An Antilogy, Section 3
THE ANSWERE TO THE THIRD Section: How neither errors nor abuses among Protestants, proceed by disunion from the Pope Catholike Church.
SOcrates being demanded why he wrote nothing, answered: foreign: Because I see the paper is worth more, then the things I should write. The same I may more truly say of this section, that it is not so much worth, as the paper, which it hath blotted, with many bold,Relat. pag. 1. pref. of Blackwell. vaine and vntrue assertions: and if I might be so bold, as vse their owne words, as many lies, as lines.
Vntruth. 5.1. He calleth himselfe a Catholike subiect of England, pag. 11. lin. 16. his meaning is, that he is halfe a subiect, as he is English to the Prince,Trayterous positions of Iesuites. as he is Catholike to the Pope: for if hee be a Iesuite that thus writeth, how can they bee faithfull subiects, which call these positions, wicked, pernicious, Manifestat. fol. 13. a.b.erronious, hereticall, trayterous: that the Pope hath no authoritie to restraine, punish, or force by way of armes, either by himselfe or others, any temporall prince for heresie, Apostasie, &c. that if the Pope attempt any such matter, he may bee resisted by Catholike subiects: that if they should know of any designement or treatise of the Pope by way of force in England, they would reueale the same. Thus these popish Iudasites count those heretikes and traytors, that are not traytors to their Prince.
Trayterous conclusions agreed vponupon at Salamanca. 1602. Replie to the Manfest. fol. 66 a.b.From this ground hauehave proceeded these diabolicall, not theologicall conclusions resolued vponupon at Salamanca 7. of March 1602. concerning the inuading of Ireland: 1. That the Catholikes in Ireland may fauour the Earle of Tyrone in his warres, and that with great merite and hope of euerlasting reward. 2. All Catholikes sinne mortallie that take part with the English against Tyrone. 3. They are in the same case, that helpe the English with any victuals. 4. The Catholikes of Ireland, that fight against the Queene, are by no construction Rebels: To these Articles subscribed the Popish Diuines and preachers, Iohn de Sequenza, Emmanuel de Royas, Iasper de Mena, Peter Osorio. Loe these are the Iesuited Catholike subiects of England.
If he be a secular Priest, that thus professeth himselfe a Catholike subiect: he shall giuegive vsus leaue also to doubt of his obedience and loyaltie: for what profession soeuer they make of their faithfull seruice and subiection to the Princes Maiestie, I feare me their hearts are not sound. For whereas, the Priests are charged by Parsons to say, that the Pope hath no authoritie by way of force or armes immediatly or by others, to restraine, punish or represse any temporall prince for heresie, Replie f. 36. b.&c. they vtterly renounce this position, and call it a spitefull collection. They say further, that the Popes indirect authoritie, in temporalibus, Replie fol. 40.in temporall things, is not called in question: neither is the power of deposing of princes examined. And whereas Parsons laboureth to proue, that although the Pope directly hauehave no temporall dominion or iurisdiction ouer Christian temporall princes, &c. yet indirectly for conseruation and defence of religion, &c. he may also vse the sword or helpe of temporall forces, Manifest. fol. 16. a.either immediatly from himselfe, or by other princes, at his direction, &c. The Priests to this answere, that they labour about a matter not in controuersie. So then it is their opinion,Replie. f. 40. that although the Pope not as a Bishop or Ecclesiasticall person, yet as a temporall Prince, may depose Kings, and inuade kingdomes. Then it is to be vehemently feared, least that this should be their euasion, that if the Pope should make an inuasion, they would obey him, though not as a spirituall Prelate, yet as a temporall Prince: I may therefore here say with Hierome: Non bonae suspicionis est, Ad Damas.cum in eodem sensu verba dissentiunt: It is no good suspition, when as in the same sense the words differ. For this cunning circumlocution of words bewrayeth a diuers sense.
May we not now thinke, that these Catholike subiects are like vntounto the Popish Bishops in King Henry the 8. his time, that professed themselues good subiects to the king, and yet were obliged by oath to the Pope, swearing in this manner: Their counsell to me credited by them, their messengers or letters, The oath of Popish Bishops to the Pope.I shall not willingly discouer to any person: the Popedome of Rome, the regalities of S. Peter, I shall helpe and retaine and defend against all men: the rights, honours, priuiledges, authorities of the Church of Rome, of the Pope and his successors, I shall cause to be conserued, &c. I shall not be in councell, treatie, or any act, in the which any thing shall be imagined against him, or the Church of Rome, Fox. Monum. pag. 2053.their rites, states, honours, &c. if I know any such to be moued, I shall resist it to my power, &c. Let any man now iudge, whether any taking this oath to the Pope, could be good subiects to their Prince, no more can they, that stand for the regalities, priuiledges and iurisdiction of the Church of Rome, as both Priests and Iesuites doe, for ought I can see.
2. He calleth this the decaying and withering age of the Protestants, Vntruth. 6.pag. 11. lin. 18.
It is strange to see how bold and confident these vaine people are, that notwithstanding God hath hitherto subuerted all their trayterous deuices, and made frustrate their vaine hope: yet they doe flatter themselues in their purposes, and doe expect an encrease of their kingdome▪ and a decay and extirpation of the Gospell.
The vaine hope of Papists. Manifest. fol. 18. a. Manifest. fol. 57. a.The Priest he dreameth, that Priests may be raised vp out of our owne Vniuersities, and from among the Ministers themselues. But Parsons himselfe saith, that this is a reason to be laughed at.
But the Iesuite is yet more bold: God will at his time appointed most certainly restore the realme of England to the Catholike (he meaneth Popish) faith. And againe: We shall not finde that difficultie and resistance by the grace of God in England, which good men doe finde in other countries, for bringing in of any reformation, Pag. 58. a.that is attempted. Yea he taketh vponupon him to prescribe what his Catholike Prince shall doe (when he hath him) and how he shall demeane himselfe toward his Nobilitie.Manifest. p. 62. a.
Indeede we will goe thus farre, with Frier Robert, that God at the time appointed, may restore &c. But wee verely trust, that no such time is appointed, or shall euer come: and by the grace of God, as they hauehave found (I thinke) more difficultie hitherto to plant Popish religion in England, then in any other countrie, so shall they finde still. And concerning his Catholike Prince (whom Parsons stil meaneth to be the Catholike King of Spaine, or some to bee brought in by him) I will answere him with their owne Priests words,Replie fol. 74. a. lin. 3. God forbid that time should euer come: neither doe I trust in God it euer shall.
And that it may yet further appeare, what a vaine hope is hatched in their breasts, first during her Maiesties daies, they had small reason to looke for reiuing of superstition: whose constant resolution, and setled iudgement against al mixture or toleration of contrarie religion, we al were perswaded of while she liued they needed not to doubt, her Maiestie her selfe had professed in the late Proclamation not long before her peaceable departure, to the comfort of all her subiects.
And the Iesuite himselfe further confesseth, that there is no hope that the King of Scotland (now our Soueraigne Lord King of England, Scotland, France, Manifest. fol. 49. a.and Ireland) will be a Catholike, which the whole Church of England beleeued before, and now to their great comfort seeth, and with thankes to Iesus Christ acknowledgeth. The Priests also thus write, That there is no competitor vntounto the Crowne of England that is a Catholike, in whom any probabilitie in the world of enioying the Crowne can be imagined, as al men know.Repl. f. 76. a.
Thus the Masse-priests were bold to write not long since, but simplie and suspiciouslie, as though England would afford any competitor to stand vp against the lawfull title of his Maiestie, who onelyonly by his royall descent had enterest to succeede in the Crowne, which God be thanked we see to all our comforts, without any contradiction, or opposition to be peaceablie deriued vntounto his Maiestie, which long may he possesse with honor to Gods glorie.
We trust then that God, which in his merciemercy hath sanctified this land to professe his Gospell, will consecrate it as his Temple, to be the piller of truth, and candlesticke to hold out the light of his word to the worlds end: and that he wil put into the heart of our gratious Soueraigne, and honorable Counsellers so to prouide, that true Religion may be transmitted vntounto posteritie, and so blesse the Kings royall posteritie, and especiallie his Maiesties dearest sonne and heire apparant Prince Henry, that Religion may be so planted in his princely youth, that it may grow vp and increase with him. It ioyeth me here to remember that couragious farewell, which that renowned King Henry the 8. gaue to the Pope: England hath taken her leaue of popish crafts for euer, neuer to be deluded with them hereafter. Romane Bishops hauehave nothing to do with English people, Fox. p. 1083.the one doth not traffike with the other, at the least though they will hauehave to do with vsus, we will none of their merchandice, none of their stuffe, we will receiue them of our councell no more. This Prophesie rather then Proclamation of that magnanimous King, we gladlie accept, and with all ioyfull acclamation, say Amen vntounto it.
Adde vntounto this the propheticall exclamation of Roger Clearke Martyr at his condemnation an. 1546. at Ipswich, fight for your God, Fox. Martyrlo. p. 1232. col. 1. edit. 1583. Reuel. 18.2.for he hath not long to continue. But most of all are we secured by the prophesie of the Reuelation, that Babylon is fallen, which we see in part alreadie fulfilled; for the tenth part of the citie is fallen alreadie: that is,Reuel. 11.13. the tenth part of that politike bodie of Antichrist, which consisted of Monks,The kingdom of Antichrist decaying. Friers, Nunnes, with their Abbeyes, Priories, Celles, Chauntries, is ouerthrowne, as by a mightie earthquake in the kingdomes of England, Scotland, Ireland. And we further are most sure, that after Babylon beginneth to fall,Reuel. 18.21. it shall not rise againe, nor be found no more. And howsoeuer God may in iustice deale with some nation in particular for their vnthankfull receiuing of the Gospell, to suffer them to be misled againe, yet we make no doubt but the generall bodie of Antichrist is decaying, and hath receiued a wound irrecouerable. Wherefore be it knowne vntounto you ye Papists, that your kingdome is withering and decaying, and ye are they that wax worse and worse, deceiuing, and being deceiued, 1. Tim. 3.12. but the Gospell of Christ shall flourish, and they that louelove him, shall be as the sunne that riseth in his strength: Iud. 5.31.Only let vsus that professe the Gospell be of good courage, let vsus keepe the profession of our hope without wauering: Hebr. 10.24. Hebr. 12.12.let vsus lift vp our hands that hung downe, and our weake knees. Let vsus not be like, as Hierome sayth, to those that slacke their rowing,Lib. 3. aduers. Pelagian. Quomodo qui aduerso flumine lembum trahit, si remiserit manus, retro labitur, & fluentib. aquis, quo non vult ducitur: Like as he which haleth a boate against the streame, if he let go his hands, falleth backe, and is caried whither he would not; so he that is remisse in religion, is in danger to fall backe to superstition: but the worst I hope is past, the beginning of reformation is harder then the perfection, as Lampis said of the getting of riches, foreign: that he got great wealth easily, and small hardlie: So we hope in God, that true religion may more easily be continued, then it was at the first founded.
3 This Iesuited, or rather Iudasited Frier (for of that rebellious and exorbitant order he is supposed to be) proceedeth on in his frierlie vaine of lying:Vntruth. 7. he bringeth in Iohn Riuius to say, that they (meaning all Protestants) be Atheists, Epicures, deniers of the soules immortalitie, p. 11. l. 21. Whereas neither he speaketh of all Protestants, but only of certaine dissolute liuers among them; neither yet affirmeth them to be deniers, &c. but that they do runne headlong into sinne, as though they did thinke &c. that the foule perisheth with the bodie. There is great difference betweene him that openlie denieth the immortalitie of the soule, and him, that by his licentious life may be thought not to beleeue the soule to be immortall. Indeede we reade that in the Councell of Constance it was obiected to one of your Popes, whom ye hold can not erre, namely, Iohn 23. Quinimo dixit & pertinaciter credidit, animam hominis cum corpore humano mori &c. Moreouer he said, and obstinately beleeued, that the soule of man dieth together with the bodie, and is extinguished▪ as the soule of brute beasts. But from among the Protestants you shall not be able to shew one that euer so affirmed, or beleeued.
4 Where he saith,Vntruth. 8. their owne generall and approued doctrine especiallie in England, that true faith and good works are inseparable, con…oc. Lond…n. 1562. art. 12. condemneth such men for infidels and misbeleeuers, p. 12. l. 7. First,Euill liuers among Christians are not straightway infidels. it is vntrue that those words are found in that article▪ though we admit and receiue the doctrine: that article faith indeede, that good works spring out necessarily of a true and liuely faith, but it condemneth them not straight for infidels, that hauehave not this working and liuely faith: for there is great difference betweene him that hath the right knowledge of God, though not effectual or working, and him that hath no knowledge, or the same erroneous. And if it be admitted, that some infidels, or misbeleeuers might be found among Protestants, and where the Gospell is professed, is that any derogation (maister Frier) to the Church of God, or profession of the Gospell, which condemneth such? Did the Church of Corinth cease to be a Church,1. Cor. 15.13. because some among them had not the knowledge of God, and denied the resurrection? Or is the popish Church free from infidels and misbeleeuers? I would Atheisme and prophanenes had not inuaded the Popes chaire. I thinke that Pope was little better then an infidell and misbeleeuer, that said to one of his Cardinals,Leo. 10. to Cardinall Bembus. Ex Balaeo. Sclaunder 9. quantum nobis profuit fabula ista d… Christo, how much hath this fable of Christ aduantaged vsus?
5 Of the like credit and truth are these words that follow, that the Protestants hauehave beene the onelyonly cause of so many Infidelities, Atheismes, Epicurismes, Iudaismes, p. 12. l. 20. that eueryevery man among vsus is left to his owne priuate deduction, Sclaunder 10.and deceitfull iudgement, ibid. lin. 27. If this fellow were not past all feare of God, and shame of man, he would hauehave trembled thus to hauehave blasphemed the seruants of God. Paganish infidelitie, Atheisme, and Epicurisme we detest. Iudaicall ceremonies and superstitions we hauehave renounced with popish trash. No man is permitted of his owne head to coyne a new faith. The word of God is a rule and direction to Protestants how to beleeue, and how to liue. These are but popish sclaunders, and frierlike inuentions. Where truth faileth you, your vncharitable tongue helpeth out, which was prowd Diotrephes practise against the Apostle, pratling against vsus (saith S. Iohn) with malicious words.Iohn. 3.10. Ad Celant. But as Hierome saith Scillaeos canes obdurata aure transibo, I will stop mine eare (against those backbiters) as the Scillaean dogs and Sea-monsters; he may for shame hold his peace: for as Sophocles saith of the thiefe:
foreign: He that is manifestly taken stealing, had need hold his peace: So he that is deprehended in a lie, for shame may be silent.
6. This Catholike Frier goeth about, as well as he can, to prooue the religion of Protestants, to be the cause of Epicurisme, Atheisme, &c. his confused prattle, and disordred hudling vp of much homely stuffe, I will reduce into some order if I can: his simple reason, if it be any at all, standeth thus: That religion, wherein a man seeth so many diuisions and no agreement, which is vncertaine and ineuident, is a palpable prouocation and allurement to Atheisme, Epicurisme, infidelitie, Apolog. p. 14. lin. 3.4.16.
But such is the religion of Protestants: Ergo, &c.
The proposition or first part of this reason being admitted, the assumption, that the religion of the Protestants is vncertaine, full of diuisions, hauing no agreement: he laboureth diuersly to perswade.
The first Probation.
HE reasoneth thus from the lesse to the greater, à minore ad mains, as wee say in Schooles: If in arts Alchymie be refused because of the vncertaintie: if for matters of storie, the diuersitie of opinions about the originall of the Britaines, hath caused many to thinke there neuer was any Brute at all: if because some writers, as Hierome, Orosius, Fasciculus temporum differ about the comming of Peter to Rome, some Protestants are not afraid to affirme he was neuer at Rome: if for the same reason, the Protestants denie the bookes of Macchabees, Iudith, Tobias to be Canonicall scripture, p. 13. much more may that religion be doubted of, which is so full of vncertainties, &c.
The Solution.
HE had need be a good Alchymist, that out of this leaden argument should draw anie sound or solide reason.
First, where the foundation is false, the building must needes be deceitfull: this durtie dawber worketh with vntempered morter, and patcheth vp his matter with false grounds: 1. For neither doe the Protestants denie that Peter was at Rome, but that he neither came thither so soone (the 2. yeere of Claudius) nor continued there so long (namely 25. yeeres) as the Popish Church holdeth:Vntruth 11. He should hauehave named such Protestants, whom he chargeth with this deniall of Peters being at Rome.Vntruth 12. 2. These doubts and obiections moued by Protestants, arise not onelyonly now chiefly by reason of some difference in the historian writers, but are grounded vponupon certaine places of Scripture, which they shall hauehave much adoe to answere, as is elsewhere declared.Synops. p. 141. 3. The bookes of Tobie and the Macchabees are not refused onelyonly for that cause,Vntruth 13. for that they cannot be assigned to any certaine time, but for other reasons, both for the matter, which is fabulous and erronious, in many points; and the manner, diuers speeches and places being repugnant and contradictorie.Synops. p. 12.15. So then he hath rapped foorth three vntruths together: such a plentifull forge this Frier hath, to coyne his Alchymicall stuffe.
Secondly, be it knowne vntounto him, that the Protestants faith relieth vponupon a more sure ground, then either Alchymie in Artes, or in storie Brutes being in England, or Peters comming to Rome: the first is phantasticall, the second coniecturall, the third historicall: the first but an inuention; the second a tradition; the third a collection or collation of times. But the faith of the Gospell, is grounded vponupon the Scriptures, not vponupon mans vaine phantasie, or blind traditions, or vncertaine collections: therefore this reason hath no shew of probabilitie, nor force of consequence: the argument is denied. I thinke the Frier was telling ouer his beades, or busie about his Memento, when he thus argued: somewhat he would say if he knew what. Like as Hierome saith of one: Pisoniano vitio laborat, Hieron. ad Oc…an.eum loqui nesciret, tacere non posset▪ He hath Piso his fault, hee knoweth not how to speake, and yet cannot hold his peace. And as Diogenes compareth such, which vnderstand not what they say: foreign: Like as Harpes making a great sound without any sense.
The second Probation.
THis Popish champion in the next place, by way of comparison betweene the Pope-catholike Church and the Protestants, endeuoureth to shew the vncertaintie of the one, by the certaine and infallible authoritie of the other. The Cacolike, or as he saith, Catholike Church, for whose election, calling, preseruing from error and consummation, the whole mysterie of Christ was wrought, hath condemned and vtterly extirped 400. heresies, and by the same infallible authoritie and censure in diuers generall Councels, where the whole Christian world was assembled, reproued and anathematized those that raigne in Protestants, pag. 14. and in this their Catholike Church there was neuer (saith he) or is any disagreement or contradiction in matter of beleeuing▪ pag. 15. lin. 17.18.
The Solution.
FIrst, in that he saith, the mysterie of Christ was wrought for the Catholike Church: where his meaning seemeth to be, that Christ died onelyonly for the Church: as wee acknowledge this to bee an euident truth, if by Catholike Church, the true Church of Christ,Contradiction in Popish teachers. and not the Romane onelyonly to be vnderstood: so herein he contradicteth and gainsaith his fellow Friers: for Bellarmine confesseth, though now a Cardinall, yet then an Ignatian Frier, when he so writ, that Christs blood was shed, for Turkes, Iewes, Bellarm. de Euchar. lib. 4. c. 25 Dialog. 5▪ p. 498Infidels, & quibuscun que impijs, and all wicked men whatsoeuer. Frier Feuardentius also prooueth, that Christ suffered, pro cunctis in vniuersum hominibus, for all men vniuersallie.
2. But where by the Catholike Church, hee vnderstandeth the Romane Church, that receiueth the B. of Rome, as the head of Christs Church: and to this Romane Church he applieth and appropriateth the mysterie of Christs worke in the redemption of the world: What a grosse absurditie is here vttered,Vntruth 14. and how inglorious to Christ, that he died for none, but for those which are vnderunder the Romane iurisdiction? As though it were at the Popes deuotion, who should be partakers of redemption in Christ: the Scripture saith, He that beleeueth in Christ, shall not be condemned, Ioh. 3.18. But now, though a man beleeue in Christ,Romanists, Donatists, Marcionists, Luciferians, limit the Church of God to countries. Augustin. de vnitat. eccles. cap. 14. by this Frierly glosse, it is not enough, vnlesse he also beleeue the Pope to be Christs Vicar. Euen like as these Romanists would hauehave all Churches depend vponupon Rome in the West: so the Donatists being caried with the like humour, did contend for the South, that the Church of God was onelyonly to be found in Africa, thereto abusing that text, Cantic. 1.6. Vbi pascis, vbi cubas meridie: Where feedest thou, and li…st at noone, or in the South, as they interpreted. By the same reason saith Augustine; Marcion, vponupon that text, Psal. 48.2. Mons Sion, latera Aquilonis, De vnitat. eccles. cap. 19.Mount Sion, the sides of the North, might also chalenge a priuiledge for the North: quia ponticus dicitur fuisse, quae partes ad Aquilonem sunt: Because he is said to hauehave been of Pontus, which is toward the North. As these Heretikes did striue for the South and North: so the Luciferians would hauehave the Church of God onelyonly at Sardis in the East: vntounto whom Hierome saith: Non ob Sardorum tantum mastrucam filium Dei descendisse: Cont. Luciferianos.That the sonne of God did not only descend for a Sardish mantill; that is, to saue onelyonly the Sardians: Euen so did hee not onelyonly die to redeeme the Romanes. Yea, if any sect among Christians hauehave diuided and cut themselues off from Christ, the Papists that chalenge most to be priuiledged, are most like to be excluded: 1. Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen, 1. Cor. 6.9. such are Papists notoriously knowne to be. 2. Heresies also doe shut men out from the kingdome of God, Galath. 5.20.21. But the Church of Rome holdeth and professeth many apparant heresies, as euen now shall be shewed. 3. The Apostle saith, Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe, Galath. 5.4.Papists cut off from the true Church. But the Papists do seeke to be iustified by the righteousnes of the lawe: for these are their owne words, True iustice is by keeping the lawe, Rhemist in 2. Rom. sect. 5.4. The scripture saith, If any man shall adde vntounto these things, I will adde vntounto him the plagues written in this booke, Reuel. 21.18. They which adde vntounto the scriptures, can not be saued: Such are the Papists, that beside the written word, do receiue many traditions, which they call verbum Dei, non scriptum; the word not written. By these and sundrie other reasons, which might be produced, the pope-catholike is found to hauehave the least part in Christ, vnlesse they do reuoke their errors, and repent them of their misbeliefe.
3 True it is, that Christ will so preserue his Church, and eueryevery faithfull member thereof from error, as that they shall not fayle in the foundation: but as to infirmities of life, so to errors of doctrine, which are not fundamentall, euen the true Church of Christ is subiect, till God by his word do otherwise teach them,Philip. 3.15. as the Apostle saith, if ye be otherwise minded, God shall reueale the same vntounto you. But concerning any particular visible Church, such as the Romane and the Latine Church is,Vntruth. 15. it is vntrue that it is absolutely preserued frō error, but so long only, and so farre-forth as it doth yeeld and submit it selfe to be guided by the direction of Gods word.The visible Church may erre. For what priuiledge hath one locall Church more then an other? What can Rome challenge more for it selfe, then Ephesus, Sardis, Smyrna, and the other Churches of Asia, to whom our Sauiour directed his Epistles, Reuel. 2.3. whose candlesticks are now remoued. The earthlie Ierusalem had greater assurance for their continuance, and more ample promises, then euer Rome had: for the Psalme testifieth thus, the Lord hath chosen Sion, and loueth to dwell in it, saying, Psal. 13…. v. 13.14.this is my rest for euer: yet is Sion now forsaken, and Ierusalem become desolate: for the promise is conditionall, if thy sonnes keepe my couenants, &c. v. 12. Let not reachles Rome therefore presume before Ierusalem, euen vntounto the Romanes doth the Apostle speake,Rom. 11. v. 21. if God spared not the naturall branches, take heed least he also spare not thee. Let the Romanists therefore take heed, least it happen vntounto them,Tract. 35. in Math. as vntounto the Iewes, as Origene saith, alapa Christum caedentes, alapam aeternam receperunt, ab omni prophetia percussi & priuati: for giuing Christ a blow, they receiued an euerlasting blow, being shaken from, and depriued of all prophesie. The like deadlie stroke proud Rome must expect to be depriued of all propheticall spirite and true iudgement, for striking and persecuting Christ in his members.
Vntruth. 16.4 Vntrue also it is, that the Church of Rome hath condemned and extirped 400. heresies, seeing that it may easily be proued,Romane Church reteineth and maintaineth many heresies. that it doth maintaine at this present one hundred at the least of those auncient heresies which hauehave bene in former time condemned by Irenaeus, Tertullian, Hierome, Augustine, Epiphanius, Damascene, and other of the Fathers.
From Marcellina the companion of Carpocrates they hauehave receiued the adoration of Images:August. heres. 7 Heres. 16. Heres. 24. of the Heracleonites extreame vnction: with the Tatians, they condemne mariage: with the Pepuzians they allow women to be priests,Heres. 27. in that they authorise them to baptize: with the Catharists, that some are so iust, that they neede no repentance:Heres. 38. with the Angelici, they worship Angels:Heres. 39. with the Apostolici they admit none to orders, as they did not to their communion, that had wiues: with the Hierarchites they hauehave brought in Monks and Nunnes:Heres. 46. Heres. 47.with the Euchites canonicall houres: with the Priscillianists they make Apocryphall writings equall to the scriptures:Heres. 17. Heres. 70. Heres. 50. Heres. 88. Heres. 46. with the Anthropomorphites they picture God the Father like an old man: from the Pelagians they hauehave borrowed free-will: from the Manichees the prohibiting of the eating of flesh. Many such heresies are without any wresting or forcing fastned vponupon the Romish professors,D Sutcliffes challenge cap. 4. Tetrastyl. 2. pill. par. 3. as a learned writer of our Church hath alreadie challenged, and charged them with fiftie heresies: and another hath proued them guiltie of fortie more, and so many as want of an hundred, shall be supplied shortlie, and the number made vp, in the enlarging of the last recited worke, as God shall giuegive strength and abilitie thereunto.
5 Neither is it true,Vntruth. 17. that diuers generall Councels where the whole Christian world was assembled, hauehave anathematized and condemned the religion of Protestants:Protestants neuer condemned in any true generall Councell. for whereas in the margent he referreth vsus to the Concil. Constant. Concil. Florentin. in Vnion. Concil. Trident. the first of these by our aduersaries confession was not a generall Councell: for whereas Sess. 4. of the Councell of Constance it was decreed, that the Pope ought to be subiect vntounto the authoritie of a generall Councell, Bellarmine telleth vsus, Non erat tum generale Concilium, &c. Lib. 2. de concil. authoritat. ca. 19.It was not then a generall Councell, when as the third part only of the Church was present, only those prelates, which were vnderunder the obedience of Pope Iohn: if it were not generall in the 4. session, neither was it in the 8. session, wherein the opinions of Wickliffe and Hus were condemned.
As for the Florentine Councell, neither was it by the same reason generall: for at the same time the generall Councell of Basil was celebrate, which beareth this stile, sacrosancta generalis synodus Basiliensis in spiritu sancto legitimè congregata vniuersalem ecclesiam repraesentans: Florentine proued no generall Councell.the most holie generall Synod of Basill lawfullie assembled in the holie spirit representing the vniuersall Church. The 31. Sess. beareth date ann. 1438. in which yeare began the Councell of Ferraria, adiourned afterward to Florence, as it appeareth in the proeme to the Councell. And least it might be thought, that the Synode Basiliens. was now determined, it is manifestlie apparent,Sess. 1. Basiliens. that it both began before ann. 1431. and continued after, being not dissolued before ann. 1442. which date the 45. sess. beareth. But the Florentine Councell was ended ann. 1539. as it appeareth by the date of the letters of Vnion. How then could the Florentine be Generall representing the whole Church,Florent. sess. vltim. whereas another generall Synode at the same instant was congregate at Basill? Neither yet was any thing concluded in the Synode of Florence against the Protestants faith: The question there handled, and for the deciding whereof both the Greeke and Latine Church were assembled, was concerning the proceeding of the Holie Ghost from the Father and the Sonne. And whereas the Greekes were requested by the Pope, that the Synode would discourse of the transmutation of the bread, they refused, affirming they had no authoritie so to do, being called together,Florentin. sess. 25. in fine. pro illa tantum spiritus sancti processione, onelyonly for and about the procession of the holie-ghost. As for the letters of Vnion, wherein other articles are conteined, they were not made by the consent of the whole Synod: for as the storie saith, Multi prinsquam huiusmodi subscriptio fieret discesserunt, Florent. synod. conclus.Many were departed before any such subscription was made: neither did the Greeke Church obserue this vnion afterward, though Pope Eugenius cunningly made two of the Greeke Bishops, Bessarion, Decret. Eugen. ex Platin. ant… concilium.and another, Cardinals of Rome, to keepe the Greeks in obedience to the Romane Church, but all would not serue.
Concerning the Tridentine Conuocation, there subscribed onelyonly vntounto it of Cardinals,Ex edition Petr. Crabb. Archbishops, Bishops, not aboue 42. and the most of them were of Italy, Sicily, Spaine, though since an other tale is told vsus from Collen, that there subscribed 25. Archbishops,Trident. synod. impress. Colon. pa. 416. and 168. Bishops, but they are all summed in grosse, their names are not expressed. Is not this sillie chapter or conuenticle of popish Bishops worthie the name (thinke you) of a generall Synode?Tridentine, a Chapter rather then a Councell. with the which neither the Kings of England, and France, nor yet the Princes of Germany, consented or communicated. Many prouinciall Synods hauehave made as great an apparance of Bishops, and some hauehave exceeded. In the second Councell of Carthage there were present 214. Bishops. In the fift Councell of Carthage, ann. 438. Bishops 73.Caranza. In the Synode Epaunens. 70. In the fourth Toletane 70.Ex Petr. Crabb. Bishops subscribed an. 681. why then should this late chapter of Trent presume beyond these prouinciall Synodes, to be called Generall, or Vniuersall, consisting of so small a number of popish Bishops conspiring together, neither in number, honestie, or learning to be compared vntounto the Bishops of diuers prouinciall Synods, we therefore force not whatsoeuer this conuenticle hath decreed.
6 It is a notable vntruth,Vntruth. 18. that in the popish Church there is not, neither euer was any disagreement or contradiction in matters of beleeuing, whereas the contrarie is most manifest & apparant, as these particulars do shew.
The Councell of Constance excommunicateth all those which communicate in both kinds, sess. 13. The Councell of Basile doth graunt to the Bohemians the vse of both kinds.Papists differ in matters of faith.
Both the said Councels decree, that a Generall Councell is aboue the Pope:Basiliens. sess. 33. Ibid. and that it is veritas catholicae fidei a veritie of the catholike faith so to beleeue: and that pertinaciter repugnans est censendus haereticus, that he which obstinately resisteth, is to be iudged an heretike: and it is de necessitate salutis credere &c. of the necessitie of saluation to beleeue that a generall Councell hath supreme authoritie: and yet for all this the contrarie was decreed,Martin. 5. epist. 16. post concil. Basiliēs. that the Pope is aboue a Generall Councell, Lateran. sub Leon. sess. 11.
The Franciscane Friers did teach,Fox pa. 800. that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without originall sinne: the Dominicanes held the contrarie.
The Rhemists hold, that none are absolutely elected without respect had to their works, Annot. Hebr. 5. sect. 7. Bellarmine proueth the contrarie,Lib. 2. de grat. ca. 10. that we are elected freelie without any foresight of works.
Some of the popish writers extoll free-will,In 2. Sentent. dist. 28. in 3. dist. 27. giuing vntounto the same a naturall power of it selfe vntounto good, Scotus, Durandus, Gabriel.
Some do affirme the contrarie, as Capreolus, Marsilius.In 2. Sentent. dist. 28. In 1. qu. 20. Lib. 1. de Sacram. ordin. ca. 4.
Some of them hold, that, Episcopalis ordinatio, the ordaining of Bishops is no sacrament, Dominicus a Soto, Caietanus, Durandus: Bellarmine with the rest affirme the contrarie.
Lib. 1. de matrim. ca. 5.Some that Matrimonie is no sacrament of the new testament, as Durand, Alphonsus, Petrus a Soto: Bellarmine with the rest hold the contrarie.
Lib. 2. de sacram. ca. 20.Concerning the indeleble character, which they say is imprinted in the soule by the sacraments, Scotus saith, it can not be proued by the scripture; Gabriel doubteth whether the Church hauehave determined it: Bellarmine maintaineth the contrarie.
Some thinke that in the Eucharist the substance of Christes bodie is present, but without quantitie, as Durand;Lib. 3. de sacram. Eucha. ca. 5. others that it hath quantitie, but no distinction or order of parts; as Ockam: Bellarmine saith it hath both.
Nicolaus 3. defined, that Christ had no propertie in any thing,Extrau. Ioann. 22. tit. 14. ca. 4. Sext. decretal. lib. 5. tit. 12. c. 3. Iohn. 22. decreeth that opinion to be hereticall, that affirmeth Christ and his Apostles to hauehave had nothing. And at this present there is no small diuision and discord betweene the popish seculars, and Iebusites, euen in matters of iudgement and doctrine, not only in externall points of difference.
1 The Priests deliuer this position, that a Catholike may commit of frailtie any sinne, that an infidel, heretike, or schismatike committeth, Replie p. 50. b. This Parsons denieth, and proueth the contrarie, Manifest. p. 28.
2 Father Parsons holdeth, that if a man do deteine an other mans goods wrongfullie, and be possessor malae fidei, he is absolutely bound by all possible meanes to restore them to the true owner, Manifest. f. 45. a. The Priests hold the contrarie, that a man is not bound to restore, when it can not be done without imminent danger, as to deliuer a man his sword, wherewith he purposeth to kil an other. Replie f. 63. b. and they are in the right.
The Ignatian diuines at Salamanca in Spaine, resolued vponupon these conclusions to be sound in popish diuinitie, that the Catholikes in Ireland might with great merit ayde that Rebell Tyrone: that the Catholikes sinne mortallie, that take part with the English: that they are by no construction Rebels, that fight against the Queene: Replie f. 66. b. All which positions the secular Priests do rightlie conclude to be false and vnchristian. Ibid.
4 Parsons affirmeth, that the consideration of Catholike religion is the principall point in the succession to the Crowne, Manifest. fol. 63. a. And he seemeth to conclude, that succession by birth and bloud is neither of the lawe of God, or nature, Quodlib. p. 30. The Priests hold the contrarie, that Catholikes are not bound to stand for a Catholike competitor, vnlesse there concurre the right of succession, Reply f. 76. a.
5 The Priests affirme, We are most confident not onelyonly in the excellencie of our Priesthood, but also in the assurance, that we in the execution hauehave a sufficient direction of Gods spirit.
6 Parsons calleth this high presumption of heretikes, and denieth both, that by their character only Priests were made secure from erring, and so consequently the sacrament of orders not to conferre grace, which is a popish ground; as also that they cannot hauehave such assurance of Gods spirit: Manifest. fol. 87. a. b.
7 Parsons saith, that in Gods high prouidence we find the necessitie and ineuitabilitie of many accidents, Manifest. fol. 100.1. The Priests say, these words taste vnsauourie, if not hereticallie, to put absolute necessitie and ineuitabilitie, in those actions, which are subiect to mans wil and reason. Replie fol. 98. a.
8 Parsons saith, that this position, that the life and estate of secular Priests is more perfect then the state of religious men (which the Priests maintaine) is refuted and condemned, not onelyonly by Thomas Aquinas, Difference betweene Popish Priests & Iudasites in points of doctrine.but by S. Chrysostome and other writers of that time. Manifest. fol. 104. b.
9 The Priests call Parsons interpretation of that place of S. Iohn, Trie the spirit, &c. false and hereticall, thereby leading his Reader into a presumptuous error of iudging all both men and matters. Replie fol. 101. b.
10 The Priests hold, that the Pope as an Ecclesiasticall Magistrate, hath no power to moue warre for religion against any tēporal Prince, or for whatsoeuer cause, or pretence, &c. and that they would oppose themselues against him, if he should come in person in any such attempt, and that they will reueale, whatsoeuer they shall know therein. Imp. consyd. p. 38. Parsons, full like himselfe, calleth these positions, pernicious, erronious, hereticall. Manifest. f. 13. b.
11. The Priests doubt not to say, that the Pope was not endued with the worthie gift of the holy Ghost, tearmed discretio spirituum, discerning of spirits, and that he was deceiued in setting vp the Archpriest, Relat. p. 57. Imp. consyd. p. 11. Parsons stifly maintaineth the Pope not to hauehave erred herein. Manifest. 76. b. In diuers other points these two Popish sects doe differ, as may bee gathered out of their late polemicall writings and inuectiues set foorth by one against the other.
And three hundred more of these contradictions and diuersities of opinion in matters of faith and doctrine, which hauehave been and are in the Romane Church, might be brought foorth, but that it were needlesse (these fewe examples being sufficient to conuince the aduersarie of error) and superfluous:Tetrastyl. pill. 4 part. 4. this being elsewhere in another worke performed, whither I pray the Reader to hauehave recourse.
Is not this then a shamelesse man, that hath told vsus so many lies together, and blusheth not to abuse such honourable persons, with his Frierly glosses? if his necke were not foreign,Isai▪ 48. an yron sinew, and foreign, his face brasse, as the Prophet saith: he would neuer hauehave faced out, such manifest vntruths. But he may be very well compared to raging and running brooks, which as Basile saith: foreign: as they runne carrie euerie thing along, which they meete with: So doth this bragger huddle vp together, whatsoeuer is in his way, be it true or false. And they thinke it a good piece of seruice, if they may with straining and ouerreaching bolster out a bad cause: much like to some, that Hierome speaketh of, who thought they might make bold with their disciples: Nos, qui necdum initiati sumus, audire debere mendacium, ne parnuli & lactentes solidioris cibi edulio suffocemur: Ad Pammach. & Ocean.And that we, which are hardly yet entred must heare lyes, least being yet but little ones and sucklings, wee might be choaked with stronger meate. But though their disciples are credulous, and will beleeue them vponupon their word, they hauehave small reason to thinke, that wise and graue persons will be so easily deceiued.
The third Probation.
IN the third place the Epistler seemeth to reason thus:Apol. p. 15. lin. 20. ad 28. that if a man may doubt to giuegive assent to any religion, where there is such diuersitie: this being but a speculatiue consent of faith, onelyonly exacting an agreement of the vnderstanding: how much more doubt and difficultie wil be made, &c. for the obtaining of heauen, &c. His reason, if it be any, standeth thus:
It is an hard matter among Protestants to make choice of the right faith,Vntruth. 19. which consisteth onelyonly in the vnderstanding:
Ergo, it is an harder matter among them to obtaine heauen.
The Solution.
1. IT is no hard matter among Protestants to discerne of the true religion, seeing they make the Scriptures the rule of their faith: but among Papists it is doubtfull, seeing they refuse to bee tried onelyonly by the Scriptures, (which they blasphemously affirme not to containe all things necessarie to saluation) but they runne vntounto vncertaine and doubtfull traditions:Bellarm. lib. 4. de verb. c. 3. and so as the Apostle saith, they measure themselues by themselues: where then the rule is crooked (such as are their humane traditions) how can that be straight, which is measured by it? But we say with Augustine: Regula est illa, Our rule is the will of God contained in the Scriptures:Enarrat. 2. in Psal. 31. stet regula & quod prauum est, corrgatur ad regulam: Let the rule stand (the word of God) and let that which is amisse be corrected according to that rule.
2. Neither is there such diuersitie of opinion,Vntruth. 20. or multitude of diuisions among Protestants, and thereupon such manifest and apparant daunger of a false election: as is shewed before. And it is an absurd and grosse thing in a disputer, still to begge the thing in question. He may take himselfe by the nose, and his fellow Friers, that make among them aboue an hundred sects: one holdeth of Francis, another of Benedict, another of Austine, another of Ignatius the founder of the Iesuites: like as among the Corinthians, some held of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Cephas. So that that saying of Hierome fitteth the Popish professors:Lib. 1. aduers. Pelagian. Nunc quoque mysterium iniquitatis operatur, & garrit vnusquisque, quod sentit: Now the mysterie of iniquitie worketh, and eueryevery man pratleth his owne fansie.
Faith is not an act onelyonly of the vnderstanding. Iam. 2.3. Neither is faith onelyonly an act of the vnderstanding, and a speculatiue consent: If your Popish faith bee nothing els, the diuell may well be one of your Catholikes; for hee in his knowledge and vnderstanding beleeueth there is a God, and consenteth that the Scriptures are true, and the historie of Christs natiuitie, death and resurrection he knoweth and confesseth. But the right Christian faith, beside the illumination of the vnderstanding, maketh an assured confidence of the heart, and setleth the conscience, and maketh vsus at peace with God: and by this faith,Rom. 5.1. eueryevery one that vnfainedly seeketh God, beleeueth that he will reward them: as the Apostle saith, He that commeth vntounto God, must beleeue that he is, and that he will reward those that seeke him. Heb. 11.6.Here are two parts of faith expressed, a knowledge, that God is; and a beleefe or assurance, that God will reward his seekers and followers.
4. The argument proposed concludeth well against Papists, that he which is doubtfull of faith, is much more doubtful to obtaine heauē: for a man may hauehave their speculatiue faith, & yet be no whit neerer to heauen, nor sure thereof.True faith worketh assurance of saluation. But the right faith, which Protestants professe, doth put them euen while they liue, in assurance, and in some sort in possession of the kingdome of heauen: as our Sauiour saith: He that beleeueth in him, that sent me, hath euerlasting life, Iohn 5.24.and shall not come into condemnation, but is escaped from death to life: Wherefore it is an hard and difficult matter with Papists to obtaine heauen, or to be assured thereof, though they hauehave the Popish faith. But with Protestants, after they be endued with a liuely iustifying faith, there is no doubt or difficultie in obtaining the reward:1. Pet. 1.5.9. for we are kept by the power of God through faith to saluation: and the end of our faith is the saluation of our soules. He therefore that is in the way of faith, is sure to come vntounto the end, which is saluation. I may therefore vse against this Romanist the words of Basile: foreign.You are guiltie of that, which you accuse in another. It is an hard matter for your followers to obtaine or be sure of heauen: and therfore you iudge so of the Protestants. But as Augustine saith: Quisquis adhuc malus non putet neminem bonum esse: Let not him that is euill thinke no man good.Jn Psal. 25. Because Popish religion is desperate and comfortlesse, thinke not eueryevery religion to be so.
The fourth Probation.
THe argument here vrged, may be framed thus: He whom all or most denie to hauehave title or interest to a kingdome, will faintly take it in hand. Apol. p. 16. l. 9. Pag. 16. lin. 22.The Protestants make the kingdom of God vncertaine, improbable, impossible to be obtained: and so denie men to hauehave interest to it: Ergo, they are the cause that few aduenture, so certaine and painfull a worke for so vncertaine and doubtfull recompence.Lin. 26.
The Solution.
1. TO the proposition, this may bee answered: that although in terrene kingdoms, where a title is denied of all, there is small hope to obtaine, because to a temporall inheritance, admittance is by temporall meanes: and entrance to kingdomes is made by the fauour and assistance of vnited friends, yet moued by the iustnes of the title, as the Wiseman saith: In the multitude of the people is the honour of the King, Prou. 14.28.and for the want of people commeth the destruction of a Prince: yet in the obtaining of the kingdome of heauen the case is farre diuers: for the children of God hauehave good title vntounto it, and great interest in it, and will earnestly contend and striue for it, though all the world say nay: as Elias was not dismaied in his course, though he thought himselfe to be left alone, and to be forsaken of all men.1. King. 19.10.
Vntruth. 21.2. It is an impudent slaunder, that the Protestants make the kingdome of God vncertaine, improbable, or impossible to be obtained: these are the proper badges of the Popish Church. For how doe not they make the kingdome of God vncertaine, when they teach, that the certitude of remission of sinnes is a vaine confidence, and void of all godlines: Concil. Trid. sess. 6. c. 9. Rhemist. 1. Cor. 9. sect. 9.and others call it, a faithlesse perswasion of saluation, for a man to be assured by faith, that hee shall be saued.
How is it not also improbable? seeing if any among thē are likely to goe to heauen, their Popes, whom they call holy Fathers, Christs Vicars, hauing S. Peters keyes, to whom the spirituall treasure of the Church is committed, to whom it belongeth to canonize Saints, who are priuiledged not to erre, they in all reason and probabilitie, should be most sure to goe to heauen? Is it probable, that they can open heauen to others, and commaund the Angels to carrie other mens soules to heauen,Clemens 6. in bulla. that they can canonize others, and bee excluded heauen themselues? And yet they dare pronounce of some of their Popes,The Pope that helpeth others to heauen, may goe to hell himself. Quo… lib. p. 57. and those not the worst, that they are damned, as Bellarmine is reported to hauehave said to an English Doctor of Sixtus the last, that descendit ad infernum, that hee was gone to hell, as farre as he could conceiue or vnderstand.
Yea by their doctrine the kingdome of heauen is impossible to bee had: seeing they doe ascribe it to mens workes and merits: for this I dare by warrant of the Scriptures affirme, that he which maketh account to purchase heauen by his workes, and not to obtaine it by faith, is not like to come thither: For by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified.Galat. 2.16.
This obiection then might well hauehave bin spared, which reboundeth back vpō their own face. Thus are they snared in their owne words: and so it falleth out vntounto this brabler, as it is in Iob: He that speaketh many words, foreign. Job. 11 2.shall be answered againe. If hee be loth to hauehave the nakednes of his mother discouered, he should hauehave followed Hieromes saying: Vis me tacere, ne accuses; depone gladium, & ego scutum abijciam: Would you hauehave vsus quiet, you should not hauehave accused vsus: if you had laid downe your sword, I should not hauehave needed to take vp a shield. Clitarchus could hauehave told you:foreign. Vtter not those things which you are loth to heare your selfe.
The fift Probation.
THe Mahometanes were neuer more wicked then after the Persian schisme and diuision amongst them.Pag. 17. Likewise the Iewes were diuided into many sects and religions at the comming of Christ, Samaritanes, Pharisies, Sadduces, Essenes, &c. whereby that nation &c. was drowned and ouerwhelmed in such monstrous and erronious iniquities.
The conclusion must be: Ergo, Protestants being so diuided, are most wicked, &c.Slaunder 22.
The Solution.
FIrst, this argument is denied: for though among the Infidels and misbeleeuers, such as the Turkes are, and the Iewes were at the comming of Christ, where none hold the truth, but al are in error, diuisions and sects make them worse: yet is it not so among those, which professe the trueth: 1. For there the diuersitie of sects, and the springing and publishing of heresies, doth make the defence of the truth more glorious, and the defenders therof more faithfull and constant: as the Apostle saith: There must be heresies euen among you, that they which are approoued among you, may be knowne. 1 Cor. 11.19.2. And yet in the meane time, the authors of schisme, and hatchers of heresies, are thereby giuen ouer to greater vngodlines: as the Apostle againe saith: But the euill men and deceiuers, shall waxe worse and worse, 2. Tim. 3.13.deceiuing and being deceiued.
3. For if the Church of God, were then at the worst, when heresies and schismes are raised: then should the state of the Primitiue Church bee condemned, when so many wicked doctrines of Ebionites, Basilidians, Valentinians, Marcionites, Arrians, Sabellians with the rest were stirred vp by the diuell.
4. The reason of this difference is euident: because that where the truth is professed, the opposition of errors doth giuegive occasion, that the same be more throughly sifted, as the wheate is by winnowing made more pure, and the light shineth brighter in darknes. But where there is no truth or sound knowledge at all,The Church of God may profit by heresies, though others waxe worse and worse. there diuisions doe but harden them the more in their error, like as chaffe being winnowed is scattered and dispersed: and as they which walke in darknes without light, the further they goe, the more they wander. This is the very case of the vnbeleeuing Turkes, and of the misbeleeuing Iewes, Pharisies, Sadduces, Herodians, they were all out of the way. This point is well touched by Augustine: Non ad diabolum pertinet, Homil. de pastoribus.quis isto, vel illo modo erret, omnes errantes vult quibuslibet erroribus: It is nothing to the diuell, whether a man erre this way, or that way, all that bee in error are his, what error soeuer they hold. No marueile then, if both Iewes and Gentiles by their diuisions waxed worse and worse, because they still were vnderunder the kingdome of Sathan, howsoeuer diuided.
Secondly, if this argument be admitted, it would conclude strongly against the Papists, whose diuisions are notoriously knowne both to hauehave been, and at this present to be such betweene the Secular Priests, and irregular Ignatians, both at Rome, in France, and in England (which were happy, if it were rid of them both) and so hotly pursued on both sides with all reprochfull termes, of knaues, heretikes, diabolicall Machiauels, diuels incarnate, and such like, as they are not able to shew euer to hauehave been among Protestants. And these diuisions not onelyonly to consist in verball differences,In the solution of the second probation. or repugnance in externall rites and liberties, but in materiall points of doctrine, as hath been before shewed. Therefore among Papists, where neither sect holdeth the truth, this argument may well hold by this their erronious dissentions and diuersities, to conuince them of monstrous and grosse iniquities.
Thirdly, against English Protestants (whom this Libeller chiefly impugneth) this engine of his hath no force: for (to Gods glorie be it spoken) fewer diuisions hauehave not been seene in the Church of England (excepting some few nouelties of certaine new fangled teachers, who in time, I doubt not, but will waxe wiser) then at this present. And I trust our domesticall heates shal eueryevery day abate and slake, and our contentions at home decrease, that wee may with one ioynt force oppose our selues to the common aduersarie: like as Abraham rescued Lot from the Gentiles, though some priuate iarres betweene their families had broken out before. The Grecians are said, that when their enemies approched, though they had been at ciuill discord before, would compound their quarrels, to resist their forraine foes: And it is written of Themistocles and Aristides, two famous Captaines of the Athenians, that when they went on embassage together,foreign. or to conduct an armie, Inimicitiam in finibus patriae deposuerunt: They laid downe their enmitie in the borders of their countrie. It should be a shame for Christians not to be so wise for the defence of the common cause, as the Heathen were: That saying of Augustine to Hierome is to be embraced: Fieri potest, vt tibi videatur aliud, quam veritas habet, dum aliud à te non fiat, quam charitas habet: You may so long think otherwise, then the veritie, so that you doe nothing beside charitie. If men will needes retaine some priuate opinions, yet let them refraine publike dissensions. And here an end also of this section.