and yet not ascribe the title of Reformators vnto themselues And although we should call our selues reformers is it not Mr. Arnoux dutie to shew vs that there is nothing to be reformed in the Church of Rome by prouing his beleefe by the Word of God thereby to withdraw vs from this vnprofitable labour and to hinder vs from applying any more plasters where there is no wound Then that likewise should not hinder him from answering vnto vs. 4 That which followeth is no better vntill saith he that they haue confuted my Paper of confrontation against the which they haue written it were a kind of folly in mee to grant them such a disloyall and friuolous digression For answere hereunto I say that we haue in such manner confuted his confrontations that they are become ridiculous His accusations did not merit the paines were tooke therein but we had a respect to the dignitie of the persons in whose presence he pronounced them And when any man moueth vs to render a reason of our beleefe it is no digression to cause him to yeeld a reason of his owne beleefe For a man alwayes to aske questions and neuer to make answere to any thing that another askes him besides the vniust vsurpation it is a confession of his owne Ignorance For he that askes desireth to be instructed and hee that will not answere silently confesseth that he is not able to giue instruction And if when we make these questions vnto him we should vse a digression yet seeing that our people are not seperated from the Church of Rome and because we cannot satisfie their demaunds by the Word of God it is Mr. Arnoux part to supply their want therein and to giue them instruction Seeing that if his cause be good he shall haue lesse paines to produce a place out of the Scripture touching euery one of our 17. demaunds then to seeke for so many shifts He takes more paines to shew the reasons why he answereth not then he should haue had to answere vs. 5 The fift reason is excellent When saith he they shall plainly and freely confesse that they can no more brag and boast of the Word of God and that their confession is wholly abolished and that it is no more to be spoken of Then I will make no difficultie to instruct them in my beleefe and it shall not be to the end to make them account thereof but to winne them to God He will haue me to leaue my owne Religion before he instructs me in his beleefe but in the meane time what Religion shall I hold while I attend his instruction This is excellent counsell to wish me to leaue my Religion without taking another in a certaine time after and that I should renounce my confession of the faith before I know whether he that induceth me to doe it hath a good religion And if after I haue left my Religion without taking another I come to Mr. Arnoux to learne his faith of him and that therein hee doth not content me shall I remaine without Religion or shall I take that againe which I left That is as much as if a man should leaue his owne Religion not knowing wherefore For I cannot know that my Religion is false vnlesse I know that the contrary Religion is true This Doctor hath learned all this from Father Gontri that published diuers small Treaties wherein are found these slender shifts and childish conceipts to learne men to exempt themselues from answering alwayes to aske questions and to bind vs to proue our allegations in as many words and syllables out of the holy Scripture 6 Lastly after so many ouerthwartings Truth giueth Mr. Arnoux a blow and draweth this confession from him Such questions saith hee cannot be made by those that know well that we neuer promised as they haue done neither yet protested in any of our Articles that we ought not to beleeue any thing but that which is formerly set downe in the Scripture and in expresse termes to the contrary wee hold traditions which they reproue and reiect He should haue said so at the first without seeking so many ouerthwartings and delayes Then he confesseth that he cannot answer our questions by the Scripture and that those points whereof we desire a proofe are not proued by the Word of God contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles but by tradition and by the vnwritten Word That is to say that these doctrines are neither in the Law of God nor in the Gospell for in the holy Scriptures the Law of God is whole and the Gospell whole and not halfe vnlesse the title be false And yet these 17. points are the principall points of the Romish Religion and which are held to be necessary for saluation which are the causes of our separation Then be it knowne to all the Realme of France that Mr. Arnoux being at this day seated in so eminent a place after hee hath defied vs with so solemne a defiance in the presence of his Maiestie and of the greatest persons of this Realme hath bled at the nose confesseth his own weaknesse and acknowledgeth that his Religion is not grounded vpon the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures but vpon an vnwritten Word and vpon Traditions which haue no other rule nor certainty then the authority of those that propound them and who by that tradition haue heaped vp infinite riches and builded an Empire vpon earth While the holy Scriptures which is able to make vs wise to saluation is hidden and withdrawne from the peoples sight And that we on the contrary haue from point to point satisfied and answered to all his questions and obiections Blessed bee the Name of God that makes truth to triumph and drawes our aduersaries condemnation out of their owne mouthes Then with good reason he addeth these words saying they did well to conceiue that I would neuer vndertake an impertinent thing and that also which hee saith that wee would haue him lose dayes and nights and spoile his brest and his stomacke with so much writing and abandon his charge and then stay a long time for an answere and striking after one manner he should lose his blowes It is not impertinent to defend his cause by the word of God that paines will neither hurt nor spoile his brest nor stomacke For it is so hard a matter to produce a place out of the Scriptures for euery one of these 17. points and if not formall at the least such as haue some appearance thereof Touching the places of the Scripture alleadged by Pope Boniface the 8. and by the last Counsell of Lateran in so prodigious and prophane a sense Mr. Arnoux Arnoux p. 112. dares not maintaine such cotations of the Scripture nor yet reiect them least hee should condemne the Popes and their Counsels but findes a way betweene both saying That those proofes are not produced in the literall sense but in an accommodated and
THE IESVITES SHIFTS AND EVASIONS OR His deportment in Controuersies of RELIGION OR A Treatise wherein the causes are examined why Mr. Arnoux the Iesuite refuseth to answere to seauenteene questions propounded by the Ministers of the Church of PARIS Wherein also the Treatise of fiue euasions which he hath added to the examination of our confession is likewise examined and answered BY PETER DV MOVLIN LONDON Printed by T. S. for Nathanael Newbery and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the Starre in Cornehill and in Popes-Head-Alley 1624. To the Christian READER COurteous Reader I would not haue thee to imagine that our Author would haue vouchsafed to bestow his labour vpon the confutation of such silly shifts and sorry Euasions as our moderne English Jesuites and Popish Priests sucke out of their fathers plants and cast foorth with more malice then wit in paltry pamphlets amongst vs to seduce simple people for alas they are not worthy any wise mans view much lesse his paines for confutation But these of Mr. Arnoux are of an higher straine and of more especiall moment which being fully cleared and displayed by our worthy Author and added as a Supplement to his Buckler of Faith a Booke that is now re-printed as most necessary and profitable in these disputing times I could not with-hold this peece from thee any longer because I supposed it would be very vsefull vnto thee also as a light Sword to offend our common Aduersaries the more readily in lighter skirmishes either ioyntly with or seuerally without the Buckler which is fit to defend vs in our strongest Incounters with them I doubt not good Reader but thou shalt in both of them finde such satisfaction as shall giue thee great content and make thee stand the more stedfestly and boldly in the breach against the enemies assaults amidst a multitude of staggerers and backe-sliders which that thou maist be inabled to do to the glory of God and the saluation of thy own soule I shall alwayes pray and indeuour my selfe to yeeld thee what helpe I am able Vale. THE IESVITES SHIFTS AND EVASIONS OR His deportment in Controuersies of RELIGION CHAP. I. The demaunds of the Pastors of the Church of Paris made to Mr. Arnoux the Iesuite THere is nothing more easier than to propound questions but the difficulty consisteth in answering well An ignorant person will put more questions in an houre than a wise man can absolue in a yeare A knot is easily knit but it is not so easily vnknit againe from thence it proceedeth that in Controuersie for Religion he that feeleth himselfe to be too weake or that his cause is ill-grounded alwaies seekes to make difficulties and to finde some meanes to blame his aduersaries beliefe but as much as he can or may exempteth himselfe from yeelding a reason of his owne faith and is wary to enter into any proofe of his Religion Master Gontri late deceased giueth this counsell in a booke which he made touching the manner how to confer with vs for hauing by experience found how dangerous it is to be too forward that the surest meanes is to bind vs to proue that which we say and still to finde some cauilation in our confession he giueth this counsell to his Disciples either to be warie how to make answere to our demaunds or to defend themselues against our accusations and neuer to enter into a proofe of the Catholicke Romish Religion This counsell liketh Master Arnoux exceeding well for hauing in the presence of his Maiestie snatcht at the margents of the confession of our faith and exclaimed against some cotations of the places of the Scripture by vs noted he presseth vs to defend them and to iustifie our allegations And hath made a booke wherein hee disciphereth our confession of the faith from the one end to the other Which booke and all his accusations wee hope we haue in some sort satisfied whereby I am perswaded that he will not hereafter enter so easily into the lists againe And not content to defend our selues we haue taken on vs the Challengers part and haue also pressed him to defend his Religion to see if he hath so much capacitie in him to answere as he hath readinesse to put questions And in counterchange of that which he doth seeking to snatch at the places of Scripture noted in the margent of our confession we haue produced the allegations of the extrauagant vnam sanctam made by Boniface the 8. and the places of Scripture alledged by the last Councell of Lateran as for example the Apostles hauing said here are two swords the Lord made answere and said It is enough And in the beginning of Genesis it is said that in the beginning God created heauen and earth And Psal 72. it is said all the Kings of the earth shall worship him And Iesus Christ said all power is giuen me in heauen and in earth Math. 28.18 which places and many the like are vsed by the said Pope and that counsell to proue that the Pope hath soueraigne power as well ouer temporall as ouer spirituall things and that Kings must worship him and that he hath all power in heauen and in earth Whereupon we aske Master Arnoux whether he will approue such allegations or whether in the margents of our confession he findeth any places of Scripture noted with such horrible licentiousnesse and manifest prophanation And in counterchange for asking vs a proofe of our Religion by the Word of God we summon and defie him to proue his Religion by the Word of God and to that end haue propounded these seauenteene questions following vnto him 1 In what place of the holy Scriptures God hath commaunded vs to call vpon dead Saints 2 Where God hath commaunded vs to represent the Trinity in stone or in picture 3 In what place of the holy Scripture we are commaunded to worship and serue the Images of Saints or to adore them as it is ordained by the second Councell of Nice 4 In what place of the Scripture it is commaunded to sacrifice the body of Iesus Christ in the Eucharist and where Iesus Christ established sacrificators of his body 5 In what place of the Scripture God hath commanded to withhold the Cup from the people in the Sacrament 6 In what place of the Scripture the Bishop of Rome is established and made S. Peters Successor in qualitie of head of the Church 7 Where God commaundeth vs in the Church to reade the holy Scriptures to the people in a language which they vnderstand not 8 Where God hath commaunded vs to pray vnto God without vnderstanding what we pray praying in a language that he which prayeth vnderstandeth not 9 In what place of the Scripture it is said that the death and passion of Iesus Christ hath satisfied for the punishment and for the fault of sinnes committed before baptisme but touching the punishment for sinnes committed after baptisme it belongeth vnto vs to satisfie the iustice
of God either in this life or in purgatorie 10 Where God forbiddeth Priests and Monkes to marry 11 In what place of the Scripture we are commanded to adore the reliques of Saints 12 In what place of the Scripture there is any thing said of the place of Limbus for little Children 13 In what place of the Scripture it is said that the Church of Rome is the Soueraigne Iudge of doubts in faith and that she cannot erre 14 In what place of the Scripture the Virgin Mary is called Queene of Heauen 15 In what place of the Scripture God forbiddeth the people to reade the holy Scriptures without speciall permission 16 In what place of the Scripture power is giuen to the Pope to gather into the treasury of the Church the super-aboundant satisfactions of Saints and of Monkes and to conuert them into payment for others distributing them by Indulgences 17 Lastly where and when hath God giuen power to the Pope to depose Kings to draw soules out of Purgatorie and to giue pardons for seauen or eight hundred thousand yeares Vpon these seauenteene poynts which make the Body of Popery and wherein the abuse and tyranny thereof consisteth we aske Master Arnoux whether he will produce any places of holy Scripture to proue them and wee will content our selues with one place onely for euery seuerall poynt Our meaning is not to restraine him to finde these things in the Scripture word by word it shall suffice vs if he can finde them there in substance or that they can be deduced by good consequence For we seeke no delayes nor are not tyed to the number of syllables so the thing be proued in the word of God Now we must see what answere Mr. Arnoux maketh to these questions and how he proueth his Religion by the Word of God CHAP. II. Mr. Arnoux answere to these Questions THe Aduersarie maketh answere in these words 1. 100. page of Mr. Arnoux Booke First he saith it belongeth not vnto them to aske me the reason of my beleefe because I am in possession no man hath giuen them commission to pull the title of the inheritance which I hold out of my hands I answere that it is true that we haue no power to make him speake nor to binde him to giue vs an answere but the commandement of God bindeth him thereunto in the first Epistle of S. Peter 3.15 Be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare Iesus Christ made answere touching his doctrine to those that came vnto him although they were his enemles and had no power ouer him We haue answered Mr. Arnoux to all whatsoeuer he demanded of vs and obiected against vs although he hath no power ouer vs neither did shew vs his commission He hath bound himselfe to answere vs because he prouoked vs to speake For that asking vs a reason of our religion he might make his account that we would aske him a reason of his religion not in manner of reuenge but to let the truth be knowne and to shew that wee are better grounded in Religion then he is Whereas he saith that he is in possession of an inheritance and that we haue no commission to take it from him If by that inheritance he vnderstandeth earthly possessions and riches we enuie him not and wish that he had ten times as much more so he would become a defender of the truth But if by that inheritance hee vnderstandeth the possession of the true doctrine it is to presuppose that which is in question We goe not about to take a thing from the Church of Rome which she hath partly lost There needs no commission to aske a man what he beleeueth or the reason of his beleefe Charitie towards all men and a desire to lend our helping hand to him that is fallen and the zeale that we ought to beare to the defence of Gods cause sufficiently bindeth vs to speake and to propound the doctrine of saluation to those that require it It is to no purpose to say it is already long time since I haue bin in possession of this doctrine For Pagans Iewes and Turkes may say as much whose religions are ancienter then Papistry We dispute not by numbers or yeeres but by proofes The Church is in a Country where there is a written Law and not in a Country where custome onely ruleth There is no prescription against the heauenly truth which alwayes is most ancient for that vntruth or lying is but a corruption of the truth An ancient opinion once was new and if time may authorize a doctrine tell me how many yeeres at the least me must haue to giue authoritie thereunto Then we must proceed to the ground and to the institution contained in the Word of God And without speaking of the Word of God yet it will be found that the most part of the errors of the Church of Rome are very new As the deposing of Kings by the Pope the Communion vnder one kinde The forbidding to reade the holy Scriptures c. 2 Mr. Arnoux addeth and saith Their request should be more tollerable if they made it before some Iudge that had authoritie to end our difference If this excuse made by the Iesuite were allowable before he sets vpon vs he ought to finde out a Iudge that could set vs at an agreement But that notwithstanding we haue not spared to answere him because that although at this day there is no man to be found that is fit to be a Iudge of Controuersies with infallible certainty and soueraigne authority yet euery particular man ought to haue iudgement with discretion to discerne which of vs best proueth and iustifieth his sayings by the Word of God Then that should bee no hinderance vnto him to answere vs. 3 The third excuse that he addeth is no better then the former which is seeing saith he that they haue bound themselues to re-establish the Church that is fallen and that I offer my selfe vnto them to be drawne out of the ruines wherewith as they thinke I am inclosed It belongs to them to lend me their hand to shew me those notable places and to produce the Scriptures I answere that it is false that we haue taken vpon vs to reforme the Church and that wee haue bound our selues thereunto It is sufficient for vs to reforme our selues They call our Churches reformed and not reformers And they are called reformed because they are Christian Churches purged from Papistrie It is true that as euery true Christian is moued with compassion towards those that erre we could gladly wish that our aduersaries eyes were opened and that we could take the vaile of ignorance from before them But yet we take not on vs the title of reformers I am perswaded that our aduersaries which beleeue that they haue the truth on their sides would be glad if they could doe the like for vs
the interpretation which we giue to a place in the Scripture be drawne out of the Scripture it selfe it is not we that are the interpreters but God himselfe interpreteth For example when to haue the vnderstanding of these words This is my Body wee expound the word This by the bread which I breake and these words my Body by the remembrance of my Body we are not the interpreters but the Apostle S. Paul and Iesus Christ himselfe which giue vs this interpretation So when the Apostle to the Hebrewes 13.16 saith for with such sacrifices God is well pleased We deny that those sacrifices whereof he speaketh are masses and say that he speaketh of doing good and of Christian liberalitie and proue it by the same verse where he saith But to doe good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased But in Mr. Arnoux iudgement such expositions are not allowable if I bring him not another place of Scripture that saith that the same interpretation is true and that this place ought to be expounded by that place So it is requisite that some of the bookes of the Scripture should be commentaries vpon the other bookes and that in the Scripture there should be a Commentary vpon the Psalmes and another vpon the Prophets that should expound euery verse seuerally and that should say that such and such a verse ought thus to bee interpreted but seeing there are no such Commentaries in the Scriptures it appeareth that Mr. Arnoux hath no other intent but to inquire absurd and impossible things of vs and so neuer to haue the Scripture to be interpreted by the Scripture and thereby to impeach and hinder all instruction For example of our That is to say Mr. Arnoux produceth the 2. verse of the 16. Psalme where word for word according to the Hebrew It is My goodnesse extendeth not to thee And wee say that thereby Dauid acknowledgeth that the good which he doth is no benefit vnto God and that God hath no need thereof which ouerthroweth merits Mr. Arnoux reiecteth this interpretation which notwithstanding is the interpretation of his owne Bible which is translated Bonorum meorum non eges thou hast no need of my good deeds This man with a blinde zeale giueth a blow to euery thing and to contradict vs contradicteth himselfe That which Mr. Arnoux addeth that euery one of vs boasteth of a particular Spirit and of a Iudgement sounder then that of the vniuersall Church is a slander none of vs attribute such a spirit vnto our selues such a particular spirit is an vniuersall folly CHAP. V. The second Euasion THe second Euasion wherewith Mr. Arnoux saith wee serue our turnes is that we haue our recourse to consequences which saith he we would not doe if we had a formall place of Scripture And that to confirme our consequences we make Sillogismes the formes whereof proceede from Aristotles forge which cannot binde mens consciences nor strengthen faith All this is the Iesuite Gonters fense which alwaies held his first trade He knew not that a place of Scripture from whence we draw a consequence is neuerthelesse formall when the consequence is plaine and necessary If the Scripture saith For there is no man which sinneth not 2 Chron. 6.36 Is not that a formall place to prooue that the Apostles sinned seeing they were men When the Law of God saith Thou shalt not commit adulterie Is it not a formall place to shew that the Pope doth euill to permit adulterie and yet it followeth by consequence And when the Gospell commandeth euery man to beleeue in Iesus Christ is not that a formall place to prooue that Philip and Anthony ought to beleeue in Iesus Christ and yet that followeth by consequence So when S. Paul Romans 9.19 saith For who hath resisted his will And when Dauid Psal 115.3 saith But our God is in the Heauens he hath done whatsoeuer hee pleased Are not these formall places to prooue that God guideth all things by his prouidence Neuerthelesse the Iesuites will not allow of such proofes and when I say that God guideth all things by his prouidence they say vnto me prooue that by the Scripture and then if I alledge these places out of S. Paul and the Psalmes they reiect them because they containe not the same words and the same syllables but consequences drawne from them by reason Acts 17.3 and 18.28 By this meanes they condemne S. Paul and Apollos who by the Scriptures prooued to the Iewes that Iesus is that Christ although that in those places of the Scripture which they alledged to the Iewes the same words are not therein found but are drawne from them by necessary consequence So S. Peter Acts 10.43 saith To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Which neuerthelesse is not found in the same words but is drawne from thence by consequence So the Fathers in the Counsell of Nice by the Scriptures proue that the Son is consubstantiall with the father and the first Counsell of Ephesus that the Virgin Mary is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deipara These words are not expresly found there but are drawne from them by consequence Gregory de Nazianze in his fift Oration of Diuinitie saith There are things which although they are not named in expresse words yet men gather things which make and prooue them by necessitie Cardinall Iohn de Turre Cremata saith A thing is contayned in the Scripture by these two meanes Summa de Eccles lib. 4. c. 8. either in expresse word as in this sentence Christ was a man or obscurely that is that which followeth by good and necessary consequence of things formally placed on earth as from this proposition Christ was a man therefore it followeth that he had a reasonable soule Peter de Alliaco Cardinall of Cambray saith I say In 1. Sentent Quest 1. art 3. that to speake properly a Theologicall discourse is composed of propositions contained in the Scripture or of those that are drawne from it c. Cardinall Bellarmine in his third Booke of Iustification Cap. 8. saith Nothing can be certaine touching the certainty of faith if it be not immediately contained in the Word of God or drawne from thence by euident and true consequence For it is not faith if it be not grounded vpon the authority of the Word of God and thereof neither Catholickes nor Heretiques make any doubt Then Mr. Arnoux which doubteth thereof by the iudgement of a Cardinall and a Iesuite is no Catholique Where as hee saith that hee would haue no Sillogismes allowed of there is a meanes to content him by speaking with him as with children seeing hee reiecteth the naturall rules of reason which are not Aristotles inuention as he thinketh Zeno Eleates and diuers others before him wrote of that matter a Diog. Laertius in Zenone Eleate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plaine Countrey people vse those
rules not thinking thereon being insensibly thrust into them by the force of reason Whosoeuer will haue no consequences produced abolisheth all common sense and all vse of reason which onely consisteth therein The rules of Lodgique are no Articles of faith but instruments to mannage all knowledge by order and certainty and by consequence also matters of Diuinitie CHAP. VI. The third Euasion THe third Euasion which Master Arnoux saith we vse is that we serue our turnes with the circle in this that we proue those things to be Scripture by our particular spirit and proue that particular spirit by the Scripture Which is false and slanderous We leaue that particular spirit to mad men none of vs makes our selues Iudges of the Scriptures That is the Popes and his Prelates property who being assembled boast that they pronounce Iudgement touching points of faith and beleeue they cannot erre And our Aduersaries say that euery particular person of the Church of Rome doth certainly discerne the true Church which spirit or particular iudgement is meere blindnesse seeing that the poore people haue no other proofe to know that the Church of Rome is the true Church then onely the witnesse that the same Church giueth of itselfe Touching the circle if any serue their turnes therewith it is our aduersaries for they ground the authoritie of the Scripture vpon the testimony of the Church and yet ground the authoritie of the Church vpon testimonies of the Scripture as one that hauing placed the walles of a house vpon the foundation afterward should place the foundation vpon the walles When we aske them how they know that wee must beleeue the bookes of the new Testament They answere and say because the Church saith it and ordaines it to be so and when we say that how know you that wee must beleeue the Church because say they that the bookes of the New Testament say so and ordaine it to be so for there it is written Tell it vnto the Church c. Certainely as often as they alledge the Scriptures to ground and authorize their Church they ouerthrow that which they will haue men to beleeue which is that the authority of the Scripture is grounded vpon the authority of the Church And thereby are tyed to rowle the circle as Diogenes is to his tub and ouerturne their owne wits by this circulation But when we aske one of them and say how know you that your Church teacheth the true Doctrine or how know you that it is conformable to the ancient Church There they are at a stay and the circle rowles no more and so they are dumbe by necessity For how shall they know the true Doctrine seeing the rule of the true Doctrine which is the holy Scripture is hidden from them And how should they know whether their Church is conformable to the ancient Church seeing it is not knowne but by an infinite number of Greeke and Latine Bookes which the people vnderstand not Then the people must know that the Church of Rome teacheth the true Doctrine onely because those that teach it say so which is to belieue at hazard and to haue a humane Religion grounded vpon coniectures without the Word of God and to allow a man to be a witnesse and a Iudge in his owne cause Therefore Master Arnoux giueth markes to know the true Church without speaking of the holy Scriptures Pag. 119. which are all false First The consent of the people But there are a greater number of the people that disagree with the Church of Rome than those that agree therewith And Iesus Christ saith that broad is the way that leadeth to destruction Math. 7.13.14 and many there be which goe in thereat because straite is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth vnto life and few there be that finde it Then he addeth the testimony of Martyrs a false marke for there shall neuer be any Martyrs found that died for calling vpon Saints or for Transubstantiation or for Purgatory They suffered death for the doctrine of the Gospell for the which our poore Churches haue suffered so many martyrdomes by meanes of the Church of Rome which suffereth no more but maketh martyrs suffer For a third marke he placeth the authority of the Fathers But the Fathers are contrary to the Doctrine of the Romish Church the people cannot looke into them And Master Arnoux speaketh by heare-say for in his Booke he alledgeth but foure or fiue places out of the Fathers which are not found to be false and corrupted For a fourth marke hee puts the eminence of the Doctrine I thinke that by the eminence hee vnderstandeth the excellency which consisteth in purity and conformity to the Word of God Without proofe to say that the Church of Rome hath the purity of Doctrine it is without proofe to pre-suppose that which is in question To the contrary we haue proued against Master Arnoux that Poperie is a heape of errours and a corruption of Christianitie And how should the people know that purity of Doctrine seeing they hide the rule of purity which is the holy Scriptures from them For the last marke hee seâ—teth succession neuer interrupted It he vnderstandeth a succession of doctrine wee deny it if he vnderstandeth a succession of chaires without Doctrine that succession is nothing Many other Churches also which condemne the Church of Rome haue their succession and that ancienter than the Romane And schismes haue often broken the succession of the Romish Bishopricke And how can the people know any thing touching this succession which cannot be learned but by reading of infinite Histories and Greeke and Latine Authors that haue written for the space of one thousand sixe hundred yeares CHAP. VII The fourth Euasion THe aduersary noteth another Euasion wherewith wee serue our turnes as he saith which is to produce diuers places of Scripture one with another whereof the one serueth to interpret the other For example he saith that wee expound these words This is my body by this place I am the Vine wherein hee slandereth vs. We know well that these words I am the Vine are not the exposition of these words This is my body Wee note not those places I am the Vine I am the dore This cup is the Couenant The rocke was Christ to interpret these words This is my body but to shew that whosoeuer will alwaies take the words of the holy Scripture literally and leaue these interpretations whereby the Scripture expresseth it selfe should often fall into great absurdities and to shew that ordinarily the Scripture nameth the signes and Sacraments by the names of that which they represent CHAP. VIII The fift Euasion THe fift Euasion which Master Arnoux imputeth vnto vs is a Chaos of confused calumniations He saith that we attribute things to the Church of Rome which shee beleeueth not That we charge the Popes with injuries That wee reiect the originall Text of the Scripture that is the Hebrew and the Greeke
hee wanteth common sense to content himselfe to learne the beliefe of his aduersaries by their enemies inuectiues or by popular report rather than by their owne confession Whereby it happeneth that all the disputation is a manner of skirmishing in the ayre which striketh no man and a fantasie of an imaginary controuersie forged to storme or bestirre themselues against But this is the manner which at this day they vse with vs for they that preach or write against vs make vs as blacke as Pitch with slanders and forge another confession for vs. When wee reade our Aduersaries writings wee might imagine that they write against another Religion than ours if we saw not our names at the beginning of their Bookes and in the titles of the Chapters And what protestations soeuer wee make that we beleeue nothing that they make vs to say yet they are resolute and will perswade vs that wee doe beleeue it Master Arnoux Booke written against our confession iustifieth the same which in stead of refuting our confession changeth it in such manner that fighting against his owne inuentions his quarrell is against himselfe Whereupon I am forced in a briefe Table to set downe what kinde of confession of the faith our Aduersaries attribute vnto vs and how they paint out our confession like a horrible Monster which they shew vnto the people to get money thereby Peter Cotton the Iesuite made a Booke intituled Catholique Institution at the beginning whereof hee hath made a Preface to those of the pretended reformed Church wherein hee comprehendeth all our beliefe in 28. Articles which are these that follow 1 THat the Children of Christians may be saued onely by the faith of their Parents without baptisme and therefore that baptisme is not absolutely necessary 2 That the Bread in the Supper of our Lord is onely the figure of the Body of Iesus Christ 3 That the Church may erre 4 That we must not allow of any traditions 5 That Angels and Saints which are in glory know not our necessities and cannot heare our prayers 6 That Priests and religious persons may breake their vowes 7 That single life is not to bee preferred before marriage 8 That the Bookes of Macabees Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Tobias the rest of Daniel and Baruc are Apocripha 9 That the Soule of the Sonne of God did not descend into Hell to fetch the soules of the holy Fathers from thence which there stayed for his comming or that before the Ascension of Iesus Christ the soules of the Saints were receiued into Heauen not into Limbus nor into any other third place 10 That we must confesse our sinnes to God onely 11 That faith onely iustifieth 12 That when the fault of sinne is remitted the punishment also is remitted 13 That God did not create men in one and the same condition but that he created some to be saued and the rest to be damned perpetually 14 That euery particular man hath an Angell that watcheth ouer him 15 That it is not lawfull to salute him nor to call vpon him 16 That God doth not suffer sinne to be done but that he will haue it to be done that hee thrusteth vs forward vnto it and constraineth vs thereunto 17 That the Scripture is easie to be vnderstood and that the vnderstanding thereof is giuen vnto all men 18 That there needes no ordinary or extraordinary vocation to preach the Word of God 19 That we must beleeue nothing but that which is written 20 That God hath not giuen power to the Church to remit sinnes 21 That all sinnes are mortall 22 That a man cannot merit by grace 23 That it is impossible to keepe the Commaundements of God although he ayde vs. 24 That God doth not recompence good workes 25 That there is no distinction of blessednesse among the Saints and that they are all equall therein 26 That we must not vse the imposition of hands which the Apostles vsed vpon those of Samaria and Ephesus 27 That the precept to annoynt sicke persons with oyle whereof St. Iames speaketh ought not to be practised in the Church although it was vsed by the Apostles 28 That prayer for the dead was not vsed in ancient times nor yet in the Machabees time Vpon these eight twenty Articles he asketh vs proofes out of the holy Scriptures but he should aske proofes of all these Articles of those that beleeue such things and not of vs to whom all these poynts are in a manner slanderously imputed Vpon the which I will briefly say something to the Reader and run ouer all these Articles 1 IT is false that we say that Children may be saued onely by the faith of their Parents Touching the necessity of Baptisme with water the Church of Rome beleeueth it not The Councell of Trent is of opinion that a vow supplyeth the want of Baptisme with water and our Aduersaries say that the Baptisme of bloud and the Baptisme of the Spirit that is martyrdome and regeneration without baptisme with water may saue a man 2 It is false that wee beleeue that the Bread in the holy Supper is onely the figure of the body of Christ The Scripture teacheth vs that the Sacraments also are seales to confirme and that the bread which wee breake is the communion of the body of Christ 3 It is false that we simply say that the Church can erre The Church that is spoken of in the Creede which is the Church of the Elect cannot erre in deciding of the doubts in faith because it neuer assembleth to decide any thing Touching the visible vniuersall Church it was assembled in the persons of the Apostles which did wholly gouerne it then it could not erre Now it is diuided into particular contrary Churches seperated from communion It is impossible to assemble the same to decide any causes Touching particular Churches as the Greeke Romane and the Syrian c. There are some that may erre and there are some particular Churches wherein it is impossible to be saued that is those that are idolatrous where the benefit of Iesus Christ is corrupted 4 It is false that we reiect all traditions we reiect those onely which add something to the doctrine of faith contayned in the holy Scriptures 5 It is false that we beleeue that Angels and Saints know not our necessities they doe generally know that the Church of God is persecuted and hath great combats to resist The Angels that God hath appointed to be our gardians know our necessities and what estate we are in 6 It is false that we simply say that Priests ought not to keepe their vowes if they make a vow of possible things and conformable to the Word of God they ought to keepe them 7 It is false that we say that single life is not to be preferred before marriage single life that is continent and hath no euill desires hath great commodities and aduantages aboue marriage and more liberty to serue God 8. 9. The eighth and
ninth Articles are true wee reiect the Limbus patrum which is said to bee emptie these 1600. yeeres and the Apocriphall bookes 10 It is false that we say that we must confesse our sinnes onely to God We must confesse them to the Church and to our Pastors and to our neighbours whom wee haue offended 11 To take the word iustifie in that sense which our Aduersaries take it for regeneration and sanctification It is false that we say that faith onely iustifieth For a Christian is regenerated by all Christian vertues But if by being iustified they vnderstand absolued and esteemed to be righteous before the iudiciall seate of God which is the sense wherein the Scripture ordinarily taketh the word iustifie in that sense we say that faith voide of workes cannot iustifie vs but that faith accompanied with workes onely hath the vertue to iustifie vs for that among Christian vertues faith onely hath that propertie To apprehend the benefit of our Lord Iesus Christ 12 It is false that we simply say without exception that when the fault is remitted the punishment also is remitted We speake that of satisfactory and vindicatiue punishments but not of chastning punishments which serue to amend and instrust the sinner in time to come Those punishments are sufferable with the remission of sinnes 13 It is false that we say that God hath created men to be damned Caluin saith not so and if hee had said so wee are not bound to beleeue it 14 It is false that we say that euery one of vs hath not an Angell to be his guardian Our Churches haue not defined any thing touching that point Whether God imployeth an Angell for the guarding of diuers persons or many Angels for the guarding of one man It is a thing which wee leaue to the Counsell of God 15 The fifteenth Article is true we honour Saints and set them before vs for an example and aspire to their beatitude but we call not vpon them 16 It is false and slanderous that we say that God thrusteth vs forward and constraineth vs to sinne that doctrine is horrible and diuelish Caluin to whom they impute this doctrine neuer said it but taught the contrary and although he had said it yet our confession of the faith in the seauenth Article protesteth the contrary in these words saying Not that God is the Author of euill or that the fault can be imputed vnto him seeing that his will is the soueraigne and the infallible rule of all doctrine and equitie 17 It is false that we say that the Scripture is easie to bee vnderstood and that the vnderstanding thereof is giuen vnto all men In it there are obscure prophesies and difficult places We say that in the Scriptures there are sufficient euident and cleare places which are instructions vnto vs for saluation and that in things which are plaine and manifest in the Scriptures and which haue no neede of interpretation all that which is necessary for our saluation is contayned 18 It is false that we say that to preach the Word of God there needes no ordinary nor extraordinary calling I haue made a booke expresly to proue the contrary 19 It is false that we say that we must beleeue nothing but that which is written We say that we must not receiue any doctrine as necessary to saluation that is not contained in the holy Scriptures 20 It is false that we say that God hath not giuen power to the Church to remit sinnes faithfull Pastors haue that power but their pardon is conditionall so the party be a repentant sinner which is not certanely knowne but to God onely Therefore their iudgement must of force be conditionall As the holy Scripture saith that Pastors saue soules because God vseth their ministry to saue them so it saith that Pastors pardon sinnes because God vseth their meanes to pardon them 21 It is false that our Churches haue made any definition touching this point that all sinnes are mortall It belongeth not to criminals and sinners to determine what punishment euery sinne they commit deserueth Onely we reiect that distinction which is made betweene mortall and veniall sinnes that is pardonable because those sinnes which are called mortall are pardonable in those that conuert and amend their liues and those sinnes that are called veniall are mortall when men perseuere therein till they die and that contempt and finall obstinacy is added to the transgression 22 The 22. Article is true We doe not presume that wee can merit before God and if thereupon we should be asked whether we cannot merit by the grace of God I answere that the same grace is it which hindereth vs from meriting For for that cause our good workes are not meritorious because they proceed from the grace of God It is no merit to receiue grace 23 It is false that we say that it is impossible to keepe the commandements of God though God doth helpe vs. When it is the will of God to make a man perfect and without sinne no man can hinder it nor limit any rules to the efficacie of his Spirit 24 It is most false that we say that God doth not reward good workes 25 It is false that we hold for a most assured thing that the Saints haue equall glory in heauen That is no Article necessary to saluation we condemne no man for that opinion but suffer euery man to conceiue thereof as hee thinketh it most probable But the Pope which giueth a degree of glory vnto some men aboue the vulgar Saints is bound to maintaine that inequalitie 26 It is false that we say that we must not vse the imposition of hands which the Apostles vsed in Samaria and in Ephesus Whosoeuer hath the vertue by imposition of hands to conferre the same miraculous graces and the gift of tongues which the Apostles conferred shall doe well to vse that ceremony 27 It is false that we say That the precept to annoynt the sicke with oyle whereof S. Iames speaketh ought not to be practised in the Church Wee know that not onely the Apostles but also their disciples after them did profitably vse the same for healing of the sicke Whosoeuer can by that vnction doe the like miraculous effects shall doe well to vse the same ceremony 28 Lastly it is false that our Churches beleeue and teach that prayer for the dead was not anciently in vse Wee say that the first ages whose examples should serue vs for a Law vsed it not and that God did not ordaine it Touching the Machabees it concernes vs nothing to know whether that as then they prayed for the dead For although the bookes of the Machabees are full of fables and that the same history is to be suspected yet although it were true our Religion is not ruled by the Iewes actions but by the commandement of God as also that prayer for the dead whereof wee speake is made with a reference to the resurrection and not to draw soules out of Purgatory The indifferent Reader will consider with what people wee haue to doe seeing that of the 28. Articles wherein they comprehend our Religion there are but foure which truely and without calumniation doe represent our doctrine and what hope is there to end our Controuersies by the Word of God seeing that they binde vs by the Word of God to proue those things which we beleeue not How should they faithfully propound our beleefe to their people when they disguise it vnto vs Put the case that our Religion were as full of errors as it is holy iust and true why doe they insteed of seeking to draw vs out of errours goe about to drowne vs therein why doe they study to make vs worse insteed of amending or bettering vs or doe they thinke that wee haue forgotten our Religion and that wee must be forc't to come to them to learne it Wee are vsed in the like manner by the Bishop of Luzon in his booke that he hath made against our Epistle dedicated to the King In the tenth page hee reduceth our Religion into twelue Articles which he hath forged out of some places of our Authors which he hath clipt and which doe not say that which he would haue them to say which we take for a iustification of our cause seeing that no man dares encounter with vs face to face nor come directly to vs but all of them take a wrong course and goe by-as way and discharge not their choller against our Religion but against another which they haue forged at their pleasures FINIS