vvorthely through his owne vvilfulnes be deceaued Now vvhether part fayleth in perfourmance of that vvhich it vndertaketh vvhether vve geue not The sense of holy scriptures according to the Apostolike tradition the expositions of holy fathers or vvhether he conuince vs of Desperatnes and importunitie and such contamination as he threatneth this is that vvhich the reader concerning ether side hath ro note and consider Of the vvise men thus vve say These three sages being principal men of their countrie represent the vvhole state of Princes Kinges and Emperours that vvere according to the prophecies of Dauid and Esay to beleeue in Christ to humble them selues to his crosse to foster enrich adorne and defend his church vvhere vpon it is also a very conuenient and agreable tradition of antiquitie and a receiued opinion among the faithful not lacking testimonies of auncient vvriters and much for the honor of our Sauiour that these three also vvere Kings to vvit ether according to the state of those countries vvhere the princes vvere Magi Magi the greatest about the prince or as vve reade in the scriptures of Melchisedech King of Salem many other Kings that dvvelt vvithin a smal compasse or as Iobes three frendes are called Kings These are commonly called the three Kings of Colen because their bodies are there translated thither from the East countrie Their names are said to haue bene Gaspar Melchior Baltasar In these wordes thou seest reader vpon what ground and with what moderation we speake of that matter not precisely auouching them to be Kinges in such sort as we commoÌ„ly esteeme of that name but after an other sort and some inferiour degree Albeit if we affirmed them to be as great monarkes as the Kinges of Fraunce or Spaine or the great Sophie of Persia we might so affirme for ought he bringeth to the contrarie But because M. W. maketh his first entrance with this matter as though it were so absurd let vs search out wherein lieth the great absurditie and fault committed in this note Is it trowe you in that we cal them Kinges or in that we saie they were three or in that by our reporte their names are sayd to haue bene such If because of the first let him shew his reason why that can be so harmeful what it maketh against the honor of Christ what against the veritie of the scriptures the faith of the church tradition ecclesiastical the maners of meÌ„ or any title point or dependence of Christianitie and Christian profession The like I affirme of the second the like of the thirde the like of al three ioyned together VVe cal them kinges and why not seyng the scripture wel beareth with that appellation and the auncient fathers haue so called them many hundred yeres before vve vvere borne So Tertullian in his 3. booke against Marcion calleth them so S. Cyprian calleth them in his sermon De baptismo et manifestatione Christi And S. Chrysostom proueth by scripture that they vvere kinges thus he writeth The vvisemen offered giftes to this child Christ according as the holy Ghost had testified before of them saing Esai 60. They shal come from Saba offering gold and frankencense pretious stone VVe acknovvledge that the vvise men euidently fulfilled this prophecy Dauid quoque de his ita testatur psal 71. Reges Thaersis et Insulae munera offerent Reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent Dauid also vvitnesseth of these psal 71. The kinges of Thaersis and the Isles shal offer gifts The kinges of the Arabians and Saba shal bring presents And S. Hierom applieth that text of the psalme to them in like maner And Tertullian against the Ievves vvho seemed vvith M. W. to enuie al this honor of Christ vvriteth thus Dauid also spake of this offring of gold vvhen he sayd ps 71. there shal be geuen to him of the gold of Arabia and againe the kinges of Arabia and Saba shal bring him gifts Nam et magos reges serè habuit Oriens For the East part had commonly such vvise men for their kinges S. Augustin plainely nameth them kinges so doth Claudianus so doth S. Isidorus so doth S. Remigius so doth Theopâ—ilactus so do generally the writers that haue liued in the church this later 500 yeres as we learne by S. Anselme who speaketh De istis tribus regibus Of these three kinges as of a thing most vsual vulgar And Conradus Gesnerus directeth you to certaine writers who haue made treatises De tribus Magis De tribus sanctis regibus Of these three vvise men Of these three holy kinges And among these auncient and Catholike fathers to alleage one new Zuinglius holdeth it as very probable that they were kinges Thus he speaketh of them writing vpon the 2 chapter of S. Matthew Magi saith he sunt sapientes et astrorum et omnium rerum peritissimi huiusmodi homines ferè administrationi rerum publicarum adhibuerunt gentiles Magi are vvisemen skilful in astronomy and al other matters The gentiles made such men commonly gouerners of their common vvelthes After al which for vs to cal them kings how can it in any sort be hurtful or preiudicial to any truth of Christian religioÌ„ Nay on the contrarie side whosoeuer carpeth at this certainely he maligneth the glorie of our Sauiour he secretly detracteth from his honor and malitiously pincheth and snarleth at the auncient and Apostolike church which in this sorte witnessed such prophecies to haue bene fulfilled But perhaps M. W. is offended at the number of three vvhere vpon S. Augustine so sweetely alludeth vnto the mystery of the Blessed Trinitie and that Christe was King God and yet should dye as a mortal man This is that great corruption which so greueth him But who would be greued here at except some detestable Arian Trinitarian Libertine or Anabaptist against whose religion only for ought I know that note maketh And touching the story that they were three S. Austin plainely affirmeth it Tres erant So saith S. Leo the Great and first of that name aboue a dozen times in his sermons vpon the feast of the Epiphanie And whereas the EuaÌ„gelist speaketh of them not in the dual but in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fewer they could not well be and more we neede not to beleeue except we see more reason theÌ„ yet appeareth And touching the last part vz Their names are said to haue bene such how could vve haue spoken more moderatly For who hath heard them called by any other names And I suppose they were not namelesse And if they had names why not Gaspar Melchior Baltazar rather then William Iohn and Thomas or any other that M. W. list to imagine whereas the common opinion of our forefathers maketh for the first no probabilitie or reason can be brought for the second And if M. VV. beleeue that the Ievvish Sinagoge erred not in continuing by
groundes of disputation such as are vsed ether in our church or in their owne and how far these men be groweÌ„ to a headstroÌ„g desperatnes beyond the maner of al the auÌ„cient heretikes For when S. Austin and the old fathers had to dispute with such as Donatistes ArriaÌ„s Manichees Pelagians and others they vrged them with the authoritie of Gods Church with the iudgement of the Sea Apostolike the Succession of bishops in the same with the determination of general Councels finally with the name Catholike and that which was so called of al men and the heretikes seemed to be moued therewith and acknowledge such maner of argument But the heretikes of our time conteÌ„ning impudently al these Church Sea Apostolike Succession of bishops general Councels and whatsoeuer els may be inuented are come so far that they now despise and treade vnder foote the name Catholike which the Apostles by diuine wisdome found out and by their Creede sanctified appropriated to true ChristiaÌ„s members of Christs only Catholike and Apostolike Church in so much that in the sinode holdeÌ„ at Altemburg betwene the Diuines of the Palsgraue of Rhene and the Duke of VVirtemberg when one part brought forth a text of Luther against the aduersaries they perusing the place at large and finding there the word Catholike streightwaies reiect the whole as corrupt and counterfaite because Luther was neuer vvont to vse that vvord Ista verba catholicè intellecta non sapiunt phrasin Lutheri say they and vpon this only reason conclude that booke not to haue bene made by him And yet would to God our aduersaries could be content to yelde to the very scriptures them selues such peeces I meane and bookes as they leaue vnto vs and hetherto with vs acknowledge for Canonical VVouâ—d to Gâ—d they could frame them selues humbly to admitte such scriptures when of theÌ„ selues they are playne for vs against them For so surely buâ—ldâ—d is the Catholike cause that by such helpe she is able sufficiently to defend her selfe and confound the aduersaries But whereas besides the reâ—usal of al the forenamed witnesses both of our church and of their owne as though none euer besydes them selues in particular no Saint or man ether in heaueÌ„ or earth had wit learning or grace whereas I say besides al this they expound the same scriptures by plaine partialitie fantasie frensye whereas they make them selues the only arbiters both what bookes are Canonical what Apocriphal and which is the true sense of them whereas in examining the sense they runne sometime from greeke to latin sometime from lâ—tin to greeke sometimes vrge one or other greeke example against innumerable latin sometimes prosse one or other fathers reading against al greeke commonly corrupt the sense both of latin and greeke sticke only to certaine heretical versions made by their maisters in fauour of their seueral heresies whereas they are groweÌ„ to such extreme folly hardnes impudency it may seeme nothing els but wast of vvords to deale vvith men whom contention pride ignorance malice and obstinacie against the Church and her pastors hath so pitifully blinded Novv if I may vvith the readers patience descend from this vvhich I speake generally of the English protestants to apply the same more specially vnto the party vvhose booke I haue to examine it shal both iustifie more clearly that which hetherto hath bene said touching their irreligion want of faith and withal set forth the practise of those proud and arrogant rules of answering which I before haue noted and besides shew what stuffe is contained in his booke of Antichrist wherein he so vainely and insolently triumpheth It hath bene an old disease of auncient heretikes first of al to inuade the cheefe pastors of the church that they being remoued from the gouernment them selues might more freely spoyle the flocke as witnesseth S. Cyprian And for like reason their maner hath bene more malitiously to barke at the Sea Apostolike as saith S. Austin In this as in many other mad partes the heretikes of our age haue not only matched but also far surmounted the heretikes of auncient time For when as vpon their first breach from the church spreading of this new heresie they were reproued by their cheefe pastor and gouernor vpon malice and spite and desire of reuenge they brast forth into this rayling to cal him Antichrist not meaning for al that to cal him Antichrist in such a seÌ„se as the church and faith of Christian men vnderstandeth vvhen vve speake of Antichrist vvhich shal come in the end of the vvorld and of vvhom S. Paule to the Thessalonians and the scriptures in some other places specially do meane but in such a general sense as S. Iohn intendeth wheÌ„ he saith that novv there are many Antichristes and vvho so denieth Christ to haue come in flesh he is Antichrist But the later Protestants going beyond their maisters as commonly it fareth in euery heresie to make their cause more plausible and iustifie their schismatical departure from the church more assuredly haue taken vp the proposition in the more extreme and desperate sense and now hold the Pope of Rome to be that singular Antichrist of whom S. Paule and some other of the Apostles fore-prophecied This wicked and shameles assertion being refuted at sundry times and of sundry men namely of D. Sanders not only as false vnprobable but also as heathenish vnpossible M. Whitaker hath now taken vpon him to make a reply against his argumentes and maintaine that former assertion of his brethren but after such a sort as partly argueth in him want of al religioÌ„ and conscience partly declareth him to haue deepely impressed in his harte a vvonderful pride and coÌ„tempt of al others a principal note and marke of Antichrist And to beginne vvith the later I vvil shortly runne ouer one or tvvo of the first demonstrations and M. W. ansvveres framed there vnto First of al D. Sanders disputeth that the succession of the Romane bishops can not be Antichrist because Antichrist is one man vvhich he confirmeth by sundrie good testmonies of scripture vvherevnto he ioyneth the vniuersal consent of al the auncient fathers His vvordes are Denique omnes sancti patres Graeci Latini Syri quiper tot saecula vel in Oriente vel in Occidente vel in Aquilone vel in Meridie vixerunt secundùm fidem traditionem ab Apostolâ—s acceptaÌ„ de Antichristo locuti sunt velut de homâ—ne vno Briefly al the holy fathers Greeke Latin Syrian vvho for so many ages liued ether in the East or VVest or North or South according to the faith and tradition receaued from the Apostles haue spoken of Antichrist as of one man VVhat is M. VV. answere to this After certaine cauils made to the places of scripture thus at a clappe he dischargeth the fathers writing according to the faith
no wiser then they who in so shorte space haue falleÌ„ out with your self altered your iudgmeÌ„te and now esteeme that for apocriphal which then was to yow canonical that is now iugde that to be the moone which then you thought to be the sunne Our lorde geue his people grace to thinke of you as you proue your selues that is so fantastical inconstant that you know not what to say and whyles you seeke to keepe your selfe aloofe from the Catholike churche the sure piller grouÌ„de of truâ—he you plunge your selues ouerhead and eares in such foule absurdities as neuer did heretikes before you For what is the reason of al this because besydes the written word or scripture yow wil not acknowledge any traditioÌ„ of the Church wherevnto by this question yow are enforced of necessitie For if we are bound to beleeue certaine bookes as for example the Gospel of S. Matthew S. Marke S. Iohn and S. Paules Epistles to be Canonical that is heaueÌ„ly and peÌ„ned by diuine inspiration and yet the same can not be proued by scripture theÌ„ cleare it is that we are bound to beleeue somewhat which by scripture caÌ„ not be proued and so the tradition of the Church is established And marueyle it is that yow perceaue not how grosly yow ouerthwart your self and plainly refel that which yow would seeme most earnestly to confirme For if yow march your beleefe of scripture with knowledg of the Sunne and Moone and such like as are knowen by only sense the light of nature then you deny it to be any article of your faith For these two are directly opposite and the apostle confirmeth this reason wheÌ„ he defineth faith to come by hearing and hearing by the vvord of God ergo fides ex auditu auditus per verbuÌ„ Dei And therefore if you beleeue not with humaine faith as yow beleeue Tusculanes questions to haue bene written by Cicero but with Christian diuine faith as yow beleeue Christ to be your sauiour if thus you beleeue the Gospel which beareth S. Matthews name as likewise that of S. Marke and S. Iohn to haue bene written by them then yow beleeue so because so yovv haue heard it preached and so yovv haue receaued and consequently by the Apostles authoritie that verie matter so preached vnto yow is the vvord of God which word of God whereas yow find not in the scriptures hereof it foloweth manifestly that somewhat is the vvord of God which is not scripture and therefore yow and your fellowes beleeuing only scripture beleeue not al the vvord of God but only a peece thereof and so did the worste heretikes that euer were yea so do at this day the verie Turkes and Mahometanes But to end this special matter with yow M. VV. touching your distinction betweene S. Iames and Tobias Iudith the Machabees c. where you make this to be the difference that S. Iames vvas refused but of a fevv and the other generally of the vvhole Churche tota Ecclesia repudiauit say you for declaration of your truth herein I referre you to the moste euident testimonies of the same auncient Churche S. Augustine setting downe the Canonicall scriptures as they were read and beleeued in his time placeth S. Iames I coÌ„fesse in order with the Gospels Pauls epistles yet not excludiÌ„g those other but in the selfe same place numbringe Tobie Iudith and the Machabees with the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes his saith he 44. libris veteris testameÌ„ti terminatur authoritas In these fourtie and foure bookes is concluded the authoritie of the old testament Likewise the Councel of Carthage approueth for Canonicall S. Iames but in the same CanoÌ„ it approueth as far the other forenamed and teacheth of them as directlie as of the other that they are Canonicall scriptures Somewhat before S. Augustines daies they were not by publike decree of the Church receaued as appeareth by S. Hierome and the Councel of Laodicea but then when there was as greate doubte of S. Iames epistle S. Paule to the Hebrewes and the Apocalyps touchinge the first it is manifest by that which hath bene said by you and your felowes Of the secoÌ„d there was more question then of the first and S. Hierome seldome citeth it but he geueth a note signifyinge that it was not in his time taken for Canonical In the Epistle to the Hebrevves vvhich the custome of the Latine Church receaueth not saith he it is thus vvritten Againe the blessed Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrevves although the custome of the Latin Church receaueth it not amongst Canonicall scriptures Againe this authoritie the Apostle Paule vsed or vvhosoeuer he vvere that vvrote that Epistle In catalogo he saith that euen vnto his time it vvas not accounted the vvritinge of Paule and that Caius an auncient writer denyeth it to be his and in his epistle to Paulinus sette before the Bible he saith that a plaerisque extra numerum ponitur of the more part it is put out of the nuÌ„ber of Paules vvritinges The like might be declared by S. CipriaÌ„ Lactantius Tertullian Arnobius and S. Austine if it were needefull and the Apocalyps was yet more doubtful then ether of these two as wee see by the Councel of Laodicea leafte oute of the rolle of Canonicall writinges when both the other of S. Iames and S. Paule were put in Wherefore as false that is which M.VV. constantlie auoucheth of the auncient Church touchinge the seueringe of these sacred volumes so hath he not yet nor euer shalbe able with reason to satisfie M. Martins demaund why they of England haue coÌ„desceÌ„ded to admit the one rather then the other And here the reader may consider esteeme as it deserueth of that glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in fine he singeth to him self settinge the crowne of triumphe vppon his owne head and his felowes Nothing saith he is novv more vulgar then the Papists arguments against vs. Quicquid afferri a quoquam potuit vidimus diluimus protriuimus vvhat so euer could be said of anie of them al vve haue seene it refelled it and trode it vnder foote he may consider I saie how like this man and his companions are to worke such maisteries who as yet knowe not what those weapons are which they should vse in atchiuing such conquests For whereas they vaunt to doe this by the written worde yet are not resolued amoÌ„gest them selues what that written word is and how farre it extendeth it is as fantastical a parte to bragge of victorie as if a mad man should ruÌ„ne into the field to slea his enemie and when he commeth there knoweth not with what weapon to begin the fight Wherefore wel may he and his felowes heare and see the Catholike doctrine as Esai speaketh of the Iewes concerninge the doctrine of Christ hearing shal you heare shall not vnderstand and seeing shal yovv
because they generally though not in euery place haue folowed the cōmon points and vowels according to which they frame vs their common Gloses Commentaries and Dictionaries But this very pointe is a sea of disputation and writing and therefore for a final conclusion to shew that the Protestants appealing to the hebrew vvil shortly fal to very plaine Atheisme I demaund of M. Whit. this question whether he thinke it flat Atheisme and Turkerie to denie that Christ vvas borne of a virgin I trust he wil cōfesse vvith vs that this denial is the denial and abnegation of al Christianitie For though they care not greatly vvhether mē thinke our Lady to haue remained a virgin in Christs birth or after Christs birth yet they seeme to beleeue most assuredly that she vvas a virgin vvhen she conceaued him That being graunted that this denial is plaine apostasie I require of him vvhat scripture he hath to proue that veritie for church Traditiō Fathers such other I know he contemneth and vve are bound to beleue nothing say they but that which is in plaine scripture The only place that may serue the turne is the first of S. Matth. for the allegories of Ezechiel conuince not vvhere it is said Ecce virgo concipiet c. Behold a virgin shal cōceaue bring forth a sonne But this place proueth nothing by M. W. ovvne rule by Bezaes common kinde of scanning such citations and by the Protestants interpretation of this place ether because the translation is framed according to the 70. not the hebrevv and so it is no scripture by M. W. or if it be then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virgin accordinge to the hebrew must signifie a yonge vvenche adolescētula siue virgo siue maritata by Beza his rules and so saith Munster as vvel virgin as not virgin or because the most precise Iudaical Protestants translate it so to put the matter out of doubt So for example translateth Oecolampadius in the bibles of Basile which Bullinger in the preface so much commēdeth Ecce adolesentula illa praegnans et partens filium Beholde that yonge vvenche great vvith childe and Munster precisely according to the hebrevv as he sayth Ecce virgo illa impraegnata Beholde that virgin gotten vvith childe And hovvsoeuer M. W. may cauil vpon the later the first is mere Iudaical no wayes Christian and the peruersion rather of a monster then of a man as Luther pronounceth against Erasmus for the like cause and yet I acknovvledge according to the heretical maner of examining citations the hebrevv vvord may beare that sense vvhich Oecolāp yeldeth so did those old renegates and enemies of our religion Aquila Ponticus and Theodotion translate that vvord vpon which translation aftervvards the beggerly Ebionites founded their beastly opinion touching the maner of Christs incarnation And here Christian reader I haue to request thee not so to interpreete me in any thing which I haue spoken as though I coueted to disgrace the study of greeke and hebrew as this man would haue thee to conceaue of vs condēned those languages which I cōfesse to be great helpes to the attaining of the true sense in sūdrie places of scripture condemne my selfe for knowing so litle as I do in ether of them both And manifest it is what paine the Catholiks haue taken in setting forth the bible most perfitly and diligently in the Hebrew Chaldee Greeke and Arabike languages what labour they haue taken about the Greeke translation of the Septuaginta How continually and at this present most honorable Prelates and Cardinals other men of great name employ them selues in the same kinde of study to the end they may procure al helpes so far as is possible for the perfite vnderstādinge of the sacred scriptures How in most Catholike Vniuersities mē excellent for skil in these languages florish and are maintained to the great aduauncemēt of the faith Church Catholike with the liste or cataloge of whose names I thinke it needeles to trouble the reade◠because otherwise they are wel knowen to the Christian world But this I say thou shalt finde it true when soeuer thou commest to examine these matters with that aduisednes and maturitie of iudgement as the thing it selfe requireth that who so wil goe about to picke his faith out of the greeke and hebrew testaments without a setled and constant forme of faith before and from which he must not be drawen by any pretense of greeke hebrew his greeke hebrew wil neuer make him a Christian wil neuer establish him in any true faith Aquila Ponticus first a Christian after a Iewe was very perfect in the hebrew and translated the bible so as S. Hierom calleth him to his praise Diligentissimum verborum hebraicorum interpretem A most diligent interpreter of the hebrevv vvords and yet howe good a Christiā he was is noted before The Arrians Trinitarians Anabaptistes and Lutherans of our time want they greeke or hebrew No dout their arrogancie and pride which for their greeke hebrevv they cōceaue is a great cause of their continual alteration from one heresie to an other as vve see in the stories of Melancthon Blandrata Bernardinus Ochinus c. Before vve vvere Grecians or Hebritians or in deede Englishmen or vnderstoode any letter of any lāguage first of al vve were Christiās we were graffed into the Catholike Church the mystical body of Christ and made members of the same and by solemne vowe we bound our selues to honor loue reuerence and cleaue to her as the piller firmament of truth the spouse of Christ our diuine mother the arke of Noe and kingedome of God without which there is no way but death and damnation Let vs hold this fast and then our greeke and hebrevv may doe vs some good Let vs depart from her talke vve so longe as vve list of our greeke and hebrevv as S. Peter sayd of Simon Magus money so that vvil be to vs In perditionem To our euerlastinge destruction it vvil neuer doe vs good And as S. Austin sayth in the meane season vvhile the vnlearned rise get possession of heauē Nos cū doctrinis nostris ecce vbi volutamur in carne et sanguine We vvith our greeke hebrevv vvhat other learning so euer shal alwaies be tumbling in flesh bloud in continual braules and contentions vvhich vvil set vs the right vvay to hell CHAP. XV. Hovv M.VV. inueigheth against the nevv testament lately set forth in this colledge vvith a cleare refutation of such faultes as he findeth in the translation thereof Here now is the place to speake of our late English trāslation set forth in this colledge For though M. W. vpon passion and heate disorderlye before he had spoken of the originals and in respect of them condemned our latin reproued vs for translating according to the latin
that she vvil in short time leaue this zeale in preaching the Catholike religion and thereby that your congregatiō shal gather strength and stabilitie and vvise men vvil fal in good liking thereof then your ignorance is great vvho knovv nether the nature of our Catholike Church religiō nor of your ovvne heretical faith and congregation Not of ours because you may learne or remember that from Christs time hitherto nether by persecuting Emperours nor by vndermining heretikes othervvise qualified thē are the Lutherās or Zuinglians of these days it vvas or could euer be subuerted but rather the more it vvas assaulted the better irresisted the more it vvas gainsaid the more it florished vvhē suttle heretikes vpō temporal fauour vvere most insolent then she most excellently did defende her self Examples you haue of the times of S. Augustine against Pelagius the Manichees S. Hierō against Iovinian and Vigilantius Lanfrancus against Berengarius and al the Primitiue church against Constantius Valēs and Arrius Ignorant you are of your ovvne faith and gospel because you may remember that nether had it euer any stay or stabilitie since it vvas first begotten nether can it haue so longe as it endureth the very pillers vvhich vnder proppe it being such rottē matter as of it self quickly corrupteth falleth in to dust For when in king Henries raigne it first set foote in our realme vpon occasions which I am content to passe ouer though M. Fox to the euerlasting shame both of such a gospel and such gospellers haue recorded them and committed them to eternal memorie hovv variable a state it had your elders know he much complaineth Euē as the kinge vvas ruled saith he gaue care sometime to one sometime to an other so one vvhile religion vvent forvvard at an other season as much backvvard againe sometime cleane altered and chaūged for a season as they could preuaile vvhich vvere about the kinge So long as Q. Anne liued the gospel had indifferent good successe And not only Queenes but very meane gētlemen and doctors of phisicke were then able to craze your gospel and set it backward or forward as pleased them For so much also is recorded in M. Foxes storie in the ende of king Henries life Thus writeth he So long as Quene Anne L. Cromvvel B. Cranmer M. Denny D. Buts vvith such like vvere about the King and could preuayle vvith him vvhat organe of Christes glorie did more good in the church thē he Againe vvhen sinister vvicked counsel had gotten once the foote in thrusting truth veritie out of the princes eares hovv much as religion and al good things vvent forvvard before so much on the contrary side al reuolted backvvard againe And this gospel as M. Fox calleth it which King Henrie left established as he thought most assuredly by Acte of Parlament in his sonne King Edwards daies went cleane vpside doune In Q. Maries daies came a new alteration vnder the Q. Maiestie that now is an other cleane contrarie And at this present finde you not a general murmuring euen amongst the Protestants against the Communion booke and state of religion which in the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne was brought in If the Catholikes said nothing haue you not the Puritans most eagerly detesting your faith and were it not for the Princes sword like to dispossesse you of chayrs and churches And what stabilitie can that gospel haue which altogether dependeth of the good allovvance of the Prince and her councel in Parlament which we know within these fiftie yeres so often to gaine said one an other And if it should please God to turne the Quenes hart to the catholike faith for which we incessantly pray vvere not the face of your religiō streightvvaies altered turned quite vpside downe must nor the inferiour partes of the body turne and frame them selues according to the head would not the same statutes which now are vniustly executed vpon Catholikes without alteration of any one word be much more iustly executed vpon the Ministers Superintendents if so be they called her Maiesty Scismatike or Heretike Wherefore litle reason haue you to imagine that wisemen wil fall in liking of your new deuised fansie which as it altogether dependeth vpon the Fauour of Court and Courtiers so for this very reason must needes euer remaine as chaungeable as the Court and Courtly beneuolence is And your father Luther who best knew the nature of his children and qualitie of your religion geueth such a sentence of it as I doubt not at this present is allowed of al the wisest of our Realme and much confirmed by your maner of writing The arguments and reasonings of the sacramentaries saith he are such vaine vvordes vvithout witte that I can not maruaile sufficiently hovv learned men can be moued vvith such lyes truly they do their matters vvith so fearful a conscience that they seeme to vvish they had neuer taken them in hand Equidē opinor si eis esset potestas de integro cōsulēdi quòd nūquam inciperent Verily I suppose if they vvere to consulte of the matter a fresh they vvould neuer begin their sacramētarie heresie And I verely suppose if the wise gouernours of our Realme who now may see the issue of your gospel what wickednes and iniquitie in lyfe confusion and Atheisme in faith contempt of God and man it hath brought with it if they were now to consult of the matter a fresh I beleeue verily with your father Martin Luther that amongst al heresies of name at this time currant in the Christiā world they would least of al haue admitted yours as being the most grosse most licentious and most vnprobable of al others But come we to the particular faultes historical committed by vs. Things alvvays accompted false or suspected vve set forth as most true articles of the Romane religiō as that the vvise mē vvhich came from the East vvere 3 kinges and had such names That S. Iohn Baptist vvas father of monkes That a stone vvith vvhich Steuen vvas stoned to death is reserued at Ancona c. Before I come to make āswere I wish the reader to carie in remembrance first the greatnes of his accusation against vs That neuer any thing came forth in print More contaminate then these annotations That vve haue shevved herein great desperatenes and importunitie That things alvvays accōpted false or suspected vve affirme as most true articles of the Romane religion c. Then what we promised in these ānotations Touching which in the preface of the new testament thus we write In these annotations vve shevv the studious reader the Apostolike tradition the expositions of the holy fathers the decrees of the Catholike church and most auncient Councels vvhich meanes vvho so euer trusteth not for the sense of holy scriptures but had rather folovv his priuate iudgment or the arrogant spirit of these Sectaries he shal
tradition vvithout scripture the names of Pharaos vvicked sorcerers Iannes and Mambres vvhy thinketh he not this much more likely that the Church vvould keepe in remembrance the names of these such excellent men vvho vvith so great daunger came so farre to adore our Sauiour in his infancie and are called Primitiae gentium in vvhom the Church of the gētiles first begāne But hovvso euer the exacte truth be in this case it is a very smale point of desperatnes for vs to vvrite that their names are said to haue bene such most false it is that we set this forth as a most certaine article of the Romane religion and whatsoeuer ether in general or in special shal be obiected hereafter in the meane season the annotation grounded vpon good reason gathered out of the scriptures the psalmes of Dauid Esai Esther Tobias besides other authoritie sacred and prophane S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome Theophilact Cicero and Plinie in any iudgment I trow is able to coūteruaile the bare worde of so seely a man as M. VV. shevveth him self Touching S. Iohn thus we say Mat. 3. v. 1. Desert Of this vvord desert in greeke Eremus commeth the name Eremitages Eremites that liue a religious austere life in deserts and solitarie places by the example of S. Iohn Baptist vvhom the holy doctors therefore cal the prince and as it vvere the author of such profession S. Chrysost hom 1. in Marcum et hom de Io. Baptista Hierō ad Eustach de eustod virg Isid l. 2. c. 15. de diui off Bernardus de excel Io. Baptistae vvherevvith the protestāts are so offended that they say S. Chrysost spake rashly vntruly And no marueil for vvhereas the Euangelist himselfe in this place maketh him a perfecte paterne of penance and Eremitical life for desert or vvildernes for his rough and rude apparel for abstaining from al delicate meates according to our Sauiours testimonie also of him Mat. 11.8 Luc. 7.33 they are not ashamed to peruert al vvith this straunge commentarie that it vvas a desert ful of townes villages his garment vvas chālet his meate such as the countrie gaue and the people there vsed to make him thereby but a common man lyke to the rest in his maner of lyfe cleane against scriptures fathers and reason Here Christian reader to proue that S. Iohn was a monke thou hast as before reason plainly deduced out of the scriptures thou hast the auncient fathers deducing the same with vs S. Hierom S. Chrysostom S. Isidorus S. Bernard Against these scriptures and aūcient Doctors thou hearest the bare word of this new Doctor who had he euer bene a good scholer would neuer so boldly without face or forehead haue abused thy patience as to oppose his only word against these reasons Doctors and scriptures Touching the stone which is reserued at Ancona and the comming of Elias before the day of iudgment thus we say Of the first Reade a maruelous narratiō in S. Augustine of one stone that hitting the Martyr on the elbovv reboūded backe to a faithful mā that stood neere vvho keeping carying it vvith him vvas by reuelatiō vvarned to leaue it at Ancona in Italie vvherevpō a Church or Memorie of S. Steuen vvas there erected and many miracles done after the said martyrs body vvas found out and not before Aug. tomo 10. Ser. 38. de diuersis in aedit Paris Now of al these miracles Church built in memory of Martyrs Reuelations Stone reserued M. W. digesteth wel the rest only he seemeth to wonder that a stone could be kept so long As though that were so wonderful a case or there were not both in scripture as Aarons rod and the Manna and out of the scripture as al Churches through Christendome are witnes many things preserued as long time far more vnlike to continue then stones which may wel endure fifteene hundred yeres fiue times told if they be kept as wel as that at Ancona And whatsoeuer fault he find in the storie let him scoffe at S. Austin who so seriously rehearseth it not at vs who refer only the reader to S. Austin and speake neuer a worde of our selues And the like I answere for the second of which these are our wordes Christ distinguisheth here plainly betvvene Elias in person vvho is yet to come before the iudgement and betvvene Elias in name to vvit Iohn the Baptist vvho is come already in the spirit and vertue of Elias So that it is not Iohn Baptist only nor principally of vvhō Malachie prophecieth as our Aduersaries say but Elias also him self in person which annotatiō conteineth nothing els touching this point but the very wordes of our Sauiour and the prophete Malachie That Elias shal come which wordes when our Sauiour spake S. Iohn Baptiste who was Elias by some resēblāce figure and office was past and dead This truth els where we approue by the authoritie of S. Aust Tract 4. in Ioan. li. 1. de pec mer. ca. 3. and the rest of the latin Doctors as S. Hierom ad Pammach epist 61. ca. 11. et in psal 20. S. Ambr. in psal 45. S. Hilar. can 20. in Matth. Prosper lib. vlt. de promiss ca. 13. S. Greg. lib. 14. Moral ca. 11. et homil 12. in Ezech. Beda in 9. Marci The Greeke fathers also as S. Chrysost hom 58. in Matt. et hom 4. in 2. Thess et hom 21. in Genes et hom 22. in epist ad Hebr. Theophilact and Oecumen in 17. Matth. S. Daemas lib. 4. de Orthodoxa fide ca. 27. Finally by the vniuersal consent of al Christians where of S. Austin is witnes in these wordes Heliam Thesbitem vltimo tēpore venturum ante iudicium celeberrimū est in sermonibus cordibusque fidelium That Elias the Thesbite shal come before the day of iudgement it is a most notorious thing in the mouthe and hartes of faithful men And now the Prophet foretelling so our Sauiour affirming so the auncient fathers both Greeke Latin teaching so faithful and christian men alwaies beleeuing so this is the questiō which I wil not dispute but leaue it at large and M. W. may do wel to put it to his thesis of Antichrist for they are both iust of like probabilitie and handle it at the next comencemēt vz whether we must rather credite him vpon his bare word telling vs one thing or the vniuersal consent of Christendome the primitiue Church rising vpon the expresse wordes of the prophete and our Sauiour him self teaching vs the contrarie And these touching matters historical be the horrible faultes of our Annotations for which he accuseth vs of Desperatnes and them of such absurditie that neuer any thing more contaminate and corrupt vvas set abrode in the sight of the vvorld Our errors in making arguments are far more at least in number and shew how soeuer they proue in substance and truth I wil folow the
vvay though in part against our vvilles especially vvhen vve are prouoked by aduersaries so insolent and ful of brauerie in vvordes and the same most feeble impotent vnable to performe any thing in deedes and therefore lying verie open to receaue a blovv of any scholer be he neuer so meane and indifferent And albeit no heretical opinion can lightly be defended vvithout many foule shiftes and inconueniences yet M.VV. hath brought him self vvithin harder straightes thē any other by reason of most straunge paradoxes which he hath taken vpon him to maintayne for vvhat man bearing the name of a Christian vvere he othervvise as excellent as euer vvas Cicero or Demosthenes can possibly without increase of infinite absurdities defend Luther against the Apostle S. Iames Beza against the Euangelist S. Luke Illyricus against S. Cyprian and al fathers of the primitiue Church And which in truth is more false wicked more vnreasonable and vnpossible then the rest M Iewels Challenge made at Paules crosse against al men liuing which long since is knowē for a mere shameles proud lying vaunt to Catholike and Protestant Lutheran and Zuinglian learned and vnlearned lippis tonsoribus and in effect notified for such by publike proclamation of the prince and Realme And therefore if he finde in this treatise some wordes more sharpe rough thē he is vsed to heare let him attribute that not to hatred of his person whom I neuer saw and for whose good and amendmēt in Christ God is my witnes I would refuse no paynes how soone I may fall into his handes our Lord knoweth but to hatred of his heresie and his immoderate heate ostentatiō vttered to colour and saue such things as can neuer stand but with open iniurie of Christ disgrace of his Apostles and ruine of Christian religion Our aduersaries Christian reader are now proceeded beyond their ordinarie beyond that which at first they pretended They pleade not now for scripture against fathers for the liuelie word of the Lord against mans traditions which a few yeres sithence was their common songe they are gone far beyond that note and oppose them selues not against S. Hierom S. Austin S. Gregorie but against the self same scripture the self fame liuelie word which they seemed so to honor against S. Iames S. Paule S. Luke against the Apostles and Euangelistes against the verie Gospel of our Sauiour And what can be their next steppe but to cal Christ him self in question to doubt whether he be the true Messias and redeemer of the world And if any of their brethren do moue that doubt as infinite there be that do yea that denie it vtterly what way in the world remayneth for profe thereof al other authoritie besides the written word as the old Fathers Coūcels Tradition Church being by these men quite abandoned and novv the vvritten vvord it self being reiected as far and vvhat Christian talking of these matters and seing these horrible mischeefes not intended in thought surmises cogitations and secret vvhisperings but practised and put in vre by vvriting defenses publike bookes open disputations manifest violences and most vniust murtherings of those which withstand it who I say though he were as pacient as Iob and as voyd of galle as the doue but would be moued Scriptū est saith the Apostle credidi propter quod locutus sum et nos credimus propter quod et loquimur It is vvritten I haue beleeued and therefore I speake vve also beleeue constantly therefore we speake boldy And as saith S. Hierom Quod simpliciter creditur simpliciter confitendum est And if Spiridion that reuerend and auncient Bishop in a great assemblie of Bishops were wel allowed for that he sharply rebuked in publike audience an other in learning his superior in vocation his equall who in citing a text of the gospell altered of finenes and curiositie one only word and the same of no great moment grabatum into lectulum what rigor and vehemencie of speach deserue not they who in Sacramentes chief pointes of faith in the Sacrifice in Baptisme in Priestes in Bishops in Church in Apostles in Angels in Christ him self haue made most prophane innouations and reduced all to the first ethnical termes But of this hitherto The rest which remaineth is only touching Luther Caluin whom M. W. singularly commendeth wherevnto he addeth certain ordinarie wordes of course concerning him self and his felowes how heroically they haue alwaies gotten the victorie ouer vs our forefathers Of these matters somwhat hath bene spoken before and therefore here I wil not say much Luther and Caluin if they were such notable good men they finde it now the better they were the better it is for them if otherwise M.W. commendation standeth them in smale steede Neuertheles certain it is both can not be so excellent as he would make thē being continually in opinion faith in word and worke in the whole trade of their lyfe and maners so opposite so contrary such deadly enemyes as their bookes testifie the world knoweth And M.W. doth verie vnwysely so oft and so painfully to range abrode in praise of that man who is so far abhorring from him and his secte that if Luther be right they are surely out of the way if Luther be a restorer of the gospel they are enemies and destroyers of the gospel if Luther be in heauen they continuing as they do are certain of hel For so Luther euery where pronounceth of them As for the other I meane that vulgar bragging and boasting it proueth not much It is a common itching humour of most kind of heretikes Omnium haereticorum quasiregularis est ista teme ritas saith S. Austin And S. Peter long before gaue it as a general marke of them that they shal be superba vanitatis loquentes speaking provvde arrogant vaine thinges Howbeit it seemeth in our dayes more proper in some special sort to M. VV. sect then to any other as iudgeth that excellent man of whom we last spake Martin Luther who reporteth of them and that by experience that they wil say any thing boast of any thing confidently affirme any thing bur proue nothing by any sound reason or argument nisi gloriatione inani de certissima veritate saue only by friuolous craking of the most cleare truth And if once they fal in to that veyne then is there no ende In suis libris gloriandi finem et modum nullum faciunt But against al such kind of talkatiue vanitie he geueth a very general and resolute lesson vvhich if I professe to take from him and commend the same to others M. w. can not be offended because he extolleh the man for so peerles a maister And this it is Nemo eorum obtestationibus et iactationibus quicquam cred at saith he Nam eos mentiri et dupliciter mentiri certissimum est Let