Answere.

LIngua quo vadis? If Pythagoras his [...] were to be cre­dited, a man would thinke, that eyther Es. 36. 7. Rabshekah his soule had beene transported into this mans bodie, their blasphemie is so semblable; the one perswading the Is­raelites, that they had neither right altars whereon to sacrifice, not true God whom they did worship: and this other impu­dently at the first dash auowing, that our profession is nothing els but Athe [...]sme and irreligion: Strabo. Herodot. or els that hee were a Lindian borne, who vsing to offer their sacrifices with curses and execrable maledictions, [Page 10] thought their holy rites were prophaned, if, al the time of their solemnitie, vel impru­denti alicui exciderit bonum verbum, Lact. lib. 1 saith Lac­tantius, any of them, at vnawares, had cast out, or let fall a good worde. By which speech, if he touch our professours, as men liuing without Faith, Hope, Charitie and Re­pentance: or, as if there were neither Church nor Priest, nor Christ, as it is a slander for the vntruth, so is it an elench of the accident, in disputation to reason from the doctrine to the persons: if he meane the forme and substance of the profession it selfe, then ei­ther is he ignorantly blind, & so verifieth that speech of Esay in himselfe, which in the title of his booke he hath prefixed, Es. 59. 10 Im­pegimus meridie quasi in tenebris; like Seneca his blind woman, Seneca. that said it was darke night, being a cleare sunshine day, for wee professe not within the walles, but vpon the house top: or els (the opinion of the schoolemen being sound, that a contradi­ction of a manifest truth ex destinata mali­tia contra conscientiam, Aqu. vpon prepensed ma­lice against a mans owne knowledge and [Page 11] conscience is that great sinne and irremis­sible) he is Pharisaically blasphemous: for as they being in their minds assured that our Sauiour cast out Diuels by the finger of God, Math. 12. yet, vpon a fixed malice, auowed it to be coniuring, & therfore were condem­ned for blasphemers of the holy Ghost: so this cursing Shemei cannot but know that wee preach Christ Esa. 7 Emanuel, Phil. 2. God equall with his Father, Galat. 4. incarnate of a virgine, crucified for man, Rom. 10. the perfection of the law, 1. Cor. 1 the summe of the Gospell. Faith, both as­senting, with a setled beliefe of his do­ctrine, and iustifying by application of his merites. Hope, the anchor of our confi­dence, in the most daungerous surges sure and stedfast. Charitie the life of both, the bond of perfection, binding vs to God, making vs one spirite with him; and to our neighbour, both in affection and acti­on, by giuing and forgiuing. Repentance, [...] as Chrisostome speaketh, Chrysost. in Rom. 12. as well in the cōtrition of heart, as the reformatiō of the mind: and so of the rest, proportio­nable to scriptures. He, I say, which kno­wing [Page 12] this shall notwithstanding thus shamelessely pronounce the contrary, con­demnes himself, giuen ouer to a reprobate sence, by turning the truth of God into a lie, and therefore not farre from that vn­pardonable sinne. Yet this must not much moue vs thus to be censured, because euen in the Primitiue state the Christians were so intituled by tyrantes, Eccl. Histo. [...], away with these Atheistes. Tutrecrem. vid Canū Yea some of the Po­pish Canonists haue not doubted to con­clude of the whole Colledge and compa­nie of the Apostles to bee heritikes and infidels: and also that it is an vsuall cu­stome for the most guiltie to be the vehe­mētst accusers, & none so ready to cry tre­son, 2 Reg. [...]. as Athaliah the onely vsurper. For this giddie Articler which cannot see woode for trees, nor in the most glorious Church true religion, if he would but looke backe into his owne synagogue, might he not say as hee in Plut. Plut. de profect. [...], is not our Church guiltie of that wee accuse them? Not to examine all these particulars, how they rather haue no Faith, annihilating it by [Page 13] merite of worke. No Hope weakening it by doubtfullnesse of saluation. No Repen­tance, auoyding that by Indulgence of to­leration. No Charitie, especially towardes God, extinguishing that by their heape of superstitions (for perfect loue casteth out feare, 1. Ioh, 4. but where superstition is, there is feare more then seruile. This being the dif­ference, euen in the opinion of a Pagan, betweene an Atheist and a superstitious man, Plutar. [...]. that the one, [...] thinkes there is no God to rewarde vertue: the other [...] wisheth there were no God to punish sinne.) No Religion, neither as it is the true knowledge of the true God, con­cealing that from the meany, Gen. 26▪ 15. by casing the Scriptures in a straunge translation, as the Philistines stopped [...]saac his wells through enuie: Nor as it is the syncere worship of one God and alone, defiling the puritie, and diuiding the integritie thereof, by that latrioduliacall distinction of Idols adora­tion, and Saintes inuocation: onely let vs trie the last, whether it may not iustly be returned vpon them, that they have No [Page 14] Christ, and that in his owne methode, which in his Epistle, he calleth Syllogisti­call: the doubting whether Christ be the onely Emanuel God and man is the negatiue of Christ, Innoc. 3. but their diuines dispute, whe­ther the Pope also be Simplex animal. simplex homo a An vn­pure beast pure man, or quasi Deus participet vtram (que) natu­ram cum Christo, or as God, participate both natures with Christ. Againe, the prefer­ring of any man before Christ in any ver­tue, is to deny Christ, but they conclude the Pope to be clementior Christo, Vid. Eras. in 1. Tim. [...]. more kind & mercifull then Christ, because he neuer re­leased soule out of Purgatory, as the Pope hath done many. If it be said, that these are but Scholasticall combates for triall of wittes, Basil. [...]. no positiue conclusions: (and yet Saint Basil▪ saith, that such questions pro­pounded euen [...], for disputation sake, are blasphemies against the spirite, and the poyson of religion) you shall haue a Thesis, in a comparison betweene Iohn Baptist and S. Frauncis. The impairing of Christes dignitie, in preferring any aboue him, is to make no Christ; Now heare and [Page 15] tremble: Iohn Baptist receiued the word of repentance from the Lord Christ, but S. Frauncis receiued it from the Lord also, &, quod plus est, Conform. Fran. fol. 18 a Papa, and, which is more, from the Pope. Adde another betweene Christ & Dominike. The diuiding Christs soueraigntie with another, is to make no Christ, for hee will all or none, because both his father hath giuen him the whole world for his possession, Psal. [...]. and himselfe challengeth it, Omnis potestas mihi data. And therefore is he called, Math. 26. Apoc. 19. the Lord of Lords: but say they; Christ indede is Lord absolutè & authoritatiu [...], Antouin. [...]st. lib. 3. tit. 23. by absolute commission, but Dominike is Lord possessiuè by actuall possession: yea, by the ingenuous cōfession of one of their owne schollers, till the time of Pius Quintus, Martin. de anni insti­tut. which is not aboue 50. yeares since, Iesus Christ had bene banished out of Rome, but that Pope thē brought him backe againe. So then, to giue this fel­low his shortest and best aunsweare, this position argues him to bee maliciously mad; for a man beeing a member of that Synagogue, thus execrably opinionated, [Page 16] and knowing in his conscience the con­trary to this his accusation in our Church, both by our positions doctrinall, our pro­fession practicall, and the worldes testi­moniall; thus paradoxically in the en­trance of his booke to articulate, Non Sani esse hominis, nō sanus iuret Orestes, as the Poet saith, Ieronym. aduers. to­ [...]uin. and Ierome applies it: yet least hee should seeme mad without a reason, thus he frames one.

Aunsweare.

Dum breuis esse labor at absurdus fit. He promised vs syllogismes, wee will shape one for him. If the Protestantes haue Faith, Hope, Religion, Christ &c. then the worlde for 1000. yeares wanted them: but the worlde wanted [Page 17] them not, ergò they haue them not. A fish of three dayes keeping, and the consequent of this Maior may goe together for stin­king new: it hauing bene a stale obiectiō made by Hest. 3. 6. Haman against the Iewes: by Act. 17 the Pagans against S. Paul: by Origen. Celsus a­gainst Christ: Euseb. by the world against the Gospell: by Prudent. the Tyrants against Chri­stians: and by the whole cluster of Pseu­docatholicall scriblers against vs, that our Church and profession, is but of yester­dayes breed. But I aunsweare briefly, euen as Aemilius Scaurus answeared Varius his accuser, Varius dicit, Scaurus negat, vtri cre­ditis? They obiect it, we deny it, and not deny it onely, but demōstrate the contra­ry, that we worship the same God, ac­knowledge the same Christ, professe the same faith, haue the same hope, which the Patriarkes before the Law, the Prophetes vnder Moses, the Apostles vnder our Saui­our, and the Primitiue Christians vnder the Gospell, syncerely kept and professed for 110. yeres after the Ascention of Christ as Hegesippus obserued, Euseb. lib. 3 & for 600. yeares [Page 18] after him in the soundest churches were continued, & by the learned Fathers were defended. This challenge hath bene soun­ded, the gauntlet cast out; some one hath taken it vp, Virgil. and like Virgill his wolfe cau­dam (que) remulcens turnd his backe with dis­grace: and yet this namelesse and shame­lesse Catholike thinkes to carry it away with an Hypotheticall proposition, in a three halfepenny pamphlet: and so hee might, if he could make that good which he saith, and confirme it, first, by our owne confession, and secondly, by the testimony of all ages. For the first, let it bee supposed that wee must needes confesse our Church to bee eclipsed: yet this confession is their confu­tation. For, if our church for 1000. yeares was eclipsed, then it followeth, it was ex­tant, and that we had one, though a little one, a small flocke, a few names, and this is all we desire, & that which they so mainly deny (especially Stapletō, Cāpian, & Duraeus, frō whom this libeller hath gleaned those handfuls of his) for as the Sunne though it be placed in a tabernacle in the heauēs, Psal 19. 4 that [Page 19] both the light and heate thereof, might be seene & felt ouer the whole earth, yet som­times by clouds it is enueloped, & by mists fogged▪ oft times by eclipses obscured, and once euery 24. houres by the earthes sha­dow, which is the night, àbandoned; yet still as Dauid speaketh, Psal. 19. 5 both like a Giant he continues his course and force naturall; & like a gallant bridegrome, kepes his bright­nesse and glory, though not alwayes visi­bly, yet substantially. So Christes church, though euen from the Apostles time, tho­rough the mystery of iniquitie, and the mistes of impietie, and the eclipses of Apo­stacie, and the darkenesse of ignorance, it was obscured, and as it were, vnder the earth, Heb. 11. in caues and holes, and rockes, and desertes, saith the Apostle: yet still she kept her course inuisibly, but effectually; which makes it saith Austen, August. non vt nulla sit, sed vt parum gloriosa. Not that it wanted her glo­ry at any time, Psal. 87. 3 For glorious things are spo­ken of thee, thou Cittie of God. But the kings daughter being all glorious within, Psal. 45. it was not alwaies aspectable to fleshly [Page 20] eyes. But might it please this challenger to set downe some inforcement of our con­fession. We say for our Church, that is, for our profession, Euseb. lib. 3 with Egesippus, that it re­mayned a pure and immaculate Virgine till the Apostles were taken from the earth, and so had still continued, if the Suruiuers and Successours, so tearmed, had remembred our Sauiours caueat of the Pharisees leauen, humane inuentions, or Saint Paules premonition of aliud E­uangelium, vncertaine traditions: Gal. 1. or that councell which Vegetius giues to common souldiers ne palustribus aquis vtantur, Veger. lib. 3 cap. 2 [...] to kepe themselues to the pure fountaine of the Scriptures without blending or corrup­tion: and by that first church we desire to haue ours examined, thinking the neerer the purer; whereas some of them, shun­ning this touchstone, stick not to say that the church, euen in the Apostles time, was but rude, and vnsound in many preceptes of doctrine, Bl [...]nder. &, for exāple, one sets downe an instance of Priestes marriage. And for our particular English church, as auncient [Page 21] euery day, and as Christian euery way as the Romane, Polydor. a primor dio Euangelii saith Po­lidore, Faber. and therefore by Faber, called Semen Apostolicum: being planted and watered either by Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles, or by Ioseph of Arimathea, Theodo [...]. as Theodoret wit­nesseth. And for the integritie thereof, one of their owne auerres, that from the time of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome anno 177. G [...]lf. Mon. of Christ, Christianitas inter eos nunquam de­fecit. And least you should thinke this Christianitie to be the Romish Religion: first, remember the difference of our obser­uation of Easter from them, kept accor­ding to the custome of the Eastern church, which for long after would not stoope a­ny way to the Romane Bishop: secondly, the opposition, which was made against the Monke Austen, forced vpon our land as a Legate: Platina▪ and lastly, that which Platina writeth, that Gregory his course, which he tooke by the ministery of this his Apostle, was not fidei dogma integrè tractare, sed eius integritatem adulterare. His second pre­sumption is, the testimony of Histories, Fathers [Page 22] Councels, for 1500. yeares. This is but the cracke of an elder pipe: and as the poore man said of his sow when he sheard, here is great crie & little wooll: he might (af­fecting such breuitie) haue more shortly said, we will proue it by the Pope. For they e­qualling the Fathers with Scriptures, and preferring Councels before the Fathers, & amounting the Pope aboue Councels (in saying that the sentence of the Pope in rebus fidei, Naclant. Clugi. is, penitus definitiua, but of the Coun­cels definitionis ambulatoriae) all the proofes he can bring, must be from the Oracle of the Popes brest: and yet there he will faile, for euen their owne Popes will crosse thē, Iulius the Pope, for the immersion of the bread at the Cōmunion. Clement the Pope in the challenge of both swordes Leo the Pope for their reiteration of Masses: and Gelasius the Pope, for their halfe Commu­nion. As for antiquitie, we request it our iudg, so it be that which Ignatius appealeth vnto, Ignatius [...] the antique doctrine of Christ. For histories, none rather then those written by his finger, which is the [Page 23] Ancient of dayes. For Fathers, none sooner then him whome Iustine calleth, Dan. 79 Iustin. Patrem Patrum, that is, S. Paul. For Councels, none more earnestly thē the consent & sentence of the Synode of the Apostles. And let him promise vs not to deale as Apelliconis tineae with Aristotles books, to bring vs moath­eaten Fathers▪ and counterfaite Councels, mutilated, depraued, corrupted, falsified, as Clement serued Theodoret, and Pighius S. Austen, and the Louanistes Origen, & their Index expurgatorius all the monumentes of antiquitie, and his challenge shall be aun­sweared: but he did well to take a day, & say, we will prooue it, for hetherto as great men as he haue fayled in it, and till he per­forme it, we will expect him. Meanewhile let him take the aduice with him, which Archidamus gaue to his foole-hardie sonne, Archida­mus. [...], either to bring more strength, or lesse rage; for challen­ging without valour, argues more rage, then courage. But vpon these [...]premisses i­magined, not proued; presumed not grā ­ted; he inferreth two corollaries propor­tionable, [Page 24] first, that we countenance Iuda­isme, secondly, that we induce and support Atheisme. as followeth.

Answere

Iron sharpneth iron, Prou. 27. 17 saith Salomon, and one absurditie drawes on another. If con­stancie in the same state, and visibilitie in outward apparance were the indiuisible and essentiall markes of Christes Church, there might be some shew of these conse­quentes: but for the first, it hath often bene shewed, that the Church is in scriptures and Fathers resembled to the Moone: Cant. Apocal. which, howbeit nourished with earthly vapours, is lightned from the Sunne, and the neerer the brighter; yet by the in­terposition [Page 25] of the earth, hath her often e­clipses: so the Church of God for the bulk and greatnesse thereof, consisteth of men liuing on earth, but illumined by the Son of righteousnesse shining with his graces, sanctified by his spirit, Clem. Alex. li. 7. Strom. Bern. Cant. serm. [...]8. Ambr. in Ephes. 3. and therfore by the Fathers defined Coetus fidelium & electorum, and also confirmed in the Catechisme de­creed by the Councell of Trent, and pub­lished by Pius Quintus; yet the opposition of the earth, both their owne earthly mē ­bers, which they carry about thē, the lusts & concupiscence which are within them, subiect thē to many imperfections (as the Moone is neuer without spots) that they cannot continue the same tenor of sancti­tie in the same vigour; and of earthly men also, either the tyranny, or the superstition, or the ignorance of the world, or some, or all, obscuring it. Constant it is, for du­rance, whether wee looke backward or forward: Backward, hauing her begin­ning in paradise, Iren. lib. 4. Ephes. [...]. founded not onely vpon [Page 26] the Apostles, but the Prophets, and there­fore by Dauid called Congregatio ab initio. Psalm 73 [...] For, ex quo sancti vocātur, Augustin. Psal. 73. est E [...]clesia in terris, saith S. Austen▪ Forward, ad consummationē seculi. Matth. 28. Matt. 28 therefore by the Prophet intituled Requies domini in sempiternum Psal. 131. Psal. 131▪ Psalm. 80 properly resembled to a vine Psal. 80 the more it is pruned, the further it sprea­deth; herein differing, because the vine if it bleed, it dieth, but the churches blee­ding is her breeding: Te [...]tall. Constant, for assu­rance both of his protection, & of her sal­uation, beeing predestinate in Gods pre­science, sealed with the indelible character of his election Nouit Dominus qui sunt sui; 2. Tim. 2. 9. accompanied with his graces whose gifts and calling, Rom. [...]1. [...]9. are without recalling; guar­ded by his power, Ioh. 10. 28. for nenio rapiet eas de ma­nibus meis; regarded by his prouidēce stray they may as sheepe, Psal. 119 [...]. perish they cannot; ascertained of his fauour, louing them to the ende, Ioh. 13. 1 whome he once begins to loue; assisted by his spirite, which beeing semen [...] 1. Ioh. 3. 9. 1. Ioh. 3. 9▪ Ioh. 1 [...] Rom. 8. Matth. 10. dwelleth in them pray­eth with them, pleadeth for them; assu­red [Page 27] of their glorie, one lincke drawing on another, Rom. 8. 30 for whome he hath predestinate, called, sanctified, he cannot but glorifie. This constancie of continuance by succes­sion of time we acknowledge in the chur­che, it beeing Gods generation neuer fay­ling, but not in vnchangeable successe ei­ther for state or place, being a flock distres­sed, and dispersed ouer the whole earth; sometimes so great, that we may say to it with Esay, Esa. 54. 2. dilata locum tentorio tuo; some­times so small, that we may [...] with the Apostles Domine pauci sunt qui saluantur? Luc. 13. 23. As for V [...]sibilitie it is an externall ornament, Symbol. Apostol. no necessarie argument of Christs church, which we are taught to beleue, not to be­hold; it is Catholike, & vniuer sale intelligi­tur, Boetius saith Boetius, singulare sentitur; the winde bloweth where it listeth, and wee know not whence it commeth, Iohn. 3 nor whe­ther it goeth, Iren. lib. 3 but where the spirite is, there is the church: otherwise this argument would aswell befit Bethel, 1. Reg. 12 where Ieroboam his calues had more concourse, then the Templeat Ierusalem, Act. 19. 27 and might iustifie the [Page 28] Ephesians clamour, Great is Diana of Ephe­sus▪ whome all the world worshippeth; and serue Turkie as well as Rome, their church being as apparant in shew, as cere­monius for rites, as superstitious in deuo­tion, as glorious in temples, and as aun­cient for succession as the Romish Syna­gogue (since that faithfull citie became an hailot) both of them beginning about the time of Phocas anno domini 65 6. And good for the Arrians, who measured the church by multitude, Nazianz▪ not qualine, saith Nazianz. But let the church speak for her selfe, I am blacke ye daughters of Ierusalem: Cant. 1. 3. Let S [...] Iohn describe her, Apoc. 12. 6. a woman fled into a desert; Let stories hieroglyphically depaint her, Noas arke, Gen. 8. 1. R [...]. 19▪ 10 Abrahams progenie, Iobs familie, Eliahs complaint, Nabuchodonosers fur­nace, Dan. 3. Ioh. [...]0 the Apostles latent, with the doores shut, the Christians couchant, when their liues were sought, the priuate Liturgie in the time of Traiane, and those antelucani hymni, [...]lin. ad [...] ▪ which Pliny mentioneth. But ad­mit that successiue continuance, and con­spicuous amplitude, were the true notes [Page 29] of the church, yet neither maketh this for Rome, which hath had her many eclipses. Duraeus confesseth, Durae. co [...]. Whi [...]ak. that from the time of S. Peter, til the inuestiture of Pope Syluester, the Bishops of that sea had no certayne place of aboade, but were inforced to performe their holy rites, in cryptis & coeti­bus piorum, in corners and priuate assem­blies of the godly▪ & so Ciruetus Doracen­sis, In expos. [...]. Missali. that the Eucharist was offered occultè sine pompa; and before the Nicene councell the church of Rome was little regarded as Pius the secōd witnesseth. Pius 2. Neither againe would this Catholikes argument follow, it being no sound conclusion in Logike, to reason from a locally scited Synagogue to a church vniuersally diffused, that, be­cause the Iewes haue had a congregation visible, therefore it is to be preferred before Christs church dispersed. In deede visible it hath bene, but miserable; seene and scorned; acknow­ledged, but detested; Orbis ludibrium & op­probrium; in so much that some stories re­cord, and trauailers report, that those pla­ces into which they are remaunded, carry [Page 30] with thē such a noysome & strong smell, as may be compared to the remainders of Sodome destroyed. But haue not the Prote­stantes particular churches, beene as con­spicuous as Rome it selfe? View Den­marke, Polonia, Boeme, Russia, Germa­ny, Flaunders, Scotland, and principally Albion, truely [...], England I meane [...], so splendently appearing these 60. yeares to­gether (onely a quinquenniall Eclyps dread­full and bloudie excepted) that the glory thereof, hath inraged Sathan and his com­plices with furious discontentments, the beautie allured straungers from farre, desi­ring to approache it, that they might say with Dauid Sicuti audiuimus, Psal. 48. 8 and ver 7. Sic vidimus, & we with him, Sic videntes admirati sunt: & yet still he goeth on.

Answere.

Where a man makes his shadow his com­batant, or appointeth his enemie his wea­pon, the victorie is easie; still he supposeth that weegraunt, the church must bee visi­ble, or els this his second Corollary must be true, wherein he would conclude, that the inuisibilitie of Christes church is the gap to Athe [...]sme, 1. denying the certainetie of Christes first comming, 2. the accomplishment of his promises, 3. the assistance of his protection, 4. the presence of his power. The cōtrary were true. Fortake the proportion of the body by the head, his first aduent being altoge­ther in obscuritie, Lu [...]. [...]. his conception reuealed onely to his mother, his birth made [Page 32] knowne to a few shepeheardes, Luc▪ [...]. his lod­ging allotted in a cratch; in accompt so base, Bernard▪ that he was reputed, as Bernard spea­keth, pro despicatissimo vernaculo, immò vermi­culo, his inward glorie so great, that the prophesie was verified Speciosus prae filiis ho­minū; Psalm. 45. [...]. 53 in outward shew so meane, that E­say his description was fullfilled, In quos nec species, nec decor: (which was the Iewes stumbling blocke, who admitted no good out of Galilee and Nazareth; Iohn 1. and the dis­ciples scandall, who still expected his Im­periall Diademe) so his body the Church, begun in a few, not known to the world, or if known, persecuted, euen as her head Christ, Bern. set 1 de adu [...]. quem viderunt & oderunt: His second comming shall bee maiesticall, and the church triumphant, shalbe conspicuous: therefore this argument inuerted, is the sounder, videlicet, The state of the body being proportionable to the apparition of the head, as­certayneth to the world his first comming: but the inuisibilitie of the Church militant on earth, is proportionable to Christ his personall appearance in his first aduent; ergo it ascertaineth that he [Page 33] is already come. So for the second, scilicet, The accomplishment of his promises. 2. The more [...] Catholike the church, the more those pro­mises by Christ warranted, by Esay pro­phecied, Es. 60. 11. by this Pamphleter alleadged, are in trueth accomplished, and our new Ro­mani [...]es dealing with the church, as the olde Romanes with their Goddesse Victo­ria, clipping her winges▪ and chayning her to Rome do both fa [...]sifie the Prophete; prediction, and p [...]nion too straightly the large dona [...]ue of Christ. The prophecy was, That the church gate should be open conti­nually, that the riches of the Gentiles, and their kinges might be brought in, and the nations stan­ding out should perish. Therefore to restraine this vniuersall subiection to Iewry alone, as the Apostles once ignorantly supposed, Act. 10. 28 and the Iewes afterward arrogantly con­tended; Cap. 11. 2 or to Rome, which all her cham­pions haue so challenged, were to abridge most presumptuously, those bountifull promises which Dauid prophecied, that Egipt, Psal. 87. 4. Babylon, Tyre, Aethiope, and Pa­lestina, should be borne in her and to her; [Page 34] and that redemption, Apoc. 5. 9 which the Elders confessed with ioy, out of euery tribe, nation, and kingdome: for the church is not gathered ex vna gente, Au▪ [...]erm. [...]. 23 sed ex vniuersis mundi partibus reges paritura saith Austen not of one people, but of all the partes of the world, bringing foorth kings, which shold be, Es. 4 [...]. 23. as Esay prophecied, Foster Fathers, and Queenes to be nursing mothers to the church; preresembled in those three kings or sages, which came from farre, to do per­sonall homage vnto her head, and king at Bethleem; Matth. 2 and long before that, in S. Au­stens opinion, August. yb [...]sup. prefigured in the Queene of Saba, her long iourney to Salomon. And albeit in the primitiue nonage of the church, this promise of kinges allegiaunce thereunto, was not so fully àccomplished, because in those dayes, that prophesie of our Sauiour, was rather verified, Mat. 10. 18. You shall be brought before kings for my names sake, Ioh. 16 by them to be persecuted euen to death; The best of the kings, for a long time, reaching but to king Agrippa [...]ct. [...]6. 28▪ his [...] a slender inclination to religion,. Po [...]yd. l [...]b. 2 And the first [...]king christened that [Page 35] euer we read of, Lucius the k. of England [...] which was 180. yeares after Christ; and A­lexander Seuerus the I. Emperour, Lamprid. qui bené de Christianis sentire coepit, which was 230. yeares after; yet both before that time, was the promise, by Esay prophecied, accom­plished in the gathering of the Gentiles; & in processe of time, the number so incresed, though still inuisiblie, that as her loue said in the Canticles, Cant. 6. 7 There are threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines, and of the daughters without number. As for those homages, or rather base vassalages of Emperours and kinges, and that much bragd of donation, which Pipine king of France, gaue to Steuen the 2. and his successours, in lieu of the Pope his absoluing this rebell from his loy­all allegiance to his lawfull prince, (falsly intituled Constantines donation) are no­thing within the circuite of Esay his pro­phecy, alleadged by this libeller; but ra­ther which S. Iohn foresaw, Apoc. 17. 2. and reuealed, that the kings of the earth should commit forni­cation with the strumpet of Babylon.

The two last are easily reioyned, for the [Page 36] Spirite of God, which is Christ his viceroy he [...]e on earth, [...]. 4. both for his preseruing assis­taunce, and powerfull presence, as hee is called the Holy ghost, sanctifying the elect in their hartes and actions; and a Doctor infor­ming their mindes; [...] 14▪ and a Pledge assuring their consciences against the day of Re­demption; [...] so is he principally called the Pa [...]aclete or Comforter, both assisting thē in their troubles, and comforting them in their afflictions: so that, if this were the eu [...]dent marke, and continuall state of Christes church to be outwardly glorious, what neede it either a Protector to defend it, or a Comforter to support it? for the whole neede not the Phisi [...]ion, but the sicke. Therfore because the church should still be endaun­g [...]red, Luc. 5. 31. he promised his assistaunce; and be­cause dismayed, his presence; both effe­ctuall, yet alwayes inuisible. For so saith Bernard, Bernard de ad [...]e Dom. There are three aduents of Christ, in the first, he was seene on earth, couuersing with men in flesh and infirmitie; in the last hee shalbe seene in [...]eauen, in glory, and m [...]estle: the mid­dle aduent, which hath-beene since his Ascention, [Page 37] and is now continuall, occultus est, & soli Electi in seipsis vident [...]um, in spirite and power. Then our position, denying the cōspi [...]uous con­stant visibilitie of the church truly Cathe­like, to be an essentiall note thereof, is ney­ther negatiue of Christ his aduent, nor impeach­ment of his promises, nor weakening his assistance, nor abandoning his presence: but the poorer and weaker his flocke, the more admira­ble is the accomplishment of his promises, and the more to be magnified is his pro­tecting power, & his powerfull presence. For, 2. Cor. [...]2 my power is per [...]ected in weaknesse, saith himselfe to Paul. For Atheisme and Machia­uelisme, in the church of Rome they bred & from thence haue beene spred, for all her glorious conspicuitie. [...] p [...]. 278. Melch. Canus con­stantly auoucheth, Italy to bee the very fountaine of Atheistes. Machiauell was a Flo­rentine, and the authour of that detestable libell, De t [...]ibus impostoribus, whether Are­tinus or Postellus, eyther an Italian or a Frenchman, neither of them a visible mē ­ber of any reformed church. And not to ransacke all corners, let a Pope of Rome [Page 38] speake for Rome it selfe, so glorious, so gorgious, Franck in [...]. so constant. Pius Quintus often spake it with griefe, Roman adhuc magis gentiliz are quàm Christianizare, and it is not 50. yeares since hee died, that Rome was yet more heathenish then Christian [...] so thē we conclude this point of Visibilitie, with that speech of Clement. Clem. Ale. Alexandr. Any thing becomes a Christian better [...] then to be pompous: if euery Christian, whose bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost, much more the Church, which is the bo­dy of Christ, should not glorie in her pompe.

Aunsweare.

STrumpettes, Plut. they say, haue more easie deliuerie in their trauaile, then honest womē; and Sophisticall arguments are sooner framed then true syllogismes: Arist. [...]len. the tearmes of this proposi­tion being [...], the connexion will not hold, for Faith and Infidelitie beeing ex dia­metro opposite cānot agree at the same time in the same subiect. Is it a trueth which he buildes? then the builder is no Infidell, is it a falshood? then that which he buildes is not Faith but errour. Aqu. ad Rom [...] ▪ d [...] ad Heb▪ 1. All knowledge in Diuinitie is threefold, as the light is, opi­nion, compared to the twylight; Faith, to the dawning; science, to the Sunne shine; the first is neither certaine, nor euident, be­ing still in formidine oppositi, and so resol­uing vpon nothing, falleth either in obli­quum ambigui, Bernard. or errorem mendacii, and is the very fountaine of Atheisme and heresie; at the best, Rom. 2. 20. it is but that which S. Paule cal­leth [...], a very morphew & faint [Page 40] colour of knowledge. The third (Scien­ti [...]) is both certaine and euident, which being within the compasse of S. Paul his non [...], [...] in respect of vs, is proper to that other li [...]e, [...] saith Basil, where we shal know euen as we are knowne; [...] because we ha­ving here not [...], as Damascen spea­keth, [...] but compassed about with this vaile of flesh, haue no other knowledge but [...] in part and vnperfect. [...] The middle therefore which is Faith is cer­taine but not euident, being of thinges not seene Heb. 11. [...]. quia valdé remota est a sensibus [...] saith S. Augustine. [...]. But there be­ing exfide in fidem Rom. 1. 17. [...]. degrees in [...]aith, he which reacheth not the highest step, is not to be concluded an Infidell: for, [...] in vniuersali, [...]. errans in particulari is no infidelitie in the iudgment of the schooles; els the Apostles deriring to haue their faith increased Luc. 17. Luc▪ 1 [...]. might bee accompted infidels, and the Apostle his difference be­tweene a weakeling in faith and an Infidel, Rom. 14 were superfluous, Wherefore as in that morall precept of Epicharmus [...] [...]charm. [Page 41] to be the strength, Tull▪ Acad. qu. & ioynts of wisedome, there is not inioyned an Academicall [...], an obstinate restrainte of the assent to any thing we reade or heare, but a prepensed deliberation, not to be rashly credulous: so in diuine knowledge, August. Faith, being by S. Austen defined intellectus cum assensu, they whome Christ calleth [...] slowe of heart to bel [...]eue, Luc▪ 24. were not to bee intituled Infidels. For tarditie and suspence of the as­sent, may arise by some obstacle not re­mooued, but infidelitie proceedes from a pertinacie of the minde. Therefore his proposition had bene more Theologicall and Logicall, Whosoeuer builds his opinion or his errour is an Infidell. For nothing is to be accompted faith, whose obiect is not veritas prima; Aqui [...]. 22 qu. 1. Againe, building of a mans faith argues his desire to be confirmed ther­in, a thing not incident to an infidell. For all infidelitie is purae negationis or prauae, Schola to [...] ei­ther priuatiue or contrary: the first in them to whome the trueth was neuer reuealed, as the Pagans and Heathen, 1. Cor. 15 which haue not the knowledge of God; and these can [Page 42] haue no desire to confirme their faith which they haue not, for ignotinulla cupido: the other, in them to whome the trueth is manifested, which, with Dauid, wee may call the Adders Infidelitie. Ps [...]l. 58. 4. Psalm. 58. 4. that will not heare the voyce of the charmer, nor beleeue the Prophets report. Esay 53. 1. but resist the holy Ghost, Esa. 53. 1 and the trueth re­uealed Act. 7. Act. 7. (the Fathers distinguish thē, with non audire, and nolle audire) and this beeing an opposition ioyned with a con­tempt of the trueth, is right infidelitie, and the defence of such an one his opinion, is not to be called a rearing but a rasing, not a building but a demolition of faith. If it be obiected that he speakes not of faith in de­finitely, but limittes it personally, His faith, which may be false; I aunsweare, that any mans faith, if it bee proportionable to the generall faith receiued, neede no other building, then that which is allready vpon the Prophets and Apostles Ephes. 2. Ephes. 2. 20. if ex­orbitant from it, then it is no faith, but ei­ther an erronious opinion in the conceite, or hereticall in the defence, and so no faith, [Page 43] because fidei non potes [...] subesse aliquod falsum. if by his faith hee meane an outwarde pro­fession, Aqu. 22. [...]. [...]. 3 hee gaines nought by it, because any mans profession is either true or false, according to his knowledge. And so the Maior is euery way absurd. yet thus hee confirmes it by two arguments, first, from the nature of faith, secondly, from the daunger of priuate exposition.

Aunsweare

Ex tuo ore [...]serue nequam. If this be true in faith generally, then he which buildes his faith, that is, ascertaines vnto himself the knowledge of trueth howsoeuer, neither buildes towers in the aire, nor makes by-pathes in the way idest, neyther conceiues fancies easily mutable, nor stablisheth errours daungerously deceiueable, much lesse is an Infidell▪ Heb. 11. Aqu. [...]n Rom▪ 1. True it is, that faith is an assent with an assuraunce, which certitude makes [Page 44] it differ from opinion, doubtfulnesse, and sus­pition, the inseparable pages of him, whom S. Iames calleth [...]. [...]ac. 1▪ 8. Iac. 1. 8 Yet there. may be in faith both assenting, & assuring, at sometimes and in some pointes hoesitance and wauering, which demonstrate mans infirmitie, not to bee called infidelitie. For though Christ haue prayed that the faith of his chosen may not suffer an eclipse either totall or finall Luc. 22. Luc. 22. 23 yet euen the saints of God, haue their [...] and defectes in faith, 1. The. 3. 10 1. Thess. 3. 10. yea, with faith, espe­cially of assent, there may be [...] Mar. 9. 24. Mar. 9. [...]4 which must bee translated incredulitie for want of that full perswasion which S. Paule calleth [...] Heb. 10. 22. Heb. 10. 22. not in­infidelitie, which, beeing an obdurate per­tinacie he calleth [...] Ephes. 4. 19. Eph. 4. 19 and therefore some of their owne writers ven­tilating the title of Alphonsus, Dubius in fi­de infidelis est, Alph. de Cast [...]b 1. cap. 10 Vid. Can. lib. 12 are bold to say, that this is but iuris. fictio, not reiveritas, vnlesse with that doubting there bee ioyned pertinacia. For, subscribing to an heresie affectu alliciente, non errante intellectu, though in the suspi­tion [Page 45] of the Law it be infidelitie, yet in truth and properly it is not so, Ibid. saith Canus. His se­cond argument followeth.

Aunsweare

His meaning of priuate exposition, wee will examine in the Minor: onely here in a word, let vs trie whether faith builded vpon publike exposition be vnchangeablie true, and may not be altered. By publike expo­sition, wee meane, as they, the Church, Councels, Fathers, or in truth, the Pope only. For so Canus will haue it, Lib. 6. c. 8 because to him alone was giuen Priuilegium infirmitatis not to erre in his definitiues of faith (in decreto fidei) I demaunde therefore, Luc. 22 beginninge with S. Austen, the opinions which hee once held, and after retracted, were they [Page 46] built vpon priuate or publike exposition? if vp­pon his owne priuate, then, by this fel­lowes Maior, he was at the same time both a Christian & an infidell: if vpon publike, then a faith so builte also may bee chaun­geable. The sentences of Councels are pu­blike expositions, is faith vnfallible grounded vpon them? alteration must be when ex­positions are contradictory, and these haue bene often seene in Councels, that speach of S. Austen holding true, Plenaria Concilia soepé priora a posterioribus emendantur. August. de bap. lib. 2 As for Popes, the obseruation hath beene well made, that since the time of Stephen the VI. it hath bene the custome of Popes, rising either from enuie, or vaine-glory, the suc­ceeding Bishops acta priorum aut infringe­rent, aut omninó tollerent, would either nar­rowly empale, Spec. Pont. or vtterly repeale the de­crees of their predecessors. And that the sea Apostolike may erre in faith, not our men alone, but very many of theirs, cited euen by Canus himselfe, lib. 6. cap. 1. doe dispute and con­clude. So then my short conclusion is a­gainst [Page 47] this proposition, first, that he which buildes his faith, is no Infidell, Secondly, that the mutabilite or errour in matters of faith is the euent non expositionis priuatae, but depra­natae, not the singuler interpretation of any mā, but that which S. Peter calleth [...] a di­storted corruption of the text, 2. Pet. 3. 16. whether pu­blike or priuate. His Minor followeth:

Aunsweare.

If by priuate exposition he meane as Moses speaketh Nombers 16. 28. Nom. 16. 28 a mans owne fancie without Gods direction, wee deny this assumption: 2. Pet. 1. we say with S. Peter that no Prophesie, whether of the olde Testa­ment for prediction or of the new, for in­terpretation is [...] of any priuate ex­planation, but holy men in the Law fore­spoke, and in the Gospell expound as they are moued by the spirite. 1▪ Cor. 12 We say with Paul that the naturall man cannot perceiue the [Page 48] thinges of God. 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 2. yet that phrase of his withall must be remembred alij da­tur interpretatio sermonum. 1. Corr. 1 [...]. 1 Cor. 12. to some one particular man a thing may bee reuealed, 1. Cor. 14 vnknowne to the rest. 1 Cor. 14. In the exposition of Scripture it is not [...], Eph. 4. 14 which must carrie it Ephes. 4. 14. neither a sence cogd or numbred, that as in dicing (from that game the woord is borrowed) the more spots the better cast; Amd [...]. Fric. so in expounding, the more voyces the sounder sence. For not the Spouse onely, that is the whole Church, but & Tu quoque saith Bernard, Bern. [...]er. 49 euen one singular partie, finding that in himselfe which Da­uid did, in meditationibus meis exardescit ignis, Psal. 39. 3. Psal. 39. 3. the assistaunce of Gods spirite in his studies, may boldly pronounce of him­selfe particularly, as the church in generall Introduxit me Rex in cellam vinariam. Cant. 2. 4 Cant. 2. 4. euen vnto me (as hee expounds it) hath he reuealed the vnderstanding of his my­steries. Lib. [...]. c. 8 And therefore both Canus graunts that vnicuique perse, to euerie particuler man, the doctrine of faith may bee euident, if hee [Page 49] haue the spirite of God in him; Panormit. and a great Lawyer of theirs thinkes that he deserues more credite, though he be vnus aliquis, ha­uing Scripture his witnesse, then the huge multitude of the aduerse part without that proofe. So then, grounding vppon that di­stinction of S. Paul (in a case not farre dif­ferent) 2. Cor. 3. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 5. a nobis, & ex nobis, if it be an exposition giuen by a priuate man a se, from himselfe, by the assistaunce of Gods spirite, and the annointing within him 1. Ioh. 2. 27. 1. Ioh. 2. 27 it is sound by that rule of the Apostle, 1. Cor. 2 The spirituall man discerneth all thinges 1. Cor. 2. and by the iudgement of a learned Cardinall, Cai [...]tan. praesat. ad pentat. such an one his sence, concording with the text, is to be warran­ted against the whole current and torrent of the Fathers; Con [...]. Nic. and the councell of Nice put it in practise, in preferring the sole iudgement of Paphnutius before so many of a contrary concord: but if it be ex se of his owne braine, and inuention like the spi­ders webb. Esa. 59 Esa. 59. wrought out of her owne substance, we denie it, neither relie wee on it. And therefore wee say that a [Page 50] mans priuate exposition may be allowed, so it be not his owne priuate, that is, of his own wit and reason, without ground of Scrip­ture. yet he confirmes his Minor by a pro­syllogisme

Aunsweare.

The argument is vnsound being fallacia diuisionis; for there is another building, which Christ calleth the Wisemans foun­ding, Math. 7 not vpon men, they are but sand, but vpon the rocke which is Christ & his do­ctrine; the Beraeans building, expounding scriptures by cōference of scriptures, Act. 17. 11 which S. Austen calleth the rule of faith, August de dact. chri [...]t. Chryso­stome [...], the most exact ballance to weigh the trueth; Chrysost. in 2. Cor. Cypr. ad Pomp. Cyprian originem Euan­gelicam, fontem Dominicum, the springing fountaine that neuer failes vs, whereas the [Page 51] Fathers, and Councels, like the waters of Tema, Iob. 6. 19 especially in exposition, deceaue vs at our greatest neede: all of them hauing ma­ny errours confessed by themselues, mani­fe [...]t contradictions obserued by others, di­uerse [...]arres in great pointes of faith, as hee might demonstrate too plainely, which would play Cham his part in discouering their nakednesse. Cen. 9. yet we read them, note them, admire them, quoate them, profite by them, praise God for them, refuse them not in any Romish controuersie, rest not on them, but, imitate that wisedome of trauailers in Plutarke his iudgement, Plutar. [...]. who passing by many goodly cities, view them & take delight in them, yet settle thēselues in one principall, where they may haue more certaine profite, with lesse daunger. For should not a people enquire at their God? Es. 8. 19 saith Esay; whose oracle is the Scri­ptures. which Christ cōmaunds to search Ioh. 5. Ioh. 5. they being that more certaine word of prophesie, 2. Pet. 1. to which, we doe well if we attend, saith Peter: yea, by their owne cō ­fession, vltima resolutio fidei, the last repose [Page 52] of our [...]aith, Can [...] 3 c. 8. must not be either vppon the church, that is too generall; nor vpon the Fathers, that is more rusticall then diuine, (iustici [...]otius quàm Theologi videamur) for so do the Saracens vppon their maisters, [...] the Iewes on their Rabbins, the Gentiles on their Philosophers; much lesse vpon the Pope, that were too Pythagoricall, Ipse di­xit; [...]. & [...] (according to the Pro­uerbe) too Poetlike, who, when in their Tragedies they are come to an exigent, [...] ▪ which they cannot extricate, they haue a God in an engine, whome they turne downe with a deuice to make vp the mat­ter. The last and safest refuge is therefore, which Esay prescribeth, Es. 8, 20 ad legem & testi­monium. Esay. 8. 20. to the law and to the testimony; for whether shall we goe, saith Peter, Ioh. 6, 68 here are the wordes of eternall life? that so wee may say of the Fathers and Councels, as the Samaritans to that wo­man Iohn 4. Ioh. 4. 42 Now we beleue, not because of thy saying, for wee haue heard him our selues, and know that this is indeede the Christ the Sauiour of the world. But here [Page 53] is the question, who shall interprete them? S. Iohn will answeare, you neede not that any man teach you the annointing with­in you, 1, Ioh, [...], 27 teacheth you all thinges. 1. Ioh. 2. But this is priuate exposition? nothing lesse; a sw [...]rne Notary, though a priuate man, yet his hand and testimony alone, passeth for authenticall and publike: The holy Gho [...]t, the principall Register of the Trini­tie, Exod, 32 the hand of God wherewith the Law was grauen; Es, 53 Math, 12 the Lordes arme wherwith the Gospell is made powerfull; the finger of God which wrought all miracles war­ranted; the penne-guide of the Euangelists; the tongue of the Apostles; Act. 2 Ioh 14 the suggestor of trueth vnto the faithfull; though he be, as S. Austen cals him, August. internus magister, and speaketh within vs, yet beeing the Spirite of trueth, Es, 11, 2 and knowledge, and counsell. Es. 11. 2. his sole testimony counteruailes the au­thoritie of all outward and ministeriall witnesses. The Church, Councels, Fathers, are no better then the Apostles; who con­fesse themselues to bee but ministers, per quos credimus. 1 [...] Cor, 3. 5 1. Cor. 3. he is the Doctor c [...]i [Page 54] credimus. Eph. 1. 13 Ephes. 1. 13. and fides in infusa, by cō ­fession of schoolemen, which is the ope­ration of the spirite, must preuent fidem ac­quisitam, Rom. 10 which commeth by hearing, and the ministerie of men; for Lydias hart must be opened, before shee can profite by hea­ring. Act. 16 Act. 16. and he which hath the Key of Dauid, Apoc. 3. 7 Apoc. 3. 7. hath this prerogatiue, before them that haue the keyes of know­ledge. Luc. 11. 52 Luc. 11. 52. and therefore the order of the holy Ghost, is by some of them ob­serued, in saying: The people beleeued God, and his seruant Moses. Exo. 14. 31. Exod. 14. 31. not Mo­ses before, but first the Lord [...], and then his minister. The principall act of faith, is as­sent to those things that are credibilia, 22 quaest. 6. con [...]lus. saith Aquin. all which amounting the reach of mans reason naturall, it must be wrought by a supernaturall cause within, and that is Gods spirite alone; not our selues, that is gentilisme, and denied by S. Paul. Eph. 2. not party perpale, Eph. 2. first, our selues, and then God, that is Pelagianisme, and confuted by S. Austen; Aug. [...]. not by a miracle seene, or men perswading, those are outward in­ducementes, [Page 55] 22. Aqu, rbi sup. no sufficient inforcementes▪ and yet we say with Paule, that faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. Rom. 10. that is by Fa­thers, Councels, and Church testimony, distinguishing, Gorr [...]m ib. as Gorram one of their own doth, by them praeparatiué, by God effectiué. & therefore no reason we should build onr faith vpon them, beeing but mediate wit­nesses, not immediate causes. And so wee cōclude with Aquin as in his own words, Innititur fides nostra reuelationi Apostolis & Prophetis facta, Aq. 1. q. 1. a [...]t. 8. ad. 2 Our faith is built vpon the do­ctrine of the Prophets and Apostles. Lib. 2. c. 1. And with Canus (alludinge to that speeche of Quintilian for grammer) that the Canoni­call writ, Quintilian is that foundation, on which vnlesse we build our faith, quicquid superstru­xeris corru [...]t, whatsoeuer we reare will fall. And now his syllogisme is concluded, his article might haue ended, [...]ull. de Or [...]. but his after wit telling him, that his reasons examined, would proue but scopae dissolutae: the article and the argument not agreeing; that, pro­clayming only the Learned Protestantes Infi­dels: this, cōcluding that all Protestants are so, [Page 56] and the reason of both, because they refuse the Fathers expositions; [...] he now turnes Zenoes fist into a palme, and leaues his Logike for a figure in Rhetorike, which they call Correctio dicti. [...] Campian belike hauing rubd him by the elbow, and telling him, that

Aunsweare

In deede Thucydides neuer spake it more truly, lib▪ 2 then we may [...] here­hence haue risen both the mortall spite of Rome against vs; and also this title of Infi­delitie, because we make rectum to be Iudex sui & obliqui; [...] ▪ for vsing the Scriptures as a fanne for the Fathers, to winnow their chaffe from their graine; for vrging that place of the Prophet Esa 8. Es. 8, 20 of all writers both auncient and moderne, if they speake not according to this rule, there is no light in [Page 57] them. which is no other thinge then the Fathers themselues wish, and require Tertullian reiects any mans arbitrium suum, Ter [...]llian. vnlesse it bee according to the doctrine taught by Christ and preached by the Apostles; Cyprian. Cyprian regardes not quid hic aut ille, Ieron. in but what Christ did or spake; it was not parentum or maiorum authoritas which made S. Ierome to stoope, Ier. 9. but onely Dei docentis imperinm. Not to speake of Nazianz. Nazian. who peremptorily avoweth that our doctrine is Pythagoricall dixit do­minus, [...]. without reason naturall, or Fathers a [...]thoritie; but Austen cries away with our papers, August. in Psal. 57. codex domini pr [...]cedat in medium. and excellently to this present purpose els where, Cont. Cres. lib. 2. there are bookes, saith he, quos non licet iudicare, sed secundum quos alij iudicandi. videlicet, the bookes Canonicall, which we are not to iudge, but according to which other Doctors are to be censured; no other thing then the sounder schoolemen doe a­uouch, in admitting onely that to bee the church doctrine, Aq. 22. q. [...] quae procedit ex veritate pri­ma in sacris literis manifestata. No other, [Page 58] briefly, but what the Apostle inforceth, that if we receiue the witnesse of men, 1. Ioh. 5. 9 the witnesse of God is greater. R [...]m. 3. For, let God be true and euery man a liar. Rom. 3. Neither is this a delusion of the world, but a religiō to our God, & our reuerence to his word; an appeale from men subiect to ouersights and affection, vnto the holy spirite perfect and vnpartiall; in making the Scriptures the touchstone of their writings; especial­ly hauing to deale with such Romish im­postors, Basil. S. Basill cals them [...], cor­rupting all the Fathers, [...]. and counterfayting many of them: dealing in the first, as Pro­crustes with his guestes in his bed, Plut. T [...]es. eyther hacking them off, or racking them out, as may fit their fancies; in the other as Cali­gula with Iupiters idole, S [...]eto [...]. tooke off the Gods head, & set his owne in place there­of, citing Fathers that were neuer extant: but as the Poet saide, Nil mihi vis, & vis cuncta licere tibi: Martial. our reuoking the Fathers to Scriptures touch, is delusion, but when some of their own say, that the Fathers are no Fathers if they swa [...]ue from the church [Page 59] doctrine, fol. 140. that is Rome, or the Pope, as Du­raeus doth; and others, that both the church and Pope haue authoritie aboue Fathers, and against scriptures, Lib. 2. c▪ 16. & 16. as Canus discourseth at large (an opinion which is the verie male-engine of all sound diuinitie) this is plaine dealing & allowable Marrie, Saint Chrysostome is so farre from counting it a delusion, Chrys. in 2. ad Cor. hom. 1 [...]. the course we take, that he thinkes it a grosse absurditie among Christians to be so warie, that in paiment of monie we will not credite men, but numero & calculo committere, tell it after them, cast the sums, number the poundes, weigh the golde; & yet in the grand pointes of faith, we wil rest vpon the bare sentence of Fathers sim­plie, without due triall, especiallie hauing so perfect a touch and ballance as the word is to trie them by. And now from argu­ments he falles to questions, 4. in number.

Answere.

If in this question hee aske what hee knowes, it is ironicall hypocrisie; if not, it is ignorant follie: our meaning hath bin oft expressed, to be that of Saint Austens, to preferre Saint Paul himselfe before all, and aboue al Doctors (his expositors) not con­cording with the text; August. epist. 19. that as we are not [...] so peremptorie and selfe louing, to take vp that olde verse, Nostra haec sunt, veteres migrate coloni, vtterly to omit the fa­thers; Canus. so we admit of them, as Canus him­selfe doth, reade them and alledge them with reuerence, yet with choyce & iudge­ment (their soundnesse making vs more learned, their corruptions more wary) least taking the chaffe with the wheate, as the Prophet speaketh, Ie [...]. 23. that of Lyrinensis prooue true, Ly [...]i [...]ensis. Absoluuntur magist [...]i, condem­nantur discipuli: whereas if you take the p [...]ecious from the vile, le [...]. 15. 19 you shalbe accor­ding to my word, saith the Lord, Ier. 15.

Aunsweare.

We doe, with this prouiso of S. Paule, that they do [...], Phil. 3. that they march in a squadron, agree without diffe­rence in that point. 2. [...], that the Scriptures they alleage be canonically warranted, re­gularly vnderstood, and rightly applyed. Who shall iudge of this? the prouerbe is, Lapis aurum probat, Adag Eras. aurum homines, The stone tries gold, and gold tries men: so the spi­rite of God trieth betweene the Scriptures Canonicall and Apocryphall, & the Scriptures trie the Fathers, whether their sence bee sound or adulterate.

Answere.

In promptu ratio est; our answere is readie and briefe, first to Augustine and the other fathers in this case, [...]. which was Saint Au­gustines to Cyprian in the like. We repute not their writinges as Canonicall, but iudge them by the Canon; if they accorde, cum laude corum, to their praise we admit them; if they dissent, cum pace [...]orum, by their leaue wee refuse them. Which in this point is true: Epiphanius for Epiphanius though mightily op­posite in this opinion against Aerius, cōfes­seth that this is not praeceptum patris, but in­stitutio matris, not any precept of Scripture, (where notwithstanding we reade of so­lemne funerals, Gen. 49. Heb. 11 and honourable memori­als of the dead) but a tradition of the Fa­thers, Tertu [...]ian. and Church, which is also Tértullian his speach. Secondly, for the thing it selfe, sithence it hath often and impregnably bin proued, that the praier for the disceased, neither preuaileth with God, nor auaileth the dead; Chrys [...]st. therefore Chrysostome, howsoeuer a [Page 63] great patron for this point, concludes that it is but [...], a verie stage-play & mockerie. But of this poynt more in the treatie of Purgatorie. For the last clause if it be true, wee commend it as an excel­lent precedent and paterne, desiring that they which so much glorie of the fathers, would therin imitate them. For this word the Scriptures is that tower of Dauid, wher­in are a 1000. shields and tota armatura fortium, all weapons both defensiue and expugnatorie for all conflicts of contro­uersie, Cant. 4. 4 Cant. 4. 4.

Aunsweare.

These hick scorning termes of new coy­ned Gospell, paltry companion, dauncing after his pipe: and those wordes also of fie [...]ie ele­ment, fancies, and heresies, beeing but the is­sues of a filthie braine, and loathsome sto­macke, we returne into his throate, with the aunsweare of the Philosopher, [...], [...]. a fennel stalke will not make a speare, nor such wordes sound proofes; onely they argue an impatience, with a badde cause, and a worse conscience. The substaunce of this demaund is, if a priuate man may discerne of Scriptures, whether truely or falsly alleaged by the Fathers? an answeare hee receiues in the rifling of his Minor: if that cōtent him not, S Paule will tell him that there is discretio spirituum a gift of the holy Ghost, 1. Cor. 12 [...]. 7. not tyed onely to the Church and Churchmen, but imparted [...], to euery man illumined by the spirite, imploring Gods direction, and conferring Scriptu [...]es: and therefore els­where hee wisheth eueryman abundance [Page 65] in suo sensu. Rom. 14▪ Rom. 14. Wherein as he giueth libertie for euerie man to haue his owne sense, so withall [...] to assure his con­science that this his meaning is rectified; which certainty is wrought by prayer to God, Ber [...]. ad patres in monte. diligent cōference, serious studies, of­ten meditation, & the like; all which bee­ing euident arguments of a spiritual man, his power is warranted, by saint Paule, to discerne al things, 1. Cor. 2. euen profunda Dei. Wher­vpon Canus inf [...]rs, Lib. 2. ca. 8. that vnicuique praestan­ [...] quod in se est, to euery man vsing the means before named, God giues vnderstāding suf­ficient in all matters of saluation: for the eare trieth wordes, as the mouth tasteth meate, Iob. 34. [...]. saith Iob As therefore the palate, if it be well affected, can discerne perfitely of the sapours which touch it, if infected, it cannot: so, saith he, the affection of a mind well disposed, Canus vbi sup paulô post. is able to distinguish a truth frō an er [...]our. So true is that of the Philoso­pher, Qualis vnusquis (que) erit, tale etiam iudicium proferet. Aristot. Notwithstanding herein we veri­fie not that prouerbe to bring Saul among the [...]rophets, 1. Sam. 19. not to make men deuoide of [Page 66] Gods spirit, though otherwise acutely wit­ted, or excellent [...]ie learned, discerners of spirituall thinges; wee knowe that the sha [...]pest Philosophers comming to these mysteries, haue fared as the Sodo­mites at Lots doore; Gen. 19. Nazianzen. August as Nazianzene spea­keth [...] as saint Augustin, acut [...] obtusi, and as Gerson obserueth, disputers in these poynts, Gerson tract de caus [...]s. Iohn. 3. vt caeci de coloribus: but knowing with all that the Spirit bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3. we, with the Apostle, grant this prerogatiue of true exposition, not to euerie man pelly melly, but to euery spiri­tuall man, whom, because it so pleaseth this Libeller, he entitles a paltry companion: but what sayth hee to his owne Melchior Canus? Lib. 2. ca. 6. who giues this power simplici mulier­culae, to a silly woman, assigning his reason, quia ab vnctione docetur, because shee is an­noynted with the Spirit. And here I might nd, but that you sh [...]ll see either the impu­d [...]ncie, or the ignorance, as I gesse it, of this mate, for [...] according to the Pro­uerbe as Saint Paul sayd of clergie marri­age, 1, Cor, 9. 1. Cor. 9. haue not I power to leade [Page 67] about a sister a wife? so, say I, haue not we Protestants as good authoritie to refuse the fathers vnsound expositions of Scrip­tures, as well as the greasie shauelings a­mong the Papists, who reiect their soun­dest interpretations, crossing their pro­iects? In Mat. 16. Pigh [...]us. Bernard▪ Durius. The Rhemists renounce Saint Au­sten as an vnskilfull interpreter of super hanc petram, Math. 16 Pigh [...]us abiures him in the tract of o [...]iginall sinne. Aug. Steuc. barkes at saint [...]erome in Nomb. and Deu. and Bernardinus at both of them with a triuiall prouerbe of dormitat Homerus: and Duraeus the Scot turnes off Saint Ieroms o­pinion of Baruch his book with a quid tum postea? thus these transam-eyed hypocrites can spie small motes in vs, not feeling their owne beames. The summe of this article, and the drift of this rennagate is, that fides i [...]plicita; to driue vs to the streights which the Philistines forced Israel vnto, 1. Sam. 13 [...] the sharp­ning our instruments, and the fetching our weapons frō their forge: that is, to beleeue as their Church beleeues, without any tri­all or examination, and then wee should [Page 68] not bee Infidels: but that is stopped by S. Peter, who willes euerie one to bee readie in giuing an account of that fayth hee pro­fesseth, 1 Pet 3. 1 [...]. 1. Pet. 3. 10. fayth it is not which is not certaine, nor aunswere cannot bee made, Aq [...]. q. [...]. [...]. 8. [...] 3. but by him which is assured; but both Aquinas and Canus conclude, that the authoritie of Doctours and Fathers make fidem probabilem, nō certam, perswade fayth, but assure it not: and thus endes this second Article.

Aunsweare.

IT is the propertie of Sophi­sters, August. saith S. Augustine, gran­di cothurno incedere, to make stately paces, & great shewes to vphold an ill cause, vel moram faciendo, if with nothing els, yet [Page 69] with standing vpon it: faine would this disputer with his sylly-iesticall method con­clude vs all to be infidels, but he cannot find a medium to inforce that conclusion; there­fore as Ixion lying with a cloud in stead of Iuno begot a Centaure, Plut. Ag. & Cleo. neyther man nor beast: so his malice, breeding with a con­ceit, in steed of learning, brings forth Syllo­gismes, neyther sound nor acute, his arte beeing not sufficient to shape him a Logi­cian, nor his subtilty sharp inough to make him a Sophister. So that his methode is, as one of their own [...] once spake in a like case, Sir Thom. Moore▪ Take it among you, and this it is.

Answere.

It is verie base Logicke where the argu­ment may bee returned vpon the replier, [...]. as the Maior here may, the Papistes beeing bound to relie their faith vpon the meere au­thoritie of the Church without deniall or triall, which therefore they call fidem im­plicitam, a faith inuolued and folded with­in the Church beleefe. A [...]stot. And it is verie meane Sophistrie where there is mendatium mani­festum as in the Minor is euident, and a ri­diculous syllogisme, where according to the prouerbe, aliud Leucon, aliud portat illius Asinus. Eras. ex Zen [...]d. The propositiō to be proued being that all Protestants ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues are infidels, his conclusion infer­ring this is, that all ignoraunt of the Greeke and Hebrew tongues are infidels, as if the Latin and Hebrew were all one idiom. But bee it as it is, the Maior was cut off by mee in the precedent article, the summe whereof is, that where faith is, there cannot be infidelitie; The Minor is there also answered by his [Page 71] owne assumption, for if we builde our faith vpon our owne exposition, as there hee saieth, then this is false, that we relie our faith vpon the ministers credite, which here he assumeth: and therfore a briefe answere might be that of Epimenides in S. Paule, Tit. 1. Quint. li. 4. [...] Heretikes are euer liers; and Mendacem O­por [...]et esse memorem, that prouerbe in Quin­tilian. But let vs view his proofes.

Aunsweare

We deny the argumēt, the force wher­of is, that they which belieue men that may erre, are Infidels. For, not to dispute with the Schoolemen, whether the Infi­de [...]itie of Heretikes or Pagans is the worse, a knowne trueth resisted, H [...]b. 6. aggrauating the [Page 72] sinne against the conscience, more then a­gainst him which knowes it not: yet Saint Augustine makes this difference betweene an heretike, and him that beleeues an he­retike. Aug [...]. The first begets or followes an er­rour pertinaciously, either for primacie or glorie: but haeretico credens, is onely caried away imaginatione veritatis: so, this mista­king a falshood for a truth, is Satans moc­kerie, 2. Cor. 7. in his angelical illusion, not the par­ties infidelitie, in crediting a sinister perswa­swasion. For learners caried away by their teachers, though [...] lying in am­bush to seduce them, Ephes. 4. Ephes. 4. in their as­sent are not Infidels, the Apostle calling this leuitie, a credulitie childish, not infidelitie which is euer peeuish: and therefore A­quinas saith, that the teachers and masters of the Church, failing in any truth diuine, non praeiudicant fidei simplicium, [...]. doe no way preiudice the faith of the vnlearned, quieos rectam fidem habere credunt, who still sup­pose that they will teach them nothing but truth. And is it any monster of opinion either in Caluin or Luther, to say that ey­ther [Page 73] men in seuerall, or councels in assem­bly, or church in generall may erre? did not Dauid in an hasty passion, Psal. 116. Rom. 4. and S. Paul with due premeditation say the same? All men are lyars. For councels, they said not so much as Naz. Ephes. 42 who denied his presence at any Councel, because he saw, as he said, neither good end, nor happy issue of any of them; nor more then their owne men, who affirme that the sentēce of any coun­cell, is but as aliue mans testament, Nacl Clug. ambula­toria, that is, alterable at the pleasure either of Pope, or succeeding coūcell. Yea they & we confesse with S. Augustine, Ep. 118 that religi­ous Councels haue saluberrimam authorita­tem their soueraigne authoritie, yet not ab­solute integritie; because, as he elsewhere noteth, Li [...]. de ba. the later haue oft times controled the former; not in circumstances acciden­tall, as Martin the Mar-testament in his Rhemish annotations would shake it oft, in Act. 15 but in essentiall points & capitall, euē tou­ching the Pope his triple crowne, two councels crossing each other, about the primacie and supremacie of the Romish [Page 74] Bishop; & other for baptising of heretikes, for Priestes marriage, for worshipping of Images, for distinctions of bookes Cano­nicall and Apocrypha, for humane tradi­tions, all matters of high controuersie. And as for the Church erring, the Reader may ob­serue how this Pamphleter, shewing him­selfe more busie then intelligent, takes vp­on him to epitomize those controuersies, which he cannot anatomize: for, first, we do not say, that the vniuersall Catholike Church may erre, because that parte trium­phant in heauen, hath no spotte in her for manners, nor wrinckle for doctrine, but is euery way glorious and perfect. Eph. 5. 2. 7 Ephes 5. ma [...]ry that which is heere militant on earth, being but marching on to perfectiō, Heb. 6. Heb 6. 1 & going from strength to strength Psalm. 84, Psal. 84. 6 cannot as yet sound out that [...] and triumphant song of victory a­gainst all errours, vntill shee come to that day of perfection as Salomon cals it. Prou. 4. 18; Pro [...]. 4. 18 and Dauid calling the Saintes gene­rationem qu [...]rentium Psal. 24. 6. [...]. 24 6 and the A­postle vi [...]tores trauailers Heb. 11. 14. Heb. 11. 14 whose [Page 75] perfectiō, at the best, ius bt a iourny, ambu­latoria per fidem, non per aspectum, walking by faith not by sight 2. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 5. 7 2. Tim. 4. 8 [...] Phil. 3. 14. not [...] vers. 12: in inquisition not acquisition, tending and attending to that absolutenesse, both for knowledge & life, but not attayning it, no not then whē they come to Paule his consummaui cursum, 2. Tim. 4. 8 2. Tim. 4. therefore argue them subiect to errours fatales, nō lethales, Bernar. such as follow the nature of man continually, not such as se­parate from God finally; Eccles. 1, 13 this sore trauaile is layd vpon men to humble them therby. Secondly, if a man in this question of er­ring, should aske this companion (beeing himselfe both errans and erro, a wanderer in true religion, and a runnagate from his natiue countrie) what difference between these two positions, The generall Councels may erre, and The Church may erre? The lear­neder Papistes say, that when they auerre the Church cannot erre, they meane that Church which the Schoolemen call Ec­clesiam repraesentatiuam, of which our Sa­uiour speaketh, when he saith, Dic ecclesiae, [Page 76] Math. 18. Mat [...] 1 [...]. viz. the Bishops and Prelates of the church, representing the whole church in generall Councels; and so these contro­uersies are Identicall: for wee, saying that the Councels may erre, therein with all im­plie (and that by their owne confession) that the Churche may erre; therefore thys Libeller, affectinge such breuitie, mighte haue spared this last clause: but bold igno­norance is like Salomon his guilt potsheard, Pro. 26. 23 Prou. 26. it will bewray it selfe shew it ne­uer so glorious. But of this controuersie more hereafter in the fift article; Art, [...]. As for our Ministers, neither themselues doe affect, nor any of ours defend their immunitie from possibilitie to erre, as Pighius dooth in the Apology of his Popes; who, as Canus Canus wit­nesseth, to rid Anastasius from the brand of heresie, for which he was anathematized, reuileth Gratian most [...]ontume [...] spitefully, raileth vpon the Canonists most turp [...]ssi­me. filthily; and to salue Honorius his credite that way, cal­leth into questiō the authority of both the 6. and 7. P [...]g. ib. 4. [...]. cap 8. Councels. Yea, wee say of our selues to our Auditors, as the Apostles to [Page 77] them of Lystra. Act. 14. 15 Act. 14, Wee are euen men subiect to the like passions that yee bee. But what of this? are they infidels therefore which beleue vs teaching the truth? Why? Peter halted, and erred in the right track of the Gospell Gal. 2. Gal. 2 Iohn would haue wor­shipped an Aungell twise. Apoc. 19 & 22. Apoc. 19. & 22. The Apostles & brethrē in Iudaea thought that the word of God was not to be prea­ched to the Gentiles, Act 11 Act. 11. (all grosse errours) is therefore the assent of the whole church to their doctrine in other pointes, though heerein taineted, infidelitie? God forbid. In one word, to trusse vp this Ma­ior with a short aunsweare, if this propo­sition be true, that the relying of a mans faith vpō the ministers credite, is infidelitie, the whole crue of Lay Papistes, is but a rout of Infidels; for, by their owne rules, the onely and all sufficient faith of the Laitie, must bee no­thing els, Molanus de pract. The­olog. but praescriptum pastorum, that which their shauelinges teach and limit them, which faith thus scanteled, this fellow accomptes infidelitie, and therefore the argument rather concernes them then [Page 78] vs, who denie our faith to be lyable vpon the credite of any mortall man, albeit hee auowes it in his Minor, and thus would prooue it.

Aunsweare.

Thinke you this fellow meaneth what Moses would? that as hee vppon zeale, to [Page 79] quell Ioshuaes enuie, wished that all the Lordes people could prophesy, Nomb. 1128. Nomb. 11▪ So this mate, vpon compassion of the Lai­ties ignorance, 1. Cor. 14 desireth with S. Paule, that all sortes were skillfull in the originall lan­guages? First that were not conuenient, as agreeing neither with that [...], that multi-varietie of Gods wisedome, Eph. 3. 10. Eph. 3. 10 in disposing his guiftes, not the same to all, nor to all alike 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 12 but to some aboue others, as this guift of ton­gues: nor with the church gouernement, for orders beeing appointed in the church, some to be pastours and teachers, other to heare and learne; the first haue receyued that key of knowledge, to open and shut, Luc. 11 Luc. 11. such guiftes whereby they are ena­bled to bee both [...] & [...] sufficient to instruct, & forcible to con [...]ute. 2. Tim. 3. 2, Tim. [...] as the skill in tongues, the helpe of artes, the dexteritie of interpretation, the intelli­gence of mysteries, the vse and varietie of bookes, that so they may bee, as Salomon entitles them, Masters of the assemblies Eccles. 1 [...]. Eccles. 12 all which, or most of them, God [Page 80] hath denied to the meany, beeing prone i­nough of themselues, ignorant as they are, to controll the priest, Hos▪ 4, 4 Hos. 4. and would much more, if they had this panoplie of lear­ning. Nether is it probable, that they, whi­che apply our Sauiour his Prouerbe to the commonaltie, Hard. art [...]5 sect, 6 Math. 7 ne margaritas porcis, making them but swine; and thinke as basely of the Laitie, as the Phariseis, Ioh. 7. this rude people is accursed, Hosius de [...]. ve [...]na. such great patrones of Scripture-ignoraunce, should eyther haue Elias his zeale for the Lord of Hostes glory, 1. Reg. 19. 1▪ [...]eg▪ 19 or Christes compassion for the peoples want of instruction, Math▪ 9 Math. 9. or S. Peters care of the words synceritie, 1. Pet. 2 [...]. Pet. 2: nor that thēselues, the best of them being bound, vnder the pain of anathema, to fetch water from that cistern of the vulgar latine, which they haue canonized authenticall in their Tridentine conuenticle, Conc. Trid Se [...]. 4 would turne the people to the pure fountaines of the Greeke and Hebrew; nothing lesse. For to a contrary purpose, as the Spartans en­acted, Plut▪ Lycur. that none should walke by night with lanterne, torch, or any light; so haue [Page 81] they forbidden the scriptures to bee vul­garly translated, least the light being put in­to a lanterne Psal. 119 or set on a candle­sticke, [...]. Math▪ 5. Math. 5 15. to giue light to all that are in the house indefinitely, the peoples vn­derstanding might prooue the discouerie of those errours, wherewith be [...]fore they were by their owne ignorance mizeled, or by their blinde guides miss-led: so that their drift is in this their quarrell & mislike of trāslation, not that the scriptures should keepe their [...] 1. Pet. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 2, without mix­ture or blēding; but that they might haue [...], an vncouth, and vnperfect voyce without vnderstanding, 1. Cor. 1 [...]. 8 1. Corint. 14. For would they in sooth, the vulgar sort should haue knowledge? meanes they must pre­scribe, it being not bonum innatum, but se­minatum saith Bernar: Bernard. because faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10. Rom 10. (those immediate knowledges of reuelation and prophesy, the one a sodaine infusion, the other a suc­cessiue instinct, being long since antiqua­ted) the meanes therfore is, saith Aquinas, either a mans owne studie and industry, [Page 82] Eccles. 1. 13. Eccles. 1. 13. which knowledge he calleth Scientia, or other mens labor in preaching, and that hee cals doctrina, [...]. Co [...]. 1 [...]. 6. 1. Cor. 14. 6. to the attayning whereof there are required, saith he else-where, [...]. 2 Cor. 1 [...]. both vis mentalis, the vigour of the mind, which is vnderstan­ding; and corporalis, the aptitude of the bo­dy, which are the sences, two in number, of the eare and the eye, which both Philo­sophers, and diuines call sensus disciplina­rios, Schol in. [...]. Iohn. [...] &. A [...]st. metaph [...] beecause knowledge accreweth vnto men ether by hearing or reading. In which case God hath excellently prouided to his people, 1. cor. 14. 10 for the eare viuam vocem, 1. Cor. 14. 10▪ the preacher to instruct, for how can they heare without a preacher? Ro. 10 14. Rom. 10. 14. & for the eye viuum sermonem, Heb. 4. 12. Heb. 4. 12. written for our learning, Rom. 15. 4. whi­ch all promiscuously are enioyned to read, Rom. 15. 4. both to accomplish his desire, who would that all men should be saued, and come to the knowledge of his trueth. 1. Tim, 2. 4 1. Tim. 2. 4 & for the atchiuing our owne happinesse, which then is greatest, when wee are li­kest to him; which likenesse saith Basil [Page 83] without knowledge is not effected, Bas despit. sanct cap: 1. nor knowledge without doctrine, nor do­ctrine without speech, nor speech with­out his partes, woordes, and syllables; so that all are commaunded, if it be possibel, to reade, if not, to heare: Now then the old rule holding true, Oportet discentem cre­dere, the learner must beleeue, here ariseth the question, what if his doctrine bee vn­sound? Es. 28. a remedy is prescribed by Esay his direction, Act. 17 by the Beraeans practise Act. 17. trie it by the word written: but that per­chance is vntruely trāslated, either through ignorance or malice, and so the vnlearned may be deceaued? doth a Papist make this supposition, Terent. & Tute Lepus es? who, presen­ting to the idiotes the Bible in a straunge tongue, neither mooue the eare, nor out­ward sence, vnlesse it bee with ratling in the aire, 1. Cor. 14. 8. 1. Cor. 14. 8. nor affect the vnder­standing, leauing it without fruite, vers. 14 but why should ignoraunce or malice bee more feared in our English editions, or ra­ther preiudice our peoples assent thereun­to, then either the Greeke translation of [Page 84] the 70. interpreters, so diuinely magni­fied especially by S. Augustine and Epipha­nius: [...] or those of Aquila, Symmachus, Theo­dotion, so oft cited by S. Ierome, and a re­lique whereof yet remaines in the Romish bibles; and that of Lucian the martyr in the Church of Antioch remembred by Athanasius. [...] Or if some of them, which Theodoretus affirmeth, were translated [...], peruersely and guilefullye, yet the vulgar translation, the authour whereof is vncertaine, and S. Ieromes both into the Latine and into the [...] Sclauonian lan­guage; as also that of Vlphilas into the Got­tish tongue, and Chrysostomes into the Ar­menian, besides that famous worke of Ori­gen his exaplus, are as lyable to these impu­tations; the most of these interpretors be­ing tainted with some errours, and there­fore, by this Pamphl [...]tors rule, their tran­slations are subiect either to ignorance or ma­lice, as well as ours: or admit we, that they were more exquisite in the tongues then we, yet, not to speake of the Brittish tran­slations, [...]. & English also in the time of Be­da, [Page 85] what should hinder Tindals, or the Ge­neua translation into the English, not to deserue as much credite with our Laitie, as that Rhemish ridiculous version into the same idiome, with their Catholike idiots? his aunsweare is with a witnesse, because Broughton auoucheth ignoraunce, and Gregory Martin findeth malice in our vernaculer translations. Eras [...]us ex Plutar [...]h. Accipit & glebam erro according to the prouerb, he is neere driuen that hath no better choise. For want of Kinges and Queenes, he trumps about with the short-skirts a Precision and a Papist, mali thripes mali ipes, Diogenian. saith Diogenian, a woorthy cou­ple, the one growne mad with his selfe-lo­uing phrensy, the other possessed with a Popish lunacie, both of them runnagates from their naturall countrey. For that worthy martyr, and learned man Tindall, in this respect, we say, as some of theirs of S. Bernard, non vidi [...] omnia: and he of him­selfe to his readers, as S. Origen in the like, Medicente quod sentio, Orig, in [...]sh. I speak what I think, vos decernite, doe you iudge and examine, whether it be right or no: and for all our [Page 86] translations we obtrude them not vppon the church, [...] 4 as the Trentish councell doth that vulgar edition, as scripture authentike as Sybyllaes leaues, not any time to bee exa­mined, not any part to be disauowed (both these argumentes of ignorance and malice, for Lex, quae probari se non vult, suspecta est, sayth Tertullian. Tertullian.) nor make them as Sixtus V. the Pope his Vatican edition 89. Sixtus V. in epist. ad editionem [...]atican. 89 vinculum pacis, fidei vnitatem, charitatis nexum &c. the bond of peace, the vnitie of fayth, the knotte of loue, the rule of trueth, the loadstone in errours, the irrefragable compounder of con­trouersies. Onelye wee, by them doe cracke the shell▪ that the kernell may lie open to the sight, & taste of any, that haue appetite thereunto. Indeede Gregory Mar­tin hath, in his Pharisaicall discouerie, compassed sea and land, trauersed much grounde mounted himselfe vppon eue­ry molehill, ransackt all corners, to descry our translatours ignorance and malice, and when all is doone, it is but the suruay of dronken zebull, [...]. 9. 36 Iud. 9. a shadow of moū ­taines for a band of souldiers: like the A­frican [Page 87] tumult about S. Ieromes escape, Ieron. epist, 89. & Aug. [...]e­dera for cucurbita Iona. 4. so that any Col­latour indifferent and learned in the Origi­nals, comparing ours with theirs, wil bor­row Moses his speech, Deu 32. 31. Bellarm. 1. cont [...]rou. general. pag. 170. and apply it more truely then Bellarmin doth, Their editions are not like ours, euen our enemies beeinge iudges. For not to speake of SS. Ierome, Augustine, and Hilary, who complayned of many wantes and escapes in that tran­slation, called by some of thē Ieron. vulgata, by others August. Gregor. Itala, by Gregory vetus: euē among themselues epist. ad Clem. S [...]pt. Pagnine for the olde, annotat. 1. in Pand. Budaeus for the new, defens. [...]id. [...]. lib. 4 Andradius, and Th [...]s. 8. in praef. eg. Bibl. Arias Mon­tanus for both the testamentes, haue ac­knowledged and found therein, not onely wordes, but sententiam etiam, euen the right sense▪ & meaning of the holy Ghost to be peruerted. yea Sixtus aboue named, in his preface prefixed before his Bible, intituled ad perpetuam rei memoriam, saith that, be­fore his Vatican edition, which was but anno 1589. this vete of theirs, Sixtus V. vbisupr. their vulgar translation had prooued schismatis & haere­sis inductio, dubitationum fluctus, inuolutio [Page 88] quaestionum, discordiarum seges, & pia [...]um mentium implicatio, the occasion of heresies, the sea of dou [...]tes, the Labyrinth of questions, the seede of contentions, and a snare for reli­gious minds. So then this imputation scom­maticall of faithlesse fidelitie, fastened vp­on our translatours by this Libeller, may, in their owne mens censure, bee branded vppon themselues, and this whole argu­ment returned vpon this articler, hâc formâ

Aunsweare.

THe white of an egge, with­out salt, is flash, and vnsa­uery, Iob. 6. 4 sayth Iob, and malice without arte, is vnarmed bitternesse, and a distempe­red folly: and therefore as those iangling rudesbies, 1. Tim. 1. 7 titular Doctors in S. Paules time, knew not what they spake, nor whereof they affirmed; Hierom. so saith Ierō. Here­tikes cum disputare nesciant, tamen litigare non desinunt, though they cannot reason, yet they will wrangle, and for want of Lo­gicke, they will chop Logicke. His syllo­gismes are wasted, now hee comes to pro­found diuisions of why, and what, and the Protestantes ignorance in both, which he in­forceth by a double reuiew.

Aunsweare.

Both these reuiewes [...] are retur­ned with a remaund semblable, the first, where he hath shewed it, [...] I haue aunsweared, and there let him search it: the second, with Nazian. Nazian. that Tautology is no meanes of breuitie, [...]n epist. which hee so affectes in pre­tence, and request. But what diuinitie is this, to call a Christians beliefe to a why? vid [...]licet, to calculate the mysteries of faith by proofe of reason, a thing countercheckt by all the Fathers, Clem. [...]. especially Clement Alex. in generall and particularly by Eusebius in the Antemonistes, [...] who weighed all the articles of Fa [...]th by Logicall Syllogismes. For some, which haue faith, saith S. Augu­stine, haue not copiam defendendi fidem, [...] not the skill to apologize their faith, or render [Page 91] reason thereof; and hee which hath this skill, doctior est, non fidelior, is the greater clerke, not the [...]ounder Christian: & ther­fore his rule elsewher is, not to discusse the diuine mysteries, S [...]r [...]. 131 but to beleeue them; non rationem requirere, sed fidem simpliciter exhibe­re. And the Apostle S. Peter, 1. Pet 3. 15 when he wils vs to be ready to satisfie euery man poscenti rationem des [...]e, that asketh a reason of our hope, meaneth, that neither we should be ashamed of our faith in our publike con­fession, nor to shame it by a depraued conuersation. For to giue a reason of matters of faith is not possible, they beeing super­naturall, and mans reason in that know­ledge but a beast, Ierem. 1 [...] Aqu. [...] locum Petri. saith Ieremy. neyther, were it so, is it a faculty generall, but sapi­entum tantum saith Aquinas. And they whi­ch desire, by questiōs; to be resolued in the deepe mysteries of faith, doe it not as An­ [...]elme speaketh, vt per rationem ad fidem acce­da [...]t, that by reasons or resolutions, they might be induced to beleeue, [...] [...]u [...]d deus homo. [...]. sed vt [...]orum, qu [...] credunt, ontemplatione delectentur. For articles of faith, are the obiectes of admi [...]ing [Page 92] contemplation, not of Logicall demon­stration, saith Basil. [...] yet to follow this fel­low his absurde methode, wee can shew him a t [...]iple why, three reasons of our be­liefe, the cause why, the meanes why, and the ende why: the procatarcticall, or first moouing cause, the grace and power of the spirite inclining our hartes to beleeue: [...] the demiurgical, [...] 10 or instrumentall meanes, the word of God read or preached. the te­leioticall or finall cause eternall life, which wee by faith expect; 2 Cor. [...] the first, for this pur­pose called spiritus fidei, 2. Co [...]. 4. 13 2. Cor. 4. 13. the se­cond, verbum fidei, 1. Tim. 4. 6. 1. [...] 4. 6 the last, finis fidei. 1. [...]et. 1. 9 1. Pet. 1. 9. so then, the Protestants why, is that which the Schoolemen call, suffi­ciens inducti [...]um, not onely doctrina diuina, the holy scripture, sed quod plus est, saith A­quinas, [...] interior instinctus dei inuitantis, the in­ward inspiration, & motiō of the spirite. Let the case be in that article of our belefe, the incarnatiō of Christ, demand of a Christiā why he belieues this, his answere wil be, because the Scripture recordes it but reply vpon him, why he beleeues the Scripture? his [Page 63] reason exceedes a why, it is the finger of God opening his hart; els, when S. Peter handeled those great mysteries in his ser­mon, Act. 2. Act. 2. 3 why had some of them com­punctionem spiritus, vers. [...]7. the pricking of the spirite, whereby their hartes were mo­ued to beleeue? but others of them, spiri­tum compunctionis Rom. 11. Rom. 11 their hartes pric­king against the spirite, resisting it partly by doubting vers. 12. vers. 12. partly by scoffinge vers. 13. 13 the same Scripture opened to thē all, but the same spirite, not working alike in all. If any aske a why of this beliefe? S. Paule will crie out, not aunsweare, O altitu­do. Rom. 11. 33 Rom. 11. non est disputationis, sed stuporis, saith Ambrose, Ambros. it is a matter of amazemēt, not of argument. Aq. 22. [...]. 2 And therfore the schole­men define credere, to be an acte of the vnder­standing, assenting to the diuine trueth, ex im­perio voluntat is, a deo motae, per gratiam, at the commaund of the will, so mooued by the grace and spirite of God: a resemblance familiar will make this euident. There are in euery man three parts. 1. The. 5. 23 1. Thes. 5. 23. flesh soule, and spirite, or rather three men in [Page 94] one man, 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 2. the carnall, naturall, & the spirituall man; and each of these hath his seuerall eye. that Chrystalline humor for the body, the reason for the soule, and faith for the spirite. Now, then as the eie of the body, thogh it be the cādle of the body Math. 622. Math 622. [...] yet the apple in the eie, is the eie of that eie, saith Philo; and as the eie of the minde is reason, [...]. 2. 14. Eccles. 2. 14. yet the eie of that eie, is the vnderstandinge, sayth Aquinas: Aquin. so the eie of the part regenerate, is faith, but the eie of that eie, is the spi­rite of God, for in his lighte, doe wee see light, Psal. 36. 9. Psal. 36. 9. therefore as in the bodi­ly sight, shine the Sunne neuer so glorious, be the aire neuer so cleere, and the medium neuer so transparent, yet if the apple in the eie be vnsound, the sight will faile, and de­ceiue (for he that lookes through a miste, saith Basil, [...] seeth a misse) so be the media of our beliefe, optimé disposita, the Scripture perspicuous, the church testimonie euidēt, the torrent of Fathers euery way concur­rent, the decrees of Councels vnalterably constant; yet if the spirite of God, qui & [Page 95] sensum dat, & assensum mouet, saith Bernar. Barnard. worke not vpon the wil forcing the assent thereto, all the other are in vaine. Where­fore, if wee bee asked why we beleeue? our aunsweare is, that we ascribe the cause to Gods inspiration, and the meanes, to the words ministration. As for this Cuckow­like Palinodie of Councels, Doctours, and Church, beeing the fa-burden of euery ar­ticle hetherto, it argueth the barrennesse of his conceite, and the badnesse of his cause, but deserues no other aunsweare then hee hath receiued before. And now wee must come to his second profunditie, of what we beleeue.

Aunsweare.

Were the Law of India and Persiage­nerally infortiat, A [...]ex. ab. Alex. that he which was thrise taken in a lie, might be perpetually silēced, this fourth article had perished in the Li­bellers lunges, the three former beeing shamelesly false: but sithence he is of his nature, whome the poet describes [...], that hath neither grace to speake trueth, nor power to holde in his chatt; Artoxerxes law will fitte him bet­ter, Plutarch as hee punished a liar with fastening three nailes into his tounge, so to choke him with three argumentes conuincing him of manifest vntrueth, in saying that it is manifest we haue no rule to know what is matter of faith. First, the holy Ghost praescript, haec [Page 97] scriptasunt vt credamus, Iohn. 20. Ioh. 20. Secondly, our writers indesinent challenge prouo­king, with the Prophet Esa. 8, Es. 8. 20. ad legem & testimonium. Thirdly, their owne conti­nuall clamours, Vide prae caet. Stapl. crying out vppon vs, for making the Scripture alone, the rule of life & beliefe, & the sole iudge in cōtrouersies. Therfore let him know, that we know our selues to bee citizens, subiect to a prince, by whose law we are directed, which as the great Philosopher in humane policie, Aristot. we, with Tertullian, Tertull. call regulam veritatis, the [...] of trueth; with Cyprian, Cyprian. regulam doctrin [...]um, the rule of all learning; with Basil, Basil. [...], the rule of right; with A­quinas regulā intellectus nostri, Tho. Aqui. in Tim. the rule of our vnderstāding; Dionys. with Carthusian regulā cre­dendorum & agendorum, Carthus. the rule of contem­plation and action. For doctrine, wee say with Esay, Esa. 8. 20 If any speake not according to this rule, it is, beecause there is no light in them; Gal. 6. 11 for manners, with S. Paul, as many as walke after this rule, peace be vpō them, and mercy: and so conclude with Cyrill, Cyrill. that our faith is not deriued [...] frō [Page 98] the inuention of man; [...] but from the demōstration of Gods writ. It is their dunsticall glossary that prescri­beth, G [...]oss. disti. 3. [...]. veter. in the discord of the foure Doctours, to take Augustins rule in disputationibus; Ie­romes in translationibus; Gregories immora­libus; forgetting S. Ambrose, and therfore Ambrosius Spiera (for names sake) preferre his rule in iudicijs. Spi [...]ra serm. 37 But we say with S. Augu­stine, Augusti [...]. Sacra Scriptura doctrinae nostrae regulam figit, the holy Scripture frames the rule for our faith and profession. This is their tor­ment, that we will not say to their Pope in sooth, which S. Augustine spake to Fau­stus the Manichee in a scoffe, Aug. contr. Faust. ergo tu es regula veritatis; and so acknowledge his defini­tiue to be the why and what; the forme and matter, the rule and frame of our faith and beliefe. That which followeth of confi­ning our beleefe to the Creede, and accompting all other thinges extrauagant from faith, not combi­ned within the Apostles Symbole, is this Tat­lers fancie, not our practise. For, first wee doubt not, but it is an Apostolicall colle­ction, agreeing with, and deriued from [Page 99] their doctrine, yet resolue not that it was the Apostles frame. Secondly, wee ac­knowledge it Canonlike, but not Cano­nicall, squared according to that rule the holy Scriptures, but not the rule it selfe. Thirdly, we vse it, being Christs souldiers, as the Romanes their Tessera communis in warres, Tacitus as a short placard, wherin is com­prehended the summe of our profession, for that cause called, as S. Austen writeth, Symbolum, August. de Symb. either in respect of the Authors, arguing their vnitie in faith, euery one ca­sting in his seuerall share; or of vs, it being the Christians Shibboleth distinguishing Gilead from Ephraim, Iudg. 12. Ruffin. in expo [...]it. a true trained soul­diour from a rude nouice, or counterfaite intruder, or open pagan. And, giue, that wee made it either the Limitation of our faith, it is no more then the Fathers haue done; Ambros, serm. 38 Ambrose calles it S. Peters key, strong i­nough to open and shut the gates of hea­uen. August. serm. 18 Leoser. 11 Austen cals it certam regulam fidei, an vnfallible rule of faith. And so doth Leo in his sermons de passione. or, if wee call it the perfection of all faith, it is no other then the [Page 100] same Augustine hath done, who intitles it the abridgement of both testaments totum continens com pendio breuitatis; Aug. se. 131 id [...] se [...]. [...]15. and els where comprehensionem fidei nostrae & perfectionē, the simplicitie thereof, helping the rudenesse; the shortnesse, assisting the memory; the fulnesse, perfecting the doctrine of the professours: Hieron, ad Pamma. nor then S. Hierome, who ac­comptes it the absolute breuiary Christiani dogmatis; no more then the Schoolemen who call it summam credendorum, contai­ning in it the whole matter of faith, vel explicitè vel implicit, éeither directly, or respectiuely; for, whatsoeuer thinges are credenda, saith Aquinas, Aquin. [...] q. 1. art. 8. are referred either ad esse naturae, and so respecte the whole story of the creation, and consequently the articles of the three persons, each of them hauing an hand in that great worke, Basil. [...]. as Basil elegant­ly obserueth: or ad esse gratiae, which the Creede presentes vnto vs in the articles of our redemption: or ad esse gloriae, which we expect by beleeuing the bodies resurre­ction, and the eternitie of life. Briefly, our faith resting vpon that double couenant of [Page 101] God vnto his chosen, Apoc. 21. 3 the first, I will bee thy God, is dilated in the former and larger part of the Creede, teaching his omnipotency in the creation; his mercy in our redemp­tion by his Sonne; and the assistance of the holy spirite: the other, and they shall be my people, in the last part, from the Catho­like church vnto the ende. And yet for all these glorious prerogatiues of this Aposto­licall abstract, none of our writers haue made it the non vltrá of our faith, or the listes of our beleefe. But did wee so, what fol­lowes? an horrible sacriledge insues, and threefold, that is, There is no article to make vs beleeue the Scripture to be Gods woord. that is fals, for beleuing in God the Father, we ac­knowledge both his essence, & his proui­dence; Aqui. [...]bi supr. in esse diuino, saith Aquine, are inclu­ded all those properties which wee beleue to be in God eternally, wheron dependeth vita beatitudinis, and amongst them his trueth: infide prouidentiae, all those thinges are comprised, which he hath temporally dispensed for mans saluation, which leade him in via beatitudinis, among these is the [Page 102] dispensation of his woord, which in our Creede wee acknowledge to be his, in pro­fessing him to be a God, and therfore true, for God is not as man, that hee can lie. Nomb. 23 Nomb. 23. but himselfe hath testified, 1. of the law, that it was the writing of his own finger, Exod. 32 Exo. 32. 2. of all the Prophets, as he said to Moyses os tuum sed verba mea, their mouth but his wordes Exod. 4. Exod. 4 for no prophecie is of priuate motion 2. Pet. 1. 3. 2. Pet 1 of the whole Scripture, that euery addi­tion, or substraction is hie treason against his maiestie, as counterfaiting his Pattents Apoc. 22. 18. Apo. 22. 18. and therefore the Fathers ex­pound the first Credo, August. [...]erm. 181 Deum for the vnitie of essence; Deo, for the veritie of his woord: and in Deum, for the assurance of his loue. Secondly, the Creede proues not Baptisme to be a Sacrament, yea but Augustin is of opinion, that whatsoeuer concernes omne Sacramen­tum suscipiendum, Idem. ibid. is therein contained. S. Hierome thinkes, Hiero [...]. in Pamma. that euen in that one ar­ticle of the resurrection of the flesh, omne Sacramentum Christiani dogmatis concluditur [...] and in trueth the Sacramentes are, as I may [Page 103] so speake, a reall Creede, acting that which the other enacteth, performing in deede, which in the Symbole we professe in word, and are rather seales, then articles of faith. For Baptisme, whether by immersion or aspersion, Rom. 6. exemplifieth Christes death, & confirmes that article of remission of sins; and the Eucharist presenteth the effusion of his bloud, ratifieng that article of his death and passion. Summarily, for Bap­tisme, August. serm. 131 S. Augustine concludes, omne Sacra­mentum Baptismi in hoc constat, vt credamus re­surrectionem corporum & remissionem peccato­rum nobis a Deo pr [...]estanda, and so it is redu­ced to two articles. But whether will we reduce, or how can we proue, by the Creede, the presence of Christ by faith in the Eucharist [...] Surely much more easily, then they which defend his bodily carnall presence; for this crosseth both the whole Creede, beecause corpo­rall presence must needes bee visible and palpable Luc. 24. 39, Luc. 24. 39. and so the obiect of the eie, not of faith (for fides est eo [...]um quae non vides) and, speciallyo, ne principall arti­cle of his ascent into heauen, there [...]itting [Page 104] at the right hand of his father. Wherefore S. Bernard, Dionvs. Ca [...]hus. as they write, tooke another course, for when one of his monkes could not bee perswaded either by the Creede or the word, that Christes body should be in the Eucharist really, and carnally, so forbore a long space the communion; at last the good Abbot cals him, and I charge thee, quoth hee, vpon vertue of thy sworne obe­dience, vt mea fide vadas & communices. and thus, not the Apostles Creede, but S. Bern. faith must inforce that presence. As for the Sacramentall presence by faith, it may be re­duced to all those articles which acknow­ledge Christ in his two formes, Phil. 2. 7 as Paule speaketh; for he willeth vs so ofte as wee do celebrate, Math 26. to doe it in remembraunce of him, videlicet, of him, in the forme of a ser­uant, incarnate, iudged, crucified, & dead: and of him, in the forme of God, in assu­rance of his comming to iudge both quick and deade. Lastly, for the Creede it selfe, we are no otherwise tied vnto it, then the Fa­thers, who vsed other as well as this, both the Nicene, which is called Symbolum patrū, [Page 105] & Athanasius Creede more large thē that, and S. Basils in words differing from them all. Basil. We vse it as the epitome of our profes­sion, not as the perfect rule of faith, [...]. which title we appropriate to the written word onely, by which all mattere of faith are to be tried and squared, as the quadrant stones of Salomons building 1. Reg 6; 1. Reg. 6 Euseb Eccl. hist. lib. 7 Hosius. and con­clude with Eusebius, that [...] either the leauing of this rule; or abusing it with Hosius, as a Lesbian leaden rule, hath caused so many ruinous and deformed heapes, such heresies and schismes in the church of God. But now doubting to pre­uaile this way, he shewes how this rule is cut short by fiue inches.

Aunsweare.

This diuision of Protestantes and Puri­tans, as it argueth the bitternesse of his ma­lice; [Page 106] so it maketh good that parable of our Sauiour, that Gods fielde wi [...]l haue both tares and wheate Math. 13; Math. 13 that position of ours, the church militant hath her re­bellious members, as the perfectest bodie noxious humours; Bern [...]rd. in Ca [...]t. that speech of S. Ber­nard, velis nolis habitabit intra fines tuos Iebu­soeus, the [...]ebusite will dwell in the land, to be thornes in our sides, and prickes in our eies Nomb. 33. Nomb. 33 [...]eronym. yet this is our comfort, that we may truely say with S. Ierome, Ostendi­mus tales discipulos, non fecimus. But this slan­derous challenge, of our denying some articles of the Creede, reueales a conscience sea [...]ed with impudency, and a tongue set on fire with hell, [...] as Iames speaketh. What true Protestantes deny hath hetherto and shall bee still maintained against the whole rout of Pseudocatholikes: as for the Puritans, if hee meane such as haue made either Corah his separation from vs, Nomb. 16 in contempt of autho­ritie: Luc. 18 or a Pharisaicall secession in maiorem puritatis erenium, Bernard. as Bernard speaketh, in o­pinion of greater integritie; saying in the spirite of pride, Esa 6 [...]. [...] Stand a part, for I am holier [Page 107] then thou, Esa▪ 65. Iob his builders in deso­late places Iob 15. Iob. 15. [...]8 taking themselues to be the oracles of wisedome Prou. 26. Prou. 26. [...] as if the word of God had come onely to them, or should proceede from them alone 1. Cor. 14 such as the Puritano-papist [...], 1. Co. 14. 36 Loyala his schollers, among them, the Iesuites, yester­daies vpstartes, who preferre themselues both for diuinitie and puritie, farre aboue all the Romish clergie, regular & secular; for these, I say, as the parents of the blinde man Ioh. 9. Iohn 9. aetatem habent, let them speake for themselues; I meane not to be their ad­uocate Martial. yet as the Poet said, Improbé facit, qui in alieno libro ingeniosus est, it is a leaud part to miscontrue mens writings, a diue­lish thing to belie them: but were it so? I doubt not, but that wee haue as good au­thoritie to abridge the Creede of some ar­ticles, as any of their sideto enlarge it with more; which to be lawfull, not only their schoolemen dispute, and conclude that the Pope, Aqu. 22. art. 1. q. 10 de iure, may doe it, but, de facto, they haue doone it, one of their Popes, Alphons. de h [...]res. hauing framed a third article of Transubstantia­tion [Page 108] annexuit Symbolo saith Alphōsus, hath foisted it into the Creede. And now let vs see what articles we denie.

Aunsweare

Which of the Protestantes beleeue it not? I am assured that we all professe there is a Catholike church of Christ, not a Platoni­call vtopia, no where extant, but a compa­ny of Gods chosen euery where scattered; not a Cyclopicall anarchy, which the Poet describes, [...]uripid. [...]; but as an ab­solute monarchy in respect of one head, Christ; so a policie Aristocraticall admini­stred by select gouernours: no pompous synagogue aspectable, in grosse, to mortall eies, because God onely knoweth all that are his, 2. Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 19 for he is not a lew, which [Page 109] is one outward Rom. 2. Rom. 2. [...]. neither are all Is­raell, which are of Israell, Rom. 9; Rom. 9. 6. not as Noahs familie with a Shem and a Cham, or as his Arke with a crow and a doue, (though this bee true in visible particular churches, where are some straglers not yet called, some weakelinges not fully con­firmed; some hypocrites not easely discer­ned; some wicked ones not to bee auoi­ded) but as Clem. Alex. Clem. Ale [...]. defines it, au elect company into which are gathered the faith­full and iust, predestinate by God, beefore the worldes creation; for this cause called an holy assembly, while millitant on earth, holy in affection; when triumphant in heauen, holy in perfection; in both states holy by Christes imputation. This is the harmony of our profession, and the true sence of this article: Aqu. p. 3. q. 2. art. 3 which euen Aquine their Angelicall doctor con [...]meth, con­cluding that infidels are not members of the Catholike church, whereof Christ is the head, in acte, but inpossibilitie; no [...] so nei­ther, except they be predestinate to life, be­fore the worlds foundation: and all their [Page 110] Catechistes insinuate so much, Vide Canis. in making the Catholike church, and the communion of saintes all one article: But heare his rea­son of our deniall.

Aunsweare.

A fit aunsweare to this, would cause the reader crie out, [...]rasm. ex S [...]uda. with that prouerb, Da­te mihi peluim, this tedious iteration rather prouoking a vomit, then edging the appe­tite; it being the full scope of his first arti­cle, where he receiued his aunsweare: ther­fore, [Page 111] since he requestes breuitie, heere onely obserue in this phrase (interrupted) either his blasphemous vntrueth, if he meane of the existence of the Catholike church, which wee beleue to bee perpetuall; for the head neuer wanted his bodie, nor the Sunne his beames, nor the bridegroome his spouse, nor Christ his church; I [...]en. lib. 4 but, as Irenaeus ob­serueth ab initio assistens plasmati suo filius, re­uelat omnibus patrem; it begunne [...] at the first foundation, and shall not ende [...] at the finall dissolution of the worlde. The church beefore Christ incar­nate, and this since he was glorified, being one & the same cōsanguinitate doctrinae saith Tertullian: Tertull. Ioh. 12 or els his Caiphas-like veritie, speaking the trueth against his will, if hee meane that the glorious conspicuitie, or sincere professiō of the Catholike church was of long interrupted; for that is true, in the olde testament by the worldes deluge the Aegyptian bondage, the Idole groues, and the Babilonish captiuitie: in the new, at the aduent of Christ by the worlds blind­nesse, the Phariseis pride, the Iewes obsti­nacie, [Page 112] and the deuils malice; after his as­cent, by that threefold persecution, which S. Augustine mentioneth, Augustin. violent by ty­rantes, fraudulent by hypocrites and here­tikes, & both those together after the ele­uation of Antichrist. But if interrupted after Christ and his Apostles, then was it begun by him, and continued by them, and that is it which Cyprian said, Cyprian. & we oft repeate, we neither seeke, nor reke what was doone ante nos before vs, but what he commands to be done, which was ante omnia, beefore all times, and aboue all men; therfore that church which had the foūdation by Christ, the source by the Prophets and Apostles, the frame and iointes by the Scriptures, we beleeue in that article to bee continually Catholike, alwayes extant, not alwayes ra­diant; euery where dispersed, elsewhere di­stressed. pergit nebulo still he goes on.

Aunsweare.

Medusaes ill fauoured countenance tur­ned men into stones, Athen. dip. and such brasen-faced ignorance, would make any man astoni­shed. Who euer said, (except the Romane proctors, for their Babylon) that a parti­cular congregation was the Catholike church? we haue cried it at the crosse, and recorded it in our bookes, that as the gol­den candlesticke was multiplied into ma­ny braunches Exod. 25, Exod. 25 and Aarons rod burgened into many blossomes Nomb. 17. Nomb. 17 so Christes church was parceled into ma­ny particuler churches, among which, this [Page 114] of England to the fretting despight of Ro­mish rennagates, the famous renowne of our Soueraigne, and the eternall glory of his name, God hath selected, as among all flowers, the Lilly; among all fowles the Doue; of all trees, the Cedar; of all the nations, Iudea; of all the mountaines, this Zion, to be a sanctuarie for his chosen, an oracle for his woord, an habitation for himselfe: howsoeuer this viperous scor­ner in contempt calles it, a corner of the world; a nooke it is in deede, but such an one as Aegina to Athens, Plu [...]. [...], the eiesore thereof; so is this to Rome, the hartsoare thereof. Why? Bethleem was the smallest among the thousands of I [...]dah, Mich. 5. Mich. 5. 2 yet the sonne of righteousnes sprong thēce and the glorious starre directed thether, Math. 2. Math. 2 The Iewes an handfull in com­parison of the other nations, and yet in Iu­ry was God knowne, his name was great in Israell, Psal. 76. Psal. 76. 1 a diamond of true lustre though set in brasse, is of more accompt & value, then a counterfaite byrall, or a Portingall perle fastened in golde. Wee [Page 115] feare not the Lions paw, the Spanish cru­eltie; much lesse the scratch of a strumpet, the Libellers of Rome; the braine of a Fox, the schismes of hypocrites wee contemne. As for this visible church of ours, we acc [...]mpt it as the arke of Gods presence, not beleeue it as an article of our faith; it is the Ro­mish opinion, and it was well placed a­mong the extrauagantes, as a position ex­trauagant from all learning, Extra de ma [...]or & obedientis. reason, and diuinitie, that a particular Synagogue should be the Catholike church, that a filthy sincke should be the holy church, yet such a citie is Rome, and such is the diuinitie of the Popish clergie; and therefore wee con­clude this article with a Syllogisme inuer­ted vpon this Libeller, being his owne.

[Page 108] But that I promised, at his request, to aunswere seriously, I might play with him about his wheate tree, and aske him where he was borne; and how corne growes? I haue read in S. Basil, [...] that coales readie burnt, [...] haue growne vpon trees, but that corne hath bulkt into a stemme, and bran­ched out into armes (non me pudet fateri ne­scire, quod nesciam) I neuer heard or read: but let his folly passe, we will follow him to the second article denied, as hee saith, by vs.

Aunsweare.

The Protestantes denie that Christ in­stituted seauen Sacraments, This is his argument. ergó They denie the Communion of Saintes. The argument is denied, as beeing arena [Page 109] sine calce, an in [...]erence without any cohe­rence, there beeing no semblable relation betweene fiue of those Sacramentes, and this article of the C [...]eede. Yet the Anabap­tistes reason more properly, who beecause we detest their Platonicall communitie, as accompting Meum & Tuum to be more consonant to Gods law, Plat. de leg. and all Christian policie, do thereby inferre, that wee deny the Communion of Saintes. But to this pur­pose, for the article we beleue and confesse, that among the saintes on earth, though distant in place, or different in condition, or aliens by nation, there is an vnitie in re­ligion, Ephes. 4 Rom. 12 an vnanimitie in affection, a sym­pathie in affliction, a mutuall charitie for reliefe each of other, 2. Cor. 9 either comforting the mind if vexed, 1. Pet. 4 or supplying the wantes if distressed, or supporting the weakenesse if vnsetled, or reforming the ignorance if blinded, or praying for deliueraunce if op­pressed; falsifying that Heathenish and vn­charitable prouerbe, Athe. dip. 5 Amici qui degunt procul non sunt amici: This is our faith, without breach whereof, notwithstanding, we de­nie [Page 118] seauen sacramentes to bee Christes or­dinaunce If he meane of them which de­nie al the seanen he should say somewhat, but not touch vs, who acknowledge two, which ratifie this article most, Baptisme, an initiation or entrāce into this Communion, 1. Cor. 10 and the Lordes Supper which by an [...] and speciall priuiledge is intituled by S. Paule [...] the communion. Rom. 6 But if the force of this argument lie in the septenarie nomber, as it seemeth, by the Tridenrine anathema, it must, then all the auncient fathers, & some of their owne doctors, are as obnoxious to this imputation of denying this article, as we. [...] Tertullian. August. ad [...]. The obiections by our men, out of Iustine Tertullian, and Augustine in di­uers places, are triuiall and stale, but espe­cially out of Ambrose, Ambros. de sacrament. who of purpose writing a treatise of the Sacramentes, [...]ec­kons but two. Is [...]idor, Gregory. Isidore and Gregory excede not three, As for the Sacrament of Matri­monie, grounded vpon an ignorant tran­slation of [...] Ephes. 5. Ephes. 5. Canus lib. 8 Canus citeth the infinite differences, and digladiations of the schoole doctors there about. & Lom­bard, Lombard. [Page 119] the first hammerer of this seuen folde shield, by a close consequent, denieth it to be a sacrament, because it conferreth not grace, as all Sacraments must doe by their diuinitie. Erasmus. Erasmus constantly affirmeth that in S. Ieromes time, it was accompted no sacrament. Durandus. Durandus minceth it with an vnivocé and stricté, saying that it is a sa­crament after the larger size, not properly. But Alexander Alensis, Alex. Alens. the ancientst schole man of credite, concludeth, that Christ in­stituted but two sacramentes, which hee proueth both by Christs side pierced, out of which issued water and bloud: 1. Ioh. 5 and also by that triple testimonie agreeing in one, the spirit, water, and bloud; reliqua per mi­nistros Ecclesiae ordinata, the rest were the in­uentions, or additions of church gouer­nours. Petrus a Soto. And Petrus a Soto cōfesseth that the elementes, woordes, and effectes of foure sacramentes, cannot be proued by the scri­pture, Compend. Theolog. Compendium Theologiae is forced to say, that the element (which in all sa­craments is an externall substance and ma­teriall) is the action and humiliation of [Page 120] the partie penitent, and the woord adioy­ned to make it a full Sacramente, is the Priestes absolution. Bernard. S. Bernard puts in the Maundie of Christ for a Sacrament, and so makes eight, others, and aboue the rest. Dionys. Areopag. Dionys. Areopag. leaues out matrimonie, and so finds but sixe. But will you see two foxes tied by the tailes, and their heades turned counter? this hood winckt libeller saith, Duraeus cōt. Whitaker. wee denie seauen, but Duraeus the Schottish champion for Campian, findes that Caluin, Beza, and Melancthon agree vpon the full nomber of seauen: both alike true, for we denie but fiue, hauing the au­thoritie, and precedent of 500. yeares but for two onely, and none of ours euer al­lowed of the whole seauen. And therefore I conclude this point, first, that if our denial of iust seauen, bee a blot to that article, wee are not the first, the Fathers, after the Scri­ptures, directing vs, and [...]ounder schoole-men of their owne agreeing with vs. Se­condly, when he shall bring for those fiue pseudo-sacramentes, either the institution of Christ, to authorize them, or any com­maundement [Page 121] to vse them, or any promise of remission annexed to them, or any ele­ment by God appointed for them, we will with reuerence embrace them, but their greatest clarkes hauing failed heerein, wee may not expect it at the hands of this snea­king atomite. And seeme they neuer so zealous in defence of their sacramentes, & Saintes communion, how basely they esteeme of them, one case in their Cannon law will demonstrate, which I singled, as con­cerning this purpose fitly. It happeneth that one in iusting and torneament is cast, & his horse falling vpon him, bruiseth him mortally, it is per­mitted vnto him to communicate of the Eucharist, to be annointed with oile, and to doe pennaunce, (there are three sacramentes) and yet after all this, Decreta [...]. tit. de To [...]neament. §. accedir. hee must bee denied Christian buri­all. First note the absurditie, to preferre bu­riall aboue the chiefest sacrament: & then the vncharitablenesse, to forbid his bodie to sleepe among Christians, who died in their sight a Christian, which is a kind of deniall of this article, Christian buriall be­in some respect, a communion of Saintes.

Aunsweare.

To discourse of this double controuer­sy de modo essendi & edendi, of the manner of Christes beeing, and our eating him in the sacramente, consideringe, how their schoolemen, leauing the simple trueth of Gods word, haue verified that prouerbe, Mendacij multiplex est diuortium; Eras. Adag. and are at daggers drawing among thēselues, would aske more time, then I vouchsafe to spend in aunsweare of so base a pamphlet as this: the soundest and acutest of them, hauing descanted whether he be there, as quantum, or quantitas; or if so, whether locally, or if so, whether circumscriptiuely, in the ende are driuen to say, Thom. p. 3. quest. 75 that he is there secundum [Page 123] quendam modum huic sacramento proprium, qui est sacramentalis. Indeede, if Christes natu­rall bloud were as properly ours, as euery mans owne bloud is his own, some shew there were of this reall and carnall commu­nion of which he speakes, but sithence his bloud, Can. lib. 12. saith Canus, is no otherwise ours, but as the light of the sunne is, by partici­pation, as of those beams, so of his graces; that as the [...], keeping his certaine ta­bernacle in the heauens. Psal. 19 Psal. 19. doth nou­rish and cherrish with his heate & bright­nesse these inferiour & sublunary bodies, so Christ sitting there, as hee must doe, till his comming in maiestie Act. 3. 21. Act. 3. 21 with­out locall motion, or carnall application, communicateth with his saintes, in that holy sacrament, the forcible power of his bodie & bloud, which worketh so migh­tily in faithfull hartes, that both it settleth the kingdome of God within thē, Luc. 17. 21. Luc. 17. & lifteth them into heauenly places Eph. 2 faith being that Eagles eie, Eph. 2. 6 Iob. 39. 33 which, spying the pray a farre off, as Iob speaketh, ma­keth the saintes resort thether, where the [Page 124] carcasse is, Math. 24. [...]8 Math. 24. And for the second, great difference there is, perchance, not ob­serued by many, betweene our eating of Christ, and our vniting with him. Wee are vnited vnto him vt viuenti, as our liuing head, & nos viuificanti and making vs his liuelie members. We eate him as our Passe­ouer 2. Cor. 5; 2. Cor. 5 that as the Israelites, eate the one mortuum & assum, deade and roasted, Exod. 12, Exod. 12. 9 so wee him crucifixum & passum, dead and slaine, and so that speech of Au­sten is true, August. that we haue him here in pabu, lo, as he was in patibulo torne and rent; as himselfe ordained the sacra [...]ent in [...] fra­cto not integro, Lue. 22. 19. the bread broken, not the whole loafe, therby signifying, yea saying, that in doing it wee must remember him not as liuing among vs, but as dying for vs; vt in cruce, non in caelo, as hee was cruci­fied, not as hee is glorified, whereby wee conclude, first, for his presence that his body is so farre foorth there quatenus editur, as it is eaten, but his bodie is eaten as dead and slaine, so himselfe appointed it, This is my bodie, and stayeth not there, but addes [Page 125] withall, Math. 26 which is giuen for you: and his bloud is droncke, not as remayning in his vaines, but as shed; so himselfe speaketh, This is my bloud of the new testament shed for many. Now his bodie bruised & his bloud poured out can no otherwise be present in the Eucharist, but by a representation therof in the bread broken, & in the wine effused, of the one side; and on the com­municantes part, by a grateful recordation of the benefites, a reuerent valuation of the sacrifice, a faithfull application of his merites in his whole passion; and therfore his presence must be sacramentall, and our eating spirituall, August. de verb. 1 om. serm. 33 for, non quod videtur, séd quod creditur pascit, saith S. Augustin. Se­condly for the vnion. It is true which Christ saith that hee which eateth my flesh abideth in me and I in him. Ioh. 6. 1 [...]. Ioh. 6. 56. not that this vnion is first begun in the participation of that holy supper (for none can truely eate the bodie of Christ, vnlesse hee bee first vnited with him, and ingrafted into him, nec veré edit corpus Christi, qui non est de corpore Christi, saith S. August) because prima vnio, August. saith A­quinas, [Page 126] Aqu. 12. quest. 66 the first vnion betweene God and man, is begunne in Baptisme by one spirite, into one bodie, as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor 12. 1. Cor. 12. & continued by faith, hope, and chari­tie, all these the operation of the spirite. But if we truely eate the bodie, and drinke the bloud of Christ, then by the power of the holy Ghost, and faith cooperating, this vnion is strengthened, the vigour and ef­fectes whereof, after a true participation, we shall feele in our selues more forcible and liuely. An vnion more stronge and neere, then that which he [...] speakes of the bodie and soule: for the soule may be separated from the bodie, Eccles. 12 but the elect mē ­bers of Christ cā neuer be disiointed from him; and therefore the whole bodie of his church is sometimes called, by his owne name, Act. 11. 26 not as the Antiochians, Christians, but Christ, so Ambrose reades that place Gal. 5. Gal. 5. 24 Qui sunt Christi, They which are Christs in the nominatiue plurall, not in the geni­tiue singular. Briefly, for both I aske, is not Christ as present in Baptisme as in the Eu­charist, for in them both wee communi­cate [Page 127] with him, bredd a new in the one, fed a new in the other, and yet Christes reall presence is not challenged for Baptisme? if they say, no, beecause of the Eucharist it was said, Gal. 3 This is my bodie and bloud, not so of Baptisme; I aunsweare, as much, if not more was spokē by the Apostle, They which are baptized haue put on Christ, put him on we cannot vnlesse hee bee present, and the putting him on, is euen the very same, which he els where calleth Christs dwelling in vs. Eph. 3 Eph. 3, namely, that in Baptisme we are so transformed, as now not wee, but Christ alone doth liue within vs, Gal. 2. Gal. 2 as neere an vnitie as may. August. ad infant. & de conseer, distinct. 2. And in trueth S. Augustin is out of doubt, that in Baptisme the true member of Christ corporis & san­guinis Domini particeps fit, is partaker of the bodie and bloud of the Lord, and therfore no reason withstandes, but that he should be really present in both, or in neither. A­gaine, is it wee, or they which denie the communion of Saintes in this sacrament? we, keeping Christes institution, and commā ­dement, participating it to all, which by S. [Page 128] Paule his rule, 1. Cor. 1 [...] haue first tried and examined themselues, and in both kindes, the bread & the cup: or they, which by their [...], as the Apostle speaketh; their priuate masse as they terme it, haue turned coenam in sce­nam, the supper into a spectacle, and this blessed sacrament into an heaue offering, feeding the peoples eyes with the priestes eleuation, and sole mastucation? or, if once in a yeare they vouchsafe them the commu­nion, they defalke on halfe, denying them the cup, Lombard. li. 4. dist 11 Ambros. in 1. Cor 11 which by Lombards collection, out of S. Ambrose, is to denie the redemp­tion of the soule; for the bodie, saith hee, was broken for the freedome of our bo­dies, and the bloud was shed, for the rede­ming of the soule, as it was prefigured in Moses law. Thus they maki [...]g their lai [...]ie but Easter Saintes, suffering them no other time to communicate with them, and thē also denying them that cōmunion which assures them to bee saintes, in bereauing them of the cuppe, to which that blessi [...]g was added, which was not to the bread, videlicet, [...] shed for many in remissionem pee­catorum [Page 129] for remission of sinnes, and so ma­king them demi-saintes, are more guiltie of annihilating this article of the Commu­nion of Saints then we, which exclude none, and giue the whole. But to conclude, if the real and carnall presence of Christ, be the onely cause of the Saintes vnion vnto him, and their communion among themselues, what then doth S. Augustine meane when he saith, August. in. Ioh. tract. [...]9. that, in receiuing of the sacramēt, some do eate panem domini, and other some panem dominum? if it be bread, then it is not transubstantiated into his bodie; if some do eate the bread of the Lord, & other the bread the Lord, what makes the diffe­rence? if it be his bodie really, then is it a­like to all; for Christes bodie cannot bee changed: if to some it be bread, and to o­thers Christ, the difference is in the recei­uer, not in the sacrament: summarilie, in the holy supper, there is sacramentum, & res sacramenti, idem [...]. tract. 26. the first, the twoo elementes, the second, Christ himselfe: they are ta­sted with the mouth, and chewed in the teeth; this must haue, as Basil calleth it, [Page 130] [...] the mouth of the inward man, [...] which is faith. The sacrament is receiued by some to life, by others to perdition; but the thing it selfe, [...] Omni homini ad vitam, nulli ad mortem, saith S. Austen. If therfore Christ be there carnally present, then indefinite­ly, quicunque eius particeps fuerit, whosoeuer, good or bad, shall participate, eateth vn­doubtedly his owne saluation, and so be­comes one with Christ, a consequent ne­cessary, but most impious.

Aunsweare.

This distinction of saintes into militant and triumphant we allow, that there is but one tribe and [...] of them both wee ac­knowlege Eph. 3. [Page 131] Eph. 3. We on earth sub pellibus, lying in campe vnder sold & pay, fighting as souldiers 2. Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 3. the celestiall in rest and glory, hauing coronam repositam, imposi­tam 2. Tim. 4, 2. Tim. 4. 8. the crowne laid vp for thē, put vpon them, Apoc. 1. 5. raigning as kinges, Apo. 1. That communion with them wee main­taine, which the primitiue church allo­wed, both by imitation of their vertues, in our conuersation, Epist. Smyr. [...], by celebration of their praises in panegyri­call orations, by the example of the Apo­stle Heb. 11; Heb. 11. in reuolution of their annuall memories, at solemne feastes authorized by the church. Epiphan. We detest the Cainans, and Eunomians, for contemning the Saintes departed, accounting a liuing dog, better then a dead lion Eccles. 9. Eccles 9. Aug de [...]. with S. Augu­stine, we honor them, charitate, non seruitu­te, hauing receiued prohibition to be ser­uants of mē 1. Cor. 7, 1 Cor. [...]. with loue, not feare; in admiration of their liues, not adoration of their images: nec templa sicut dijs, sed me­morias vt hominibus dicamus, [...] saith Austen, we reare not temples vnto them as Gods, but [Page 132] record their memories as of holy mē; there being a difference betweene sepulchra aedifi­care Math. 23, Mat. [...]3. & simal [...]chracolere, betwene dignifieng them as Saints by celebration, & Deifieng them as Gods by inuocation: this comb [...]ning of heauen and earth toge­ther, by prayer to them, being rather a mu­tinous rebellion and conspiracy against God, then a mutuall communion or societie of saintes; grounded vpon an heathenish su­perstition, [...] the chiefe authors beeing Plato and Apuleius, who formed mediators Doe­monicall, and Heroicall, both, those spiritual essences which they call Doemones, and the soules departed, which they called Heroes, (as the popish clergie, Angels and Saintes) continued by supposed aparitions of wal­king ghostes, and miracles wrought at martyrs monumentes; and confirmed by some ambiguous irresolutions of a few fa­thers: for whether they procure vs any good, [...] 2. euen Origen makes it a question, & thinkes it not to bee chartulae mysterium, a written veritie, but an vnknowne secrete; and they which were that way, in such af­fections, [Page 133] most passionate, slaked their heat in this case, Basil. with a Si, or a Qnasi, as S. Basil: with an [...] as Nazianz. Nazians as I thinke & am perswaded: not resolued by the schole­men what their knowledge, or their power is, whether their knowledge be matutina or vespertina; and whether they procure vs a­ny, Aquinas. good either impetratiuè by mediation of their prayers, or interpretatiuè by valuation of their merits. No where, euen by the con­fessiō of Eckius, Eckius in Enchirid. authorized in scripture by any example or precept; not in the old testament, Exod. 32. 4. because the people were to prone to Idolatrie, as in the Calfe was seene; & the saints were thē in Limbo, not glorified: not in the new, least the Gentils couerted shold returne and worship men for Gods, as the Lycaonians did Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. Act. 14. not in the writinges, or preachinges of the Euangelists and Apostles, least they might be suspected of arrogancy, as purueyors of their owne prayses, in proclayming them­selus an [...], a future glory among mē, after their decease; Durae cant, Wh [...]ttak. this saith Eckius, al­though both Duraeus will needes fetch it [Page 134] from the very crosse of Christ, in this man­ner; [...] Our Sauiour, in his passion, cried out Eli, Eli, and the people thought hee had called for Elias, ergo Inuocation of Saintes was vsed among the Iewes. and this pamphletor, as you see, wil haue it an article of faith, which cānot be, whether we look vnto the matter of faith, which is the word, or the obiect of faith, which is Christ. For nothing may bee an article of faith which is not squired by the rule of faith, the scripture: Neither is pra­yer to be made vnto any, but on whome we beleeue, Rom. 10. Rom. 10. & no Christian dare say that wee must beleeue in Saintes. It was said of Cesar, [...] that in the renewing Pompey his statues which were ruinated, he erected his owne: here it is contrary, for this glo­ri [...]eng of the Saintes, is the disparagement of the whole Trinitie; of God the father, beeing the principall obiect of our prayers by his owne precept Psal. 50, [...] Call vpon mee. by Christes auaunt to Sathan, Math. 4, [...]. Eisoli, him only thou shalt serue; by his soue­raigntie of place beeing our king of olde, Psal. 74. 12. [...] nec benè cum socijs regna-manent, [Page 135] saith the Poet. Of the Sonne, beeing the vnus mediator, the alone mediator betweene God and man 1. Tim. 2. 5. 1. Tim. 2. 5. the still surui­uing priest making intercession for vs Heb. 7. 25, Heb. 7. 25. without whome there is no accesse vnto the Father Ioh. 14. Ioh. 14. 6. who onely, as Ambrose saith, Ambros. hath that double office of a mediatour, imperare vt deus, & visitare vt homo, as man compassionating our in­firmities, Heb. 2, Heb. 2. as God supplying our wants, as man dying for our sinnes, as God risen for our iustification Rom. 4. Rom. 4. vit. as both God and man, sitting at the right hand, re­questing for vs, Rom. 8. 34. Rom. 8. 34. Of the Holy Ghost, the life & breath of our praye [...]s, for we know not what to pray as wee ought, but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs within vs, Rom. 8. 26. Vers. 26. so that the esta­blishing of prayer to Saintes were to subiect the spirite of God to the deuotion of men, for postulare minoris est, saith Aquinas, [...] it is the inferior his part to sue. Wherefore the Apo­stle concludeth, that the searcher of the hearts knoweth the meaning of the spirit, qui postulat prosanctis, vers. 27. Vers. 27. for the Saints [Page 136] not to the Saints. Briefly, whereas euerie prayer must be made in the name of Christ Ioh. 16. Ioh. 16. (the sweetest In nomine we can sing) and euerie praier not so made, non solùm non delet peccatum, Aug. in [...]. sed fit ipsa peccatum saith S. Austen, surely the prayer to saintes must needes be sinne, because we must not pray to them, per Iesum Christum for Christs sake, for that were to make him inferiour to them: and that is no maruaile in Rome, for in their Canon of the masse, Canon. Miss. the greasie priest, requestes God the Father, that hee would vouchsafe to heare his son Christ; as if his orizon were more preualent with God, then Christes intercession.

Aunsweare.

It must needes prooue syncere religion, [Page 137] which frames diuinitie of poetrie, and fet­cheth Virgils Aeneids into the Apostles creede, & maketh the Popes kitchē-stuffe (the furnace & fuell of Purgatorie) an arti­cle of faith: but heerein is that speech of Tertullian properly instified, Tertull [...] Apoll. That Philoso­phers are the Patriarkes of heretickes. This fancie of Purgatorie being imagined, Home: Odiss. Plat. Phaed. Virgill. Enerd. 6. first in the dreame of Homer, Plato, and Virgill, vpon a foolish pittie (which this melting boweld traytor) calleth charitable com­passion) that those, who died in their sins which wer [...] venial & curable, though they were not woorthy to flie to heauen immediately, yet not so cruelly to bee cen­sured, as to be throwne downe into Ta­ [...]arus, or Hell: the iudge who ballaunced the weight of the Painims sinnes was in. exorable Radamanthus, but of the Catho­like ghostes, the indulgent Pope. Among the Christians, the principall founders thereof, Clem. Alex. either Clem. Alexand. who was so enamored of Philosophy, that hee con­cluded, the Grecians might be thereby sa­ued: Origen. or his scholler Origen, of whome it is [Page 138] no maruell, he should thinke the soules de­parted might bee freed from torment, si­thens hee also helde, that euen the damned spirites, and Lucifer himselfe should in the ende bee saued. The scriptures for this place, [...] by their owne confession, none or obscure; the Fathers in this pointe to themselues contradictorie; the greatest pa­trones among themselues vnresolued; first, of the place, whether in the aire, or vnder the earth, or the brim of hell; Se­condly, for the scite, whether extensiue as a couer ouer hell, in latitude; or collaterall with hell, seuered by a partition, in lon­gitude; or circular about hell, in seuerall celles, as the spottes of an apple about the quore: Thirdly, for the nature of the place to some it shall not be fire, but tanquam ig­nis, 1. Co [...]. 3. as it were fire, as out of S. Paul they collect: to other it shall bee both fire and water, P [...]al. 66. as out of the Psalmes they inferre; to other it shall bee a lake and no water, as they cite Zachary to that purpose. [...] Fourth­ly, for the parties tormented, the most wil haue them a middle sorte betweene saintes [Page 139] and sinners; this fellow, as it seemes, ac­comptes them saintes, els why brings hee thē within compasse of this article? There­fore we, refusing to build vpon sand, leaue them to their vnletled coniectures, & out of the Scriptures acknowledge no Purga­torie but one, 1. Iohn. 1. the bloud of Iesus Christ purging vs from all our sinnes: wherein the garments of the saintes are washed white. Apoc. 7. 14. Apoc. 7. no other clensing but that which Aquinas mētioneth, Aq [...]inas. Pa. 3. q. 27. art. 3. velper gratiam a culpa, vel per lu­men doctrinae a nescíentia; either frō the guilt of sinnes by his grace, or the drosse of igno­rance by his word. For which he hath ap­pointed a double fire; for doctrine, the fire of the spirite, 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 3. to trie timber from stubble, pearles from strawes: for the o­ther, 1. Petr. 4. [...] that which Peter calleth the fierie triall, videlicet, the afflictions of this life, which are as fire to golde, [...]. as the flaile to corne, saith Gregorie. But two sortes of vessels, of wrath and sauour, either for honour or contumelie, Rom. 9. Rom. [...] Mat. 25. sheepe or goates for the right or left hande. A double state of saintes, 2. Cor. 5. which S. Paul resembleth to a gar­garment, [Page 140] in this world [...], the vesture of this flesh in the other [...], their inuesti­ture with immortalitie; either [...], a pere­grination from God here, or [...], a pre­sence with him in heauē. For both which there is allotted a seueral burden, [...] Gal. 6. Augustine. [...] in this life, that which S. Austen calleth onus mutuae charitatis, mutuall affe­ction and compassion in supporting each other vers 2. in the next life, onus reddendae rationis, the render of accompt, which eue­ry one must beare himselfe vers. 5. Vers. 5. But two places of resort, Luk. 16. Abrahams bosome, & the lake of brimstone; Apoc. 20. two wayes thereunto, the one [...] a straightened path, hardly passable, the other [...] a broadway, a roadway with trauailers innumerable, Math. 7. Math. 7. Two rewardes in the ende, the crowne of righteousnesse, eternall life. 2. Tim. 4. Tim. 4. the wages of sinne, euerlasting death, Rom. 6. August. [...]. Rom. 6. which S. Austen calleth ignem aeternum and regnum aeternum. Cyprian refrigerium iusti, supplicium iniusti; the at­chieuement of both in this life, in the o­ther neither remission, nor redemption [Page 141] saith Austen, this beeing the time of wor­king that of reward, Nazian [...] saith Nazianz, this of striuing, Chrysost. that of crowning saith Chriso­stome.

Aunsweare.

This fellow purposed from the begin­ning Asellius his profession, A. G [...]l. Lib. 7. which P. Afri­canus said was malitia and nequitia, to bee not onely a libeller, but a liar; that argues his mind to bee malitious, this bewrayes his cause to be bad, both make him shame lesse, and all spring from ignorance, either making report his ground, or partiall rea­ding his best intelligence, neglecting our [Page 142] writers, and cleauing onely to his owne side, whose fashion it is to fasten opinions vppon vs, neither conceiued by vs, nor re­ceiued among vs. The concent of our chur­ch is, that Baptisme is the indument of Christ, Gal. 3. Gal. 3. Rom. 6. an insition into Christ, Rom. 6. as the arke of Noe, in the deluge, to saue vs. 1. Pet. 3. the lauer of regeneration to wash vs, Tit. 3. [...] working a double effect, priuatiuely remissa culpa in washing vs; [...] positiuely data iustitia in sanctifieng vs. 1. Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. [...]. 11. whe­ther wee vse it as the water of Iordan by immersion, Math. 3. Math. 3. or as the holy water in the law by aspersiō Nōb. 19. Numer. [...]9. not regarding the heathenish distinctiō, betwene diuing & sprinckling in Macro. Macrob [...] Clem. Alex. & therefore with Clem. Alexand. we account it, [...] the soueraigne counterpoison against ori­ginall venim; [...] with Nazianz. the deluge of sinne; with Basil, the mother of adoption; with Chrysostome, Chrysostom the purgatorie of life. Ezechiel his aqua munda, cleansing vs from all our pollutions, Ezechiel. 36 Ezech. 36. Notwithstā ­ding, we ascribe not this power either ad clementum, or momentum, not to the element [Page 143] of water, Aquine. as though it had vim ablutiuam, as Aquine speaketh, this skouring force; or regeneratiuam this renewing power, as Lombard termes it; Lombard. but vnto the bloud of Christ working inuisibly by the power of the spirite, Tit. 3. non enim aqua lauat animam, sed ipsa prius lauatur a spiritu, vt lauare possit spiritualiter, Hierom. saith Ierome. Hereupon the Fa­thers resemble it to the diuing poole of Be­thesda, Iohn 5. Ioh. 5. as that being moued by the Angell, had an healing power: so this cō ­secrated by the word and sanctified by the spirite, hath a soueraigne effect and opera­tion; and for that purpose, somtimes they call the water, in Baptisme, rubram aquam red water, the bloud of Christ, hauing ther his inuisible working. Why? but the Prote­stants accoumpt it onely an externall seale of a prereceiued grace in Gods predestination: hee names none, Cam. [...]at 8. yet Campian, whose ape hee is, Duraeus. contra Whit. lib. 8 quoates Caluin, but cites him not; Du­raeus cites him, but vnderstandes him not; that word onely is not the first he hee hath coyned; the father of lies, as the Fathers ob­serue in Math 4. hauing taught them all a [Page 144] to adde or defalke from a text to serue their turne. Cal [...]. instit. lib. 4. The first fruit, which master Caluin, among three principall effectes, noteth in this sacrament is, that it is Symbolum nostrae purgationis, the very wordes of the Greeke Scholiast. Schol. in 1. Pet. 3. Pighius in 1. Pet. 3. [...] yea of Pighius a grosse papist, baptsmus a peccatis ablutionis signum est. & instar signati diplomatis saith Caluin, and as the kinges [...]etters pattents vnder seale confirmeth our commission: that as a prince, hauing pur­posed a fauour to his subiectes, graunts it by his patentes of meere indulgence, and ratifies it by his seale for more assurance; so God, hauing purposed in his eternall counsell to saue some, which hee cannot doe before hee haue remitted their sinnes, therefore in Baptisme he both conferres this grace, & confirmes it vnto them; for which cause the scriptures and fathers do call it si­gillum promissionis & remissionis; conferres it, I say, Camp. vbi sup. as Campian confesseth it, veluti per ca­nalem, deriuatiuely, not originally; effectu­ally, not effectiuely; as by a brooke not as from a spring; for this is Christes bloud, [Page 145] quia latus Christi est latex sacramenti saith S. Austen: Allen de Sacra. chap. 3. as Allen the Cardinall speaketh, grace is wrought in Baptisme as a man writeth with a penne, powerfully, yet in­strumentally▪ confirmes it visibly, se [...]ling that which concealed; so, that which was in his secrete counsell, propositum, the pur­pose of his will by predestination, in Bap­tisme hee makes it depositum, the pledge of our saluation, and onely to the elect, for in solis electis sacramenta efficiunt quod figurant saith S. Augustine, August. de bap. contra Donat. & citat. a Lomb. lib. 4. dist. 4 in the elect onely, the sa­craments performe really, which they pre­sent figuratiuely: and therefore that is no heresie nor fancie to call it the seale of a praere­ceiued grace. For iustificatiō by faith, which oftentimes, in those which are adulti, pre­uents Baptisme, is a praeaccepted grace, and cannot stand without a perfect remission of their sinnes which are so iustifyed. What fruite then bringes Baptisme to them? euē this saith Lombard, beecause hee who thus iustified commeth to Baptisme, Lomb. vbi sup. F. is as the branch brought by the doue in to Noe his arke, Gen. 8. Gen. 8. qui ante intus erat iudicio [Page 146] Dei sed nunc etiam iudicio Ecclesiae, who bee­fore was iustified, & fully remitted in gods secrete iudgement, but now by Baptisme is made a visible member of the Church, the [...]acrament being the euidence of Gods prouidence and this was Cornelius his case Act. 10. Act. 10. Also [...] lib. 4. contr. Apol. Iesuit. we vrge the necessitie of Baptisme, especially to infantes, least they should seeme either naturally inno­cent, or generally sanctified without it; yet not simply, but with a reseruation, first, of Gods omnipotencie, who beeing agens li­berrimum, as the schoolemen speake, hath not tied his power to the sacraments, saith Lombard; Lomb. vbi sup. secondly, of preeminence to Christes Baptisme, wherein, not hee, but we were washed, the waters drenching him, but cleansing vs: which made S. Au­gustine to crie out Omisericordia, August. de temp. serm. 30. ô the mer­cie, and withall, the power of God, Nec dum eramus in mūdo, et iam abluebamur in Ba­ptismo. Thirdly, with a dispensation of that which the scholemen call articulum ne­cessitatis, there beeing no contempt of reli­gion, but either extremitie disappointing; [Page 147] or death suddenly preuenting, as infantes, and the theefe crucified Luc. 23. Luc. 23. Fourthly, with a distinction of Baptismus voti, when there [...] in the parties, but no oportu­nitie for the action, volentes non valentes saith Lombard, as in the case of Valenti­nian in S. Ambrose: Ambros. orat [...]uneb. Valentin. briefly, we so highly extoll the dignitie, necessitie, and efficacie of Baptisme, that Duraeus pleaseth him­selfe triumphantly, Duraeus de Paradox. contr. Whita [...]. in hope that some of our writers are prooued, in this opinion, Romanistes, sauing, hee misliketh our de­testation of that magicall conceite of opus operatum, videlicet, that the very act of Ba­ptisme, without either the parties faith, or the spirites power, should confime grace of it selfe. To conclude, whether wee or they acknowledge more power and effi­c [...]cie in this sacramēt, let the world iudge: wee, with the Apostle ascribe the effectes of grace, of cleansing, of remission, of sanctification vnto this holy Baptisme. 1. Cor. 6. 11. 1. Cor. 6. 11 euen as it was instituted by our Sauiour, without any slibber-sauced cere­monies; or they, who, as if it were not of [Page 148] it selfe effectuall inough, adde exorcismes, and exufflations, and lights, and oile, and spittle, and durt, with which neither the riuer Iordan, nor the [...], and Infantes were euer consorted or ac­quainted. And now from ablution, hee comes to absolution.

Answeare.

The Apostle willing vs to offer vp our bodies sacrifices, Rom. 12. we vse pennance or repen­tance, as the Priestes sacrificing kniues, to mortifie our earthly members. Colos. 3. Colos. 3. to kill those beastlike passions and affe­ctions which rage within vs: applying it as an wholesome chastisement, not vsing it as an holy sacrament, it hauing neither vi­sible signe, nor diuine institution. The Trentish conuenticle confesseth, that it was no sacrament in the olde testamente, [Page 149] whereby we inferre that it is no sacrament at all; Act. 10. & 26. for Peter Act. 10, and Paul Act. 26 professe, that they preach no other do­ctrine of repentance, then that which the Fathers and rophets beefore had taught. Neither was it, [...]ay the Trentistes, a sacra­ment before Christes resurrection, but af­ter it was: then first, the repētance which Iohn Baptist preached, Math. 3. & 4. Math. 3. and our Sauiour published, Math. 4. (both which places the Rhemistes haue translated Doe pennance) was no sacrament. Secondly, it crosseth an other assertion of their owne, when they say that Pennance is no sacramēt beefore Baptisme; put the case in those which beeing conuerted, and hauing re­pented vpon Peter his sermon Act. 2. Act. 2. were after baptized, which was after Christ was risen and ascended; by the first opini­on then it was a sacrament; it was beefore their Baptisme, by their second rule then it was no sacrament. Lastly by this concession of theirs, all the examples, and testimo­nies, which they inforce for satisfaction our of the olde testament, either of Miriam [Page 150] Dauid, or Manasses are friuolous and su­perfluous. And therefore the glosse of their Canon law concludes, Glos. de poenit dist. 5. it is better to say, that it was rather an vniuersall tradition of the church, then any scripture institution: and one of their great schoolemen is per­emptorie, Bon [...]en. that the agnizing of the fault & desert of punishment, together with the recognizing of Gods mercie and fauour, causeth remission of the sinne, as for confessiō and satisfaction, it is the church imposi­tion. Trueth it is, loth they are to giue too much to Gods grace, therefore, because in Baptisme wee receiue remission of our sins freely, without our worke concurring, they haue inuēted for falles after Baptisme Pennance, wherein temporarie satisfactiōs shalbe meritorious. As for vs, we confesse ingenuously, that, by reason both of that originall taint, Cipria [...] which Cyprian calleth vi­rus paternum, Adams guilt: & our naturall corruption, which Dauid calleth virus ma­ternum, our mothers conception. Psal. 51. Psal. 51. and the reliques thereof, which S. Paul cle­peth the law of the emembers, Rom. 7. Rom. 7. [...]e­ueling [Page 151] in our bodies, & rebelling against the spirite, till it haue gotten from peccatum babitans to peccatum regnans, Ro [...]. 6. as S. Rom. 6. 12. Iames saith, Iac. 3. in many thinges, wee euery one offend, euen the iustest man, seauen times a day. Prou. 24. Pro. 24. 26 the treacheries of the deuill, the lustes of theflesh, the allu re­ments of the world, working vppon that corrupt inclination, G [...]. 6. sometimes praeoccu­pate vs, with slips of ignorance, through infirmitie; Psal. 19. oft-times th [...]ough malice pre­cipitate vs into hainous enormities, euen those which the schoolemen call vastantia conscientiam, which without repentance & faith, cannot be remitted. And therefore we detest the Anabaptistes, who establish a perfection after Baptisme, more absolute then Adams was in his integritie. For as Augustine noteth, August. his was posse non peccare, a libertie, if hee would, not to sinne: but they will haue it coelestiall, non posse peccare, to haue no possibilitie to sinne, this is Pharisaicall arrogancie: much more the Nouatians, who denie to those that re­lapse after Baptisme, any hope of remissiō [Page 152] frō God, or intromission into the church; this is the gulfe of dispaire. And to them we [...] the Enthusiastes, who thinke God will be reconciled [...] without me­diatiō by prayer, or ministerie of the word, or assuraunce of faith, or sorrow by repen­tance, this is Epicurish securitie: but in de­fiance of them all, we preach with S. Au­gustine, August. repentance to be arra pacis, the ear­nest of our peace with God; Basil with S. Basil, that it is the physicke of the soule; Plut. de [...]olert. animal. and as in Phisicke there are three partes, [...] sur­gerie by incision, [...] by purgation; [...] by diet; so herein, first, contrition, which is the phlebotomie, yea the cutting of the very hart-stringes. Act. 2. Act. 2. which Da­uid calleth the acceptable sacrifice. Ps. 51. Psal. 51 secōd confession, as the vomit casting out before God and men, to our confusion, and their example, the filthinesse of our sinnes: as the Scolopendra turneth her entrailes out­ward to scoure them; Plutar. pleading, Grego. in Iob as Grego­rie speaketh, nostras causas apud Deum, &. causam Domini aduersus nos, acknowledging our sinnes against our selues Psal. 32. Psal. 32. with [Page 153] shame of countenance, with remorse of conscience: priuately, if we be burdened; publikely, if we be inioyned. Thirdly, fa­sting and weeping, Ioel. 2. Ioel. 2. which is the diet to keepe the bodie vnder, and tame it by subiection 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 9. not onely as a pre­uention of sinne, but as a punishment for sinne. Psal. 69. 1 [...]. Psal. 69. 10. which repentaunce, or penaunce, notwithstanding, wee doe not say with the Pseudocatholikes to bee a se­cond plancke to saue vs, a new meanes of our remission, eleuating thereby, or anni­hilating the vigour and force of Baptisme, the effect whereof, I said beefore, wee tied not Sect. 1. huius arti, ad momentum to the very instant of the celebration, as if any sinne after ensuing might abolishit; for, that were too much to weaken the efficacie of so mightie a sa­crament, and to repeale too sodeinely the force of so strong a couenant, and to deiect most basely the authoritie of so great a seale, especially the holy Ghost hauing cal­led it, an aeternall mercie, an vnmoueable league, Esa. 54. Esa. 54 and as a continuall current for all times: saluos fecit, for the time past, [Page 154] he hath saued vs by the l [...]uer, Tit 3. Tit. 3. saluos fa­cit, it doth saue vs for the present state, 1. Pet. 3. 1. Pet. 3. and for the time to come, he that be­leeueth and is baptized saluabitur shall bee saued. Mar. 16. Mar. 16.

Aunsweare.

Dauid seemes mad, [...] but to whome? saith Austen, regi Achis, id est, stultis & igno­rantibus, to king Achis, that is, to fooles & rudesbies: so to Pharisaicall Catholiques destroying grace, to reare vp merites, the diuinitie both of the greatest Prophet, and the chiefest Apostle will seme absurditie. To the point, Blessed he cannot bee, which is not fully remitted, but Dauid pronounceth [Page 155] him blessed, to whome sinne is not imputed Psal. 32. Psal. 32. 1. Christes righteousnesse imputed is the perfect remission of sinnes, saith Ambrose in Rom. 8. Ambr in Rom. 8. Oecum. in Rom. 3. for our iustification is nothing els, but our sinnes remission saith Oecume­nius: because whome he hath called, them he hath iustified, scilicet, remissionepeccatorū, as the Glosse expoundes that place, Gloss. in Rom. 8. Gorram. Rom. 4. 11. Pighius sae [...]. to which agreeth Gorram. in Rom. 4. and Pi­ghius often in his controuersie de fide & iu­stificatione. But where Christes righteous­nesse is imputed, there is true iustification, which cannot bee perfect, without full remission saith Paul. Roman. 3. Rom. 3. 24. 25. Wherefore in saying, that wee denie a perfect remission, is to deceiue the reader, and to abusevs: and to accompt this doctrine, that the not imputing of sinnes, is a perfect forgiuenesse, as an absurditie, is the disgrace of the scrip­tures, not of vs, which are so taught by the Scriptures. Sinnes are debtes Math. 18. Math. 18. the creditor beeing satisfied, the bond is cancelled, the debt remitted. God is recon­ciled to vs by his sonne, the price of whose bloud hath satisfied him I. Pet. 1. 1. Pet. 1. the ver­tue [Page 156] thereof hath washed vs, Apocal. 1. Apoc. 1. 5. the hand-writing is fastened to the crosse, Colos. 2. Coloss. 2. 14 the sinne forgiuen vnto vs: yet stil we remaine debters, otherwise wee neede not dailie pray, forgiue vs our debtes Mat. 6. Mat. 6. 12. therefore they are remitted, because not exacted extreamely, not beecause they are taken away radically, for Dauid did not pronounce him blessed saith S. Augustine, August. in Psal. 31. in quo non inuenta &c. in whome sinne was not found at all, but to whome God im­puleth not sinne. Who hath had what hee could require, death for the transgression of the precept Gen. 3. Gen. 3. our Sauiour hath suf­fered it. Phil. [...]. Phil. 2. a curse for the breach of the law, he hath borne it, Gal. 3. Gal. 3. the hugenes of our sinnes cannot prouoke him, the price hath sufficed him; the lothsomnes cannot offend him, his bloud hath purged them. No doubt the corruption thereof exhaleth, as hee speaketh, of themselues, a noysome sauour and stench, which Dauid confesseth, Psal. 38, Psal. 38. 5. yet the sonne of righ­teousnesse hath dispersed the fogge, that it cannot ascend to his father, and the sweet [Page 157] smelling sauour of his sacrifice, Ephes. 5. 2. Ephes. 5. hath taken away the sent thereof, that it cā ­not annoy him. and this is that which Dauid calleth the couering of our sinnes. Psal. 32. Psal. 32. [...]. vpon which both S. Augustine di­uinely descanteth, August. ibid. If hee haue couered them, noluit aduertere, hee would not marke, them; if hee would not note thē, noluit animaduerte­re, he would not straightly examine them; if not sift them narrowly, noluir punire, hee would not punish them; noluit agnoscere, maluit ig­noscere, he would not acknowledge them, he had rather forgiue them: and one of their owne, Flaminius in his paraphrase vppon the Psalmes dedicated to Cardinall Farnesius, Flam. in Psal. 32. excellētly saith. Blessed are they whose vnrigh­teousnes is forgiuen; it is woorth the notíng saith he, how the Prophet pronounceth them blessed, not which are free from sinne, & cleane without all spot, for there is none such liuing, but them to whome Gods mercy forgiueth sinnes, and them it forgiueth who cōfesse and beleeue that the bloud of Christ is the perfect expiation for their sinnes and offences. Who is it then which can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen, & [Page 158] accuse them, Rom. 8. saith Paule? if none can con­uince them, they are perfectly iustifyed, if so, then fully remitted, so it is, saith the A­postle, it is God that iustifieth. How? one of their owne doctors shall expound it, Gor [...]an. in forbearing the punishment, beecause hee hath said nolo mortem peccatoris, Ezech. 18 a sinner hee is, but I will not that he shal die. And that which the schoolemen say, that, formale peccati is abolished, Aqui. p. 3. but the materiale remai­neth, is nothing els, but that which we say, the guilt is remooued, because God is paci­fied in his beloued, yet the reliques of sinne still remaine and dwell within vs, euen being regenerate, Rom. 7. Rom. 7. 17. for if we say we haue no sinne, we deceiue our selues, but if we confesse thē, hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue thē, I. Ioh. 1. [...] Iohn. 1. Now in their opiniō, how are sinnes forgiuen? Conc. Trid. by charitie infu­sed, which expelleth sin, as the light doth darkenes. This is the bountie of Gods lar­ges, no remissiō of the trespasse; for, thogh a creditor giue his debtor a stocke to set him vp, this new donation cuts not off the former arrerages, which when he pleaseth [Page 159] he may exact: so that by this doctrine, not the almightie recōciled, but mā qualified; not Christ patient, but a qualitie inherent; not god by grace pardōing, but an instilled vertue expelling sinne, is the cause of re­mission; which S. Hilarie manifestly cros­seth, in saying, that the forgiuenesse of sinnes is not probitatis meritum, any desert of qualitie within vs, Hilar. in Psal. 66. but it consisteth in mise­rendo, & miserando, in the free indulgence of Gods affection, compassionating our condition; and exuberans bonitas, the ouer­flowing of his grace abounding to the act of remission; which in Iustine Martyr his glosse in Psal. 32. Iusti. in dialog. [...]ryph. is the not imputing of sinne, Blessed, saith the Prophet, is [...]hee to whome the Lord imputeth not sinne, that is, saith Iustine, to whome, repenting, God doth forgiue his sinne. Which not imputing, how meanely soeuer they esteeme thereof, yet Origen makes the highest step of forgiuenesse: the first being dimissio peccati, God not obseruing our sin, but passing by it, as not regarding it; the second tectio, Orig. lib. [...] ad Rom. the couering thereof by his grace; the third and highest, non imputatio, [Page 160] the not imputing them. So that the perfect re­mission of sinnes by Dauid his gradation, and Origen his glosse, is onely the not impu­ting of sinne. By which assertion neither these Fathers, nor wee, doe any way atte­nuate the burden of sinne, as beeing thus easely remitted, nor bolster it out, as presu­ming of this indulgent fauour: and there­fore his flaunt of vanity, which followeth, might well haue beene spared, especially since he laboureth to be an Epitomist.

For let them shift themselues as they list, and scarfe their soares according to their fancies; yet no veile nor mantle can couer the deformity of sinne from the piercing eies of Gods perfect vn­derstanding, from which nothing can be concealed.

Aunsweare.

— Bullatis vt mihi nugis Pagina turgescit? [...]ersius saith the poet: these are the trappinges of Balaams beast, a vaine rhetoricall flourish, the displayed streamer of a dastard spirite, either distrusting his cause, for which hee hath entred the field; or the weakenesse of [Page 161] his argumentes, wherewith hee should maintaine it. His conscience knoweth it, because our writinges declare, & our prea­chinges declame, Abac. 1. [...]3. that with Abacuck wee confesse, that as Gods eies are pure, Psal. 7. 9. not in­during to see euill, or to behold iniquitie; so they are piercing, searching the very hart and reines: Horat. that he detesteth a sinner- cane peius & angue, worse then a serpent, for vn­to the dragons he said, Praise the Lord ye ser­pents, Psal. 148, Psal. 148. but vnto the sinner he saith, Why doest thou preach my law, Psal. 50 and takest my co­uenant in thy mouth? that the filthy leprosie of our sinnes, make him loath vs, and vs also loth to looke vp to him, facies peccato­rum, as Dauid calles it, Psal. 38, Psal. 38. 3. beeing so Medusalike horribly deformed, that, in beholding therof, it both strikes a terrour into our conscience, and a shame ouer our countenance, confessing with Daniel, Dan. 9. 7 that in respect thereof, there beelongeth to vs nothing but confusion of face. Wee scari­fie them, we scarfe them not, we wish mē to discusse them, not to excuse them, with Bernard, Bernard. wee will them to lay open their [Page 162] sinnes, Luc. 16. as Lazarus his soares, to mooue the more compassion. We say, with Ieremy, it is the Lordes mercies that wee are not all consumed, Lam. 3. 32. Lam. 3. For if hee shoulde marke extremely what were done amisse, none could stand, Psal. 130. Psal. 130. 3. so farre we are frō iustifieng our selues, that we say with the Prophet Esa. 64. Esa. 64. that all our righteous­nesse is as a menstruous cloth; August. with S. Au­gustine, Vae iustitiae nostrae, si rēmota iustitia iudicetur. They are the mē who haue made scarfes, and veiles, and rebaters for sinnes, in saying that concupiscence, (which the Apostle plainely tearmeth sinne, Rom. 7. 7 Rom. 7. which beeing the diuels concubine, is the damme of all actuall sinnes Iac. 1.) Iac. 1. 15 either to be no sinne, but only fomes, the allumettes, or sulphurated fuell, by which sinne is ea­sely kindled; or to bee sinne abusiuely, as Christ is called sinne, 2. Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 21. or metony­mically, either because it accrueth of sinne, or prouoketh vs to sinne. Secondly, in de­nying the workes of infidels, and vnrege­nerate persons, to bee sinnes, crossing the Apostle, concluding euery action without [Page 163] faith to bee sinne, Rom. 14. Rom. 14. 23 August. in Ioh. and S. Austen who saith, Quicquid in te est sine Christo Sa­tan est. Thirdly in coyning a distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes, contradicted by S. Paul, who awardeth death for sinne, as the proper reward, Rom. 6. Rom. 6. 23 Nazian. and by Na­zian-who elegantly saith, that euery sinne is [...], the life of death, and the death of the soule: Fourthly, in applying such facile lenatiues, & remedies for sinnes, as the sprinckling of holy wa­ter; the largesse of a rich Almner; the in­dulgence of a bribed Pope; at the most, the lash of a whip in penaunce, or the flash of the fire in purgatorie, these are the scarfes, and plasters inuented by them for sinnes; of which more heereafter in the second part concerning manners. 2. part. 2. art And now from the sinnes of man, we must follow him to the sonne of God.

Aunsweare.

It is well obserued by Aelianus, that prei [...]dice neither heareth nor seeth any thing acurately, Aelian. li. 1, cap. 4. [...], where­vpon it commeth to passe, that it oft times iudgeth amisse: this obiection he hath re­ceiued by tradition from their owne, not reading our writers: yet had hee read Bel­larmine & not trusted too much to Cam­pians credite, this section might haue bene cut off: [...] For Bellarmine thinkes that ma­ster Caluin (whom this pamphleter woū ­deth through the Puritans sides) is wrong­fully challenged in this point, by Gene­brard: and that when the worst is made of it, it will prooue but a brandishing of [Page 165] wordes, lib. co. c. 19. no controuersy of substance, saith the Iesuite elswhere. So farre then from be­ing an heresie, Ieron. in Gal. which, Ierome saith, is in sen­su, non in verbis, in the meaning not in the wordes: that it is not to be accompted a fault, Hilar. de Trin. lib. [...]. for sensus, non sermo fit crimen, in Hila­ry his iudgement, the sence, not the speech makes a crime. And yet euen the woords, to a sound and charitable diuine, are no way faultie, videlicet, that Christ is Deus de Deo, contr. Gen­tilem. Deus ex sese, God of God, God of himselfe, which seemeth, say they, to im­play a contradiction, for him to be God of himselfe, which is God of God. (not to discours of this point in this short abstract of aun­sweare) Basil reconciles them, [...]asil. contr. Eun. lib. 4. he is God of God, as he is the Sonne, he is God of himself, as he is an Essence. For the Sonne, saith hee, was begotten [...] not as hee is a sub­stance, [...], but so farre foorth as he is a sonne, that is, as S. Austen speaketh, secundum relatiuum, relatiuely as the one is the father, the other the sonne. because Essentia non est illud quod generat, dist. 4. lib. 1. saith I om­bard, it is not the Essence which begetteth. [Page 166] Neither must we beleue, quoth his Epito­mist Spinaeus, Spin. ibid. quòd Pater genuit diuinam esē ­tiam, that the Father begat the diuine es­sence: Bern. lib. 5. de consid. which is also S: Bernard his opiniō, Quòd alter ex altero, & alter ad alterum est, & veracissimè dicitur, this relatiō, that one is of the other, personarum designatio est, non vni­tatis diuisio, is the designemēt of the persons, not the distracting of the vnitie; and this is Caluin his drift against Gētilis, in saying that Christ was [...] God of him selfe: bee­cause that blasphemer his opinion was, that the Father was Essentiator filij, and the sonne Essentiatus: that the deitie of Christ was but a portion [...] as a cantell cut out of Gods essence, by a dependance, and leaue, not originally: so that his meaning is, vbi supra. as Bellarmine confesseth, that Christ as God, borrowed not his essence from the Father, but communicated from all eterni­tie of the same essence with him, there be­ing as Cyril speaketh, Cyrill. [...], the same identitie of substāce in al the three persons; else were not Christ God equall with his Father: and so should commit a robbery [Page 167] in making himselfe so, Phi. 2. Phil. 2. [...]. for whatsoe­uer incipit esse ex aliquo, or per aliquod, is not idem illi, the same with it, by which & of which it hath his being, Ansel. Mo­nol. c. 18 August. in psal. 68. saith Anselmus. Therefore Austen concludeth, that hee is called the sonne respectiuely to his father, but Deus ad seipsum, correspondent to that of Cyrill, Cyri. in Ioh. that the Father and Sonne respe­cting the substance, are vnum principium, for that he, which was in the beginning with God, was God, Ioh. 1. 1. Ioh. 1. 1 so that, those spea­ches of the Fathers, of Ignatius, Ignat. that the es­sence of the Sonne is genita, begotten: of Denis, Dionys. Areop. Hilar. that in the Father is [...], the fountaine of the Deitie: of Hilarie, that the Son hath nothing nisi natum, but to be borne; of Augustine, August. that the Father hath [...], his essence of himselfe, the Sonne [...], his essence frō another: these (I say) are to bee vnderstood hypostatically, in regard of the persons, not essentially, which is Caluins opinion & no errour, Bella [...]mi vbi super. from which Bellar­mine rids him by this distinctiō. In which positiō if ther be either Arrianisme, as Ge­nebrard wil haue it; or Puritanism, as this [Page 168] mate scornes it; Durae. or Mahumetisme, as Du­raeus will inferre it; or Manicheisme, to which Canisius referres it, Canis. then euen Ge­nebrard himselfe is that way guiltie, who oft so distinguisheth; then was Pope In­nocentius a Puritane, who definitiuely concludeth, for Lombard against Ioachi­mus the Abbat, with authoritie and con­sent of the Councell of Lateran, Extr, de S. Tri [...]t. c. damnamus wee be­lieue and confesse that there is vna quaedam res, one certaine thing incomprehensible and ineffable, which truely is the Father, Sonne; and holy Ghost, and euerie of these three persons is illa res, that thing, viz. the substance, essence, and nature diuine: and illa res, that thing is neither generans, nec ge­nita, neque procedens, neither ingendreth, nor is begotten, nor doth proceed: but it is the Father which begetteth, the Sonne is be­gotten, & the holy Ghost proceedeth, that so distinctio sit in personis, vnitas in natura, there may be a distinction of the persons, but an vnitie in essence: thē is Bellarmine a Puritan, Simler. e­pist. ad Po­l [...]o [...]. for he alleadging Simlerus his confession, non negamus filium habere essen­tiam [Page 169] à Deo patre, sed essentiam genitam nega­mus, wee denie not the sonne to haue his essence of the Father, but we deny that the essence is begotten (the very opinion for which the Puritans are challenged) seeth no reason, Bellar. vbi supra. cur haec sententia catholica dicenda non sit, why this position should not bee catholike and orthodoxall. Then is Epi­phanius a Catharist, who calleth Christ, [...], perfect of himselfe, God of himselfe. Epiph. haeres. 69. and Origen also, who calleth him [...] life of himselfe: which is all one, Orig. in Iob. for idem est Deo esse & viuere, say the schoolemen, it is all one in God, to be & to liue. Briefly, the mystery is intricate, in quo humanum laborat ingenium, Aug de Tri. saith S. Augu­stine, intangling the wit, & exceeding the speech of any man: this obiection no con­trouersie, but a slaunder, long since vnaun­swearably rebutted by vs into their teeth, sauing that, with the poet, their malice so either delighteth or deceiueth them, that they had rather continue a cauill vainely, & contumeliously, Horat ep. li. 1. Quàm sapere & ring [...]—And now from heauen, like Lncifer, hee glides to hell.

Aunsweare.

What Puritans denie or affirme, the Church of England, whome this libell principally attainteth, meaneth not to de­fend, which, to cut off all factions in opi­nions about religion, hath ioyntly con­cluded the whole summe of her profession within the compasse of forty articles, the third whereof is this, As Christ died for vs, [Page 171] & was buried, Art. 3. 156 [...]. so, withall, it is to be beleeued that he went downe into hell: which it inioyneth vs to beleeue, not so much beecause it is an article in the Apostles Symbole, so called, (for it is notorious that this article was not admitted into the Creede 300 yeares after Christ, neither by the East nor West churches: Aqui. 22. q. 1. ar 9. omitted also in the Nicene Creede; nor any where extant, as Aquinas confesseth, in Symbolo patrum, in the articles which the auncient fathers doe recompt) but as being grounded vpon manifest scri­pture Psal. 16. and Act. 2. Psal 16. Act. 2. The exposition thereof not onely in moderne times, but euen presently after the admitting thereof, diuers and different; euery part of the pro­position, hauing a diuerse acceptation in the scriptures. For the proposition beeing this, Christ descended into hell; the subiect, Christ, is sometimes put for his person; sometimes for the efficacy of his death: his person somwhere for his Diuine, elswhere for his humane nature; his humanitie in some places, for his body onely; in other for his soule alone; and sometimes, for [Page 172] both his person and his office. The copula, descended, signifieth either a locall motion, from a higher to a lower place: or some more speciall pre [...]ence, and effectuall po­wer, shewed more in one place then ano­ther; as God, saying in Genesis, that he wil go downe: Gen. 18. and the holy Ghost descending in the Baptisme of Christ, Math. 3. Math. 3. The prae­dicate, Inferos Hell, either the graue; or the place of the damned; or the miserablest state, which may befall a man, either by imminēt perils pursuing him, which was Dauids Hell Psal. 18. Psal. 18. 5. or anxietie of mind tormenting him, which was Annaes He [...]l 1. Sam. 2. 6. 1 [...] Sam. 2. 6. or both ioyned together which was Ionas Hell, in his bodie distressed, be­ing deuouted of a whale, in the deepe sea: in his mind feeling Gods high displeasure vppon him, Ion. [...] 2. for his disobedience, Ion. 2. From which varietie of sence, there issue fiue seuerall interpretations of this article, none of them exorbitant from the scrip­tures tracke, or erring from the analogy of faith.

• [Page 173]1 That Christ his bodie was laid in the graue.
• 2 His soule, separate from the bodie, went to the place where were the soules departed.
• 3 His Deitie exhibited it selfe, as it were present, in the lowest pit, to the terrour of the deuils, and further despaire of the reprobate.
• 4 That the efficacie and power of his death, did euen thether stretch it selfe.
• 5 That Christ suffered those extreme anguishes and torments, which, for our sakes, by his father appointed he was to endure.

There is also a sixth, which passeth most rife among th [...] Fathers, who, taking Inferi for Abrahams bosome, August. & Hieron. et [...]. expound it, that Christ wēt thether ad liber andum liberandos to conuay the Fathers, deceased before his resurrection, into the place where nowe they are: but not returning, as the grosse Papistes expresse him, like another Hercu­les & Thoseus, with a flagge and a crosse. [Page 174] Saint Austen confesseth he could not sa­tisfie himselfe with any exposition there­of, August. ad Euod. especially of that place of Saint Peter, 1. pet. 3. which seemes most to confirme it. Cypri­an, or Ruffinus approue the first, that hee lay in his graue. The schoolmen mightilie trouble their heades, 1. into what place of hell hee went? Thomas includes all the parts of hell, as they haue diuided it: that as an haruenger he scowred Limbus patrum, Aquinas. p. 3. q. 52. and rid all from thence: as a conqueror he presented himselfe in Tartarus, for the ter­ror of the damned; as a visitor he surueyed Purgatory, promising them remission; 2. Howe hee descended, and was there? Caietan standes to it, that hee was there secundum effectum, Ca [...]t. in 3. powerfully, not perso­nally. Durande, that his soule was in Paradise secundum essentiam, Vide Mi­ [...]and. substantially, but in Hell ad effectum. Their Apollo Aquinas, that hee was in Limbo patrum in the first manner, in the other partes of hell, onely, in power and effect. 3. Whe­ther he endured the paines of hell, or were [Page 175] in loco paenae sine paena, Bonauent. as Bonauenture wil? or in paine & torment, Caietan. as Caietan collecteth out of Psal. 16? 4. What fruit and profite his descention wrought, whether he con­ferred any essentiall blessednes on the saints, which makes against Augustine: or increase thereof onely by hope of euasion from Purgatorie in time. 5. Whether the soules in Abrahams bosome only, or other besides them were manumitted; Ni [...]et. in Naz. Isa [...], and a­mong the rest, yea (one legend will haue it) before the rest, Plato his soule had the pre­heminence, hauing the grace first to receiue the faith. These curious quaerees, and fa­bulous eliminations of hels secrets, which S. Iohn properly calleth the deepnes of Sa­than, Apoc. 2. haue made men of zeale and iudge­ment to recourse to the scriptures, if there they may find a more full, certain & Theo­logicall sence of that article. Nowe then if the Puritanes (as this scorner tearmes them) among these Hydraheaded expositi­ons, one suppullulating after another, ad­mit of the last, viz. his extreme agonie, and feare in the garden, and on the crosse, indu­ced [Page 176] thereunto, respectiuely, considering, 1. the basenesse of that nature, wherein hee was vilified, despicatissimi vernaculi, imó ver­miculi, Bernard saith S. Bernard. 2. The cause he vn­dertooke, our sinnes: 3. The punishment for them, an accursed death. Besides the phrases in scripture, expressing those an­guished of mind: in the ingresse of this a­bissus, his soule heauie euen vnto the death, Mat. 26, Math. 26. with that strong crie and teares to bee deliuered, Heb. 5. Hebr. 5: in the progresse therin, those grumi sanguinis, clots of bloud breking from him Luc. 22: Luk. 22. in recessu intimo, when he was deepest in, that dreadful cla­mor, expressing a most horrible passion, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? Math. 27: Math. 27 with-all, his triumphes ouer the powers of hell, Colos. 2. [...] or [...], admitt which you please, either the first, referring it to his crosse, Origen. as Origen [...], vpō the tree, where he did [...], traduce them openly, videlicet, those spoiles which by conquest hee had recouered from the strong man, Math. 12. Math. 12. or the second, [...], in himselfe, which must be referred to bodie and soule [Page 177] both together, which could not be in hell locally, his bodie neuer descēding thether, therefore to bee referred to his suffering, which for that cause Bernard calleth actio passiua, Bernard. & passio actiua; if vpon these induce­ments, hauing, as they thinke, more preg­nant proofe in scripture, then any the rest, they sticke to this (put case the exposition be not the most proper) yet are they not to be accused of denying the article, for misse-interpretation is no deniall: perhaps, to ex­presse more liuely, and impresse in our thoughtes more deepely, that direfull con­flict, Math. 27 which for vs wretches it pleased him to endure, they haue vsed woordes some­what hyperbolicall, as despairing and forsa­ken: yet if first we consider our Sauiour in his meere humane nature, the deity, as it were, sequestring it selfe for a time, to lay him more open to this dreadfull combate; se­condly, that both some of the Fathers, and also their owne writers, haue vsed almost the very same woordes of extremitie, Hieronym. S. Ie­rome, that he did trepidanter renuere, with trēbling refuse, Damase. libro. [...]. Damascene, [...], [Page 178] that he was truely and vnfainedly affrigh­ted, Athanas. citing Athanasius for his authoritie; Rabanus, Rabanus. per Thom. that his humane nature was de­relicta; for [...]orne, forsaken; and therefore c [...]i­ed out, as we do in extreame daungers and agonies, qui deseri nos putamus, thinking and saying with Dauid, Psal. 31. 24. wee are cast out of the sight of Gods eyes; and Canus, that being derelictus à deo, Canus. lib. 1 [...]. omni (que) penitùs solatio destitutus, forsaken of God, & left void of all cōfort frō him, he culd not but sorrow; surely thē this accusatiō of denying this article, & of blas­phemous Arrianisme, allightes vpō these fathers, & themselues, as vpō the Puritans. But whōsoeuer this imputation toucheth, it no way concerneth, as at first said, our English professors, who establish that article, inioyning it to be accepted as an article of faith, the exposition whereof, as it is ge­nerally receiued in England, that right re­uerende Father the B. B. Bilson. of Winchester hath set downe. And so at last wee haue found an end of this long article, consisting of so ma [...]y branches. Whereof wee may say with the Greeke Philosopher, [...]lutarch. [...], [Page 179] it hath had many lies, & as ma­ny contumelies.

Aunsweare.

THis is like the Sophister, who hauing spent all his ar­gumentes beefore his houre, cries out, repetamus omnia bre­uiter, & rotundè, let vs goe o­uer them againe briefly and roundly: hee wanted matter to fill vp his odde nomber of fi [...]ue, therfore he botcheth it vp with the second, third, and fourth articles, brin­ging vs backe to his why, & what, making [Page 178] [...] [Page 179] [...] [Page 180] vs worse then emperikes and quackesal­uers: Arist. Met. for they know, [...], that such a salue is good for such a wound, but not the [...] the reason thereof: as for vs, we know nei­ther why, nor what we beleue. The great Philo­sopher thought that orators, which would demonstrate their coniectures; Idem ad Theod. & Geome­tricians which would perswade their principles, were very foolish; because nei­ther thinges probable could be ratified by demonstrations, nor thinges necessary are to be induced by perswasion. The grounds of our faith are supernaturall and diuine, the cause spirituall and inward, and there­fore not to be examined, nor aunsweared by why and what, that is humane reason; yet we say as before, Art. 4. Sect. 1. that the what, the matter of our faith, is the holy scripture, written, that we might beleeue, Ioh [...] 20. saith Iohn; which without doubting, August. epn st. 112. Rom. 10. we must beleeue saith Austen. The why, that is, the meanes why wee beleeue ex auditu, Rom. 10, by the word preached, Bernar. in Cant. that is oleum effusum in S. Ber­nard. The cause why, ex motu, the inward operation of the spirite, that is oleū infusum. [Page 181] For magisteria are adiutoria, August. in 1. Iohn. 1. saith Augustine, the ministerie of the word is a coadiutor with the spirite, but cathedram in coelo habet, qui corda docet, he that informeth the heart, is the doctor of the chaire, not of Moses in the Synagogues & schooles of Ierusalem, Math. 23: Math. 23. but in heauen is his chaire, from whence he teacheth by his spirite. Againe, he reuoketh vs to Church and Councels, foure times repeated within foure leaues, to which, because we will not stand with out due examination or iust cōtradiction, therefore hee inferres, that we haue no meanes to settle faith, to determine controuersies, to a­bolish heresies: all which haue beene aun­sweared in the former articles, wherin we appropriate these especial meanes vnto the spirite of God, and the holy scriptures; for the first, Isido [...]. Pelus [...]p. 30. lib. [...] the scripture, saith Isidore, wor­keth in vs faith, not obliquely, hoouerly, & ambiguously, but [...], firmely a­massed and compact, deepely setled, qui ne branle point, as the French speake, not mu­table, not nutable: for that which onely ingendreth faith, is the principall meanes [Page 182] to settle faith, which are onely these twoo, the word and the spirite, because all faith, by the confession of the schoolemen, is either acquisita, Aquin. in Rom. 10. which is the effect of the woord read or preached; or infusa, which is the operation of the spirite, without which the word is not effectual; for nunquam Pau­li sensum íngredieris, nisi Pauli spiritum imbibe­ris, a man shall neuer vnderstand Paul his meaning, ad Patres in montem vnlesse hee haue beene touched with Paule his spirite, saith Bernard: for which cause, both the Gospell is called the ground and stablishment of faith. Colos. 1. 23. Colos. 1. and the Apostles and Prophets, the foun­dation of our beleefe Ephes. 2. Ephes. 2. 20. which was not spoken personally, Aqui. ibid. but as Aquinas well interprets it, of their doctrine & writings, this being no derogation to Christ his pri­uiledge, who is the principall fundament, beecause, as the Apostle speaketh of him­self, 1. Cor. [...]. they hauing sensum Christi, do preach nothing els but Christ, and him crucified, 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 1. so that whereas other writers are to be read cum iudicandi libertate, Aug. contr. [...]aust. li. 11. with liber­tie to censure them, as wee please, with [Page 183] choise whether wee will beleeue them or no; the scriptures must be read cum credendi necessitate, Canusli. [...]. and therefore Canus confesseth, that vltima resolutio fidei, the last resolution of faith, must bee vppon the spirite his in­ward operation. Aqui. 1. q. 1. art. 8. And Aquinas, that fides non debet inniti, our faith must not be settled vpon any other writinges or decrees, then the authors of the Canonical bookes haue set downe. Can. li. 12. Whereupon the Bishop before named makes this conclusion, proper to our purpose. Nulla igitur alia &c. no other principles of diuinitie, no other doctrine of any diuines except of Christ, the Pro­phets, and Apostles, fidem ecclesiae fundat, doth ground or settle the faith of the church Secondly, for the determining of controuer­sies, wee appeale to the Princes Deputie, the Vicar generall of Christ; not the Pope, whome in this case they deifie, wee defie him, Tertul. de praeser. but Vicarium Domini, as Tertull. calles him, the holy ghost; and to his sentence, viz. the scriptures, wherein there is that vi­caria vis Spiritus Sancti, id em de V [...]g. vel. that power delegate of the Spirit: and thus put the case with S. [Page 184] Augustine. Aug. de nupt. & concup Ista controuersia iudicem requir it? doth this Controuersie require an vmpire? Iudicet Christus, let Christ be he: which hath those three perfections required in a Iudge, (confessed, though ironically, yet truely, by the Herodians, Math. 22. Math. 22.) giuing a true sen­tence, wherein we are assured, there is no error; absolute, admitting no appeale, vp­right; August. vbi supra. without bias of partialitie: Iudicet cum illo & Apostolus, and with him ioyne the arbitrement of the Apostle, because Christ himselfe speaketh in the Apostle. Excellent is that place of Optatus, Optat. Mileu. cont. Parmen. are their Controuersies, in poynts of Christianitie? Iudges must bee procured to reconcile thē, not Christians, they will bee partiall on each side; not Pagans, they are not capable of these mysteries; not Iewes, they are sworne enemies against the truth: from earth wee appeale to heauen; sed quid pulsa­mus ad Caelum, but why stand we knocking there; cum habeamus hic in Euangelio, since here wee haue him in the Gospel? where if wee knocke, the doore shall be opened, by him, whome Theophyl. calleth [...], [Page 183] Theo [...] l. in Iohn. 10. Basil. ep. 80. the porter of the Scriptures. And so, for that point, we conclude with S. Basil, [...], let the holy scripture determine betweene vs, for there we haue controuersiarum [...] the deuoyement & dis­solution of all controuersies, said the noble Emperour Constantine, Theod. lib. 1. c. 7. in the Councell of Nice. For in Gods matters, who more fit to iudge then God himselfe? Idoneus e­nim sibi testis est, Hila. lib. [...]. de l'rin [...] qui nisi per se cognitus non est. The same we say of the third, for abolishing herefies, the scriptures beeing as proper and sufficient [...] to confound an here­sie, 1 Tim. 3. 1 [...] as it is [...], to found a veritie. For which cause both the spirite and the woord are compared to fire. The spirite, 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 3. 13 discerning betweene straw and siluer, Ier. [...]3. 2 [...]. stubble and gold: The word, Ier. 23. disgregans heterogenea, seuering the pretious from the vile, the mettall from drosse: be­ing both index & vindex, the discrier of heresies, & the destroyer of them; the boke of God, by the power of the spirite, being as Dauids sling and stones, 1 Sam. [...]7. able to pro­strate Goliah, and repell the Philistines, & [Page 186] therefore, though Councels assembled for confounding heresies, yet the speciall artil­lerie wherwith they battered those [...], 2. Cor. 10. lofty imaginations of rebellious heretikes, were fetched from the tower of Dauid, Cant. 4, Cant. 4. 4. this armory of God. For, if the high priest discerne not of the leprosie, or crime secundum legem, Deut. 17. according to the law, though his authoritie were great, yet his sentence was frustrate; it beeing not free in matters of religion for men to determine, or condemne what they will, but iuxta le­ges, so farre forth as the law prescribes thē, saith a Papist on that place: Hieroni. ab O [...]e. otherwise it might proue a tyranny ouer the conscience [...], 2. Co [...]. 1. [...]9. to be Lordes ouer the faith of men, to inforce them without scripture. So then, we conclude this point with that precept of the wise mā. [...]. 12. 12 His amplius fili mine requiras, seeke no farther, nor other meanes then these, the spirite and the scriptures, for the true Catholike church admittes of no other, howsoeuer that Church, thus nick-named, the whore of Babylon, enamored with strange louers, doth boast herselfe of traditions, and councels, and fathers.

Aunsweare.

Vmbratilis lucta, Era. Chil. [...]. as the prouerbe is, all this we yeelde, acknowledginge, that [...]ruth must bee planted: that heresie must bee ex­tinguished: that the teachers and pastours must bee authorized: that Councels may bee as­sembled; that the Church must bee obeyed: yet with prouisoes, that the trueth bee no other then the Gospell wee haue receyued. Gal. 1. [...]. [Page 188] Nothing counted heresie, which is re­ligion sincerely professed, Act. 24. Act. 24. 14. that those Pastors, haue the Vrim & the Thum­mim. Deut. 33, Deut. 33. 8. science and conscience, fee­ding their flocke diligently and holesome­ly, 2. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 4 that councels bee lawfull as­semblies, Act. 19, Act. 19. congregated by com­mand of Princes, not hurried by the Pope; not a rabble of illiterate Friers; not a ban­ded rout of preiudiciall priestes; not a fa­ctious bench of partiall vmpieres; not o­uer-swaying the scriptures by authoritie and nomber, but ouer-awed by the scrip­tures; Hila [...]. lib. 1. de [...]. admitting that sence quem ex dictis retulerint, non attulerint, which they can worke out of them naturally, not inferre vppon them peruersely. Lastly, that the Church haue roometh vniuersally exten­ded, not confined to Rome straightly py­nioned. But that place out of Math. 18. dic Ecclesiae, Math. 18. Dist. 19. cap. [...]. is here a guest, though boldly in­uited, yet not lawfully arrayed; that pre­cept commaunding a reference, and obe­dience to church gouernours, in quarrels personall, not questions Theologicall, for [Page 189] reconcilement of mutuall offences, not de­termining spirituall controuersies. Wherein if either party be found, auther malitiously implacable, or vnreuerently obstinate, hee is to bee cast out as an Ethnike and Publi­can, vnfit for the company of Christians whose character is charitie Ioh. 13. Ioh. 13. 35. whose duetie is obedience Heb. 13. Heb. 13. 17.

Aunsweare.

Those verily are the meanes, Vide praeci. pu [...] Staplet. doctr principi. wherein al the pseudocatholickes concurre for decisi­on [Page 190] of controuersies, all which haue before beene satisfied, therefore the present aun­swere is easie, and not necessarie: easie, for those meanes are mens, meerely humane: the practise of the church, the custome of men; the definition of councels, the iudge­mēt of men; the sentēce of the fathers, the censure of mē; partiall in affection, preiu­diciall in opinion, changeable by repeale of a second sentence; challengeable by ap­peale to an high iudge, lawfully to bee re­uersed by a sounder, though a lesse nūber: whereas the arbitrement of the scripture, which is ours, is the infallible rule of truth, and uerdict of the holy Ghost; none more direct, more constant, more absolute. Ea­sie againe, it hauing beene often shewed, that both the fathers, of Which they so vainely bragge, Saepe loquuntur, non quod sen­tiunt, sed quod necesse est, Hierony. ad [...]. ca. 4 sayth Saint Ierome. That the Church so called by them and the councelles, which represent that church, haue verie often beene deceiued. Some confirming the blasphemie of Arrius, Luseb lib. 7 no les thē ten in number; others establishing [Page 191] rebaptization of hereticks, Pamelius in Cypr. in the concur­rence of three councelles, sayth Pamelius; with the consent of huge assemblies, saith Eusebius; Euseb. vbi supra. and among the rest, the coun­cell hee here nameth in the margent, the first Nicen: some prohibiting second mari­age, as that in Neocaesaria; others disauow­ing returne to warre; others rearing vp Idolatry, and giuing Angels and the soules of men bodyes, as the second Nicen; and in this theme might be infinite, but I shut it vp with that speech of Saint Augustine, Sed haec humana iudicia deputentur, Aug. [...]. 167. & circu­uenire, &c account no otherwise of these, then of mens iudgements, either circum­uenting by false glosses, or circumuented by corruptions; for which cause Pelagius the Pope delt wisely, Dist. 21. ca. Quamuis. who would not stand to councelles for the prerogatiue of his place, but fetched it from the Gospel. Not necessary: this differēce about autho­ritie of councelles, and soueraintie of the church, being but a muster, no skirmish; no disputation, but a shewe: for when Bellarmine hath runne himselfe out of [Page 192] breath, by putting out all his reasons in the behalfe of Councelles; and Stapleton ingaged his whole credite with putting in his 15. Cautiōs, about the iudge of contro­uersies; all their Items are at last closed vp within the Pope his Ephod, or his [...], his papall soueraigntie, or his sentence perem­torie; Sext [...]. Ab. arbitris. gloss. for hee is lex animata in terris, the li­uing law vpon the earth, containing all lawes with in the compasse of his breast; ca. de cōstit. licet. his authoritie by his flatteres proclaimed to bee greater then the Angelles (Councels are shadowes) in foure things, Antoninus par. 3 sum. the iurisdic­tion, the administration of the sacraments, in knowledge, and in reward: by whome not onely the Bookes and writings of all authours, Ca. si Rom. dist. 19. are to be approoued or disauow­ed; but euen generall councelles haue their efficacie and confirmation: dict. 17. C. Synodum. dict. [...]. ca. Dec [...]etales 11. q. 3. c. Quatuor. and the inter­pretation of the sayde councelles subiect to his determination: because the iudge­ment of Councels, and persons, beeing meerely humane, dict. 19. c. Sic. omnes may foure waies be cor­rupted, by feare, by fauour, by malice, by largesse. Onely his sentence is to be admit­ted [Page 193] as from Peter his owne mouth. Dist. 19. c. Sic omnes. Hostie c. Quando. de trans. God himselfe and he, the Pope, hauing but one consistorie, without whose countenance and authoritie, the scriptures are but as Aesops fables, in the opinion of Herman­nus & Hosius; the Councels but conuen­ticles Dist. 20. their decrees like liuing mens wils, and the fathers no body: wherefore as the orator sayde, [...] Decret [...]. that pronuntiation had the first, Demosth. second, and third place in Rhetorick: so in definitiues of Religion, the erection of fayth, the compoundinge of controuer­sies, the abandoning of heresies is wholly the Popes: the rule of fayth, what the Pope alloweth; the interpretation of the fa­thers, which the Pope followeth; the de­finition of councelles, which the Pope confirmeth; the practise of the Church, what the Pope auoweth. But bee it the Popes omnipotence, or assembly of coun­celles, or consent of Fathers, or tradition of the Church, Augusti [...]. wee say with Saint Augu­stine, that none of these are to be preferred before Christ, cum ille semper veraciter iudi­cet, sithence his iudgement is alwayes true [Page 194] and irrefragable, Ecclesiastici autem indices, sicut homines, plerun (que) falluntur, but ecclesia­sticall iudges, as men, are often deceiued; whereby we nothing impaire the dignitie or necessitie of Councels, acknowledging them with Saint Austen to bee saluberri­ma, most soueraigne antidotes against the poyson of heresies; yet wee subiect them to the spirit and the scriptures, which a­lone haue this priuiledge, Idē ep. [...]19 non errare: for the heresies which the Councels, he spe­cifieth, did cōdemn, vanished not by their authoritie personall, but the power of the word, the principall weeding hooke that cuts vp the tares, Mat. 13. [...]8. Math. 13. so were the pa­trons of circumcision confuted, in that Councell Act. 15 by Moses lawe; Act 15. so the Arrians, Theod. lib. 1. c. [...]. in the Nicen Synod, [...], receiued their deaths wound by the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, Eph. 6. [...]phes. 6.

Aunswedre.

Ignorance ioyned with malice is im­portunate: this section concerning the authoritie and Interpretation of Scriptures, hath receiued a sufficient answere, Ar [...]ic [...]. ridding vs from all blame, for admitting that which Christ commaundeth, whose will is that we should search the scriptures, Ioh. [...]. 3 [...] Iohn 5. which are not onely witnesses of him, but Iudges for him: therefore called the rule of life and beleefe, discerning the crooked from that which is straight; [...], as saint Paul termes it, Phil. 3, Phil. 3. 16 the one rule, not par­tiall, as Bellarmine calles it, but totall & perfect. Theop [...] [...]bid Else were it no rule, sayth The­ophylact, if it admitted either appositiō or ablation: the ignorance thereof is the cause of error, by our Sauiour his iudgement, Math. 22. Mat. 24. [...]. the inquirie [...], of a more exact addition thereuuto, is heresie [Page 196] in the opinion of Basil: Basil. lib. 1. contr. Eun. it driueth from the Church as Christ the marchandize out of the Temple, Iohn. 2. [...], all iarre which might engender controuersie, sayth Con­stantine the famous Emperour; by it onely were the Arrians quelled, Theod. li. [...]. as Theodoret witnesseth; & to it, from the Councelles, Saint Austen reuoketh Maximinus the here­ticke, Aug. co [...]. Maxim. li 3. not doubting there to giue him the ouerthrow; for whether shall wee goe? sayth Peter, Iohn. 6. 63. Iohn 6 thou hast the wordes of eternall life: which woord written tea­cheth all thinges that concerne both our faith, the life of this our pilgrimage, 2. Cor. 5. [...]. Cor. 5. 7. and our saluation, the glory of our pur­chased heritage; Damas. li [...] [...]. 18. working in vs, sayth Da­mascene, [...] [...] euerie excellent vertue, [...], all sincere knowledge, with­out spot or error; and as the night extingui­sheth not the starres, it is the comparison of Zepherinus a Pope: Dist. 38. c. sicut. so no worldly pol­lution, no soul heresie cā obscure or infect the mindes of the faythfull, sacrae scriptu­rae firmiter inhaerentes, which holde them­selues fast to the holy scriptures. Other te­stimonies [Page 197] thou mayst beleeue, or not be­leeue, according as thou shalt trust them sayth Austen, Augstin. epist. 11 [...]. but these are subiect to no humane iudgement, beeing the sole and supreme iudge of all writings, and de­creementes, Contr. Crel. lib. [...]. saith hee else where, and so the fittest Vmpire in all controuersies. The same wee say of Interpretation, appealing to the spirite working vppon the heart, and the Scriptures explaning themselues, the twoo most infallible interpretours. For if that rule of the lawyers bee sound and currant, Eius est interpretari, cuius est condere, hee may best expound the law, which made it; surely the speaches in holy writt, being the motions and dictates of the spi­rite, 1▪ Pet. 1. [...]. 2. Pet. 1 no expositor can be so sound and infallible as himself, who best vnder­standeth his owne secretes. 1. Cor. 2. 11 1. Cor. 2. and therefore Ierome thinkes, Ier. in Gai. 1 that any sence which he giueth not, that wrate it, is an heresie. Where if Bellarmine his obiection be recōmenced, that the holy Ghost spea­keth not; and that the scriptures are, as the philosopher said of law bookes, Gellin [...] lib. 14. c [...] Mutimagi­stri, [Page 198] dumme schoolemasters; Iudex mor­tuus, Can. lib. 1. [...]. a dead iudge, as Canus cals it; that is false: for God, saith the Apostle, spake vn­to vs by his prophets, & now by his sonne Heb. 1, Heb. 1. [...]. not viua voce, for they were deade, but by their writinges: and the word of exhortation speaketh vnto vs as vnto chil­dren. Heb. 12. 5. Heb. 12, and the law hath a mouth, Deu. 17. Deut. 17. Chry [...]ost. homi [...]. 13. [...] Gen. & the scripture, saith Chrisostom, seipsam exponit, expoundes it selfe, not per­mitting the auditor to erre, and doth pre­sent Christ vnto vs, being vnderstood and opened [...], by the holy Ghost, saith Theophyl. Theophil in Iohn. 10. For the teacher may bee a latere tuo, but if there bee nullus in corde tuo, thou canst not vnderstand, August. in [...]. Iohn. [...]. saith Austen. But because the holy Ghost appeared some­time in the forme of a Dooue, therfore they take it, hee hath that qualitie of dooues: Aspicis vt fugiant ad candida tecta columbae, O [...]id. to delight and reside, only in glorious assem­blies, in general councels, or in the radiant dooue-cote of the Popes braine; but the Apostle giues that priuiledge [...], to euery spirituall, 1. Cor. 2. 51 though a priuate man [...]. [Page 199] Cor. 2. For hee respectes not persons, no [...] places, 1. Iohn. [...] 20. 27. nam & vos vnctionem habetis, sayth S. Iohn, you also haue the annointing, & those were priuate men. Which annointing, teacheth you all thinges, neither neede you, vt quis, that any man, or Angell, or Councell, or Pope, should teach you: and therefore the scripture, beeing [...], the rule which cannot erre, the spirite inwardly, and the woord outwardly are the most infallible interpre­ters for exposition, and by consequent, the onely arbiter for controuersies; beecause hee which knowes the trueth, may soone discerne of a lie, 1. Ioh. 2. [...] by S. Iohn his rule, for that no lie, is of the truth. And they which know the truth, Aqui. ibi [...]. saith Aquinas, habent sc [...]ē ­tiam discernendi, & agnoscendi haereticos, haue the perfect vnderstanding to discerne and know heretikes, and by knowing them to auoide them: Psal. 119. for that cause, by Dauid, called a guide to our pathes; [...]. Pet. 1. by S. Peter, a light in darken [...]s; August. de Bap. contr. Don. lib. 2. by S. Austen the ballance to weigh all opinions, whether light or heauie; the touchstone to trie the mettall, whether base or pure, whether currant or [Page 200] counterfaite, Chryso [...]t. [...] Cor. saith Chrysostome; the only Ariadnees threed, to extricate our inclosure within any maze of empestered errors; & the Alexanders sword, to cut the Gordian knot of the most inexplicable ambigui­ties. Vppon all which premisses wee con­clude, that the scriptures, hauinge such [...] sole sufficiencie in themselues, & authoritie from the spirite, thereby haue potéstatem decernendi, power to iudge; and for the exact knowledg they affoord, Aqui [...]. haue vim discernendi, faculty to discerne betwene trueth and falsehood; therefore the Prote­stantes to bee commended, for admitting them the sole Vmpiere in-controue [...]sies, & the most certaine interpreters of themselues. Onely wee pray with Dauid, Psa. 119. 18 renouncing our owne insight, Open thou our eies, that we may see the woonders of thy law; viz the assi­stance of the spirite, which both giues the sence thereof, and mooues the assent there­vnto saith Bernard. Bern [...] in Cāt.

Aunsweare.

Hypocrites vse to see extramittendo, Math 7 Math. 7. but if this Lamia, Plut. de. curio [...]. would keepe his eies in his head, whē he is at home, as he puts thē on, going abroad; hee might there behold the iarres and differences of Thomist and Scotist; of Franciscan, and Dominican; of regular, and secular; of Iesuite, and Priest, among thēselues, in matters very essentiall & capitall: There he might see Pighius ta­xed about Adams fall; Chisamensis cen­sured about the death of the bodie for sin Vide M [...]dinam. & Canur [...]., which he denied; Catherinus vexed about the assurance of grace; Durand snaped, a­bout originall sinne, and merite in the workes of grace; Caietan much molested, about the sufficiencie of scriptures; and so I might goe on: whereas the iarres among vs, though vnkinde, yet not in this kinde, [Page 202] onely for ceremonies externall, no pointes substantial: that fire 1. Cor 3 hath tried thē to be but stubble, 1. Cor. 3. and straw controuersies; the word of God, hath appeased them, and will confound them, if malice and preiu­dice make not men irreconciliable. And al­beit some like hedgehogs (as Pliny reports of them, Pliny [...]. who beeing loaden with nuts & fruite, if the least filberd fall off, will fling downe all the rest, in a pettish humour, and beat the ground for anger with their bri­stles) will so leaue our church and remaine obstinate for trifles and accidents, things in themselues indifferent, though the princes authority haue now made them necessary: Yet this is our comfort, first, that the Gos­pell preached among vs (like that fire in the mount Hecla, [...]. recorded by Surius, which drinkes vp all waters, & deuoures al wood cast vpon it, but cannot consume flax, and tow) hath dispersed the grosses heresies of Popery & superstition, though these flaxen rags of ceremonies & shewes, lie glowing, in the embers of some malicious and hot spirits, not consumed. Secondly, that we [Page 203] make the scriptures the sole iudge, not appealing to Councelles, nor relying vppon mens authorities: which hauing doone, we conclude with Paul, Siquis sec [...]s, if any bee otherwise minded [...] God will reueale it, Phil. 3. 1 [...]. and pacifie them; and if obstinately minded, Gal. 5. 13. we wish his [...] that God will reuenge them, and cut them off. The truth is, the Puritanes snar­ling hath fed the Papists humor, and stuf­ [...] [...] bookes with reproches, who o­therwise had wanted matter to vpbraide our Church withall, if the other had lear­ned of the God of peace, to haue kept the vnitie of the spirite, Eph 4. in the bond of peace.

Answere.

The Church in this land hauing the two principall notes of a visible particular Church, the worde diligently preached, the sacraments duely administred, is more abso­lutely perfect, and more gloriously renow­ned, then the Romish Synagoge; notwith­standing that Bozius the strumpets herald, [...] hath charged her eschucheon with a fielde of 57 coates, and displayed them in his standard, as the ensignes of Christs Ca­tholicke Church; for that rule of Saint Ie­rome being sounde, [...] in Psal. [...]3. that Ecclesia ibi est vbi fides vera est, the church is wher true faith is, which cannot bee planted without the word, therfore the most certaine note of a true church, is where the scriptures do sin­cerely sound; August. de [...]. 3. Ciui [...]atem enim Dei dicimus, cu­ius Scriptura testisest, sayth Austen: the pri­mitiue [Page 205] church was known by continuing in the doctrine of the Apostles, Act. 2. 24. Act. 2. the Lords field distinguished from others by the good seede sowne in it Math. 13. Math. 13. the children of the kingdome, that is, of the church, 1. Cor. 4. [...] bred and fedde by that seede. 1. Cor. 4 the law of God▪ read and heard among the Israelites, was the glorie of their vvisedome ouer all nations, and the speciall note of Gods church, and his presence among thē, Deut. 4. Deut. 4. 6. yea, but hereticks also alleadge scrip­tures: Tertull. de [...] first that is false, for if hereticks were brought to that passe, sayth Tertullian, Vt de solis Scripturis quaestiones suas sisterent, stare non poterant, to be tryed, for their questions, by scriptures onely, they were not able to stand; and therefore they haue principally indeuoured to abolish, or falsifie them. Dionysius Bishop of Corinth proues it by a cōsequēt, E [...]s [...]bi. li. 4. that they, which would abuse and corrupt mens writings (for at his they had beene nibling,) much more would depraue and falsifie the Scriptures: Saint Austen found it in them, [...] that they would deface scriptures prosua libidine, as [Page 206] themselues list, to serue their lust: pro vo­luntatis suae sensu, [...] lib. de Trinit. non veritatis absolutione, sayth Hilary. Instances they giue both, in Mar [...]io [...], Montanus, Photinus, Sabellius, and others; as for the Manichees, they insisted more vpon their inspired Manes, then the authoritie of holy Writte. And Ruffinus reasoneth thus, (though by a contrary ar­gument) yet to the same purpose with Dionysius aboue named, and thinketh it no maruell for hereticks to abuse the wri­tings of that famous scholer Origen, Ruffin. in apologia Originis. si­thence they could not withhold impias ma­nus, theyr prophane hands from the books of God. Secondly, admit they number and quote Scriptures, yet it is but either apish­ly, [...] as Chrysostome compareth it, by fond imitation of true professors; or peruersely, by corrupting the alleadged places, menti­untur, Hilar. ad Constant. O [...]igen. [...] Ezech. [...]. sayth Hilary. Origen will tell him that there is quaedam castitas diaboli, that he­retickes will bee exceeding holy, both in the deportment of their life, and in the a­moncelment of scripture texts, thereby to insinuate their errors more plausibly into [Page 207] the mindes of men: Iden [...] in Rom. 10. yet else where he will distinguish to this our purpose properly, there is a difference betweene Euangelizare bona & bené (the want of an aduerbe as it marres a good action, Aristot. so a sound interpre­tation) accumulating of scriptures is not all one with the right vnderstanding, and the proper applying of them: it being not in this case, Natal, C [...]es. as in Arithmeticke, where two are more then one, and three more then two: Iudg. 7. but as in Gedeons army, Iudg. 7 non numerus, sed virtus, not the coaceruation of places, but the true alleadging, which supports the truth, and distinguisheth he­retickes frō sincere professors, [...]am de intelli­gentia haeresis est, Hilar. lib. [...]. de Trin [...]. non de scriptura saith Hilary, heresie growes, and is grounded vppon a wrong sence, not from the text and letter it selfe; Origen. in Luc. and this made Origen to say, that heretickes vrging scriptures turned stones into bread, feeding themselues with that which choaked them, and ouerthrowes them; Hila [...]ius de Synodis. the reason is giuen by Hilary, quia scripturas sine sensu loquuntur, they number, but misconstrue them, either [...] [Page 208] Eph. 4. Eph 4. 14. T [...]rtu [...]l. de praeser. c. 17. 2. Pet. 3. 16. Math 9. cogging a sence deceitfully, or [...] rackinge them peruersely; or [...] with a botch, sewing a newe peece to an old garment, by adding to the Texte, that which was not there originally: the three principall properties noted by Ruffinus amonge Heretickes. Ruffin in Apolog. [...]. And yet as Hilary excellently closeth vp that point, Hi [...]ari. [...] supra malè sanctis rebus praeiudicatur &c. it is a bad argument, and a greater iniury a­gainst holy writinges, beecause some men haue profanely abused them, that therefore they should not be vsed at all. Yea rather as else where hee speaketh, Idem lib. 1 de [...] [...]imit. Vesaniam & igno­rantiā haereticorum properamus expraeconijs pro­pheticis & Euangelicis confundere; wee make more speede to confute heretikes by them. For the deuil encountred our Sauiour with scripture text Mat. 4, [...] but Christ made him recule, with the same weapō better hand­led. The Arrians pretended scripture for their blasphemy, but the scriptures reioy­ned prooued their ouerthrow; the reason giuē by Theodoret, Theoderet lib. 1. c. 7. their all [...]gations were but literall, but the opposition was out [Page 209] of the scriptures [...], religiously vnderstood, and faithfully applied. Briefly for this point of heretikes alleaging scriptures, the philosopher said excellently, Seneca de benef. Nihil est tam manifestae vtilitatis, quin in contrarium trans­ferat culpa: Psal. 69 and Dauid imprecates it for a curse, and God inflictes it for a plague vp­on reprobates, that the thinges which should be for their wealth, proue vnto thē an occasion of falling. Therfore as health­full bodies are not to refuse good meates, because men discrased, Plut. [...] of ill stomacks, and worse liuers, tourne the best aliment into bad humours: so though heretikes tortu­ously peruert scriptures, for their owne de­fence; yet we must not cease to relie vpon them, and recourse vnto them, and, as S. Basil wisheth, Basil. [...] cap. [...] to confirme all matters of faith by their testimony, [...], both for the establishment of the sincerely affected, and the discomfi­ture of the heretically infected. The three o­ther obiections following are meere ca­l [...]mniations; for, concerning the contempt of Councels, First there is an ignoraunce in [Page 210] the comparison betweene the Arrians and vs, for they regarded and vrged councels, and so had good cause to doe, their blas­phemy hauing ben supported by so many. And it seemeth by S. Austen his appeale frō Councels to scriptures, Aug. contr. Maxim. l 3 that Maximinus the Arrian much insisted vpon the councel of Arimine: then a slaunder against our professors, because, though we make not Councels the groundcels of our faith, yet we reuerence & embrace them, except be­fore excepted. For albeit a priuate man in­dued with the spirite of God, and girded with the sword, [...]. 6. that is, with the word of the spirit, may confound an hereticke; yet in a publike assembly the sentence is more solemne, the consent more weightie, stil adding this withall, that the iudgement awarded by them, is but ministeriall, and instrumentall; but the law, according to which they iudge, must be the word writ­ten. And thus wee regard Councelles, so farre forth as they bee directed by the spi­rit of Councell Esa. 1 [...]. Esa. 1 [...]2 for if wee receiue the writings of men, the testimonie of [Page 211] God is greater, Ioh. [...]. 36. Ioh's. the other for priuate interpretation, hath had his repulse before, we challenge it not to our selues, but refer it to the spirite of God, & say with S. Ber­nard, Luc. 24 cognoscite Dominum in fractione panis, for the bread of life, which we breake vn­to the people, Bern. in Cant. though it be nostris manibus, yet it is Dei viribus, it is done by our hands, but with his strength. And for the Laitie Canus often confesseth, Canus lib. 2. cap. 8 that the anoyn­ting teacheth euerie priuate man, in whom he is, easily to vnderstand whatsoeuer is properly necessarie for his saluation in the scriptures. If heretickes should not arro­gate the spirite vnto themselues, there should bee no verie great vse of that excel­lēt gift, 1. Cor. 1 [...] discretio spirituum, the discerning of the spirits, to trie whether they be of God or no. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Ioh. 4. 1 As for the third of the little flocke, it is a fancie of his owne dreame, no claime of ours. Perhaps against that vaine flourish of visible vniuersalitie, whereof the Church of Rome so boasteth, we haue obiected, that it is no certaine note of Christs Church, [...] because many, as Vegetius [Page 212] speaketh, in this militant state march pro­milite, which are not milites; nor all are Is­raell, Rom. 9 which are of Israell, Rom. 9. that Christ, in the mustre of his souldiours, findes many t [...]multuarios et euocatos, such as are good for a push and away; many cal­led; but [...] a few enrolled & billed, Apoc. 3. Apoc. 3 Math. 7 that in the suruiew of his heards, there are many pinfolds, & store of sheepe-skinnes, Luc. 1 [...]. 32 yet but a little flocke, Luk. 12. that though there bee many thousandes to bee saued, yet, in comparison of the millions damnable, Luc. 13 24. they are but few Luk. 13. that sullen pride of factious humours, who will sequester themselues from the multi­tude, as the purer, because the fewer, wee condemne and disauow. Our number we doubt not, but it is as great as theirs, and that euen in the Court of Rome, there are which loath the abominations of Rome. That bragging vaunt of vniuersalitie, wee account to bee the raskales reason in the Poet, Horat. epis. lib. 1. Nos numeras sumus [...] which esteeme of voyces by number, not weight; the Pa­gans clamour for Dianaes shrines, whom [Page 213] all the world worshippeth, Act. 19. 27 Act. 19 Constan­tius his argument for Arrius against A­thanasius, Theodor. lib. [...]. c. 16 that all the world had receyued that opinion, and the whore of Babilon, the Church of Rome, the Chimaera of he­thenish superstition in her ceremonies, of hereticall positions in her religion, her challenge, though most false, that her wine hath been drunke iu all corners of the earth: what sayth Saint Austen? Luc. 8. 45 August in Euang. Turba premit Chri­stum, pauci tangunt, there are many which croude Christ, there are but fewe touch him; and for the last clause of thrusting vs into the number of damned heretickes, if I should trace his steppes, it were easie to de­monstrate, Plin. n [...]t. that as the Nabis in Egypt, hath the shape of diuers beasts; and Hanni­balles armie consisted ex colluuie omnium gentium, hist. Liui [...]s. of the very baggage of all nations: so the whole body of Poperie is nought else, but a verie amassed lumpe of Pagan rites, and olde heretickes dregges, as in their Purgatorie, Idolatry, sacrifice for the dead, holy water, free will, challenge of the Church, merite of workes, renoun­cing [Page 214] of scriptures, &c is euident to an vn­partiall scholler; but being not so proper to the scope of this Article, I conclude the whole in this manner, that sithence by Austens confession, August. ecclesiasticall iudges are but men, and may soone be deceiued; that Councelles, Hilarius ad Constant. as Hilary excellently no­teth, are oft contrarie to themselues; that the Pope, their sacra anchora, their Church Oracle, is like as hee spake of Egypt, a splitting reede, [...]sa. 36. 6 Esa. 36. daungerously er­ronious; therefore the sole meanes for the establishing of fayth, and of the minde in doubts, and against heresies, are the books of God. for in the deluge of these waters deepe, deceitfull, wauering, where should the Doue rest, Gen. [...]. but on Noahs Arke, or the minde of man repose it selse, but on the word written? quod proficit ad fidem, ad vni­tatem, Hilar. vbi supra. ad salutem, sayth Hilary, which au ai­leth for faith, there is the setling of our beleef, and for vnitie, there is the diuision of contro­uersies, and the repulse of heresies, the twoo speciall breaches of Godly vnitie. And now I had thought these articles of fayth [Page 215] had beene ended, but hee had a spare syllo­gifme, which hee knevve not vvhere to marshall, and that he hath annexed to this Article, like a Goose feather to a Wood­cocks tayle.

Aunsweare.

The hottest fire cannot consume a dead mans heart, S [...]et. Calig. which hath bene poysoned; nor the spirite of grace allay the blasphemy of a feared conscience, cauterized with ma­lice, [...]. Tim. 4. not sparing to accuse euen the greatest Apostle of infidelitie. Yea but he doth it not simply, onely vpon condition, that is, if the principles of the protestants religion be true. Their principles are, that there is but one God, and three persons; that Christ is the Saui­our of the world; that hee was incarnate and crucified; deade and glorified, &c. Is S. Paul an infidell, because we lay these groūds of religion? his meaning is of principles dif­fering from Popery. First then, that is his leaudnesse, or his ignorant rashnesse, inde­finitely to attache all the principles, as acces­sarie to infidelitie. Secondly, it had beene plaine dealing to haue named them: for, because we set down, that there is but one purgation, and that in this life, the bloud of Iesus Christ, [...]. Ioh. 1 no Purgatory after to be ex­pected; that there is but one sacrifice propi­tiatory [Page 217] once offered, Heb. 9 videlicet, the body of Christ crucified, no masse to be reiterated; one mediator betweene God and man, the man Iesus Christ, no Saintes to bee in­uocated; Ephes. [...] that faith onely iustifieth, no workes coadiuuating; these are our prin­ciples, or rather, the scripture positions dif­fering from the Romanistes, doth S. Paul therfore exhort vs to infidelitie? I prooue it thus, saith hee whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt &c, Here is that speech of reuerend Synesius ve­rified, Synes. epist. ad Anastas. cùm ex plaustro, quod aiunt, conuicijs sit insectatus, multa (que) in nos sit vociferatus, when hee had with full mouth, and open crie, challenged all the principles of our religion for infidelitie, at the last, [...], the base sophister, shewes vs a Mouse for a Lion; and seazeth vppon one onely principle, namely, the assuraunce of saluation. Which when it is examined will proue but the Cyclops out cry, in the Poet, after his sole and onely eie was stroken out, Hom. Ody [...]. [...], no bodie, no bodie. For first, this question, whether the certainetie bee of hope, or of faith, is not iointly and generally determi­ned. [Page 218] among all protestantes. Againe, that we are to ascertaine our selues therof, euen by faith, is the opinion of some eminent Papistes. Med. [...] Durand, is censured by Medina, and registred in his rew of erroneus Do­ctors for it. Catharinus and Gropperus, mightely oppugned the contrary as [...]ertion in the Trentish conuenticle. Lastly, the syl­logisme it selfe, is both fond & false: fond in the Maior, for doubting may bee in pointes of faith without infidelitie or here­sie, Art. 2, & 3 as before out of Melchior Canus hath bene shewed, because infidelitie, is commō ­ly lincked with pertinacie: then the pro­bate of the Maior, in that faith is not tyed to thinges reuealed alone, beecause multa creduntur quae in scriptur is non leguntur, saith Austen many thinges are beleeued, Aug. contr. Max. lib. 3 not re­uealed in scriptures. False in the Minor, be­cause that text of S. Paul, marginally mis­alleaged, Phil [...] 12 Phil. 2 is no motiue to doubting, but an exhortation semblable to that due­tie prescribed to euery mā by God himselfe Mich. 6, Mich. 6. [...] sòlicitè ambulare coram Deo, to walk warely before the Lord, as a sonne before [Page 219] his father, with feare to sinne, not of sinne, that is, least by sinning, he should be coun­ted vnworthy the graces wherewith he is endowed, and the fauour whereof hee is vouchsafed; not of sinne, as if it were able to cast him finally from God, and so make him either to dispair, or doubt of his salua­tion; for being iustified by faith, hee hath peace with God. Rom. 5. 1 Rom. 5. and hauing semen manens, [...]. Ioh. 3. [...]. 1. Ioh. 3. he cannot sinne irremissi­bly: Lib. 3. de iustifie. c. 1. besides this, Bellarmine himselfe, frō whome this impious argument is borro­wed, puts a difference betweene feare and doubting; for, saith he, the receiued opinion in the church about this certainetie of sal­uation, albeit, it remoue not all feare, yet it vtterly taketh away all anxietie, and hae­sitation, Ibid. c. 1 [...] & ipsam etiam dubitationem, and euē doubting it selfe: and therefore, though the Apostle will vs to feare, yet hee exhorteth not to doubt, as this mate inferreth. Cer­tainelie, if wee consider the state wherein we stand, 2. Cor. 7. [...] we shall finde, as the said Apo­stle speaketh, without terrours, within feares, & causes of them both euery wher, [Page 220] by Sathan his pollicie, & malice about vs; by the lustes and affections, raging or tick­ling within vs; by the world, either flat­tering or pursuing vs: but if wee looke vp vnto him that loues vs in his beloued; to that sacrifice by which wee are reconciled; that victorie whereby sinne is conquered; to that spirite wherewith wee are sealed: we may in a Christian confidence, and as­surance of faith say, Bern. serm. [...]. in Cant. with S. Bernard, turba­tur conscientia, sed nōperturbatur, quoniam vul­nerum Dei recordabor, my conscience is tos­sed, not ouerwhelmed, beecause I call to minde the woundes of my God. For how should hee feare, or doubt which hath, as Bernard else where speaketh, geminum fir­missimum (que) Idē ep. 107 amoris argumentum, the twy-fold and most sure argument of Gods loue? both that faithfull witnesse Apocal. 3 Iesus crucified; Apoca. 3. 14 and the pledge of the spirite iusti­fying him, and testifieng vnto him, that he is the sonne of God. Rom. 8. 16. Rom. 8. a pledge? saith Aquine, Aquin. in Ephes. 1 yea an earnest 2. Cor. 1. for a pledge is restored, when the due is paide, but an earnest is giuen vpon a price, non auferendū [Page 221] sed complendum, not to bee taken backe, but to be made vp. For which cause S. Augu­stine calles it Maries part Luc. 10 which in this life augetur is encreased; Luc. 10. 42. in the next per­ficietur is fully complete; August. de verb. dom. nun quam aufere­tur, shall neuer bee taken away. This di­scourse is ful of comfort for the conscience, but See at large in Bern. epist. 107. & serm. in Cant. 68. 69 too full of matter for this briefe aun­sweare; my conclusion therefore, for it is, that which is an article of faith, is to be cer­tainely beleeued by faith: but the assurance to our mindes of our saluation, is an article of faith, where we say Credo vitam aeternam, I beleue the life euerlasting. If I say, I beleue that there is an euerlasting life after death, so much do the deuils confesse, and the Pa­gans haue testified, yet there is certitudo obie­cti assured vnto vs, as beeing promssio Dei, the promise of God: but when I say, I be­leeue that the eternall life is prepared and belongeth to me, this is certitudo subiecti, & this is opus fidei, the worke of faith; which hath both this powerfull force to tourne Dauids quorum into S. Paules ego. Psal. 32. [...] Blessed are they, saith the prophet quorum, whose [Page 222] sinnes are forgiuen; [...]. Tim. 1. 15 quorum ego, of which I am the chiefe, saith the Apostle: & also this skill to make a garmēt of Christ to put him on Rom. 13. Rom. 13 For that is a great comfort, & a faithfull saying, that Christ came into the world to saue sinners; yet, that is Christ in the broad-cloth, in the whole peece: now comes faith and cuts it out, and applies it specially, which loued me, and gaue himselfe for me Galat. 2, Gal. [...]. 20 here is Christ put on. So then faith assuming a particular minor, out of the maior gene­rall proposition, and making that present which is absent; (for that cause said to bee [...] Heb. 11. 1.) Heb. [...]1. 1 the assuraunce which it giues, is not onely spei, of hope in expecta­tion, but scientie as if it were now in pos­session, in so much that with the Apostle we may say, [...]. Ioh. 3. [...] We know that when hee shall ap­peare, we shall also appeare like vnto him in glo­ry. VVhich assurance worketh in vs, nei­ther presumption vpon his fauour, whose maiestie is dreadfull, whose iealousie is a consuming fire; nor carelesse securitie in our course of life, whose standing is so [Page 223] slippery, whose occasiōs to sinne so many. For the holy man Iob, who looking vnto his euerliuing redeemer, confidently pro­claimed it, though hee kill mee, yet will I put my trust in him Iob. 14. Iob. 14. 16. yet viewing his owne infirmities, and propensity to sinne, Iob. 9. 28 confesseth of himselfe Iob. 9, Vere­bar omnia opera mea, I feared all my workes: which feare, as also this of feare and trem­bling in the text cited, importeth no sus­pence of a doubtful, but a reuerent awe of a carefull mind, sollicitous to please, and warie to offend: which, both the phrase of speech, elsewhere vsed, implieth, as in 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 2. 3 where the Apostle conuersed and preached among them in feare and much trembling. Of what? Doubted hee his cal­ling? impossible, for he had it ascertained him, not by mediate instruction, but im­mediate reuelation Gal. 1. Gal. 1. 12. or his doctrine? vnlikely, hee knew it to bee the power of God vnto saluation Rom. 1. Rom. 1. 16 or their per­sons? a base conceite, for if hee sought to please men, he could not be the seruaunt of Christ Gal. 1. Gal. [...]. 1 [...] but beeing an Embassadour [Page 224] from God, and to deliuer his message, as in the presence of God, he carefully looked both to himselfe, in the deportment of his life; and to the diuine maiestie of wordes in the manner of his preaching; that nei­ther by his prolapsion into any sinne, his doctrine shuld be scādalized, nor through vanitie of rhetoricall flourish (the flags and rags of the false Apostles) the dignitie of the Gospel should be amoindred & made frustrate. So the Corinthians intertaine­ment of Titus, was with feare and trembling, 2. Cor. 7. [...]. Cor. 7. 15 if they doubted of his function, they neede not feare, they might haue re­nounced him; for intrusion without iust authoritie, strikes no terrour. It was, as a Frier expoundes it, Ti [...]tleman [...]bide [...]. both the reuerend re­gard of his person, beeing the dispenser of Gods mysteries; aud a duetifull obedience to his doctrine, being the word of life, lest they should seeme vnworthy of an embas­sy so comfortable, of a messenger so di­uine. As also the purport of the Apostle his counsell in this chapter Phil. 2. Phil. 2. which, sum marily, is nothing els but [...], that they [Page 225] should be like minded to Christ vers. 5. Phil 2. ve. [...] in shewing that humilitie and carefulnesse of vpright behauiour in Paul his absence, as if he were present vers. 12. 12 least liuing in the midst of a froward and wicked nation vers. 15. 15 the Apostles labour by their care­lesse leuitie, or carnall securitie, should bee deuoyded & abased vers. 16. 16 this solicitous reuerence, Tittleman ibidem. euē in Tittleman his paraphrase hauing reference to S. Paule his person and their profession, with a feare or warinesse to auoide all scandale, either passiue from their aduersaries, who obserued their mā ­ners preiudicially; or actiue, least thēselues should cōmit any action offensiue to God his maiestie, who had called them; or derogatiue to the Apostles ministery, by which they were called: so that this feare and trembling, to which he exhorteth, is for ordering their conuersation, a cautele most profitable; not diffidence of saluation, a motiue most discomfortable. For, que­stionlesse that mind, which cannot rest as­certained of his future happinesse, is most vnsetled, and miserable, euen in the reach [Page 226] of philosophy. Seneca. epi. lib. 1. Quid [...] refert qualis status tuus sit, si tibi videtur malus? what profite or comfort is it, for a mā to know, that the [...]e is a kingdome prepa [...]ed, Math. 25, and yet he must doubt whether doome hee shall recei [...]e, Math. 25. either ite, or venite, goe yee accur­sed, or come ye blessed? this beeing the ve­ry dictate of nature, in the Comicall poet, Non est beatus, esse se qui non putat, Hee is no happie man, which thinkes not himselfe to be so. The mindes felicitie resting not in the future expectation, but in the present perswasion.