CHAP. I.

ALthough the prayers of the faithfull are heard, if they be faithfully made, in what places soeuer, because our Sauiour saith: Matthew 7 Whosoeuer asketh, he shall receiue, and therefore, not the Publican onely was Luke 18 2. Reg. 20 heard in the Temple, but also King E­zekias in his Chamber, Elias vnder the Iuniper tree, Ionas in the bottome of the Sea, Manasses in the prison: Yet the Church is a place more e­specially Iona 2 oratio Manassis. Matth 21. appoynted for prayer, it is called the house of prayer, and God is more peculiarly present in that house, than in all o­ther houses. Of the Temple we reade, that Gods eyes were o­pen towards that house night and day, his name was especially 1. Reg. 8 there, he harkened to the prayers of his Seruants which stretch­ed foorth their handes in that place, and of them which were in captiuitie, if they turned towardes that house which was built for his name. A greater promise is made to the prayers of many v­nited together, than of one, and a more fauourable presence of Christ amongst them which make their ioynt petition; in­somuch, that when a congregation is ioyned together in his Matth 18 name, he will be in the midst of them, and if they agree in earth [Page 2] vpon any thing, whatsoeuer they shall desire, it shall be giuen of his Father which is in heauen.

If we lay before our eyes the Stories of the Bible, the exercise 2. Ezra 8 of the godly was such. In the dayes of Ezra the Scribe it was so: All the people assembled themselues together, hee brought the booke of the Law of Moses before the assembly of men and women, and all that could heare and vnderstand; he read from morning vntill mid-day vnto them, the eares of all the people harkened to the booke of the Law, he preached to them out of a woodden Pulpit, he praised the Lord the great God, and al the people answered, AMEN, AMEN, with lifting vp their hands, and they bowed themselues, and worshipped the Lorde with their faces towards the ground. In the newe Testament their maner was to meete together on the Saboth day, to ioyne in prayer, and to heare the word preached, and to receiue the sa­craments. In the Acts of the Apostles at Antiochia was main­tained Act. 14 a Lecture of the Law and the Prophets. Saint Paul deli­uered words of exhortation there after the Lecture, and they be­sought him to preach to them the same sermon againe the next Saboth. Saint Paul and his company being at Philippi on the Sa­both Act. 17 day, went out of the Citty by a riuer where they were accu­stomed to pray, there he preached and conuerted Lydia. And no doubt, but if our Recusants would heare our Sermons, many of them also would be conuerted. Vpon the Lords day at Troas the Act. 20 disciples were gathered together, to break bread, a multitude was gathered together, and Paul preached to them. When Peter was in prison, the Church making a ioynt petition for him, obtained a Act. 12 speedy and miraculous deliuery. And it was obserued as an espe­ciall vertue in the primitiue Church, that they continued toge­ther in prayer and breaking of bread, and that they had all one heart. And to this purpose Saint Paul exhorteth them saying: I beseech you brethren, in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, that 1. Corin. 1. ye all speake one thing, that ye be knit together in one mind and iudgement. And againe; the God of patience and consolation Rom. 15. graunt, that you may be like-minded one to another according to Christ Iesus, that you with one mind, and one mouth, praise God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ.

The true markes of the visible Church of God, are the hear­ing [Page 3] of the word, the participation of the sacraments and publike prayer, as out of the scriptures I haue declared. Let vs therefore examine the groundes whereupon so many of our nation, which would especially be accounted of the true church, withdrawe themselues from our publike assemblies, refuse to ioyne with vs in so Christian exercises; insomuch, that whereas it was wont to be reputed a punishment to be interdicted, suspended, and like Lepers, to be shut out of the Congregation, they now like Le­pers exclude themselues. Saint Ambrose needeth not now to ex­communicate Theodosius, for hee will excommunicate himselfe, Sozos. li. 7 c. 24 and we haue as much neede to whip them into the Temple, as our Sauiour had to whippe them out, as hee did in the storie of the Gospel. They alleadge for themselues, they do communi­cate Ioh. 2. together in prayer, though not with vs; they haue their con­uenticles and Masses in their chambers, and the exercise of their owne religion; but that it is against their cōscience to come to our churches, that we are Heretikes, Scismatikes, not members of the Catholike Church of Rome, not at vnity among ourselues, and consequently, that they may not safely communicate with vs.

CHAP. II.

THe ignorant Recusant being perswaded by the Minister, or required by the Magistrate, to shew his conformitie and o­bedience to Lawes, by resorting to the parish-Church, where he dwelleth: when hee is not able to answere such arguments as are obiected against him, nor in any sorte to defend his owne Religion, pretendeth his Conscience, and saieth: It is a­gainst Vide Gre. Mar. in tract de schi. my conscience, to come to your Church, and whatsoeuer I doe against my conscience, is sinne. I confesse that whatsoe­uer is done without testimonie and warrant of conscience, is sin to them which doe it, be the thing which is done, in it selfe neuer so lawfull, because the Apostle saith: He that doubteth, is con­demned if he eate, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoeuer Rom. 14. is not of faith, is sinne. In which wordes, by faith is vnderstood Conscience. But by the way, they must see that their conscience be rightly informed, else it will be their damnation. For, as Matth. 26. Act 9 [Page 4] it was sinne in Saint Peter to deny Christ, when in his conscience hee know that hee did euill: so it was sinne in Saint Paul to per­secute Christ, when hee thought in his conscience hee did well. Therefore, it is not onely damnable to do contrary to their con­science, but also to doe according as their conscience shall direct them, if they be not perswaded by the truth. Therefore, let them not deceiue themselues, taking that for conscience, which is but an error of conscience, and indeede a false perswasion of their minds, in follovving that which the ignorance of their owne fan­tasies and blinde conceites doth leade them vnto, without seek­ing any further. For so in his zeale Vzza supported the Arke 1. Chron. 13 when it was ready to fall, his conscience persvvading him that he did wel, although it vvas displeasing vnto God. So saint Paul Act. 22 speaketh of himselfe, that he vvas zealous tovvardes God vvhen he persecuted, and so our Sauiour fore-warneth his disciples, that Iohn 16 men shall excommunicate them, that the time shall come, that whosoeuer killeth them, shall thinke hee doth God good seruice; and hee sheweth the reason of this their error. These things saith hee, they will doe vnto you, because they haue not knowne the Father, nor me.

Therefore, for their better instruction, I wil define vnto them what Conscience is. Conscience, I say, is an application of a ge­nerall knowledge grounded vppon Gods word to particular a­ctions and intents. Or thus: conscience is a kinde of argumentati­on or practike syllogisme, whereby, out of a generall proposition, we doe, by a particular conclusion, absolue or condemne our selues, or others. In this syllogisme, the maior proposition is the in­ward sense and feeling of Gods iudgements, whereby we do rea­son and discourse of our actions, intents and purposes, hauing be­fore our eyes the rule of the lawe of God. The minor is the exa­mination of our actions, intents, and purposes, according to that rule, the conclusion is our finall determination concerning our selues or others, what wee or they hauing thus done, in­tended, and purposed, are to deeme or iudge of our selues or them. So then, in our conscience first we discourse, then we ex­amine, and last of all wee determine. For example. In Dauids taking Ʋrias his wife, we may see what Dauids conscience was. 2. Sam. 11. First, he had this generall notion imprinted in his minde, and [Page 5] grounded vpon Exodus, that adulterie was damnation: and if Exod. 2 [...] when he entended to take Ʋrias his wife, he had examined his intent by the rule of Exodus, hee had found it to be adulterie: and thirdly, after due examination had, finding his intent to bee adul­terie, hee could not but condemne himselfe in his owne consci­ence, that he was guiltie of damnation. According to this sense Rom. 1. saith Saint Paul: They haue the effect of the Lawe written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witnesse, and their thoughts accusing or excusing one an other.

Albeit conscience is sometimes taken only for the intellectu­all power and facultie of our vnderstanding & reasonable soule, by which we are able thus to argue and discourse with our selues: so Saint Paul saith; Wee must obey Magistrates for conscience Rom. 13. sake; that is, because of our owne reason, knowledge, and vn­derstanding, which reuealeth so much light vnto vs: GOD will eternally punish disobedience, and therefore it shall not be safe for vs to charge and burthen our soules with the wrath of God. Sometimes for the minor alone, which is the examina­tion of our actions and intents, whether they be good or euill: so the Apostle saith of himselfe; Nihil mihi conscius sum, I knowe nothing of my selfe, yet I am not thereby iustified; that is, I know no hainous crime wherewith I should be touched. Sometimes 1. Cor. 4. for the conclusion alone, so he saith: I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day; that is, I do absolue my selfe from any Act. 23. grieuous crime that I haue committed.

Now, the Recusants argue in this maner: No Heretikes nor Scismatikes are to be communicated withall, but Protestants are Heretikes and Scismatikes, and therefore not to bee commu­nicated withall. Their maior proposition is vndoubtedly true, because it is grounded vpon scripture, Titus the third? Reiect him that is an Heretike after two or three admonitions: and Saint Iohn in his second Epistle; Bid him not God speede: and Rom. 16. Marke them diligently which make diuision, and auoyde them. The error therefore, is in the minor or examination of this acti­on of communicating with vs according to that generall rule, that no societie is to be had with Heretikes: for whereas they say wee are Heretikes, it is not true. Neither is it maruell though our Re­cusants haue erred concerning vs, seeing that Saint Peter and the [Page 6] Disciples haue erred concerning the like. When the sheete was Act. 10. let downe, wherein were all manner of beastes, and Saint Peter was bidden to arise, kill, and eate: Hee answered: Not so Lorde: for I neuer ate any meate that was vncleane. And therefore hee argued in this manner: No vncleane meates are to bee eaten: But these meates are vncleane, therefore they are not to be eaten. The Maior was true, because grounded vppon Leuiticus 11. Deut. 14. where the differences of meates are set downe. But in his Minor he was deceiued, which thought those meates to be vncleane, for as much as vnder the Gospel, the difference of meats was taken away, and no meate was polluted, in respect of the conscience of man. So then, as it was not Saint Peters consci­ence, but the errour of his conscience, when he refused the meates as vncleane, which God had sanctified and made lawfull; so it is not their conscience, but the error of their conscience that they refuse vs for schisme & heresie, which indeed are true gospellers and members of the mysticall body of Iesus Christ, as by Gods assistance I wil proue. And as the Disciples, not knowing of Pauls Act. 9. conuersation, were afraide to ioyne with him, supposing him to be a persecuter when he was a Preacher: so they feare to ioyne with vs, supposing vs to be in the wrong way, whereas indeed we be in the right.

And because I haue saide, it is not vpon conscience that they sequester themselues from vs, I will shew them how many wayes a mans conscience may erre and be deceiued, and so carried away from the truth, and they are these eight following. The first is ig­norance, so the common sort ignorantly alledge we are here­tikes, that our religion is not warrantable, but cannot know what heresie is, neither yet rightly conceiue the groundes either of our religion of their owne. For they are inhibited to heare our Ser­mons, Vide Cōcil. Trid. & Pref. in indicem expurg. & Greg. Mart. de schis. to reade our bookes, to haue conference with vs, or to be catechized by vs. How then should they knowe our religion? They are nourished in blindnesse by their owne teachers, which hold it as a principle, that it is fit they should be ignorant. Nei­ther are they permitted to haue the Bible in their mother tongue. How then can they know their owne religion? They are vnfur­nished and vtterly destitute of all meanes and helpes which may bring them to be able to discerne truth from heresie.

The second is negligence. So they which in some measure are learned, doo call vs heretikes, which can, but doo not reade our bookes, although they haue them, nor examine the groundes which wee hold, although they are able, and it is permitted vnto them. Concerning their owne doctrine, they are contented to receiue it for truth, vpon the credit of others without further proofe, and to see with other mens eyes, heare with other mens eares, speake with other mens tongues, because they will not spend so much time as to search further, and what slaunder soe­uer they doo heare of vs, they are readie to beleeue it. For ex­ample, Edm. Cāp. rat. 1. Campion slandereth our Church, as if we did offer violence to the holy scriptures, affirming that Luther wrote contumeli­ously of Saint Iames his Epistle: his disciples blush not to report the same, because hee hath written it, without further enquirie, whether hee writ the truth or not, whereas if they would but vouchsafe to examine the place for their owne satisfaction, they would finde it a slaunder, which they because of their slouthful­nesse do holde for a truth. They are contented to buy Campion alone, and Gregorie Martine his Preface, with the notes of the Seminaries of Rhemes, vpon the New Testament, and now and then to reade them. But as for Doctor Whitaker his answere, many of them suffer it not to be in their studies, or if it bee in the Catalogue of their liberarie, they do not reade it. And as for doc­tor Fulkes answere to Gregorie Martines Preface, and the notes of the Seminaries, they are so farre from conferring the one with the other, that so they might be satisfied and resolued of the truth, as they are contented to giue more mony for the Rhemish Testa­ment alone, then for the same booke with Doctor Fulkes answer ioyned with it.

The third is obstinacie. For, as the first cannot, because they be ignorant and vnable to iudge, and depriued of all meanes by which they may be enabled; and the second do not iudge right­ly because they are slouthfull, and loth to take so much paines as to trie the spirites, to examine doctrine, and conferre places: So the third sort of men will not vnderstand the truth, because they be obstinate, they will resist the holy Ghost, and stop their eares against the truth, as the adder doth against the charmer, and as the Iewes did against Saint Stephen. Wee shall not perswade Act. 7. [Page 8] them although wee doo perswade them, because instruction and Rom. 10. faith commeth by hearing, they wil not heare least they should be instructed, and beleeue the truth. They say their fathers profes­sed that religion, and therefore they will rather erre with their fa­thers Gen. 31. than embrace the truth with vs: like Rachel, which would not leaue behinde her the gods of her Father, but carrie them with her. They were brought vp and instructed in this religion from their childhood, and now they say they will not alter. They 1. Thes. 5. forgot the rule of the Apostle, which willeth them to make try­all of all, and then to hold that which is best. For they will heare none, they will holde what they haue held, and they will not al­ter for the better. And in so doing, what do they but as Pharao Exod. 5. did, who saide: Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voice, and let Israel goe? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel goe. Whereas the Prophet saith: To day if ye will heare his voice, Psal. 95. harden not your hearts.

The fourth is perplexitie, vnstayednesse, and trouble of mind, like vnto Saule, which after he had put away the Sorcerers and 1. Sam. 28. Soothsayers out of the Land: yet when he was terrified by the armie of the Philistines, seeing it to be very great, and could haue no answere from God, neither by dreames, nor Ʋrim, nor Pro­phets, asked counsell of a Witch at Endor: So diuers which haue renounced that religion, and imbraced ours, yet lying at the point of death, in the midst of their conflicts and tentations, thinking vpon the arguments which are brought on each side, and fearing to halt betweene two opinions, and so die vnresolued; because they haue not had at that instant conference with such as were a­ble Gen. 19. to resolue them of all their doubts, haue suddenly reuolted, and not onely followed the example of Lots wife, which looked backe vnto Sodome, but also of the people which haue saide, come let vs goe backe into Aegipt againe.

The fift is pride, and their owne insolencie, whereby they are puffed vp, and thinke that all men must be subiect vnto them, Num. 14. but they neede submit themselues vnto none. As Bernardinus Ochinus writ a Booke in defence of Poligamie, affirming that nu­merosum coniugium, multitude of wiues was lawfull: supposing that after his Maister Peter Martyr was dead, no man was able to match him in writing or in disputation: like Golias of Gath, which 1. Sam. 17 [Page 9] challenged all commers to the combat. And this is the speciall cause why Popes and generall Councels doe erre, because they hold it as a principle in their Diuinitie that they cannot erre. For what doctrine will they bee afraide to publish, which are thus perswaded of themselues? Nay, who fals so soone as they which thinke their footing to be so fast that they cannot fall? There­fore the Apostle giueth this aduice: Qui videtur sibi stare, videat ne cadat, He that thinketh that he standeth, let him take heede 1. Cor. 10. lest he fall.

The sixt is singularitie: They will holde their opinions be­cause they will discent from vs, as if it were impossible that they and we should agree together in one truth. They thinke them­selues to be Saint Iohn, and vs to bee Cerinthus, as if that Bath Euseb. hist. li. 3. ca. 23. Iohn 4. could not be wholesome where Cerinthus doth wash himselfe; themselues to be Iewes, and vs to be Samaritans, as if it were vn­lawfull for them to drinke water out of our bucket which we doe draw; as if they would not haue any place in the Kingdome of heauen, but relinquish all their right and inheritance there, if they did thinke we should come thither. Euen as some in our Church, although otherwise graue and learned, yet refuse some good and wholesome lawes and orders, because they were, as they thinke, deuised by the Church of Rome. It is not a sufficient Argument, that because we hold it, therefore the doctrine should be hereti­call, as it is no good consequent, that because they hold it, it should be sound, and orthodoxall. So then what is their proofe, but a womans reason, it is so, because it is so; I will haue it so, be­cause I thinke so:

The seuenth is inordinate affection, and loue of themselues, for some will make their conscience incline to their owne wil and affections, and not frame their desires according to conscience. For example, they thinke that religion soundest, which doeth most of all serue their turne, as the King Achab iudged those Pro­phets 1. Reg. 22 to be best which preached pleasing thing; but concerning Micheas, which prophecied other things then the King would haue him to prophecie, it was said: Put this man in prison, feede him with the bread of affliction, and water of affliction. [Page 10] So, because of their corrupt and fleshly nature they doe incline to libertie, they thinke that religion most probable which doeth fauour their affections most; that is, which holdeth simple for­nication to be no sinne, that offences may be redeemed by mo­nie, that ordinarie faults which they commit, are not peccata, but peccadilia, not sinnes, but trifles, which are easily pardoned and dispensed withall.

The last is pusillanimitie, or weakenesse of minde, when they feare that which in sincere iudgement they ought not to feare, as namely the dislike of their friendes, the rebuke of their enemies, the voyce of the people, the good or bad report of other men, who will obiect apostasie against them. So Saint Peter, though he knew Christ, yet said he knew not the man, for feare of re­buke. Matt. 26. And Nicodemus, although conuerted to be a Christian, yet kept his place and profession among the Pharises still, least it should be said vnto him as afterward it was in the Gospel: Art Iohn. 7. Iohn 11. thou also of Galile? Some relie vpō the opinion of great Doctors, whose iudgement they would, in modestie preferre before their owne, and in respect of them, somewhat distrust themselues, though they see euident demonstrations to perswade them other­wise. As the Iewes would not beleeue in Christ, for feare of the Pharises, although they saw a manifest signe, Lazarus raised from dead. They feare least it should be vpbraided vnto them as it was in the Gospel: Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in him, but onely this people which know not the Law and are accursed? As Cardinall Pole in his death-bed, said, the protestants are the soun­der men, I would be a protestant were it not for the Church of Rome: whereas they should not so much respect the opinion of this Doctour or that Rabbi, when they see the plaine and open way lie before them, but preferre a manifest trueth aboue all. Therefore it behooueth our Countreymen to informe their con­sciences better, and not to lay it vpon their conscience that they liue disorderly, and disobedient to Christian lawes.

CHAP. III.

THey lay heresie to our charge, as if so be that we were like Vide Gre­gor. Mart in tract. de. Scism. to Seruerus, Cerinthus, & Arrius. If we be heretiks, they do [Page 11] well to refraine our companie. But that we may the better pro­ceed in this argument, for the purgation of our selues, let vs first define what heresie is. Secondly, let vs inquire by what Court or Consistory we are condemned of heresie. Thirdly, let vs set downe the fundamentall points of our Doctrine, that it may ap­peare whether we were iustly condemned or no? Which being done, we shall not onely cleare our selues from iust suspition of heresie, but also demonstrate how the greatest Papists in the world, for learning and iudgement, do imbrace the same, and a­gree in them, with vs, not as if we did comforme our selues vnto them, because wee holde the same conclusions which we haue alwayes held, but they seeing their owne errours laide open be­fore them, and being in their owne consciences conicted by a manifest trueth, do dayly; so farre as they dare, and may without the generall notice of the world, come neerer vnto vs, as if our doctrine in their knowledge were the soundest. And therefore, why should not the inferiour sorte of Catholikes which are but their disciples doe the like? The Church of Rome being taxed by Luther for their discipline as loose, and their doctrine as er­roneous, called the Councell of Trent, to deuise a reformation, seeing that in the eyes of the world they were not slandered. In that counsel they set foorth such wholesome Canons concerning Discipline as were fit for a reformed Church, but they were not so carefull of their points of Doctrine, because they saw the world could sooner looke into their disorders, then iudge of their doctrine, and so did as it were yeeld Luthers complaint in parte to be iust. As for the doctrine, although they hold in termes the same which they did before, because Princes and estates should not thinke they had so long deceiued the world, and continued in error, and not espied the same vntill by Luther they had bin discouered, and as it were by him awaked like men which were in a dreame so many yeeres: yet they set downe their conclusions so cunningly, as if they would beare men in hand that they were (in some sort) but mistaken, & inclined of themselues somewhat vnto that which Luther perswaded. Whereupon, some prote­stants suspected that they had an intent, in time, to become Lu­therans, onely it should come of themselues, and not by force of Luthers arguments, vntill Andradius, a man more audacious then [Page 12] the rest, to remoue that hope of theirs, when he thought the Lu­therans to be more cold, and the brunt almost passed ouer, tooke vpon him to expound the meaning of the Tridentine counsell, and to conster all points to as grosse sense as they were euer be­fore. But nowe they beginne to incline to vs againe, insomuch that Cardinall Bellarmine late Diuinitie Reader of Rome, and the learnedest Diuine of that Church which now liueth, in the course of his controuersie lectures, though where he deliuereth the state of the question he bringeth what may be brought on their side, for fashion sake, that he may auoide all suspition of heresie with them: yet he handleth his matters so cunningly, and so doubt­fully, that in his conclusions he agreeth with vs in many things, although in diuers termes, wherein his predecessors vtterly dissented from vs. And in many things he sheweth himselfe to be; so farre as he dareth, a Protestant, or at the least not a Papist: if we take papistrie to be that which before it was. And whoso­euer doth obserue him well, shal finde how he discourseth of ma­ny things superfluous, like one which is more desirous to deceiue the time, to fill vp the page with varietie of reading multitudes of Fathers, and citations of places, then to refute vs. Yet his Vo­lumes are allowed by the Inquisition, and he is rewarded for his learned workes. Therefore I say, papistrie is newely corre­cted and refined, they hold the same conclusions in generall termes which they did, but they hold them not as they did: they seeke out new defences, as if they could not stand to the olde, & come neerer to vs in iudgement euery day. For so it hath plea­sed God in this latter end of the world to lighten their darknesse, and to quicken the dulnesse of their vnderstanding.

Touching the first, if they will vnderstand what heresie is, they must distinguish betweene heresie and errour, for euery he­resie is an error, but euery error is not an heresie. As there is one error in maners, and so euery haynous offence is called a crime, as the adulterie of Dauid; but such offences as are committed only vpon infirmitie, are cald by the general name of errors; so there is another error in doctrine, and euery man which holdeth a wrong opinion is said to erre, as the Apostle did, which supposed the Kingdome of Christ to be of this world, and that the Gospel was Actes 1. Acts 11. not to be published to the Gentiles: and these errors were no he­resies, [Page 13] but that which is heresie, is more dangerous and of an higher nature. It is an old saying: Errare possum, hereticus esse nolo, I may easily erre, as all men haue done, but an heretike I will not be.

I define an heresie in this maner: It is an error stifly and ob­stinately defended and maintained, not by a consequent, but di­rectly impugning some Article of faith. For example, the Dis­ciples Act. 15 erred when they helde it necessarie to be circumcised, yet were not heretikes, because they were not obstinate; for they sub­mitted themselues to the iudgement of the Church, and after due consultation was had, they consented to the truth. Againe, that opinion, did not directly impugne faith, but onely by a conse­quent, for so saith the Apostle: Behold, I Paul say vnto you, if Gal. 5 you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, for I testi­fie againe to euery one which is circumcised, that he is bound to keepe the whole Law. Then, if we allow of Circumcision, wee hold the Ceremoniall Law to be still in force, and by a conse­quent deny the death of Christ, by whose death onely that Law was abolished. But Arrius was condemned for an heretike in the councell of Nice for these two causes: First, he defended his error obstinately, vntill his bellie burst, and bowels gushed out, not yeelding to the learned Bishops of the world, which conui­cted him by manifest places of the scriptures. Secondly, hee denied the Godhead of Christ contrary to the article of the Creede, which hath; and I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onely son: and the doctrine of saint Paul, which saith hee was mightily de­clared Rom. 1 to bee the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: and of saint Iohn, which saith, God was the word. It is one thing therefore to denie the faith directly, as to say, Christ hath not yet suffered; and another thing to denie it by a consequent, as they which hold a necessitie of circumcision. But as for vs, we neither hold any opinions obstinately, because we wil recant & subscribe to the Church of Rome, if they can disproue vs by the scriptures: Neither doe we impugne any article of faith, because wee holde the Creed of the Apostles, of Athanasius, of Nice, of Ephesus, of Constantinople, which the Papists also do hold, and the same Bible which we receiued from them, and we expound all these as all godly and learned antiquitie hath expounded them before vs, [Page 14] and therefore wee are vniustly charged with heresie.

That I may come to the second thing which I proposed. No Church can be condemned and adiudged hereticall by any pri­uate censure, but it must be publike. Therefore they alleage for our condemnation, the decrees of the councell of Trent, against the authoritie of which councell we take these iust exceptions: First, they call it a generall councell, as if almost all the Diuines of the world had beene assembled there. Let vs therefore number how many were present. They reckon for the credit of that coun­cell as present, sixe Cardinalls, foure Legates, three Patriarkes, two and thirtie Archbishops, two hundred twentie eight Bi­shops, and fiue Abbats. Wee denie not, but at the end of the councel so many were procured to be there, but at the beginning, when matters were propounded, at the time when points of re­ligion were argued and debated, they exceeded not the number of fortie Bishoppes, foure Legates; very small assembly to de­serue the name of a generall councell, to consider of so many weightie causes. Onely therefore at the latter end, the Pope see­ing almost all Bishops to forbeare comming thither, did create new Bishops to make vp a number, and grace the councell with their presence, and to subscribe to all conclusions for forme sake, which they did, neither here argued by others, nor yet well con­sider of their selues. Therefore let indifferencie be the Iudge be­tweene them and vs, whether so rash a censure was to stand in force Secondly, who were there? onely our aduersaries which Ioh. 7 were of a contrary religion, we were not present, so that they did not onely by vs, as the Pharisies did by our Sauiour, contrary to lawe contemne vs in our absence and our cause being not heard, but also the same men were both our accusers and our Iudges. If ye aske a reason why we were not there? had wee letters of safe conduct? either could we haue trusted to such conduct if it had bin graunted? What if they should haue falsified their promise made to vs, as they did to Iohn Huz in the councell of Constance? especialy they holding such a Principle, as they are not bound to keepe faith and fidelitie with an heretike. But suppose wee had beene present, wee should haue stood for ciphers and not for a number, because they were linked together in the same confede­racie, to suffer nothing to passe which might be preiudiciall to [Page 15] the See of Rome. Thirdly, Bellarmine defineth those councels, Tom. 1. contro­uers. 4. cap. 4. onely to be vniuersall, where all Bishops of the world either were or might be present, these be his words: Ʋbi adsunt aut adesse possunt omnes Episcopitotius orbis and in the next chapter he defi­neth that councell onely to be lawfull which the Pope hath ap­prooued, and the catholikes generally haue receiued. But nei­ther all could be present as I haue declared, neither haue the grea­ter part of Catholikes yet receiued that councell with the decrees thereof, for they are refused by the Catholikes of Germanie, France, Hungary, Bohemy, Poland, as our owne experience can tell vs.

In the third place, forasmuch as I haue shewed you, that Chri­stians dwelling in one place are to meete together for the exer­cise of their religion, which consisteth in these three things pray­er, the word, and the Sacraments: Let vs examine the worde which we teach, the leiturgie or forme of prayers which we vse, the maner of our administration of the sacraments whereof wee would that they should be partakers.

Concerning the doctrine, as I saide before, wee holde with them the same Creede, and the same Bible, concerning which Bible these haue bin the chiefest differences betweene them and vs, which follow.

First, whether all the books of the Bible be canonicall or no? They affirme that Tobie, Baruch, Iudith, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdome, the Maccabees, and the fragment of Esther &c: be canonicall; we holde them for Apocripha. They prooue them to be cano­nicall out of Saint Augustine; we, that they be Apocripha out of Saint Hierome, both which doctors are of no small authoritie with the Church of Rome, and therefore in this wee differ no more from them than Saint Hierome did from Saint Augustine, which did both agree, and were easily reconciled. S. Hierome in­terpreteth Saint Augustines meaning, that they were canonicall enough to prooue rules of life, not groundes of doctrine and faith. Thus Saint Hierome answered Saint Augustine in the Primitiue Church, thus we haue answered the Papists of our age: and Bellarmine since this answere was giuen, handling this controuersie at large, replieth not against our answer. Onely he prooueth in generall termes, that they be canonical, which we do [Page 16] also confesse, but hee dooth not so much as mention this de­struction of Cannons of faith, and Cannons of good life and manners, much lesse dooth hee reply against it, therefore wee take it proconcesso, as a thing graunted by the Lawes of dis­putations, De verbo Dei lib. 1. capitibus 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. that hee holdeth as wee holde, fl [...]eth to our defence, and so resteth satisfied with our answer, and the case to be cleere betweene vs both.

Secondly: A question hath beene debated betweene vs con­cerning the Bible, forasmuch as there be many editions, as He­brue, Greeke, Latine, which is the best? Wee say the Hebrew, they the Latine, and the councell of Trent hath obtruded to vs one only Latine edition, that is, the old vulgare translation, and decreed, that it onely should be authenticall and no other, that all others should be corrected by it, and it by none. Wee grant it fit, that for vniformitie in quotations of places in schools and pulpits, one Latine text should be vsed, and we can be contented, for the antiquitie thereof, to preferre that before all other Latine books, so much we do yeeld to the Councell: But forasmuch as that translation hath many faults, as al other translations haue, be­cause they are the workes of men, we preferre the originall, that is, the olde Testament in the Hebrew, and the new in Greeke farre before it, forasmuch as they were written by the finger of God the Holy Ghost, which cannot erre. And Bellarmine con­descendeth to our opinion, as more sound than the decree of the councell of Trent, shewing that wheresoeuer the Latine bookes do discent one from another, that it may be discerned, which is the truest, each of them to be examined by the originall, which is of greater authoritie, and the Latine bookes to be corrected by them, that onely to be sound, which agreeth with them, and that to be reiected, which discenteth from them. His words are these: Ad aliud de emendatione Latinorum codicum ad Hebraeos De verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 11 & Graecos respondeo, quatuor temporibus licere nobis recurrere al fontes Hebraeos & Graecos, vt illi patres monent. Primo quando in no­stris codicibus videtur esse error librariorum &c: Secundo, quan­do Latini codices variant, vt non possit certò status quae sit vera vul­gata Lectio, possumus ad fontes recurrere, & inde iuuari ad veram Lectionem inueniendam. Sic Iosue 5. quidam Latini codices habent: Quibus iurauit vt ostenderet illis terram lecte fluentem & molle, [Page 17] quidam habent, vt non ostenderet &c: vera lectio videtur esse poste­rior. Nam in Hebraeo constantèr additur, Non. Sicut è contrariò Io­sue 11. Quidam codices habent: Non fuit ciuitas quae non se trade­ret: Quidam habent: Non fuit ciuitas quae se traderet, Et hoc est ve­rius quià conforme est Hebraeo, & verba sequentia id requirunt. Sic Lucae 1. quidem codices habent: Redemptionem plebisuae: Quidam plebi suae, & haec videtur verior, cùm in Graeco sit [...].

A third question concerning the Bible is, whether all grounds of saluation, all things which are absolutely necessarie for a Chri­stian man to know, be contained in the corpes and body of the Bible? They haue held, in times past, that the Bible was insuffi­cient, Vide Concil. Trident. and therefore they added vnto it traditions, which they call vnwritten verities, and would haue them to be of as great autho­ritie as the scriptures; as necessary to bee beleeued and obayed. but now, Bellarmine, as if he were ashamed of that ascertion, doth relinquish it, and after he hath spoken in the defence of traditi­ons what he can, concludeth that all things which are necessary, are contained in the Apostles. His wordes are these: Primum De verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 10 est, quaedam in doctrinâ Christianâ tam fides quam morum esse simpli­citer omnibus necessaria, ad salutem, qualis est notitia; articulorum Symboli Apostolici, item congnitio decem praeceptorum, & nonnul­lorum sacramentorum. Cetera non ita necessaria sunt, vt sine eorum explicatâ notitiâ, & fide & professione saluari homo non possit, modo promptam habeat voluntatem ea suscipiendi & credendi, quando sibi fuerint legitimè per Ecclesiam proposita &c: His notatis, dico, illa omnia scripta esse ab Apostolis, quae sunt omnibus necessaria, & quae ipsi palàm omnibus vulgo praedicauerant: alia autem non omnia scripta esse. But whatsoeuer they can prooue out of the Bible, we will receiue; as for things which are not necessarie, although we discent concerning them, they ought not therefore to refuse to communicate with vs.

A fourth question is, of the authoritie of the scriptures, and who ought of right to be iudge of the same. They were wont to hold the Church, that is, the generall Councell, to be aboue the scriptures, and the vndoubted Iudge of the same; we the con­trarie. Now Bellarmine condescendeth vnto vs, that the iudge­ment of the church specified in the councel of Trent may so farre De verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 1 [...]. be subiect to the scriptures, as to be examined by the scriptures, [Page 18] and that the authority of the Church is inferior to the authority of the scriptures. His words are these: Addo etiam, quod etsi haereti­cus peccat dubitando de auctoritate Ecclesiae, in quam per Baptismum regeneratus est, ne (que) est eadem conditio haeretici qui semel fidem pro­fessus est, & Iudaei aut Ethnici, qui nunquam fuit Christianus: tamen, posito hoc dubio, & hoc peccato, non male facit scrutando & exami­nando, an loca scripturae & Patrum à concilio Tridentino prelata ita sehabeant, modo id faciat intentione inueniendi veritatem non ca­lumnian di. Deberet quidem ille sine examine recipere doctrinam Ecclesiae, tamen melius est vt examinando praeparetur adveritatem, quam negligendo remaneat in suis tenebris. And againe in the same Chapter. Decimum quartum argumentum: Si Pontifex indicat de scripturis, sequitur Pontificem seu concilium esse supra scripturam: & si scripturae sensus [...]sine Pontifice seu concilio non est authenticus, sequitur verbum Dei accipere robur & firmitatem à verbo Hominum. Respondeo hoc argumentum quod ab haereticis plurimi fit, totum in aequiuocatione versari: Nam duobus modis po­test intelligi Ecclesiam iudicare de scripturis: vno modo quod iudicat, verúmne sit an falsum quod scripturae docent: altero modo, quod posi­to vt fundamento certissimo scripturae verba esse verissima, iudicet quae sit vera eorum interpretatio. Et quidem, si primo modo Ecclesia iudi­caret, verè esset supra scripturam, sed hoc non dicimus, quamuis hae­retici calumnientur id nos dicere, qui passim vociferantur nos subij­cere scripturam pedibus Papae. At secundo modo iudicare Ecclesiam vel Pontificem de scripturis, quod nos asserimus, non est Ecclesiam esse supra scripturam, sed supra iudicia priuatorum hominum. Non enim iudicat Ecclesia de veritate scripturae sed de intelligentiâ tuâ & meâ, & aliorum, Ne (que) hinc sumit verbum Dei aliquod robur, sed intelli­gentia nostra. Non enim scriptura est verior aut certior, quia sic ab Ecclesia exponitur, sed mea sententia est verior quando ab Ecclesia confirmatur.

Thus I could goe almost through all the controuersies be­tweene them and vs. But I doe content my selfe with the funda­mentall points. Therefore I exhort them which hold vs for he­retikes, first, to reade diligently, to peruse and examine their owne writers, and what they hold, to conferre their groundes with ours, and then to examine their owne iudgements, whether they finde vs heretikes or no. And as for those matters, which [Page 19] be no fundamentall poyntes, although in them wee discent, wee must not dispaire of their conuersion. For God neither hath nor will reueale vnto them all trueth at once, but, as the blind man in the Ghospell, when hee first beganne to see, thought hee sawe Marke. 8 men walking like trees, but when our Sauiour touched his eyes againe, he saw more clearely: So God will lighten the darknesse of their hearts, and take away the vaile or couering which is be­fore them, by degrees, vntill they come to the full measure of knowledge, which the Holy Ghost shall iudge expedient to be reuealed vnto them.

CHAP. IIII.

THey alleadge we are Scismatikes, because we haue made a defection from the Catholike Church, and withdrawne our neckes out of the yoake of obedience to the head of the Church which is the Bishop of Rome, and that being seperated from the head, we cannot be liuing members of that mysticall body. My answere is: The head of the Church is Christ, 1. Cor, 11. and we as members are conglutinate and ioyned vnto that head, and to them which obiect that our Sauior Christ in his absence must haue his Deputie, that the Deputy or Vicar generall of Christ is the Holy-Ghost, which hath the gouernement of the Church. Euen as Elias ascending vp let his mantle downe vpon Eliseus, to be with him in his steade: so our Sauiour departing 2. Reg. 2 Act. 2 Matth. 28. Act. 20. from vs sent downe the Holy-Ghost to possesse his roome, and to abide with vs vntill the end of the world: Take heede, saieth the Apostle, to your selues, and to all the flocke whereof the ho­ly-ghost hath made you ouer-seers; so then the Holy-Ghost hath the gouernement of the Church. But, say they, a visible bo­dy must haue a visible head proportionably to the body, and therefore some one man must be ouer the Church. I deny not but weake men desire a visible obiect still before their eies, as the Israelites when Moses was out of their sight but a few dayes, Exod. 32. would make a calfe to be their gouernour, rather than they would want one to be visibly resident among them. And there­fore our Sauior, because we should not in his absence committe [Page 30] the like idolatry, did leaue the visible Sacrament of the Eucharist among vs saying: This is my body. But yet I do answer that a similitude must not, as the Schoolemen say, Currere quatuor pedibus: agree in all things. First therefore, it is not simply ne­cessarie that the visible bodie should still haue a visible head in sight as if it could not stand without such an head. For God had his Church visible vpon the earth before the Papacie, and before the Incarnation of Christ, but Christ the head of the Church before his incarnation could not be a visible head. So therefore, as Christ in his Godhead alone before hee was borne, was the head of his Church, though inuisible, likewise is he now in his Godhead and Manhoode vnited together, head of the church visible, although vpon the earth not to be seene. Second­ly, the time hath beene when there was a long vacancie of the Popedome, by reason of ciuill dissention, yet the Church then stood without such an head. Thirdly, no sinfull man is able to discharge such an office as to be ouer-seer of the vniuersal church. Fourthly, there must be such an influence of necessitie from the head to the body, as cannot possibly be from any man to the Church. Fiftly, the Pope neuer was reputed as head of the whole Church; for the East part of the world, that is, the Greeke Church was euer so auerse from the Sea of Rome, that it could ne­uer yet be brought, either to obedience to the Pope, or to ioyne in rites and ceremonies with his Church, or to be incorporated into that body, or to vse the same leiturgie and forme of prayer which that Church vseth. All appellations amongst them haue bin to the Patriarch of Constantinople, as to the highest Bishop. Sixtly, what authoritie soeuer the Pope hath had ouer the Latine Church and West part of the world, it hath beene giuen him by humane constitutions onely, and generall consent of Princes and States, which they suffered him to enioy, during their owne good liking, and no longer. And last of all, our owne experience can enforme vs, that the Catholike princes which are most of all de­uoted to the Sea of Rome, will be so farre subiect as they thinke fit, and no further. Charles the fift, late Emperor and King of Spaine, tooke prisoner, Clement the Pope, when hee resisted his proceedings in Italie, and Queene Mary made her Cosin Cardi­nall Pole Arch-Bishop of Canterburie though the Pope with­stood [Page 31] it: neither doe the Kings of France, though of the Romish religion, euer suffer the Popes to beare any stroke in the electi­on of their Bishops. I wish therefore that they would be better aduised before they lay scisme vnto our charge.

Chap. V.

THe vsuall obiections against vs were wont to be, that wee haue sects and diuisions among vs. But so had they often­times, Eckius against Pighius, Thomas against Scotus, so had the Apostles Peter against Paul, and Paul against Barnabas, some were of Paul, some of Apollo, and some of Cephas. We contend about white and blacke, round and square, but in matters of reli­gion, we agree. That concerning the booke of common prayer when the masse was first put downe, king Henry had his English Leiturgie, and that was iudged absolute without exception, but when King Edward came to the Crowne, that was condemned, and other in the place which Peter Martyr, and Bucer did ap­prooue as very consonant to Gods word. When Queene Eliza­beth beganne hir raigne, the former was iudged to be full of im­perfections, and a new was deuised, and allowed by the consent of the Clergie. But about the middle of her raigne wee grew weary of that booke, and great meanes haue beene wrought to a­bandon that, and establish an other, which although it was not obtained: yet we doe, at the least, at euery change of Prince, change our booke of common prayers, we be so wanton that we know not what we would haue. I answer, they haue done the like, they cannot denie it, for proofe whereof I referre them to the preface which is set before their owne Breuiary, wherein it is specified, how many times their owne Breuiary hath beene al­tered.

It is no discredit, either to them, or vs, to alter for the better and to correct that which we finde amisse. All faults are not es­pied at once, neither is all truth reuealed at once. But it is dam­nable to perseuere and continue in an error after it is found out, and not to imbrace a truth after it is reuealed. The Church had a time of growing three hundred yeares after Christ, being then [Page 32] watered, and made fruitefull by the bloud of Martyrs; then the religion of Rome was found, according to that which Saint Paul doth testifie in his Epistle to the Romanes, the Bishops thereof Rom. 1. continued zealous, and were commonly martired. The Church had a time of florishing three hundred yeares, which beganne when Constantine the great granted peace vnto the gospel, and persecution ceased, so long found doctrine was preached. But the Church afterward beganne to decay and so went backe­ward vntill Gregory the great, in whose time corruption began to creepe in, and so ranne ouer the whole body of the Church, and euery christian Kingdome which were members of that bo­dy, so that the whole visible Catholike Church through the world was mightily deformed. Then Luther in his time be­ganne a reformation againe, though he reformed not the whole, yet he reformed some partes, like a Phygtion, which finding a mans body full of sores, healeth some members, although he be not able to restore the whole to his first integritie. Neither did Luther reforme those parts vnto the full, by reason of the short­nesse of his life, and the greatnesse of the cure which he vnder­tooke, but left somewhat to be reformed after him by Caluin and Beza, which as they came after him, so they saw more truth then was reuealed vnto him (for it did not please God to reueale all truth to one man, or in one age.) So then, as a Physition which being not able to cure the whole body, cureth some parts and members, and yet being preuented by death, doeth not so per­fectly restore those partes which hee cureth vnto their former strength and agilitie, but leaueth his worke to be finished by o­thers: so did Luther by the Church. The Clergie of England therefore in King Henries dayes established religion and orde­red their seruice booke according to that smal portion and mea­sure of knowledge which then they had. In the dayes of King Edward and Queene Elizabeth, more light was reuealed then before, and those errours which were espyed, were amended. And as it was no shame for vs to reforme our errours when wee espied them; so it must needs be vnexcusable to the Church of Rome to continue in their errours now they are layde o­pen before them, or to winke at nooneday that they will not see them. The Lord of his mercie through Iesus Christ, giue them [Page 33] and vs his grace, that we may agree together in on truth, and as sheep of one fold, hearken only to the voice of him which is the great Shepheard of our soules, which is Iesus Christ. Amen.