther had his faultes yet wee may truely say that he was a man enlightned by Gods spirit considering the time wherin he wrote being but newly crawled out of the dūghil of your corruptions in that notable fortitude and zeale wherin he set himselfe against Antichrist he may in some sort be wel compared to Elias And in regard that he taught the trueth in the most principall matters of faith and religion we pardon whatsoeuer he hath vttered against our persons as I haue said before which you set forth in the 13. 14. sections this shalbe al the answere I wil vouchsafe to bestowe vppon you at this time for this matter But your conclusion of the premisses is too grosse in the 15. section where you disfauour the controuersie betwixt vs concerning our prouoking to scripture for we prouoke to God you to men Wee leane not vpon any interpretation that is priuate but to that which is frō God we refuse not the testimony of men whē it is not against God Further we shift no scriptures For that concerning vowes it is playne that the prophet vnderstandeth that place of the worship of God For as they receiued benefites vnder the lawe so they vowed according to the holie purposes of their hearts such sacrifices as were enioyned by the law of God what makes this for the maintenaunce of rash vowes in a wil-worshippe deuised by sinful men who neither haue the gifte nor power to keepe that which they rashly promise vnto God And therefore it is iustly so wiped away by M. Fulk Again tha to ther place of Mat. 19. If thou wilt be perfect goe sel al that thou hast and giue it to the poore who seeth not that it was singuler for him that boasted of a perfection aboue other as also that other declareth If thou wilt enter into life keepe the cōmandements though this belōg vnto all yet our iustification is not frō the law but frō faith which that this yong mā might haue bin made to see he was beatē frō his hold y t knowing his own imperfection he might disclaime it and rest in that perfectiō of Christ which also vnles you Papistes do whatsoeuer you boast of a more perfectiō of life in Christianity thē others therfore do as you think more then you ought therfore at least must keep the cōmandements you cānot be saued It is pitiful to see your blindnes how greedily you snatch at that which yet you cānot swallow leaue that which is prouided for your euerlasting comforte Whatsoeuer pertaineth to life or doctrine is cōmon to all to serue both for exāple instructiō but yet many things are spokē to finguler persons in singuler respects as the fasting of Christ 40. daies his going vppon the water his healing of the sicke his raising the dead c. which yet I thinke you wil not so apply as though al your Iesuites shold do al such things as Christ did But I know where to haue you For in times paste you had some shame but now you haue gotten harlots forheads That also of S. Iames cap. 2. Cōcerning iustification not by a dead faith hath bin made plaine lōg agoe not only that but also that whiche you bring out of the 2 to the Rom. againe out of 1. Cor. 7. Mat. 19. where as you had touched them often But you make no conscience to blot paper againe againe with one the same thing You are like vnto flies who though they iolte thēselues neuer so oftē against the glasse yet they seeke stil a way to get out We hold according to the doctrine of Iames that he that shalbe iustified both before God mē must haue a true a liuely faith which we discerne by good workes as by fruits frō that dead faith which hath no fruits of sanctificatiō yet we affirme still with M. Fulk that those works that do proceed frō the fullest truest faith that is cānot iustifie vs in thēselues before God therfore whē Abraham is said to be iustified by works whē he offred vp his sōne Isaack y e meaning is plain that he was foūd a iustified mā by that worke that was before mē not before God otherwise thē as faith being liuely layeth hold vpō that righteousnes of Christ
proud spirite condemning vs of choler impatience and heate if wee speake but plainely and yet swallowing vp in your selues the greatest sharpnesse and filth of speeche that may bee and namely againste suche whose shoe latchettes you are vnworthie to loose For what speeche is this to bee vsed to a reuerende learned man in deed to call him a pearte and cockishe merchaunt who in comparison of gifts trauaile and labour in the ministerie of the Gospel hath done more then any one or all the pack of them euer did for the maintenance of their own abhominable popery Againe hee playeth vpon another worde vsed by master Charke when hee saith and that truly that they haue nothing to vpholde theyr popishe religion and to defende it but lying tyrannie hypocrisie and rebellion Heere hee leaueth the very cause and looketh backe to his owne ayme and asketh where those 〈◊〉 and hypocrisie are As for tyrannie that hee returneth vpon vs because that iustice is executed vpon suche rebels and traytours as Campion and his companions were His parte had beene to haue cleared Poperie from this iust charge and to haue cast it vpon the Gospell As for that iustice whiche vndutifully and like himselfe hee calleth tyrannie because traytours are racked and quartered hee myght haue remembred that as well theyr executions against the like transgressours myght haue been called tyrannie But what their tyrannicall dealing hath beene in deede 〈◊〉 for and in regarde of religion while in so fewe monethes they not onely burned quicke but hanged drowned and killed more then haue beene executed amongest vs these many yeeres Let 〈◊〉 tyrannie witnesse in the Inquisition of Spayne in the murthers of Fraunce the blooddie slaughters procured by their meanes in Flaunders and all the dominions and kingdomes els where in the worlde where Antichriste their Pope hath had any dominion As for his gentle admonitiō to vs whō in contempt he calleth Ministers wherein hee doth so friendly aduise vs for our good to confesse our fcare in plaine wordes wee will consider of that at further leasure In the meane time if hee finde vs 〈◊〉 away and leaue our places emptie let him hardly possesse them keepe thē if hee can and if he and all the rest of thē as many as shal write dispute or contend for their Maozim and false religion shall finde vs too fewe to match them or too weake to answere them yet let them not fat their heartes in their sinne crie out a victorie against God and against his truth who is Almightie and which standeth fast and shall in the ende preuaile against all their cursed treacherie Another thing he 〈◊〉 at is master Charkes modest honest defence of master Hanmer hee hauing charged them that nothing could bee had either from the one or the other but words and why forsooth Because the disputation cannot bee procured and perfourmed by them being priuate men vpon whose warrant yet if they would like to come it is like they woulde bee readie to encounter them and perfourme the disputation in deede But because master Charke will defende master Hanmer whō by a Rethoricall diminution hee laboureth to abase with some praise of the one and disgrace of the other hee hath raked together and laide out of an heape as hee saith of his fooleries and falsehoode patched for sooth after the fashion of our 〈◊〉 some fewe thinges But surely if a man woulde but take a little paines to rake in their dounge I meane not onely in the foolish writings of many their worshipfull writers that haue written in controuersies against the religion of Christe but much more in their patched confuse sermons he shoulde finde nothing els but ridiculous absurdities blasphemous opinions and fooleries such as woulde make a mans eares to glowe and to tingle either in heating or reading them I referre the Reader for controuersies but to Eckius Blyndasinus Aloysius Lypomanus Topiarius Grenewith Frier Perine Tefflerus Marshall and all the rest of that sort not reckoned amongst the best learned and as for their sermons they are well worse Hee may bee ashamed to 〈◊〉 that wee patch our Sermons For his patches vse nothing but patcherie whilest their preachings are nothing but pratings toyes fancies of their owne denising as farre from the taste of Gods spirite and the knowledge of the woorde of God as them selues are from all spirituall feeling and taste of godlinesse demne it vnlesse it be done warilie Sometime they say if the Pope bee founde negligent of his own saluation and of his brethrens if he be foūd vnprofitable and remisse in his businesse and altogether without anie goodnes so that he hurt himselfe and others lead thē by whole heapes into hel to the diuel yet it is not lawful for any mortal man to reprooue him or to say sir why doe you so the reason is because he is to iudge all men and to be iudged of no man c. And yet their Rubricke gainsayeth that same blasphemous Canon as also the Canon admonendi Causa 2. quest 7. It were infinite and tedious to followal but as they are one against another so they are against themselues and against their other general doctrine in many things confirming that which they so persecute with fire faggotin vs as for example Clement the Pope saith that the holy scripture is to be interpreted by it self The canōs of the Apostles are reiected out of Isiodore because they were made by heretikes It is saide nothing is to be forbidden that the scriptures forbid not They teach that finnes are forgiuen through faith only the promise of pardon may be obtayned Againe they affirme that we being the sonnes of wrath cānot be saued but through faith in Christ the mediator And they allowe the Sacrament to be ministred to the lay people in both kinds and the glosse is not against it Against their counterfeit supremacie also Cyprian the pope saith that the other apostles were of the same authority that Peter was The supremacie of the pope is reiected in the Church neither hath the Pope al things in the closet of his breast They 〈◊〉 also the right of choosing the pope and appoynting the apostolical See vnto the Emperor 〈◊〉 they take away the pluralitie of benefices and ordeine that one priest shal not haue many churches committed to his charge They teach as we doe that al the dutie of priests as they cal them consisteth in preaching and that this duetie also belongeth to Bishops They forbid their Clarkes to be present at marriage feastes or to haunte ale houses or ta uernes they must haue no cōuersation with women the masse of a priest which keepeth a whore may not be heard Their 〈◊〉 that haue not the gift of chastitie may marrie Their mōkes according to their names
we openly protest that we receaue it as the word of God Concerning that which Duraey the Scot hath farther obiected cōcerning this matter I refer the Reader to M. Whittakers answere which I hope shal shortlye come forth But this you say you haue added to shew the impudencie of M Charke and his fellowes in the Tower against Campion because he could not presently shew it out of our bookes and especialy of M. Whittakers who to the admiration and laughter of al other nations hath set forth that Luther neuer called that Epistle so c. Surely first for Campion it must needes be a great impudencie to aduouch such a thing charging our whole Church of England also with it that for his life he knew not where to finde in the Aucthour which he had neuer read himself but as your maner is had by a lying traditiō receaued it frō others He y t was so impudent to chaleng a whole Church was able to say no more whē he should haue auouched his places must needes be suspected as you are Again what hath M. Whitaker set forth that is not true For if those words be to be found in Luther yet are they not spoken simply but as hath bene sayd by way of comparison therfore that resolute desperatnes to defend error is to be turned ouer to your selues that are wont to defend whatsoeuer your Romish Church holdeth be it neuer so 〈◊〉 or contrary to the word of God As for not hauing read it but measuring M. Whitakers by him self it is liker that he had read them 〈◊〉 then they who indeede although they haue often alleadged it yet they haue done it vpon no other ground then hath beene shewed and it is a very lye becōming Frier Parsons or his aduocat y t he vtterly denieth it but he saith that they reporte absolutely 〈◊〉 hath no such wordes As for the Dutch Testament it was also there offred to Campyon and if hee had taken it from thence it is lyke that hee woulde haue remembred it which if he had done there were there that vnderstoode it and could haue interpreted it vnto him Concerning that he saith to auowe his exercise and iudgement in Scripture twiting M. Chark with pride and ignorance alleadging three or foure places farre from the purpose in steed of stopping that hole he hath made it wyder and slylie passing by Maister Charks reason yet in the ende he graunteth that which was in question For if Iohns Gospel was written by the same spirite that the rest were and S. Iohn hath largely intreated of loue which is the fulfilling of the lawe it must needes follow that he hath also intreated with as great specialtie of good woorks And therfore it is a slaunderous surmise that Luther shoulde praise S. Iohns Gospel and beare a tooth as he speaketh against the other either in respect that S. Iohn speaketh lesse of workes or the other more But what will not Papistes surmise As though forsooth we thought more basely of good works then they who teach the doctrin of the more truly then they and yet giue that glory to God that they cannot saue vs but that is onely from his meere mercie freely offered and apprehended by faith in Christ. Concerning the fourth charge of Luthers doctrine whiche he likewise hath taken word for word out of Staphilus and whiche he citeth out of the answeare of George the Duke of Saxonie triumphing ouer M. Charkes ouersight in not reading that which followeth calling it extreame impudency of a lying minister and wilful and shamelesse dishonestie and I cannot tel what as if the man were in the moone I aunswear that euery opinion of euery man is not to be defended by vs. Why should Luthers opinion in some one point or other not of so great importance be laide to our charge to the discredite of the mightie trueth of God I haue saide before that men had their errours and as it pleased God to blesse them with a measure of faith so they executed their ministery And though Luther were now by the grace of God returned from Babylon and from your whoorish church of Abhomination yet he might both in this poynt of Diuorse and in others be to seeke what councell to giue you hauing not onely taught a diuorse to be lawfull for that thing but also for many others contrary to the doctrine of Christe so that that poyson was sucked from your owne breastes and therefore you haue no cause so much to triumph against Luther for that poynt or agaynst M. Chark who is ready I am sure wherein he hath fayled to be louingly admonished But this is your propertie to leape at gnattes and to catche 〈◊〉 in other men but Elephantes in your selues are motes and your fight is so dimme you cannot see them If your eye had beene cleare you might haue seene set downe in redde and great Letters in your owne popish decrees that for impotencie of body marriage is to bee dissolued yea for many lesser causes a great deale when our Sauiour hath set downe the onely cause to be fornication yet by the Popes lawe your Gossips might not marrie nor the women that had beene once marryed might not marry againe Neither doth that helpe that you will permitte them not to marry after suche diuorse but rather it doubleth and encreaseth your sinne that first you dissolue where you ought not and hauing dissolued them you suffer them not to enioye that remedie which Christe hath left them as it were leading them by the hande into the stewes to leade a filthy and loose life euer afterwardes This is that you might blushe at if there were any mite of shamefastnes in you You that haue therefore such gaps in your selues and such fowle botches you might haue pardoned this scarre and warte in Martin Luther who was otherwise so sincere sounde and painefull in the substaunce of Gods trueth and religion at whose honour though you swell and burst your selues for anger to deface it and bring it out of credite yet it shall stand and remaine till it receaue that ful fyning that shall cleare it from all humaine corruption That which followeth you borrowed not beecause you concealed the Lender but you stole it out of Staphilus and it is confessed to bee Luthers errour and meete to fall without maintenaunce beecause it hath no foundation in the worde of GOD. As for your knauishe coniecture that Luther belike had some kinsmen in whose wiues he would haue had interest it fitteth rather a popishe Iesuite and a vowed Votarie that hath not the gifte of continencie and therefore needeth such filthy shiftes Luther was knowne where hee lyued after GOD called him to that holy state of matrymonie to lyue chastly in the feare of God what soeuer your Romish Priestes Friars and Moonkes doe who were woont to bee the common Bulles of all the countrey whereabout they
shall not haue any quiet 〈◊〉 in our possession which you cal intrusiō because we entred not by your popes permissiō You wil forsooth cōtinue your claim title 〈◊〉 surely we tel you that we meane to maintaine our iust lawful right possessiō you shal haue hard getting it except you come with better euidēce It is not the rowt of your Iesuites nor of your new Annūcionists or Assūptionists that can so winne it of vs. And therfore I giue you 〈◊〉 that if you come not better appointed thē your father 〈◊〉 the rest haue done you are like to gaine no more then they haue done in your vniust claime heretofore so strong is truth against forgerie so mightie is the sincerity of Christ against y e heresie treasō of Antichrist But now you say the credite of our cause is crushed seeing we flie opēly and with furie moue the magistrate against you which yet you will beare with patiēce not be discomfited in the middest of al your afflictions to resist our falshood more then before Example of your good Cāpion the rest of his companions who died ioyfully protested their 〈◊〉 forgaue al frankly in the middest of al resisting our foule heresy and so became pure constant Martyrs of their Lorde and maister Iesus Christ c. Al this is but a stiffe bladder strowted out with wind For who tolde you that in our owne conceite the truth is crushed If we had flyen before you doth the credite of the truth stand vpon our standing If all we were fallen must the trueth therefore bee fallen No no though none of vs were able to defend that the truth shall defend it selfe It is an armour of proofe whereinto your counterfeite pelfe cannot once pearce or enter If we moue the magistrates against suche daungerous enimies we doe but our duetie You are Gods and the Queenes enimies vnder pretence of Religion you haue continually practised Treason you stil dishonour her amongest her enemies you clip her gouernement and holde that she is no Queene of yours nor of ours because she is an excommunicate person by the sentence of your Pope a forteigne priest whom you holde a God in earth that cannot erre and therefore dare not disauouch any his doinges For this cause you came ouer to reconcile her subiectes to the Sea of Rome to discharge them of loyaltie duetie towards her Think you not then that it is our parts to perswade thē to iustice to giue thē warning to take heed to looke about them seeing also by your bellowes both at home in englād abroad in Irelād the fire of rebeliō hath set on fire the highest beacons amongest vs her subiectes led vnder your captaines cōductors in armes against her highnes against their own natural countrey I say nothing of other nations but it shalbe found whē mē shal learne to iudge aright that the pope such as depend vpon him are the common traytors to all Christian Princes in Europe As for your patience proceeding not from faith it may welbe a Philosophical patience but it cannot be the patience of Christiās And yet what your patience hath bin your outcries stirres insolencies your vnquiet vnpacified minds can testifie The maner of the death of your new martirs shal witnes to al posterities that they die not with that ioy comfort assurance of truth that the childrē of God feele tast that maketh thē to sleepe sweetly resolutely where as yours die doubtingly therfore with feare horror But I leaue thē to him who knoweth his own But this is certaine an euil cōscience that is not resolute in faith which you teach to be presumption cannot haue that christian ioy patience that a faithful man doth feele As for protesting their innocency it was an aggrauating of their sin villany that being so notoriously conuicted by so many proofes euidence and testimonies they would not yet confesse their offence against God and her Maiestie As for their forgiuenesse whether it were franke or fainte that I thinke you cannot tell There was no cause why they should not forgiue all that had so offended all But they would not craue forgiuenes there where they had most trespassed and therefore they dyed not in perfect charitie And as for their detesting of our religion the more they detested it the more miserable and desperate was their estate and condition that setting themselues against the truth had not grace to confesse it but dyed as it were in the field against it Concerning the fighting of theyr blood against vs we feare not the force of it For being shed for treasō falshood truth cannot bee guiltie of it neither can it gaine any victorie against true religion It is not the death but the cause nor the shedding of blood but the cause of shedding it that is to be regarded If you wil stil poure foorth your blood for treason and in maintenance of an vsurped and forraine iurisdiction your blood shalbe vpon your owne heads we are cleare frō it your blood is no innocent blood to crie for any vengeance but it is the blood of Achab not of Abel blessed are the hands that are first vpon you It is the sworde of Gedeon and that sworde of the Lorde that Christian magistrates beare to execute his iudgementes against such vnnaturall wretches that rebel against God and seeke the destruction of their owne people And seeing yee account them so well bestowed especially Campion and Sherwin and all the rest I am of mind with you that they were best bestowed so in deede Idolaters Theeues murderers and traitours be neuer better bestowed then on the gallows and the Lorde in mercie that loueth Syon and forsaketh not his poore Church bee praysed for pursuing his enemies to the graue And he that in his iust iudgement hath thus found them out will finde you out also that you shall not goe downe to the graue in peace except you repente and turne to him which I pray God you may doe if it bee his blessed wil to your owne saluation and the comfort of many The two thinges which you speake of concerning master Charks person the one of his writing the other of his behauiour they shall bee considered in their proper place Master Charke craueth no further credite of the Church of God then he shalbe found to haue dealt faithfully and sincerely according to the worde of God Hee craueth no testimonie of you nor such as you are hee boasteth no further of his knowledge then is meete for a man of his profession that knoweth what soeuer he hath he hath receaued it by the meere dispensation fauour of God If he come short in any thing he refuseth not to bee taught As for his behauiour towards Campion when for sooth hee was within the reach of his ministeriall power by