A Scourge for a Railer, To the reader – Errata
Further aduertisments to the Reader, containing a briefe answer to a certaine Popish pamphlet, intituled, The first part of Protestants proofes, &c.
AFter that I had finished this answer, which was readie for the Presse in September last, but staied onelyonly the Printers leisure, till he had dispatched an other worke vponupon the first of Samuel, which in all reason was to be preferred; there came to mine hand a certaine Popish pamphlet, intituled, The first part of Protestants proofes for Catholike religion and Recusancie: wherein I found, that among other late writers of our Church, the author of that pamphlet had abused and traduced me, and some of my writings: and had made speciall vse of this Aduersaries testimonie against me: I will therefore briefly take a suruey of his fraudulent and corrupt dealing herein, that by the euill measure which he hath offered vntounto mee, it may appeare how he hath handled others.
In this Romanists spitefull collections, three things I obserue, absurditie, falsitie, impertinencie: as the cheife pillers and proppes of his rude and ragged building.
First his absurditie herein appeareth, that he alleadgeth this Cauillous Accusers testimonie, more then twentie seuerall times against me: as p. 5, 6. & most of all, p. 35. that I condemne all the ancient Fathers for dreamers: that I condemne all learned & godly Divines: that I falsly corrupt, translate, iniuriously handle, abuse the Fathers: that I straungely pervert, belie, depraue, abuse the Scriptures: and all this he taketh for truth vponupon an aduersarie, and euill willers report. All which slaunderous accusations are, I trust, sufficiently answered in this defense, vntounto the which, the Table annexed in the ende of the booke, may direct the Reader, that desireth further to be satisfied. He might hauehave thought of the common saying, Euill will neuer said true: and if that vsual by-word sound to harsh in his eares, aske my fellow, if I be a theefe: yet I may vse Hieromes words,…. 3. possem credere, si vnus assereret, nunc aut duo mentiuntur, aut omnes: if one (honest man) said it, I could beleeue it, but now either both lie, or all: as wel he that receiueth a false report and carieth it, as he that first coined it, is counted a gloser.
His falsitie he bewraieth, in misreporting, and peruerting diuers places by him produced: as that I call the rules and principles of Religion, which his Maiestie approoueth, a foolish conceit, and imagination, p. 6. quoting Eccles. triumph. p. 40. and again p. 31. he harpeth vponupon the same harsh string, that I call the Kings sentence, that (the Romane Church is our mother Church) a foolish conceit, and imagination: whereas I affirme no such thing, see mine answer, p. 17. of this booke. p. 10. he saith, I speak of his Maiesties mother, applying that saying of one to Augustines mother, the child of such prayers and teares can not possibly fall away: pref. to Antilog. whereas I speake onelyonly of his Maiesties prayers and teares, making no mention at all of his mother. So, p. 21. he chargeth me to say, that all scriptures hauehave beene doubted of by one Church or other, Synops. p. 2. in which place, no such thing is affirmed, but onelyonly diuers heretiks are rehearsed, by whom one or other, most of the Scriptures hauehave beene doubted of: p. 27. that I should say, that Vigilantius was condemned of heresie, for denying Reliques to bee reuerenced: Antilog. p. 13. whereas my words in that place, are these: Some of these, as they are imputed to Protestants, wee denie to be heresies at all; as that of Vigilantius, that Reliques are not to bee adored. Here no such thing is affirmed, that Vigilantius was herein condemned of heresie.
P. 30. that I account the Councel of Florence, a generall Councell: Synops. cont. 1. qu. 7. whereas I there vrge it onelyonly against the Romanists, as in their opinion generall: for otherwise else-where I hauehave prooued, that indeed it could not be a generall Councell, the great Synode at Basil beeing at the same time assembled. Antilog. p. 61.
P. 31. that I call the primitiue Councel of Neocaesarea, Toletane, the first, and the sixt generall Councels, the papal Church, poperie, &c. Antil. p. 88. 89. whereas I onelyonly shew in that place, that diuers errors decreed in all these Councels, (the first onelyonly excepted, whereof I make no mention at all there) are allowed in the popish church: see the place. Such deprauing and wresting of sentences, sheweth a badde cause, and a worse mind in those that vse such beggerly shifts: the truth neede not to be so defended; and such false and deceitfull dealing, will fall of it selfe, without any confutation: as Hierome saith; non necesse habet convinci, quod sua statim professione (*apud Hieron. blasphemum legitur. falsum) est: That need not to be conuinced, which at the first is discouered of falshood.
Thirdly, his impertinent allegations are these; p. 10. to prooue by our owne testimonies, that they which liue and die in the Romane Church may bee saued: he vrgeth these words of mine, that many renowned Kings and Queenes (which professed the Romane faith) are Saints in heauen. Antilog. p. 144. as if he should reason thus; many ignorantly misled in those daies of darkenesse, yet holding the foundation, might through Gods mercy be saued: therefore they which now wilfully resist the truth in the Romane Church, in these daies of knowledge, and erring in some fundamentall points, may be also saued.
P. 24. to prooue by our confession, that there is no true, lawfull, and iudiciall exposition of Scripture among the Protestants, hee presseth these words; that the reformation of religion, belongeth to the iudgement and redresse of the Prince: and yet he is not priuiledged from error. Antilog. p. 120. The argument followeth not; for we neither referre the exposition of Scripture vntounto the Prince, nor hang religion absolutely vponupon his iudgement, but according to the word: and wee interpret Scripture by Scripture, which is the most lawfull, sure, and certaine way of expounding.
P. 30. propounding to himselfe to prooue by Protestants writings, that the testimonie of the auncient Fathers, is for the doctrine of the Church of Rome; he alleadgeth this sentenee of mine, quite contrary: Antilog. p. 263. the same faith and religion, which I defend, is taught and confirmed in the more substantiall points, by the Historians, Gouncels, Fathers, that liued within fiue or sixe hundred years after Christ. Who but this lawlesse disputer would inferre hereupon, that euen by the Protestants own testimonie, the Fathers and Councels make for the Romish religion?
Thus absurdly, falsely, & impertinently, this Popes penne-man wresteth and depraueth my writings; and the like measure he offereth to the rest: whose chiefe strength lieth in the weapons of a false brother at home. And such is the fruite that commeth of these domesticall contentions, that thereby we put a sword into the aduersaries hand: whereas I could hauehave wished rather, that al these vnnecessarie brabbles at home had beene staied,2. Sam. 1. 2…. according to that saying of Dauid, Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streets of Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce: for by these vnbrotherly dissentions, we giuegive occasions to the enemies of God to reioyce, & mispend our time, which might more profitably be imployed. And as for mine owne part, I say with Hierome; Opto, sifieri potest, Hierom. aduers. L…ciferian.& si aduersarij siverint, commentarios potius scripturarum, quam Demosthenis & Tullij s…ribere: I wish, if it may bee, and if mine enemies would permit, to write rather commentaries of Scripture (which course I am now entred into) then Demosthenes or Tullies Philippices. And as for any thing, which mine aduersaries at home or abroad can obiect, I passe not much, but comfort my selfe in that saying of the Prophet;Mi…ah. 7 8. Reioyce not against me, O mine enemie, though I fall, I shall arise, when I shall sit in darkenesse, the Lord shall bee a light vntounto me.
ERRATA.
In the Preface, p. 13. l. 17. read divulganda, for divulgenda. p. 21. l. 4. r. Erasmus Sarcerius, for Erasmus, Sarcerius. p. 26. l. 13. r. denieth not, f. deemeth not. p. 27. l. 8. r. in as many syllables. p. 30. l. last. r. so much, f. so must. p. 32. l. 10. in domo sua. p. 33. l. 18. r. practicall knowledge, for practised, &c. p. 34. l. 33. r. nakednes, f. wickednes. p. 45. in the marg. r. insertum Chalced. f. infestum. ibid. l. 23. paid tenne, p. 40. l. 7. r. to signifie hell, and the soule. p. 53. l. 11. r. challengeth. p. 74. l. 26. r. vesica. p. 80. l. 8. r. retalion. p. 89. l. 3. r. foreign. p. 91. l. 7. supplie in the margen: ad Oceanum. & l. 19. ad Rusticum. p. 102. l. 24. r. instance. p. 111. l. 29. r. obiecteth. p. 116. l. 26. r. keber, for avad, and, Psal. 88. 12. f. 88. 10. p. 129. r. left in bonds. p. 146. l. 26. r. proofe, f. praise. p. 147. l. 1. r. Marcella, f. Marcellus. p. 174. r. in the marg cont. Crescon.