A Reply to a Censure, Tract · Part 1 (3 of 3)
To your ſeconde point, that Chriſt ſpake not this to the people, but to y• learned Sadduces, firſt I anſwere, If the learned erre, not knowing the ſcriptures: the vnlearned are in more danger of errour through the ſame want. Secondly, if the want were not noted in all, the ſupplie ſhoulde not be made and commanded to all: but all, euen the people are commaunded to ſearch the Scriptures, therefore Iohn 5. 3….not to ſearch them, or to bee ignoraunt of them, is a fault in al, be they learned or vnlearned. Your argumēt that Chriſt ſhoulde ſpeake onelyonly to the Sadduces, and of the reſurrection becauſe it is added, you know not the power of God, is alreadie anſwered: for it is a generall fault, aſwell to bee ignorant of the power of God, as not to knowe the Scriptures. Therefore as the ignorance of the one is condemned in all, ſo is the ignorance of the other, and the remedie for both is found in the exerciſe and ſearch of the holy ſcriptures. Your ſimilitude of woordes ſpoken as by my Lorde Chauncellor to the doctors of the Arches, is vnlearned, for with an example of ſpeach concerning a ſpeciall matter, you would ouerthrow that which was ſpokē by Chriſt, of a generall cauſe. But let your example ſtande: As the ſtudie of the ciuill lawe is proper to all Lawyers: and therefore their lawe bookes to bee read and ſtudied of all Lawyers: ſo the ſtudie of the ſpirituall and heauenly Lawe, is the profeſſion of all chriſtians, Actes. 17. 1….and therefore the bookes of that law to be read and ſtudied by all profeſſors of the ſame, becauſe to erre, not knowing the Scriptures, is a thing common to all men, as was declared. An example of the lyke had bene nothing for your purpoſe: as if my Lorde Chauncellor ſhould ſay to ſome Ieſuites, Yee runne into daunger of treaſon, not knowing the Law againſt al thoſe that withdrawe the Queenes ſubiects from their naturall obedience to her Maieſtie: this ſhould be a note not only to thoſe Ieſuites, but to al whatſoeuer they be, Ieſuites, or Seminaries or maſſeprieſtes, or what perſons ſoeuer, y• they muſt eyther knowe and keepe the lawe, or incurre the puniſhment therein expreſſed agaynſt the offenders. Vſe good wordes of your countreymen: clowne them not, for though they bee ſimple, and not trayned in the ſtudie of good letters, yet they hauehave ſoules to bee fed with the woord: and (howſoeuer you Hoſius de aut. ſcrip. lib. 3. pag. 253. Iac. Noguer. de eccle. Chriſti lib. 1. pag 69. Mat. 22. 29.prayſe the Colliers fayth, and would put it in execution) they are to take heede they find not Chriſts word verefied againſt thē aſwell as againſt y• Sadduces. Ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.
In the eyght article the Ieſuites are VIIIreported to ſay, That the righteous man liueth by fayth, he hath it not in Chriſt but Cenſ Col. 118.by his owne workes. Firſt in this queſtion I am charged with vntrueth, for the Ieſuites hauehave no ſuch thing, as the Cenſurer affirmeth. For anſwere in this behalfe, I referre you to my author, whoſe wordes being truely reported, the charge you laye vponupon mee is cauſeleſſe, and muſt returne. But what is this, ſtil to denie the articles, to mayntaine quarell: and yet to auowe the doctrine to defende the Ieſuites: Your owne wordes teache that a mans workes are meritorious in Chriſt, and meanes to make him righteous with the ſeconde righteouſneſſe, as you call it: which is playnely to graunt the doctrine denyed before. For although you vſey• name of Chriſt in this queſtion, yet the Apoſtle cōcludeth, that you impute your ſaluation not to Chriſt, but to your owne workes. I teſtifie, ſayeth the Apoſtle, (ſpeaking of them that dyd not exclude Chriſt) that if yee bee circumciſed, Chriſt doeth nothing profit you: Gal. 5. 2.teaching thereby, that whoſoeuer will in any part bee righteous in them ſelues, can hauehave no righteouſneſſe in Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore there was no cauſe of your impudent lyes.
You come next to the place auouched for confutation of this errour: If righteouſneſſe Rom. 11. 6.come by our workes, it is not nowe grace. This ſentence you truely conſter as alledged by mee to prooue that no man: … can bee ryghteous in this life: which you ſay is both from the purpoſe and falſe. But if the woordes be ful of proofe, to ſhewe there is no righteouſneſſe in mans woorkes, if it be the manifeſt doctrine of the Apoſtle, what coulde more fitly conuince the blaſphemie, derogating from the righteouſneſſe which is by Chriſt, and arrogating to our owne workes, then that place which ſheweth, there is no righteouſneſſe in our workes, but in Chriſt alone, which is imputed to vsus by grace onelyonly: Nowe let vsus ſee how falſe it is. This you woulde proue by a diſtinction of a double righteouſneſſe, the firſt of being called from infidelitie to gayth in Chriſt, which you ſay is onelyonly of Gods merciemercy, and nor by any merit of our workes: the ſeconde righteouſneſſe is of ſuch workes as proceede from men after the former calling, if they remayne in grace. But if this reede whereupon you leane, be broken, you muſt needes confeſſe the former proofe againſt you to be both pertinent and true. For this Gen. 27. 38. Heb. 12. 16. Act. 4. 12.purpoſe it is to be conſidered, that as there was but one bleſſing ſhewed to Iſaac, ſo there is but one onelyonly righteouſnes, which is not founde in any perſon or ſubiect, but in our Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus alone. This righteouſneſſe is accounted and imputed 1. Cor. 1. 30, Phil. 3. 9.to all thoſe that beleeue as their owne. In which imputation it is needefull to conſider the proportion betweene yt redeemer, & his redeemed, for it giueth great light to this queſti…. As in Chriſt there was found no cauſe of death at al, & yet hee died onelyonly Iohn 19. 4. 1. Cor. 15. 3. Rom. 5. 6.by imputation of our ſin: ſo in vsus there is foūd no cauſe of life at al, & yet we ſhal liue onelyonly by imputation of his righteouſnes. The like proportion is betweene the couenant in the law and the couenant of faith in Chriſt: for as y• law admitteth no tranſgreſſion, if a man will liue by it: ſo Chriſt admitteth Pſal. 14. 1. Rom. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 22. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 5. 3.no ſatiſfaction or merit to ioyne … his perfect merits, if any man will liue by him: that y• whole woorke of our ſaluation may be of ye grace of God in Chriſt Ieſus the au…thour and fyniſher of our fayth. Heb. 12. 2.But to proue this righteouſneſſe one, there is a place to the Romanes in the which the righteouſneſſe wherby God ſaueth the beleeuers, is called the righ…eouſnes of Rom. 1. 17.God: and ſaid to be that which is reuealed in the Goſpell. This is the righteouſneſſe of faith, as the Apoſtle proueth out of the Prophet, witneſſing that the righteous mā Gal. 3. 11. Habac. 2. 4.liueth by faith which place proueth there is but one righteouſneſſe of men, not onelyonly becauſe the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of it as one: but in naming it expreſſely the righteouſneſſe of God, and giuing to this faith both righteouſneſſe and life. For if the righteouſneſſe of faith, be the righteouſneſſe of God, that is, ſuch as God accompteth for righteouſneſſe, which may alſo ſtand before him, and make vsus holy in his ſight, what ſecond righteouſneſſe can there be, or what can it doe before God, that is not already accompliſhed by that firſt righteouſneſſe▪ Moreouer if this righteouſneſſe bee that which the Goſpell teacheth, and not the Goſpell only, but, as the ſame Apoſtle writeth afterward, which is teſtified by the law and the Prophets, whēce hauehave you brought Rom. 3. 2….vsus a ſecond righteouſneſſe, that neither the Lawe, nor the Prophets, nor the Goſpell, hauehave reueiled vntounto vsus: The vanitie of this your deuiſe may further appeare, if we cō ſider the iuſtice of God, which can not allowe for righteous any thing, but yt which is abſolutely perfect and holy in all reſpects, Mat. 5. …. Iac. 2. 10.as the Lawe is moſt perfect & moſt holy. Wherfore both the ſatiſfaction for …ur ſinne committed, muſt be ſuch as m…y fully endure whatſoeuer the Lawe hath threatened for ſin, and the obedience ſo exact and preciſe as it faile not in any poynt. But this righteouſneſſe is but one, and is in none but in our ſauiour Chriſt (none other being able to make that ful ſatiſfactiō Act. 4. 12. Matt. 26. 39. Heb. 5. 9.for ſinne, nor perfectly to keepe the Lawe but he alone) therefore there can …ee but one righteouſneſſe, which is in Chriſt Ieſus, & accompted vntounto thoſe which beleeue in him according to the Goſpell. The holy Apoſtles teach that after men be conuerted from infidelitie to faith, they ſtande righteous and liue in the ſight of God, not by meanes of their woorkes, but by this faith whereby they beleeued. Abrahams example maketh this good, who after he was called from idolatrie to the ſeruice of God, is ſaid to hauehave beleeued, and that his faith was reckoned to him for righteouſneſſe: not his workes firſt or laſt, leaſt hee might hauehave Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 6.wherein to reioyce and not in God. The Apoſtle to the Galathians, maketh this euident. We knowing, ſaith he, that a man is not iuſtified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt, we alſo hauehave Gal. 2. 16.beleeued in Ieſus Chriſt, that we may bee iuſtified by the faith of Chriſt, and not by workes of the Law, becauſe by the works of the Lawe no fleſh ſhalbe iuſtified. In which words the Apoſtle plainely maketh ſaluation an effect of faith, and not of any workes, which we do after wee hauehave beleeued. Our ſauiour Chriſt confirmeth this in diuers places, as in Ioh: He that beleeueth Ioh. 5. 24▪in him that hath ſent me, hath euerlaſting life, & ſhal not come into condēnatiō, but is already paſſed from death to life: &, He that beleeueth in the ſonne, hath life euerlaſting. Idem. 3. 36.An other place to the Galathians, maketh all this yet more manifeſt: where the Apoſtle ſpeaking of himſelfe long after his conuerſion ſaith, That I nowe liue, I liue by the faith of him that loued me, and Gal. 2. 2….gaue him ſelfe for me. By theſe proofes it is euident, that there is but one onelyonly righteouſneſſe, for which men are accompted righteous before him, which is the righteouſnes of faith. To this may be added, that the only righteouſnes of God is that, which giueth all the glorie of our ſaluation to God only in Chriſt Ieſus, and ſhutteth out 1. Cor. 1. 31. 2. Cor. 10. 17all vaunting and boaſting of man: but the ſecond righteouſnes, which you imagine, doth not ſo, but Ieaueth ſomewhat for man to glory of: therefore it is no righteouſnes Iere. 9. 23. Rom. 4. 2.taught by the Apoſtle. Laſtly, this alſo is againſt your ſecond righteouſnes, that our workes done by faith, yet are not perfect, …a. 64. 6. Luk. 17. 10. Phil. 3. 8.and therefore cannot make vsus righteous before God. Theſe reaſons may ſuffice in this great queſtion of our ſaluation, briefly to conuince the blaſphemie of your deuiſe inuented of Satan, to deceiue thoſe that ſeeking ſaluation more or leſſe by their owne workes, faile of that righteouſneſſe Rom. 10. 3.which is by faith onelyonly in GOD through Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde. Nowe ſeeing the folly of this abſurd diſtinction of a firſt and of a ſecond righteouſneſſe is euidently cō uicted, it is alſo worthy of conſideration how this Cenſurer, that taketh vponupon him ſo iuſtly to deuide and giuegive eueryevery thing his owne, doeth here notwithſtanding huddle and confound righteouſneſſe with regeneration, and iuſtification with ſanctification. For that which hee calleth the ſecond righteouſneſſe, is that which the Scripture calleth Eph. 4. 24. & 5. 9. Gal. 5. 22.the New man, the fruits of the Spirit or regeneratiō. Furder alſo where he ſaith, The firſt righteouſneſſe is of Gods merciemercy only, and no way of our workes, or by any merit of the ſame, it is to be noted that hee is conſtrayned to acknowledge a righte…uſneſſe by faith onelyonly, without any de… of workes: whereupon it …hould be obſerued that the Cenſure… him ſelfe ſeemeth t… be aſhamed of ye merit of cōgruence, as the Schoolemen terme it, while he ſo …atly & fully affirmeth our calling to bee onelyonly of Gods grace without any merit of ours.
Now to returne to his Cenſure againe, Thom. Aq▪ prim. ſecu… ▪ quaeſt. 114. art. 2. Rom. 11. 6.he addeth in the end a Cenſure vponupon the allegation of the text vouched out of the Romanes, for the diſproofe of the former blaſphemous opinion. This he blameth as impertinent and vntrue: impertinent, becauſe (in his conſtruction) it is againſt the righteouſneſſe of good workes before our calling: and not generally againſt the righteouſneſſe of all good workes: wherein hee ſeemeth not to hauehave regarded the reaſon of the Apoſtle, which is taken from the nature of grace and workes ſo contrarie, that the one can neuer nor in any wiſe ſtande with the other. Therefore the argument is ſtrong to proue that our ſaluation cannot …e both deſerued, and alſo freely giuē. N… ther doth this argument holde in election onelyonly, but whatſoeuer is of grace, as … tion, iuſtification, ſanctification, glory, all theſe are in no …, or part, of works. Thus the place is ſo forcible to the purpoſe it was alledged for, that the Cenſurer is not able …o eſcape the ſentence therof. He complaineth laſtly of wordes added, which are but to cleare the ſenſe, and taken out of the ſecond to the Galathians: where to like effect the Apoſtle faith, If righteouſneſſe be Gal. 2. 21.by the lawe, Chriſt dyed without cauſe. Thus, hauing ſatiſfied all the Cenſurers pretenſed doubtes, and conuicted him of errour, in the blaſphemous doctrine of a ſecond righteouſneſſe, I may worthely leaue the Ieſuice to his voluntary Whip, for reformation of his iudgement: otherwiſe if he wil not learne to giuegive al the honour and cauſes of ſaluation to God in Chriſt, but Rom. 10. 3.will, in eſtabliſhing his owne righteouſneſſe, abandon the righteouſneſſe of God by fayth, which muſt ſtand altogether of it ſelfe, then in ſo teaching he wil drawe vponupon Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 22.him ſelfe other Whippes euen Scorpi…ns whoſe ſting abide for euer. For auoyding hereof I pray God (if it may make for his glory) that you Ieſuites may receiue the louelove of the trueth, & that you maye ſeeke & …. Theſ. 2. 12.finde ſaluation in the merites of Chriſt alone to life euerlaſting.
The ninth report of …eſui…e… doctrine IXis: Men doe ſurely hope that euerlaſting C…ſ. Col. fol. 10….life ſhalbe giuen them, but they doe not beleeue it: now hope often faileth, …herwiſe it were no hope. This …cle … co… feſſed without any co…radiction, that the wicked ſeruant may be iudged by his owne Luk. 19. ….mouth. But the …uching of the places for …ontrarie d…trine, is …enſured for vnlearned huddling▪ vp and confounding hope and faith as one thing: which note of the Cenſure, I may truely ſay, came from no deepe knowledge. A litle iudgement might hauehave ſerued your Cenſureſhip to diſcerne▪ that the two places were not alledged to proue or diſproue any thing of faith (the ful certein…ie wherof is proued againſt you by the certein…i… of hope) but to ouerthrowe that which the Ieſuites ſay in the latter parte of the ſentence, againſt which theſe places ſerue plainely and expreſſely. For what may more cleare…y proue againſt the Ieſuites doctrine, that hope neuer faileth, then the Apoſtles wordes, calling … The Heb. 6. 19.ancre of the ſoule. Where by he n…eth our f…eedo…e from danger in all ſtormes of …entations, …idding out the time of this life wi… any … o… feare, and without any … touching … … heauen. To ſhewe the force of this aſſurance, the Apoſtle vſeth very ſignificatiue words, calling it a ſure and ſtable ancre: and yet to make it ſo full that no feare or doubt may remayne, he addeth that it entreth into the inwarde of the Vaile, whereunto Chriſt is entred, meaning thereby the heauens. Which importeth as much as if hee ſhoulde ſay, we that hauehave caſt this Ancre aboue in heauen, are ſo much more ſafe, then they whoſe Ancre is caſt downe into the Sea, as the holde wee hauehave taken in heauen by the Ancre of hope, is ſurer. Yea, the very Rockes ſhal ſooner faile, thē our hold, ſettling vponupon the ſtrength & truth of gods promiſe, which are al Yea & Amē in Chriſt 2. Cor. 1. 20.Ieſus. This our ſhoote Ancre of hope, hath taken holde of the mercy ſeate of God, and of the throne of grace, which except ſome Heb. 4. 16.ſtorme be able to remoue, wee are in moſt ioyfull and ſtedfaſt ſafetie.
The like is promiſed by ye other place out of ye fifth to the Romanes: for, if hope maketh not aſhamed, and ſhame commeth Rom. 5. 5.when a man faileth of that be hoped for: then hope can not faile. The Apoſtle maketh this more ſtrong by that which foiloweth as a reaſon, The louelove of God is aboū danly ſhead out into our hearts by the holy Ghoſt which is giuē vntounto vsus. By which reaſon it appeareth, except the holy Ghoſt hath giuen vsus a wrong teſtimonie of the louelove of God, the hope which we hauehave conceiued thereby cannot deceiue vsus. Thus you ſee theſe places ſo truely and fitly alledged, that al your falſely named learning will not be able truely to anſwere the allegation of them, which notwithſtanding it pleaſeth you to call vnlearned. But let vsus ſee what you call learning: forſooth the doctrine of Ieſuites, touching the doubtfulnes and feare which is in hope, that is true, learned and cleare. This is (as the prophet complaineth) to call good badde, and Eſa. 5. 20.ſweete ſower: whereunto you know what belongeth.
For aunſwere to theſe two places of hope, the Ieſuite… doctrine is declared at large, the effect of all ſtanding in two pointes: the firſt concerning faith, the other of hope. Of faith they teach, that no man may beleeue that he in particular ſhalbe ſaued without a particular reuelatiō from God. A faithleſſe doctrine of faith: and therefore not to bee lightly paſſed ouer. You ſeeme to proue it by reaſons, one drawen from yt obiect of faith, which is the word written, or tradition, whereof neither as you ſay, doeth teſtifie mens ſaluation in particular: the ſeconde taken from the vncertaintie of the things beleeued: which (as the Cenſurer ſuppoſeth) doe depende vponupon ſuch conditions as poſſibly may not be perfourmed. Both theſe great points, for want of ſcripture he ſetteth foorth by examples, as minding rather to perſwade then to proue. The firſt is of the anſwerer: the ſeconde of the poſſibilitie to be damned, as did fall out in Iudas, and may fall out (a more Mat. 27. 5. Act. 1. 18.fearefull caſe then I woulde put of him. had bee not put it of him ſelfe) in the Cenſurer him ſelfe. Nowe let vsus conſider, what great learning the Ieſuices hauehave in this their opiniō of faith, as the Cenſure… doth report them. To iudge, that without particular reuelation by name, no man can be ſure of his ſaluation, is expreſſely againſt that the woorde of God …eacheth in this great queſtion. Therefore, howe lerane… ſoeuer the Ieſuites make them ſelues, yet in deede as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the wiſe 1. Cor. 1. 20.Gentiles, they become ſtarke fooles, not knowing true wiſedome out of the worde, but baſtard wiſedome by their fooliſh diſtinctions. The Cenſurers worde of Tradition muſt bee reſerued for a fitter place. Touching the promiſe of the Goſpell, it is Mar. 16. 1…. Iohn 3. 16.general: whoſoeuer beleeueth ſhall be ſaued: & the Cenſurer confeſſeth it. This generall promiſe hath place, and is certainely verefied in eueryevery particular yt beleeueth. EueryEvery ſenſible mā without further learning may eaſely iudge in this doctrine: whatſoeuer is true in ye general, muſt needes be true in eueryevery particular. Nowe, if it be vndoubtedly true, that eueryevery beleeuer ſhalbe ſaued, it muſt needes bee alſo, that Simeon and Lazarus beleeuing in Chriſt ſhalbe ſaued. Therefore what needeth any ſpeciall reuelation in the worde, for that which is ſufficiently comprehended vnderunder the generall: what neede is there by name to ſaye from mā to man by name, Lazarus ſhalbe ſaued, & Citus ſhalbe ſaued, and …we ſhall be ſaued, and ſo infinitely? Or ſhall we ſay that God in reſpect of perſons doth particularly aſſure ſome of their certaine ſaluation, leauing all the reſt to be toſſed and caried vp and downe with feare and hope, as a ſhip in the ſea caried hither and thither with contrary winds? Moreouer the very place Luke 10. 20.cited by the Cenſurer as a particular reuelation, was not particular, but generall to all the diſciples, that beleeued by vertue of a more generall couenant made to all that beleeue whatſoeuer. For, to examine that place neerer, all the diſciples and all the Apoſtles, had not their names written in the booke of life: for Iudas was excepted. And here by the waye, the Cenſurers ouerſight Iohn 13. 18. Pſal. 108. 8.muſt bee noted, that draweth the place of Luke as ſpeciall and particular to the Apoſtles, being ſpoken of the ſeuentie diſciples. He wanted ſpecial knowledge herein, when hee ſo boldly made it an argument Luke 10. 17.of the Apoſtles ſpeciall reuelation.
Of the moſt certayne and ſure foundations of our particular fayth and hope, the Apoſtle writeth in the eight to the Romanes, Rom. 8. 35.ſaying that nothing was able to take from him the louelove which God beareth to him in Chriſt Ieſus, which hee ſetteth out by naming ſuch things as are moſt like and mightie to ſtrike a feare and doubt into his heart, as oppreſſion, anguiſh, perſecution, famine, nakedneſſe, and finally death it ſelfe: nay he addeth agayne, that neyther lyfe nor death, nor Angels, nor things preſent, nor thinges to come, nor height nor depth: that is, what ſo euer is in heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, or in the par… vnderunder the earth, finally that no creature is able to ſeparate him from the louelove of God, that is in Chriſt Ieſus. But in mayntenance of theſe errours you are wont to ſay, this was a ſpeciall p…etogatiue of the Apoſtle, which is eaſely taken away by that S. Peter writeth to this purpoſe: that the Saints had obtayned lyke precious fayth with him: which was true not in the degree, but in the kind and ſubſtance of faith: which ſhoulde wholly differ, if the Apoſtles 2. Pet. 1. 1.had a faith of their particular ſaluation, and we not. Agayne the certaintie of fayth appeareth by theſe reaſons which the Apoſtle alleadgeth: Who ſhall … the choſen of Rom. 8. 33.God? It is God that iuſtifieth, who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt that hath died, nay rather who is rayſed vp againe; who is alſo at the ryght hande of God; who maketh into ceſſion for vsus. Theſe reaſons of a moſt ſure faith and hope that wauereth Iam. 1. 6.not, are of no particular reuelation, but of the generall doctrine of the Goſpel, and of the common ſaluation, as Iude calleth it, Iude. verſ. 3.which of right apper… to eueryevery beleeuer, aſwel as to Peter or to Paul.
The Conſurers ſet onne reaſon is, that the faithfull may fallaway from the fayth and from ſaluation: where as the things beleeued remaine moſt certayne. The groūd of this reaſon is to be denie…, for it is moſt vntrue, that any man who hath had fayth, can euer afterward finally fallaway. This may bee prooued by euident teſtimonies of the ſcripture, beſide thoſe alleadged aboue: as that which Chriſt teacheth of the beleeuer, in the eyght chapter of Iohn, He ſhall neuer ſee death: in the fourth, But the water Iohn 8. 51. Idem 4. 14.that I ſhall giuegive him, ſhall be in him a ſpring of waters, flowing vp to euerlaſting life: in the tenth. The father is greater Iohn 10. 29.then all, and none is able to take them out of the fathers hand: Againe of the faithfull it is true, which the Apoſtle vniteth, that God hath iuſtified and glorified them. So Rom. 8.certayne it is, as if it were already eueryevery way perfourmed. But it were long to repeate any ino…e. Notwithſtanding there are places that mention a fayth, which ſeemed for a time to be faythfull, but … as the fig tree was full of leaues, but without Mar. 11. 13.fruite. As for the examples of Iudan who hath falne, and of your ſelfe, who (… ſaye) may likewiſe caſt your ſelfe away, if you liſt: I can ſaye of Iudas hee neuer beleeued, becauſe he was ye childe of diſtruction. Pſal. 108. 8. Iohn 17. 12. Act. 1. 18.For your ſelfe, if you hauehave bene alwaies of that minde you were of when you wrote this, you neuer had any true faith, and therfore coulde neuer yet fall awaye from it. What God may vouchſafe you hereafter I knowe not, but leaue it to his wiſedome to diſpoſe of his owne as it ſhal pleaſe him: but if euer he vouchſafe you this gift, I am ſure the gates of hell ſhall neuer preuaile againſt Mart. 16. 18.you.
Your ſeconde poynt is of hope, which in your doctrine hath two reſpectes, one of Gods merciemercy, and in that regard it is full of confidence: the other in reſpect of Gods iuſtice, which hath feare and doubt annexed with it. The places alledged before of hope, you expaunde for the confidence thereof: which is true, if you ſtayed there, not adding other reſpects to roote out that which you woulde ſeeme to plant: for you ſhoulde hauehave made hopeſ… firme and ſure, that it can not be deceiued. But, as being of an other iudgement, you ſay that hope reſpecteth alſo the iuſtice of God, and the feareful effectes of his feueritie, which you quote out of the Scriptures: concernyng which effectes I will not diſpute with you. OnelyOnly in alleadging the laſt, I note your wantes, that without all regarde or any warrant of the text, dare ſay, that thoſe reprobates Mat. 7. 22.ſhall come confidently in the laſt day hoping to be ſaued. For beſides that it is vnpoſſible that their conſcience can hauehave any ſparke of confidence or hope of ſaluation; there is not any mention of ſuch confident hope in the text, eyther expreſly or by implication. If they had ſome hope, then alſo they muſt hauehave ſome faith, for they goe together hande in hande. Although I thus linke them together, yet I do not confound Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. Galat. 5. 5. Tit. 2. 13.them: but acknowledge this differēce, that as faith is a full perſuaſion of the promiſe: ſo hope is a patient expectation and looking for, of the things which are beleeued. It is you therfore, that in deede huddle and confounde hope and a vaine perſwaſion as one thing: where as hope is no leſſe ſure then fayth, being grounded vponupon the ſame foundation of the worde, and hath the ſame fulnes of perſuaſion. But this is ignorance Heb. 6. 11. 12. foreignand confuſion, which who ſo diſcrieth, may well marueyle. what cauſe you or your friendes finde to hoaſt of your learning or order for diſputation. Such cōfuſion muſt be in Babell, which leauing with you: I ſaye further, that hope neuer reſpecteth Gods iuſtice, nor any thing elſe, but the things that are beleeued: which are y• moſt ſweete and pretious promiſes of his life, Luk. 12. 32. Heb. 6. 12. Item. 11. ….kingdome, and glorie. Therfore what cauſes ſhoulde hope hauehave to feare: True it is that neither fayth nor hope is ſo perfect in vsus, but that in theſe reſpects you name, we often feare: but this feare is no woorke of hope, no more then doubt is a woorke of fayth. For to ſay that hope feareth in ſome reſpects, is as much as to ſay, faith in ſome reſpectes doubteth and is no faith. We doe both doubt and feare, ſuch are our infirmities: but that we doubt, it is not of fayth, but of vnbeliefe: neyther doe we feare, as you ſpeake of feare, by any effect of hope, but by the contrary worke of deſperation. But after ſo many and ſufficient reaſons Iam. 1. 6, 7, 8 Mar. 19. 23. 24.out of the worde to prooue this queſtion of importance, the woordes of the Cenſurer offer one not to be neglected. He affirmeth that hope in reſpect of the goodneſſe of God is full of confidence and aſſurance. Therefore although he will needes againſt reaſon make confidence fearefull, yet ſhall he neuer caſt any ſhadowe of feare vponupon aſſurance, eſpecially vponupon a full aſſurance ſuch as he confeſſeth. Nowe for the places 1. Pet. 1. 17. Phil. 2. 12.you alleadge, they concerne not this feare nowe in queſtion, but expreſſe a godly care to liue woorthie our calling, which is not againſt the confidence of hope, but a remedie agaynſt preſumption and ſecuritie. The place which you alleadge out of the preacher, ſheweth you to be a great clarke, Eccles. 9. 3.able to reade and cite a place, though you come not neere the matter by many degrees. The wiſe man there diſputeth of that a man may gather by proſperitie and aduerſitie, and not what he knoweth by the worde of God. For neyther can aduerſitie nor proſperitie ſhewe the louelove or hatred of God toward vsus: it was the deceitfull counſell of Iobs frendes, to drawe him into theſe argumentes of Gods purpoſe. But Iob by fayth coulde confeſſe agaynſt all calamities and extremities, ſaying, though he kill mee, yet will I beleeue in him ſtill. Iob. 13. 15.Thus the learned diuinitie of the Ieſuites, may appeare to them that will beholde it. Howe dyd you forgette the two milſtones you are wont to alledge for teachers in this matter. When a man you ſaye, doeth bebolde that he ſtandeth vponupon, it maketh him holde: but looking vntounto that ouer his head he is in feare. Wo be vntounto them that teach ſuch offenſiue and erroneous doctrines, deceitfully confirming them with ſimilitudes and diſtinctions ſo farre from the trueth, and yet eaſie to be imbraced, and deceiue the ignorant. It were better for them that a milſtone were hanged about their necke, & they throwne into the bottome of the ſea, then thus to infeeble the faith and hope of Gods children, by their faithles and fearefull doctrines. Yet the Cenſurer and his fellowes (if you will beleeue him) reconcile all Scriptures together, maynteyning confidence and feare in Chriſtian hope, whereas we are ſayde to confounde and huddle vp matters: but hereto I anſwere, let him that offendeth herein, be… both offend to which himſelfe, and not reconciled to God, till he repent.
In the tenth article the Ieſuites are Xreported to …ayr, The Scripture in deede neuer teacheth the inuocation of Saintes, Conſ. Col. … ▪yet we muſt beleeue, receyue and holde it. Here you Cenſure both the alleadging of the Ieſuites opinion, and the text auouched to diſproue the ſame. You ſaye it is falſe: that they graunt, the inuocation of Saintes is no where taught in the Scriptures. Neuertheleſſe you graunt afterwarde that Monhemius charging them ſo, and therfore gathering that it ought not to be beleeued, they make this anſwere, y• many things are to be beleeued, which are not expreſſely ſet downe in the Scripture. To which purpoſe you your ſelfe adde afterwarde, that the inuocation of Saintes is deduced out of many and euident places of Scripture: whereby it appeareth, that you all confeſſe, that the Scriptures expreſſely teach it not. Nowe, that praying to Saintes is by neceſſary conſequence to be gathered out of many euident places of the Scriptures, and to be proued by generall Councils, Fathers, and the vniuerſall practiſe of all Chriſten dome from the beginning, though you boldly affirme it, yet you vouch not any one place of ſcripture, nor any one proofe of ſo many: If you hauehave ſo good bookes to ſhewe, it ſtandeth vponupon your credit to bryng them to lyght. For where as your idolatrous praying to ſaints Rom. 10. 14.is deteſtable in eueryevery ſort, both for the ſinne it ſelfe, and becauſe you commende it without any likely colour of excuſe: if you bee not able to anſwere to ſo grieuous a crime as you are charged with herein, (being in deede high treaſon againſt the heauenly Maieſtie of the eternall God) yet you may alledge ſomewhat by waye of excuſe, to finde ſome fauour, if ſo great authoritie, as you pretende, hauehave carryed you awaye like ſimple people to ryſe vp and rebell agaynſt the Lorde. You ſende vsus to your Catholike bookes touching this queſtion, which we hauehave ſeene and read, but fynde not any warrant, which may iuſtifie your doctrine.
Hauing hoaſted of much & perfourmed nothing, in your ſecond Cenſure, of y• place alledged agaynſt Saintes inuocation, you blame me for auouching but that one text of ſcripture for the diſproofe: yet your ſelfe hauehave brought none for your neceſſary defence. To ouerthrowe the place, you bring two anſweres, but tel vsus to which of them you will ſtand. The firſt is grounded in Limbo patrum, that is to ſay, hath no grounde at al, as there was neuer any ſuch Limbus, but framed & ſetled in your imagination. The ſeconde, which you ſeeme to relie more vponupon, is in effect this aſſertion: not to knowe is not to allowe. This if I might graunt you, it doeth not take away the force of the place. Out of y• which, allowing you your owne ſenſe, I reaſon thus: Becauſe GOD onelyonly is here declared to be of fatherly louelove toward vsus, who alſo is readie to pardon vsus, when Isa. 63. 16.Abraham by your ſenſe, would not knowe vsus but condenme vsus: therefore it is both wiſedome and duetie to praie to God, and the contrary both vanitie & ſinne. But becauſe you require other reaſons and places for this purpoſe, take theſe of a number. It is not lawfull to giuegive the worſhip of God to any other, according as it is writtē. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God & Deut. 6. 13. & 10. Mat. 4. 10. Eſa. 42 8. Iohn 16. 24.him only ſhalt thou ſerue. I wil not giuegive my glory to any other, nor my praiſe to idols. But prayer is a ſpeciall honor and ſeruice that God requireth of vsus, as it is ſaid in the fiftieth Pſalme. Call vponupon me in the day Pſal. 50. 16.of trouble, and I wil deliuer thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me. Whatſoeuer you ſhall aske the father in my name, he will graunt Iohn 15. 15.it vntounto you. Againe, a man cannot praye to any but to thoſe in whom he doth beleeue. Rom. 10. How ſhall they call vponupon him in whom they hauehave not beleeued? But it is Rom. 10. 14.not lawfull to beleeue in any but in God alone: which is proued by the former places, faith being a principall part of Gods ſeruice: Therefore it is not lawfull to pray to ſaintes or to any creature whatſoeuer. I might here ſhewe all promiſes made to prayer: all precepts and examples of prayer in all the whole bodie of the Scriptures to be onelyonly of prayer to God: and no one precept, promiſe, or approued example of prayer to any ſaint liuing or dead, or to any other creature. But this place being cleare and mightie againſt you: I will conclude with the Prophet Ionas, They which obſerue lying vanities, let them forſake the Ionah. 2. 8.goodnes ſhewed vntounto them: but with the voyce of thankeſgiuing will I ſacrifice vntounto the Lorde, I will pay that which I hauehave vowed, all maner of ſaluation is of the Lorde.
In the eleuenth the Ieſuites are charged XIto teach that Chriſt neuer ſayd to the lay men, Doe this in remembrance of mee. Cenſ. Col. fol. 302.Seeing you pretend, that notwithſtanding you expound Do this, of the Miniſters only, yet you meane not ſo, but that the people are alſo commaunded to communicate at the Lordes Supper as well as they. I can the more eaſely leaue you to followe your owne ſenſe: for the doctrine againſt lay mens conſecration or miniſtration, is not in controuerſie, but it is (except you faile) holden on both, that none but called Miniſters ſhould miniſter the ſacraments. But if, as you hauehave alreadie committed the greateſt ſacriledge and churchrobbery that may bee in taking away from the people the Cup of the newe Teſtament, and the Communion of the pretious bloud of our Luke 22. 20. 2. Cor. 10. 16.Sauiour Chriſt: ſo nowe by this expoſition, you would leaue the people at libertie, to chuſe whether they will be partakers of this bodie too, or no, y• you may driue them altogether from the table of the Lorde, the ſacriledge ſhalbe ſo made the more intollerable. If the Commaundement, Doe this Luke 22. 19. …. Cor. 11. 24in remembrance of me, binde not the people to come to the Lords table, howe ſhall the other wordes, Take ye, Eate ye, bynde them? What moued you here to cite your Clement, Ambroſe, & Cyprian with others I knowe not, except it were ſome meriment, to ioyne with your ſimilitude of ſinging: for in good earneſt you minde not by thoſe places without matter in them, to proue that the wordes of Chriſt, Doe this in remembrance of me, were onelyonly ſaide to the Miniſters touching Conſecration, and not to the people alſo for their participation.
In the twelfth Article the Ieſuites are reported to say, Traditions are of equall XIIauthoritie with the worde of God: Cenſ. Col. Col. 2 30.wee muſt beleeue them though they bee manifeſtly againſt the Scripture. Here the reporte and the texte vouched to diſproue their doctrine are both cenſured. The firſt for adding, we muſt beleeue them, though they be manifeſtly againſt the Scripture, & for reporting the reſt ſo generally and confuſedly. Touching y• latter point, if my report of your doctrine be in theſe wordes: Traditions are of equall authoritie with the worde of God, meaning it of ſome only (for who would thinke it of all, you hauing ſo many and ſo feeble?) why doe you charge mee; as generally and confuſedly ſaying, al traditions are equal with y• ſcriptures? Was it I pray you, to deſerue your owne note of a ſounde lye for a parting blowe? which falſe miſ… you hauehave doubled to make it the ſounder. For aunſwere to the former poyut, I doe not onelyonly auow that I hauehave faythfully reported my authors wordes (which is alwayes my iuſt defence againſt your vniuſt flaunder, laying them vponupon me▪ but I ſay further, that their practiſe compared with their wordes will …uſtifie the report as truely layde downe againſt them. For proofe whereof not to goe further, the Cenſurer rehearſeth amongeſt theſe traditions, which the Popiſh Church charge our faith withall, the number of the bookes of Scripture, & the Lent faſt. Of al other traditions theſe two are taken out to ſtande for their owne credit and for the credit of the reſt: let vsus therefore ſee what treaſons there are againſt God in theſe your traditions. Firſt the Apocrypha bookes are not in the auncient Canon or language of Canaan: the Eſd. lib. 3. cap. 3. ver. 1. & 5. ver. vlt. & lib. 4. cap. 1. ver. 2. Tob. 12. 15. Iudit. cap. 9. 2. Mac. 2. & 14. 4. Concil. Trident ſeſſ. 4. decret. de Canō. ſcript.fathers hauehave diſauowed them, they are euidently repugnant to the doctrine of the holy ſcriptures, and diſ…eeing among them ſelues. Yet your Trent conſpirarie doeth adde them to the number of the Canonical bookes, and bolde all men accurſed, that holde them not for canonicall ſcriptures. Therefore this your tradition is manifeſtly againſt the word of God. Further alſo, what is more manifeſt againſt the woorde of God then the doctrine of deuils? The Lent faſt, as you commaunde to keepe it, for conſcience ſake, forbidding meates created 1. Tim. 4. 1.of God to bee taken with thankeſgiuing, is plainly called a doctrine of deuils. Furthermore your opinion is playnely deliuered to be with this diſtinction: Eccleſiaſticall traditions are of no greater authoritie then the writings and other decrees of the Church: and Apoſtles traditions are of no leſſe authoritie then if they had bene written by them, or then are the other thinges which they wrote: This is confuſedly taught and needeth yet more plaineneſſe: for not all orders deliuered by the Apoſtles, are to bee kept perpetually and vnchangeably, of like authoritie with the doctrine of the Goſpell, which they preached. The Apoſtolique doctrine is perpetuall, ſubiect to no varietie of perſons, of times or places: but ſome traditiōs, that is, ſome orders are altered, as that in the acts, where they commaunde to abſteine from ſtrangled and from blood: for it appeareth Act. 15. 29.that the Apoſtles commanded not this for a perpetuall order, alwayes inuiolably to be obſerued, but onelyonly for a time to auoids offences: which cauſe ceaſing, the order or tradition was no longer in force. Againe, ſome orders might be ſet downe by them for comlineſſe, which yet were not to be beleeued as neceſſary partes of ſaluation, nor yet to remayne for euer in that forme or kynde: and therefore can not be matched with the Apoſtolique doctrine of fayth, which is euer al one, and which whoſoeuer beleeueth not, cannot bee ſaued, Nowe 1. Pet. 4. 17.touching your pretenſed Apoſtolicall traditions, I vtterly denie that there are any ſuch, beſide thoſe which are euidently ſhewed, or by iuſt conſequence fitly gathered out of the written worde. For what ſo euer is neceſſary to ſaluation, is in this ſort to be Luke 16. 29. Eph. …. 20. 2. Tim. 3. 15.proued by the holy Scriptures. Therefore your Cenſureſhippe dyd well to adde, If they be certaynly deſcended from Chriſt and his Apoſtles. But how can this I pray you be certaynely knowen, but by the holy writings: can any other cuſtome or teſtimonie aſſure your conſciences what came vndoubtedly from Chriſt, or what from his Apoſtles: Is there any one of your traditions that you can vouch to deſcend from ſo ſufficient authors, otherwiſe then by report of inſufficient witneſſes: What is it then for you to boaſt of inuincible arguments to proue diuers doctrines not written, but left by woorde of mouth onelyonly, whereas you bryng nothing but counterfeyt Couneils, erring Fathers, fabulous ſtories, and Apocrypha ſcriptures. This is right the bragging Apoſtle, and a ſhewe of the vaine chalenger. Yf a man coulde be feared with the guilte of your armour, or with your plume of feathers, you woulde bee a worthie champion, wounding more with a vayne feare; then with the force of your ſhrinking arme. In this encounter of al your profes, you hauehave ſorted out two: the firſt is out of that excellent chapter to the Theſſalonians, conteining a prophecie 2. Theſ. 2. 15.and reuelation of Antichriſt. For an anſwere to which place it is firſt to be vnderſtoode, that the worde Tradition in the Apoſtles ſpeach, commeth as it doth in Latin, of a verbe to deliuer, ſo that whatſoeuer y• Apoſtle deliuered to the Churches, thoſe were the traditions hee lefte with them. Therefore I denie that Paule doth in any place by tradition ſignifie any vnwritten veritie, but that as in other places, he vnderſtandeth the doctrine of the Goſpel, which in the ſundrye partes thereof he deliuered. This appeareth apparauntly by the place ſo cited for your purpoſe, without regarde of any more then the worde Tradition. For in the verſes nexte before, the Apoſtle maketh mention of the Theſſalonians faith to the trueth, ſaying, God hath called you 2. Theſ. 2. 13. 14.thereunto by our Goſpell, to obteyne the glory of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt: and therupon inferreth this concluſion: now therefore brethren ſtand faſt, & holde the tradition which you hauehave learned, eyther by worde or by our epiſtle. Whereby it plainly appeareth, that the traditions or thinges deliuered by him, partly by word, and partly by writing, were the diuers partes of the Goſpell which hee had taught them. Wherefore the written woorde affordeth you no proofe for vnwritten verities. The ſeconde is of doctrines, which you ſay, wee holde not by record of writing, but by word of mouth from Chriſt and his Apoſtles: as for example, baptiſme of infants, celebratiō of Sunday, y• number of y• bookes of ſcripture, & the faſt of Lent. If this be not hudling and confounding of things together of vnlike ſort, I knowe not what may be called confuſion. For what order is it (to repeate vpō the Cenſurers occaſion y• which was noted in the fourth article) to match the baptiſme of children with the faſt of Lent: The one being by plaine argument gathered out of the worde, as namely out of the wordes of the conenant, I will bee thy God and the God of thy ſeede, and Gen. 17. 7.thy children after thee for euer. This couenaunt dyd appertayne to both a like, to Abraham and his ſeede: whereunto the ſeale and practiſe was adioyned in circumciſing infantes of eyght dayes, as well as Abraham Ibidem. 17. 10.of great age, and that by expreſſe commaundement of God. Thus the doctrine is ſo prooued out of the written worde, as that no doubt remayneth. Nowe circumciſion was the ſacrament or ſeale of that Rom. 4. 11.righteouſneſſe which is by fayth, as Saint Paul teacheth: wherein it is equall our baptiſme. But this is your great learning; when you are not able for your ignorance, to prooue a doctrine out of the written worde, to ſay, we hauehave it by tradition, and by worde of mouth from the Apoſtles. Now your Lent faſt as you vſe it, hath not onelyonly no grounde out of the worde, but is agaynſt the worde as I prooued before. If this bee your methode and diſcretion, I maruell not if good order be huddling and confounding in your accompt. For the number of the bookes, and for the Lordes day, I myght likewiſe make proofe out of the worde: ſo that if you can bring vsus nothing by worde of mouth from the Apoſtles, but your Lent faſt, your letters of credence will not ſerue you to be deleeued.
The ſeconde Cenſure is that the place alleadged by me to confuce the aucthoritie of traditions, ſhould be impertinent. This the Cenſurer woulde ſhewe by three differences betweene it and this purpoſe. Firſt, of the diuers cauſe of thoſe traditions, which our Sauiour Chriſt inueyeth againſt, whereof they had beene authors to them ſelues, and of theſe which he affirmeth to deſcende from Chriſt and his Apoſtles. But as in deede the difference woulde be great if this were true, ſo being falſe and vntrue as it is, it can make no difference at all. Theirs were in deede ſuch as they affirme, and though you deny it, ſo are yours alſo. For which of all your traditions came eyther frō Chriſt or from his Apoſtles? whē you proue them frō either of them, your difference ſhall be allowed. Secondly, you ſay Chriſt reprehendeth not al obſeruation of mēs traditiōs, but the naughtie obſeruing of thē: which was, as you affirme, in that y• Phariſes eſteemed them more then Gods word, & brake it for the keeping of them, which you condemne. This alſo, if it were true, were a ſufficient difference: but it is vntrue that our Sauiour Chriſt reproued onelyonly the eſteeming of them more then Gods commaundementes. It can not bee denied, but he reprooued this in them in the ſame chapter before: but in the woordes alleadged, You worſhippe mee in vaine, Matt. 15. 9. Mat. 7. 7.teaching doctrines that are but traditions of men, (which are no wordes of compariſon) our Sauiour ſimplie rebuketh them for eſteeming the keeping of mens traditions to be any ſeruice of GOD: to which …ude the ſentence had bene firſt vttered by Eſay. 29. 1….the Prophet. The thirde note is double, firſt that theſe traditions were idle & fooliſh: of which ſort are yours, and whatſoeuer the idle brayne of man deuiſeth to ſerue …od withall: the ſecond that ſome of them were impious, direct contrary to the word of God, ſuch as were certayne corrupt expoſitions of the lawe: where you are as like to them, as the ſonne may be to the father. For neuer were there more falſe gloſes vponupon the word of God violently thruſt, and by litle and litle ſecretly conueyed into the Church, peruerting the true meaning of the Scriptures, and corrupting the ſimple worſhippe of GOD, then hauehave beene brought in by your Rabbines, that hauehave obtayned the higheſt ſeates, and the moſt honourable names, more then euer did any among the Iewes. You ſpeake of the Talmud as dyd baſtarde Denis of the orders in heauen: but this floriſh of your ſkill in thoſe bookes becauſe it hurteth not the cauſe, let it ſerue you and your frendes, for as much credit as it may.
Laſtly the Ieſuites are reported to teach that we muſt worſhip ye image of Chriſt, XIIIwith like honour that wee doe the holy Cenſ. Col. 66.bookes of the Goſpell. In this article the doctrine is graunted without any word of contradiction: your Cenſure onelyonly toucheth …. Cor. 6. 15.the ſecond to the Corinthes the ſixt chapter, as not alledged to the purpoſe. In deede if you liſt not to vnderſtand to what end it is vouched, you may well complaine againſt the alledging thereof as from the matter. You take it as brought to proue, that we may worſhip the image of Chriſt with greater honour, then the bookes of the Goſpell: but you miſtake the matter, and wilfully (as it ſhoulde ſeeme) to hauehave ſome what againſt the cauſe, for how could you think, that he which deteſteth al idols, would alledge a place to prooue that the image of Chriſt is worthy honour more then Goſpels: Or howe may not any ma… note you of open contradiction againſt the word of God, that being deuoutly madde vponupon idols, would for their louelove prophane the temple of God, and therefore dare to ſay there is more agreemēt betweene them (which yet the Apoſtle maketh moſt contrarie) then there is betweene the place of Saint Paul, & the matter which the ſame place doth fitly diſprooue: But if you li… to vnderſtand, the place ſerueth to prooue that no image at all is to be worſhipped, for which the wordes are ſo pertinent and is ſtrong, as all the wiſedome of your Cenſureſhip and of the reſt, will neuer bee able to anſwere them. Therefore you loſt your labour in framing arguments, to prooue why the material booke of Goſpels ſhould be no leſſe worſhipped then the image of Chriſt: for neither of bath are to bee worſhipped, nor any other creatures whatſoeuer, according to that which was before alledged to this purpoſe: Thou ſhalt worſhip Mat. 4. 10. Exod. 10. 5.the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerue. You can not eſcape, for ſaying you giuegive no diuine honour vntounto them, for this bowing downe before them (which is one of the leaſt deuotions you vſe) is chalenged as diuine honour, and expreſſely forbidden in any reſpect of religion or deuotion Exod. 20. 5. Leuit. …6. 1. Deut. 11. 16.to images, or any other creature, as hath beene often declared. But here ſaying the honour done to the image of Chriſt and to the letter of the Bible is not done to them ſelues, you diſſemble your owne idolatrous doctrine, which alloweth the ſame honour to the image, that is due to the paterne, and namely the ſame moſt honourable and diuine worſhip of Latria to the Crucifix, which is due to the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelf. Your bookes that teach Pai…lib. 9. orthodox, expl. pag. 705. Saunders de …yp. honore … adorat. imag.this, are many and not vnknowen. So in other queſtiōs it appeareth that either you are aſhamed of your owne doctrine, or els you will not defende it in ſuch ſort as you teach it, leaſt the vantage ſhould be euen in your own opinion, too open and too great againſt you. Alſo it commeth to bee noted howe you huddle the karuer of an image that is curſed, with a printer: and an image that is an abhomination, with the holy Bible: as if it were all one to make an image of God, and print the worde of God. Secondly (being herein cōtrarie to your ſelf,) you vndertake to proue that creatures may be worſhipped, and, as if the matter were out of doubt, you demand what we will ſay to the worſhip done vntounto the Arke, vntounto the Cherubins, vntounto the Serpent of braſſe. For ſome ſhewe of proofe you alledge the fiue & twentieth of Exodus, & the 45. Pſal, Exod. 25. 20. Pſal. 99. 5.miſtaken by you for the 99. In the place of Exodus there is no woorde leading vsus to worſhippe, but onelyonly a commandement of making the Arke, and the Cherubin of ſuch faſhion as is there preſcribed. If wee condemned all vſe of grauing or painting, this myght hauehave ſerued your turne: but ſpeaking only againſt your worſhipping of creatures, it maketh nothing againſt vsus, or to iuſtifie your idolatrie. The place of Dauid doth not ſhewe what we muſt worſhip, but where we muſt worſhippe, euen at the footeſtoole of the Lorde with all humilitie, being there proſtrate vponupon the ground, and humbled before him. The other two places of Numb. the 21. and Iohn 3. are brought Num. 21. 9. Iohn. 3. 14.by you to proue the worſhippe of the braſen ſerpent. In which places there is no ſuch matter, but a commandement as before, to make it & ſet it vponupon a perch, that it might bee the better ſeene: with a promiſe that they which had beene ſlung with firie ſerpentes, if they looked vponupon the braſen ſerpent, ſhould receiue their health. Now, except to looke vponupon a thing be to worſhip it, here is no place at all to prooue that you ſaye. If you had cited the place out of the kinges, there is a cleare teſtimonie, that the braſen Serpent was worſhipped: but it made not for your purpoſe, ſeeing good Ezechias in the ſame place did therefore breake it downe becauſe it was worſhipped. 2. Kin. 18. 4.Thus you may ſee what we hauehave to ſay out of the worde againſt your falſe ſuggeſtions, and againſt your miſtaking and miſconſtruing the Scriptures. But this place and that of Iohn were anſwered in the ſixt Article. The ſecond to the Philippians ſheweth a great iudgement and ſkill in you: it is there written thus of Chriſt: God hath exalted him, and giuen Phil. 2 9, 10.him a name which is aboue eueryevery name, that at the name of Ieſus eueryevery knee ſhould bow, of things in heauen, of things on the earth, and things vnderunder the earth. Hereupon you gather, firſt that the name of Ieſus is to be worſhipped, ſo as at the hearing of it, we ſhould bow our knees. Now, if this bowing be due to y• ſound of a name, which is but a creature, then in your iudgement ſome creature is to bee worſhipped: and ſo conſequently ſuch as your Cenſureſhip ſhall appoint. But as when you ſpake of the Cherubines, you were not vnderunder the winges of y• Cherubines: nor being before y• Arke, receiued any Oracle: ſo now though you ſpeake of the Lorde Ieſus, exalted to the right hand of his Father, yet you are neuer a whit neerer drawen vntounto him, nor vnderſtand what his glorie meaneth. The name of Ieſus is here no creature to feede the eare, as an image feedeth the eye (which Lind. de fug. idol. pag. 121is your diſtinction borowed with the reſt our of Lindane) but it ſignifieth the ſoueraigne power and authoritie which Chriſt Mat. 28. 18. Iohn 17. 2.hath receiued ouer all creatures both in heauen and in earth, as appeareth in the ſame place, where it is ſaide that God hath giuen him a name aboue eueryevery name: and Phil. 9. 10, 11.in the eleuenth where hee ſpeaketh of confeſſing Ieſus Chriſt to be the Lorde. The …owing of the knee, is not that which theſe words in their proper ſignification declare: for how ſhould it agree to Angels and other creatures, which hauehave no knee… as men hauehave: but obedience and ſubiection is figuratiuely noted by this outward ſigne of obedience vſed among men. The meaning therefore of the Apoſtle is to ſhewe that our Sauiour Chriſt, when he had humbled, and as it were emp…ed him ſelfe for our ſakes, and became as nothing, that was all, was afterward exalted euen as hee was man aboue all creatures, hauing ſoueraigne power and authoritie giuen him ouer all, ſo that all creatures are made ſubiect to his commaundement. This being the meaning of the Apoſtle (that I may not returne home your wilfull and malitious termes) I leaue to ſhewe what good grace you had in alleadging this text for your purpoſe. But, the Lord reforme it, thus you are conſtrained ignorantly, or wilfully to ſtraine and conſtraine the holy Scriptures, when you hauehave once ſet down a reſolution to maintaine errour. Neuertheleſſe as I noted, the Scripture is not commaunded or made to ſerue for eueryevery frame, as a leaden rule: it is not pliable to ſerue eueryevery purpoſe, as a noſe of war…, but freeth it ſelfe from all in…uries, and con…ueth the ſame courſe to condemne all errour, and iuſtifie the trueth for euer. As for Auſtens place, your notes dece…ed you, for he is farre from allowing idol or Aug. lib. 3. … T…. …. 9. & 10.image worſhip: neyther can you finde any ſuch ſpeache to mainteine your idol…rie as is all…aged. Auſten hath ſome ſuch words Aug. lib. 3. de doctr. chriſtia. cap. 8. & 9.as you a…eadge, but in an other booke and to another purpoſe: for after a diſputation againſt images and idols, hee ſpeaketh of the ſignes and ſac…s of the Church, which repreſent the Lord vntounto vsus, not as images, but as ſignes & ſeales ordeyned of God to informe & ſtrengthē our vnderſtanding in ye faith. Further you giuegive a Cenſure vponupon this, that I call the image of Chriſt an Idol. I knowe in it ſelfe it is a creature, and an idol is nothing in the worlde: 1. Cor. 8. 4.but as the image imagined of God is an idol, and the worſhippers thereof idolaters, which is prooued by the firſt to the Romanes, Rom. 1. 23.ſo the Image of Chriſt worſhipped by you is an idol of yours, and you are idolaters for woorſhipping of it. As for the curſe of Ladie Irenes Councill wherewith you threaten me, becauſe it fleeth away like Concil▪ Nicon. 2. Pro. 6. 2.▪a birde, I feare it not. But I heartily wiſh you to feare his curſe, who hath threatned idolaters wt that lake, that burneth as you Apoc. 21. 8.know, frō which your …uilet of Image and Idol, & of Dulia worſhip & Latria worſhip wil not be able to deliuer you, but a true repentance onelyonly, & conuerſion from the worſhippe of idols to the ſeruice of the true and 1. Theſſ. …. 9.liuing God, which (notwithſtanding all your tauntes and want of your promiſed Chriſtian charitie) the Lorde vouchſafe to worke in you by his powerfull worde and mightie ſpirit. I can not altogether content my ſelfe, thus to hauehave fully anſwered the chiefe matter of this article, but, you drawing me on with your tauntes, I muſt anſwere to them alſo. For the difference of an Image and an Idol you knowe my anſwere, and I acknowledge not your difference. Couching your honours done to the creature and creator, I doe not maliciouſly confound them: but you do vnlearnedly make a diſtinction in wordes, when in deede there is none. When wee teach yt al your worſhippes are idolatrous, we offer you no wrong, neither do we therin blind our hearers, or charge you with doctrines which are not your own. For if any worſhip be greater then other, that you giuegive to the Thom. Aquin. tert. parte ſummae. ouaeſt. 25. Saunderus de typic. hon. et ador. imag. Payua orthodox. expl. lib. 9. pag. 706.croſſe and image of Chriſt: & you can not denie this, being your playne doctrine, (as I hauehave declared) by Thomas, by Saunders, & by Andradius ſo expreſſed, as we can not more expreſſe it againſt you. Therefore we doe not mainteine matter of rayling againſt the true Catholike Church, which hath alwayes more deteſted all Idola…e, Exod. 20. 4. 1. Iohn 5. 21.then your Church doeth or can defende it. For your repeated words, God forgiue you I muſt conſter them in the beſt part: but comming in the middeſt of other ſcoſſes, they giuegive me occaſion to note, that many offend in the vttering of them againſt God, whoſe name they take in vaine, and againſt their neighbour, whome they curſe and tant with wordes that import a charitable prayer: which is to be reformed in our ſpeach, leaſt ſuch ſinnefull vſe of good wordes, increaſe the note of euill maners.
All theſe XIII articles are graunted, yet your Cenſureſhippe doeth couer the graunt moſt carefully, as one that knowes well what ſhame it is, playnely and openly to graunt ſo foule abſurdities. You might hauehave prouided better for your owne credit, and agaynſt mine, if you had directly denied but one of them, to proue at the leaſt one ſlaunderous falſe report: for this alone woulde hauehave preuailed more againſt mee, then all your naked vauntes and vndeſerued ſentences of diſgrace. But no one being denyed, what cauſe had you as fearing no examination of your booke, and without all regarde of trueth to ſaye: Thus I hauehave anſwered briefely your ſlaunderous falſe reportes of the Iefuites doctrine? In place of an anſwerer you hauehave only ſhewed your ſelf a cauiller, & paſſing by the matter, you hauehave prop…unded to your ſelfe newe propoſitions from the purpoſe, ſuch as you might more eaſily confute thē thoſe wherewith you are charged. Therefore it appeareth, notwithſtanding your Cenſure, that I hauehave with ſeemely and fitte wordes charged the Ieſuites, that they teach blaſphemies againſt God and his worde, that they are the Popes procters in that ſeruice, and bewraye the ſpirit of Antichriſt. Let the record of your falſe ſentence, charging mee with a lying ſpirit of Antichriſt, with an ignorant and rayling ſpirit, remayne with the placing of your name for mine, til you hauehave otherwiſe proued, that my ſpeaches againſt the vncleane doctrine and rebellious practiſes of your Ieſuites, are vntrue or rayling. And becauſe ſo cleare places in 2. The. 2. 3. 4. Iren. lib. 5. cap. 20. 5. Aretas Andreas apud Aretā pag. 955. 956.the worde of God, with the interpretation of the name and nomber of 666. agreed of by auncient fathers, and founde to accorde with the Latin and Hebrewe wordes, doe make Antichriſt to ſit at Rome, in the citie buylded vponupon ſeuen hilles, if they make it Apo…. 13. 18.to be a Latin and Romiſh Church, let y• record ſtande agaynſt the Pope yt he is Antichriſt, and againſt al other his inſtruments, for that they hauehave the ſpirite of Antichriſt full of all corruption. Wheras you charge me that my zeale ouerranne my witte, in reporting the former doctrines as blaſphemous, it is to ſpeake without proofe, and to ſlaunder without controlement. For I muſt agayne ſaye, that all your ignoraunt euill zeale, and al your witte knoweth not howe to denye any one of theſe XIII. articles, except you will willingly & wittingly runne into a curſe of the Trent Councill. Therefore your bitter taunt was without cauſe in reſpect hereof, as alſo in reſpect of that yt followeth about a maſſe booke. For in my conſcience I am not priui…, yt I did at any tune crye out, or at all vtter theſe wordes. A bla…phemie, findyng the bleſſed virgin named mother of God. Wherefore vntil you bring better proofe of it, my religious deniall ſhal more then weigh downe your hateful affirmation, & conuince you of breaking yt nienth cōmandemēt, by rayſing …ch infamous reproches in print agaynſt your neighbour, eyther vponupon light report of an enemie, o… vponupon your owne imagination. I am not in this ſort ouergreedie of your diſcredit, to whom in that generall louelove I owe to all men, I wiſh in the Lorde the riches and honour of true godlineſſe, praying that you may receiue the louelove of 2. Theſ. 2. 10.the trueth, and bee bleſſed as I woulde bee bleſſed. But this your cauſe of teaching errour, and labouring to roote out the goſpell, muſt more and more bee brought into diſcredit, eyther to drawe you to a louelove of yt trueth, or to make you aſhamed of ſuch lies. If I did in deede any way hurt my cauſe, you louelove it not ſo well as to admoniſh mee thereof: but I truſt, yt Lord would prouide me more faythful remēbrancers. For your next wordes of reproche, that wee ſeeme to hauehave made a compact betweene vsus eueryevery man to lye his part, howe vntrue are they, and howe full of reproch? To lye is a fowle ſinne: but to lye with conſent and conſpiracie that the lye may hauehave the more force and greater credit, it is double iniquitie, and furder from vsus by the grace of God, then from any of you. If the force of trueth ouerbeare you not, without Gods extraordinary iudgemēt, I looke not to ſee you ouerborne. This thirtieth leafe of your booke will afford a ſcantlin of your brotherly louelove, if any man will take the meaſure. Notwithſtanding in the ende you pleaſe mee ſo well, that I muſt thanke you for your helping hande in a good woorke. And although you tell the tale ſo, that I may ſeeme to hauehave a fellowſhippe in the offence, yet being free, I ſubſcribe to your good a…tiſement againſt imprinting lying …, as that from Rome. For it is ſo great a ſinne, to imprint lyes and r… …ore for …thy lucr…, and eueryevery where …o empty mens purſes and …ll their heades with …ables, that for ſuch an inquitie, eueryevery ſuch Printer …ueth to carye a print of his vngod… coueto…ſneſſe, … diſhonour offered to … ſo excellent and ſo profitable …. Touching the purpoſe of him, that to perſwade the all…wance, was like to aff… the …er … he were a Papi…, ſuch as is … like … tell what is done at Rome, hee had a …d to ſinne hi… of purpoſe; that he …ht laye it …: If it were▪ … you …, … woulde ſo …e yt Pope, (which cannot be gathered by any word in all the …) it was in him a greater ſinne. For without lying newes, there is true matter …ough ag… Pope and againſt Rome. But if a former copie imprinted at Straſbrough gaue it credit here, it was a leſſe offence, yet a great ouerſight. Now what vantage doe you take by that vayne and lying Pamphlet: will you hauehave all the faithfull charged with the fault of one or two Printers: and for a fault ſo ordinary in all other like cities? your marginall notes are like the wordes of a craftie ſeller, y• promiſeth more then the buyer can find. For your margēt in a diſgraſing note, promiſeth to lay open lying for the game: and you hauehave choſen two places to proue it againſt me. For the firſt of Cardinall Pooles purpoſe, to reforme ſome groſſe things at Popery, and Steuen Gardiners anſwere, I appeale to many which are witneſſes to me of this known and vndoubted reporte. To proue the ſecond lye, you doe openlye peruert and falſifie my plaine wordes and meaning. For in my anſwere I ſay, Papiſts yeelde in nothing, and proue it to be ſo. Neuertheles, I giuegive a note that our baſtarde Papiſts in Englande neyther true to vsus, nor faithfull to their owne ſide, (as ſince, Howlets authour complayneth) woulde ſeeme to b…aſhamed of images, pardons, pray…ints, and ſeruice in an vnknowen tongue: ſaying they verily hold thē as wicked things: Which I ſpake to note their hypocriſie. But you, to ſhew a lie for the game, lay downe my words as if I had not ſaid they would ſeeme aſhamed but as if I had directly affirmed that they confeſſe the ſame thinges to bee wicked▪ Which if I had ſaide of ſome, it had beene no lye: but I ſpake onelyonly of their diſſi… lation. Therefore what is it for you to ſay, our reſolution appeareth, which we hauehave made to auonch any thing, bee it neuer ſo falſe, to bluſhe at nothing bee it neuer ſo ſhamefull, and to inuent whatſoeuer may ſerue for your purpoſe to intertaine and … the people? In this ſhort concluſion without all cauſe, you hauehave crowded vp together many great wordes of reproche, againſt the greateſt, and againſt the leaſt of them that louelove the Goſpell. But I hauehave proued, who they bee that … the people with ſuch lles and intiſing erroutd. The Lord hath in ſuch ſort put the feare of his name, and the louelove of his truth into one heates, that we are free from charging out aduerſaries vntruely, hauing a ſtrong… way to worke by, then to take away … by euil, and one lie with another. God hath giuen vsus y• light to chaſe away your darkeneſſe, and the trueth of his Goſpell to confute …phe. 5. 13.your errours with al your popiſh traditions, Iewiſh ceremonies, and damnable ſuperſtitions whatſoeuer.
Now followe the other three partes diſpatched for haſte or want of matter, al three in as litle roome, as halfe the firſt: wherein your order againe may be noted, that hauehave filled twenty leaues of your booke to Cenſure one leafe handled by the way in mine: and againe hauehave made ſhew of anſwere to fiftie leaues of mine with ten of yours. If you had kept on your proportion, of twentie for one, your Cenſures would hauehave ſtaied a longer time, & made a larger volume.