Answer to John De Albines, Answer to discourse · Chapter 29
The XXIX. Chapter.
IT doeth appeare well, by that that I hauehave ſaied, howe the aſſurance of your vocation to the miniſterie is but founded vponupon ſande, for aſmuch as you doe ſeeke particulerlie a contrarie meaning euerie one to his ovvne particuler ſenſe, beeing not this the waie that an extraordinary miniſter ſent from God, ſhoulde vſe to confirme his doctrine: for this hath beene the cuſtome of all olde heretiques, as I hauehave alreadie ſaied. There is a verie great difference betweene ſetting forth the Scripture to refourme ones religion, and to reforme ones conditions: for when there is anie queſtion of the refourming of ones maners,aGood ſtuffe, by this diuinity then men may by the warrant of the Apoſtle, take the ſcriptures in diuers and ſundry ſences. there is no need to regard, whether the doctrine be new or olde: for (as the Apoſtle ſaieth) let eueryevery man take it to his owne ſenſe: but when it is to bee talked of, as touching ones faith, the Catholique ought greatly to beware ofbAnd ſuch be all they, whoſoeuer made them, that will not ſtand with the reſt of the ſcriptures: of wh…ch kinde your popiſh interpretations be. ſingular interpretations, and to holde them as very ſuſpitious.cIf this rule be receiued and followed, your popery will bee found new deuiſes, and wil you nil you, you ſhall become all one with … He ought to follow the ſentence that is holden and taught by the ancient Catholique Church, without making any accompt of al theſe new deuiſes: for euen as, when one will repaire an olde houſe, he dares commit it to any maſon, although his cunning bee but ſmall: but if the foundation muſt be touched, he will ſeeke the beſt maſters he can finde. Euen ſo, when one will correct me for my euill life or conditions, although that it be ſo, that he that ſeekes to reforme me, be not of the wiſeſt of the worlde, and that he alleadge to me ſome place or figure of the ſcripture, not altogither to the purpoſe, yet all this ought to turne to me to one effect: for I knowe his meaning, although he cannot well expreſſe it, the which is to hauehave me change my naughty life, and to leaue my ill conditions.dBut all the packe of you ſhall neuer be able to proue …opery to be thus grounded. But when he ſhall come to touch my faith, and to perſwade me frō that, that all my ancetours did euer holde, from that, that the Catholique church deriued from the Apoſtles hath holden and doeth holde, and from that that both the Scripture, and the generall Councels, and all the ancient doctours teach and affirme: in the repaire of this foundation I ought to truſt none, but euen the verie beſt, I meane not one or two, but all theſe that I hauehave named. And now, if you ſaie, that they maie all erre, I praie, remember the olde prouerbe, that ſaieth: he is a foole that thinketh that he onlie is wiſe, and all the other fooles, & that it is more agreeable to reaſon, that one onelyonly ſhould erre, then one great multitude: for as they ſay commonly, two eies ſee more then one, and foure more then two.
The XXIX. Chapter.
WHat you hauehave gained by all you hauehave hitherto writen, to diſproue either our vocatiō or Religion (for all your great bragge here in the beginning of this Chapter) by weighing togither your obiections and my anſwers, now let the indifferent Reader iudge, vntounto whom I doubt not (your bragge notwithſtanding) it ſhall and will well appeare, that both may be builded vponupon ye rocke, for any thing you hauehave yet ſaied. The onelyonly new thing, that you ſet downe in this Chapter, is this, that the former variety amongſt thē that alleadge ſcripture conſidered, you allow well, that one ſhould liſten to meane men, alleadging ſcripture, though not very aptlie, to reforme maners withall. But when they are alleadged to teach faith, then it is meete, that the Catholique man truſt none, but the beſt, and thoſe alleadging them according to the general Councels; and all ancient doctours. And therefore you write, that the Catholique muſt take heede of ſingular interpretations, that he muſt follow the ſentence helde & taught by the ancient Catholique Church, & not ſuffer himſelfe to be perſwaded from that faith, that all his ancetours did euer holde, the Catholique Church hath euer helde, the Scriptures, generall Councels, and all the anciēt doctours doe teach. In which caſe, if one ſhould take vpō him to be wiſer then all theſe, you would hauehave him (according to the prouerbe) accounted a foole, that thinketh himſelfe onelyonly wiſe, and all others fooles, becauſe in reaſon it is more likely, that one ſhould erre, then al theſe &c. Be it that al this were very true, what hauehave you woonne hereby againſt vsus? For neither ſhall you euer be able to proue (as we hauehave often tolde you) that your religion is that ancient Catholique religion, nor your Church to be the ancient catholique Church, nor that your Church hath either the Scriptures, general councels, or fathers, as you herein take it for granted, on your ſide. For in trueth you hauehave none of theſe on your ſides: but the onelyonly grounds of your religion are your owne priuate and ſingular interpretations, & traditions of men, without warrant either from the Scriptures indeed ſoundly vnderſtood, or from generall Councels, or ancient fathers, that are worthy to bee of credit in Gods Church. For (as we hauehave made appeare in infinite diſcourſes againſt you) al theſe are farre more ſtrong on our ſide, then with you. And therfore you rather are the fooles, that ſeeme wiſer, thē all theſe in your owne conceit, and ſo labour to draw vsus from the ancient catholique faith and Chriſts true Church, by your corrupt gloſſes, & allegations of theſe, & by your vaine & vncertaine traditions of mortal men. Wherof let the reader take for a taſt theſe few proofes, amōgſt infinite others vſed by vsus. The Scripture with vsus teacheth iuſtification freely by faith in Chriſt without workes: Rom. 3.24.25. Epheſ. 2.8.9. and you condēne thē as heretiques, yt teach ſo. The ſcriptures with vsus teach, that Chriſts offering himſelfe once for al, hath made perfect all them that are ſanctified. Heb. 10.14. and you cō trarily teach, that they muſt be perfected by the iteration of his ſacrifice in your maſſe, & by a number of other things done by themſelues, and others for them. The Scriptures with vsus teach, that Chriſt is aſcended into heauen, Coloſſ. 3.1. Act. 1.9. &c. and that the heauens muſt containe him, vntill the reſtitution of al things, Act. 3.21. and you contrarily wil hauehave him, as oft as you conſecrate, to come downe, to hide himſelfe vnderunder the formes of bread and wine. The ſcriptures with vsus ſay, concerning the cup in the Sacrament, to all Chriſtians rightly prepared, Drinke yee all of this, Matth. 26.22. and you ſay, it is hereſie to holde, that the lay people muſt drinke thereof. To proceed a little further, the ſame Scripture in the 2. Commandement Exod. 20.4. forbiddeth (as we doe) both the making and worſhipping of Images, to repreſent God the father, the ſonne, or the holy Ghoſt withal; and you allow both theſe. The ſcriptures prefer (as we doe) the ſpeaking of fiue words in the Church that may bee vnderſtoode, before ten thouſand in a tongue not vnderſtoode: 1. Cor. 14.19. and your Church (as it appeareth in hauing all your ſeruice in lat in) preferreth fiue words ſpoken there i… an vnknowen tongue before ten thouſand, ſpoken in the vulgar tongue of the people to their edification. Laſtly, the Scriptures (as we doe) account mariage honourable among al men in al eſtates, and the mariage bed vndefiled: Heb. 13.4. inſomuch, that they aduouch the forbidding of it (though vnderunder pretence of holines) to bee a doctrine of Deuils. 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3. & yet you condemne it in your prieſtes, as a filthie life. In like maner is there a plaine contrariety betwixt your religion, and the decrees of ancient and general councels. In my anſwere to your 17. Chapter, I hauehave ſhewed you already, that the ancient, famous, firſt general Councel of Nice, in the 6. Canon thereof, is directly againſt that preheminence that now you giuegive to the Biſhop of Rome, ouer all Churches. There alſo you hauehave heard the councell of Gangra pronounce you accurſed, for your doctrine againſt the mariage of miniſters. I hauehave alſo ſhewed you before, that the 6. generall councell holden at Conſtantinople in the 36. Decree, hath flatly determined againſt the principall article of your religion, your Popes ſupremacy, in determining that the Biſhop there ſhould hauehave equal priuiledges, with your Pope or Biſhop of Rome. The councels alſo of Conſtance and Baſil againſt your receiued opinion now, preferred the authority of a generall Councel before the authority of your Pope. And certaine it is, that in the time of Charles the great, there was a councel called at Franckeforde, whereat the Biſhops of France, Germany & Italie were aſſembled, about the year (as Regin writeth in his 2 booke) 794, where the making and worſhipping of Images, allowed of by the falſe Synode of the Greekes (as he tearmeth it) was condemned. And Hickma…e Archbiſhop of Rheames, writing againſt another biſhop of that … (Chap. 20.) ſomewhat about theſe times, calleth this a general coū cel, called by the wil & cōmādemēt of the Pope, & Emperor Charles; & witneſſeth, that not onelyonly there the falſe Synode of the Greeks, yt made for Images was confuted & reiected, but alſo a great booke made thereof then ſent to Rome. As for fathers, and anciēt doctors, I hauehave plentifully ſhewed to be againſt you already for the ſufficiency & authority of the Scriptures, Chap. 3. & 5. againſt your real preſence, Chap. 11. & againſt your doctrine of Iuſtificatiō, & other points of your religion, Chap. 16. And it were as eaſie a matter to ſhew thē ſo to be againſt you, & wt vsus, in almoſt al the reſt of the pointes in controuerſie betwixt vsus. At leaſt this moſt confidently I doe aduouch, that for 600. yeares you ſhall neuer proue them al nor halfe to be on your ſide, in the third part of the queſtions betwixt you and vsus: and therfore you doe but too ſhamefully deceiue the ſimple people in this caſe, with a ſhew & bragge of that, wt you are of al other furtheſt frō.