A Reply to a Censure, Title page – To the reader
A REPLIE to a Cenſure written againſt the two anſwers to a Ieſuites ſeditious Pamphlet.
By William Charke.
1. Reg. 20. 11.
Let not him that gurdeth on his armour boaſt as he that putteth it off
❧ Imprinted at London by Chriſtopher Barker, Printer to the Queenes moſt excellent Maieſtie.
ANNO. DOM. 1581.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
AS there hauehave riſen vp in the Church from time to time falſe Prophets & teachers, 2. Pet. 2. 1.which oppoſe them ſelues to the holye Prophets of God, and true teachers of his worde: ſo among the people where ſuch contrarietie of doctrines hath bene deliuered, like contrarietie of hearers hath alwayes followed, not onelyonly in iudgement, but alſo in their affection. For as ſome through the merciemercy of God and the ſincere preaching of the Goſpel, hauehave yeelded obedience to his worde: ſo many, caried away with corrupt teachers, hauehave for want of iudgement embraced errour in place of trueth, and carnall worſhippings, in ſteade of the pure worſhip of God, which euermore conſiſteth Iohn. 4. 24.in ſpirit and trueth. Againſt this ſo dangerous infection of falſe teachers, the holy Apoſtle Saint Iohn hath giuen vsus a moſt wholeſome counterpoyſon: willing vsus not to beleeue eueryevery ſpirit, but to trie and examin the ſpirits whether 1. Iohn. 4. 1.they be of God. But (to ſpeake of our times) this examination and trial may ſeeme very hard, ſeeing the teachers on both ſides are thought learned, and al pretend to teach the trueth. For, it is not denyed but both ſides hauehave had their education in ſchooles of learning, they hauehave alſo laboured in the liberall artes, to furniſh them ſelues to greater matters: wherupō they al bring very good words, ſome ſhewe of reaſon, & ſeeme to hauehave no ſmall force of perſwaſion. Howe then ſhall the ſimple people iudge, howe ſhal they diſcerne, whoſe iudgement and diſcretion ſhould be framed by their teachers, and ſetled by their ſownd, and plaine doctrine? To this I anſwere, S. Iohn in that place maketh the matter more eaſy then it appeareth at the firſt ſhewe. For, exhorting vsus not to beleeue eueryevery ſpirit, he doeth drawe our conſideration to the ſpirit and doctrine of the teachers, and not to theſe outwarde giftes of an eloquent ſtile, or a ſweete ſownde of pleaſing wordes, which may be common to good and euil: yea wherein the euil, for want of a good cauſe labour to excell, and from which the godly abſteine for the ſufficiencie of their cauſe without it, & are alſo reſtrayned, leſt our faith ſhould ſtande in the wiſedome of men, and not in the 2. Cor. 2. 5.power of God. But Saint Iohn, to make this his trial of ſpirits yet more ful & plaine, addeth, that eueryevery ſpirit which confeſſeth Chriſt Ieſus to hauehave 1. Iohn. 4. 2.come in the fleſhe, is of God, and eueryevery ſpirit which confeſſeth otherwiſe, is of Antichriſt. Now therefore, let vsus ſee bowe the Apoſtle frameth vsus to a ſpirit of diſcretion, to diſcerne the ſpirits of true and falſe teachers. If any man ſhall teach and conſeſſe that Chriſt was made man, and ordeyned of God the Father a Prophet, alone to teach: a King, alone to rule: and a Prieſt, alone to ſanctifie vsus, and to reconcile vsus to his Father by the obedience of faith, this confeſſion and doctrine is of the holy ſpirit of God, and to be receiued, what ſpirit ſoeuer ſhall mightily or cunningly perſwade the contrary. On the other ſide, if any ſpirit ſhall teach that Chriſt is not our only teacher by his holy Goſpel, but that we muſt admit vnwritten beleefe and traditions, from we know not whom, to be of like authoritie with the written worde: ſecondly, if any ſpirit make not Chriſt alone our King and head to rule vsus by his holy ſpirit, but teache that a mortall and ſinfull man muſt ſit in our conſciences, and for hatred or gaine (which is his practiſe) bynde or looſe at his pleaſure: laſtly, if any ſpirit impeach the alſufficiencie and entier vertue of Chriſts ſacrifice offered vp once for euer, & teach that themſelues muſt renforce it from day to day by the continuance Heb. 7. 27. & 9. 12. 26. 28. & 10. 10.of their dayly ſacrifice of the Maſſe, offered for the quick & dead: it appeareth manifeſtly, that ſuch ſpirits are not of God, nor their doctrine to be receiued, though it be deliuered with neuer ſo much perſwaſion of eloquent ſpeach, or offered to vsus with neuer ſo much expectation of worldly honour. For, to denie the moſt abſolute vertue and effects of Chriſtes offices, is in effect to denie the authoritie of his perſon, and to loſe the benefite of all his graces, becauſe they withdrawe a part. To this examination of ſpirits, without regard of perſons, the godly Reader is to be exhorted. For the doctrine that giueth al glorie to God, is of God: the doctrine that attributeth ſome glory and aſcribeth ſome merites to man, is of men: the religion alſo that is agreeable to fleſh and blood, making an acceptable ſounde and ſhewe to the outward ſenſes, is carnall and vayne: finally, what religion ſo euer is not ioyned with the knowledge and exerciſes of the worde of God, that is no true religion, but a diſguiſed and blinde maſke full of deuiliſh ſuperſtition. The aduerſaries take a contrary courſe in making triall of their doctrine: for they woulde hauehave this examination of ſpirits vtterly ſuppreſſed, and vnderunder one title of that falſly named Catholique Church of Rome, they would bind all men to receiue for vndoubted true religion what corruptions ſo euer they teach, without any further queſtion. Which being graunted them, the examination of ſpirits neede not: for if Rome affirme it, the matter is ſufficient and muſt not be denied. Alſo theſe enemies of the trueth leaue the touchſtone, which tryeth al metalles, namely the doctrine, and for it they drawe the teachers into examination: ſuppoſing that if they can diſcredit or diſgrace the men, they ſhall eaſily vndermine and ouerthrowe their doctrine. For triall of this long practiſe, there are ſo many bookes, that I neede not alleadge any, but this late Cenſure written as in defence of popiſh religion: but the authour ſhifting his hands very cunningly of the direct and plaine maintenance of the queſtions in controuerſie, doth but offer at them, or giuegive ſome falſe fire: his leauell and batterie is againſt their perſons and credit, that maynteining the trueth, cannot but aſſaile the doctrines, and put in hazarde the authoritie of the popiſh Church.
Therefore I am in the name of the trueth to craue it of the good Reader, to lay aſide reſpect of men, & the regard of thoſe giftes that may pleaſe him much; and deceiue him more: and if it be his deſire, not ſo much to ſee the fight, as to beholde the iſſue & enioy the victory: then let him imbrace that doctrine moſt, that attributeth leaſt to the broken arme, or blinde iudgement of man, that in the Church al the power and wiſedome of our ſaluation may be aſcribed to God alone, through Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde.
Amen.
W. Ch.