Christ these many hundreth yeares he alledgeth the sayinges of some Protestants miserably wrested from their meaning that Latimer was our Apostle that Luther begat trueth that the Gospel doth arise in the first appearing of the Gospel c or as though by these sayings such like they should deny that euer there had ben any Churche in the worlde before these times whereas euery childe may vnderstand they speake of the restitution of the truth of the Gospel into the open sight of the world in these latter days Likewise where some haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundreth yeares some say a thousand yeres some 1200. some 900. some 500. c. And the Apologie affirmeth that Christ hath saide the Church should erre he cauilleth that all the Church for so many yeares is condemned of all error Whereas it is euident to them that will vnderstande that although some erronious opinions haue preuailed in processe of time haue increased in the greatest part of the Church for many hundreth yeares yet so long as the only foundation of saluatioÌ„ was reteined the vniuersall Church of Christe so many hundreth yeares is not condemned But when Antichrist the mysterie of whose iniquitie wrought in the Apostles time 2. Thess. 2. was openly shewed and that apostasy which the Apostle foresheweth was fulfilled then and from that time whensoeuer it was not the vniuersall Church of Christ is condemned but the general apopasie of Antichrist is detected THE ARGVMENT WHEREVP-on this first part of the vawmure of this Fortresse is builded is thus framed by the builder himselfe The knowen Church of Christ doth continew and shall continue alwayes without interruption in the true and vpright faith But papistrie was the onely knowne Church of Christ all these nine hundreth yeares Ergo papistrie all these nine hundreth yeares hath continued and shal continue alwayes euen to the worldes end without interruption in the true and vpright faith This argument hath neuer a legge to stande vpon for vnderstanding as he doeth the knowen Church to be that which is knowne to the world to continue without interruption so knowne to the worlde the maior is false For although the Church shall continue alwayes without interruption yet it shall not continue alwayes so knowne but as in the dayes of Elias be hid from the outward viewe of men Againe the minor that Papistrie was the only knowen Church vnderstanding as he doth that it was only reputed taken and acknowledged so to be it is vtterly false For the Greeke Orientall Church which is not the Popish Church hath beene reputed taken and acknowledged to be the Church of Christ by as great a nomber of professors of Christianitie as haue acknowledged the Popish Church So that where he thinketh and saith al his labour remaineth to proue y e maior you see that if he could proue it yet al his labor is lost But to follow him in his maior he deuydeth it into two partes The one that the Church doeth alwayes continue in a right faith The other that this is a known Church Both these he promiseth to proue by Scripture And the first truely he shall not neede but yet it followeth not but that the church may erre in some particuler points not necessary to saluation although it continue in a right faith concerning all principall and necessarie articles CAP. III. Euident proofes cleare demonstrations out of the Psalms that the Church of Christ must continue for euer without interruption sounde vpright He is plentifull in prouing that which needeth no proofe that the Church of Christ shall continue alwayes and first out of the 88 Psalme which he rehearseth and interpreteth of the Church out of Augustine lest he should trust his owne iudgement as he fantasieth that our preachers do altogether refusing to read interpreters Wee affirme that the Church of Christ hath and shall continue to the worldes ende but we deny that the Popish Church is that which could not be before there was a Pope before their heresies were brought out of the bottomlesse pit which were not breathed vp all in 600. yeares after Christ no not in 1000 yeares after Christ and some not almost in 14. hundreth yeares after Christ I meane the sacrilegious taking away of the communion of the blood of Christ from the people in the councell of Constance What impudencie is it of Papistes to vrge the perpetuall continuance of Christes Churche without interruption and then to begin at 600. yeres after Christ and not to be able to shewe a perpetuall course of all their doctrine from Christ his Apostles and the primitiue Church But to proue that the church of Christ cannot possibly as Protestants wickedly do fable haue fayled and perished these many hundreth yeares he citeth the 61. Psalme with Augustines exposition thereupon But what Protestant so fableth M. Stapleton you had neede to make men of paper to fight against the paper walles of your fantasticall fortresse The Papistes when they cannot confute that we say they wil beate downe that we say not How saye the Protestantes that these 900. yeares and vpward the Church hath perished it hath beene ouerwhelmed with Idolatrie and superstition The Protestants neuer sayde so M. Stapl. The Church hath not perished though the greatest part of the worlde hath beene ouerwhelmed with idolatrie and superstition God can prouide for his chosen that they shall not be drowned when all the worlde beside is ouerwhelmed Another testimonie to the like effect and with the like conclusion he bringeth out of y e psal 104 thereupon a pithy syllogisme We proue the Catholike Church by the continuance of Christianitie The continuance of Christianitie only in Papistry is cleare ergo Papistry is only the true Church of Christ. Nego tibi minorem M. Stepl When will you proue the continuance of Christianitie only in Papistrie when Papistrie began since Christ his Apostles and if you meane Christianitie for the externall profession of Christes religion then will you proue the Orientall Churches to be papistrie which defye the authoritie of your Pope Last of all out of the Psalm 101. and Augustines application of the same against the Donatistes which sayde that the church was perished out of al the worâ—d except Affrica where they were he would compare the Protestants to them whereas in deede the Papistes are more like to them For they holding that there is no Church of Christ but the Romish church affirme in effect as the Donatistes that the Church of Christ for many hundreth yeares hath perished out of all partes of the world beside Europa where onely yet not in all partes thereof they haue borne the sway Whatsoeuer therefore Augustine writeth against the Donatistes for shutting vp the Church of Christ onely in Affrica may be rightly applyed to the Papistes for restraining it onely to a part of Europa But contrary to the Papistes and
from the beginning to the ende of the worlde which is in deede a proper adiunct of the Church of Christe not to be found in any heresie nor in papistry the greatest of all heresies But M. Stapleton which cannot proue that Papistrie hath continued alwayes will argue vppon that it hath continued a certeine time The Church saith he hath continued a certeine hundred yeares in that faith and doctrine onely which Papistes do teache But in those very hundreth yeares the Church neither could lacke neither coulde haue a wrong faith or be seduced with damnable doctrine Therefore Papistes had all that time the true faith and their faith and doctrine is true sound and vpright The maior of this argument he affirmeth to be our confession which is nothing else but an impudent lye of his owne confiction For which of the Protestantes euer confessed that the Church hath continued so many hundreth yeares in that faith and doctrin onely which the Papistes teache If he haue the wit to drawe such confessions from vs he may proue what he list against vs. But he promiseth to proue abundantly the continuance of Popish doctrine from the beginning which wee so stoutly denye In the meane time he returneth to Caluine whome he chargeth to haue learned his opinion and doctrine of the Donatistes concerning the markes of the Church Taking to witnesse the Ep. 48. of Augustine ad Vincentium where the Donatistes answered the argument of vniuersalitie that the Church was called Catholike Not because it did communicate with the whole worlde but because it obserued all Gods commaundementes all his sacraments But what a vaine quarell this is he him selfe doth sufficiently declare when he bringeth in Augustine immediatly confessing the Church to be called Catholike because it holdeth that veritie wholly and throughly whereof euery heresie holdeth a parte or peece onely and addeth thereunto the coÌ„munication with all nations videlicet that holde that veritie wholly and throughly And lest this might seeme to be borrowed of the Donatistes onely Augustine him selfe affirmeth as much de Genesi ad literam imperfect Cap. 1. Constitutam ab eo matrem ecclesiam 〈◊〉 Catholica dicitur ex eo quia vniuersaliter perfecta est in nullo claudicat per totum orbem diffusa est That by him the Church is appointed our mother which is called Catholike for that it is vniuersally perfect halteth in nothing and is dispersed throughout the whole worlde Whereas Augustine requireth vniuersall perfection in all true doctrine and administration of the sacramentes with vniuersalitie the Papistes take vniuersalitie alone which Augustine neuer sayde nor taught to be a sufficient note of the Church After this he chargeth Caluine to denye the perpetuall continuance of the Church because he sayde that the pure preaching of the worde hath vanished away in certeine ages past by which he meaneth not as this foolish cauiller taketh him or rather mistaketh him that true preaching had vtterly perished out of the whole worlde but out of the Popish Synagog which in Europe boasted it selfe to be the onely Church of Christe when in the chiefe articles of Christianitie it derogated from the glorye of Christ and was subiect to the doctrine of the man of sinne the aduersary and enemy of Christ. And if malice had not blinded him he woulde haue so vnderstoode Caluine alledging his saying immediatly after wherein he confesseth that the Church of Christ neuer fayled out of the worlde Whereupon he demaundeth whether the Church of the Protestants is that which hath neuer fayled If wee saye it is he demaundeth further where those markes of preaching and ministring of the sacraments haue beene these many hundreth yeares which question he hopeth some disciple of Caluine will assoile him I aunswere those markes were to be seene in such places where the Churches were gathered that had separated them selues from the Church of Rome If he vrge mee further to shewe him the particuler places let him resort to the booke of Actes and monumentes which it seemeth he hath read ouer If that will not satisfye him by example of our Sauiour Christ I will refell his vaine question with another question Where did those 7000. that GOD preserued in the dayes of Elias assemble for prayers preaching and sacrifice If he cannot tell no more am I bounde to shewe him in what particuler places they preached and ministred the Sacramentes And therefore neither neede the Apologie to recant nor the Harborough be reuoked nor M. Foxe call in his booke nor M. Nowell his reproofe It will not suffice a wrangling cauiller an hundreth times to affirme that the Church hath alwayes continued euen when Papistrie moste preuailed and euen vnder the tyrannie and persecution of Papistrie like as the Church was among the idolatrous Baalites in the dayes of Elyas or among the wicked Iewes that persecuted the Prophets But hereto he replyeth that though the assemblies of the Iewes were no Churches yet their temple sacrifices ceremonies lawe and doctrine was good I aunswere so much of these as they reteyned according to Gods lawe was good and so I confesse of the doctrine and sacramentes of the Papistes As Baptisme concerning the substance of the sacrament the historicall faith of the Trinitie of the incarnation passion resurrection of Christ c. But if these and many more pieces of trueth might be sufficient to make them the Church of Christ many heretikes might challenge the Church which haue confessed practised a great number of truthes more then they which erre but in one article as the Arrians Pelagians c. Where as the Papistes erre in many yea in the whole doctrine of iustification by faith and the worship of God And therefore Papistrie is not onely a schisme errour or heresie But as Caluine out of Daniel 9. and Paul 2. Thessal 2. rightly concludeth an apostasie defection and antechristianitie not abolishing but reteining the names of Christe of the Gospell of the Church but the true vertue power and strength of the same vtterly forsaking denying and persecuting CAP. VI. Other prophecyes alledged and discussed for the continuance of Christes Churche in a sounde and vpright faith Diuerse textes of Scripture are cited some rightly some strangely applyed to proue that wee deny not namely the perpetuall continuance of the Church of Christ in a sounde and right faith in all matters necessary to saluation Vppon euery one of which he inferreth howe could Christe forsake his Church these â—00 yeares as though wee saide that Christe hath had no Church in the space of nine hundreth yeares which we neuer doubted of CAP. VII Proofes out of the Gospell for the continuance of Christes Church in pure and vnspotted doctrine When M. Stapleton commeth to proue that which wee denye his proofes will be neither so plentifull nor so sufficient His counterfait painted Fort must haue puppets made to assaile it The Church of Christ concerning the substance of
the Greeke and Easterne Churches from him which they count to be a schisme and heresie The third reason No heresie can continue and ouergrowe the true Church Papistrie hath continued Ergo Papistrie is no heresie The minor of this syllogisme is false for Papistrie hath not continued from the time of Christe but hath had her beginning long since and was not growne to a ripenesse of all her heresies in more then a thousand yeares after Christ as I haue shewed in the table of differences Therefore what so euer he saith to proue the maior is to no purpose when the minor is manifestly false CAP. XX. The third reason of the former chapter is fortified out of the aunicient and learned Fathers Nowe he taketh in hand a goodly piece of fortification and like a worthie surueior of the Popes buildings he bestoweth great cost out of Hilarius Chrysostome and Clemens Alexandrinus for defence of such a point as none of his aduersaries would euer offer to assaile Nameley the continuance of the Church and true religion which can not be ouercome not kept downe by any tyrannie or heresie but the more it is persecuted and oppressed the more it will flourish and increase And for this cause the true Church and faith of Christ although it haue bene long troden downe and afflicted by the tyrannie of Antichrist euen to such time as God had appointed that Antichrist shuld rage in the world for the sinnes thereof and especially for the contempt of the trueth 2. Thess. 2. yet hath it in the end preuailed encreased and flourished and by no craft or crueltie of Antichrist could any longer be suppressed or kept vnder Let not Papistes therefore bragge that they haue preuailed so long but let them nowe behold their ouerthrow by the increase of Gods Church and looke for their finall destruction at the glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ. We doubt not therefore but determine with Augustine De vtilitate credendi to rest in y e bosome of that Church which from the seate of the Apostle by consent of mankind hath continued by succession of Bishops and hath obtained the height of authoritie all heretikes barking about it which partly by the iudgement of the people partly by the grauitie of Councels partly by the maiestie of miracles haue bene condemned But we vtterly denie the Popish Church to be this Church which hath had no continuance of succession from the Apostles seate in faith and doctrine though it claime neuer so much the succession of persons and places with the Donatistes Symon Magus Martion Eunomius and other heretikes we haue nothing to doe If trueth in Aerius and Vigilantius was condemned for errour not by the scriptures but by the tradition of men such condemnation can be no preiudice to them or their opinion when being called againe into iudgement they are found by sentence of Gods word the iudgement of the more ancient Fathers to haue ben wrongfully condemned To conclude Papistrie hath not preuailed against the church of God which hauing sought by all meanes so long time to roote her out of the earth yet was neuer able to bring to passe her wicked deuice but that the Church of Christ and the true religion thereof hath at last in the sight of al men gotten the vpper hand in despight of the Pope and Papistrie and all Papistes THE SECOND part of the Fortresse CAP. I. CErtaine demaundes to Protestantes putting the case that Papistes these many hundreth yeres haue liued in a wrong faith all which the case so put they ought of necessitie to satisfie WHat so euer the Protestantes can say for them selues as their credite is not great with him except they can proue one of his two demaūds he thinketh no godly or wise man will regard any thing they can say The first demaund is where or vnder what Pope or Emperour Papistrie beganne I aunswere Papistrie being antichristianitie the mysterie of that iniquitie began euen in the time of the Apostles 2. Thess. 2. Claudius being Emperour of Rome and so contiuned increasing in Apostasie vntill the time of Sigismund the Emperour who procured the Councel of Constance in which the lay people were robbed of the cup of the Lordes bloud Stapleton must beare with me if I can not name the Pope bicause at that time there were no lesse then three Popes at once and no man then liuing but as he was affectionate to one of those three could determine which of them was Pope This Stapleton though he haue a brasen face will not denie He requireth vs further to shewe the complaint of other Churches against Papistrie First for the beginning of the mysterie of iniquitie S. Paul complaineth 2. Thess. 2. And for the proceeding of that which was y e chiefe point therof namely the tyrannie of y e Bishop of Rome alwayes as it shewed it selfe some there were which complained of it Victor is the first Bishop of Rome which discouered the hid mysterie of iniquitie in vsurping against his fellowe Bishops in the time of the Emperour Seuerus against whome complained sharply reproued him Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons Polycrates and many other Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 25. Afterward in the dayes of Theodosius Honorius and Arcadius the Emperours when the Bishops of Rome Innocentius Bonifacius Zosimus Anastasius and Celestinus vsurped more openly in so much that they forged among them a decree of the Councel of Nice whereby they claimed their authoritie they were complained of by the Bishops and Church of Africa in open Councel the forgerie detected and decrees made that none in Africa should appeale to any Bishop ouer the Sea And that the Bishop of the first See should not be called prince of Priestes nor by any such name of pride but onely Bishop of the first See Conc Mileuit c. 22. Conc. Carth. 6. cap. 4. Conc. African c. 92. Ep. Concil ad Bonifac. Caelestinum Afterward in the dayes of the Emperour Mauritius when Iohn of Constantinople vsurped the title of vniuersall Bishop as the forerunner of Antichrist Gregorie him selfe Bishop of Rome complained of him and pronounced that he was the forerunner of Antichrist Wherefore Stapleton lyeth shamefully when he saith we make him the first Antichrist for as I haue testified before although there was in him a superstitious affection vnto ceremonies and that he was infected with certaine olde errours that had preuailed before his time yet bicause he helde the foundation of saluation by Christ onely and detested the vsurpation of that Antichristian title we account him for a member of the true Church of Christ. But after him when in the dayes of Phocas Bonifacius by pride and symonie had vsurped the same Antichristian authoritie and procured that the Church of Rome should be counted head of all Churches he was complayned of by the Church of Rauenna in Italie which would not acknowledge that Antichristian title neyther would submitte her selfe vnto the whore of
Apostles haue preached vnto vs be he accursed Here the quarreling lawyer findeth fault with his translation because Euangelizauimus may be referred as well to the Disciples as to y e Apostles so that y e Disciples preachings are to be credited as well as y e Apostles No doubt if they preach the doctrine of the Apostles of which the controuersie is and not of the persons that preach it But these quarels sir Bacheler are more meete for the bomme courtes where perhaps you are a prating proctor then for the schooles of diuinitie Wee are gone out you say and that we confesse in our apologie Yea wee are gone out of Babylon but not out of the church of God but abyde in the doctrine of Christ. And you are gone out of the Church of God which remaine in the synke of Rome that is departed frō that which was heard from the beginning and was sacrosanctum apud Apostolorum Ecclesias moste holy in the Apostles Churches You cannot abyde to be charged with the saying of Christ. They worship mee in vaine that teache the doctrine and precepts of men First you saye the Apostles were men whose traditions the Church must receiue yea sir but they deliuered no doctrine of their owne Secondly Christ speaketh of the Scribes Pharisees and their fonde traditions and not of the Church and her Catholike traditions and customes And they be Scribes and Pharisees which euen in the Church teach a false worshipping of God according to the doctrines and traditions of men disanulling the commaundements of God as the Popish teachers in their doctrine of Images communion in one kind priuate Masse c. That Augustine framing a perfect preacher willeth him to conferre the places of Scripture together you say it is a profounde conclusion to inferre that he sendeth him not to doctours distinctions censure of the Church Canons of the Popes nor traditions of the fathers but onely to quyet and content him selfe with the worde of God And these last wordes you saye are not found in Augustine de doct Chr. Cap. 9. sequentibus as though Master Calfhil recited the words not the sense for which he referreth you not only to that Chapter but to the rest following in al which there is no mention of doctors distinctions Popes Canons c. But this is an argument ab authoritate negatiuè Make as much and as little as you will of Augustines authoritie Master Calfhill hath rightly inferred vppon Augustines iudgement that if conference of Scriptures wil make a perfect preacher which you graunt he needeth neyther doctors distinctions nor Church censures c. but may quyet and content him selfe with the onely worde of God But it would make an horse to breake his halter to see howe Martiall prooueth out of Augustine that God teacheth vs by men and not by Angels and that knowledge of the tongues and instructions of men is profitable for a preacher yea the consent of moste of the Catholike Churches and the interpretations of learned men as though all those were not to be referred to the dewe conference of scriptures where onely resteth the substance of doctrine and the authoritie of faith and not in doctours distinctions Church censures Popes Canons c. which haue no grounde in the Scriptures or else be contrary to them Where Master Calfhill sheweth that as before the newe testament was written all things were examined according to the wordes and Sermons of the Apostles so after the newe testament was written all thinges ought to be examined according to their writings because there is none other testimonie of credite extant of their sermons writings Martiall replyeth out of Saint Augustine that wee haue many thinges by tradition which are not writen which being vniuersally obserued it were madnesse to breake Ep. 118. But Augustine speaketh not of doctrine but of ceremonyes or obseruations Out of Hierom ad Pam. he obiecteth that our Creede is not written in the Scriptures which is vtterly false although the fourme of the symbole be not set downe as wee rehearse it Thirdly out of Epiphanius contra Apostolic li. 2. Heres 61. that wee must vse tradition because all thinges cannot be taken out of the holy Scriptures Therefore the holy Apostles deliuered certeine things in writing and certeine things in tradition c. But they deliuered nothing in tradition contrary to their writinges neyther omitted they to write any thing that was necessarie for our saluation The matter whereof Epiphanius speaketh is that it is a tradition of the Apostles that it is sinne to marry after virginitie decreed and yet he holdeth that it is better to marrye after virginitie decreed then to burne contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes But Martiall frankely graunteth that no doctour is to be credited against the Scripture and the content of the whole Church Yet where Master Calfhill sayde that no man in any age was so perfect that a certeine trueth was to be buylded on him bringing examples of Aaron and Peter the one the high Priest of the Iewes the other affirmed by the Papistes to be the same of the Christians He quarreleth at his induction because he sayeth not sic de singulis where as his argument followeth not of the fourme of induction but of the place a maiore ad minus After this as he doeth nothing but cauill hee chargeth Master Calfhill for corrupting Saint Augustine saying Truth mee not nor credite my writings c. Proem lib. 3. de Trinit For Saint Augustine sayeth not trust mee not But he confesseth that he sayeth Do not addict thy selfe to my writings as to the Canonicall Scriptures See what a corruption here is when Master Calfhill rendereth not the words but the meaning of Augustine Againe saint Basil he sayeth is vilely abused because Master Calfhill sayeth Saint Basil setteth forth by a proper similitude with what iudgement the fathers of the Church should be read Conc. ad Adol wheras Basil speaketh of prophane writers As though Basils similitude may not serue to shewe howe both should bee read because he speaketh but of one sorte Likewise he cryeth out that Saint Hierome is not truely alledged because the Printer in the English translation of Hieroms words hath omitted this word not which he hath set downe in the Latine The 4. pretie persons he putteth vppon Master Calfhill as foolishe and childishe I omitt onely the slaunderers persons I will touche In saying that the fathers declyned all from the simplicitie of the Gospell in ceremonies He chargeth M. Calfhill to be a slaunderer Because God hath not suffered all the fathers to declyne lest hell gates should haue preuailed against his Church Although M. Calfhill speake of those fathers onely whose writings are extant yet the gates of hell in ydle ceremonies did but assault they did not preuaile against the Church And these fathers departed not from the Gospell but declined from the simplicitie thereof But you Papistes haue departed
of their Emperour in the consecration of their dead Emperours images whom they worshipped as Gods For which causes Iustinus thought it vnreasonable that they should contemne Christ for his crosses sake But of vsing the signe of the crosse in all sacramentes there is no mention in Iustinus That in Chrysostomes time other more ancient fathers y e signe of y e crosse was vsed at the celebration of the sacramentes M. Calfhil granteth as a ceremonie you confesse It is but a ceremonie and that our sacramentes lacking the signe of the crosse and that vsual ceremonie be perfect notwithstanding And yet you exclaime against vs for omitting a needelesse ceremonie where we see it hath bene turned from that indifferent vsage of the forefathers into an idolatrous custome opinioÌ„ of necessitie The credite of Dionysiê° for so ancient a scholler of S. Paul as you would make him it too much cracked by Erasmus to be cured by Martial Where M. Calfhil truly faith you can not deny but he hath as good authoritie for honie mike wine to be restored in baptisme and the communion to be giuen to children as you haue for the crosse you aunswere these were altered by the Church of Rome which hath authoritie so to do y e crosse stil remaineth but marke what you say were these traditions of the Apostles if you say no y e like wil I say of the crosse for y e same authoritie coÌ„mendeth theÌ„ al a like for traditions of the Apostles Wel if they were traditions of y e Apostles by the holy Ghost which you hold to be of equal authoritie w t y t scriptures y e Church of Rome hath abolished the one why may she not abolish the other so y t your answer conteineth manifest blasphemie To fortifie your traditions you alledge y t Iesus did many thinges which are not written c. but you leaue of y t which foloweth but these are written y t you might be leeue in beleeuing haue eternal life Io. 20. yet S. Iohn speketh of miracles not of ceremonies to be vsed in baptisme wherunto you apply it But Iesus himself saith he hath many things to say that y e apostles could not then beare c. Ioan. 16. And you would know in what worke of the Apostles those thinges are written yea you would haue the Chapter noted Pleaseth it you to looke your selfe in the Actes of the Apostles and in their Epistles c. And you shall finde that the scriptures will instruct the man of God vnto all good works make him wise vnto saluation if these wil not serue your turn seeke where you wil find y e deuil eternal damnatioÌ„ But I pray you could not y e apostles beare y t hearing of the signe of the crosse of salt oyle spittle in baptisme were these such harde lessons to learn or heauy to beare if you think they were I enuy not vnto you so wise a thought But you will teach vs how we shal know y t these are traditions of y e apostles to this inquire you answer euen as we know y e gospels epistles to be y e Canonical scriptures by authoritie of y e church which you think sufficient for y t purpose But so do not we for although we receiue the testimony of y e Church yet we haue greater authoritie out of y e scriptures of y e old TestameÌ„t y t spirit by which they were writeÌ„ being alwais y e same by which we are perswaded y t y e gospels epistles are the holy scriptures Againe y e vniuersal Church of all times places giueth witnes to those writings so doeth it not to these traditions Therefore we are neuer the neare to knowe Apostolical traditions by authoritie of the Popish church whiche ascribeth thinges manifestly contrary to the worde of God and writinges of the Apostles to Apostolike traditions as Images halfe communion priuate Masse c. After this brabbling of traditions followeth a long brawle about numbers which the Papistes do superstitiously obserue and of the authoritie of the seuentie interpreters whose translation if it were extant no doubt but it were worthie of great reuerence but seeing these questions are fruitelesse and impertinent vnto the article I wil clearely omit them Martial returning to proue that the signe of the crosse was vsed in consecrating the body and bloud of Christ findeth himselfe greatly greeued that M. Calfhil calleth the Masse the sacrifice of the deuil wherein be so many good things as the Collets Gospel epistle Gloria in Excelsis c. by which reasoÌ„ I might proue a diuelish coniuration in which be so many names of God and good words to be an holy peece of worke Therfore it is not many good parts abused to make a wicked thing good that can iustifie the Masse which is an hurrible blasphemie against the death and onely sacrifice of Christ. But M. Calfhil doth not satisfie him where he citing out of Albertus Magnus That Christ did blesse the sacrament with a certeine signe of his hand as Iacob laide his hands on Iosephs sons and Christ laid his hands vpon the children lifted vp his hands blessed his Apostles c. asketh why we might not say Christ made a signe of y e crosse considering that Chrisostome Augustine and Euthymus testifie that in their time the signe of y e crosse was vsed in consecration this question he saith is not soluted This is sone answered because laying on of hands and lifting vp of handes which be sometime vsed in blessing doth not proue a crossing with the finger of ones hand as the Papistes vse and because the Euangelistes which describe all that he then saide or did for vs to followe make no mention of any such signe of hand made by him in blessing The long discourse that followeth of blessing and giuing of thankes is needelesse for we know and confesse that as they somtimes signifie all one thing so they differ sometimes we confesse that the bread and wine in the Lords supper were blessed that is to say sanctified and consecrated but not with any signe of hand which is the mater in question but with the worde of God and with prayer not onely as bodily meates but as heauenly and spirituall mysteries to feede the soule But it is a sport to see how Martiall when he hath prooued that which was not in question that the bread wine were blessed sanctified by Christ that they must nowe be so consecrated by the Church he runneth away with the signe of the Crosse whereof he hath brought no proofe of the vse by Christ saying There must be consecration by honouring the wordes of Christ and calling vpon his name making the signe of the crosse which maner of coÌ„secration the Church learned of Christ hath continued euer since so that we may boldly say with Albertus He blest it with a certeine signe of his
it was laide wherevppon as soone as it touched her she recouered This report of Rustinus seemeth to be vncertaine first because Ambrose sayeth the crosse was knowen by the title without speaking of any miracle secondly because the reporte of other writers is that the miracle was of a dead woman and some of two dead persons wherof to see more I referre the reader to mine answere to D. Sanders booke of Images cap. 13. or 12. Concerning the rest of the Miracles reported by Paulinus Epiphanius Augustine and others let thē haue such credite as their authors deserue which is not to build faith or doctrine vpon them or their writinges let it be that some were true and wrought by God yet followeth it not that al that haue bene since reported in the Popishe Legendes were either true or not wrought by the deuil whereabout Martiall maketh much wrangling but neither affirmeth nor concludeth any thing vniuersally None vse more crossing then witches and coniurers the deuil seemeth to be afraide to come neare them certaine strange works are brought to passe by them Let Martial affirme any vertue included in the crosse or signe thereof absolutely then we may deale with him accordingly For while he telleth vs what may be done by faith y e signe of y e crosse and what God hath done by good men with that signe it is nothing to the authorizing of that signe seeing the deuil by credulitie in wicked men hath don the like by the same signe And this is a true position of M. Calfhil though Martiall will not vnderstand it That it is not a sufficient proofe to make a thing good or to shew it to be good because he cauilleth like a calfe a◠the worde of making to say that miracles were wrought by it Martial asketh first whether the miracles of Christ were not a sufficient proofe of his diuine power Where he flyeth from the position which speaketh not of the principal efficient cause out of a ceremonie a meane or instrument More pertinently he asketh of the hemme of Christs coate Saint Paules napkins whether they had not a vertue by his body I answere no. No more then Iudas lippes that kissed Christe and Peters shadowe which could neither be holy nor efficient of any thing because it was nothing but the priuation of the light by comming betweene of his body So I say of coates napkins ashes of Martyrs and signe of the crosse if any miracles were done by meanes of them they are not thereby holy neither haue they any vertue in them The Lord hath giuen vs a generall rule to examine all miracles and miracle workers by the doctrine they teache Deut. 13. If there arise among you a prophet or dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder and y ◠signe the wonder which he hath told thee come to passe if he say let vs goe after other Gods which thou hast not knowen and let vs serue them thou shal not hearken vnto the words of that prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames for the Lord your God proueth you to know whether you loue the Lord your God with al your heart and with all your soule Ye shal walk after the Lord your God and feare him and kepe his cōmandements and hearken vnto his voyce and ye shall serue him and cleaue vnto him By this scripture we are taught to examine all miracles whether they tende to the honour of the only true God and the maintenance of his true worshippe according to his worde whiche Martiall him selfe in a manner confesseth saying that miracles done by heretikes are not able to commende a thing But he findeth great fault with Maister Calfhil for coupling the generation of a childe in adultery or feeding by stollen breade to be miracles because they be not extraordinarily miracles and yet he can not deny but they be great wonders and the reason of the meanes is all one in both Nowe let vs see howe he aunswereth those three reasons of Maister Calfhils why miracles make not for the crosse And first he aunswereth to a question Why the durt in the streete by whiche Christe wrought a miracle should not be honoured as well as the crosse on the altar He aunswereth because the crosse was an instrument by which all the worlde was saued So was Iudas so was Pilate The second He saith the crosse is a liuely representation of Christes death Nay a dombe and dead idoll which is good for nothing Abacuc 2. The thirde The crosse is effectuous euer since A deed efficient The crosse is commaunded of God to be made and vsed by diuers Reuelations from heauen Nay by the diuell from hell and yet if Angels from heauen had taught the crosse to be made and vsed as another Gospell as it is accounted of the Papists as great as circumcisiō was of y e Iewes not preached by the Apostles not conteyned in the Scriptures we might safely accurse them But now to the reasons the first is Why should not such external meanes as Christ and his Apostles vsed scripture mentioneth be had in administration rather then the idle deuice of man of which there is no lawfull president Martiall answereth the crosse is no idle deuise but a tradition of the Apostles whereof they haue lawful presidentes But seeing no president is lawfull to builde our faith vpon but the holy scriptures which the Papistes haue not for their crosse the reason standeth vntouched The second reason If miracles were done by the signe of the crosse yet not onely by it therefore the crosse should not only be magnified without the rest Martial affirmeth that hee would not haue the crosse magnified without the rest as prayer and faith How doeth he then magnifie the crosse in Iulians storie which was without prayer and faith The third reason If miracles were done by the crosse yet it should not be had in estimation except all other thinges by which miracles were wrought as the he◠of Christes garment the spitle and clay the shadowe of Peter and napkins of Paule were likewise honoured and esteemed Martial aunswereth this is but his assertion for which he hath neither scripture councel nor Doctor As though an argument A paribus were not good except the conclusion were expressed in Scriptur doctor or councel Yet he replieth that the crosse is the principall meane by which miracles haue ben wrought But the Scripture is against that for Christ wrought no miracle by the signe of y ◠crosse Nay I slander him for he reasoneth not ad idem but the crosse is the cheefe and principal instrumente of our redemption yet not holier then the speare the reede and the sponge as Athanasius affirmeth Ad Antioch que 16. But euen the hemme the spettle and clay if he had them Martial would honor worship esteeme for his sake whose pretious body they touched Then let him worship the sunne that touched him with his beams of light or
world was without thes doctrine I wil hold that faith an olde man in which I was borne a childe A worthie saying of Hierome which may be rightly applied against the Papistes which teach such doctrine as neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach nor the Christian world knewe for 600. yeares after Christe yea for almost a thousand yeares after Christ in many pointes The like force is in the saying of Gregorie Nazianzen against the Arrian Ep. 2. ad Clidon Si ante hos triginti c. If our faith beganne but 30. yeares agoe when there are almost 400. yeares since Christe was shewed and the Gospell hath for so long space bene in vaine our faith also hath bene in vaine and they which haue giuen witnesse thereto haue testifid in vaine so many and so worthie prelates in vaine haue gouerned the people This saying is verified of Christian faith which had cōtinued in the world sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeares before Papistrie in many pointes began Christ hath bene preached and yet Papistrie neuer heard of yea what so euer doctrine had a latter beginning then Christ and his Apostles this father condemneth of error Euen as the same man writeth in the other place by M. Stapl. cited De Theod. li. 2. Vt haec praesidia omittam c. To omit these helpes yet it should satisfie vs that none of those which haue bene inspired with the spirite of God hath hitherto either pronounced this sentence or allowed it being vttered by any other and the doctrine of our church doth abhor it He braggeth not vpon the present opinion of y e Church but as the same hath alwayes bene allowed of al the Apostles and their successors and y e contrarie neuer receiued Therfore wheras Theodoret reporteth y t that confession of the faith was admitted in y e Councel of Nice which preuailed was published throughout y e world he meaneth not y t the Fathers folowed either y e multitude or the cōmon opinion of men which were reputed for the Church in that time but bicause y e same confession had alwaies euen from the beginning bene receiued and continued in y e Church as consonant agreeable to y e word of God by which the Church must be tried to be y e true Church wheras articles of faith are not proued true bicause they be helde by thē y ◠are commonly taken to be of y e Church To conclude The prescription of Tertullian against Hermogenes we do willingly admit offer to be tried therby y t whether of our religion or theirs is y e more auncient y t vndoubtedly must be truth But thē y e prescriptiō of 900. yeres wherof Stapl. so often so much doth cackle will not serue y e Papists as they cannot prescribe scarse halfe so long for many of their opinions For except we be able to proue our religion as auncient as the time of Christ and his Apostles we refuse not to be accounted heretikes If we teach nothing but that we can iustifie by manifest demonstration out of the holy Scriptures y ◠same also in the most principall points being confirmed with the testimonie of the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church the Papistes which accuse vs of heresie shall be found not onely to be heretikes but blasphemers of God and slaunderers of his Saints CAP. XIX It is proued by three reasons or arguments deducted out of holy Scripture that all the time of Papistrie can be no schisme on heresie and therefore was true Christianitie The first reason is this No heresie or schisme is vniuersall The faith of England these 900. yeares was vniuersall ergo it was no schisme or heresie The minor which is false he would proue by this reason The faith of England was the faith of France Spaine Italie Germanie and of all other Christian countries therefore it was vniuersall This antecedent is false for beside y t in England Fraunce Spaine Italie c. since the Church of Rome ceased to be the Church of Christ there were alwayes true Christians which yelded not to Papistrie as many regions as he hath named of the East countrie helde not the faith which was then openly receiued in England in many principall articles namely in that which they make to be y e chiefe of all y e article of the Popes supremacie and subiection to the Church of Rome therfore al Christened coūtries were not of y e same faith of Papistrie these 900. yeres He laboreth like a wise man to proue y t no sect is vniuersal but that Poperie was vniuersall it is sufficient for Papistes to say bicause they are neuer able to proue it The second reason is that no heresie is of long continuance to preuaile ouer true beleeuers to oppresse the trueth c. Papistrie hath continued these 900. yeares therefore Papistrie is no heresie Although the minor be not simply true yet y e maior is vtterly false But he would proue the maior out of S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. saying of such as should withstand the trueth like Iannes and Iambres that they should not further preuaile for their foolishnesse shall be made knowne to all men euen as theirs was Admit that this were spoken of those which should forbid marriage and meates which he would haue to be the Manichees 1. Tim. 4. as it is spoken of hypocrites which shall be in the Church to the end of the world yet here is no shortnesse of time prescribed for the continuance of their errour for he saide before 2. Tim. 2. vers 16. That they shall increase vnto more vngodlinesse and their word shall fret as a canker He meaneth therefore that they shall not long continue vnknowne not to all men but to all faithfull and godly men as the follie of Iannes and Iambres was not made manifest to all the Egyptians but vnto the Israelites Likewise whereas Peter saith 2 Peter 2. That the destruction of false Prophetes sleepeth not he meaneth not but that they may haue by succession a long continuance in the world for he him selfe admonisheth vs that we may not count the Lordes delaying of iudgement to be slacknesse as Stapleton doth if it should be deferred 900. yeares for one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day Heretikes therfore shal haue a quicke iudgement heresie shall shortly haue an end for that neither of both shal cōtinue alway vncondemned But that his maior proposition is vtterly false which is No heresie is of long continuance I shewe by these instances The heresie of them that ioyned Circumcision with the Gospell is more then 1500. yeares olde and yet it continueth in Affrica among Aethiopians as witnesseth Munster and other writers of Geographie as also the heresie of the Nestorians which is 1200. yeares olde and yet continueth among the Georgians Finally so auncient as the full tyrannie of the Pope is so auncient is the departure of
Babylon before the time of Donus the Pope which was almoste seuentie yeres after that Maister Stapleton misnameth Martianus in steede of Mauritius I will impute it to no ignorance although if such a faulte escape any of vs we are by and by cried out vpon to be ignorant in all antiquity c. Thus haue I aunswered Maister Stapletons demaunde concerning the principall foundation and rocke of Papistrie although no necessitie suche as hee supposeth doeth moue mee For albeit the precise time of the entring of any heresie can not be named yet it followeth not that the same heresie is a trueth therefore The second demaunde is when and by whome Luther was called when he begunne to preache the Gospell I aunswere if calling of the Popishe Churche be lawfull as the Papistes will not denye Luther had suche ordinary calling as the Churche where he liued did allowe for he was called to be a publike teacher before the Popes pardoner came into Saxony against whose moste impudent blasphemies and shamelesse errours he first inueyghed in his publike sermons Wherefore concerning his vocation the mouthes of Papistes ought to be stopped But Stapleton will not be so satisfied for he sayeth that the Popish Churche would neuer call him to preache against her selfe that is not materiall the Popishe Churche gaue him such authority as she had to preache whiche he vsed first to seeke her reformation if she had bene reformable but when he sawe her oppose her selfe against the manifest trueth he had iust cause to departe from her vnto the Catholike Churche of CHRISTE It sufficeth not Stapleton that hee learned by the Scriptures that the Churche erred bycause all heretikes abuse the Scriptures as thoughe there were no certainty of trueth to be founde in the Scriptures which blasphemie derogateth all authoritie from the holy Scriptures inspired of GOD whiche the Apostle sayeth to bee able to reprooue all errours that the man of GOD may be perfecte prepared to all good workes 2. Tim. 3. ver 16. Againe where hee affirmeth that he had the interpretation of the Scriptures from heauen Stapleton vrgeth that then he must shewe some miracle as if the ordinary inspiration of Gods spirite without the which no man can vnderstand any of Gods mysteries of necessitie requireth confirmation of miracles But Luther him selfe he sayeth requireth miracles of Muncer whiche boasted of Reuelation and so ought we to doe of Luther No sir Muncer boasted of an extraordinary Reuelation and taught a doctrine directly contrary to the worde of GOD written and therefore the case is nothing lyke After this hee telleth a slaunderous fable out of that runnagate Baldwine of the conference at Poissie that Beza and Martyr could not agree whether their calling was ordinary or extraordinary the conclusion whereof was this that Beza was ordeined of Caluine and Caluine as Beza sayde of none Which how impudent and shamelesse a lye it is that Beza should reprote of Caluine it is manifest to all men that knowe the storie of that Churche and citie of Geneua that Caluine was called and ordeyned by the Churche there when he was altogether vnwilling to remaine in that Citie but in a manner compelled by the earnest obtestation of Farellus Cal. in Praefa in Psalm Beza in vita Caluini And yet more monstruous is that lye that Beza should grant the rebellion that followed to be a signe of his vocation when the worlde knoweth that the beginning of these ciuill warres came altogether from the Papistes the Duke of Guise giuing the occasion by the Diuelishe slaughter and buchery of Vassie But to the principall matter in question that Luther and some other hauing an extraordinary calling from God to teach and reforme the Church need not to conâ—irme their calling by miracles when they teach nothing but that is confirmed by manifest authoritie of holy Scriptures in the consciences of all men that wilfully oppose not themselues against the trueth either y â— they will not knowe it or that they will not obey it It is euident by so many prophets as God stirred vp in the olde time which had no extraordinary calling of the Church being not of the tribe of Leui yet being only interpreters of the lawe needed no signes or miracle to confirme their calling Our Sauiour Christ himselfe confirmeth the extraordinary calling of the Scribes and Pharisees when he willeth them to be heard sitting in Moses chaire of which yet a great number and almost all were no Leuites nor Priestes therefore had no ordinary calling Yet Gregory himselfe in the history of Bede at the first planting of the particular Church in Englande alloweth extraordinary ordeyning of Bishops Lib. 1. Cap. 27. Wherefore if Luthers calling were altogether extraordinary as Papistes can not say except they deny the calling of their owne Churche he is not bound to approue his calling by miracles when his doctrine and all things in which hee departeth from the Church of Rome is proued true and agreeable to the word of God The third demaunde is that we must shewe a succession from the Apostles as the Scripture witnesseth the Churche to haue and the auncient fathers exacted of Heretikes The Scripture requireth no succession of names persons or places but of faith and doctrine and that wee prooue when we approue our faith and doctrine by the doctrine of the Apostles Neither had the fathers any other meaning in calling vpon newe vpstart heresies for their succession but of a succession of doctrine as well as of persons Which is manifest by Tertullian De praescript Ita per successiones c. So comming downe by successions from the beginning that their first bishop haue for his authors and antecessours one of the Apostles or Apostolike men but yet such a one as hath continued with the Apostles These wordes of Tertullian are manifest that succession of Bishoppes euen to the Apostles helpeth not excepte there be a continuance in the doctrine of the Apostles whiche when the Papistes can shewe we will gladly yeld vnto them In the meane time it is not the continual succession of persons in any place which teach contrary to their antecessours which haue taught in that place that can carry away the credite of the whole doctrine and religion of Christe CAP. II. An Introduction to the proofes which followe in the seconde part of this fortresse Repeating what he fantasieth he hath fortified before which howe weake it is I haue sufficiently discouered in this Chapter hee promiseth first to declare by diuerse sure and necessary tokens whiche protestantes doe lacke that the faith then planted was a right faith which in many principall pointes we doe not denye but that it was a right faith Secondly repeating the difference in doctrine gouernement ceremonies course and consequence of both the religions he will prooue all that they had differring from vs partly by Scripture and partly by the faith of the first sixe hundreth yeares To which I replye
from the Gospell and doctrin of saluation in setting vp a newe sacrifice in seeking iustification by workes in ouerthrowing the true and spiritual worship of God As for the two Iudges the worde and the spirite he denyeth them finding manye defectes in the worde As that it is sencelesse dombe deafe not able to prooue it selfe to be the worde of God hauing no more power to be Iudge and decide controuersies then the booke of statutes to put on my lorde chiefe Iustices robes and to come to the Kings bench and giue sentence I thinke there is no Christian man but abhorreth to reade these blasphemies But let vs see whether the booke of statutes although it put on no robes is not iudge even ouer my lorde chiefe Iustice him selfe who is a minister seruing to pronounce the lawe not a King to alter the lawe for he him selfe must be obedient to the lawe Nowe in all controuersies that be de iure either the lawe is plaine to be vnderstoode or it is obscure If it be plane as that a felone must be hanged or the sonne must inherite his father c. the Iudge pronouncing the lawe with authoritie and execution following his sentence brydleth the obstinate person that will not obey the lawe which he knoweth as well as the Iudge If the lawe be hard to be vnderstoode the Iudge must seeke the interpretation thereof according to the minde of the law-maker and not according to the his owne fantasie So that in all cases the Iudge hath no authoritie ouer the lawe but vnder the lawe so that if the giue wrong sentence both he and his sentence are to bee iudged by lawe Or else why doe you Martiall in your ciuill lawe courtes so often crye out sit liber iudex let the booke be Iudge If you will not allow the booke of Gods law to be Iudge euen ouer them which haue authoritie as Iustices haue in the common lawe to pronounce it and to declare it The Spirite he refuseth to be Iudge because it is inuisible secreate vnknowen vnable to be gone to but in the Church therefore the Church is the Iudge and neyther the worde nor the Spirite But the Spirite by his owne substance incomprehensible is by his effects in the holy Scriptures visible reuealed knowen and able to be gone vnto therefore a sufficient Iudge taking witnesse of the Scriptures and bearing witnesse vnto them For that maiestie of trueth that power of working that vniforme consent which is in all the Scriptures inspired of God maketh a wonderfull difference of them from all writings of men of all sortes But let vs see Martials arguments against the Spirite of God to be iudge of the interpretation of the Scriptures Paul and Barnabas in the controuersie of circumcision went not to the word and Spirit but to the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem O blocke-head and shamelesse asse Paul and Barnabas doubted not of the question but sought the generally quiet of the whole Church by consent of Councell But whether went the Apostles and Elders for decision of the question but to the worde and Spirite Reade Act. 15. Againe he citeth Deuteronom 17. that the people in controuersies should resort to the priestes for iudgement but where should they fetche their iudgement but of the lawe of God as it is in the same place Againe Christ hath appointed Apostles Euangelistes c. therefore it is not a generall precept for all men to trie all men to iudge what doctrine they receiue bicause all be not Apostles Euangelistes c. Then in vaine saide Christ to all men search the scriptures in vaine the Apostles trie the spirites neither did the Boerheans well that daily sought the Scriptures to see if those things were so as the Apostles taught Martiall is to be pitied if he knowe no difference betweene authoritie of publike teaching and the triall and examination of doctrine whereof this pertaineth to all men the other to such onely as are called thereto But Martiall proceedeth to shewe that as GOD appointed one high Priest to the Iewes to avoide schismes so he appointed Peter among the Christians and for this purpose he citeth diuers sentences of the auncient Fathers which all in order almost the reader shall finde cited and satisfied in myne aunswere to Doctor Sanders booke of the rocke of the Church Cap. 5. except one place of Tertullian De pudicitia which I maruell this Popish Lawyer would alledge being so contrarie to his purpose but that the poore man vnderstoode it not Qualis es c. What art thou ouerthrowing and changing the intention of our Lorde giuing this personally to Peter Vpon thee saide he I will builde my Church If it were personally saide to Peter Syr Bacheler counsel with Baldus and Bertholdus whether it goe by succession to the Pope or no Which Tertullian denyeth to pertaine to euery Elder of the Church bicause it was spoken personally to Peter And nowe at the length beginneth he to come to the argument of his booke the signe of the crosse Which he saide was the fourth signification of the word Crosse in Scripture and calleth it the materiall and mysticall signe of the crosse which Master Calfhill denieth to be once mentioned in Scripture in that sense that Martiall taketh it Martiall repeateth that which he had saide before that Esaye cap. 49. saith I will set out myne signe on high to the people which Hierome vpon that place expoundeth to be the standard of the crosse that it may be fulfilled which is written the earth is full of his praise Et iterum c. And againe In all the earth his name is wonderfull Which wordes following immediately Martiall craftily suppresseth and falleth into a brabbling matter that preaching which Master Calfhill saide was this standard is not the onely standard or signe lifted vp by GOD for conuersion of the Gentiles but miracles and good examples of life c. Whereas the question is whether the Popish signe of the crosse be the signe spoken by Esay and Hierome And the exposition added by Hierome sheweth plainely that he meaneth not a red or blue crosse banner but the preaching of Christe crucified whereby the earth is filled with the praise of GOD and his name is wonderfull in all the earth But Martiall in the end concludeth that it hath pleased the auncient Fathers to appoint and ordeine the signe of the crosse to he one meane among many by which the praise of GOD is set foorth Where he should haue proued that the signe of the crosse as he taketh it is mentioned in the scriptures Other cauils and slaunders not more false then foolish I will clearely omit as I purposed in the beginning and followe onely such matter as is proper to the question in controuersie namely the signe of the crosse The second text to proue that the signe of the crosse is mentioned in the scripture he citeth out of Iere. 4. Lift vp a signe in Sion which
honestie or shame For he feigneth that the fault is alledged for want of consent of her husband whereas such separation as he coÌ„mendeth w tout consent is directly contrarie to the doctrine of y e holy Ghost 1. Cor. 7. v. 5. Likewise where M. Calfhil nameth a booke that the Apostles wrote Martial saith it was but of Pauls Epistles where he saith it was laide vnto diseases M. Martial saith it saued a man from drowning but of these quarels too much Martiall coÌ„fesseth that were a Doctor swarueth froÌ„ scripture no man ought to followe him But if Paulinus swerued not from Scripture when he brought images into the Church we neede not doubt that any man swerued from Scripture seeing nothing is more plaine in all the Scriptures then forbidding of images and similitudes of any thing to be made or had in any vse of religion Where M. Chlfhil aunswereth to the decree of Iustinian that no Church should be builded before the place were consecrated and a crosse set vp by the Bishop that this was a constitution of the externall pollicie Martial laboureth to proue that it was religious and yet at length graunteth that it was a matter of externall policie wherevpon I inferre that it was not of necessitie and so the article is not proued thereby that euery church should c. But it commeth of great wisdome that he will defend the time of Iustinian from ignorance and barbaritie bicause the ciuill lawe was then gathered and a fewe learned men were found in the whole world All this notwithstanding the Barbarians had ouercome a great part of the Empire and filled the world with ignorance and barbarousnesse Against the decree of Valentinian and Theodosius cited out of Crinitus he hath many quarells First against Petrus Crinitus who was as good a cleark as Martial Then at the Homily against images where the Printer calleth him Petrus Erinilus yet againe y e Valentinian not being writteÌ„ at large is mistakeÌ„ for Valens where it should be Valentinianus And if Valens and Theodosius had made such a lâ—â—e what an ouersight was it of Eusebius to suppresse it When Eusebius was deade before any of them were borne it was a great ouerfight in Martials iudgement to suppresse in his storie a lawe made by them which liued neare an hundreth yeare after him so that belike he would haue Eusebius to write stories of thinges to come But concerning that lawe of Valentinianus and Theodosius you shall see more in mine aunswere to D. Sanders booke of images cap. 13. or 12. The rest of this chapter is spent in commending the Church of Rome whose custome it hath bene saith Martial these twelue hundreth yeares to set the signe of the crosse in the Church and Pope Pius the fourth did it him selfe of late c. Concerning the Church of Rome so long as she continued in true religion and so far foorth as she mainteined the trueth as she was greatly commended of auncient writers whome Martiall nameth so nowe it is to her greater reproch and shame earum laudum gloriae degenerem esse that she is growen out of kinde and desert of all such prayses as the Cleargie of Rome writing to Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 7. To conclude therefore there is nothing shewed to proue that euery Church Chappel or Oratorie should haue a crosse although in the latter and more corrupt times of the Church it is declared that some Churches had a crosse and at length grewe to a custome in those parts of the world that euerie church had one and was thought necessarie that it should haue one The fourth Article That the signe of the crosse was vsed in all sacraments c. That it hath bene vsed in the later declining times we will not stande with Martiall but that in the best and purest age of the Church by the Apostles and their imediate successors it was vsed or allowed before the Valentinian heretikes I affirme that Martiall can not proue by any auncient authenticall writer betweene the Apostles and Irenaeus Wherefore Master Calfhil aunswereth well that the ceremonie once taken vppe of good intent being growen into so horrible abuse is iustly refused of vs. Martiall will knowe what our vocation is as though we were not able to proue our calling both before God and men Our Synodes he refuseth bicause no Councel can be kept without the consent of the Bishop of Rome in which point as many of Papistes are against him which holde that euen a generall Councel may be kept to depose an euill Pope against his will so he mistaketh the Tripartite historie and Iulian Bishop of Rome where they speake of generall Councels and Synodes to determine of matters of faith from which the Bishop of Rome while he was a Bishop was not to be excluded bicause those cases touch all Bishops dreaming that they speake of all Councels But long after their times it was practised as lawfull for Kinges and Bishops of seuerall prouinces to gather and holde prouincial synods for the state of their seueral Churches without the consent or knowledge of the Bishop of Rome In which some things haue bene determined against the will of the Bishop of Rome as in the councels of Carthage and Affrike and in generall Councels also as in that of Calcedon Constantinople the 5. 6. the Councels of Constans and Basil. But signing with the crosse is a tradition of the Apostles and so accounted by S. Basil therefore we ought not to forsake it for any abuse saith Martial But howe will S. Basil persuade vs of that when we finde it not in their writings it is more safe therefore to followe his counsell in his short definitioÌ„s q. 1. where he affirmeth y t it is not lawfull for any man to permit him selfe to doe or say any thing without the testimonie of the holy scriptures And this we will hold euen with Basils good leaue against all pretended traditions of the Apostles what so euer We Knowe the Apostle willeth vs to hold the traditions either learned by his Epistles or by his SermoÌ„s But what he deliuered in his sermons we can not tell but by his Epistles Yes saith Martial the church telleth you of y e signe of the crosse but seeing y e church telleth vs of other things which are left and forsaken auouching them likewise to be traditions of the Apostles which ought not to haue ben so giueÌ„ ouer if they had ben Apostolike traditions in deed we see no cause why we may not refuse these aswel as those hauing no ground of certaintie for apostolike traditions but only y e Apostolike writings Tertullian couÌ„teth y e tasting of milke hony after baptisme for an Apostolike tradition bicause it was a ceremonie in his time as wel as crossing y e one was left long ago why may not y e other be forsakeÌ„ y t hath no better ground hath ben worse abused Concerning the tale of Probianus which foloweth next
serue their God Deut. 27. 3. But as for images and pillers he vtterly forbad them to set vp any for any vse of religion Deut. 12. 1. 16. ver 2. The ninth Article What commoditie euery Christian man hath or may haue by the signe of the Crosse. Whereas M. Calfhil detesteth the Idolatrous councell of Nice the 2. by the example of Ambrose who abhorred the hereticall councell of Ariminum Martiall willing to iustifie y t rable of Idolators assembled at Nice wold shew great difference not only between the councels but also betwene him Ambrose saying y t he was a catholike bishop acknowledging obedience subiection to the Popes holynes As though the bishop of Rome in his time either required such obedience subiection or y ◠Ambrose acknowledged any But concerning that assembly of Nice and y e authoritie thereof how they determined contrary to the worde of God not onely in the matter of hauing and worshipping of images but also in other things I referre y e reader to mine answer vnto M. Sanders booke of images Cap. 15. or 14. Of all y t M. Calfhill saith against that councel of Nice Martial chooseth but one saying of Germanus to defend wherin he picketh two quarels against M. Calfhil one y t he should misvnderstand the saying of Germanus as though he meant y t grace were dispensed by Images where he sayth an image is a figuring of holy vertue dispensation of grace But if grace be not dispensed by images whether Germanus said so or no I pray you to what purpose are they set vp in the churches or what profit may a Christian man haue by the signe of the crosse when Martial denyeth y t any grace is dispensed by images The seconde quarel he picketh is y t M. Calfhill denyeth y ◠the vertues of saints can be seen in their images which could not be seene in their persons Martial sayth this reason condemneth the scripture as well as images for the ynke and paper hath no mynde or sense to hold the power of Christ vertue of the Apostles more then images haue As though the scripture were nothing but ynke paper or as though y t all things y ◠may be learned vnderstood by hearing may be discerned by the eye which conceiueth only bodily shapes of things cannot attain to see faith holines vertue c. wherof no images can be made When M. Calfhill sayeth that the image of Mars or S. George Venus or the mother of Christ cannot be discerned asunder Martial hath nothing to reply but that we must not suppose to finde any images among the Christians but of Christ his saintes so that images be wise bookes which cannot teache their schollers what or whereof they are but they must learne of the common opinion how to esteeme of them That images be teachers of pride auarice wantonnesse c. as the Prophet sayeth they are the doctrine of vanitie lyes Abac. 2. Martiall sayth blasphemously y t images giue no more occasion of vices then the holy scriptures of which some wicked men take occasion of dronkennes whoredome vsury c. But seeing the scripture directly plainly condēneth al these other vices as occasion is giuē by thē howsoeuer any is taken by vngodly persons whereas images which teach no goodnes but being gorgeously whorishly decked with golde precious stones otherwise then the saintes delighted euen as in holy scripture they are counted as stumbling blocks so they teach men vainly affected to delight in such things as they see to please the saints But Martiall sayeth that gylded images make men thinke of the ioyes of heauen O ridiculous fantasie They may sooner make men thinke of the vanitie of the worlde to delight in it But when the holy ghost by y e mouth of his Prophets hath determined that images are the doctrine of lying vanitie it were lost labour to dispute any longer what good thinges they can teache Ier. 10. ver 8. Abac. 2. ver 18. The examples of Ezechias Iosias Salomon he sayth are brought to no purpose against images amōgest Christians As though it were more lawfull for Christians then for Israelites to commit idolatrie But y ◠Christians saith he direct their hearts offer their prayers to God therfore there is no mistrust of idolatry amongest them Why Martiall haue not y e Papistes in England made do they not yet still in other places make vowes to the images that are in such a place and such a place Do they not trauaile thither and offer vp both prayers and sacrifice of candels money Iewels and other things vnto the Images Haue not your idols giuen aunswer haue they not wagged their heades and lips c. O shamelesse dogges blasphemous idolaters The Lord so deal with you as you know in your own consciences y ◠the ignorant people haue made their prayers euen to the stockes stones thinking them to haue a life diuinitie in them and yet you say there is no mistrust of idolatrie lest you should be driuen by exāple of Ezechias to destroy break your images although otherwise they were not against Gods cōmandment but euen made by his appointment as y e brasen Serpent was That fond quarell of yours that Salomon was not abused by images but by women I leaue to women to laugh at your vanity when they reade that by women he was brought to be an idolater and worshipper of images And euery childe that readeth Chrysostome Hom. 54. in 8. Tom. can vnderstand that although occasioned by obstinate Iewes yet he speaketh generally of al obstinat minds whether they be professors of Christianity or no. Animo desperato c. There is nothing worse thē a desperate mind although he see signes although miracles be wrought yet he standeth still in the self same frowardnesse For an obstinate sinner that hath professed Christianitie is no more moued with miracles and the signe of the crosse then a Iewe or Pharao was It hath more colour but not more trueth that Athanasius ascribeth not all effectes of conuersion of wicked men c. wholy and solie to the faith of Christe when he saith who hath done this c. but the faith of Christ and signe of the crosse Martial confesseth that faith is able to do it w tout the crosse but y ◠God would haue y ◠signe of the crosse common with faith if ye aske in what scripture God hath reuealed this will he hath nothing to say Only he denieth M. Calfhils exposition of Athanasius that the signe of y e crosse was ioined to faith not as a fellow worker but as a witnesse signe of y ◠faith against the Gentiles bicause he hath neither scripture Doctor nor Councel for it Wherin he lieth shamefully for y e scripture shewing y ◠faith onely as y e instrumēt by which we apprehend Gods mercy our