Full text of "Confutation of the Rhemish Testament"

.■;e«S!!!!!?^'?-''=;==^-

|TI]Et)LCGICALSEOKAKY.|

1'^ PiincetGn, H. J. ^ '

Fulke, William, 1538-1589.
Confutation of the Rhemish
Testament

sec

V, ■?

>» s

^ ^ \

CONFUTATION

RHEMISH TESTAMENT.

BY WILLLIAM'FULKE, D.D.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ;

INCLUDING A

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR,

COMPLETE TOPICAL AND TEXTUAL INDEX.

NEW-YORK:

LEAVITT, LORD AND CO.

182 Broadway.
BOSTON : CROCICER AND BREWSTER,

47 Washington-street.

1834.

Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1834, in the Clerk's office of
the District Court of the Southern District of New-York.

JOIIN H. TURKEY S STEREOTYPE.

PREFACE.

BY THE EDITOR.

Among " the signs of tlie times," few events more remarkable and
impressive can be cited than the republication by American Protestants,
M the original edition of the Rhemish Testament. When that volume was
iirst issued in 1582, it excited in Britain indescribable alarm. " It was
considered as a book of very dangerous tendency ; being designed to pro-
mote the errors, superstitions, and impurities of Popery." In the preface
to his " Defence of the English translations of the Bible, Fulke remarks —
" The adversaries of our Lord who ' willeth the holy scriptures to be searched,'
perceiving that they cannot prevail to bring in that darkness and ignorance
of God's most sacred word and will therein contained, whereby their blind
devotion, the daughter of ignorance, as they themselves profess, was wont
to make them rulers of the world, they also at last are become translators
of the New Testament into English. In whicli, they leave the pure fountain
of the original verity to follow the crooked stream of their barbarous Latin
translation, and which beside other manifest corruptions, is pestered with
many annotations both false and undutiful, by which they seek to infect
the minds of credulous readers with heretical and superstitious opinions."

Not one permanent settlement of Europeans, except in Mexico, then
existed on this Northern continent. Neither Popery nor Protestantism was
known to the aboriginal Indians. Now, the emissaries of Rome are
prowling about with all craftiness, and in all the agility and ferocity of the
" BeasV to which the Dragon of Hell gave " his power, seat, and great
authority." Revelation xiii. 2. That book which Protestants, two hundred
and fifty years ago, dreaded as the pestilential " smoke of the bottomless
pit," has been republished under the sanction of a:i offiripnt portion of
Reformed Christians, expressly that it may TESTIFY OF ITSELF. No
greater proof of the change which has taken place in reference to Popery,
between the days when the impious tyranny of Pope Gregory XIII. raged,
and the present era, when the no less insolent assumptions of Gregory XVI.
are so openly avowed, can possibly be cited, than these two facts ; that the
commentary by which it was confidently hoped " the bright and blissful
Reformation" would be obliterated, the modern Jesuits dare not print: and
that Protestants have published that volume, confident that no rellecting
citizen who reads the exhibition of the doctrines and practices of Romanism
by the Jesuits of Rheims, will ever become a Papist.

Notwithstanding this conviction, it is a duty to avail ours 'Ives of that
wisdom and erudition and piety, which have effectually demonstrated the
falsifications, ignorance, and wickedness of the Rliemists who so openly
perverted the word of God. At the period when the New Testament, so
called by the Jesuits of Rheims, appeared in 15S2, " it was the opinions

of the learned, that both the trnnshition and the notes ought to be answered
by the ablest pen that could be procured ; and no man in Britain was
thought so well quahiied lor the undertaking, as Thomas Cartwright. Lei-
cester, Queen Elizabeth's favourite, and Walsingham who was accounted
xhe very mouth and hand of the queen, made particular application to him,
and earnestly entreated him to engage in this important service for the
church of God. The ministers and scholars of London, Suffolk, and Cam-
bridge also combined their aflectionate and pressing invitations. Thus
encouraged, he laboured with all diligence during nearly four years, when
Archbishop Whitgift, who was called the Pope of Lambeth, authoritatively
forbade him to proceed any further in the work !"

In consequence of this arbitrary display of antichristian intolerance and
ecclesiastical despotism, Fulke, a very intimate friend of Cartwright, and
a determined adversar}' to the modern Babylon, commenced the arduous
task. He died almost immediately after he had completed his design ; and
although it was finished in 1589, yet twenty-eight years elapsed before the
volume appeared from the press. Such was the manifest preference for
Popery among those who directed the governmental affairs, during the
Utter part of ihe reign of Elizabeth, and the first years of James I., that a
license for printing the confutations of the Rhemish Testament by Fulke
and Cartwright, could not be obtained. To that noble friend of civil and
religious liberty, Archbishop Abbot, are the world indebted for the dissemi-
nation of the two most instructive and convincing works which have ever
been published in the English language respecting the Papal controversy.

Before we analyze the ensuing " Confutation of the Rhemish Testament,"
it may gratify the student to know something of the author. The follow-
ing concise biographical narrative has been compiled 'from Brook's Lives,
Middleton's Biographia Evangelica, and Brook's History of Religious
Liberty, which contain the most minute and authentic account extant.

William Fulke was born in London, but in what year is not known. He
was chosen fellow of John's college, Cambridge, in 1564; and as he was
so resolute and daring a Protestant, he must have been too young to have
atracted notice during the reign of Queen Mary, a " woman literally drunk
with the blood of the saints,, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus."
Revelation xvii. 6. In compliance with paternal desire, he dedicated some
time to the acquisition of jurisprudence. But disgusted with that profes-
sion, he resumed studies more congenial to his own inclination ; upon
which liis father was so ofTinided, that be withdrew from him necessary
support. Fulke, however, persevered ; and became so celebrated in the
university for his mental endowments and superior scholarship in the
various departments of learning, that he attained his fellowship without
any adventitious patronage, by the mere force of his eminent claims in
literature.

As a preacher, he became extensively known in the year 1565, in con-
sequence of his uncompromising and bold remonstrances against the Popish
habits and ceremonies incorporated with the ecclesiastical establishment.
For this dislike and contempt of the Babylonish vestments which the priests
wore, " Bomish rags," as they were then disdainfully denomiuated, he

PREFACE. 3

suffered considerable persecution, and finally was expelled from his college.
He continued however to reside in Cambridge, and supported himself by
the delivery of public lectures. Strype's Parker. 197, 280. Middleton' s
Biographia. Vol. 2. page 262.

Notwithstanding this ungodly oppression exercised toward him, he
speedily obtained a reputation so distinguished and honourable, that in
1569, he would have been elected master of the college in which he
held his fellowship, had not Archbishop Parker directly interposed his
authority, and hindered the election. As a compensation for this obstruc-
tion to his usefulness, the Earl of Leicester, who witli all his faults was the
inflexible friend of those ministers who were stanch Protestants, and
inclined to Puritanism, received him into his house, and appointed Fulke
his domestic chaplain. But in consequence of the persecutions which he
was called to endure, and some odious charges which were alleged against
him by his malignant competitors, he resigned his fellowship. The in-
quiry into the truth of the imputations cast upon him having proved that
the whole tale was merely a groundless calumny, fabricated through envy,
his college, immediately re-elected him to his former endowment.

In the year 1573, Fulke was chosen master of Pembroke Hall, and
Margaret Professor of Divinity, in the University of Cambridge ; from
which latter office, his friend Thomas Carlwright had been ejected by the
wicked artifices and oppression of the semi-Popish prelates, who dreaded
his influence and unbounded popularity. Notwithstanding Cartwright's
illegal expulsion from his lecture and fellowship, the sameness of their duties,
with their congeniality of character, temper, theological opinions, and detes-
tation of the Romish idolatry, cemented Fulke and Cartwright in the most
harmonious intimacy and brotherhood. Fulke was greatly instrumental in
persuading Cartwright to accede to the solicitations which were made to him
for his answer to the Rhemish Testaments : " but when he found that by
the tyrannical prohibition of Archbishop Whitgift, Cartwright was forbidden
to proceed, he undertook to answer it himself. This work was entitled
"yl Confutation of the Rhemish Testament;'''' in which he gave notice
that the reader might some time be favoured with a more complete answer
from Cartwright. That which occasioned the publication of the Rhemish
Testament was as follows. — " The English Papists in the seminary at
Rheims perceiving, as Fuller quaintly observes, that they could no longer
blindfold the laity from the scriptures, resolved to fit them with false spec-
tacles ; and set forth the Rhemish translation in opposition to the Protestant
versions." Piercers Vindication. Page 103. " Fulke undertook, and suc-
cessfully accomplished an entire refutation of the Popish version and commen-
tary. The late James Hervey passed a very just encomium on this noble
performance. He styles it, " a valuable piece of ancient controversy and
criticism, full of sound divinity, weighty arguments, and important observa-
tions. Would the young student be taught to discover the very sinews of
Popery, and be enabled to give an efiectual blow to that complication of
error ; I know scarcely a treatise better calculated for that purpose."
Topladyh Historic Proof. Vol. 2. Pages 196, 197.
Jn the year 1582, Fulke, Goad, and several other ministers were engaged

in a public disputation with some Papists, among whom was that Master-
Jesuit Campion. This emissary of Rome, with others, was appointed by
the Pope, expressly to murder Queen Elizabeth, and to subvert the Pro-
testant government. Tliey were eventually apprehended, and besides the
gross idolatries and other corruptions of Romanism, they maintained that
the Pope possessed authority over the queen, and as she was lawfully
deposed by the Pope, they were justified in endeavouring to excite rebel-
lion. For tills treason, Campion and his traitorous associates were
condemned to death. Du Sloulbi's Vindication of Protestantism,
Page 198.

Although Fulke held a prominent station in the university of Cam-
bridge, and among the theologians of that spirit-stirring age of profound
inquiry, yet his opinions of the ecclesiastical state establishment, and
of the necessity of conforming to its claims, were very puritanical. In
his " Petition of Prelates examined,'''' page 15, he thus delivers his Judg-
ment, which proves that in his views of the evangelical ceremonies and
discipline, he was substantially consonant with Cartwright. " In the scrip-
ture a bisl)op and elder is of one order and authority. There ought to be
in every church or congregation an eldership, which ought to have the
hearing, examination, and determination of all matters pertaining to the
discipline and government of that congregation. Many speak of the sign
of the cross, but they speak beside the book of God ; and therefore their
reasons should be rejected. For men must not compare or join the cross
with the king's stamp ; for he appointed no such thing whereby his
servants mi.^ht be known, but only baptism." Zion's Plea. Page 99.

Ai"tcr a life of great usefulness and labour in the church of God, this
eminent servant of Christ was released from his warfare, August, 1589.
He was interred in the clmrch at Kedington, of which he was minister.
The religious character of Fulke may easily be ascertained from the first
clause of his last will and testament. " I commend my soul into the hands
of Almighty God my Saviour and Redeemer, yielding most humble and
hearty thanks unto his majesty for all his mercies bestowed upon me, most
vile and unworthy wretch, but especially for his mercy showed unto me in
Jesus Christ, in whom I believe to have remission of my sins, and to be
justified by his blood, ^ly body f commit to the earth, whence it was
taken, in steadfast hope of a glorious resurrection unto life everlasting,
through the mercy and merits of the same Lord Jesus Christ."

The greater part of Fiilkn's writings arc volumes against the Papists.
Some of them were only of temporary reference. But his, " Defence of the
translation of the Holy Scriptjires in English,^'' should be republished.
It contains not only the marrow of the Popish controversy, and a vast fund
of profound biblical criticism, but it is replete with the most important
literary and historical intelligence respecting the period of the Reformation.
" The Confutation of the Rhemish Testament" richly deserves all the
eulogy appended to it by Ilervey, the celebrated author of the meditations.
It is full of critical erudition, sound theology, historical facts, and irresistible
arguments.

In modern times, and according to the aspect of the present controversy

with the Romanists ; the grand points which the Jesuits urge in defence of
Popery are connected with the antiquity of tiie Papal claims, the uniform
consent of all ages to those assumptions, and the universal testimony of the
early fathers in corroboration of the more recent assertions of the un-
changeablcness and infallibility which they say ever have characterized the
dogmas, rites, and practices enforced by the triple crowned Pontiff of
Rome, No one of all the " strong delusions" with which the " all deceiva-
bleness of unrighteousness" is maintained, is more imposing in its lofty
pretensions, more bewildering to those who are not versed in " the working
of Satan," and whose opportunities of research have not been sufficient to
draw truth from the fountains of knowledge, and more pernicious as it
regards the direful bondage in which it cliains those deluded votaries who
become entangled in the net and labyrinth of this " mystery of iniquity,"
than the Roman claim of priority, antiquity, and universality.

The boasted principle of antiquity among the Romanists is tlie grand
incentive to all their indignation, whenever their ungodly system is assailed.
During a recent public disputation, the Papists became so audaciously
obstreperous, that all the order and comfort of the meeting were destroyed.
Inquiry was afterward made of an avowed Romanist in a respectable con-
dition of life ; " what is the reason of the different behaviour among the
Protestants and Papists at religious discussions when the relative authority
of their respective systems is canvassed 1 We sit as quiet as children vvlien
your priests pour forth their malignity, falsehoods, and calumny respecting
the Reformers or the modern champions of our faith ; but whenever a Pro-
testant stands up to portray the character and acts of' the 3Ian of Sin, and
the Mother of Harlots ;'' instantly the Papists are in a commotion and
uproar as if Bedlam at once had let loose all its pitiable tenants in the midst
of the Assembly, What is the cause of this astonishing contradiction 1"
The Papist very candidly replied — " You Protestants have no right to say
a word against our church. We are the ancient and the only true religion,
and you upstart heretics ought to be hindered from slandering our holy
religion ; and if we had it in our power, we would soon silence you !" This
was as honest and true an avowal, as it was malignant and characteristic
of the Popish temper and desires.

One of the most insidious wiles of the annotations to the Rhemish Tes-
tament is this : they constantly and chiefly aim to convince the reader that
Romanism in all its parts is derived from the Lord Jesus Christ and his
apostles. To sustain tliis position, there is a continual parade of pretended
citations from the writings of the primitive authors in the Christian church ;
all of whom are adduced as witnesses to demonstrate, that in every age
from the apostolic era, the cardinal doctrines, rites, and practices of the
Papacy were the general and authoritative opposition of Christianity : that
the Lord himself conferred upon Peter alone, as his earthly vicegerent, the
uncontrolled supremacy of the church militant, and also invested him with
the godlike attribute of infallibility ; and that the apostle Peter was directed
by Christ to delegate the same mysterious power and jurisdiction to his
successors, the Popes of Rome throughout all ages. To corroborate this
usurped claim, a large number of the most ingenious and corrupt partizans

of the Papacy were long and successively employed to forge public trea-
ties, and acts of councils, and decretal epistles, with similar records. From
these they pretended to demonstrate that in the apostolic age, and from
that period during ten centuries, without interruption, the Popes had always
been clothed with the same supreme spiritual majesty, as that in which they
were decorated during the dark ages. With most ostentatious triumph,
these fictitious writings were adduced ; and esj^ecially the fabricated pro-
ceedings and decisions and canons of a suppositious council which never
existed, but which was reported to have been held during the fourth century,
tended in a high degree to enrich and aggrandize the Papal Hierarchy.
Fnlke on Revelation, xvii. 4. Indescribable mischiefs have resulted from
the deceptions thus practised by the Papal writers, and from this system
of turpitude which they had consecrated. They not only forged legendary
tales and constitutions, laws and canons, in the name of the apostles, dis-
ciples, martyrs, and their immediate successors of the earliest Christian
antiquity ; but as far as was necessary to sanction their traditions, idola-
trous rites, and impure and dissolute lives ; they also cancelled, mutilated,
altered and vitiated the various works of the earlier Christian writers, the
copies of which they pretended to issue from the dark recesses of their mo-
nasteries. Hence, one of the most evil effects of their treachery is tliis ; it
is often extremely difficult, and sometimes totally impossible to decide
what is genuine unadulterated truth, and to distinguish it from the spurious
Monkish fables.

Conscious of the facility with which the unlettered portion of the people
may be puzzled by a parade of quotations from a century of autliors, and
by references to half a thousand more ; the Roman controvertists have
always resorted to this subterfuge to ensnare their victims. Not less con-
vinced of the fruitless toil in exploring the antiquated and musty volumes
which have experienced the metamorpiiosis wrought by those forgers and
counterfeiters in the literary productions of tiiem who published their
writings, fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen hundreds of years ago ; their works
are glutted with simulated extracts from tiie most renowned and estimated
cham|)ions of the gospel ; especially those who lived prior to the days of
the Emperor Theodosius ; expressly to turn off Protestants from the real
topics in controversy. Nothing is more easy to a book compiler than this
summary method of enforcing conviction, not by the power of argument or
an array of facts, but by a deceitful reference to non-existent authorities, to
whicli an opponent may not have access, and the searcli after which,
he is previously apprized will repay him neither for his labour nor
time.

None of the Papists or of their allies scarcely ever resort to the gospel
for a sanction to tiieir doctrines — and for a plain reason — neither Popery
in its unrestricted demands, nor any modification of it however attenuated,
derives any sanction from tiie oracles of God. Consequently, while it is
factitiously based upon that foundation, it is discovered tliat the airv edi-
fice rocks to its centre ; and the dissembling castle-builders are obliged to
support their tottering superstructure, by collecting every species of mate^
rials out of which they may be able to raise a buttress to prop up the falling

Babylon. They abandon thoicfore, Peter, Paul, James, John, Matthew,
Jude, Mark, and Luke ; and summon as witnesses, Tertullian, Cyprian,
Eusebius, Jeron)e, Chrysostoni, Augustin, NazianzxMi, Ambrose, &-c. ; all of
whom in diflerent proportions were muddled in their judgments, and infected
with the tendency to that grand apostacy of whicli Paul had prophesied,
2 Thessalonians 2 ; and which by the concuss-ion of the Roman empire was
rapidly attaining its full evolution.

The translation and notes by the Jesuits of Rheims, commonly called the
Rhemish Testament, are a perfect specimen of the diversified corruptions
and falsifications with which the Roman controvertists attempt to per[)lex
and confound the weak and the uninformed. Probably one half of the
annotations are quotations from nearly two hundred diflerent authors;
whose works are extremely rare, and of course totally inaccessible to the
incalculable majority of readers — and even could they be examined, the
time necessary for an accurate research would preclude nine stud^-nts out
of ten, from such a laborious and unprofitable investigation. Nevertheless
if the factors of the man of sin promulge " lying wonders," and if " that
wicked" disseminate " the lie," Christians must in duty publish the truth,
as an antidote to their soul destroying fallacies. Fulke and Cartwright in
their confutations of the Rhemish Testament have executed in this respect
a most noble and essential duty. Exclusive of all the overpowering argu-
ments with which they have demolished the modern Babylon the Great at
the bar of reason — and setting aside the numerous facts from ecclesiastical
annals which are incorporated in their volumes — their works are invaluable
to every person who is desirous to understand the genuine opinions of the
most renowned writers of antiquity, upon all the prominent doctrines and
duties revealed in the gospel of Christ. These volumes comprise an au-
thentic and an extensive selection of the most interesting passages from the
ancient authors upon the various topics discussed; and of their value and
importance, all persons can judge merely by a reference to the index.
They include almost every prominent controversy which has ever disturbed
the nominal church; and especially all those which advert to Popery in
its paramount characters and influence. These confutations completely
exhibit the principles which were held by those men of whom the Papists
so tauntingly boast : and from the survey, it is evident, that all the Fathers,
as they are called, either doubted, disapproved, or denied every peculiarly
distinctive attribute and observance of Popery. Thus, as the title to
Cartwright's refutation justly apprises us, the " manifest impieties, heresies,
idolatries, superstitions, profaneness, treasons, slanders, absurdities,
falsehoods and other evils, hy occasion ichereof the true sense, scope, and
doctrine of the scripture and human authors loere ahusecV " by the Jesuits
of Rheims, are exposed in a masterly manner. Both the Protestants
unfold a controversial dexterity and a fund of erudition not less admira-
ble than instructive.

The false quotations of the ancient writers announced by the Jesuits ;
their deceitful contrivances to make the original authors sustain the Papal
corrupt traditions ; their impudent perversions of the plain meaning of the
early ecclesiastical historians and theologians ; and their wicked contra-

dictions of the most easily comprehended passages of scripture, expressly
that the truth may be concealed, and the most antichristian heresies may
be sanctioned, are illustrated on every page. Of the numerous examples
which might be specified, three instances are singularly remarkable.

1. The apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 2: 5, proclaims that Christ Jesus
is the " one Mediator between God and man ;" and the apostle John,
1 Epistle 2: 1, asserts, that "Jesus Christ the righteous" is our
" Advocate with the Father ;" and from the strict and only correct inter-
pretation of the language, it is directly implied that Jesus Christ is the sole
Mediator and Advocate. If a controvertist wished in the most compre-
hensive form to terminate all debate upon the subject of the exclusive
mediation and advocacy of Immanuel ; he could not possibly select from
the sacred canon, two passages more brief and decisive. Yet these same
texts, as if in the very spirit of perverse contradiction, the Jesuits have
selected on which to append not only their own lengthened and contradic-
tory notes, but also references to Augustin and Cyril ; thereby to induce
the unwary reader to suppose that these writers supported their senseless
idolatry of praying to the saints ; when it is demonstrable, that Cyril and
Augustin both repudiated that pagan superstition. The acumen and eru-
dition and sound didactic theology of Fulke and Cartwright most lucidly
appear in their replies to the Rhemish annotations upon those verses.

2. Excepting the first and second commandments, probably, a more terse
and authoritative mandate against all the forms of image-worship cannot be
quoted from the holy scriptures, especially when we consider the then
existing state of the world, than the injunction of the beloved Disciple,
1 John 5: 21, "keep yourselves from idols." Notwithstanding, the
Jesuits have annotated upon this prohibition in such a manner, that it is
transformed into a direct sanction of idolatry — and Eusebius, Augustin, and
Gregory are introduced as testimonies in behalf of this strange perversion
of the fundamental article in all rational religion. The second Nicene
council is also cited — and ])ersons who know nothing of the Nicene council
but as they have indistinctly heard of them as being mentioned at the head
of the confession of faith, bearing the title of " the Nicene creed," may
thereby suppose that the council of Nice whose creed is adopted by so
many Protestants, and found in their standard books, were supporters of
that gross form of idolatry, the worship of statues, images, crucifixes, &.c.
This wickedness and Jesuitism are portrajed in all their hideousness by the
defenders of the Protestant faith ; and the iniquitous dissimulation which
impelled and directed all the course of the Rhemists in their blind transla-
tion, is justly exposed to merited execration.

3. The apostle Paul, 1 Timothy 3: 2. Titus 1: 6, describing the
qualifications of a minister, pronounces that he must be " the hxishand of
one f«t/e," which every person of common judgment rightly understands.
At that period, bigamy, polygamy, and promiscuous concubinage were not
only tolerated, but in many particulars were essentially combined with the
prevalent idolatry, and consequently the whole multitude of the people
were contaminated with the most loathsome pollution. Paul therefore
enjoined that a Christian minister should have one wife, and but one ;

according to the original divine appointmcMit in Paradise. Tlie Jesuits
however iiave inculcated in their note upon those words, that the marriage
of priests is ungodly and unlawful, and have introduced a great show of the
early ecclesiastical writers to justify tlicir abhorrent celibacy, which is not
less impure than it is unnatural. The replies by Fulke and Cartwright
upon this topic, probably equal in value any disquisitions in their whole
volumes. They lay the axe to the root of the corrupt tree ; and if piety,
learning, argument and gospel truth could have prostrated the system of
monkery ! that direful source of uncleanness, infanticide, and all their con-
con)itant crimes, would long since have been banished to " the bottomless
pit," in which they originated. McGavin's Protestant, volume II. pages
80, and 85. Hartford edition.

It will consequently be perceived that the volumes of Fulke and Cart-
wright are an extensive spiritual armoury, in which are deposited a great
variety of weapons for the use of those assailants who are desirous to over-
turn that " habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird, Babylon the great." Revelation 18 : 2.
To contrast the various excellencies or deficiencies of those two anti-
Popish wariors would be equally useless and absurd. " They rest from
their labours and their tvorks dofolloio them," Their immortal volumes in
defence of our common Christianity survive them ; and are now faithfully
presented to all American Protestants.

We do not approve of every sentiment contained in these confutations
of the. Rhemish Testament; and if Fulke and Cartwright could now revise
their volumes, doubtless, they would erase some passages ; but we did not
feel disposed to reject " a measure of wheat" because a grain of cockle is
mixed with it. The most unsatisfactory jjart of these works is their at-
tempted illustrations of the Apocalypse. The evolution of the grand pre-
dict'ons respecting the remarkable period of 1260 years was at too great a
distance in futurity to be accurately discerned. Even at this period, after
250 years have elapsed, many passages in the prophecies of Daniel and
John are profoundly inexplicable. But this unavoidable defect is amply
compensated by their other pre-eminent recommendations ; for in addition to
an invaluable and triumphant refutation of Popery, and a condensed sum-
mary of the works of the primitive Christians, these volumes by Fulke
and Cartwright contain a rich treasury of pure didactic theology, blended
with a deep mine of spirituality, devotional fervour, and practical piety; so
that by the attentive perusal of them, the conscience and heart experience
as much benefit, as the understanding realizes light and expansion.

As a specimen and proof of the ([ualifications of those renowned colle-
gians to accomplish the arduous labour assigned them ; the letter, written it
is said by Fulke, to incite his " most celebrated" brother to the magnifi-
cent work of silencing the Jesuits of Rheims, is hero subjoined.

LETTER TO THOMAS CARTWRIGHT-

NuNQUAM a te, venerande Cartwkighte, plus opera exigeremus, quam quod in minis-
terio publico consumitur ; nisi Ecclesiae nostrse rationes ot frequentes hostium incur-
siones vehementer flagitarent. Cum vero templum Domini extruere iam nobis satis non

10 ' PREl-'ACi;.

sit, sed altera etiam pugnandum manu contra frequentes haereticorum exercitus, non a'gr':
feres, si te Ecclesis nostrae alumnum ad certaminis hujus societatcm provocemus. Non
te fugit quanto cum impetu, ct quam fiirenter Papistarum cohortes, et Jesuitaruin examina
involarint in nostras Ecclesias. Quicquid apertae impressiones, occultae insidis, clandestina
consilia efficerc potuerunt, experti sumus ; nullum defuit accrbitalis virus, quo vel re-
ligionis dignitas obfuscari poterat, vel optinii cujusque fama violari. Atque cum hactenus
semper in religionis certamine illorum vires acriter satis repulerimuB, verbi divini presidiis
communiti : novam illi nuper rationem iniverunt, quo a suis partibus stare divinas voces,
et coelestia oracula, hominibus imperitis persuaderent. Quid enim aliud student novi
federis translatione, et putidis, quas adjunxerunt, annotatiunculis, quibus quasi circum-
foranei prsstigiatores rebus clarissimis tenebras offundunt, quam ut hominum mentibus
opinio inhereat, sacras scripturas turpiter a nobis contaminari, et quicquid est in eis vere
solideque expressum, id illorum sententias firmissime corroborare, nostras penitCis con-
vellere I Quanta hinc malorum nascatur Ilias, tibi facile est conjectura assequi. Nam
licet pauci quidam c doctioribus videant, omnia ccecis tenebris et densa caligine ab eis
obrui ; tamen infirmorum mentibus multipliccs intenduntur insidiae, et hominum in rc-
ligione nutantium animi variis dubitationum fluctibus concutiuntur. A te igitiir contendi-
mus, venerande Cartwp.ighte, ut sceleratorum hominum impuris his conatibus velis
obsistere, vel integrum librum refutando, vel ejus partem aliquam. Non cujusvis est c
vulgo artificis affabre conficere Tabernaculum Dei, sed Bczalielis et Alwliahi. Nee quivis
in bella Domini temerc intrudendus, fed e fortibus Davidis diligendi duces. Qualem cum
te agnoscimus ex superioribus praeliis pro civitatis nostra, id est, Ecclesiaemuris susceptis ;
non dubitamus, si hoc certaraen inire velis, debes certe pro ea, qua es in patriam et re-
ligionem pietate, quin pro aris, et focis, pro ipso Templi intimo sacrario dimicaturus,
JebusQBorum vires, qui in arcem Davidis convolare student, possis pessundare. Accedit
hue, quod mirifice facit ad animum exacuendum, quod non tibi jam cum fratre aliquo et
ejusdem religionis socio dimicandum sit, quod languidius solet certamen efficere, sed cum
EcclesiiE Christi insensissimis hostihus, Philistceis quibusque, et Ammonitis, multo diriori-
bus. Non dubitamus quin Madianitarum instar tandem se mutuis perfodiant vulneribus ;
cum nostr e rai/oTrXias vel strepitum inaudiverint. Vides ad quam honorificam te invitamus
contentionem, Christi negotium suscipietur, contra Satanae satellites. Excitamus ad bella
Domini, ubi certa victoria, quam triumphus et applausus Angelorum consequetur. Nostra?
preces tibi nunquam deerunt ; aderit, procul dubio, Christus, cujus causa defenditur.
Dominus Jesus tibi animum et vires adaugeat, et incolumem ad Ecciesiae bonum diutissime
custodiat. Vale.

Toi in Christo amantissimi firatres.

ROGERUS GOADE. Jo. FlELDUS.

GuLiELMUs Whitaker. Nicholaus Cranbs.

Thomas Crocus. Egidius Seintler.

Johannes Fretonus. R. Gardiner.

GULIELMUS FULCO. GlJLI. ChARCUS.

TRANSLATION.

" We never would require of you, highly revered Cartwright, any fiirther endeavour than
that which is spent in the public ministry, did not the respects of our church state, and
the oft incursions of our enemies, vehemently urge us. But since it is not now sufficient
for us to build up the temple of the Lord : but we must also with the other hand fight
against the frequent armies of heretics : you will not take it ill that we provoke you as a
foslerchild of our church unto the fellowship of this conflict. You are not ignorant with
how great force and fury the bands of papists and swarms of Jesuits have flown upon
our churches. We have felt whatsoever open hostility, secret stratagems, and privy plot-
tings could effect. There hath wanted no poison of bitterness, whereby the dignity of
religion might have been darkened, or the character of every excellent person debased.
And whereas hitherto, being every way fortified by the power of the divine Word, in the
conflicts for religion, we have always boldly repelled their forces ; they have of late enter-
prised a new course, by which they might persuade unskilful men, that the divine scrip •

PREFACE.

tures and heavenly oracles stand on their side. For what else do they project by the
translation of the New Testament, and their adjoined unsavoury silly annotations, where-
by, like runagate jugglers, they cast mists on most clear things, than that a conceit
might stick in men's minds, that the holy scriptures are by us basely contaminated, and
that whatsoever is in them truly and soundly expressed, the same most firmly strengthen-
eth their opinions and utterly eradicates our interpretation. It is easy for you to conjecture
what a mass of evils thence may flow. For though a few of the Icarneder sort see that all
things are by them overwhelmed with blind darkness and thick mists : yet there are mani-
fold snares laid for weak minds, and the wavering in religion are beaten upon by divers
waves of doubt. With you therefore are we earnest, most revered Cartwright, that you
would set yourself agamst the unhallowed endeavours of mischievous men, either by
refuting the whole book, or at least some part thereof It is not for every man, workman-
like to frame God's tabernacle, but for Bezaleel and Aholiab : neither is every one to be
rashly thrust forth into the Lord's battles ; but the captains are to be chosen from among
David's worthies ; of which we acknowledge you to be, by your former battles undergone
for the walls of our city, the church. We doubt not, if you will enter into this war,
which truly you ought according to the zeal and piety you bear to your country and reli-
gion, but that fighting for your conscience and your country, yea even for the very inmost
holy place of the temple, you will be able to tread under foot the forces of the Jebusites,
who set themselves to assault the tower of David. Moreover, and it marvellously serveth
to the sharpening of your courage, you are not now to fight with any brother or fellow of
the same religion, which would make the conflict more faint, but with the most inveterate
enemies of the church of Christ, far more cruel than ever was any Philistine or Ammonite.
We doubt not but Midianite like they will at length deadly wound each other, so soon as
they hear but the rattling of your complete armour. You see to what an honourable fight
we invite you. Christ's business shall be undertaken against Satan's champions. We
stir you up to fight the battles of our Lord, where the victory is certain, and to which the
triumph and applause of angels will ensue. Our prayers shall never be wanting to you.
Christ, without doubt, whose cause is defended, will be present with you. The Lord
Jesus increase your courage and strength, and keep you very long in safety for the good
of his church ! Farewell.

Your most loving brethren in Christ.

Roger Goad. John Field.

William Whitaker. Nicholas Crane.

Thomas Crooke. Giles Seintler.

John Ireton. Richard Gardiner.

William Fulke. William Charke.

Notwithstanding this peerless testimony ; such was the dread of ecclesi-
astical malignity in Britain in the year 1618, when Cartwright's volume
was first published, and when the pioneer congregation of Puritans
were preparing to migrate from Europe to the American wilds, that the
names of the other ministers who had subscribed the preceding document
were concealed from the public, because they were then living, and there-
fore exposed to Laud's persecution ; merely for having persuaded the
Master Theologian of his age and country to compose an efficient antidote
to that destructive " working of Satan," artfully disseminated by the Jesuits
under the name of the New Testament. Thanks be to God ! that intole-
rance and despotism over the press have been banished from America
and Brhain ; and the " Confutations of the Rhemish TestamenV by
Fulke and Cartwriglit shall yet expose the devices and ungodliness of
Popery, to all who are willing to comprehend its ^'■damnable heresies !"
which bring upon men " swift destruction!" 2 Peter 2 : 1. The volume by
Cartwright will also speedily be printed : and as it may be said of him and

12 PREFACK

of Fulkc, in the lancjuage of the gracious Redeemer concerning his forerun-
ner John : — They were burning and shining lights : O that all American
citizens may rejoice in thoir light ! John 5 : 35. When these replies to the
Jesuits of ilheims shall have been completed, the Churches of Christ in
the United States may be thankful and rejoice, that the Lord has graciously
permitted them to obtain at such a low price, this edifying and unanswer-
able refutation of Romanism.

If the doctrine of our immortal Poet he true, and who can doubt it? in an
inconceivably more seraphic sense than mortal strains can chant : —

" The Saints on earth and all the dead

But one communion make ;
All join in Christ, their living head,

And of his grace

Then the spirits of those "just men made perfect," Fulke and Cart-
wright, must exult in Paradise at the grateful intelligence wafted there by
some ministering angel ; that being dead, by their " Confutation of the
Rhemish Testament," they yet speak — and speak to whom? To a people,
to churches, and to Christians residing in a country, which, when they were
pilgrims on earth, was one vast unexplored continuity of wilderness, and by
civilized beings uninhabited.

From this ancient solitary place, now blossoming as the rose ; to the New
Jerusalem, those who have been chiefly instrumental in procuring the repub-
lication of this series of volumes to counteract the progress of Popery in this
republic, would themselves not only aspire, but they pray that all their Chris-
tian Brethren also would soar to that amplitude of knowledge and sanctity,
which by divine grace shall enable them to contend earnestly " for the faith
which was once delivered to the saints," and qualify them eventually to par-
ticipate in the beatitudes of those exalted champions of gospel truth, whose
" memory is blessed ;" so that when the time of their departure is at hand,
they may exult with the conviction and fervour pf our apostolic exemplar,
Paul : " I have fought a good fight — I have finished my course — I have
kept the faith — Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous-
ness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at his appearing V

New- York, April, 1834.

CONFUTATION

THE RHEMISTS' PREFACE.

1. If the whole Bible had been translated
by you, and tliat long since, into the Endish
tongue, it is marvel, that it has lain so lotig
by you, for lack of good means to publish it.
You have published books of as great charge,
and much less importance, within these eight
and twenty years; but such, indeed, by which
you had more hope to win unto your credit
and cause, than you have by the holy Bible,
though you perverted it with never so partial
translation, and poisoned it with never so he-
retical and blasphemous annotations, as you
have done your edition of the New Testa-
ment. You were wont to boast of the zeal of
popes, cardinals, and other great prelates of j
the Romish sect, for the conversion of our
nation unto their obedience. Were they also
so straight laced, that none of them can find
in their purses, to bear the charges of print-
ing a work so necessary, or at leastwise pro- 1
fiiable, as you hold the translation of the |
scriptures to be, for the maintenance of the Ca- 1
tholic religion ? Or do you not rather, as the j
family of love used to do, for their works,
craftily beg of your favourers in England,
larger exhibition, upon colour of printing vour
translation of the Bible ? when it is not hard
to gather, that if you were purposed indeed to
set it forth, and would use such means as you
may, in those parts, the forbearing of the
money, though your printer took it upon in-
terest, might be paid for in the sale of one
impression, although it so might happen, that
a number of them were confiscated, or mis-
carried in the ways, as chanced to some of
these your books. But who so seeth what
unnecessary charge you have put yourselves
unto, in printing this your translation of so
large a volume : may easily perceive you set
it not forth for poor men's profit, and that by
so excessive price, of so small a part of the
whole Bible, you mean to discourage your
friends from waiting for all the rest : what
advantage you have in this part, for deciding
the doubts of these days, we shall examine
in the several places, where you pretend to
take it.

2. You are afraid, to give over your old impu-
dent proposition, that ignorance of the Scrip-
tures, is the mother of Popish devotion. And
therefore you hold it an erroneous opinion,
" That the holy Scriptures should be always
in our mother tongue, or that they ought, or

were ordained by God, to be read indifTerently
of all. Whereas it is certain, that the holy
Scripture of the Old Testament was by God's
ordinance first written in the mother-tongue
of the Jews, and the New Testament in the
Greek tongue, which was the mother-tongue
to a great part of the world, and that language,
which was most generally understood among
the Gentiles, tmto whom the Gospel was
preached. Our Saviour Christ commandeth,
not only a readmg, as you yourselves con-
fess, but also a deep search of the Scriptures,
unto all the Jews indifferently. Paul com-
mendeth the education of Timothy, in know-
ledge of the Scriptures from his infancy.
Wliich authorities prove, that the holy Scrip-
tures were ordained by God, to be read and
knownindifferently of all, and therefore ought
to be translated into the mother tongues of
all nations, that all may read and know them.
Another erroneous opinion they account it, to
think, that the Scriptures can be easily un-
derstood of every one that readethqr heareth
them in a known language, which if it were
admitted, yet it foUoweth not, that the Scrip-
tures ought not to be in a known language,
because they cannot be easily understood of
every one that readeth or heareth them, but
rather, that every one that readeth or heareth
them, ought more diligently to study and ex-
ercise himself in them, more often hear and
read them, and more fervently pray to God
for aid of his Spirit, that he may understand
them. And yet it is certain, that albeit some
places of the Scripture are not easy to be un-
derstood of all men, yet there are many parts
of them, and so many, as are able to instruct
us unto salvation, so plain and easy, as they
may be understood of every one that readeth
or heareth them. And of this judgment is
Augustine, answering this objection of the
obscurity of the Scriptures : " Therefore
hath the Holy Ghost magnifically and whole-
somely so tempered the holy Scriptures,
that by plain and open places, he might
prevail against famine : by dark places, he
might wipe away loathsomeness. For no-
thing almost, is gathered out of those ob-
scurities, which IS not found most plainly
uttered in some other place." — De doct. Christ,
lib. 2, cap. 6. And in the chapter immediately
before, he showeth, that by reason of the di-
versity of languages, the same sound of

PREFACE.

words, not serving all nations, the Scriptures
were translated into divers tongues, that they
might be generally known. " Wliereof it is
come to pass, that even the holy Scriptures,
by which so great diseases of men's wits are
helped, being proceeded Ironi one tongue,
which iniglit conveniently spread overall the
world, through divers languages of the inter-
preters, being dispersed tar and wide, might
become known ol the nations to their salva-
tion." By both oi Which places, it is evident
that Augustine deemed it more convenient
in itself, and more agreeable to God's word,
honour, and edification of the faithful, to
have the Scripture turned into vulgar tongues,
than t(J be kept and studied in any learned
language whatsoever. Now why you should
account any one tongue, more than other, to
be ecclesiastical, you are able to give no
sound reason, seeing God hath called his
Church of all tongues and nations, and sanc-
tified them all, to the preaching of the Gospel,
and praise of his name. As for the Latin
tongue, which you would most willingly have
to be counted an ecclesiastical tongue, it was
for many hundred years after Christ, the com-
mon vulgar and popular tongue, in most jiart
of the west Churches, of those nations that
were subject to the Roman empire. And why
it is now ecclesiastical, that then was vulgar,
I know no cause, but that Antichrist, whose
tongue it is, blasphemously challenging to be
the head of the Church hath chosen and au-
thorized it to be ecclesiastical, in contumely
of all other languages, which the Holy Ghost,
descending upon the Apostles, in cloven
tongues, hath consecrated to the preaching
of Christ Jesus, and to the magnifying and
setting forth of the great praises of God.
That through man's malice, or infirmity, the
Scriptures are often made pernicious and
hurtful to many, it is no greater reason to keep
them from the knowledge of most men, than
it were to deprive all men from meat and
drink, because many do abuse them, to the
destruction of both their bodies and souls.
As for the .special consideration, that pro-
cured this edition, when you express it, we
may better judge of it. In the meantime, we
can conceive none others, but that which is
the practice of many heretics, when you could
not altogether suppress the knowledge of the
holy Scriptures, whereby your errors are dis-
covered;' you thought it the next way for
your purpose, by your partial translations, as
much as you could, to obscure them ; and by
your heretical annotations, to pervert them ;
that the one should make them unprofitable,
and the other hurtful.

3. The wisdom of the Popish Synagogue, and
the governors tiicreof, is the wisdom of the
old serpent, and of the children of this world,
who are often wiser in their kind than the
children of light, with whom it is a high point
of prudence to provide for themselves, by any
unjust means whatsoever. So have the Popish
Clergy always endeavoured, by depriving the
common people of the reading of holy Scrip'
tures, and following their predecessors the

Jewish lawyers, have taken away the key of
knowledge, of the same pohcy, that they did,
lest their wickedness being commonly dis-
covered by the light, they should lose that
estimation, which through blind ignorance
they have commonly obtained. Tfiey who
have made claim for the common people in
this case, whom, of your charity, you call the
populace and their seditious leaders, of godly
zeal and true simplicity, not of curiosity, pride
and disobedience, have both made it, and jus-
tified it, with better reasons than all the proud
Papists in the world are able to avoid. For
what greater reasons can be alleged, than the
authority of God in the Old Testament, and
of Christ, our Saviour and his Apostles iri the
New, and the practice of the primitive
church, and the consent of the most ancient
and approved Fathers of the same, which
have been brought to prove that the holy
Scriptures ought to be known of all Chris-
tians ? But the Governors of the Popish Anti-
christian Church, arrogating to themselves
the name and dignity of the dispensing of
God's mysteries and treasures, among which,
as you confess, the holy Scriptures are no
small store ; by maintaining that ignorance is
the mother of devotion, declare, if they could,
that they would williiigly abolish all know-
ledge of the holy Scriptures from the com-
mon people's hearts. And whereas you say,
" that of old, they have not ever condemned
all vulgar versions of the Scripture, nor ge-
nerally forbidden the faithful to read them ;"
let the registers of Bishops be searclied,
where it will appear, that many have been
accused and condemned as heretics, for hav-
ing, reading, or hearing the holy Scriptures
in the Engfish tongue, without any exception
taken against the truth of the translation.
And that' the Governors of the Popish Church
" have not by public authority prescribed,
commanded, or authentically ever recom-
mended any interpretation of Scripture into
the vulgar tongue to be indifferently used
of all men ;" they have declared sufficiently
thereby, that they were not the ministers of
God and Christ, nor successors of his Apos-
tles, nor of the ancient fathers of the primitive
church ; all of whom, by public and lawful
authority, always prescribed, commanded,
and authentically recommended, as the holy
Bible and the writings of the Fathers are
most plentiful witnesses, the holy Scriptures
of God, to be known, read and understood of
all Christians indiflerentlv, and without ex-
ception of any ; which of necessity implieth
the translation of the same, into all vulgar
languages, witlnnit which, it is not possible
for all sorts of Christians to read them, know
them, and understand them.

4. Seeing the Armenians were converted to
the faith, long before Chrysostom went among
them ; it is not to be doubted, but that they
had the whole scriptures in their vulgar tongue
long before this time. And their confession
lately set forth, doth [ilainly argue, that they
have the whole Bible in their own language
at this day. To justify that the Sclavoniana

PREFACE.

say of Hieronyin's translation into their
tongue, his own words are these : " 1 say not
this that 1 would bite my predecessors, or
think that any thing is to be detracted trom
them, whose iranshition being most diligently
corrected, I have given long ago to the men
of my language." Now the Slavonians were
the men of Hieronym's language, or mother-
tongue, as he testiiieth himself of the place
of his nativity, in calalogo ; for whose use he
might translaie the vulgar Latin Bible, which
was according to the Septuagint, after he had
most diligently corrected it. But if this place
prove it not sulliuienlly, at least he sailh
plainly, that the Scriptures were translated
into the tongues of many nations. Pre/at. ad
Damasum in emngelia. Besides these, the
Syrians, Arabians, and Ethiopians, had of
ancient time the holy Scriptures in their se-
veral lairguages. The Spaniards of ancient
time had the Old Testament translated into
their mother tongue. Walafridus tesiifieth,
that the Dutch tongue is the s-i'ii'\ v,-';:rh
was the language of the Goth- If. ' ~,
into which, since the days ol' i , , . :.\-
whom they were first converii'', --i n- \>!~r
man of that nation translated the holy Scrip-
ture. De reb. eccles. cap. 7 In our own
country, not only the Saxon translations of
divers parts of the holy Scriptures, but the
testimony of Bede, whom you quote and cite
most impudently, doth prove that vulgar trans-
lations of the holy Scriptures in his time were
commonly used and occupied by the multi-
tude. His words are these : " This island at
this present, according to the number of books
in which the law of God is written, doth search
out and confess, one and the self-same know-
ledge of the highest truth, and of the true
height in five tongues ; namely, of the Angles,
Britons, Scots, Picts, and Latins, which in
meditation of the Scripture is made common
to all the rest." He meaneth that men of all
the four nations, studied the Scriptures by
help of the Latin tongue, and such commen-
taries and treatises of the elder Fathers as
were written therein. But he saith expressly,
that the knowledge of the highest truth, which
is not to be found but in the holy Scriptures,
and according thereunto was both searched
out, and confessed in the mother tongue of
the other four nations, by whom he meaneth
the Christians unlearned in the Latin tongue.
That the Scriptures were current in Eng-
lish, both before and after Wicliff's time, and
not of his translation, beside your conjecture
out of Lynwood, is manifestly proved, by
many ancient written copies of the English
Bible, differing in translation, yet to be
showed, of which Wicliff's translation coirfd
be but one. Notwithstanding that the Phari-
saical clergy condemned the reading of them
for heresy, let the acts of public writings re-
maining in the Registers testify. And of
what devilish policy, they kept the laws of
God in secrecy and silence, which he com-
manded to be uttered in all places and times,
to the edifying of all sorts of Christians, how-

soever you seek to smooth and cover it, God'a
children do plainly espy it.

5. How pernicious heretical translations of
the Scriptures are, which poison the people
under colour of divine authority: if we had
not learned sufficiently by the corrujjtions of
old heretics, this translation of yours doth
give plentiful testimony, which being helped
torward with ht-.retical annotations, as it were
with stints, to make way for the poison to
enter, liuih no small force to deceive the sim-
ple. But the best is, we are assured that they
shall not prevail finally, but in them whom the
Lord acknowledgeth not for his. In the
meantime, not only the remedy of true and
sincere translation, out of the fountain and
original text, is to be opposed, but also the
fraud of the adversary, as occasion serveth,
to be discovered and laid open.

6. The Popish Church arrogating to herself
divine wisdom, in restraming that which God
hath left to be most free and general, de-
clareth that she is the Babylonical harlot, the
spouse of Antichrist, who exalteth himself
above all divine authority, and controlleth the
wisdom of God in every thing, that is con-
trary to his devilish presumption : as in the
use of images, of the cup in the Lord's Sup-
per, of marriage in the Church Ministers, of
meats in times made by him more religious,
and such other. The true Church of God
teacheth the true use of the Scriptures, even
out of the Scriptures themselves, and dis-
courageth not men from reading of them, as
it were from a dangerous discourse, whereby
they are like to take harm, knowing that
none but spiders can suck poison out of
wholesome flowers, which poison yet is not in
the good flowers, but in the evil nature of the
spider. The holy Scriptures, learned even
from a man's infancy, are able to make him
wise unto salvation, and being well studied
of the man of God, are able to make him per-
fect and ready unto all good works, and to
execute every part of nis office. — 2 Tim.
3. 15. <Src.

7 That the Governors of the Popish Church
have taken straighter order for readers and
translators of the Scriptures, than the Fathers
of the Primitive Cliurch of Christ did .- it is not
to preserve the word of God from profanation,
or to bridle the proud curiosity of the conten-
tious, as it is pretended, but to suppress the
light of truth, which displayeth their gross
and palpable abuses, both in doctrine and
conversation.

But where you say, that the holy Scriptures
were never read of all persons indifferently, it
is a most impudent assertion,set down without
any show of proof, and contrary to most ma-
nifest arguments of antiquity. We acknow-
ledge, the Fathers of the ancient Church were
careful to keep the holy treasure of God's
word from abuses ; but that they did not, by
prohibiting or restraining the reading of it,
but by diligent teachitig and exhorting of
men to the right use of it. Therefore where
you say, "We must not imagine, that in the

Ifi

PREFx\.CE.

Primitive Church, every one who under-
stood the Scriptures in the learned tongues,
wherein they were written, or in other lan-
guages, into which they were translated,
iriight without rei)rehension, read, reason,
dispute, turn, and toss the Scriptures :" it is
utterly false : for with reverence of God's
mysteries, and to the end they were given,
every man might not only, without reprehen-
sion, but vviih^ood liking and commendation
of the godly Fatliers, read, reason, dispute,
and search, which is to turn and toss the
books ot the Scriptures. It is recorded ge-
nerally of all the faithful in Bercea, that they
daily searched the Scriptures, even to ex-
amine the doctrines of the Apostles, by them,
Acts 17. 11. Ireneus saith. Lib. 2. cap. 35.
" That all the Scriptures, both of the Pro-
phets, and of the Gospels, may be alike heard
of all men." Chrysostom exhorteth all men
indifferently to read the Scriptures, " and to
call their neighbours to the hearing of them."
Gen. Horn. 7. Also he taketh away the vain
excuses of them, which alleged, that they
were worldly men, had wife, children, and
household to look unto, and prayeth, that they
would not deceive themselves, saying, " That
they which are entangled with such cares,
have more need to seeli remedy, by reading
ot the holy Scriptures." Gen. Horn. '2\. And
]L.,m. 2. Comment, in Matt, he saith, " The
rending of the Scriptures is more necessary
for laymen, than for the monks." And Horn.
5. he saith, " The people ought as soon as
they come at home from the Church, to turn
over the holy books, and to call their wives
and children together to the conference of
those things which are said. It is no excuse
to say, I have not read what Paul saith, but a
fault." Epist. ad Heb. Horn. 17. Further,
where you say, we must not imagine, that
our forefathers suffered every school-master,
scholar, or grammarian, that had a little
Greek or Latin, straight to take in hand
the holy Testament, Augustin is plainly
against you, for he saith, " That they which
turned the Scriptures out of the Hebrew
tongue, into the Greek tongue, may be num-
bered, but the Latin interpreters cannot be
numbered. For in those first times of the
faith, as the Greek book came into any man's
hands, which seemed to himself to have some
skill in both the tongues, he was bold to trans-
late it." De Doctrin. Christ, lib. 2. cap. 11.
That the translated Bibles were in the hands
and godly use of all sorts of men, women,
children, how base soever their degree and
calling was, is partly showed already : and
more particularly Hieronym saith, that in
the country of Bethelcm, the husbandman, the
ploughman, the shepherd, the reaper, the
vine-dresser, did sing the Psalms of David,
and made none other noise. Paul and Eus-
toch. ad Marcel. Chrysostom saith, the know-
ledge of the Scripture is most necessary for
children, Fueris, boys and girls, because you
so term them, and exhorteth their parents to
cause them from their tender years to be ex-

ercised in the reading of the holy Scriptures,
Epist. ad Ephes. Horn. 20. That the Scrip-
tures may be read at the table, he showvlh.
Gen. Hum. 10. And that players, rhymers,
and jesters, instead of their lewd practices,
should be commanded, in recompense of their
entertainment, to read the holy Scriptures,
whereby the servants, apprentices, slaves,
and drudges of the house may be made equal
with Angels. Com. in Matt. Horn. 49. Au-
gustin also exhorteth the people to read the
Scripture at the table, and meats. De Temp.
56. As for boats and barges, which serve
for men's travel, seeing God commanded his
laws to be spoken of in journeys, and Christ
himself preached out of boats and barges,
there is no cause why his holy Scriptures
may not be read in them also. JMeither did
the ancient Fathers account any true Chris-
tian, or comi)any of Christians, to be a pro-
fane person, or company, but rather a com-
pany of profane persons, by diligent reading
of the Scriptures, to be made a holy Church
of God. Chrysostom in Matt. Horn. 49. And
although there was not so easy means, before
printing was invented, to disperse the copies
of the Bible into every man's hand, yet by the
continual labour of the stationers, notaries, or
book-writers, which in those times siappjied
the want of printers, there was a sufficient
number of copies for every man thai would
buy them : or else Chrysostom should in vain
have exhorted all the laymen of his time to
buy them Bibles, or at least the New Testa-
ment. " Hear, I pray you, all ye laymen. Pro-
vide you Bibles, which are the medicine of
the soul : if you will nothing else, at least get
the New Testament, the Apostles, the Acts,
the Gospels, continual and diligent teachers."
Epist. ad Coloss. Horn. 9. It is a frivolous
pretence therefore, of the scarcity of copies:
for whatsoever will be commonly sold, and
well paid for, by diligence of workmen will
soon be made plentiful.

8. They were in all men's hands that were
desirous to read them, and were to be bought
of common stationers, or booksellers, as ap-
peareth by the saying of Chrysostom, cited
before : not only in libraries, monasteries,
&c., and some devout principal laymen's
houses and hands. And as devout laymen
did use them well then, so do such men use
them well now, learning out of them such
things as be necessary and profitable for them
to know, and leaving higher rnysteries and
hard places to the discussing of the learned.
That the husbandmen of whom Hieronym
speaketh, sang the Psalms in an unknown
tongue, which they could neither read nor
know the sense, meaning, or mysteries of
them, is boldlv affirmed, and impossible to be
proved. Such singing of Psalms with the
lips, not understood with the heart, no godly
wise man would have allowed, much less
commended, as he doth, calling them their
songs of love, the shepherds' whistles, the
instruments of tillage. And as those holy
persons of both sexes, to whom Hieronym

PREFACE.

^^of»moncleXkl the reading and ninditation of
the Scripture, used them to the glory of God,
and the building up ot their souls in faith and
godliness. So God be thanked, at these days,
many ihousands of faithful Christians, with
like zeal, reverence, humility, and all other
virtues requisite, do read the holy Scriptures
in their mother tongue, and by daily reading,
do greatly profit in piety and charity, as well
virgins as married folk, parents and children,
princes and subjects, pastors and people.

9 There were in those times some arrogant
and presumptuous abusers of the holy Scrip-
tures, and will be in all times, as of all other
good gifts of God : whose misbehaviour, as it
was sharply and justly reprehended by the
godly Fathers, so was it not thought any
cause to restrain the multitude from the
lawful and necessary use of God's books, as
it is now pretended by the Papists. For that
as some swelled in jiride, and vanished in
curiosity, so many profited in humility, and all
other virtues necessary unto true Christianity.
And even so the case standeth at this time :
some, unlearned and ungodly, pervert the
Scriptures to their own condemnation, yet
many use them wholesomely, to their comfort
and edification.

10. Every word of this section being granted
to be as true as the Gospel, it cannot be in-
ferred that therefore it is not convenient,
that the holy Scriptures should be in the mo-
ther tongue, that they may be read of all sorts
of Christians, without exception of any. For
the holy Scriptures teach that moderation
which Nazianzen requireth, that measure and
discretion which Augustin commendeth, and
reprehend that arrogance reproved by Gre-
gory, and the rashness and intemperance de-
tested by Augustin. So that by diligent
reading of thelioly Scriptures, the Christian
may learn to embrace the virtues, and to
abhor the vices.

11. Although there be many things in the
Scriprurfes unmeet for all men's capacities,
because of the difficulty of them, yet is there
nothing unmeet to be read of any man, neither
are there any mysteries of holy writ unmeet
for Christian men to know and understand,
as you seem to iYiSinuate. The eunuch did
read the prophecy of Esay, which he did not
understand, yet was he not in danger to take
any hurt by it ; and God sending him an inter-
preter, showed, as Chrysostom saith, " That
it is impossible, that he which with great
study and fervent desire is occupied in the
holy Scriptures, should always be neglected,
but although the instruction of man be want-
ing unto us, the Lord himself entering into
our hearts from above, doth lighten our mind,
spreadeth his beams into our reason, openeth
things hidden, and becometh teacher of those
things which we know not, &c. Ge7i. Horn.
35. and Luc. cap. 16. After most vehement
e.xhortation unfo the people, to read the
Scriptures, which if they neglect, he saith, it
is not possible for them to attain to salva-
tion, ho addeth, " Yea, specially, although
thou dost not understand such things as are

hidden in them, yet of the very reading much
holiness growelh." Therefore Gregory Na-
zianzen wisheth not to have the Jews' tradi-
tion, for not reading of the Scriptures or any
part thereof ; but a like order, to restrain
young men from being too bold in exposition,
and contentious in disputing of the mysteries
of the holy Scriptures. Nevertheless David,
wiser than all the authors of that tradition,
asking whereby a young man shall cleanse
his ways, answereth, by study, meditation,
and keeping of the law of God. Psal. 119.
Neither doth Hieronym commend the tradi-
tion of the Jews, which permitteth not the
beginning of Genesis, the Canticles of Solo-
mon, and the beginning and end of the Pro-
phet Ezechiel, to be read of young men, being
under thirty years of age, but only saith, that
the difficulty of the prophecy of Ezechiel is
proved by that tradition.

12. No true Christian will be loth to be or-
dered by the pastors, doctors, prophets, ex-
pounders, teachers, and the preachers of the
Church, which Christ hath given unto us, that
we should take the law and instruction of faith
at their mouths. And although faith come
not principally by only reading of the Scrip-
tures, but by hearing of the preachers law-
fully sent, yet you must give them leave, to
search the Scriptures daily, as the Rerceans
did, to see whether those things which their
pastors, preachers and teachers do deliver,
be even so. ActsYl.W. Seeing also you
confess, that reading in order and humility,
doth much confirm and advance our faith.
That the book of Scripture, is called of Am-
brose Liber Sacerdotalis, you must give us a
better quotation than Lib. 2. ad Grat. not so
much for the term, but for that you infer
thereof, that we must take and use it at the
hands and disposition of priests. Ambrose
wrote five books de fide, ad Gralianurn, and
three de spititu sanclo. Your note book de-
ceived you-

13. That the Scriptures were made for all
Christian men's instruction, when you have
wrangled as much as can, you are driven
in the end to confess. That Popish priests,
not only of envy, but also of devilish policy,
lest their false doctrine and wicked life
might be removed, have kept that holy book
from the people, though you will not acknow-
ledge ; yet the children of God, whose eves
he hath opened, do plainly see and perceive.
Your comparison unto the devil's suggestion,
will then seem to be like, when you can show
God's prohibition from reading the Scrip-
ture, as our parents could, for eating of the
tree of knowledge. But when Christ saith
expressly to all Christians, search the Scrip,
tures, your cavilling is like the serpent's sug-
gestion, which contrary to the express word
of God, said, you shall not die, but God
knoweth, &c. So you would bear men in
hand, that albeit God command them to
search the Scriptures, yet there is great
danger in reading of them, and therefore they
were better not to read them. Yea, your pre-
decessors h:ivc condemned for heretics, such

PREFACE.

as did read them, thougii now you go about to
excuse the matter, and say that you meant
nothing, but that the people should beware ot
blind presumpiion, and learn to be wise unto
sobriety : as thougli these lessons are not
better learned by reading theni in the book
of God, than by your restraining them from
reading them at all, or not but at your plea-
sure. But let us consider, why the Popish
Church permitteth not every one at their
pleasure, to read the Scripture. She knoweth,
.paith you, the " Scriptures be ordained for
every state, as meat, elements, fire, water,
candle, knives, sword and the like." We
know by the Scriptures the word of God to
be ordained, as meat and other things most
necessary and comfortable, but not as fire,
water, candles, knives, swords, and like mat-
ters of danger, whereof men should be rather
afraid to meddle with them, except it were
for necessity. And yet there is as great ne-
cessity of the holy Scriptures, as of any thing
you have named, and in them, as Chrysostom
saith, Ge7i. Horn. 9, we may not suspect any
danger to be, as in fire, water, candles, knives,
swords and such like. All the danger is in
the affection of him that abuscth them to his
own condemnation ; whereas, fire, water,
sword, knives, cannot always be so governed
by the wisest, but that they prove hurtful
sometimes to the occupiers of them.

Whereas, you say, the Popish Church for-
biddeth not the readmg of the holy Scrip-
tures in any language, it is false. For what-
soever she doth now, certain it is that iier
ministers have forbidden it in times past, and
imm.ediately before, you show reasons, why
she doth not permit every one to read the
Scriptures, so soon you have forgot yoiirself.
Except perhaps you will say, she forbiddeth
not such as understand them in Latin, to read
them also in Engli.sh, which is a poor permis-
sion: but if she envieth no mans commodity,
why doth she not permit all men, to take that
commodity wliich they may receive by reading
of them ? You answer, " She giveth order
how to do it to edification, and not to destruc-
tion." It were well if she did so, for that care
were seemly for the spouse of Christ. But
as yon affirm before in the sixth section, she
hath taken order, " That the holy .Scripture
though truly translated into vulvar "tongues,
yet may not be indiflerently read of all men,
nor of any other than such as have express
license thereunto, of their lawful ordinaries,
with good testimony from their curates or
confessors, that thevbe humble, discreet, and
devout persons, and like to take much good
and no harm thereby." By which order it
appcareth, that they which have most need to
read the Scriptures, are utterly debarred :
many other by the difficulty of obtaining li-
cense discouraged, and especially, none but
rank and obstinate Papi.sts, may be allowed,
for those only of the Popish curaies, confes-
sors and ordmnries, shall be counted humble,
discreet, and devout persons. Let all godly
wise men judge, therefore, whether the
Popish Church, although you profess that she

envieth no man's commodity, yet by this
order, hindereth not as much as in her lieth
the profit of all men. But you answer, that
carnal men and heretics, be hogs and dogs,
to whom pearls and holy things, such as the
Scriptures be, are not to be cast ; which if it
were a right interpretation of our Saviour's
commandment, it were not lawful to attempt
the conversion of heretics, by preaching the
truth, nor to procure the repentance of carnal
men, by exhorting them to the love of hea-
venly things. But as by preaching and ex-
hortation, so by diligent reading and medita-
tion of the holy Scriptures, many heretics are
made catholics, many carnal men are made
spiritual. Therefore not all that be carnally
minded or infected with error, but only des-
perate, profane and malicious contemners
of the truth, are those hogs and dogs, to
whom the precious holy mysteries of the
Gospel are not to be any more ofTered, when
they have plainly declared themselves to be
such. Chrysostom, whom you cite, speaketh
expressly of such, and not of all carnal men.
For in the next section, you describe the
people of Constantinople, whom he exhorted
to the reading of the Scriptures, to be very
carnal men, and so they were indeed, yet he
judgeth the reading of the Scripture, most
necessary for them. And Horn. ex. Luc. cap.
16, after a most vehement exhortation to read
the Scriptures, he addeth, " The reading of
the Scripture, is a great defence against sin,
the ignorance of the Scriptures is a great
downfall and a deep dungeon, it is a great
loss of salvation, to know nothing of God's
laws, this thing hath both brecf heresies,
and brought in corrupt life, this hath turned
all things out of order upside down." But
even that ignorance, which he so detesteth,
is of you Papists, counted good Catholic de-
votion, or the mother thereof. And what
other was the state of the most, in the blind
days of Popery, but even a ^ross ignorance
of all the lioly Scripiures ? Where the people
might not know what they believed, what
they prayed, what God commanded, or any
thing pertaining to Christian religion, but
either of dumb images, or of dumb priests,
except once in seven years, perhaps, of some
prating friar or other "Popish preacher, which
rather turned them from Christ, than showed
the right way to God by him.

You add further, that you would have he-
retics quite discharged, from all occupying
and possession of the holy Testament. It
must first be proved who be heretics, and
which be the true Church that hath right and
interest in the Scriptures: for neither your
challeriging of the name of the Church, will
be sufficient to prove you ,«o indeed, nor the
terming of any other to be heretics, except
you be able out of the word of God, to con-
vince them to be such.

Finally, for the.right use of the holy Scrip-
tures, the pastors of the true Church of
Christ, do diligently instruct their sheep, out
of the holy Scriptures, with what modera-
tion, humility reverence, desire to profit by

PREFACE.

them, and invocation of God's spirit, they
ought to read them, how carefully they must
avoid all presumption, curiosity, rashness,
profaneness, and such like vices, whicii
may not only hinder their profit in iho Scrip-
tures, but also cause all their travel in them
to turn to their utter destruction. These
things the true pastors and governors of the
Church can teach, without arrogating unto
themselves any presumptuous authority, to
restrain or permit according to their judg-
ment, that which our Saviour Christ hath left
generally to all the members of his mystical
body, wliich is his holy Church, and to every
one of them.

14. Chrysostom not in respect of such va-
riety of circumstances, as you speak of, but
absolutely, and most vehemently, commend-
eth, not only the lawfulness, but also the
necessity oi reading the holy Scriptures by
the laymen, as appeareth in many places out
of his homilies, and many other, which are
omitted, seeing the matter by you is partly
confessed. Yet one or two, shall not be
amiss. First, he doth not only exhort the peo- 1
pie of Constantinople, which were so worldly- 1
minded, as you write, but also the people ofj
Antioch, whom he greatly commended for
their virtue and godliness, he calleth upon i
very earnestly to be diligent in reading of
the holy Scriptures ; ad Pop. Antioch. Horn.
22, 42, <yc. Again, for the necessity of study-
ing the Scriptures, he saitli, "They that will
attain to salvation, let them exercise them-
selves in the Scriptures." Epist. ad. 1 Cor.
Horn. 6. Where you think it requisite in
these times, for a popish Catholic to be skU-
ful in the Scriptures, I would many of them
were of your mind, for then I would cot doubt
but some of them, by God's grace, would be-
come Christian Cathohcs.

15. AH that Chrysostom saith, to this pur-
pose, is wiped away with this reproachful
gloss, that he spake, " Not as a teacher in
school, making exact and general rules to be
observed in all places and times, but as a
pulpit man agreeable to that audience and his
people's default." Belike, pulpit men, with
you, do more regard their creed before a few
captious scholars in their school, than they
do reverence the presence of Christ, be-
fore whom they should prepare to speak,
when they preach in the Church of God. And
therefore, albeit in fimires, and phrases, and
manner of handling, there is some difference,
between a preacher before the people, and a
reader before the learned, yet no learned
godly man, such as Chrysostom, will so advi-
sedly, so vehemently, so oftentimes as he
did, utter any thing in the pulpit, before
the ignorant, the truth whereof he is not
able to justify in the schools before the
best learned. Beside that your restriction
of his rules unto his audience, and peo-
ple's default of Constantinople, is before
proved to be both frivolous and false, seeing
he commendeth the study and reading of the
holy Scriptures, no less generally to the
people of Antioch, which were not a little

more spiritually affected, than they of Con-
stantinople. And to that you say, " He maketh
il not a thing absolutely needful, tor every
poor artificer to read or study Scripture, as
some perversely gather of his words ;" let his
own words testily for him. Epi^t ad. Col.
Horn. 9. " Hear all ye that be secular or lay-
men, and have the government of wives and
children, how the apostle commandeth you
specially, to read the Scriptures, and that not
simply, nor as it were by occasion, but with
great diligence." Doth not oinnes mundani,
all secular men, include as well every poor
artificer, as every merchant, or gentleman ?
Or is it not a thing absolutely needful, which
the Holy Ghost commandeth all men to do?
I might add hereunto, that he saith in another
place, Luke 2. 16, " It cannot possibly be, that
any man can attain to salvation, except he be
continually conversant in spiritual reading."
But here you would quarrel, that he maketh
no exact rule, because many men attain to
salvation, which cannot read at all- Yet his
meaning is plain, and his words agreeable,
that none can be saved, but by that knowledge
which is gotten by continual reading of the
Scriptures, whether a man read them him-
self, or hear others. That he favoureth not
presumptious, curious and contentious jang-
ling, and searching of God's secrets, it is
true, no more do we, and much less the pride
and madness of them, that will be teachers,
controllers and judges of doctors, church.
Scriptures and all.

Ceesarius Arelatensis, Horn. 13, exhorting
the ignorant people to repeat among them-
selves what they have learned in the sermon,
saith, "Qui novit literas, Scripturam Divi-
nam student legere : qui vero non novit,
quaerat sibi et roget qui ill debeat praecepta
relegere, ut quod legerit, possit Deo adju-
rante complere.

Neither are you ever able to prove, that
every artificer among us, readeth the deepest
and hardest questions of holy Scripture, ra-
ther than the moral part, albeit that seeing
whatsoever is written, is written for our
learning, that through patience and comfort
of the holy Scriptures, we might have hope :
no simple artificer among us, is forbidden
reverently to read any question of the Jcrip-
tures, which is either necessary, or profitable
for him to know. If there were not in the
Aposdes' time, vain minded men that lan-
guished about questions, and perverted the
Scriptures to their own destruction, it is no
marvel though there be some such in these
days. But as the Apostles never restrained
or forbade the reading of the holy Scrip-
tures, for the misbehaviour of such as abused
the same, no more do we. And surely this
arsument of yours, although it came from
Rheims, taken of men's abuse, will carry
less weight in the schools, against the general
liberty for all men to read the Scriptures, than
the authority of Chrysostom* though he in
your judgment were but a pulpit man, for the
contrary
Where you accou:it only fuiili, and fiduce

.20

PREFACE.

to be. new phrases and figures, the one faith
.only, may be showed by twenty authorities,
to nave been used, more than twelve hundred
years ago, by writers ol' the Church, both
^Greeks and Latins: the other, fiduce, is a
new phrase of your own framing • as for the
Latin word fiducia, and that which it signifi-
eth, trust and confidence, 1 doubt not, but they
which are meanly read in the Scriptures
do kiiow them to be both ancient and usual.
16. There hath been ever some schismati-
cal heads, which have fantasied, that they
could interpret the Scriptures by their own
wits, without other ordinary means of learn-
ing, or the grace of God's Holy Spirit : against
whom this same may be applied which you
write. But that every artificer among us,
that readeth the holy Scriptures, is thus pre-
isumptuously afli'ected, it is a most impudent
slander. For many thousands, with due rev-
erence of the word of God and true humility
of heart, do read to their infinite commodity,
comfort, and increase of godliness. Where
you say, they delight in none more, than in
the Epistle to the Jtomans; I marvel why you
should mislike them that do so, seeing that
the true faith of the church at Rome, whereof
you would seem to be so great maintainers,
in no part of Scripture, is more plainly set
forth, than in that Epistle, which the Doctor
and Apostle of the Gentiles, did write unto
the Romans to be read, heard and understood,
of every simple artificer among them, as
well as of the rich and learned, even all that
were in Rome, beloved of God and called to
be Saints.

As for the Cantica Canticorum, I think all
the brazen faces, that conspired to write this
preface, cannot name three simple artificers
in England, that delight more in that book, '
than any other of the Scriptures. Neitlirr i.s
there any treatise of the holy Scripture, which
is generally less studied, either of the learned,
or unlearned. But because it is a continual
allegory, the difficulties thereof served well,
to make a show of your slander, betbre them
whom you have enchanted to believe every
lie, that your impudent mouth is not ashamed
to pronounce. 'I'he Apocalypse also, though
it be hard to understand, and be full of mys-
teries, yet may it be read as other (larts of
holy Scriptures, and there are mnnv things in
it, that are plain and easy to be understood of
every artificer. But perhaps you are more
unwilling, they should read the Apocalypse,
because it doth describe the whore of Baby-
lon, the ciiy of Rome, so plainly, and the Epis-
tle to tlie Romans likcth you not, because it is
ao plain for justification by fiiitli without
works. The rest that you say, of the diffi-
culty of some part of the Scriptures, the sim-
ple and godly artificers amon^ us, do acknow-
ledge and either seek the interpretation of
them at the mouth of their learned pastor, or
else arc content to be ignorant in the exposi-
tion of them, knowing as they are taught by
Aui^ustin, that in those places which are
plainly set down in the Scripture, are found
[all those things which concern faith and good

living. De. doct.f Christ, lib. ■ 2- capt 9. which
is as much as is necessary, for every Chria-
tian man to learn for his salvation.

The example of Basil and Gregory, in stu-
dying the Scriptures thirteen years, before
they expoianded them, pertaineth not to every
simple artificer, but to the pastors and teach-
ers of the church. And God be thanked, our
church hath many godly learned teachers,
that have studied more than fourteen years
before they have openly expounded the Scrip-
tures, and Vvhich. follow the understanding of
them, not out of their own presumption, but out
of tfie writings and authority of the ancients ur
elders; which are the words of Ruffmus,
whorn you quote, who speaketh not one wonl
of uniform consent or Apostolic tradition. If
you allege, that all our preachers, are not of
so many years' study, 1 answer, their example
maketh no law, especially where the necessity
of the Church requireth men of less time,
yet sufficient to teach the truth. Neither
are the most of your Seminary Priests,
whom you send over to disturb the govern-
ment, as well as the peace of our Church, of
thirteen years study in the Scripture, seeing
we know some of them, but the other day,
runagate unlearned boys from our Univer-
sities ; but being come to you, they are
suddenly become great clerks, mid profound
teachers ; whoreish impudence serving them
instead of all learning.

17. God's name be praised, a great num-
ber of our ministers, have had as good cogi-
tation and care as is meet for that calling,
and thereby have brought our country into
that flourishing state in religion, that virtue
and good life in them that diligently read the
holy Scriptures translated into the mother
tongue, never more shined in any age, than
it hath done since the light of the gospel hath
driven away the clouds of Popish ignorance,
as all that be indifferent, and know the expe-
rience of both times, cannot but confess.
Think you, the manners oi the most perfect
in the Popish times, are so forgotten, that
you may with honesty, abide the comparison,
with the common sort of Christians in this
time? But your drift is to deceive young heads,
of whom through your traitorous conspira-
cies you have sent a great number to London
Bridge, tliat nxivcr knew the former days and
manners, and see indeed much wickedness
in this time, yet punished where it is detest-
ed, in all sorts of men, and not openly per-
mitted, as Stews be in Popery.

18. We yield humble thanks unto God,
that although the fruits of the gospel, be not
so plentiful, as it were meet after so long
teaching : yet the word of God hath not been
preached and read in vain, but that great and
notable effects thereof do appear, in the life
and conversation of the faithful. And that
all sorts and degrees of men, women, and
cliildren, which be ddigent in readine, and
liearing the word of God, be reformed in all
virtue and godly behaviour. And that there
is more religion, fear of God, faith, and con-
scieficc, in all such persons, than was in any

PREFACE.

superstitious hypocrite, that lived in the dark
days of Papistry. Neither do women teach
their husbands, children their parents, young
men the old, sohohirs their master, and sheep
their shepherd, except perhaps, where there is
greater iinowledgc in the woman than in the
man, in the cliild than in the parent, in the
young than in the old, in the scholar than m
the master, in the people than in him that oc-
cupieth the place ot the pastor ; in which case,
it is not against God's ordinance, that the in-
terior should instruct the superior. David
saith, that he had more understanding than
his elders, because he studied the law ot God,
that he became wiser than all his teachers,
because his meditation was in the Lord's tes-
timonies. But where the husbands, parents,
old men, masters, and pastors, as they ought
to be, are better learned in the holy scriptures
than their inferiors, there is no such disorder
among us, as you speak of. Neither are
the sentences of God's holy word, by any of
us, abused into mirth, and mockery, and such
other wickedness, but either by rapists, or
profane unreligious persons, which have
brought that horrible profanation of the Scrip-
tures, from the common practice in Popery.
Neither make we or allow we any such
rhymes, tunes, or translations, as may give
just occasion to increase such impiety.

19. These Papists, are able to follow no
argument against us, with any appearance of
truth, but that which is grounded on petition
or begging of principles. For who will grant
thern, the fall of good life and profaning the
divine mysteries, in and by them, which use
to read the holy Scriptures among us, as
they are taught by us to read them ! yet they
say, every bodi/ seeth. And as for that which
they call the sreat corruption and decay of
faith, indeed, is the true instruction, confirma-
tioti, and increase of faith. That heretics
which seek nothing in the Scriptures, but the
confirmation of their error, must needs abuse
them to their damnation, is confessed on our
part. But both heretics and evil men, seek-
mg to know the will of God in the Scripture.?,
by the promise of Christ, are assured to find it.
And the sense of the Church and of the Doc-
tors, if it be the true sense of the Scriptures,
is taken out of the Scriptures themselves.
Therefore even in the Scriptures with the as-
sistance of God's Spirit, may bp found that
true sense of the holy Church, and the Doctors
thereof. But tliatthe ignorant and unlearned,
which know and follow nothing but their pri-
vate fantasy, may easily be seduced, and that
heretics, wolves, and (he devils themselves,
pretend the holy Scriptures, it needed not so
many authorities to prove, because it is ac-
knowledged of all men that have but mean
knowledge. Yet it followeth not which you
conclude, that the vulgar or common people, in
these days of general disputes, cannot but
be in extreme danger of error, by reading
the Scriptures truly translated, but rather by
reading of them, may be preserved from dan-

fers ot error, if in humbleness of heart, and
csire to know the truth, they seek, knock and

pray to him which hath promised tliat they
shall find enter, and receive.

20. You slander the Protestants, in saying
they walk in deceitfulness, and abuse men by
false translations, corru.jting, adding, detract-
ing, &LC. the particulars whereof, as they oc-
cur in these annotations, shall receive their
answer to your shame. And as tor that book
wherein they are set forth more at large, by
which you mean, Martin's Discovery, the
author did well to term it a handmaid to thia
great gentlewoman, the gloss of your annota-
tions, specially in respect ol her modesty, that
being once rebuked of her sauciness, she
holdeth her peace, and doth not reply. So
that these five or six years having none
amon" you, that dare set pen to paper, to
defend her after the death of her father, she
hath kept silence to the shame of all Papists.
Therefore for a large and particular confuta-
tion of all those slanders, I refer the reader
to a book set forth in confutation of that disco-
very, called " A defence of the sincere and
true translation of the holy Scriptures into
the English tongue, &,c." And that which
you write specially against Beza, is confuted
in the answer to Martin's Preface, Section
18, 19,20,21,22.

The last quarrel against our translation, is,
for adding whole sentences to the Psalms in
metre, and even to the Creed in rhyme. By
as good reason you might have brought out
all books that we write in English, to prove
that our translations of the Bible are faulty.
For all reasonable men know, that the turn-
ing of the Psalms into metre, is no transla-
tion, neither is the Creed any part of the
text of the holy Scripture, although good re-
gard should be had as well in the one, as in
the other, that nothing be added to the sense.
Where you say the poor deceived people
say and sing those metres, as though they
were God's own word, you measure their
understanding by the blindness of your igno-
rant Papists. But assure yourself, our peo-
ple are not so ignorant, but they can distin-
guish the very lextof the Scripture translated
ii.to English, from the paraphrase of the
Psalms brought into metre, knowing that
this latter must be consonant in sense unto
the former, or else it is not the divine Scrip-
ture, no not although it be agreeable unto it.
That our translation maketh of God's word
the Devil's word, it is a railing sentence
grounded upon no truth, nor argument sound-
ing like truth.

21. All these quarrels and false accusations,
are answered sufficiently in the book before
remembered, and as they are touched in these
annotations they shall here also be confuted.
That Calvin, the Church of Zurich, and
other, coinplainofthe translation of Castalio,
showcth indeed, that we approve none, but
that is sincere and true, although without
proof yen accuse ours to be as bad or worse.
If Luther misliked the Tigurine translation,
it is not sufficient to discredit it, seeing truth,
and not the opinion or authority of men, is to
be followed in such matters.

PREFACI<.

Tlio glosses, prayers, and confessions,
though Uiey be printed, and bound in the
same volume witii the Bible, yet they be not
privileged and authorized to be so joined
with the Bible, as part of it, or yet so wholly
corisonant unto it, but that they are to be ex-
amined according to the text of the Scrip-
ture, and not otherwise to be received, than
so far forth as they are agreeable thereunto.
Unless perhaps you thuik, that we usurp
such lordship over men's faith, as you do
practise, which require all these your slan-
ders, contained in your preface, and all other
errors comprehended in your annotations, to
be taken for articles of faith, wholly conso-
nant to the Catholic religion. The contra-
diction that you note in the fourth article of
the Creed in metre, with the confession of
our faith denying Limbus patrum, if you were
not malicious enemies, might be avoided, by
acknowledging that the author of that metre
is to be understood so, as his words may
agree with the article of the confession.

22. These forty or fifty years being void of
compassion, you have suffered the people to
be without a Popish translation, while you
had any hope to persuade the world, that ig-
norance of the holy Scriptures is more mete
for them, than knowledge in the same. But
being beaten from that most impudent asser-
tion by shame, and the conscience of all Pa-
pists that are of any equity or indifl'erent
judgment crying out against it, and seeing
that you laboured in vain to brmg in blind
ignorance : you have yielded by obscure
trarislation, partly to dim the light of the
Scripture, and by heretical annotations, to
pervert the sense of the Holy Ghost, to the
upholding of the kingdom of Antichrist. That
our true and sincere translations, out of the
original tongues, being laid aside, your mists of
dark speeches, and wicked observations might
come m place. What you profess and protest
of your care and sincerity, may be credited
of them that be devote unto you ; but all rea-
sonable men may take a taste of your credit
by this. In the answer to Hfiirthi's book
called the Discovery, &c., you were adino-
nished of manifest corruptions, and false
translations, even of your vulgar Latin text,
but where is the promise of reformation these
five or six years ? Your hke fidelity in
citing and applying the sayings of the an-
cient Fathers, shall God willing be laid open
in this answer to your annotations ; but as for
the humble acknowledging of your errors,
and the corrections of the same, we have
small hope to see. For so long as your
heads be occupied in contriving most horrible
conspiracies, treason and murder of your
sovereign, and the overthrow of your own
country, we cannot be persuaded that any
heavenly wisdom can enter into so malicious
souls, or that there is any fear of God, regard,
honour, or love of his truth, that moveth you to
any thing, whatsoever yoti pretend. But even
as the book you lately wrote against the mur-
dering of princes, had no other purpose of the
setters forth, but to make our Queen and her

counsel secure of your devilish practices,
wliile you intended nothing so carefully, as
the most cruel and unnatural slaughter ot her
person, and of all her faithful counsellors and
trusty subjects, by that hellish and satanical
conspiracy of Savage, Ballard, Babington,
and the rest, by Giflord and Allen, principal
pillars of your Seminary of Rheims, en-
chanted and confirmed thereunto, openly tes-
tified by their own confessions, at their
arraignments. That in translation of the
Scriptures, the very words must be kept, as
near as it is possible, and the phrase of the
tongue into which we translate will bear, we
do acknowledge with Hier. ad Pammach.
That which you cite out of Augustin, is not
to be found in the place by you quoted ; but
wheresoever it is written, it seemeth to be
intended of terms usual in the Church,
against heretics, rather than of translation.
That the ancient doctors refused not the
barbarisms and solecisins of the vulgar Latin
translation, which they then had, was be-
cause they did write in Latin, to be under-
stood of the common people, to whom the
Latin tongue was vulgar, and that translation
familiar : not that those barbarisms and sole-
cisms by long use became venerable, or that
it is any example for you, to bring in Latin
and Greek words into the English text,
neither used before, nor understood now of
the English people. Although the place you
cite out of Ambrose, is by him defended to
be a commendable phrase, by authority of
those which made choice of words and elo-
quent speeches, of which one said. Loco edi-
tiore quam victoribus decebat. Neither doth
Hierom in the epistle to Damasus say, that
he keepeth relic;iously these and such like
barbarous speeches, although he use some
of them in his commentaries, for the cause
before alleged, but rather he showeth, that
recourse must be had to the original truth
of the Greek text. Nevertheless he saith,
he hath so tempered his pen, that those
things oidy being corrected that might seem
to change the sense, he suffered the rest to
remain as they were.

Neither had Augustin any religion in false
or barbarous Latin, although he did bear
with it, and was willing to use it where it
was best understood, or did best express the
original Greek. For in the first place by you
quoted, he would have the original tongues,
out of which the interpretation is made, to
be looked unto, and that which is barbarous
and obscure, to be corrected by it, as instead
of vitulamina, he would have pluntationes :
that which is commonly understood to be
borne with, if it cannot be amended, and
giveth an example of. " That which now
we cannot take away from the mouth of the
people that sing, upon him shall my sanctifi-
caiion flourish, where the barbarous word
florid, doth nothing hinder the sense : yet a
cunning hearer had rather have it corrected,
that it might be suit!, not floriet, but florehit
And nothing doth hinder the correction, but
the custom of the singers. But these thincfs

I'RhFACE.

may be easily contemned." Lo ihis is the
most religious care, that he hath to keep bar-
barisms and solecisms, this is the special
pride and inlirmity that he counteth in them
that would have ihem corrected.

In the second place by you noted, for
avoiding of ambiguity, he saiih, ho had ra-
ther speak barbarously thanpundy : as where
the text is, Non ext. abscornliluin a le. os jiieiim,
because ossignifieth a mouth and a bone, the
certainty must be learned out of the Greek
tongue, " Wherefore many times, the vulgar
custom of speaking is more profitable jbr
signification of things, than the learned purity.
For 1 had rather it be said with barbarism.
Nun est abscoiiditum a te osiam meant, than that
it should be theretore less plain, because it is
more Latm like." His meaning is, he had
rather have a barbarous word used, that is
imderstood of the common people, than a
imre Latin word, either not understood, or
uncertain how it should be understood.

In the third place, he saith, that sanguines
in the plural, is no good Latin word, yet be-
cause It is the plural number in the Greek,
the interpreter did choose rather to express
the truth according to the sound of words,
though he spake not so pure Latin, according
to the grammarians, for if he had spoken in
the singular number, he had not expressed
the Apostle's meaning, " Therefore let us
speak, and not be afraid of the grammarian's
palmer, so that we may come to the sound
and more certain truth."

These things 1 have examined particularly,
though the matter be not weighty, that the
reader may see how soundly and sincerely,
you gather out of the Fathers, where no great
need enforceth you, that he may the rather
suspect your dealing with them in matters of
great importance.

23. Although the text be not truly translated
by you, yet ye are not able by it to disprove the
truth of our doctrine, nor to defend your own
heresies. Whatsoever in your annotations
you have observed to charge us with here-
tical corruptions of false deductions, hath
been sufficiently confuted already. As for
the old brag of Apostolic tradition, exposition
of Fathers, decrees of Church and Councils,
shall now be declared to be as vain as ever
it was. And whosoever, with diligence, sin-
cerity, and indifference will vouchsafe to
read, as well your annotations, as our an-
swer to the same, I doubt not but they shall
acknowledge more to be performed conccrn-
mg this matter in the end, than we promise
in the beginning. As for the wilful blind,
that will be led by none other, but by your
blind Pharisaical guides, we must let tnem
alone, to fall together with you, into the pit
of everlasting destruction.

24. We may see, there is no small account
made of these your annotations, that you
promise the reader such satisfaction and con-
tentment in them, as he could not find in all
the Popish treatises, that have been set forth
these thirty years. Well, the trial is all.
For my part, by the assistance of God's

grace, I nothing doubt, but as I have in
twenty other of your treatises, laid open the
weakness of your part, with the lewd means
you use to uphold it, in such sort you have
no list to reply : so in this work, 1 shall per-
form the lilu>, I hat the saying of Augustin,
by you .~r I (Imwii, -Imll be found most true.
" That tip r,Mii!:i'ih;ion of Papists, as of all
oiher lilu' li'icii, , is the occasion, that the
true meaning of the Scripture by diligent
search is better understood, than it were like
to have been, if no such heresy had arisen,
and that the true Catholics be better discern-
ed from the arrogant heretics, according to
the saying of the Apostle. There must
be heresies, that tiiey which are approved
may be made manifest." So the malice of
Satan, the taiher of lies, is by the invincible
power ot God, converted to the avouching of
the truth, and to the benefit of the Church,
which by heresies the Devil seeketh to over-
throw.

25. Your application of Augustin's place,
is as true as your quotation: for you quote
cap. 13, iiislead of the 33 vujk And he speak-
eth not of points of doctrine, that indeed are
not decided by Scripture, for of the point of
doctrine in controversy between him and the
Donatists, that such as were baptized by he-
retics, might not be rebaptized, he saith in
the chapter going before, " Truly we follow
in this thing'also, the most certain authority
of the canonical Scriptures." And a little
before, he had alleged for the same question
among other authorities of Scriptures, the
saying of our Saviour Christ to Peter. He
that is once washed, need not to be washed
again. But the matter that was not to be
found in the Scripture, was an example of
one baptized by heretics, received by the
Church without rebaplisni. For he had also
before alleged the same exainple of the Sa-
maritans, who being circmncisetl in schism
and heresy, were not circumcised again,
when they were converted to the true reli-
gion of the Jews : which proveth the point o
doctrine invincibly. But the contentious he-
retic would still urge the like example to be
showed of baptism, whereupon Augustin saith,
" Therefore, although indeed, an example be
not brought forth of this thing, out of the
canonical Scriptures, yet in the same things
also the truth of the same Scriptures is
holden of us, when we do that which hath
now pleased the whole Church, whom the
authorities of the Scriptures themselves doth
commend, that for as much as the holy
Scripture cannot deceive, whosoever feareth
to be deceived with the obscurity of this
question, let him ask counsel of the same
Church, which the holy Scriptures without
all ambiguity, doth demonstrate or set out."
The obscurity of this question grew by the
contrary judgment and practice of Cyprian's
time, which the whole Church, by the autho-
rity of the Scriptures, had reformed in Au-
gustin]s time. He saith not therefore, "that
of points not decided by Scriptures, the
Church must be consulted," but where ques-

PREFACE:

tion of contrary judgment and practice doth
arise, the judgment of the whole Church
must be inquired, what is agreeable to the
holy Scriptures, and preferred before the
particular opinions and practices of any other,
though otherwise godly and learned, as Cy-
prian was.

The Church therefore hath wisdom to de-
cide questions by Scripture, not authority to
determine of points of doctrine, not decided by
the Scriptures, for there are not such neces-
sary for God's people, to know or practise.

26. You translate the vulgar Latm text, and
not the original Greek text, for ten causes.
The first is the antiquity, that it was in use
in the Church of God, above 1,300 years ago.
This is more boldly affirmed, than can be
soundly proved : for it appeareth not by the
fathers of those times, that any oue transla-
tion was generally used. Ausnistin sailh,
" There was an infinite variety of Latin trans-
lations." Hieronym in effect saith as much.
Pre/at. ad Danasum in 4, Evang. Yea, it will
be ihard f )r you to name any one P'ather of
the Latin Church, that used it more than 1,300
years ago.

Tertullian used it not, as appeareth by a
hundred texts that he citeth, differing from
it : for example. Your vulgar Latin hath
Alter alteritis otieru portate. Tertullian citeth it,
Oiiera vextra inuicem. suslinete. Your text hath,
prudentiamprudenlium reprobaho. Tertullian's
text was, irritam facium. Your text hath,
Non enim eruhesco Eoangelium. Tertullian's
text was, Non enim mepudet Evangelii.

Cyprian used it not, as ap])eareth by infi-
nite texts, which he citeth in his books of
testimonies ad Quirlnum, and throughout his
works, whereof 1 will show a few examples,
Your text hath Matt. 3, Non sumidignus
cah:eamenta portare. Cyprian's text had, iVon
sum doneu.^, ad (iuirinum, lib. 1, num. 12, Luke
1. Your text hath. Quia visitavit et fecit re-
demplionempUhissu'B. Cyprian's text was. Quia
prospexit redemptionem populo sua, lib. 2, num.
7. Your text .Tohn 1, hath, in principio erat
verbiim. Cyprian's text had, fn vrincipio erat
Sermo, lib. 2. num. 6. Your text Rom. 2. hath.
An divitias bonitalis ejus et patientim, et long
animitatis contemnis ? Cyprian's translation
had. An nunquid opulentiam bonilatis ejus et
sastinenliaih et patientiam contemnis ? lib. 3.
num. 35.- The Clergy of Rome in Cyprian's
time used not your vulgar Latin text as ap-
peareth by divers texts cited in their Epis-
tle.s. As for example, your text hath. Mat.
18, Onine debilunl dimisi tibi quoninm rogasti
me. The Romans' text had, Donavi lihiomne
dehitum quia me rogasti. Cler. Rom. Epist. 31.
Your text hath, Rom. I, Quia fides vestra
annunciatur in unvierso niundo. Their text
had, Quia fides vestra prwdicatur in tolo mundo.

Ireneus, or he that translated him into
Latin, w-hich is very ancient, followed another
translation than your vulgar Latin. I for-
bear examples, which are many, beca'ise it is
not certain of what time the translator of
Ireneus lived, who is thought to have written
in Greek.

Amobius, an ancient writer, used not vour
text, as impeareth by divers places which he
citeth. For example, your text hath, 1 John
2, Filioli novissirna hora est. Arnobius read,
Fucri novissirna hora, <^c. Your text, Luke
22, hath, Saianas expelivit vos ut cribraret.
Arnobius did read, ventilet. Your text saith,
Ego autem rogavi. Amobius saith, Ego au-
tem intercessi.

Hilary used not your vulgar Latin text, as
appeareth through all his commentary upon
Matthew, whereof take these examples.
Your text hath. Matt. 7, In quo enim judicio
judicaveritis indicabimini. Hilary saith, Judi-
cabitur de vobis.

Cap. 15, your text hath, Arundinem vento
agitatam. Hilary readeth, vento moveri. Your
Latin text hath, Matt. 26, Extendens manum
exemit gladium suum et percutiens servum
principis sacerdolum amputavit auriculum ejus.
flilary aaith, gladium exercns serno principis
sacerdotum aurem abscidit.

Ambrose, you confessed before, used a
more ancient translation than your vulgar
Latin, and lest the unlearned reader should
think it were in that one only place, 1 will
give a fiew examples, whereby it may appear
Fhat he used not your vulgar Latin in his
whole commentary upon Luke. In the An-
gel's salutation, Luke 1, your text hath, m
mulieribus. Ambrose saith, inter mulieres.
In the answer of Mary, your text hath fiat
mild. Ambrose saith, contingat mihi. In the
12th chapter, where your text hath a^er, Am-
brose hath possessio. Yours hath Quid indua-
mini, Ambrose hath, quid vestiamini.

Pacianus used it not, as Ep. 1. Luk. Dignus
ft«< mercennrius. Your text is, Operarius. 2
Cor. 2. Non enim versuiias ejus ignoramus.
Yours, Non enim ignoramus cogitationes ejus.

.Ttilius Firmicus, tra. 1. Qui aufert. Vulg.
Qui tollit. Apo. 5. Prostraverunt se. Vulg. Ce-
ciderunt.

Victorinus Col. 1. sedes, Vulg. tlironi. Condi-
ta, Vulg. creata. 1 Tim, 3. mysterium, Vulg.
sacramentum. Receptum, Vulg. assumplum.

Gaudenrius Brixianus used it not, as it ap-
peareth Ep. ad Genninium, v^here he rehear-
seth the whole parable of the unjust steward
out of another translation.

Seeing none of the Fathers of those times,
used your vulgar Latin text, I pray you tell us
in good earnest, what Fathers you mean ?
for these are the chief, and almost all those
works remain of those times. A^ain, where
you say it is most ancient, you ibrget what
you said before, that Ambrose followed an
older translation than the vulgar Latin trans-
lation.

The places by you quoted, do show, that
Hieronym did correct a vulgar Latin text,
that was much used before his time, at the
request of Dimasus, but the common received
opinion of Papists, which call it Hieronym's
translation, is no good argument to prove it
to be the ancient vulgar text of his correction.
All probability, is but your own authority.
For it is against all probability, th^t Hiero-
nym who corrected it, according to the Greek,

PREFACE.

Bs he professeth, would have left so many
places that are not warranted by any Greek
copy.

Again, there are in it, some of those faults
which Hicronym did correct, as in Mark the
first, the name of Esay, which he thinkeUi to
be the fault of the writers. Com. in Matt,
ap. 3. The like is in some copies of the vul-
gar Latin, Judma Jtukc. Matl. 2, and cap. f>
he correcteth the word ei-^e/v/jtVio/i?, which re-
maineth in your vulgar Latin te-xt.

Also c. 16. 4. it appeareth that Hieronym's
text was vade relro me, yours is vade post me.

In the Epistle to the Lialat. c. 1. where your
vulgar h&nn\iKl\\ cxpugnahani iUam, liiero-
nyni in his commentary, rehearseth the text,
et devastabam illam. Likewise for acquivi in
the same chapter, he correcteth conltdi ac-
cording to the Greeks. Again, upon the third
chapter he saith expressly : In some books it
is read, who hath bewitched you not to believe
the truth ? but because it is notfound in the co-
pies of Origen, we have omitted it. But those
words which he saith he hath omitted, your
vulgar text hath. Therefore with greater
probability, may I say, that your vulgar text
is not that which Hieronym corrected, but
rather the same text uncorrected, than you
can affirm, that by all probability, it is that
which he corrected.

The antecedent being proved false, the
consequent cannot be true. Augustin com-
mendeth Hieronym's labour and diligence in
that correction of the vulgar Latin, but we
have declared before, this is not that which
he corrected, therefore it is not the same
which Augustin so commcndeth. Neither
doth Augustin use your vulgar Latin text, as
1 might show by five hundred examples, but a
few shall suffice.

In the ninth of John, your vulgar latin text
hath,/ec<< lulum ex sptUo, et linivtt lutum super
oculos ejus. Augustin's translation was de
saliva sua lutum fecit et injiinxil oculos cmci.
Tract, ill Joan. 44. Also Jolri 13, your vul-
gar Latin hath posi buccellam. Augusiin's book
had, post panem, or post panejn intinctum. In
the first chapter of John's first Epistle, your
vulgar Latin text hath, et testamur et annuncia-
mus vobis vita7n ueternam, quce erat apud jyalrem
et apparuit nobis. Augustin's text had, et tes-
tes sumus, et amiunciamus vobis vitam aiernavi,
quce erat apud pat rem, et manifesta est in nobis.
Also in the second chapter, to the fifth verse
he addeth these words, si in illo perfecti fueri-
mus, which are not in your vulgar Latin text.
In the same phce, he readeth dilectio DA.
where your text hath charitas. In the f.unih
chapter of the same Epistle, your text hath
omnis smritus qui solvit Jesum. Augustin's
text had omnis spiritus, qui non conftetur Jesum
in came venisse, ^c. By these it is manifest
that Augustin followed not your vulgar Latin
text, which it is like he would }iave done, if
it had been the same which Hieronym cor-
rected, and which he so commended and
allowed.

Y9U are not able to prove your Church
service to be so ancient as Augustin's time,
4

for many of your Church lessons are taken
out of Bcda, and other writers, who lived
many hundred years after Augustin's age.
And such parts of the Scripture, as seem to
have been of most ancient time used in the
Church of Rome, are not taken out of your
vulgar Latin text. In the Lord's prayer, it
is jianem nostrum quotidiunum, in your vulgar
Latin text supcrsubstanliahin, likewise iur glo-
riam in e.ccclsi.':, your vulgar Latin hath gloria
in (il/issi/iii.--. So out (iT Matthew 21, your
Cliiircli strviii; iiaili Hint diclus qui venit in
nomine Dcinini. Imsanmi ui CJ:celsis, your vulgar
Latin halh m nl/i.s,m,s.

That It liaihii'ii lirtii ever since Hieronym's
time allfLjcil, aial iiiuiiiroted in the writings
and cominentaiK -^ nl 11. ( ancu'iit l-'athers of
the Latin Clninli .-hall a;'|ic ai li\ ihese testi-
monies foUouum. 'Vnur w xi lialii Matt. 16,
portCB inferi tieu pnrulcbunt. Opla/iis Mileviia-
nus, allegeth portce inferoiinii, non vincent.
Matt. 7, your vulgar Latin hath conyersi di-
rumpant vos. Optalus read, co7iversi elidant
vos. Luke l^^ in your vulgar Latin it is thus
written, dixit uutem et ad quosd'Ani qui in se con-
fidebant tanquam jusii, et aspernabantur cceteros.
rtptaius t^aiih it"is written, Dicebat Jesus hanc
siinUiliijlini in propter^eos qui se saiictos putant,
it (iinliinnuiitccr.teros.

Fuigeniiiis, another ancient father of the
Latin Church, alleged not always your Latin
text, as appearelh. Ad Trasimundum lib. 1. c.
5. Uinnis spiritus qui noii conjitetur Jesum
Christum in came v&nisse, ex Deo non est Your
text hath, qui solvit Jesum. 1 John 4. lib. 2.
c. 18, his text had cunfonne corpori, where
your text halh lon/ii^uni'lani. Pliil. 3.

Priiuasius, aiiuldlaili. 1 mIiIi, i .;,iin Church,
in his Conuiientary uihju ihi lijii.-tle to the
Hebrews cap. 1. li'atli Ultu luUiliu prce consor-
libus, where your text hath, oleo_ exultationis
pr<B participibus. Cap. 3. ad Gal. in his expo-
sition he followeth that, which he saith was
the Latin text, Quihus ud horam cessimus :
whereas the Latin now is negatively neque
adhoram. And although the writers or prin-
ters have prefixed the vulgar Latin before his
commentaries, yet it appeareth by many
places of his commentaries, that he followed
another text.

Prosper Aguitanicus somewhat elder than
he, allegeth Scripture, out of another transla-
tion, than your vulgar Latin : as de promiss,
part 3. pro. 1. out of John 1. die, ut haheamus
renunciare ?tis, your text is, tit responsum
demus. In the same place, vox clamantis in
enuin, paraie viom, ^c , your text is, in deserto,
ffin^iie. Out of the Acts 13, he citeth this
tL .\t, Cum impleretur cursus Joannes, dixit, quern,
i.ie suspiciamini esse, non sum ego, sed ecce venit
post me, de cujus pedibus non sum dignus solvere
corrigiam calceamentorum ejus. Your text is,
cu7n impleret autem Joan nes cursum suurn dicebat,
quem me arbitramini esse non sum ego, ecce venit
post me cujus non sum dignus calceamenta pedum
solvere. It were folly to add more examples,
in a case so manifest.

Leo, Bishop of Rome, expounded not your
vulgar Latin text, and therefore it is not like

PREFACE.

to be that which liieronym corrected : for
in his Horn, infest, omn. sanctorum, interpret-
ing the beginning of Matthew's (jospel : next
after Beati pauperes, he placeth Beali (jui
lugent, as it is in the Greek. " After the coi/i-
mendation of this nuist happy poverty, our Lord
added, saying, blessed are they that viourn. Your
vulgar text" placeth, heati miles, quoniam ipsi
possidebimt terrain. And' Leo, when iie Com-
eth to that third beatitude, readeth hareditate
possidebunt terrain, more expressing the Greek
word. Gregory indeed, who was three hun-
dred years after the time by you before
named used your vulgar Latin text, and that
so precisely, that where there is a manifest
corrupiion, not of the translator, but of the
writers, Luke 15, evertit domum, for everrit, he
nevertheless expoundeth the text according
to that corruption, although he confcsseth
that in another translation it was ciimndat,
which is more agreeable to the Greek. But
this error of Gregory, you are content to give
over, for in your translation you say, she doth
sweep the house, according to the truth of the
original Greek, being ashamed to follow the
gross error of the best Bishop of Rome, of
all the number that followed him.

Vigilius, an ancient Father, used not your
translation, as appeareth in many places :
Lib. 2. he citeth the text thus, Luk. 2. Puer
autem crescebat et confortahatur, repletus sopien-
tia, et gratia Dei super eum. Your text hath,
plenus sapientia, et gratia Dei erat in Ulo. Again
this text Heb. 2, he citeth, nam paulo minus
minoratum vidimus Jesum, ^c. Your text is,
eum autem qui modicequam angeli minoratus est.
In the same place alter some Greek copies,
Vigilius readeth, sine Deo, where your text is,
gratia Dei.

Gildas, our countryman, Matt. 5. 16. magni-
ficent patrem vestrum. Vulg. glorificait. Matt.
7. 3. trabein in oculo tuo non consideras. Vulg.
non vides. 1 Tim. 3. si quis episcopatum cupil,
honnm opus cupil. Vulg. desiderat.

The profane particular chapter of Trent,
hath no authority to prefer any tran.slation,
much less one so corrupt and depraved as
that is, before the original text of the Apos-
tles' and Pjvangclists' own inditing ; nor to for-
bid any man to reject that which is found
disagreeing from the original verity. No
council althouirh it were ge^ieral, which your
good lords and masters of the Popish French
Church, will not acknowledge the Tridentine
to be, have any authority against the truth,
but only for it, as Paul saith of himself, and
other Apostles.

In gravity, sincerity, and majesty, it is not
to be cornnared with the authentical Greek
text, beside that in many places it is ridi-
culous, insincere, untrue, and consequently
of no authoriiy, much less majesty. And al-
though the translator was not partial in re-
spect of the controversies of our time, yet
this unant translation sometime is abused of
you, to the maintenance of your errors, as in
answering your annotations will appear.

Tlie transhitor indeed according to his
knowledge, did purpose to translate exactly,

both words and phrases : but bemg nei-
ther very good Grecian nor good Latinist,
beside that he erred in many places from the
true sense, he hatli translated many places
barbarously, as is confessed by Lindanus,
Isidorus, Clarius, and others of judgment
among you. What hurt is it then, if by
learned men of these times, which have ex-
act judgment in both the tongues, that rude-
ness be amended. Is the Scripture of more
credit in false Latin or in barbarous Latin,
than in true and clean Latin ? No, verily,
but that you prefer old errors, belore old
truth newly restored. If that vulgar transla-
tion follow the truth more exactly than ours, I
would wish ours were reformed according to
the Greek. Concerning the examples vou
bring, I answer your yrffessc doth not tollow
the Greek more exactly, than our words, to
maintain, or to show forth. For Trpoiorao-yat
doth signify as well that which we translate,
as that which your vulgar text hath. We
translate it also to excel, as Beza doth say,
Prceslantes esse: and the Greek signifieth all
three indifferently, as every man that is
learned therein will confess, and the Lexi-
cons bear witness. The word dedicated, as
Beza translateth it, had been more proper,
than prepared : yet, because the word signi-
fieth, to renew, and mention is made before
of the new way, it is no hurt to the sense, to
say. He prepared a new way. As for the
words, Justijicaliones, Traditiones, Idola, we
expound truly according to the Greek, as is
declared at large, in the book of the defence
of our translations, unto which I refer the
reader.

Beza preferred it before the translations of
Castalion, lUyricus, and such like ; and it is
not to be denied, that the old interpreter of
the New Testament, according to his know-
ledge, and after that copy which he followed,^
translated religiously: yet partly for want of
knowledge, partly for lack of conference of
other copies, or judgment to discern them,
he hath translated many things obscurely,
many things untruly, some things ambigu-
ou.sly, and oftentimes barbarously.

The dissension of interpreters must be de-
cided by the original Greek, as Augustine
showeth, and Hieronym ihinkeih as much.
Neither is there greater dissension of our
interpreters, than is of the copies of your
vulgar Latin text: neither is it like, neither
is there any cause why Luther should so say,
as you report out of iiis adversary Cocltsiis.
For so long as the Greek text remaineth, the
diversity of translations cannot bring the
truth in uncertainty, but they that be learners
and lovers of truth, may plainly see it. Nor
yet is Beza's translation so wide from the
Greek, that it is forsaken of us : but we uso
our judgment freely in those points, and are
not tied to his authority. The Son of Cainan,
though it be a superfluous and false addition,
yet because it is in most of the Greek copies,
we are content to let it stand, as the name of
Jeremy, in Matt. Gospel, which yet we
doubt not to be a corruption instead of Za-

PREFACE.

chary, or else that there should be neither
named. Yet Beza, by authority of Moses,
and of a very ancient Greek copy, now re-
jTiaining in iJie library of the University of
Cambridge, doth leave it out in his transla-
tion.

The other example, Cum ruoribus, with
their wives, is nothing wide fiom the Greek
text, but very aptly agreeth therewith, yet
because the word signifielh also women ge-
nerally, and because it might be, that there
were other godly women, besides the wives
of the Apostles, our translator thought good
to translate it by the word women, wliich
comprehendeth as well wives, as other wo-
men.

This only argument, if it were well proved,
might justify your translation out of the vulgar
Latin text. The other nine reasons, if ihey
were all granted, as there is not one of them
all true and good, arc not sufficient to prove,
that you ought to translate out of the Latin,
rather than out of the Greek. Seeing the
water is most pure out of the spring, and not
out of ponds and ditches that are derived
trom it.

27. The proof is like your accustomed
proofs, where you heap on words to deceive
the ignorant, which being rightly weighed,
have no substance at all of truth in them.
Your first argument is, that most of the an-
cient heretics were Grecians, which did cor-
rupt the Scriptures in Greek. A feeble rea-
son, as though the providence of God, which
caused the New Testament to be written in
Greek, either could not, or would not, pre-
serve it from the corruption of the heretics,
in Greek as well as in Latin. But some of
these corruptions, you say, remain in the
Greek books unto this day : it may he in some
copies they do, which yet are convinced by
other copies. But that you deny : and for
example you say, Tertullian affirmeth the
Greek text, which is at this day, 1 Cor. 15,
47, to be an old corruption of Marcion the
heretic, and the truth to be as your vulgar
Latin hath : but Lindanus whom you follow,
mistook Tertullian greatly, and so doth Beza.
For Tertullian layeth not Marcion's corruption
in that verse, but in the 46th verse, and by
the authority of the Apostle in the 47th verse,
discovereth his corruption. For after he
hath proved out of the Apostle against Mar-
cion, that the resurrection pertaineth unto the
body, and not unto the soul only : he declareth
that the Apostle confirnieth the same^ of
Christ himself, where he saith, " The first
Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam
a quickening spirit, although the most foolish
heretic would not have it to bo so: for he
hath placed the last lord, instead of the last
Adam, fearing indeed, lest if he shall have the
Lord to be the last Adain, we also might de-
fend Christ in the last Adam, to be of the
same nature whereof the first Adam was.
But the falsehood doth plainly appear : for
why is the first Adam, but hecau.se there is
the'last Adam ? There is no order of things
one to another, except they be equal, and be

either of the same name, or substance, or
author. For although i:i divers things also,
there may be one thing first, and another
last, yet they must be of one author. But it
the author be another, he also may be called
the last : yet that which he hath brought in,
is first, but last, if it be equal to the first:
but equal to the first it is not, because it is
of the same author ; after the same manner, he
siiall be convinced in the name of man.
The first man, saith the Apostle, is of the
earth earthly, the second is the Lord from ,
Heaven. Why is he called the second, if he
be not a man as the first I Or is the first the
Lord if the second be ? But it sufficeth, if
in the Gospel he taketh Christ the Son of
Man, as man ; and in the man Adam, cannot
deny him. The words following also do
press him together; for when the Apostle
saith, such as he is, which is of the earth,
namely the man, such are the men earthly :
therefore, such as the man is, that is from
Heaven, such are the men who are fronj
Heaven." This place of Tertullian being
rightly understood, doth not charge the Greek
with any corniption, but rather reproveth the
corruption of Marcion in verse 45 ; and is a
good testimony for the antiquity of that read-
ing, which is now of verse 47 in the Greek
text. And whereas in his book, De carnis
resurrectione, it is now read, Secundus homo
de calo ; it scemeth that Domiiius is left out,
through fault of the writers, seeing he addeth
immediately, Id est, SermoDei,idest Chrislus ;
which agreeth properly to Dcminus, and
addeth not celestis, as it is in the vulgar Latin.
And although some ancient Fathers of the
Latin Church, as Ambrose and Hieronym,
do read so, and Calvin misliketh not the
sense, which is true ; yet all the Greek copies
and ancient Fathers of the Greek Church,
as Athanasius alleging it against Marcion
himself, Euthy. Fan. par.l. tit.9\ Chrysos-
tom, Damascen, andOecumenius, holding the
Greek text, and the sense thereof, being
good and godly, there is no reason why it
should be counted a corruption. Another
corruption of the Greek text, you say is noted
by Hierom. in 1 Cor. 7. 33. Adv. Jovinian, lib.
1 ; where indeed he saith that " the Latin
books of his time were as the Greek is now,
and that the Apostolic truth is as your vulgate
text is, and as he in that place translateth :"
yet he confesseth that he had cited it other-
wise, and so he doth in his book against
Helvidius, and it Ep. ad Eustochi. de Virgin,
custodia. But seeing Basil, who was of the
Greek Church, and older than he, doth often
cite the text as we read it now, and so doth
Chrysostom likewise read and expound it
Oecumenius also and Theophylact. Almost
all the old Greek copies do agree in this read-
ing, with that which was the ancient Latin
text in Hieronym's time: therefore it is
rather like that Hieronym's Greek book was
faulty, and lacked the conjunction, than that
all the Greek Church was deceived in it. The
third corruption you say is noted by the Tri-
partite history, /t6. 12. cap. 4. in 1 John 4. 3 ;

PREFACE.

and the true reading to be onmis sjnritus qui
solvit Jesuni ; as also Socrates contendeth,
affirming that text which we now read, is a
corruption of tlie Nestorians, as Beza con-
fesseth. But Beza tclleth you also, that Cy-
prian, lib. 2. ado. Jiideeus, cap. 8 ; citeth it in
Latin, according to that we now read in the
Greek, who seeing he lived certain hundred
years before Nestorius, Socrates, or Cassio-
dorus, do unjustly charge him with corrup-
tion, although some old copies in their time,
' whom your Vulgate interpreter followed,
might have o Xvti tov Irjuovi', as Socrates saith.
Yet all the Fathers of the Greek church, as
appeareth by Oecumenius, retaining the
Greek text as it is now, and all the ancient
copies thereunto agreeing, and the Syrian
translation confirming it, the testimony of one
no very ancient historian, Socrates, and that
manifestly false, is not sufficient to convince
the Greek Testament of corruption, espe-
cially seeing not only Cyprian, and long Ije-
iore him, TertuUian, De pnscript. adv. Heret.,
and alter ihem Augustiii, ami otiu r ancient
Fathers of the Latin church, do ai;kiiowledge
this reading to be the true text and word of
God.

23. It is a shameless cavillation to say, we
acknowledge the Greek text lo be corrupt,
because in some few places, where the Greek
copies do vaiy, through the default of the
writers, being deceived by similitude of let-
ters or otherwise, we choose that reading,
which being most agreeable t > the circum-
stance of the text is confirmed also by au-
thority of the vulgar Latin translation; as in
the first example you bring out of Heb. 9 :
1. Some Greek copies now extant, leave out
the word (ahn-iiade, and so the circumstance
(jf the place rerpiireth. The same is tiie
judgment of Photiu.~, and Oecumeniu.-:, :;i;(i
before them of Chrysostom, in whose copy
it was left out. The Syriac translation
also omitteth it, as well as the vulgar
Latin. Is the Greek text then corrupted,
when we have so good testimony of the true
reading thereof, both out of some ancient
Greek copies yet extant, out of the ancient
Fathers of the Greek text, and also out of
the ancient translations into other languages?
The second, Rom. 12, likewise, hath most
of the ancient Greek copies to warrant it,
beside the authority of Clemens, Alexandri-
nus, Basil, Chrysostom. Photius, Oecumenius,
Theophylact, old writers of the Greek church,
the Syriac translation, and the Vulgate inter-
preter of the Latin ; yet forsooth, we forsake
the Greek text as corrupted, when in diver-
sity of Greek readings, we follo>.i that which
is so substantially avouched.

The third example. Apocalypse 11, beside
the Complutensian edition, wliich doubtless
followed some ancient Greek copies, hath
the authority of Aretas, and those ancients
of the Greek church, out of whom he gathered
his coiiMnentarics, which, is sufficient to judge
of that diversity, which is in mistaking of
one only letter in the Greek word.
The fourth, 2 Tim. 1. 14. is no departing or

forsaking of any Greek text, but only a ne
cessary explication of that Greek according
to our English phrase. In so great a number
oi places, as you speak of, in this section, you
had small wit to bring this for one, but that
you svere come to the end of your quarrels,
though you place another after it lor a fa-
shion. You yourselves have other manner of
additions than this is, in your translation,
whereof soine are necessary and some need-
less. Yet you would not be charged lo for-
sake the Latin text as corrupt, although
sometimes you do, and cleave to the Greek,
wherein no wise man will blame you.

The last example, James 5. 12, hath also
ancient Greek copies, the Syriac translation,
and the judgment of Oecumenius, with such
ancient Fathers as he doth follow, together
with the vulgar Latin.

'\Ve forsake not the Greek text as corrupt-
ed, when we forsake the fault of the printer
or of the writer, and follow the Greek text,
which is warranted by ancient copies writ-
ten or printed, and by the authority of ancient
Fathers, the sense of the Holy Ghost, and the
circumstances of the places agreeing that to
be the very true reading of the Greek text
and the right Scripture of God, no more than
you forsake the vulgar Latin text as corrupt-
ed, when you leave the common reading, and
follow that which is placed in the margin-
You yourselves acknowledge at the end of
this preface, that sometimes you translate the
word in the Latin margin, and not that in
the text, " when by the Greek or the Fathers,
we •see it is a manifest fault of the writer
thereof, who mistook one word for another."
And may we not do the same in the Greek,
which you do in the Latin, without forsaking
the Latin as corrupted ? O conscience of Pa-
pists !

29. It is not vain trifles, whatsoever Eras-
mus, or any other man, shall reject out of the
Greek text under that name ; and yet you do
him wrong, to say he calleth the conclusion
of tiie Lord's prayer trifles, absolutely ; but
upon condition, if it be no part of the ancient
text : for confirmation whereof, beside the
most part of ancient Greek copies, Chrysos-
tom in his commentary upon Matthew's gos-
pel, Horn. 20, without any controversy doth
read it and expound it. Therefore it msiy well
be thought, that the Homily upon the Loru's
I)rayer m the fifth tome, where it is omitted,
was written by some P^ather of the Latin
Church, rather than by Chrysostom. So the
style in my opinion doth argue with the men-
tion of stimum corda, brought in also by Cy-
prian. Euthymius who gathered his exposi-
tion out of many ancient Fathers of the Greek
Church, doth in like manner read it, and ex-
pound it. The Syriac interpretation also
which is very ancient doth acknowledge it :
so doth the Hebrew text, which if it be not
the authentical ol Matthew, yet is very ancient.
The Latin Church indeed hath not used it
in the form of prayer, because it is not a peti-
tion, but acknowledging of the power and
glory of God, to whom the petitions are di-

PREFACE.

reeled. Yet it secmeth, that Tertullian did
read it: for althoutrh in his book, Ve ora-
rtone, where he handleth only the petitions, he
makes no mention of it, yet, lAb. 4. adv. Mar.
it is veiy like, he hath respect unto it, when
after a short conviction of the Heretic out of
every petition of the Lord's prayer, he add-
eth — " Therefore of whom shall I ask, that I
may receive ? At whom shall 1 seek, that I
may find ? At whom shall I knock, that it
may be opened unto me ? Who hath to give
to him that asketli ? lie whose are all things,
whose also I am, who do ask." And where-
as some ancient Greek copies, which it
seems that the Vulgate Latin interpreter did
follow, do back this conclusion, yet it fbllow-
eth not, that it is rashly added in all the rest,
and so rashly received of the Greek Church,
but rather it is most lilse, that the writers of
those copies omitted it, as a thing commonly
known, and daily rehearsed of every man :
by which means also, it is like, the omission
of certain petitions in Luke's Gospel came.

Concerning the second example of super-
fluity noted by Erasmus, Rom. 11. 6, seeing
all the Greek copies except one, that we can
hear of extant in these days, do agree in this
text ; and Chrysostom in his commentary
upon this place, likewise Phofius, Oecume-
nius and Theophylact do read ii. mid ihc u xt
requireth it to make a perfect ;h(Miii. -i-, we
must rather think it a defect in \(iiir \ ul-aiu
Latin text, than a superfluity in tlie LiitL-k.
For the third superfluity of the word wife,
Mark 10. 29, Erasmus hath nothing but his
bare conjecture ; all the Greek copies being
against him. But it is a device that you have
found out, to make the Greek text condemn
itself of superfluity, and to justify ex-
ceedingly the vulgar Latin. Because the
printers Stephen and Crispin do set a mark
at those words or sentences which are found
in most of the written copies, yet not in all;
that the readers may know, that such words
or sentences are not found in every written
copy; which, by no logic in the world, ar-
gueth the one of superfluity more than the
other of defect, but leave it to the judgment
and discerning of the learned, which is most
agreeable to the truth. Your own Vulgate
Latin te.xt, printed by Plantin and corrected
by Hentenius, hath^more than two hundred
places in the New Testament marked more
than are found in divers ancient copies.
Wherefore, if Popish logic be as good against
Latin, as it is against Greek, I may conclude,
that the Vulgate Latin text in these super-
fluities condemneth itself, and justifieth the
Greek text exceedingly, as being marked in
a number of places, that such words and sen-
tences are superfluous, in which our Greek
text hath no such thing. For example, Acts
5. 8, the word, mulier, woman, hath a mark
of superfluity : and in the same chapter, verse
15, this sentence, "arid might be all delivered
from their infirmities." And Acts 15. 41, this
sentence is noted with a mark of superfluity ;
"Commanding them to keep the precepts "of
the Apostles and Elders ;" none of which is

in our Greek text ; and therefore it provea
the Greek to be more sincere and true than
the Latin. This is your own argument,
therefore you must not deny it.

30. If you would conclude rightly, you
should say, that it is no derogation to the vul-
gar Latin text, to disagree from every Greek
copy, so it agree with the most and the best.
But to disagree from all, as it doth some
times, or olten from the most and the best,
must needs be a great derogation unto it.
The testimony of Beza whicli you cite, is
nothing against himself; neither doth it jus-
tify your vulgate Latin text in all places, but
only where it followed the best and truest
copies of the Greek text, as sometimes it
doth: unto which you do well to confesB
with Augustin, that " the Latin translations
that fail in any thing must needs yield." But
the chief matter is to prove, that it was trans-
lated out of the more learned and diligent
Greek copies : and that it hath continued
ever since without alteration or corruption.
The first you take upon you to prove by eight
reasons,*all which shall be examined.

If it agree Vv'ith the true and uncorrupted
Greek text, we will not complain, but you
must remember that every Greek copy, ex-
tant or not extant, is not sufficient to excuse
it : neither can you prove that it agrees with
the true and uncorrupted text in all places,
as where it is not only against all old copies
extant, but also against the reading and inter-
pretation of all the Fathers of the Greek
church. Where you doubt, lest we shall for-
sake the Greek, it is needless. Beza, in
.Tames 4 : 2, with Erasmus, supposeth a letter
might be changed through default of the
writers, in a matter of no controversy or ad-
vantage against you. In the other place he
maketh no question, but showeth how the
Greek word is taken, even in the same sense,
that your vulgate translator doth.

Sometimes it doth agree with other Greek
copies set in the margin, but not always; and
therefore this is no good argument to justify
it to agree with the Greek in all places. If
it did always agree with the margin, it were
not enough to warrant it; except you can
prove all that is in the margin to be always
the true and uncorrupted, the more learned
and diligent Greek copy.

You make very good conclusions of parti-
culars. We sometimes follow the marginal
copies, as the true text, and leave the com-
mon reading; ergo, the maro;inal copies are
always the true text. In the examples by
you noted, I have showed what reasons we
have to prefer the marginal copies. Bring
you the like for those which agree with your
Vulgate Latin, dissenting from the common
Greek reading, and then your argument will
be of some force, otherwise you may be
ashamed to use it.

This argument in effect is the same as the
former. Therefore except you prove that
which any copy of Erasmus, Beza, Gagneis,
or any other man, hath agreeable to your
vulgar Latin to be a true, uncorrupted, and

more learned and diligent copy than the
common Greeic text, you say nothing to tlie
purpose. For the Latin text, as you said be-
fore, nmst yield and be correcied according
to the Fathers' meannig, by the true and un-
corrupted Greeic text, and by Augustin's
judgment, by tlie more learned and diligent
copies; and theretore cannot be justified by
following any Greek copy, though it be false,
corrupted, lesser learned, and more negligent.
As for some Greek copies, it is not unldie,
I ut they have by some perverse writers been
altered according to the Latin, or negligently
Leen written or copied out of truer copies.

This reason hath more pith than all that
went before, therefore whereas your vulgar
Ladn haili the consent of the ancient Fathers
of the Greek Church, although there be no
Greek copy extant at this day to warrant it,
yet will we not condemn it, as disagreeing
from the Greek text. As in the first example
you bring, 1 Tim. 6. 20. Although Oecu-
nienius doth read, as the common reading is
now, yet he telleth you that Chrysostom did
read as your vulgar Latin hath. Beza addeth
Basil, and of the Latin Fathers, Ambrose and
Augustin, and confesseih that it hath a very
good sense, yet he preferred the other, per-
adventure being moved by the authority of
the Syrian interpreter, who translateth it
vanities and novelties. But in your second
example of John 10. 29, you were foully be-
guiled to say, so readeth 'Cyril and expounddh
it, lib. 7. in John c. 10. For that seventh book,
as the fifili, the sixth, the eighth, are none of
Cyril's books, nor ot any ancient Fathers, but
were added by Jodocus Clicthovius, a very
late writer, because these four books of Cyril
are lost, and are nowhere extant at this day.
You show yourselves to be diligent readers
of antiquity, by this example. And yet you
might have been admonished to beware of
this ridiculous error at this time, if you would
have vouchsafed to peruse my rejoinder to
Bristow, sometime one of your crew, who
made sport with this authority of Cyril, to
defend the vulgar Latin before, and was well
laughed at for his labour, as you are much
more, among all the learned, who by his
stumbling in the dark, could not beware of
falling in the broad day light.

Your third example is of 1 Jolm 3. omnis
spirilus qni solvit Jrsum, which Ireneus read-
eth so, but of Ireneus there may be a doubt,
because he did write in Greek, and is trans-
lated into Latin by one that followed the vul-
gar Latin text very much, and was not so
precise in expressing the words of Ireneus,
as may appear by that parcel of Ireneus in
Greek, which is reserved in Epiphanius.
Augustin, in tract. G. in John, readeth this
text, according to the Greek text that now is,
and afterward discourseth at large upon it.
But tov/ards the end, he rcpeateth the text
according to ihc vulgar Latin, and brieflv
expounds it, whereby it seemeth, that his book
had both the texts. Except we should sus-
pect, tliat those few lines which concern the
vulgar Latin, were interlaced by some that

would show what sense the words of the
vulgar Ladn nnght have. Indeed the words
in the conclusion, (juidnos docet, 7ivd ut facta
interrogemus, verha Jion credamus, do very aptly
agree with the end of the sentence immediate-
ly before those fines, adeo ut noveritis, quia ad
facta retulit. Lodovicus Vives noteth divers
lines inserted in his book De Civitate Dei,
which in other ancient copies were not to be
found.

Leo indeed, who lived after Augustin, and
was a Bishop of Rome, followed herein the
vulgar Latin text. Socrates and the Tripar-
tite stor)', I have answered before. So that
except you had Ireneus in Greek, you have
gained little certainty out of the ancient Fa-
thers. TertuUian and Cyprian being for the
Greek reading that now is, with aU the Greek.
Church. ,

Touching your fourth example, JoAn 5.2,
if you let Piscina be the nominative case, and
by probatica understand a gate of Jerusalem
near to the Temple so called, your vulgar
Latin text is agreeable to the Greek text,
and need not to be altered. And this is Be-
za's judgment for the name of that gate, citing
Nehem. 3. 1. &,c. And although Chrysostom
and Cyril, andTheophilact deceived by them,
read otherwise, yet EuthymiUs, who followed
other ancient Fathers of the Greek Church,
readeth agreeable to the Greek text that now
is, and to the vulgar Latin.

Concerning vour fifth example, Theodoret,
as Beza telleth you, readeth the copulative
conjunction Km between the two nouns, signi-
fying gift and justice, but it appeareth not so
by his commentary. And his reading is not
sufficient to control all the copies, and all
other the Fathers of the Greek Church, as
Chrys. Phot. Oecum. Theophil. Last of all,
Luke 2. 14, the vulgar Latin is maintained not
only by Origen and Chrysostom, but also by
a most ancient copy which Beza had, now
kept in the Library of the University of Cam-
bridge, and is not'misliked of Beza, ahhough
he follow the conimon reading warranted by
all the rest of his Greek copies, and many
other of the ancient Fathers. To conclude,
if all the varieties of the vulgar Latin, had
some ancient Greek Father, or some old copy
to avouch them, as a great number have not ;
yet were not that sufficient to justify them,
if the better learned and more diligent copies
be against them, and the sense of the place
do plainly require another reading.

We think verily, that the old interpreter
did follow some Greek copy which he had,
in places where he haih not been depraved.
But whether it was alvvay.s a true and uncor-
rupted copy which he followed, we must ex-
nmine by other copies, by consent of the
Greek Fathers, by cUligent marking the scope
of the text, and by the ancient translations,
which seeing they are often against your
vulgar Latin text, although the "interpreter
followed some Greek co[)y, whether extant
I or not extant, lie is not altogether to be ex-
cused, nor his translation, according to some
I corrupt copy to be embraced as authentical

PREFACE.

Beside this, it is oftentimes nsanifest, tiiat
v'hcn his reaiiiii^ was the same that ours is,
j'et sometimes because he understood not
the property of the. Greek word or piirasc,
souieiiiiie because he was not able to express
it ajitly in tiio Latin tongue, lie halh connnitied
many errors rneet to be amended, as in the
annotations of Bezu, Erasmus and others, a
j;reat number may be seen. Tliis reason
therefore is of no force, to make it better tlian
tlie Greek generally, though the truth of
zOKi'a for irvyftri Were granted unto you : no
more than a beggar's cloak with a hundred
patches in it, is better than a fair gown of
velvet, that hath but one stich amiss in it.
As for the word in question if it signify up to
the elbow, as Theophylact and Euthymius
take it, 1 see no absurdity, ahhoujjh the Po-
pish Priest at Mass washeth only his fingers'
ends, as superstition is sometimes nice,
sometimes insatiable, if we think that the
Pharisees washed their hands to the elbow. |
And peradventure it is more probable that they i
washed to the elbow, than that they washed
oftentimes before every meal. But seeing
the word cometh of ^vyiios, which sisnifieth \
a fist, the meaning may be, they waslied di- j
ligently, as they do who oftentimes rub one ;
fist in another: and so it may be taken for
often washing, as the interpreter of Euthy- j
niius saith it is taken of all the interpreters. |

The consent of the Latin Fathers who fol- j
lowed the vulgar te.xt, which Hieronym in his '
time confessed to be corrupted, will not jus-
tify the vulgar translation against all the
Greek copies, all the Fathers, all old transia- '
tions, all circumstances of the text, and that
which you add, all such conjectures. The
former example is not agreeable to the rule,
for ^as you say it hath a Greek co|iy in the
Vatican, it hath the Syriac translation, and a i
Greek author to warrant it, beside the autho- ]
rity of Augustin and Leo, Fathers of the '
Latin Church. And yet two make not so
great a consent, to carry the matter from all
copies. Fathers, translations, circumstances ^
and conjectures. But in truth, your vulgar i
text, in some copies, hath according to the
Greek, spintux sanctus, and leaveth out dafus, i
yet indeed, this is not to be accounted a fault |
or variety, though it be not precisely accord-
ing to the word, which expresseth the true
meaning of the text, as all men, except Ma-
cedonian heretics, which deny the divinity of
the Holy Ghost, will confess.

In your second example, you have small
consent seeing Erasmus telleth you, that
Augustin is corrupted and Hieronym, as you
confess in the next section, is against you,
and so are some copies of your vulgar trans-
lation. Then have you no more but Am-
brose : for venerable 'Beda had, according to
the Greek, ni eum volo manere, by whom the
corruption of Augustin is plainly discovered,
seeing he hath notliinginamannerof his own,
but the very words ofAugustin upon tliat pi ace.

I perceive you will have your vulgar I^atin
text to stand, though it have neither Greek
copies, nor Greek Fathers, nor good rea-

son, which you call conjectures, nor ihe con-
sent of the La:in Fatliers, to niuiniuin u.
l''or the divers reading ot the Latin I'uthtrs,
inaketh no more lor the Gieek, than lor tlie
vulgar Latin, you say, difiering olteiitimes
from both. Admit it be so, wlien ey diller
from both, yet when they agree wuii the
Greek, as you cannot deny, but ottentiines
they do, they make more for the Greek, than
lor the vulgar Latin. And where you say
they differ often from both, that one example
that you bring, argueth that you have no great
store of examples, where they diiier from
both. For the place of Hieronym agreeth
fully with the sense of the Greek, although
he add the word sic, which is not in the
Greek, yet: maketh no alteration in the sen-
tence, which is conditional, whereas youf
vulgar Latin is absolute, without condition.
But to put the mailer tnit nl (l(i\ibt, that no
readings of some Lutin or Ci.ik Fathers,
difiering from the vulvar LiHiii, ;:i-.- acdieckor
condemnation to the same ; Ui za's authority
is cited, saying, " That whosoever shall take
upon him to correct ihe vulgar Latin transla-
tion, out of the aiuiint I'athers' writings,
Greek or Latin, unless he do it very circum-
spectly and advisedly, he shall rather mar
then mend." This is your usual kind of rea-
soning, of a particular to infer an universal.
But what if he do it circumspectly ai.d ad-
visedly ? what if he have not oi.ly some
Fathers' writing, but also some Gretk co-
pies, or all or most that are extant ■ what
if he have good reasons taken of the scope
of the text, and circumstances thereof?
may he not then be bold to correct some-
thing in the vulgar Latin translation '! As
whensoevtr Beza, or any other learned
man reproveth the vulgar Latin interpreter,
he doth it upon the only writing of some Fa-
ther, who had not always the book by him,
when he cited places ot the Scripture, but
either all or some of those proofs, leading
him to approve the writing of that Father, to
be the true text, and specially some Greek
copy to warrant it.

31. They have very dim eyes, that through
these gross paralogisms, can see the vulgar
Latin translation, in all points approved good,
yea better than the true text itself of the
Greek, so that it may not give place to any
other text, copies, or readings, except it be in
such faults evidently crept in by the negli-
gence of the writers, which you affirm to be
very rare. If you would correct your books,
but according to some ancient readings and
copies observed in Plantin's bible, which you
speak of, you should reform many hundred
places even in the New Testament, and make
them to be more agreeable to the Greek text,
than that you take to be your vulgar Latin
translation. But except it be gross cor-
ruptions, that may be felt with the hand, you
will not bend one joint to the Greek text,
such malice you bear against the truth. Ne-
vertheless you translate that text, you say,
which in your opinion isuncorrupt, we trans-
late the Greek, which we confess to be cor-

PREFACE.

rupt, as you have declared. What you have
declared, we have sufficiently confuted : it is
now time to see what you have more to
charge us, with confession of corruption in
the Greek text.

32. The Calvinists, you say, confess the
Greek text to be most corrupt, and yet trans-
late it only : yes forsooth, they have transla-
ted the Syriac, and some parts of the Arabic,
as they could get the copies. But who are
they, that confess the Greek text to be most
corru[)t .' You answer, Beza, bringing in his
suspicion only, in four places. But a suspi-
cion or opinion, is neither an affirmation, nor
a confession. Yet let us severally examine
them. In the first place, he doth not suspect
the matter, but only maketh an objection, and
answereth it, approvin^with the ancient Fa-
thers, the prinincy of Peter, the priniacy of
order, not of dignity. Yea he is so far from
suspicion of this matter, that Mark 3. 16, he
readeth Simon, thefirst, where neither your
vulgar Latin readeth so, nor the common
printed Greek te.xt hath it so

In the second place, Luke 22. 20, he saith it
may be, that it came out of the margin into
the text, but he doih not affirm it. He saith
turther that Basil readeth the participle, with
his article in the dative case, which taketh
away ail difficulty, yet, because all the copies
extant have it in the noiuinaiive, he concludeth
in the end, that the solecism may be excused
by the property of the Hebrew tongue, ex-
pressed sometimes in the Greek, as I have
showed at larse in mine answer to Gregory
Martin, cup. \~ sect. 37, 38, 39.

In the third place, he hath some light sus-
picion, that the words, to adore them, might be
removed out of the margin into the text, as in
all written books, many such like words have
been. The ground of this suspicion, is the
authority of Justin Martyr, who citing this
place against Triphon the Jew, leaveth out
those words, to adore them, yet he showeth
how it may stand with the sense of the He-
brew text, of the Prophet Amos : and speak-
eth never a word of corruption.

In the fourth place, he noteth the grounds
of his suspicion, to be the Greek text of
Hosea, and the authority of Augustin, in Joan,
tract. 12, who readeth, Vhi est mors contentio
tua ? whereby it appeareth that the trans-
lation which he followed, did read vciKog, and
not vtKOi. So readeth Cyprian ad Quirinum.
lih. 3, cap. 58, and Tertullian De resur. cam.
yet because of the general consent of all
copies, and other writers, Beza retameth the
u.sual reading.

Now come wc to those places which are
past suspicion, as being manifestly affirmed
to be corruptions. Of the first, you sav, he
calleth it a manifest error, that in the Greek
it is 400 years for 300 years. Acts 13. But
that is not so: for rehearsing many ac-
counts, of Beroaldu3, and Junius, and others,
he suspecteth only with Luther, that error to
be in the number, he doth not affirm it to be
manifest.

The next place is, Acts 7, 15, where he

thinketh the name of Abraham, by some un-
skilful person to be added as the name of
Jeremy, Mat. 27, and of Esay, Mark I, and
Mat. 13, as Hieronym conlesseth instead of
Asaph, where neither of both is read at this
day. And certain it is, that Abraham bought
his field of Ephron, not of the sons of Emor.
And Jacob it was that purchased the field of
Emor, the father of Sichem, as Hierom suith.
Now if you can give the true sense, not leav-
ing out the riame of Abraham, you shall de-
serve great commendation. In the mean
time, Beza telleth you, it maketh- no_ uncer-
tainty or corruption in the Scripture, if a name
or two, by errors of some bold writers, not of
the author, be placed amiss, which by conter-
ence of other places, may easily be espied
and reformed. The place, Mark 12. 42,
though he was long troubled, as he confesseth,
about the reckoning of it, yet in the end he
findeth out the true account, how two mi es
make a quadran, and suspecteth no manner of
corruption at all.

Neither in the last place, doth he so much
as suspect any corruption or addition, but
only referreth the word Desert, to the way,
and not to the city, although the city of Gaza
at that time was not inhabited. This section
therefore proveth not that the Calvinists, as
you term them, confess the Greek to be most
corrupt. For here is only one name certainly
judged to be very untruly added, as all men
confess, the name of Jeremy, Mat. 27, to be,
and two or three light or uncertain suspicions,
about matters of small weight, and such as
can make no alteration of doctrine, the rest
are false and unjust accusations.

33. He showeth out of Hieronym, that the
Greek of the Septuaginla, in his time, agreed
with the original of the Hebrew in the num-
ber of 70, and therefore he thinketh ttcvtc is
put instead of navra. But all men be not of
the same opinion, therefore although the
matter be not great, it is no reason, that the
whole Church, for that they mean by (he Cal-
vinists, should be charged for one man's opi-
nion, and that but in one matter of no mo-
ment, to change the doctrine, to confess the
Greek text to be most corrupt.

In the place, Luke 3, 30, he judgeth rov Katvav
to be falsely added to Luke, nol only by au-
thority of Moses, which were sufficient but
also by testimony of an ancient Greek copy,
which now is at Cambridge. But all your
quarrels, touching Qui fiiit Ciiinan, I have
confuted in my defence against Gregory .Mar-
tin; Preface, Sect 18,20.

34. The Greek text of the New Testament
needeth no patronaM of men, as that which
is the very word and truth of God. The sin-
ceritv of our translations, against all your
frivolous cavillations, hath hitherto, thanks
be to God, been so strongly defended, as you
have rio list any more to assail it. And as
touching your easy answer that you can
make, why you translate not the Greek, /or-
sooth bccauxe it vs no infinitchj corrupted, all men
of reasonable understanding may conceive,
how well you have proved this infinite cor-

I'REFAGE.

mption. The sum of all your reasons being
drawn together, your argument is this. One
man suspecteth here and there, in three or
four places, some depravation, or else in a
name and a number, thinketh there is some
corruption, ergo liy confession of all the Cal-
vinists, the (Jreek text is inhniloly corrupted.
But you tell us, you will not grant the Greek
to be so corrupt, as we say, though you know
It less sincere, and uncorrupt than the Latin,
and therefore you prefer it, and have trans-
lated it. Well, it you know the Greek te.xt
that now is, to be sincere, where any of us
hath but suspected or judt^ed it to be cor-
rupt ; and we have proved it to be sincere
where you have slandered it to be corrupt :
there is no reason, why you should not
acknowledge it to be very perfect, and there-
fore have translated it, rather than the vulgar
Latin : which your own Bibles of Planthi's
edition, whereunto you refer us, do convince
of infinite variety, which as Hieronym saith,
is a manifest argument of falsehood, and as
5'et is not decided among you, in that variety,
which reading is to be followed, as true and
authentical.

35. A great token of your true meaning,
that }'ou prefer not the vulgar Latin, as
making more for you, in which respect in
these annotations it shall appear, that you
have more advantage in the Greek, than in
the Latin, being assured that we have not
one, and you nmny advantages in the Greek.
These Popish brags, all that read your writ-
ings, arf! so well acquainted with "them, that
we need not stand in doubt of them : having
tried by often experience, that wh«n the
matter cometh to approvement, your argu-
ments are no better than a false and feeble
cause can afford you, as m answer to the an-
notations, by God's help, will be made mani-
fest. In the mean space, you note unto us
certain places, where you have more ad-
vantage in the Greek than in the Latin. First,
in such places where we dare not translate |
the Greek, because itmaketh tor you, against
us. Secondly, where the Greek hath some |
words making for you, which the Latin hath j
not. Of the first sort, is the word Ju.ifiji<:a-
tiones, Luke 1, which we call ordinances of
purpose, as Beza confesseth. And why
should we not of purpose avoid that term,
which may be cause of ambiguity and error,
when the word in that place 'signifieth ano-
ther thing ? as I have showed in my defence
against Martin, Cap. 1, Sect. 50, and Cap. 8,
Sect. 1, and the Sections following.

For the word Tradiiiones, mine answer is,
cap. 2, in pU the sections : for the words. El-
ders, Priests, cap. 6, for Images and idols,
cap. 3, for the place of Luke 22, 20, cap. I,
sect. 37, 38, 39.

But to come to the latter sort. First you
bring two texts, 1 Cor 7, and Acts 16, 30,
where fasting is mentioned in the Greek text,
which is not in the vulgar Latin. O impu-
dent slanderers! do we deny fasting, because
we deny your antichristian prohibition and
abstinence from meats, to be Christian fast-
5

ing ? God be praised, our doctrine is sound
for fasting, would God our practice were as
often, as our judgment is pure and agreeable
to the holy Scriptures, in a hundred places
almost, that commend lasting.

Your next advantage is for free will, if
not flat Pelaginism, but catercousin with it,
that man's will being holpen with God's
grace, is free : and we hold, tiiat it is free
trom constraint, but not from bondage of sin,
Rom. 7. And what other thingcan you prove
out of that text, 1 John a. 18, " he that is born
ot God, preservcth himself:" dare you say by
force of free will, and not by the strength
of God's grace ? mtdie your syllogism, and
give us a plain conclusion, and we shall see
what advantage the Greek text giveth you.

Another giveth you advantage'against only
faith. What is that I pray you ; Apoc. 22. 14.
Blessed are they that do his commandments:
a goodly advantage, I promise you. They
that are justified by faith only in his merits
I do his commandments, an i none other.
Against special assurance of salvation, you
have Rom. 8. 38. Paul saith not as it is in
the Latin, certus .turn, I am sure, but Tciruaixai, I
a^m probably persuaded. Verily, either the
Greek word sii;niiieth I am sure, so as I can-
not be deceived, or else your vulgar transla-
tion is false. And where he saith, I am per-
suaded, he noteth the certainty of the word
and Spirit of God, whereby he hath this
assurance.

Your last advantage is about the sacrifice
of the Sacrament, where the Greek text useth
the present tense, referring that breaking of
his body, and shedding of his blood, to the
present sacrificing of it sjicramentally, and
mystically : but I would advise you to beware,
lest while you seek advantage for a Sacri-
fice, you lose your best argument for the
real presence, as you term it. For you are
wont to reason thus : He gave that which
Should be crucified, but his natural body
was crucified, therefore he gave his natural
body: and so he did, to be rec .ived spirit-
ually, as in a Sacrament or mystery. But to
shut you from your sacrifice, the word shed-
ding, so often repeated, will be sufficient, ex-
cept you have forgotten your old distinction
of his unbloody sacrifice from his bloody
sacrifice. If his blood be shed in the Sacra-
ment, then is the Sacrament also a bloody
sacrifice. So that you see, it is small gain
that you gather by this advantage, that you
need not cry out and say, '* Lo these and' the
Uke our advantages in the Greek more than in the
Latin." Nay rather these be your fantasies
of the Greek, and of the Latin.

36. There is none of us, that calleth the
vulgar translation of the New Testament
papistical, as though it were translated by
Papists, or else made so greatly for Papists,
when it is rightly understood : but because it
is so magnified'by the Papists, that it is pre-
ferred before the Greek ; which is the origi-
nal tongue in which the New Testament
was written, and commanded by the Triden-
line Papists, to be counted the only authenti-

34 PREFACE.

cal text. And he that said, the vulgar trans- 1 that you may deserve to escape all these things,
lation is worst of all, spake of the vulgar and to sta7id before the Son oj Man, and ao oi me

translation of the whole Bible, in comparison
• of the Plebrew of the old Testament, and of
the Greek of the New Testament, and of the
septuaginta in Greek, and the Latin thereof.
Your fond conclusions, " the Greek is more
Papistical, and Papistry is yery^ ancient, if the
vulgar translation be papistical,'" be as good
as your antecedent. Some of them call it so,
which I am sure, no man of learning hath
done, otherwise than 1 have before declared,
except it be for that it is abused of Papists,
to maintain Popery, when indeed the trans-
lator had no such meaiiing, as in the three
first examples it is manifest: for hy pan iten-
iiam agite, he meant not popish doing of pe-
nance, but true and Christian repentance : yet
you will not give over the show ot popish
penance and satisfaction, that you have by
that translation. Likewise, by sacramentum,
Eph.b. 32, he meant nothing but a mystery
generally, as the truth of the Greek is, and as
you do well prove out of his translations of
the same word, Apoc. 17. Nevertheless, if you
give over the hold, you would seem to have
of that translation, to make matrimony a
Sacrament of the New Testament, in that
sense that Baptism and the Lord's Supper
are called Sacraments : you shall have no

rest: for not only his translation had been i
true, but the sentences through his untrue
translation had been false : for though men
deserve, and are accounted worthy ofpunish-
ment and damnation by sin, yet they deserve
not God's grace and his kingdom, by their
works, but are accounted worthy of his bless-
ing and eternal felicity, for Christ's sake of
God's mere mercy. But you ask whether
Primasius, Augustin's scholar, were a Papist
for using this text, and all the rest that have
done the like ? I answrr no. For Prima-
sius meaneth nothing else, but that God is
pleased, as the Greek word signifieth, to ac-
cept such sacrifices. " With such sacrifices
and gilts God is pleased to receive them:
wherefore he saith by the Prophet, I will
mercy and not sacrifice. The poor man is
not to be considered, which seemeth to re-
ceive, but rather he which commanded to
give : for the alms which is given to the poor
man upon earth, is received of God in heaven.
And think not that he will render unto thee
that which he hath received : for thou hast
given earthly things, but thou shall purchase
eternal things." These be the words of Pri-
masius, which declare, that />ro7ner£?or was vul-
arly taken for dilecior, to be pleased or

show in the Scriptures to dazzle the eyes of | dehghted. Neither doth he mean any merit-
" -. ■• ^' 1 , • . •. j^g j^y jj^g term ot purchasing, which he
usetli : for he was an utter enemy to the Pela-
gians, as his master Augustin was, but only,
that God of his mercy doth crown and re-
ward his own gifts, not our merits, as Augus-
tin saith. And when he useth the name of
merits, he meaneth simply, works, as many

the ignorant. For Gratia Plena, 1 think, if
he had understood the force of the Greek
word rightly, he would have translated it
otherwise. That he translateth the very like
word, plenus ulceribus, which we also trans-
late, /wi of sores, ii may excuse him of par-
tial affection, but cannot defend his transla-

tion, to express the sense of the Greek word, j of the old writers Qui in that time : for other-
For the very like word he translateth ^us/j^- j wise there is no Father so clear for justifica-

tatt,beingjustifiedormade just, not full of jus-
tice, Rom. 3. 14, and 1 Cor. 4 4, justifcatus
sum, I am justified. But concerning the last,
phrase, Heb. 13, because he could not express
his own mind in Latin, I know not what his
meaning was, but leave it to God and himself.
Nevertheless it is certain, that it is not only
barbarous, but also false and blaspiiemous to
say, that by good works God's favour is
deserved.

The active of this verb, Heb. 11. 5, and 6,
he translateth placuisse and phcere, to please
and to have pleased : what else can the pas-
sive then signify, but to be pleased ? which
perhaps he meant, if he had known any
Latin word of the passive voice that had sig-
nified so much, for lack of which, he used
the term, wliich was of the common people
used in that sense.

Now where he useth the word mereri,
Heb. 10. 29, you say we like it well enough":
but how know you our liking so well? we
may allow the sense of the translation as
jood, because wicked men are thought wor

ion by faith only, as Primasius is, Rom. 3,
upon these words, being justified freely : Hear
this word freely, and hold thy peace of me-
rits. Likewise upon Rom. 4, and many other
places : and who so used this text according
to this meaning, we take theiu not for Papists.

But further you demand, whether Cyprian
was a Papist, for using so often this speech,
promereri, ^c. I answer : The using of the
v/ords maketh not a Papist, but the Popish
meaning, which Cyprian hath not; but that
God is pleased with just works and obedi-
ence, repentance and humility, not merited
or deserved : for he citeth the Scripture plen-
tifully, that we ought to glory in nothing,
seeing nothing is ours. Test, ad Quirin. cap.
4. And that we miist put our trust only m
(lod, and glory in him. Cap. 10. Your last
question, was it papistry to say Senior for
Preshiter, ^c. is foolish trifling. We accuse
not your translator ofpnpistry, though you
abuse his untrue or unperfect translations to
the defence of papistry.

We have answereci before of the words :

gOOu, utv-ciucJi, ..i^.v^.. ....... . — _ ■ - — -- — - ■

thy of punishment according to their deserts: and for the sentences we say, they are no
but we do not allow the translation, to be agree- papistical translations, neither do they any
able to the sense of the Greek word ufiwO^/crcrrt,, thing in the world favour Papi.stry : for they
and therefore he could not have said truly, arc vvell translati<d,:uid the very words of the
according to the same Greek verb, ttaa-Zi | Holy Ghost : when you can conclude any Pa-

PREFACE.

fiistry out ot tliese sentences in MOd and
awful form of arguments, we will vield to
your Papistry. Fmally, the ancient Failiers,
general Councils, and Churches of the west
part, that used these speeches hefore Pa-
pistry was hatched and fully shapen, were
not all Papists, but most of them professed
enemies to the usurped tyranny of the Pope,
to the pride ol his Clergy, to merit of works
and free will : and were maintainers of justi-
fication by faith onlj', of the marriage of them
that were not able to keep the vow of conti-
nence, as in answer to these annotations it
shall more fully appear ; and by their own
words not mangled, gelded, and falsified, as
they are in your annotations, but truly set
down as their books shall testify, whereby it
shall be evident, that you believe not as they
believed, nor interpret as they interpret, as
you use not the translation that many of them i
used, nor speak as they spake.

37. Not the desire of sincerity, but rather 1
of obscurity, hatiimade you thrust in a great
number of words, not only Hebrew or Sy-
riac, which are found in the Greek text, but
also Greek and Latin words, leaving the
English words of the same, which by long
use, are well known and familiar in the Eng-
lish tongue. And as for Hebrew and Syriac
words, which are found in the Greek text, it
is not to be misliked that they should be
brought also into the English tongue : be-
cause the Spirit of God, not without cause,
writing Greek, did think it meet to receive
them. And therefore in our translations,
we retain them all, except a few that are
usually expressed in English: as Amen,
Amen, in the beginning of a sentence, which
might well have been used, but that the trans-
lator studied to be more plain, and to express
the meaning of that asseveration. Alleluiah
we use in the New Testament, because we
find it in the Greek Testament: but when
we translate the Old Tes'iment, there is no
reason why we should not translate it into
English, as well as other words of the text.
We say also Hosaima, Raca, Belial, yea, and
Corbana, because we find them in the ori-
ginal text. But as for Greek terms, which
may well enough be expressed in the Eng-
lish tongue, we see no cause why we should
retain them, as Farasceve, Azymes, Neophyte.
And if you had so religious a care to use
all the Greek words in your English trans-
lation, which you find in your vulgar Latin
text, then you would as well have translated
these and such like Greek words as your
Latin text hath. Magi, Ecclesia, Archifriclinus,
Enccenia, Dyscolis, Pyra, Nanclerus, Typhoni-
cus, Bolis, Artemon, Dithalassus. Mages, Ec-
clese, Architricline, Encenes, Discoles, Pyre,
Nauclere, Typhonike, Bole, Artemon, Ditha-
lasse, and not as you have done, Sases,
Church, Chief Steward, Dedication, Way-
ward, Fire, Master ofthe ship, Tempestuous,
Sound, Mainsail, a place between the two
seas, where if we should pick quarrels as
you do against us, we should make ourselves
to all wise people ridiculous, as you are.

You neither like that our translation calleth
Farasceve, the day of preparing, nor the pre-
paration of the Sabbath, and yet both are
true, according as the word is taken in that
place. You say it is a solemn word for the
Sabbath eve ; but you are short ofthe sense,
for it is taken for a whole day before the
evening, and for the day of preparing : nei-
ther of which are contained in your Popish
term, eve. Where vou say, it is taken for
Good Friday only, Ignatius is against you,
Epi. 5, using it for every Friday. We trans-
late Fascha, Easter, or Passover, the one
being the usual English term for tiiat feast,
the other expressing the meaning of the He-
brew word. And what signifietn Azyma but
sweet bread, and unleavened bread, as we
translate it, and Panes propositionis but the
show-bread, or the bread that is showed ?
yet, you say, that the one is false, the other
ridiculous and strange : nevertheless some
of the best learned among you, have used
those terms, as Heskins, lib. 1, cup. 15, and
22, Slapleton translation of Beda, lib. 5, cap.
22. You mislike that Neophytus is translated
a young scholar, and will nave it restrained
to those that are newly baptized, though they
be old scholars. We know, that Neophytus
doth signify one lately planted, and so were
they called, that were lately baptized, in as
much as by the visible sign of baptism they
were newly ingrafted into the faith : but
if any such were well learned, he was not
excluded from the office of a Bishop, from
which Paul excludeth Neophytum, as appear-
eth by the story of Ambrose, who was chosen
Bishop before he was baptized, and ordained
Bishop the eighth day after he was baptized.
Neither doth Catechumenus signify always
him that is not baptized, for Paul useth it,
Galat. 6, 6, for every one that is instructed.
If Phylacteria could as well be Ervglished
either for sense or term, as Didragma, Para-
cletus, and such like, I think the translators
would not have feigned a term of the Greek
M'ord : although the word Phylacteries was
usual in the English tongue, before our late
translations, as appeareth in the Homil. of
Wiclifi'upon the Tuesday in the second week
of Lent. Where he also showeth what they
were. Concision -we use also, to express the
allusion unto circumcision : but there is no
such like reason, for Prepuce, depositum, gratis,
and such like Latin words as you use. Evan-
gelium signifieth the glad tidings ofthe Gos-
pel, and so we translate Luke 2. Evangelizo
I bring you glad tidings. And yet lodochus
Lorichius a Popish doctor, in his Gospel,
contendeth that Evangelium signifieth pro-
perly Bonum nuntium, good tidings rather
than glad tidings. So that by his judgment,
thatwhich you reprove is the better transla-
tion. But why do you not call Evangelium the
Evangil, as the Scots do ? as well as Evan-
gelizare to Evangelize, but that you affect
novelty of words, to obscure the Gospel,
as much as you can. In the rest, which you
call Catholic terms, you are glad to have a
sound of words out of the Scripture for a

l>KEi^'ACE.

show, seeing you have no raatier at all to jus-
tify your Popish Advent, penance, traditions,
and such like.

38. By all means you labour to suppress the
light ot truth, under one pretence or another.
For what prejudice had it been to the sense,
if you had translated spiritmks nequitioB, spi-
ritual wickedness, as you do desideriis carnis
luxurice, the desires of fleshly righteous-
ness, 2 Peter 2, 18 ? Your second example,
John 2, is no hard phrase in Greek, but
very vulgar and common, signifying as we
have translated, " What have I to do with
thee, woman ?" but that you are angry with
Christ for reprehending his mother, wlien
she was i i fault : whom you hold to be void
of all sin, even original, contrary to the Scrip-
tures. Otherwise you are not so precise in
the same phrase : For Matt. 8, 29, Quid7iobis
el tibi, you translate, " What is between us
and thee ?"

In the third example, some of your old
copies agreeing with the truth of the Greek,
why do'you follow the error of the rest of
your copies, but that you love darkness
rather than light ? In the fourth example,
the words of the te.xt following, " Thou
hearest the sound thereof," do plainly argue,
that spiritus in that place sisnifieth the wind,
and not the Holy Ghost. For the sound or
noise of the Holy Ghost is not heard. Nei-
ther do the ancient Fathers otherwise trans-
late it, though by that text, as they may
well, they prove the free working of God's
spirit.

In the fifth it is plain both out of the text,
and out of Matthew 8, 24, that the vessel was
filled with the waves of water. In the sixth
example, Luke 22, 5, Paul, 1 Cor. 11, doth
warrant us that tliis is Luke's meaning, " This
cup is the New Testainent." But you know-
why you would have hidden it as much as is
possible, because it is direct against Transub-
Stantiation. In tlie seventh, our translation is
according to the meaning, as appeareth. Matt.
24, 21. though yours be more precise to the
word of Mark.

In the eighth place, you say, that we boldly
and presumptuously add the word Scripture,
James 4, 6, saying, "The Scripture giveth
greater grace," whereas you leave it indif-
ferent to the Scripture, and the Holy Ghost
both going before. By which reprehension
you verify the saying of the Apostle, "The
spirit that dwclleth in you lustcth to envy."
For except envy of our well doing had
blinded your eyes, you would never have
said, that the Holy Ghost is that spirit that
lusteth unto envy, as both your vulgar trans-
lation, and you yourselves do render the text.

In the mnth, you seek a knot in a rush,
Heb. 12, 21, for whether this word, that, he
added or omitted, the sense is all one. And
you yourselves add many other words for
explication, as it is necessary for every trans-
lator.

Men and brethren, is our English phrase,
as masters and friends, of the same persons.
.And what difference is there between a

widow woman, and a woman that was a
widow ? A woman, a sister, the original text
saith not, 1 Cor. 9, bat a sister to wife : for it
were absurd to say, a sister a woman. But
where you say, the hell of fire, seeing your
Latin is gekennti ignis, why say you not the

fehenna of fire, as you say, PaKch, and not
assover. Amen, Amen, and not verily, ve-
rily ? If youmay express not only the phrase,
but also the Hebrew word in English, without
offence against the majesty of that speech, we
may be bold to bring the Hebrew phrase into
the English tongue, so as it may be under-
stood of Englishmen.

39. Seeing you confess, that the Latin
bein^ a translation, cannot always attain to
the full sense of the principal tongue, why
did you not translate out bf the Greek which
is the principal tongue ? And why doth the
"Tridentine assembly authorize that transla-
tion for only authentical, which neither doth
nor can attain to the full sense of the principal
ton;^iJe, before the text of the principal tongue
itself ? As for the advantage of your cause
whereof you speak, that hath been exactly
examined already, and more shall be in the
proper places.

It you added the Latin word every time,
that you give not the precise signification
thereof, yOu should make yourselves and
your vulgar Latin translation ridiculous even
to children that are young grammarians, as
when vou translate /cejierator, a creditor, Luke

7, stabitlum an inn, Luke 10, navis a boat,
Mark 8, navicula a ship, Luke 5, Non quia de
egenis verlinehat ad eum. Not because he
cared for the poor, and such like.

How precise you are, let those few ex-
amples last before remembered testify And
for adding, let your own confession bear wit-
ness. Curaverunt Slephanum. " Tliey took
order for Stephen's funeral :" where a plain
dressing of his battered body unto burial is
signified, and no pompous funeral And if I
should follow such small quarrels as you do,
I might bring plenty of examples, as 2 Cor.

8, Qui multum, he that had much, and Qui
modicum 7wn minoravit, he that had little,
wanted not. 2 Cor. 1, Supra virtutem, above
our power. 1 Cor. 13, Evaciiavi wa; erant
parvnli, I did away the things that oelanged
to a little one.

For diminishing, take these examples. 1
Cor. 14. But if they learn any thing, will or
desire left out. Acts 25. But Festus an-
swered that Paul is in Cesarea, this word
kept, being omitted. But Acts 10, 41, in a
place of great importance, and a matter of
some controvery, the text is diminished of a
whole clause testibus praordinatis a Deo, for
which you give us no English at all. Like-
wise Heb. 1, 28, in a matter of controvers)r,
where the Latin is. Lex enim homines consti-
tuit sacerdotes, yon translate for the Law ap-
pointeth Priests them that have infirmity, leaving
out Homines, where the antithesis is between
the Priesthood of men, and of the Son of
God.

These be diminishings of your Latin text,

PREFACE.

which otherwise is defectire from the Greek
ia a hundred places, yet you make a great
matter, that the name ot Paul is left out
in the title of the Epistle to the Hebrews,
and the name of Catholic in the title of the
Epistle of James. But the tiiles are no part
of the word of God. One ancient Greek copy
leaveth out the name of Paul. Again, thot-(
other five Epistles are called Catholic or ge-
neral, not as though the doctrine of them,
were more sound and Catholic than the doc-
trine of Paul's Episdes, but because they are
directed to uo special city or country, but
either nniversal to all Christians, or to all
Jews, inhabiting many nations.

40. You take enough unto you, to use your
judgment in pointing, which may alter the
whole sense, and sometimes ^ive a contrary
meaning. And as you are bold sometimes to

prefer the margin reading, before the text,
wlien by the Greek or the Fathers, you see it
is a manifest fault of the writer, so might you
have done in many more places, and made
your translation more agreeable to the truth
of the Greek text: if you had not rather fly
from the truth, than come no nearer than you
be enforced.

Now I also let the reader understand my
purpose in answer to the Annotations. I mean
not to strive for every word in the margin,
as the name of the Popish feasts, and such
like, neither to meddle with those Annota-
tions, which although they be not rightly
gathered out of the text, yet contain no im-
piety, or slander of the Church, or the true
members (hereof But only with such as are
framed against the truth, and the maintainers
of it.

REPLY TO THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

The truth and sense of the Scripture com-
eth not only by the credit we give unto the
Church, but also by the spirit of God which
giveth witness to his word, as the Prophet
saith, "My spirit which is within thee, and
my words which 1 have put in thy mouth,
and the mouth of thy seed, shall not fail for
ever." And therefore you falsify Augustin's
authority, in translating commoveret, moved.
For he saith as there were many things,
which held him in the Catholic faith, so, if he
were not an infidel, he would not believe the
Gospel, unless the authority of the Church,
for the most part, do first move the outward
man, to know and reverence the Scripmres :
yet afterward, by the spirit and the word, he
is confirmed in the faith of them, so that now
he believeth, not only for the authority of the
Church, which consisteth of men, but by the
assurance of the word of God, and the autho-
rity of the word itself, expressed in the
Scriptures. And therefore Augustin in the
14th chapter of the same book, saith of the
Maniches, as we may say of the Papists,
" what have we to do but to forsake them,
that invite us to know certain, and afterward
command us to believe uncertain things : and
to follow them which invite us first to believe,
that which we are not yet able to behold,
that being made stronger through faith itself,
we may attain to understand that we believe,
now not men, but God himself, confirming
and lighting our mind inwardly." The other
two sentences of Augustin, although they be
not truly and wholly cited, yet they contain
nothing for the Popish Church which is not
Catholic, but particular, heretical, antichris-
tian, and hath no succession in doctrine from
the Aposiles and the Bishops of the primitive
Church whose doctrine it hateth and perse-

cuteth. For it is continuance in the same
doctrine that Augustin commendeth, and not
sitting in the same place, where the Apostlea
and ancient Bishops sat.

Luther, Zuinglius and Calvin, who received
and believed all the Scriptures of God, and al-
ways gave sovereign authority only unto them,
are unfitly compared with such heretics, as
Tertullian named, who refused what Scrip-
tures they would, and corrupted the rest at
their pleasure. Therefore although all their
heresies are condemned by the Scriptures,
which is sufficient to establish the faithfiil,
yet it was in vain, to encounter with them, by
authority of Scriplures, which they did not
admit ; whereas by the argument of pre-
scription, they were plainly convinced. For
as Tertullian smth. that is true v;hich is ^rsi,
and that is false which is latter, which is the
meaning of Tertullian, and his scope in that
book of prescription against heretics.

The Papists in this point of vaunting, are
not behind, as appeareth in the preface. And
wherefore serve these Annotations, but to
vnunt themselves of the Scriptures .' But
they are never the more to be trusted for that,
but the Scriptures more diligently to be
searched, and studied, that their falsehood in
perverting them, may the better be espied
and discovered.

Calvin and Jewel have their pages gar-
nished not only with authorities of Scriptures,
but also the sentences of the ancient fathers
of the primitive Church, which by the judg-
ment of Vincentius, are means to bring them
to the true understanding of the Scriptures,
and are testimonies, that they teach not their
ov\Ti new" inventions, as Samosatenus, Pris-
cillian, Eunomius, Jovinian, &,c. but the
ancient faith of the Church, planted by the

REPLY TO THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

Apostles, ana continued by the ancient fathers i
for many hundred years after Christ, even
until the Apastacy was made by Antichrist. |

While you hold tradition beside the Scrip- '
ture to be necessary, you cannot defend the i
Scripture to be perfect and sulTicient by itself, [
unto all points of faith, as Vuicentius saith:j
whom you falsify in translating ad omnia in |
all points ; and leaving out that he saith be- 1
fore, of the means to defend faith, which are
the authority o< God's law, and the tradition |
of the Catholic Church, which tradition
bringeth in nothing that is left out of the
Scriptures, as yours do, but containeth the
sum of Catholic doctrine grounded in the
Scriptures. As appeareth plainly by the
words of the same Father, abridging his for-
mer sentence. " We have said before, that this
hath always been, and is also at this day,
the custom of the Catholics, to approve the
true faith, by these two means. First by the
authority of the divine canon, afterward by
tradition or delivery of the Catholic Church,
not because the canon alone, is not by itself
sufficient unto all things : but because many
interpreting the words of God after their own
pleasure, do conceive divers opinions and
errors. And therefore it is necessary tliat
the understanding of the heavenly Scripture
be directed to one rule of ecclesiastical sense,
only in those questions chiefly, on which the
foundations of the whole Catholic doctrine
do lean."

By which saying it is plain, that Vincentius
allowed another manner of perfection and
sufficiency of the Holy Scripture, than you
do acknowledge, which teach, that tiiere be
articles of faith necessary to be believed,
which are not to be proved out of the Scrip-
ture, but stand only upon credit of tradition,
as prayer for the dead, invocation of Saints,
&c. whereas Vincentius .speaketh of no tra-
dition but that which is grounded upon the
canon of the Scriptures.

In the second testimony of Basil also, you
falsify his meaning, translating dogmata, arti-

cles of religion, whereby you would have it
thought, that he speakeih of articles of faith
and doctrine, preached in the Church, which
have no warrant of the Scriptures, whereas
he speaketh only of forms of speech, by which
the articles of faith taught in the Scripture,
are expressed, and of rites or ceremonies
used in the Church in his time. As that they
used to sing in the Church : glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, with the Holy Ghost.
The heretics objected, that this form of
speech, with the Holy Ghost, was not found in
the Scriptures. Basil proveth by the Scrip-
ture, that equal glory is due to the Holy
Ghost, with the Father, and the Son. But
touching the use of the preposition aw, in
that form of glorifying the Holy Trinity,
which of ancient time had been used in the
Church, he referreth it to the Apostolic tra-
dition, as he doth a number of ceremonies
beside, and forms of public service then used
in the Church : which he called doyiiara, that
are not spoken of in the Scripiuies, at least
not plainly and expressly, for he defendeth
some of tnem to have their reason out of the
Scriptures : counting among them the form
of this confession : to believe in the Father,
in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost, which form
of words in so many syllables, is not found in
all the Scriptures, yet the truth and substance
of this confession is most plainly and perfectly
contained in the Holy Scriptures. Basil there-
fore is no patron of traditions that bring in arti-
cles of faith or religion not contained in the
Scriptures, as is evident by other places of
his writings, as in his moral. Reg. 26.
" Every word and deed ought to be warranted
by the testimony of the Scriptures inspired of
God. And Re^. 8. If whatsoever is not of
faith is sin, as the Apostle saith, and faith is
of hearing, and hearing by the word of God,
whatsoever is without the Holy Scripture,
seeing it is not of iaith, is sin." The same
judgment he showeth in many other parts of
nis works, tract, de vera et piafide, in re ul,
brev. inter 1. et 95. ct 93. Episl. 80

THE ANSWER TO THE ANNOTATIONS ON MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.

Chapter 1.
1. You must understand this note, where
there is a Priest or Deacon, that can chant
it lustily, as in Cathedral Churches, or other
great choirs: as for poor country Churches,
where there is none but one hedge Priest
that can neither well sin" nor say, it is
munililed up as the rest of the morrow mass,
unless we shall think that poor Churches and
Chapels be no part of the Pope's holy Church.
To the leasts of the conception ana nativity
of our lady, which is a very idol, you might
have added the visitation of Mary, of the
common people called the new-found lady-
day. But the true histories of the Gospel
have not so great honour with you as the
idolatrous and blasphemous inventions of
your own brain. For therefore you have ap-
pointed those solemn feasts of the conception
and nativity, because you teach contrary to
the Scriptures, that the blessed Virgin Mary
was conceived and born without spot of ori-
ginal sin. Rom. 5, 12, and 16, Rovi. 3, 9, Gal.
3, 22. And therefore, instead of honouring
her with the singular privilege of Christ the
Saviour and Retieemer of both her and us,
you honour an idol, and not her : for an idol
IS nothing in the world. And so is that man
or woman who is conceived without original
sin, except our Saviour Christ, who was con-
ceived by the Holy Ghost, as none other ever
was or shall be. Likewise when you call the
blessed Virgin our Lady, as you call God and
Christ our Lord, what do you but make her
equal with God and Christ, in power and re-
demption ? In which respect God is called
our Lord. For it is no term of civil and
temporal dignity and authority, as when we
say, our sovereign lady the Queen, but a re-
ligious and divine honour that you ascribe
unto her, calling her absolutely, our lady, as
blasphemously as the Frenchmen do ridicu-
ously call other saints. Monsieur S. Pierre.
M. S. Peter, or my Lord S. Peter, and Madavi
S. Gen/efe, Mistress S. Genofefa, or, my
lady S. Genofefa, &c. In which appellation,
as in offering of candles, and other things
unto her image, and worshipping thereof, you
resemble the old CoUyridian heretics, agamst
whom, and generally against the worshipping
of images, Epiphanius, writeth, Heres. 79
and 78, calling the making of images to be
worshipped, a devilish interit, and the wor-
shipping of them and of the Virgin Mary, to be
a deifying of her, and a blasphemous and
wicked work. What would he have written
if he had seen the horrible idolatry com-
mitted by the Papists in the pilgrimages to
the images of the blessed Virgin, where you
called, and yet call stocks and stones your lady,
as our Lady of Walsingham, Ipswich, Paris,
Antwerp? What else were they but dead

images at those places ? If he had heard
your blasphemies uttered in the solemn fes-
tivities that you liold in her honour, contained
in hymns, anthems, and especially in that ex-
ecrable Psalter of Bonaventure, who per-
vertelh whatsoever the iJoly Ghost hath ut
tered in praise ot God, abusuig it to magnify
the Virgin Mary. Roga Patrem, Jube natum
Entreat the Father, command the Son. Coge
Det.ii, compel God. Vita salus, our life and
salvation, &c.

20. Augusiin in the place quoted, by the
word Sacrament, meaneth the holy mystery
that is in marriage, of the inseparable con-
junction of Christ with his Church, therefore
he saith Sacramentum, quia nullum, divortium,
Sacrament because there was no divorce.
Not that matrimony is a Sacrament of the
New Testament, seeing it was itisiituted in
Paradise before the fail of man, as baptism
and the Lord's Supper are called Sacraments,
which he saith, are fewest in number, and
findeth ro more in the Canonical Scriptures.
Epist. ad Januar. If 8. But as he calleth ge-
nerally every sacrifice of the Old Tesiarnent,
a Sacrament, that is, a holy sign of the invi-
sible sacrifice. De civ. Dei. lib. 10, c. 5. And
as he calleth that bread, which in that time
was given to young novices in Christian reli-
gion before they were baptized, a holy Sa-
crament, though it was not the body of Christ.
Depcc. mer. and remiss, lib. 2, c. 26. Likewise
in Psalm 44, he so calleth all the mysteries of
Christian doctrine uttered in divers tongues,
Sacramenta doctrincc, Sacraments of doc-
trine.

23. We teach even as Paul doth, 1 Cor.
7, although we teach that marriage is better
than single life, where virginity or chastity
are not kept, but counterfeited. And so held
Epiphan. and the Church in his time. Cont.
Aposl. hcer. 61. Hierom and Dcmtt.

25. You do most impudently allege Au-
gustin, to testify that Helvidius was con-
demned for a heretic by tradition only, for
Augustin hath no word sounding to that pur-
pose. And Epiphanius, whom he supposeth
to have understood Helvidians by Antidi-
comarianites, labourelh to convince that error
by Scriptures. And Hierom, in his book
against Helvidius, showeth that he was con-
demned for affirming that of the Virgin
Mary, which is not read in the Scriptures,
in these words, "But as we deny not these
things that are written, so we reject those
things that are not written. That God was
born of a virgin we believe, because we read
it : that Mary had matrimonial company with
her husband after her delivery, we do not
believe, because we read it not." Behold
what a friend Hierom was to imwritten tra-
dition !

•10

MATTHEW.

Chaptkr 2.

i. This coming was a divine inspiration,
and oracle : lor the star only could not tell
them that Christ was born in Jewry. " Their
coming," saith Hieroni, " was to the confusion
of the Jews, that they might learn the birth
of Christ by the Gentiles." Chrysostom,
Horn. 6. in Matt. Because Christ was come
to make an end of the old Testament, and to
call the whole world to adore Him, who was
to be worshipped by sea and land, from the
very beginning of his nativity, he openeth
the door to the Gentiles, and so instructeth
his domestical, that he also inviteth strangers ;
and, therefore, had no resembling to Popish
pilgrimage, which is idolatry. Neither doth
their example of comin" to Christ, warrant the
faithful in the like kind of external worship,
done to holy persons, places, and things. For
what faithful Christian will grant, that ^.■hatso-
ever may be done to Christ's own person, their
King, the same OT the like may be done to any
of his subjects? much less to any places, or
other dead things. Such shameless collec-
tions as this, may warrant all idolatry and he-
resy.

4. Not the privilege of their unction
forceth the priests sometimes to say the
truth, for then they should never He, because
that privilege remaineth still with them ; but
^ the will of God sometimes e.xpresseth the

confession of truth, even out of his adversa-
ries. Ckrysost. in Malt. Horn. /• The very
enemies of the truth are forced for the truth
to read the Scriptures, and to interpret the
prophecy of Christ to them that were igno-
tant, although they would not publish the
whole truth.

11. Chrysostom speaketh not of adoration
of the Sacrament, but of the reverent co-
ming to the participation of the Lord's ta-
ble, that they receive it not unworthily, as the
words going before and after do plainly de-
clare : Immediately before, he saith, "How
miich the greater the benefit is which we re-
ceive, so much the more we shall be punish-
ed, when we appear unworthy of it." And,
after he had set forth the example of the
wise men, with many amplifications, he con-
cludeth iri these words : " Let us be stirred
up, therefore, and be afraid, and show forth
greater piety, that coming neither negli-
gently, nor coldly, we offer our head to a more
_^ vehement fire. This I say not, that we

should not come at all, but that we should not
come rashly." It is reverence of the holy
mysteries that he requireth, not worshipping
of the outsvard elements, as his own words
declare. " Thou seest him," &,c., not with
the bodily eyes, but with the eyes of faith, as
thou seest the Holy Ghost poured forth, whose
nature to the bodily eye is altogether invisi-
ble ; yet with the eyes of faith is seen, that
is, certainly known to work, in the divine
mysteries, not transubstantiation, whereof he
never heard or thought, but the spiritual
feeding of the faithful, with the body and
blood of Christ. "Wherefore, ascend to the
galea of heaven and hnrk diligently, yea

rather not of heaven but of the heaven of
heavens, and then thou shalt behold that we
say : for that which is worthy of highest
honour, I will show thee inearth:" meaning
the body of Christ, " which thou dost not
only see, but also handle and eat," &-c. All
which speeches must be, of necessity, im-
derstood of a spiritual manner of seeing,
handling, and eating by faith of the inward
man whereof he saith, " Wipe thy soul, there-
fore, from all filthiness, and prepare thy mind
to the receiving of these mysteries."

Likewise Hxim. 7. in Ivlatthew, he saith,
they are like Herod, that abuse unworthily
the communion of the mystery of the bodv
and blood of Christ, and rebukeththem, whicli
refuse to visit Christ in his poor members, as
the wise men did in the crib : likewise them
that leave Christ, in the spiritual crib ; that is,
that forsake the communion of the Lord's
table, and run to filthy plays, unto the theatre.

Horn, de Philogonia, he useth the like ex-
hortation by e.xample of the wise men, to the
worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper, not
to the adoring of the Sacrament, after the
Popish manner : " For if we shall come with
faith, out of doubt, we shall see him lying in
the crib : for this table supplieth the place of
the crib : for here, also, the Lord's body is
laid, not wrapped in swaddling clothes," as
then, but on every side clothed with the Holy.
Ghost : they which are admitted to these mys-
teries, know what is said. A»id the wise men
truly did nothing but worship, but thee we
will sufler, if thou shalt come with a pure
conscience to receive it, and to depart after
thou hast received it." Here is no word of
worshipping of that which we see with our
bodily eyes, but to receive him revcrenth%
whom we may see by faith : so that none of
these places favour the kneehng and knock-
ing, that is, the gross idolatry, maintained by
the Papists, unto the sacramental bread and
cup.

11. It is a mere fable, without ground of
antiquity, or any probability, that these philo-
sophers were kings, which being much for
the honour of Christ, as you say; the Evange-
list would not have omitted. Chrysostom
saith, that the Jews ought to have perceived,
how great dignity was added unto them, by
the nativity of so great a king, which, bv his
triumphant birth, had drawn //le ^in^ o/'Per-
sia unto him, and under whom they might
subdue all people. But it is against reason,
that the king of Persia, who was, at that
time, a great monarch, came to Jerusalem.

And CTirysostom, speaking of the Magi, ne-
ver giveth them any honourable title meet for
kings, but speaketh more contemptibly ol
them than he should, for he saith tliev were
ungodly and barbarous men, 1 Cor. Horn. 24.
Therefore, he meaneth not, that the kin^ of
Persia came in person, but that by preaching
of the wise men, when they returned into
their country, the king of Persia might be
brought to the knowledge of his nativity.

Thcophylact, a more late writer, aaitn, the
Jews should have rejoiced, that they should

MATTHEW.

have such a king, as sliould be worshipped of
the Persian kings. Where, if he mean that
these magi were kings, he goeth against all
stories, which teil that there was but one
king of the Peisi.ius at once. An;!, for the
number of tiieni, the author of the imperfect
work, that goeth under the name of Ciirysos-
toin, being as ancient as he, out of au old
stor)', saith, they were twelve in number,
philosophers and wise men, not kings. Gau-
dentius Epistol. ad Paulum, Legati uuiverm-
Tum gentium Magi. Synesius, Hym. 7. Ma-
gorum sapiens ars, ex steUcs ortu obstupuil duhia.
Cosmas Hieros. calleth them Astrologians,
Hym. 1. Beda in Matt. Magi non propter

Saints, as you term it, or in defining who aro
holy, nothing perfaineth to the Pope s manner
of canonization ; which is a curious, costly,
and theatrical pomp, unmeet for the simpli-
city of the Church of Christ, and meet for the
bravery of the whore of Babylon. Where
nevertheless forthe credit of his canonization,
you may see a protestation tliat the Pope
maketh, if it happen he be deceived, in the
person to be canonized. And the author of
the book saith upon good testimony, that the
Pope was once compelled to canonize one
against his opinion. What sure credit can
there be of the Pope's canonization, when

every Pope hath authority to annul and inhi-
bit all the acts of his predecessor, as the fa-

lyn
Magicam artem sic nominantur, sed propter ali-

tjuam Fhilosophiam in qua Balaam successores nious tragedy of Formosus, and Ins acts, so
creduntur. But they that feigned the names, oitcn confirmed and disannulled, his dead body
might feign the number, and the deportation j mangled, and then reverenced as a Saint, by
of their bodies from tiie East, where they i the imao;es in Peter's Church, if your stories
slept many hundred years, to Colen. Sa- I do not lie, doth abundantly testify. Herm.
ving, that it is too impudent a fiction, to place [ Shedel, Platina, &lc. Fontif. Mar. ad Corcyr.
them in two cities at once, for Milan maketh
as great claim, and showeth as good evidence
for their bodies, as Colen. But the monsters
of Popish relics pass all Ovid's metamor-
phoses.

16. NeitherOri^en, nor Augustin, nor any
ancient writer affirmeth, that evei-y one of
those children was a holy martyr ; neither are

Arch.

Chapter 3.
1 Your Popish Hermits, as the places
of their Hermitage yet remaining in England
do declare, dwelt not in desert or solitary
places, but for the most part, near great cities
and populous towns, and in austerity of life,

you able to prove it. Macrobius writeth, that ' were not so much as shadows of the old Her-
one of the sons of Herod himself, that was j mits, of whom there is mention in the an-
nursed in those parts, was slain among the i cient Fathers' writings. Of whose profession
rest I suppose it is not necessary to believe yet John the Baptist was not author, because
that Herod's child was a Saint. Neither do I his office was singular, neitiier doth any of
think, that they which instituted that feast, the old Fathers so call hirii, although some
meant to canonize him for a Saint, or every i say, he was the chiefest of them, that led a
Pagan's son, if any such were amongst them. ' solitary life in the wilderness. The Centu-
As for them that were not circumcised, be- I riasts indeed say, that Chrysostom spake
cause they were not eight days old, there I somewhat rashly, and against the trutn of
is no cause, why we should think them , the thins^, where he maketh John Baptist,
to be damned, seeing the Sacrament of Cir- ' prince ofall monJvs, Horn. 1 in Mark, and Horn,
cumcision could not be ministered before the I 69. in 21. Matt, not content to say, "they
eighth day. Before which age, it is not to be lead an Angel's life, and talk freely with God,"
doubted, but that many thousands of the Jews' but also, " that their soul is without all griefs
infants died. Where you say, their holyday an4 passion, and their body such as Adam's
hath been kept ever smce the Apostle's time, was, before his sin," which is contrary to the
you are bold to affirm that you are not able to doctrine of original sin. Now whether these
prove. Augustin speaketh but of his owm things were written by Chrysostom advisedly
time. The homilies in diversos, which go and truly, 1 appeal to your own judgments,
under Origen's name, as Erasmus telleth you, which I know to be very corrup', yet I think
be not all his, but written by some Latin au- none of you have the face to defend all those
thor, and those that were his, are corrupted words, as they lie, without any cavillation to
by Ruffinus. So that you come not clearly to be true and Catholic doctrine. All the Pro-
the time of Origen, and though you did, you testant.s do grant the austerity of John's life,
were short of the Apostle's time. And the in the place of his abode, in his apparel, and
author of that homily in diversos, allegeth the in his diet : yet they do not place it only in
Holy Fathers, not the Apostles, for command- I these. And although they say, the desert had
ing the celebration of their memory. And j towns and villages not far off, as the truth is,
certain it is, that before the time of Constan- yet they acknowledge it was a solitary place,
tine the great, that gave peace to the Church, ] They that say his garment was chamblet,
there were not many festival days observed, speak not of fine cnamblet, but of a rough
Insomuch, that the t~easts of the nativity of and coarse cloth, made of the great and hard
Christ, Easter, and Pentecost, were not uni- i hairs of camels, not of the fine and soft hairs,
formly observed in all places for many years called camel's wool, whereof our chamblet
jifter, as appeareth by Cone. Aurel. 4. rap. 1. [ and grograine are made ; for his meat, they
Tolet. 10. cap. 1. Brae. 2. cap. 9. Beda, De tern- i say, it was Locusts, which are usual to be
porisratione, <ic. What judgment soever the [eaten in that country, and wild honey, or
Church in old time, had in canonizing of ' dew honey, which there also is common.
6

MATTHEW.

Not thereby making him a common man, or
a delicate person, but a man ot straight life,
and austere conversation.

2. When you understand by penance,
satisfaction for sin, do penance, is not the
English for the Latin, agite pmnitentiam, nei-
ther in word, nor sense. And that your
interpreter meant no more in agiie pcBniteniiam
than repentance, his own translation of the
same Greek word Mark 1. 15. is manifest,
where you are content to say, be penitent.
Agere pwnitentiam nihil aliud est, quam projileri
et nffirmare se ulterius non peccaturum. had.
de vero cult. lib. 6. c. 13. Perfecta est aidem,
pcBnitentia, prcBterita dejiere et futura non ad-
mitlere. Isid.orig.lih.Q. c.de. officis. To require
satisfaction in them that are to be baptized,
is against your own Popish learning : tor
many of you hold, that there is free remission
of all sins without any satisfaction in baptism.
As for the painful satisfaction, that Cyprian
speaketh of, is meant of satisfaction unto the
Church, that is offended, to be made by them,
that had fallen unto denial of Christ, or idola-
try, through terror of persecution, by such
means to give outward testimony of the in-
ward sorrow of their hearts, for so grievous
offences, not to make amends to the justice
of God for their sin. Neither was that public
satisfaction required of every one that sinned,
but only of those that had fkllen openly and
grievously into some heinous crime. And
Beza doth justly mislike your translation,
because in show of words, though not in the
meaning of the translator, it favoureth that
blasphemous doctrine of satisfaction for sin
unto the righteousness of God, which was
thoroughly performed by the sacrifice of
Christ's death. But that the Greek word
signitieth satisfactory penance, you send us
first to Matt. 11. 21, where our Saviour saith,
Tyre and Sidon would have repented in sack-
cloth and ashes, but never a word of satisfac-
tion: for sitting in sackcloth and ashes is no
satisfaction for .sin, but an outward sign of true
sorrow for sin, and humbling of the soul to de-
sire forgiveness of sins. Neither is there one
word more, Luke 10. 13, whither you send us
next. In the third place, 2 Cor. 7. 9, Paul
saith, he is glad that they sorrowed unto re-
pentance, for the sorrow that is after God
worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be
repented of. What word is here sounding for
satisfaction? As for godly sorrow and grief
of mind, to be necessary unto true repentance,
we never will deny : but that sorrow is any
satisfaction to God's justice, as a horrible
blasphemy, we utterly abhor to hear of it.
But where Scripture heljioth you not, you
tell us, that Basil calleth the Ninevites' repent-
ance, with fasting, hair-cloth, and ashes, by
the same Greek word ncravoiav, and we ac-
knowledge as much, because our Saviour
Christ calleth their repentance by the same
word ficTtirjooar, Matt. 12. 41. But where is
satisfaction ? Basil in the place by you noted,
plainly showeth the use of sackcloth and
ashes, and such like outward forms, "sack-
cloth," saith he, " is a helper unto repentance

being a sign of humiliation; he saith not it
is a pan of repentance, as you say satisfac-
tion is. Euchinxts, Disput. John. cup. 7. Lactant.
de vero cull. lib. 6. cap. 24.

6. If general confession was not sufficient,
but every man must utter all his sins in parti-
cular, John had shriving work enough, for
seven years, to hear the confessions of Je-
rusalem, and all Jewry, and all the country
about Jordan, of whom never a man was
ever shriven before, and therefore every man's
confession must be very long. Papists
blush you not at this impudent collection ?

8. Fruits worthy of repentance are no sa-
tisfaction for sin, but arguments of true re-
pentance, effects of repentance, and not part
of it. Neither doth Hierom say that fasting,
prayers, &c., are satisfaction for sin, but to-
kens of repentance. " Be ye converted to
me with all your heart. And declare the re-
pentance of'^your mind, with fasting, and
weeping, and mourning. Despair not of par-
don, through the greatness of your wicked-
ness, for great mercy shall wipe awav great
sins." Hierom knew no satisfaction for sins,
to the justice of God, but the death of Christ.

10. They that hear us prench, can testily
that you lie : although we exhort not men to
do good only, or chiefly in hope of reward,
nor to avoid sin only for fear of hell, but ra-
ther in duty and thankfulness to God, that
God may be glorified by their good conver-
sation, an<l not dishonoured by their wick-
edness, which profess his name, and despise
his laws.

11. Remission of sins is proper unto God,
as we'll in John's baptism, as in the baptism
of Christ. .John here compareth the ministry
of man with the authority and power of God.
The outwaid baptism with the spiritual bap-
tism : whereof the first is, done by the hand
of man, the other is peculiar only unto our
Saviour Christ. And though some of the an-
cient Fathers were of another opinion, yet
Mark saith expressly, that John preached the
baptism of repentance, unto forgiveness of
sins. And who can separate remission of
sins from true repentance? when the Lord
promiseth, at what time soever the sinner
repenteth, to pardon his sin. The seal of
baptism also, added to the doctrine of repent-
ance, must needs testify remission of sins ;
namely, the soul to be washed by mercy, as
the body is with water. Neither doth this
doctrine derogate any thing from the bap-
tism of Christ, seeing it is Christ that tbr-
giveth sins, and giveth grace in the baptism
ministered by John, and ministered by his
Apostles. For John's baptism was of God's
institution, and not of John's devising. Gau-
dentius. Bishop of Brixia. Re.^p. ad Paul.
Diac. saith, " That Christ came to John's
baptism as a sinner to wash away our sins
in his body," which could not be, if John's
baptism did not wash away sins at all. And
touching the maniRjld heresies that you
charge us with, I answer, that God by bap-
tism assureth his children of the remisfiion
of their sins, not that the act of baptism, as

MATTHEW.

your heresy maiulaineth, of the work wrought,
taketh away sin, though a man were baptized
being asleep. To the second I answer, that
a true Christian is assured by the Sacrament
of Baptism, of salvation, and therefore to be
cleansed and justified from his sins, not only
that he committed before baptism, but that of
frailty he conmiitteth to the end of his life.
Which your heresy will not allow, extending
the effect and vir'ue of baptism only to the
time before the Sacrament received, which
in them that are baptized being infants, is
but short, and for little more than original
sin. For the third we answer, that tlie sal-
vation of children dependeth not upon the
outward sign, and yet it is necessary, tiiat
the children of Christian parents be baptized,
if they may attain to the Sacrament, accord-
ing to Christ's institution. For the contempt,
and not the want of baptism, where there is
no default in the party, is damnable.

12. We abhor the heresy of them that hold
the Church visible or militant in earth, to
consist only of the good. But the heavenly
Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all, the
universal Church and body of Christ, consist-
eth only of God's elect, and members of
Christ, ordained to eternal salvation.

16. Christ was the first that ascended in
body into heaven, as he was the first fruits
of the dead : the first that rose again to live
forever. But seeing the virtue of his death
and resurrection were as available to the
Fathers under the law, as unto us: to satisfy
for their sins, and to make them righteous,
as it is to us : we doubt not but the souls of
the Fathers were in heaven, paradise, or
Abraham's bosom, even where the souls of
the faithful departed are now. For the Apostle,
Heb. 9, 8, meaneth, that the way to heaven
was not opened by the priesthood and sacri-
fices of the law, but by the priesthood and
sacrifice of' Christ. And Heb. 11, 40, where
he saith, the Fathers received not the pro-
mises, it is plain, he speaketh of the full
consummation of them, which none shall re-
ceive until the end of the wo/ld, when they
with us, and we with them, shall be made
perfect together.

Chapter 4.
1. Christ went into the wilderness, neither
for penance, nor contemplation, but as the
text saith, that he might be tempted of the
devil. Which no Christian ought to do, to
offerhimselfto temptation, therefore his going
is no warrant, nor example unto Hermits.
Secondly, he went by special instinct, and
leading of the spirit, which warranteth not
men that are led by their own will and affec-
tion. Thirdly, Christ remained in the wilder-
ness, for a short season. Therefore is no
example for them that spend their life in the
wilderness. Fourthly, he fasted forty days,
which no man can do of his own strength.
As for your Popish Hermits in England, they
never canie in the wilderness, but oftentimes
in the cities and towns : sometime, in the
sVews. As Stephen Gardiner, if he were

living, could testify of one brought before
him.

2. Montanus the heretic, as Eusebius testi-
fieth out of Appollonius, was the first that
prescribed laws of fasting. Eccl. Hist. lib.
5. c. 18. And Ireneus saith in his epistle to
Victor, that as there was in his time variety
in observing the feast of Christ's resurrection,
so in keeping the fast that went before it.
"For some thought they ought to fast one
day, some two days, some more, some forty
hours day and night, which divcrsitiy of fast-
ing commendeth the unity of faith and reli-
gion." Euseb. lib. 5. c. 23. Ireneus there-
tore dischargethyour forty day's Lent of the
Apostles' institution. Dionys. Alexand. Ep.
ad Ba. showeth, that some fasted six days
before Easter, some two days, some three,
some four, some none. Now let us examine,
what you bring out of later writers, among
whom 1 account Ignatius, though his Epistle
have the name of a more ancient writer. But
.Terome in Cat. knew no epistle of his to the
Philippians. And the authentical testimony
of Ireneus cited by Eusebius, of the diversity
of fasting, manifestly declarelh, that there
was no such Lent, as that epistle nameth, in
the days of Ignatius, who was an immediate
successor of the Apostles. And albeit there
was an ancient fast of forty days before Eas-
ter, yet was not that your Popish Lent, where
flesh is prohibited, and fish permitted, hut a
time of abstinence indeed. The testimony
of Hierom, which you expound for Lent,
hath never a word of Lent, nor for Lent. For
there were other solemn days of fasting in the
Church, than Lent. Augustine indeed saith.
that the forty days' fast, hath the authority of
the example of Moses, Elias, and Christ, and
that the consent of the Church hath establish-
ed the same forty days to be kept before Eas-
ter, not as a thing necessary, but as other
rites, which he nameth, not now observed of
the Papists themselves. And further, the
abstinence from fish as unclean, he condemn-
eth as heresy. Hierom against Montanus,
although he ascribe the forty day's fast to
Apostolical tradition, because it hath no
ground in the scripture, yet he showeth plain-
ly, that it was of good will, and not of neces-
sity. Whereas the heretics had three Lents
in the year, which they commanded to be
kept of necessity, "but it is one thing," says
Hierom, to do a thing of necessity, another
thing to offer a gift of good will." And lest
his ascription of the forty days' fast, unto the
Apostles' tradition, should ..:ove us; in the
same place he saith, It was not lawful for
Christians to fast in the Pentecost, that is,
from Easter to Whitsuntide, and this prohi-
bition of fasting, is also by the ancient Fa-
thers, affirmed to be an Apostolical tradition.
Yet the counterfeit Ignatius, in his Epis-
tle to the Philippians, exhorteth them, after
Passion week, not to omit fasting on Wednes-
days and Fridays. But if any man shall fast,
saith he, on Sunday or Saturday, except one,
he is a murderer of Christ. Behold how hot
this coimterfeit Father is about his counter-

MAl'l'HEW.

feit traditions. You see what credit is. to be
given to such things as are ascribed to tradi-
tion of the Apostles, without \varrant of their
own writmgs. Epiphaiiius affirmeth it to be
an Apostohc tradition, that men should fast
Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the
year, except in the Pentecost, that is, froni
Easter to Whitsuntide ; and in the six days
of Easter, to receive nothing but bread, and
salt, and water, flares. 75. And this he
saith was the observation of the whole Church
in his time. Yet the Papists fast Fridays
between Easter and Whitsuntide, beside the
Rogation week, and fast not Wednesdays
commonly, neither observe the feast of the
six days of Easter, with br«ad, and salt, and
.water. Yet have these as good testimony of
antiquity, as the Lent-fast to be Apostolical
tradition. The sermons of Ambrose, that are
alleged, as Erasmus testifieth, and the style
doth evidently declare, were none of Am-
.brose ; but of some later writer, which coun-
terfeited the sermons Adfratres in Eremo, and
some De tempore under Augustin's name,
among which are found many that are inti-
tuled to Ambrose. To the authority oi Leo,
Pishop oi Rome, caUing Lent the Apostles'
ordinance, I oppose the authority of Damasus,
likewise a Bishop of Rome in his Pontifical,
affirming that Telesphorus, Bishop of Rome,
did institute it. And Telesphorus himself in
his Decretal Epistle, satth. That he and his
fellow Bishops, gathered together in council
at Rome, did ordain this forty days' fast only
for clerks; and contendeth in many words,

, that there must be a difference between
clerks and laymen, as well in fast, as in other

'. things. If you say this Epistle of Telespho-
rus is counterfeit, yet is it good authority
against you, that urge it, with the rest of the
dunghill of Decretals, against us. But the
undoubted authority of Ireneus, cited by Eu-
sebius, is sufTicient to prove, that the Apos-
iles lett no such certain constitution, whatso-
ever the later Fathers affirm of Apostolic
tradition, as they do of other things, which
neither Papists nor Protestants count neces-
sary to be observed. The last authority,
cited out of Autjustin, proveth, that in his
time, that did wnte that Homily, there was
no necessary enforcement to keep Lent, but
every man did as he liked. But in all your
citations' of authors, true and feigned, there
is no word of abstinence from flesh, which is
the chiefest part of your Popish Lent, but of
fasting once in every day, and that from din-
ner. Ambrose ser. 34 and ^6. Barn, is a late
writer, and therefore in opinion of Apostolic
tradition, he might easily be deceived, as the
elder Fathers were.

10. Augustin speaketh of the civil adoration
or reverence in bodily gesture, done by Abra-
ham unto the people of He'h. But by this
text, all religious service is due only to God.
Justinus Martyr proveth out of this text, u? Sc
leni Tov Ofoi', &'c. that we ought to adore God
only. Thus he hath persuaded us saying,
'"This is the greatest commandment," Thou
ehalt adore the Lord thy God, and hiiji only

shalt thou serve, Apol. 2. And although
Augustin being a mean Grecian, imagined a
distinction between Latria and Dulia, whereof
the Papists take hold, to maintain their reli-
gious service unto creatures ; yet they that
are skilful in the Greek tongue, do know,
that these two words do signify all one and the
selfsame thing, saving that SovXivttv Tather
signifieth a more base kind of service or bond-
age, which were absurd to give to creatures,
in religion. And the Hebrew word that
Moses iiseth, out of whom this scripture is
cited, signifieth the same that it doth, with-
out any difference of God, or creatures. The
distinction therefore is not in the significa-
tion of the Greek verbs, but in the subject of
religion, or civil adoration or service.

The place of Eusebius whereunto you send
us, is of the body of Polycarp, which the
Christians were desirous to have been given
them, to burial, but the malicious Jews per-
suaded the governor that he should not grant
it, lest the Christians leaving Christ, should
begin to worship Polycarp. And therefore
say the faithful of Smyrna, in their Epistle,
" They watched us lest we should have taken
him out of the fire, being ignorant that neither
we can ever leave Christ, which hath sufl^ered
for all that are saved in the world, neither
worship any other. For him we adore, as
being the Son of God, but the Martyrs, as
Disciples and followers of our Lord, we love
worthily, for their exceeding great good vviU
unto their King and Master, of whom God
grant we may be partakers and scholars
Therefore when the Centurion saw the con-
tention of the Jews, setting him in the midst,
as their manner is, they bumt him. And so
we at length having gotten his bones, more
precious than precious stones, and better tried
than gold, we laid them up where it was
meet, where, as we may, the Lord shall grant
unto us, being gathered together with joy and
gladness, to celebrate the birth day of his
martyrdom, both in remembrance of them
thit have sought before, and for exercise and
preparation of them that are to follow."

This worthy testimony of the people of
Smyrna, showeth how far their reverent love
and regard of the bodies and relics of the
Martyrs, differelh from your popish idolatry
and superstition. So that I would marvel,
why you quoted this place : but that I consi-
der, you read it not in Eusebius himself, but
in the old and corrupt translation of Ruffinus,
whereunto the word diligimus is added, and
veneremur which is not in the epistle rehearsed
by Eusebius. Hierom indeed, against Vigi-
lantiup, is more ready to maintain the immo-
derate estimation of relics, than of right he
should have been. Yet is he also far from
your idolatrous worshipping of them, as his
own words declare. " But we do not worship
and adore relics of martyrs, nor the Sun, nor
the Moon, nor Angels, iior Archangels, nor
Cherubim, nor Seraphim, nor any name that is
named in this world, or in the world to come,
lest we should serve the creature more than
the Creator, which is to be blessed for ever

MATTHEW.

But we honour the relics of martyrs, that wo
might worship him whose martyrs tliey are."
And in his book against Vigilantius he noteth
"the ignorance and simplicity ot certain lay-
men, or devout women, which having a zeal of
God without knowledge, lighted wax candles
in honour of martyrs, ' which in popery is a
great part of commendable religion, even in
the honour of their images, which were not
in the Church in Hicroin's time. Augustin, de
Civil, lib. 10. c. 1. saith indeed, that by them
which have interpreted the scripture, Latreia
is taken for that service which always or
almost always, pertaineth to the religion of
God. But Lodovicus Vives in his notes upon
that chapter, telleth you otherwise ; he bring-
eth e.xaniples out of the Greek text of the
Septuawint as well as out of profane authors,
where Lati-ia is taken for service due to men.
And in the same chapter Augustin saith,
" that to consecrate ourselves, or any thing
of ours in rites of religion to Angels, and con-
sequently to any creatures, is the worship due
unto the divinity or deity itself, and that which
in Greek is called Latria. Therefore by Au-
gustin's judgment, all your consecrating of
yourself, or any thing of yours, to creatures,
is idolatry : and so the greatest part of popish
religion, even retaining your prcteiuli'd dis-
tinction of Latria andDulia, is manifest idol-
atry.

Likewise de Trenit. lib. 1. ca. fi. where he
hath the same distinction of Latria and Dulia,
he saith, it is idolatry to consecrate a teinple
to any creature, and thereby provcth, the divi-
nity of the Holy Ghost, because our bodies
are his temple. For to whom a temple be-
longeth, to him also the service which he
calleth Latria. The Papists therefore, build-
ing and dedicating temples to the Angels
and Saints, by Augustin's judgment, give
them the honour proper to God, and so com-
mit horrible sacrilege, and idolatry. Beda,
in 4 Luke, distinguishing Latria from Dulia,
referreth Ihdia to the service of charity that
one Christian oweth to another, not to the
worshipping of relics, and saith, "they are
called Idolaters, which bestow upon Idols,
Vows, Prayers, and sacrifices, which they
owe only to God." Seeing therefore, all that,
is made an idol, which is worshipped, with
the service proper to God : and prayers,
vows, sacrifices, by Bede'e judgment, are
due only to God, it followeth that prayers,
vows, and sacrifices, bestowed not only upon
images, but upon Saints, and their relics, are
the service ot idols, or idolatry. As for the
authority of the 2. Council of Nice, that de-
creed the adoration of images, and Damas-
cen, that followeth that idolatrous determina-
tion, ought not to move Christian men, con-
trary to the express commandment of God,
Exod. 20, and against this Council, I oppose
Cone. Eliber. Can. 36. that was ancienter, and
the Councils of Constantinople under Leo,
and of Ephesus, that were of later time, con-
demning the worshipping of images. The
same Council of Nice was also condemned.

Charles the Great, and a book written against
it, which is extant under the name of Charles
the Great, but w ritten as it seemeth, by Albi-
nus, that was his inslructer, for thus Mat.
West, writeth. " The same year, Charles,
King of France, sent a synodal book into Bri-
tain, in which were found many things con-
trary to the true faith : and therein especially
that it was defined by the agreeable asser-
tion, of almost all the learned men of the
East, that we ought to worship images, which
the Catholic Church doth altogether abhor.
Against which, Albinus wrote an Epistle, by
authority of the holy Scriptures, marvellously
eridited, and brought it to the French king,
with the same synodal book, in the person of
Bishops, and noble men."

The authority of Damascen, a Grecian, is
countervailed and overmatched by the au-
thority of Gregory the Bishop of Rome, who
though he allow the use of images, yet he
condemneth the worshipping of them. Lib. 1.
epist. 109. Seren. lib. 9. epist. 9.

17. Satisfaction by your own doctrine, is
not required of them that are baptized, there-
fore satisfaction is no part of repentance.
Ainbrose saith of Peter's repentance : I read
of his tears, I read not of his satisfaction.

Chaptek 5.

12. The reward is promised of the free
mercy of God, of whose grace, cometh
strength to endure persecution, and not of the
merit of the work : " For whence should I
have so great merit," saith Ambrose, 'seeing
mercy is my crown ?" ad. Virg. Exhort. " He
crowneth thee," saith Augustin, "because he
crowns his gifts, not the merits," in Psalm
101.

15. When Augustin saith the church can-
not be hid, he meaneth from them that will
diligently seek her in the Scriptures, where
only the certain knowledge of her is to be
found, de Vnilat. Eccles. ca. 2 and 3 and 16. de
Past. Cap. 14. Nevertheless he compareth
her to the Moon, which is often hid, and so
may the Church in divers respects be hidden.
Psalm 20. Also he acknowledgeth, that
the Church may be so secret, that the mem-
bers know not one another, de Bapt. cont. Don.
lib. 6. ca. 4. And the Catholic Church which
is the whole mystical body of Christ, an arti-
cle of faith, is always mvisible, Eusebius
Emiss. Horn, in Natal. Confess. Apostoh
et Episcopi supra ecclesiam, sicuti civitas su-
pra vionlevi. Noil possurtt abscondi, altius sedent,
omnium oruli ad eos respiciunt.

20. It is necessary for every Christian man,
not only to believe, but to endeavour himself
to keep even the least of God's command-
ments : yet is he justified, and hath remission
of his sins and transgressions of God's com
mandments, only by faith in the mercy of
God. Rom. 3. 28, G'alat. 2. 16.

21 The virtue of justice, whereby we love
and keep God's commandments, thoucrh no
man doth either of both perfectly, is undoubt-
edly the gift of God, and is inherent in us, that

by a Council holden by the commandment of I are justified by the grace and mercy of 'Cod

MATTHEW.

through faith, and o[ this unpcrfect justice,
we are truly, yet unpertectly, declared to be
just, without the works whereof, no man of
age can be saved. But yet for all this, we
are justified, or made just in the sight of God,
by faith only, through the imputation of
Christ's justice, imd not by the works of Jus-
tice, which as Augustin saith, "do i.jllow
him that is justified, do not go before him
that is to be justified," in Ps. 102. defid. and
oper. cap. 14.

23. The difference of sins proveth not that
some are mortal, and some venial : for all of
their own nature are mortal. The reward of
sin, saith the Apostle, is death, Rum. 6. 23.
and all sins to him that is truly penitent, are
pardonable by God's mercy. He that siiincth
against the Holy Ghost, is never truly pe-
nitent, nor his sin ever remitted, Htb. 6.
Matt. 12.

26. This prison by Carpocrates, a very an-
cient heretic, was taken for the bodies, into
which the soul was removed by the devil,
until it was thoroughly purified, Ireneus, lib.
1. c. 24. But of Montanus, an old Heretic
also, it was taken for a place in hell, where
every small offence is punished in soul, al-
though it shall be saved in the resurrection,
as testifieth TertuUian de aninm cap. de infer.
By which it appeareth, that the opinion of
Purgatory is very ancient. Nevertiieless, it
is not like that Cyprian, who was far from
these Heresies, in the forenamed Epistle,
speaketh of Purgatory: for he only alludeth
to this text, and to the 1 Cor. 3. comparing
the excellency of them that suffered martyr-
dom, above them that had fallen in time of
persecution, and were received again into
the Church, either bv pardon of their exer-
cises of repentance, tliat were prescribed un-
to them, or after they had thoroughly per-
formed them : because Antonianus, to whom
he did write, being somewhat inclining to the
error of the Novatians, feared lest by the re-
ceiving of them that had fallen, and by remit-
ting those exercises of repentance, virtue
would be diminished, and martyrdom decay.
But Cyprian answereth, that chastity and
virginity had their due praise, though adul-
terers upon their repentance were received.
" For it is one thing," saith he, " to stand at
pardon, another thing to come to glory. It is
one thing for him that is cast in prison, not to
come out until he hath paid the uttermost far-
thing, another thing straightway to receive
the reward of faith and virtue, &c." Augus-
tin expoundetli the place clearly of hell and
eternal pains, Serm. dom. in moiitv, lib 1. So
doth flierom in Lament. Lih. 1. cap. 1. Eu-
seb. Emiss. Horn, in dcmi. 6. post Pent. Career
iste infernus est. Theoph. Antioch. In c.arce-
rem, id est, in Gehennam, and Chromatins, in
5. Matt, and many other of the ancient fathers.
And the text is plain, that he which is out of
charitv, hath deserved hell fire : and I sup-
pose the Papists will not send him to Purga-
tory, that dicth out of charity.

33. Mark and Luke, understand the excep-
tion which they do not express, for they all

report one doctrine of our Saviour Christ :
and the exception dcclareth, that not only di-
vorcement, but also marriage after divorce-
ment is free, as it was in the Law, where
fornicati()n is the cause of divorcement.
Chromatius, in hunc locum, Unde nonignorent
quam grave apud Deiim damnationis crimen
incurrant, qui per effreimtam libidinis volupta-
tem abs(jue fornii.ationis causa dimissisuxoribus,
in alia vulunt transire conjugia. The Pope's
canon law restraineth the liberty of marriage
and divorcing, because he may take more
money for biUls of license and dispensation
to marry.

33. The knot of marriage is broken, through
the wickedness of them that commit fornica-
tion, and therefore this is to be untlerstood of
such divorces, as are not for the cause of for-
nication. Neither can marriage out of this
place, be proved to be a sacrament, although
Augustin call it by the name of a sacrament
or mystery. But of marrying after divorce,
Augustin, note, chap. 1. 20, is doubtful, al-
though he incline to the negative, as in his
book de adulterinis Conjugiis ad Pollent, where
he professeth this question to be most ob-
scure, and more than he dare determine :
but Hilary maketh no question, but that
through adultery the marriage ceaseth, and is
dissolved.

39. This is a slander of Luther, he did
write only, that Christians should not hope to
have victory against the Turks, before the
church was reformed, and the Pope's wicked-
ness was bridled, and men's manners were
amended

Chapter 6.

1. Good works are the fruits of justifica-
tion, proceeding from a justified man, and do
justify, as James saith, that is, declare a man
to be just, and so a man is justified by works,
and not by faith only. But they do not justify
a man in the sight of God, who requireih per-
fect justice, and not imperfect, such as good
works of men are, which follow the justified
man, as Augustin saitb, do not go before unto
justification, Ps. 102. de fid. and oper. '•ap. 14.
Wherefore a man is justified in the si^ht of
God, by imputation of the justice of Christ,
which is most perfect, through the only grace
and mercy of God, apprehended by faith only.
Rom. 3 and 4. Gal. 2.

Neither is all the justice of a Christian rnan
that is justified, comprised in alms, fasting,
and prayers, but in obedience of all God's
commandments, and yet all that is imperfect,
as Augustin \yTovclh,de perfect. Just, and saith
not, that all Justice is comprised in these three
works. " This is our justice no\s'," saith Au-
gustin, "in which we come hungering and
thirsting to the perfection and fulness of jus-
tice, that hereafter we may be filled there-
with." Ps. 49, he saith, "Who are just ? but
they that live of faith, doing the works of
mercy: tor those works are the works of jus-
tice. Therefore by his judgment, the life of
a just man is faith, the fruit, works of mercy
and justice."

MATTHEW.

4. This repaying and rewarding prove tli
that the reward is due, but not that the works
are meritorious. The reward is due by God's
promise, his mere mercy moved iiini to pro-
mise. And we may be encouraged in respect
oi the reward to do good works, but not only
nor chiefly in that respect, but especially to
show ourselves thankful and dutiful, that
God may be filorified by our good works,
whose glory ought to move us more than the
revvaril, if that we love God as we ought
with all our hearts.

7. Long prayer is not forbidden, but Popish
prayer in an unknown tongue is idle babbling,
as ill as that which the heathen used. The
Scripture testifieth, as Cyprian showetli, that
the third hour oi the day, the sixth, and the
ninth, were used for prayer by Daniel, the
three children, Paul, Peter, and John. Which
proveth not your Popish canonical hours,
that is a- kind of service which you call so,
mumbled up of your priests oftentimes in an
hour or less, to be of such antiquitj', or to be
discharged irom much babbling or lip-labour.
Neither is it meant, that all those three hours
were spent only in prayer, but at those three
times of the day, the godly used to pray :
namely, in the midst of the time, from the
sunrising to noon, at noon, and in the midst
oi the time, between noon and the sunsetting ;
whereas all your Canonical hours in the
Popish Church, are despatched before noon.
Cyprian therefore speaketh not of any set |
forms of prayers, Isut of times meet for all
Christians to pray in, not only at these three
hours, but also at the sun rising, and at the
sun setting, and in the night season, and ge-
nerally at all hours, as our Saviour Christ ;
teacheth. Not maintaining the heresy of the
Euehites, which did nothmg but pray with
their lips : but requiring the heart to be al-
ways Ufted up in affection of prayer, which
is by faith to look for all good things of God
only, and at certain times also, to use words
of petition, to admonish us of our necessities,
and to stir up our desire to be more fervent.
" What other things is it," saith Augustin,
" to pray without intermission, but without
intermission to desire that blessed life, as
none is but that which is eternal, ot hiin who
only can give it? Therefore let us desire
this always of the Lord God, and let us pray
always." Epist. 12, 1, c. 9. The prayers of
heretics, whether they be long or short, rude
or rhetorical, please not Goo, neither yet of
hypocrites. The short collects of the Church,
are no prejudice to long prayers, where the
form of words is not longer than the sincere
affection of prayer continueth.

11. Luke is the best interpreter of the Greek
word, who showeth, that it signifieth bread
sufRcient for every day. Comprehending all
things necessary for this present life : whereof
we may infer, that spiritual food is 7iiore ne-
cessary, which in the other petitions is asked
rather than in this, if we respect eidier the
words or the method of this form of prayer.
Notwithstanding, upon the ambiguity of the
Greek word, many of the Fathers refer this

petition to .siiiriuud I't/od especially, among
which, tiie Jvord's Supi)er, being a seal of our
spiritual nourishment by the body and blood
ol Chrisi, unto eternal life, is a part, as the
preaching ot God's^ word is another part,
noted also by the Fathers to be desired in
this petition. Auirust. de serm. Dom. in mont.
lib. 2.

12. ^Sugustin doih often teach the difference
of sins, some greui,sonie less, but never your
Popish distiiiction of mortal and venial, as
you do, and in the places quoted speaketh of
small sins, but not of venial. In the former
place he saith, a man may be sine crimive,
that is, without heinous offence : but not, sine
pecca'o, without sin. In the latter he nameth,
peccata paiva, small sins, distinguishing them
from "reat and heinous wickedness.

13. Howsoever any man hath read, the text
is plain, " Lead us not," whereby is proved,
not only a permission, but an action of God,
in them that are led into temptation. There-
fore Augtistin, after a long disputation
agairist Julian the Pelagian, bringeth also this
petition lor an argument, to prove, that God as
a righteous Judge, piiiii.-ln ih sin by sin, by de-
livering the reproliiiii mio ;lii' power of Satan.
"What is that whuh w i .:,>■ daily, lead us not
into temptation, but that we be not delivered
unto our own concupiscences? Therefore
Goddelivereth into ignominioiis passions, that
those things may be done, which are not con-
venient, but he delivereth conveniently, and
the same sins are made both punishments of
sins past, and deserts of punishments to come.
As he delivered Achab into the lie of the
false Prophets, as he delivered Roboam into
false counsel, 'i'hese things he doth by mar-
vellous and unspeakable means, who know-
eth how to work his judgments, not only in
men's bodies, but also in our very hearts."
Co7it. Jul. lib. 5, cap. 3. Neither doth Beza's
exposition make God author of sin, but using
the phrase of Augustine, he saith, " The
Lord leadelh into temptation, whom as a just
judge, not as an author of sins, he permitteth
unto the will of Satan, that he may hll iheir
heart, as Peter speaketh." Jc/.s 5. And it
is a most detestable slander that Calvin, or
thev that follow bis judgment, make God ihe
author of sin.

20. Treasures laid up in heaven in this
place, properly signify neither faith nor
works, much less meritorious works, but ra-
ther the reward of the heavenly life, which
God of his mercy giveth to them that believe,
according to their works, rewarding their
plentiful sowing, with plentiful reaping. Chry-
Kosl. Horn. 21, in Mai. He showeth both that
this early treasure lieth open ro hurt : and
also, that the heavenly treasure is clear from
all spot, and most safe either in respect of
the place, or of the excellency of those re-
wards.

24. No Christian man servelh Calvin as
his master, but God only. Nevertheless, so
long as Calvin teacheth that which he learned
of Christ, Calvin may be enibrcced as a ser-
vant of Christ, neither doth he ever desire to

MATTHEW.

be taken otherwise. But when the Pope com-
mandeth things contrary to God, as worship-
ping of images, communion under one kind,
.■■ncfsucli hke, and will be honoured as a most
holy Lord, that cannot err, it may be said
most truly, uo man can serve God and the
Pope.

Chapter 7.

G. So that by confession of mortal sins, you
mean not auricular shrilt, which the Scrip-
ture doth not exact.

8. To ask in lahh is necessary, and more
than a due circumstance. .lames 1. 6.

15. This note is true of libertines, and such
heretics of our time : but the true professors
of the Gospel, whom you especially envy,
shall be found in trial, always as honest as
Papists.

16. All f\ilse doctriiv, r-nntntry to the Scrip-
tures, is the propiT IniiisMi h' i^'iics. P'or he
is a heretic, which ob.-imately maintaineth
an opinion, contrary to the Scriptures, as the
Papists do many. And especially, those plain
notes, which the spirit giveth of antichristian
heretics, namely, the forbidding of marriage
and meats, where are they to be found at this
day but in Papists ? 1 Tim. 4. The rest of
the notes you give, are not found in us, but
rather in you. The marriage of vowed per-
sons, that cannot contain, is allowed by Epi-
phanius and Hierom to be Catholic. And
if it be incestuous, your Pope giveth license
for incestuous marriages, as he doth for those
marriages that are against the law of nature,
which are incestuous indeed. We spoil no
Churches, but destroy idolatry, as God com-
mand eth. Deul. 7. G.

21. These men say. Lord, Lord, without a
true and a lively faith. For he that in true
faith shall invocate or call upon the Lord,
shall be saved. Rom. 10. We confess, it is
not enough, to believe, neither doth Luther
teach, that only infidelity is sin, but that it is
the root of all sin. Neither do we hold, that
by the faith of working miracles, which ap-
prehendeth only the power of God, any man
shall be justified, but by faith in God's pro-
mises, which layeth hold of the mercy which
God offereth. Finally, he that is justified by
faith only, doth the will of God his heavenly
father,, though not perfectly, yet gladly and
cheerfully. God be thanked, we do not set
little by good works, which we acknowledge
to be the necessary effects of justitying faith,
though we renounce our own justice, that we
may be partakers of the justice of God in
Christ. Philip. 3, 9.

Chapter 8.
4. The words of Chrysostom are these :
" The Priests of the Jews had authority to
put away leprosy of the body ; or rather not to
put it away at all ; but only to discern them
who were rid of it, and thou knowesf, how
greatly their Priesthood was to be esteemed.
But these have received authority, not to
discern the leprosy of the body, being rid
away, but altogether to put away the uncTean-

ness of the soul. They therefore that despise
them, are more wicked than Dathan, and
worthy of great punishment." By which
words, he meaneth not, that ministers of that
Gospel, have absolute power to forgive sins,
but authority to assure the penitent sinners of
God's forgiveness, in which respect, they are
to forjrive in God's name. For Christ him-
self, did not forgive sins, but as he was
God equal to his father. Chrysostom Mat.
Horn. 30.

8. The body and blood of Christ, is to be
received with all humility and reverence :
yet not imagining transubstantiation. For
that material part of the Sacrament which
entereth into the mouih, Origen saitli, it goeth
the way of all meais, Matt. cap. 15. Chry-
sostom's liturgy was made long after Chry-
sostom's time, as appeareth by a prayer for
the Emperor Alexius, in whose name it was
made. Augustin ep. 118. useth the example
of the Centurion, to show that neither they
that receive the Sacrament daily, nor they
that receive it seldom, dishonour the body of
Christ, having either of them their several
reasons, as Zaccheus, who received our
Saviour Christ into his house joyfully, and
the Centurion who acknowledged that he
was unworthy to receive him under his
roof.

14. Hierom against Jovinian, hath many
feeble arguments, among which this is one,
that the Apostles had no carnal copulation
with their wives, because Christ saith, " he
that hath left wife,"' &c. Matt. 19. 29. For
our Saviour Christ speaketh of none other
forsaking of wives, than is necessary for all
married men, to leave their wives as well as
their parents, children, brethren, houses,
lands, namely in carnal aflection, or worldly
love not in lawful use. And Clemens Alex-
andrinus much ancienter than Hierom, and
nearer the Apostles' times, saith, "that Peter
and Philip begat sons, and Philip gave his
daughters in marriage, Strormt. lib. 3. Enseb.
Emiss. in nal. Joo,. En. Petrus uxorem et pro-
lem hahuit." And by whom had Peter his
daughter Petronilla, of whom the popish
legends write much holiness, if not by com-
panying with his own wife ? and that since he
was an Apostle, and had the surname of Pe-
ter. Which her age also doth argue : for
she was so young in the time of the persecu-
tion of Domitian the Emperor, that Flaccus
the count, desired to have her in marriage,
whereas if she had been born before Peter's
calling to the Apostleship, she should have
been almost thr^ escore years old at that time.
In the Romish Church where Antichrist was
to have his seat, the mystery of iniquity be-
gan to work, and sho%v itself in prohibition of
marriage somewhat timely: yet are you not
able to prove, that none but such as professed
continence, were in the Latin Church ever
admitted to the ministry. Tertullian was a
married man in tlie ministry, without any
such profession of continence, as appeareth
by his books written to his wife. Where, in
the first he exhorteth her, after his departure.

MATTHEW.

1>-

not to marry again. In the second, that if
the infirmity of her body was such, as
she must needs marry, that she marry not an
infidel. This exhortation had been needless,
if she had already professed continence :
neither needed TertuUian to have set before
her the example of many other, that in mar-
riage, by consent, took away the debt of mar-
riage, to persuade her, that she might be
able, if she would endeavour, to live unmar-
ried. And if he, before he entered into eccle-
siastical order, with her consent, had pro-
mised perpetual continence, she should have
had experience in herself in her vounger
lime, how able she was to live without the
use of a husband. But Epiphanius, you say,
telieth the Greek Priests, "that they do
against the ancient canons, which keep com-
pany with their wives :" yet doth he confess
immediately, that those canons wej-e not
kept in his time, But where you add, that
Paphnutius in the first Council of Nice, d oth
plainly signify the same, it is false. For
Socrates thus writeth of the matter. "It
pleased the Bishops to bring in a new law
into the Church, that thosr iii;ii wm- dedica-
ted to the holy ministry. ;i mirlv,-, Bishops,
Priests, or Elders and M :i ■':.,-, hlmukl not
sleep with their wives w liicli ility had mar-
ried when they were laymen : and after they
had consulted of this matter, Paphnutius stood
up in the midst of the company of Bishops,
and cried out aloud, that they should not lay
a heavy yoke upon the men dedicated to
the holy ministry, saying, that the bed was
honourable, and the matrimony unpolluted,
lest with too much preciseness, they should
rather hurt the Church : for all men could not
bear the exercise of continence, and perad-
venture chastity should not be kept of every
one's wife : and he called the company with
a man's wife chastity. That it was sufficient,
that they which had obtained clergy before
marriage, should not come to marriage any
more, according to the ancient tradition of
the Church, but that no man should be sepa-
rate from her, whom he had married being a
layman.'' The very same rcporteth Sozo-
mcn. And Clemens afliri.neth, that the Apos-
tle alloweth the husband of one wife, whether
he be Priest, or Deacon, or Layman, using
malrimony without reprchetision, Stronuil. lib. 3.
But there was never any examp'e authcntical, you
say, of any that married after holy orders. Of
examples, I suppose you doubt not but that
there were many which took wives after
they were made Bishops, Priests, and Dea-
cons, because in the later Councils, there be
so many canons to punish them that so
married, and to prohibit them to marry.
And certain it is by stories, and other monu-
ments of antiquity, that in England Priests
did marry commonly, even after the decree
made against it, by Lanfranc Archbishop of
Canterbury in a Synod holden at Wincnes-
ter Anno. 1076. For Gerard, Archbishop,
of York, writing to Anselmus Archbishop
of Canterbury, certifieth him, that those
whom he invited to take orders, would net

consent in theirordination, toprofees chastity,
that is, not to marry, as the decree of Lan-
iranc required. But these examples, you will
say, were not authentical, because they were
against the ancient tradition of the Church,
alleged even by Paphnutius, and against the
canons of so many Councils : Whereunto I
reply, that seeing they were to be warranted
by the word ol God, no tradition or decree of
men, can make that lawful, which by God's
word, is not only at liberty, but also com-
manded, namely, that "to avoid fornication
let every man have his wife, and if they can-
not contain let them marry," and of virginity
and continence, there is no commandment of
the Lord, but every man may use the liberty
that God hath given, yea though he haili the
gift of continence. And therefore, Paul being
unmarried, affirmeth that it was lawful for
him to lead about with him a sister to wife,
as the rest of the Apostles did, even the
Lord's brethren and Cephas : Ergo, it was
lav/ful for him to have married, being an
Apostle. The liberty therefore given by
God to all, and the commandment of God, to
them which have not the gift of continence,
to n)arry, doth make the examples of them
that married after holy orders taken, in the
account of God, and all tb.at be godly, to be
authentical. And although l'a|ihnutius ac-
counteth the tradition of thr Church ancient,,
by which they were prohibited to marry, that
were not married before they were ordained :
yet it appeareth by '^rertullian, that it was not
so ancient as his time. For in his book of
Monogamy against second marriages, written
when he was a heretic, he derideth the
Catholic Bishops, which thought it lawful for
them to marry again, when their first wife
was dead, perverting the meaning of Paul's
words, which saitli, "a Bishop must be the
! husband of one wife, to the maintenance of
i his heresy, as the Papists do :" He saith,
" the Holy Ghost foresaw there should come
some, that would affirm all things to be lawful
for Bishops : For how many are there among
you tliat govern the Church, which have
married the second time, insulting against
the Apostle, and not blushing when these
words arc read under them." This place
showeth, ihat that which was thought unlaw-
ful by the heretic, was counted lawful and
authentical by the Catholic Church. Long
after Tertullian's time, was the Ancyrian
Council, where the tenth canon decreeth
thus. "That whosoever being ordained Dea-
cons at the time of their ordination, do protest
and say, that they must marry, because they
cannot" remain unmarried : if they marry
afterward, let them continue in the ministry,
because the Bishop hath granted them so to
do." This canon testifieth of many authen-
tical examples of them that married and
might marry, after holy orders taken. More-
over, in the days of .Tulian the Apostate we
read, that Basilius a Priest or Elder of the
Church of Ancyra, and Eupsychius of Cesa-
rca of Cappadocia, who had lately taken to
wife a gentlewoman, and was but even &

.MATTHEW.

bridegroom, ended their lives by martyrdom.
Sozom. lib. 5. c. 11. and histo. tripartit. lib. 6.
c. 14. Many hundred year.s after this, Bal-
samon niaketh mention ot a constitution of
Leo the Emperor, by which it appeareth that
there was a custom in his time, that those
which had taken holy orders might marry
lawful wives, within two years after their
ordination, Bals. in Can. 10. Cone. Ancyr.
So long the authority of God's word in the
Greek Church prevailed against the decrees
of men, and in the Church of England much
longer, until within these four or five hundred
years at the most.

Chapter 9.

3. The ministers of the New Testament,
have authority to forgive sins, and to retain
them by declaring herein the will of God, as
his ambassadors and messengers. The Jews
charged our Srviour Christ with blasphemy,
because they acknowledged not his divinity.
For the Priests of the Law, were also minis-
ters, not authors of forgiveness of sins, where-
of thev were not ignorant.

5. Chrysostom saith, "He did not refute
their opinion which said it was proper only to
God to forgive sins, but did approve it. For
if he had not been equal with his father, he
would have said : Surely you judge rightly, I
am far from that so great power, but now he
saith no such thing, but contrariwise affirmeth
it by word and sign. So because it is wont to
be unpleasant to the hearers, that any man
should speak openly of hiniself : by the words
of other men, and by a sign or miracle, he
showeth that he is God equal to his Father."
Matt. Ho. 30. Hilary is of the same judgment,
saying, "'Itmoveth the Scribes, that sin should
be forgiven by a man : for they beheld in Je-
sus Christ only a man, and that to be forgiven
by him, which the Law could not release.
For faith only justifieth. Afterward the Lord
looketh into their murmuring and saith : That
it is easy for the Son of Man on earth to for-
give sins. For it is true, no man can remit
sins but God only, therefore he whicli remit-
teth sins is God, because no man forgiveth
sins but God, Matt. Can. 8. Ambrose is worthy
to be heard in the same case. "When the
Jews affirm that sins can be forgiven by God
only, verily they confess him to be God, and
by theirownjudgmentthey bewray theirfalse-
hood, in that they affirm the work, and deny
the person. Therefore even of themselves,
the Son of God recciveth a testimony of his
work, and requireth not the consent of their
voice. For falsehood can confess, but cannot
believe, therefore there wanted no testimony
to his divinity: there wanteth faith to their
own salvation." In Lucam. cap. 5. Behold,
that which was Catholic doctrine in these an-
cient fathers, is counted heresy in us.

6. Christ had absolute power ot himself, as
very God, to forgive sins properlv, and to
preach the forgiveness of sins as Mediator.
Athan. contr. Arr. lib. 3. Euthym. pan. part
1. lit. 2. ex epistola de. ge-ttis in concilia. Arim. and
Heleus

8. Let Hilary speak upon these words,
" All things are concluded in their right or-
der, and now the fear of desperation ceas-
ing, honour is rendered to God, because he
hath given so great power to men, but this
was due only to Christ, it was familiar to him
only, to do these things, by the communion
or participation of his Father's substance.
Therefore this is not to be marvelled, that he
cari do these things, for what shall not God be
believed to be able to do ? or else the praise
should have been of one man, not of many,
but hereof is the cause of the honour given to
God. because power is given to men by this
\vay, through his word,- both of remission ot
sins, and of resurrection of the body and of
returning into heaven." In these words Hi-
lary showeth what is proper to Christ as God,
and what is granted to his ministers, to preach
and declare by his word. That which is pro-
per to the Divinity, cannot be communicated
to any creature. Such is the absolute power
to forgive sins, which are committed against
the Law of God, and therefore proper only to
God. The authority, which God hath given
to men, to assure the faithful penitent, of re-
mission of sins, nothing derogateth from the
glory of God, but greatly setteth forth the
glory of his mercy.

8. Christ gave power to his Apostles, and
the ministers of the Church to forgive sins,
not absolutely and properly, as God forgiveth,
but to be witnesses and ministers of God's
forgiveness : whereof Ambrose saith, " Al-
though it be a great matter to forgive sins
unto men, for who can forgive sins but only
God, who also forgiveth by them to whom he
j hath given the power of forgiving, yet it is a
' much more divine thing to give resurrection
to the bodies." Thus you see this Father's
judgment, that man when he forgiveth sins
by power granted of God, doth not forgive
properly, but God to whom it is proper to for-
give sins, forgiveth by man.

15. Neither Epiplianius, nor Augustin,
speak of popish fasting days, which consist
in abstinence from flesh : But Epiphanius
saith, the Apostles appointed the Wednesday
and Friday, to be fastmg days, how truly, let
the Papists themselves judge, and that on
those days, the fasting was appointed until the
ninth hour of the day, which is three hours
before night. Augustin Epi.86. acknowledg-
eth fasting, but no certain fasting days, other-
wise than the custom of every Church re-
quired, according to the answer of Ambrose
made unto him concerning fasting on Satur-
day, which was observed at Rome, but not
at Milan.

21. Christ by his word, and without his
word, by outward signs, and without any at
all, did only work miracles, and the force or
virtue did not proceed into his garment, but
immediately from himself: Therefore Christ
said not, there is virtue proceeded frOra my
garments, but there is virtue proceeded from
me. Luke 8. 48. Theie was no virtue in his
garments, when the soldiers had parted them
among tliem : nor while he wore them, for

MATTHEW.

ilic people that thronged him, received no
benofit by them, but sne only, and they that
touclied him by faith. Now concerning the
iniatre that this woman is said to have set up :
Jliiseliius reporteth the story, not of' his own
knowledge, but of hearsay, That in Cesarea
Fliilippi, where this woman dwelled, over
atrainst her door, upon a liigh stone, was a
bra/on image of a woman kneeling, and hold-
ing up her hands, as though she made an
humble suit; over against whicli there was
another brazen image of a man, which was
said to be of Christ, reaching his hand to the
woman, at whofc feet upon the same pillar,
a strange kind of lierb did spring, which
when it came up to the hem of his brazen
garment, it was a medicine for all diseases.
This image Eusebius confesseth to have re-
mained unto this time, as was testified by
them that travelled to that cit}', and saw it.
But of the miraculous iierb, how true it was,
he saith not. Now what his judgment was
of them that did set up this iniage, he declar-
ed in these words; "And it is not to be mar-
velled, that those of the Gentiles, which re-
ceived benefits of our Saviour of old time,
did these things, seeing we have seen the
images of his Apostles Paul and Peter, yea
and of Christ hiinself preserved, being painted
in colours, as it is like, ancient men of a
heathenish custom, which they had without
alteration, after this manner, were wont to
honour them whom they took for saviours."
Eusebius accountin": this setting up of images
in the honour of Christ and his Apostles to
be a heathenish custom, gave small credit to
the miracle of the strange herb : of wliose
virtue he could allege no exainplc, of any
that was cured, as he doth the testimony of
them that saw the image.

Where you allege out of Sozomen, that
the Christians afterward placed the image in
the Church, as though they set it up to be
worshipped ; the truth is, they laid up the
pieces of the image, after it was broken,
which they gathered together, and kept them
in theChurcn, which is all that can be gather-
ed of the story. Wherein, as they snowed
some zeal of Christian reliijion, in seeking to
preserve that which was clefaeed by the mfi-
dels, so they cannot be e.xcused from super-
stition, if they kept the pieces in the Church,
as any relic of holiness. Epiphanius find-
ing an image of Christ in a chapel conlraryto
Ihe scriptures, as he saith, rent it in pieces.
Epiph. Epij:!. ad Joan. Hierosol.

22. She had no devotion to the hem of his
garment, but because she was kept off by the
press, so that she could not come near to de-
sire his aid, as others did, she said within
herself: If I shall but only touch the hem of
his garment, &c. But the popish touching
of relics, which neither have any virtue in
their, nor any promise of God annexed to the
touching of them, for health, either of body
or soul, cannot be excused from superstition.
And this is a very blunt comparison of relics
of dead men, with the presence of the Son of
God, who was willing to show his divine

power by his word only, or by outward signs
of touching with his hand, or touching his
garment, or anointing with oil, or making of
clay with his spittle, and such like ; as it
pleased him in healing men's bodies. By
what wurd of God are we certified that he
will do the like, yea grant spiritual holiness,
by touching of relics? If we have not God's
word, what faith can we have, but a supersti-
tious credulity?

28. No wise or learned man allegeth this
place, tor justification by faith only, this is
thereibre a peevish slander. In the place
noted you shall see more.

34. The miracles said to be done in the po-
pish Church, are counterfeit fables rather than
illusions of devils, as hath been proved by
many experiences, and yet are they false or
lyin^ signs of Antichrist. The divme power
of Clirist, was manifest, in casting out of de-
vils.

38. Christ biddeth not his disciples pray
and fast in the Imber days, hut to pray eonti
nually, not that hedge Priests should be sent
forth to say Mass, but that learned pastors
might be raised up of God, to gather in his
haTvest by preaching the gospel. And at the
ordination of ministers of the Church, what
time soever it be, the Church assembled pray-
eth to God for them that are called, that thev
may be faithful and diligent in their call-

Chapter 10.

2. Ambrose acknowledgeth the Primacy,
but not the pre-eminence of Peter above the
other apostles. For in the place quoted, he
saith, " that Paul was not inferior to the other
Apostles that went before him, among \\ hich
Peter was one, in dignity, but in time." And
in his Book de hicurnat. Domini cap. 4. he
acknowledgeth the Primacy of Peter. "The
Primacy of confession verily, not of honour
or pre-eminence, the Primacy of faith, not of
degree." Likewise De sp. Saiict. lib. 2. cap.
2. he saith, Paul was not interior to Peier.
And, /;; Ep. ad. Gal. cap. 2, he declareth, that
Paul had the Primacy over the Gentiles, as
Peter over the Jews. The rest that you say
of Beza, is an impudent slander.

11. We doubt not, but the blessing or godly
prayers, as of the Apostles, so also of godly
Bishops, and other Ministers of the Church,
is greatly to be esteemed: but the Popish
Bishop's blessing with his fingers, is not
worih a straw, neither doth any ancient
Father commend such a blessing. Augustin
saith, that he and other departing fromAure-
lius a godly Bishop, received benediction of
him, that is, a godly and Christian farewell.
In Socr. lib. 6. ca. 14, is no mention of Bishop's
blessing, but rather of bannino'. For Socrates
reporteth, yet doubtin<T whether it was true,
that Epiphanius and CJirysostom being fallen
out, Chrysostom should say, " I hope thou
shalt never come to thy country," and Epi-
phanius answered, "I hope thou shalt not die
Bisliop." But whether they said so or no,
Epiphanius died in the way homeward, and

MATTiiir.r

Chrysostom was deposoJ froiii Iiis hishopric.
1 suppose this story inakeih little for the
Bishop's blessing. But it takctli nway veiijyi
sins, you say, by authority of Ambrose, in
Luhe 9. But in truth, there is never a word
ot the Bishop, or of his blessing, or of venial
sins, but of the benefit which men receive by
entertaining of preachers of the gospel.
" We do not oidi/give peace lo them that entertain
vs, but, also, if any ojfcnces of eartUltj lightness
do uoersliadow them, after the steps of the Apos-
tolic preaching he received, they are taken away."
His meaning is, they receive great benefit
both by the prayers and by the doctrine of the
jireachers, if they entertain it as well as their
persons. A poor place for the Popish bishop's
blessing. '

19. The story of the Church declareth tliis
to be verified in the true martyrs thereof, but
the best learned of the Papists are not able to
defend their heresy, by the Scriptures, against
the unlearned Christian Catholics, much less
against the Jearned, as the writings of both
parts make manifest.

^ 2.5. |fe that calleth himself the vicar of
Christ, and putteth himself in the stead of
Christ, by the very signification of the word, \
is Antichrist. So doth the. Pope : having no
warrant out of the word of God, to be so ,
much as a member ol Clirist; because his
doctrine, decrees, and life, are contrary to
Christ, as in the book called Antithesis
Christi et Papcc, and many other godly trea-
tises, is manifestly declared.

34. This is a mere slander against Beza :
for our Gospel, which we preach, neither
breedeth, nor nlloweth any rebellions. But
your hellish father, the Pope, raiseth rebel-
lions, as it is most notorious, against our so-
vereign, of her subjects in the north, and
sending both his legates, and his bijnner of
rebellion, to raise rebellion in Ireland, iiir ^iii,
blesseth, and pardoneth horrible traitors, to
murder their most loving and natural prince,
and you traitors of Rhemes, are joined with
them in their most devilish conspiracies, pro-
curing and comforting them, that enterprise
such monstrous impiety ; and shame you no-
thing, to charge Beza wnth maintaining of re-
bellion ? As tor the civil wars in France, let
all the king's edicts of pacification, that hi-
therto have come forth, testify, that those of
the reformed religion, in taking arms to de-
fend the' laws and liberties of their country,
against private persons, have done nothing
but in the king's service.

41. Our Saviour, Christ, promiseth a re-
ward to them that entertain the godly, perse-
cuted or not persecuted, but not out of the
merit of him that is received, which is no-
thing unto salvation, but of his own abundant
grace, by which the prophet and the righteous
man receive their reward, and not of their
own merits. Leo. Fro calice aquce frigidcB
pramiitm hahet gratuita largitio. Ser. 4. de
quadrage. Provided, that Jesuits, Seminary
priests, and such other that: come to stir
up rebellion, procure murder of their Prince,
■ and invasion of their country by strangers, or

to infect the peojile with Popish liorosirs'. Ii-:
not accounted but as false prophets, ii.w''-
crites, traitors, and heretics, not proplic...-,
just men, or true Christian Catholics.

Chapter 11.

7. When men of rare holiness have been in
the wilderness, which hath not been in all
ages, men have resorted to them to be par-
t-l:ers of their prayers and ghostly counsel.
But this pertaineth not to Popish hermits,
which dwelled commonly scarce a quarter of
a mile from cities and populous towns, norto
Popish anchorites, which dwelled even in ci-
ties and towns, having daily resort unto them
although they came not abroad themselves.

U. The Greek participle being of the pre-
ter imperfect tense, as well asol the present,
the coming of Elias in person, cannot be
proved out of the text, notwithstanding rhe
opinion of Gregory, and other ancient writers,
which Hierom upon this place noteth, but
doth not allow. Origen seeiiieth to be against
it in Matt, tract. 3, and Pamphilus Apologia
pro Origene. The like use of this participle
is in the same chapter, verse 3, where the
sense must needs be, " Art thou he which
was to come." So it ought to be here, " This
is Elias which was to come." So doth Hen-
tenius, a Papist, translate it. Qui venturus erat.

21. Sackcloth and ashes are signs of hu-
miliation, as Basil saith, and so helping unto
repentance, and thereto pertaineth all chas-
tisement of the body, which the Scripture
commendeth, and not to satisfaction for our
sins. The Greek word signifieth, change of
the mind, and therefore is well translated by
us, repentance and amendment of life, and is
not taken for pain or punishment, as you
would import by your term of penance, which
yet if it be rightly understood, is nothing but
penitence. Isidor. Ongen. lib. 6, cap. 18. And
although Dionyse, or other ancient Fathers,
have sometimes, and that seldom, used the
word liCTavoia, by a Metonymy, for the pub-
lic exercises, that were appointed for the
trial and testimony of repentance, in them
that had openly fallen, yet it foUoweth not,
that the word doth properly signify so : but
as it is in the Scripture, and of the Greek Fa-
thers also most commonly taken for true re-
pentance, and conversion of the heart unto
God. Neither is confession called fitrnvoia
in the ecclesiastical writers, although they
sjieak of priests or elders, that by hearing
men's confessions, judged of their repent-
ance, and therefore were called those that
were appointed for repentance, Socr. lib. 5,
cap. 19. Neither are they that confess called
fxcraiovTcs of their confession, but of their re-
pentance, whereof the humble acknowledg-
ing, and confessing of their sins, was a testi-
mony unto men, as their conscience was
known to God.

25. The godly, whether they be learned or
unlearned, do not vaunt of their knowledge,
and spirit of understanding, above all ancient
Fathers, and the whole Church. But where
ihey have the plain testimony of God's word

ALVTTIIEW.

on their side, they may safely be preferred
before the autliority of all men of the world,
that hold the contrary. 13y that which hath
been observed in part, and more shall be,
God willing, before we come to the end of
these annotations, it shall appear, that the
Papists which brag so much of the ancient
Fathers, and of the Church, do nmch more
decline from the judgment of the ancient Fa-
thers, and priiiHtive Church, than we, which
may not yield to any man's opinion, that is
contrary to the plain sense of the holy Scrip-
tures and word of God.

30. The law of God is impossible to be
kept, in such perfection as God requireth,
and therefore no man can be justified by the
works of the law. Gala. 2, 16, c. 3, 11. And
yet the yoke of Christ is sweet, and his bur-
den light, to them whom he easeth and re-
fresheth from the burden of sin, and his
commandments are not heavy to them, whose
faith overcometh the world. 1 John 5. Fulg.
de remiss, pecc. lib. 6, c. 4. Prosp.sen. 222. Pau-
linus ep. 20. But if any man can keep God's
commandments, he needeth not to come to
Christ to be refreshed, he overcometh by
justice of works, and not by faith, he need
iiot say the Lord's prayer; yea Christ died not
for such a one.

Chapter 12.

24. Those miracles that are said to be
done by Saints, and are alleged to maintain
any doctrine contrary to the truth taught in
the Holy Scriptures, Augustin is bold to call
them " either the fictions of lying men, or
else the works of deceiving spirits : for either
those things are not true which are said of
those miracles, or else if heretics have any
miracles, we must the rather beware of
them." This w-riteth Augustin against the
Donatists, which were full of lying miracles,
but come short by a tiiousand degrees of the
Papists, the monsters of whose lying miracles
are much more than all the poetical fables,
which all modest Papists will be ashamed to
hear of; but these traitors of llheines, barking
against the truth, are ashamed of nothing.

30. He speaketh of his own doctrine, by
which we must make trial, who gatheretli
with him, and who not. We may safely
gather with all our governors, or equals* that
gather with Christ, and with none other.
Neither doth Hierom warrant us, that whoso-
ever gathereth with the Bishop of Rome,
gathereth with Christ. For that he said to
Damasus, was in that respect, that Damasus
gathered with Christ, that is, acknowledged
the Godhead of Christ, against the Arians.
In this article of faith, he that gathereth not
with Damasus, scattereth with the heretics,
and with Antichrist. Not that Damasus suc-
ceeded Peter in the government of the whole
Church, and in that he is Bishop of Rome, is
a rule to be always followed. For the same
Hierom that gathered with Damasus, affirm-
ing the divinity of Christ, would not have
gathered with Liberius, whom he testifieth
to have subscribed with the Arians, against

the divinity of Christ, in Catolo. Num. 107.
FoTtunatianuf. And ttuching the Bishop of
Rome's governmeiit over the whole, in his
Epistle to Evagrius, he sailh, that all Bishops
be the successors of the Apostles : and that the
poor Bishop of Eugubium is not inferior to the
rich Bishop of Rome, \.c. Cyprian saith, that
all the Apostles were equal with Feter in honour
and authority. De simplicitate prcdatorum.

31. That God will not forgive the sin
against the Holy Ghost, the text is more plain,
than that with any glosses of man's inventions,
it can be obscured. That there is a sin,
which he that hath committed, cannot be re-
newed by repentance, the Apostle speaketh
as plainly Heh. 6. 4, 5, 6. They that have
sinned against the Holy Ghost are never re-
newed by repentance, nor come to true repent-
ance and change of mind, though as Judas,
they be sorry, not for their sin, but for tlu
punishment, which they have deserved by
their sin. Hierom upon the text saith: That
the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall at
no time be forgiven : and asketh how Bish-
ops and Priests that have blasphemed the
Holy Ghost were in his time received to
their degree. Hesych. lib. 2. c. 10. What
tliis sin is, and that it shall never be remitted,
Pacianus showeth against the Novatians,
Fulg. de remiss, pec. lib. 1. c. 24. And although
final unrepentance be never forgiven, because
God forgiveth only the penitent : yet it is
manifest, that our Saviour Christ speaketh
not in this place of final impenitence, but of
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which he
rnay commit that obstinately and contume-

I liously rejecteth the grace of God offered him,
for remission of sins, as Augustin saith ; but
of despising the Sacrament of Popish penance,
he speaketh not one word. For there was
no such Sacrament acknowledged in his time,
although according to the discipline of the
Church, they that had openly and grievously
fallen, so that they \vere excommunicated,
had time and exercises appointed them to
show their repentance, that they might be
again received into the Church : which dis-
cipline, also, whosoever contemneth, so long
as he remaineth in that contempt, by our
Saviour Christ's own saying, is tc be taken
for a Heathen and Publican ; and if he die in
that contempt without repentance, he dieth
as a Heathen or Publican. But of the ne-
cessity of auricular confession, of satisfaction
in work to the justice of God for sins com-
mitted, of the form of words of absolution,
muinbled over man's head by a Popish Priest,
Augustin knew nothing in liis time.

32. Not the .Tews generally are charged, nor
their posterity are punished for the sin against
the Holy Ghost, but some of them which were
the Pharisees and Scribes, that came from
.Jerusalem, of whose posterity lis possible
there is few or none remaining at this day.

32. Mark is a sure interpreter of these
words. For he, sailh Mark, that blasphe*-
mcth the Holy Ghost, never bath forgiveness,
but is guilty of eternal condemnation. The
error of Purgatory, in Augustin s time, be-

MATTHEW.

gan to peer up, from which, as Augustin was
not altogether clear, so doth lie not affirm
any thing certainly of it. For in his treatise
De oclo Dulcitii quwst. Quest. 1. thus he wri-
tethofit, "Such a thing, as saving by fire,
is not incredible to be even after this life,
and whether it be s'o or no, it may be in-
quired, an\i either be found, or be hid, that
some faithful men are saved later, or sooner,
by a certain purging fire, by how much more
or lesser they have loved corruptible goods,
yei not such of whom it is said that they
sliall not possess the kingdom of God, &c.
e.xcepi after they have duly repented, those
crimes be remitted unto them."

But Hijpognosl. cont. Pelag. lib. 5. acknow-
ledgeth heaven and hell out of the Scriptures,
but°of the third place he saith "Thetliird
place we are utterly ignorant of, yea we find
that it IS not in the Scriptures." This is the
variable opinion of Augustin, sometime doubt-
ing and thinking it not incredible, sometime
denying that any such thing is found in the
Scriptures. And although he spake against
the Pelagians and Papists, which feigned a
third place, wiiere infants unbaptized should
remain after this life, yet his words are gen-
eral, and his reason is as good against Pur-
gatory, as against Limbus infantum.

In Gregory's time, which was almost two
hundred years after, the error of Purgatory
had gathered more strength, and yet is lioldcn
by Gregory, but for the least nm! 'li'jtilr^t offen-
ces, as idle talk, immoderate hiiii:li!ii\ ar Imuse-
hold care, whichis scarce occiipiid in'h:' ■/ ,.;/( tee.
Itis sufficient forus, that ntithur il.i Sriipiure
teacheth Purgatory, neither the primitive
Church did admit of it, for many hundred
years after Christ, although by the Carpocra-
tians, Montanists, and Origenists, the founda-
tions of that error were laid of ancient time.

33. Augustin defendeth freewill against
the heresy of the Manichees, which held that
men were made evil by nature, and creation
of the evil god, and not of their own will.
The freedom therefore against such enforce-
ment as the Manichees taught, is not contrary
to the thraldom of man's will, since the fall of
Adam who fell of his freewill. And there-
fore, Augustin in his retractation of thesame
book, sayeth, "In the second of these books
we disputed of the free choice of will, either
to the doing of evil or good. But of grace,
whereby tliey are truly tree, of whom it is
said, if the son shall make you free, then shall
you be truly free, we were not compelled by
any necessity to ilispute more diligently, be-
cause the adversary was such a one, as he
was, with whom we had to do." And the
very same collection out of this text, he re-
tracteth lib. 1. c. 32. and showeth how it must
be understood, that he said of freewill, or
else it is erroneous : " In another place I said,
except a man shall change his will, he can
.work no good," which in another place he
teacheth to be placed in our power, where he
saith : " Either make the tree good, and his
fruit good, or make the tree evil, and his
fruit evil, which is not against the grace of

God, which we preach now. For it is in the
power of man to change his will into better,
but this power is none at all, except it be
given of God, of whom it is said, he gave
them power to be made the sons of God : for
seeing that it is in our povyer which we do,
when we are wilUng, nothing is so much in
our power as our will itself, but our will is
prepared of the Lord, by that means therefore
he giveth power. So is it to be understood
which I said afterward : That it is in our
power, that we may obtain, either to be en-
grossed into the goodness of God, or to be
cut off by his severity: because it is not in
our power, but that it foUoweth our will,
which when it is prepared of the Lord to be
strong and able, tliat work of piety is easily
done, which otherwise was hard, yea impos-
sible." Thus the simple may see, how you
go about to delude them, alleging the words
of Augustin, against his own judgment and
meaning.

36. Every idle word is worthy of condemna-
tion, if God should deal with us according
to his justice ; as it is plain in the next verse :
for our tongue is given us to speak always
that which is to the glory of God, and to the
profit of the hearers. Nevertheless, he that
pardoneth all the gracious sins of the faithful
that are truly penitent, v/hereof they must
also make account in judgment, forgiyeth
also the sin of idle words. Therefore this is
a brutish collection, as all the rest of your
Popish notes are : we must give an account
and not be damned, ergo, there must needs be
some temporal punishment in the next life.

Chapter 13.
8. Of them that hear the word of God,
some bring forth fruit more plentifully than
others, according to the measure of God's
grace, given to every man : who, in reward-
ing every man according to his works, croivn-
eth his own gifts, and not men's merits, as Au-
gustin testifieth. In Ps. 70. Cone. 1. in Ps.
101. For, if any thing be rendered to merits,
saith he, it is hire or toages, not grace, or a
free gift, in Psal. 144. Neither doth Augus-
tin speak of the merit of virginitv, as you
understand that word of merit, for d;esert, but
of the dignity or excellency thereof before
the state of the married. Neither doth he
allow, that distribution of a hundred fold to
virgins, threescore fold to widows, and thirty
fold to married folks, because the martyrdom
of a married person, is more excellent than
the chastity of^ a virgin. Cap. 44, 45, arid 46.
In his catalogue of heresies, he noteth among
the errors of .lovinian, that he counted the
chastity of virsrins equal unto the worthiness
of chaste and fiiitlifiii married folks. Where,
though Autjustin uscth the term merits, yet
he meaneth l)y it, dignity, excellency, or wor-
thiness, not desert, as the places before noted
do pi iinly testify, flierom, though he doth
condemn the errors of Jovinian, concerning
the excellency of virginity, as we do also,
yet he alloweth no merit, or desert of virgin-
ity before God, nor of any work of justice.

MATTHEW.

For thus lie writeth against the Pelagians,
Lih. 1. " Then are we just, when we confess
ourselves to be sinners, and our jttsdce doth not
consist uf our own merit, but of the mercy of God."

Anibrnse, though he prefer the worlliiiiess
of coniiiiency before marriage, and iiseili the
\yord Mentuin, yet that the reward of eternal
life is not given to men's merits or dcserv-
ings, he writeth thus : Exhort, ad virgines.
1 V hence should I have so great merit or deserving,
seeing mercy is my crown? And even in iIm
same Epistle, 82. ad Vercell. he writeth ul th(
reward of eternal life. Fuith,onhj shall gu
wilk you to the next life, and justice shall also
accompa?iy you, if faith go before.

15. It is a shameless slander against Calvin,
that he should teach God to belhe author of
sin, as whoso will read the place quoted of
his institution, shall plainly see. For he
holdeth, as Augustin saith, that God harden-
eth the wicked, not as an evil author, but as a
righteous judge, not by a bare permission, or
sutfering, but by withdrawing and withholding
his grace, and delivering them into their own
lust, or into the deceit of Satan, as a just pu-
nishment of their former sins, as Augustin
teacheth at large, against .Julian, the Pela-
gian, lib. 5. caj). 3. and Paul, of the idolatrous
Gentiles, affirmeth, that God delivered them
into passions of ignominy, as you, yourselves,
translate. Ro7n. 1.

30. The reprobate are in the visible Church,
but they are not of the Catholic Church,
which is the mystical body of Christ. They
went out from us, saith Jolin, but they were not
of us. 1 John, 2. 19.

' 55. We call not the body of Christ, baker's
bread, but that which the baker made, which
is digested and cast out with other meals, as
Origen saith, which, if it be not eaten, mould-
eth, or is otherwise corrupted; these things
it were blasphemy to amrm of the body of
Christ. Therefore, it is baker's bread, that
is subject to corruption. And whereas you
say, faith telleth you the contrary, tell us upon
what text of Scripture your faith is builded.
The Scripture telleth us, that the Lord's sa-
craments bread, and bread that is broken,
which cannot be verified of his natural body,
which is no now broken, but is whole and in-
corruptible in heaven. Cyril saith, our Saviour,
Christ, when he gave the Sacrament of his
body, '■'■gave fragmenta panis, pieces of bread to
his disciples which believed." Joan. lib. 5. cap. 14.
Therefore, their faith and yours is not one.

Chapter 14.

12. There is no doubt but the dead bodies
of the faithful are to be laid up in the hope
of resurrection, but not to be abused unto
idolatry : for John's disciples buried his body,
they shrined it not to be worshipped. Con-
cerning tiie story of the malice of the Pa-
gans, you foist in many things that your au-
thor saith not: for Theodoret in the place
noted, saith no more, but that they broke up
the tomb of John Baptist, burnt his bones, ana
scattered abroad the ashes.

You say, that the Christians laid the body

of John !he Baptist, with the relics of Eliaa
and Abdias: this saith not Hierom, but
" There lie Heliza;us and Abdias, prophets,
and John the Baptist, than the which there
was none greater, among them that were
born of a woman." Elias was taken up in
a fiery chariot, therefore they had no relics
of his body. But admit your memory failed
you in naming F.lias • instead of Helizaius,
n.it only here, bu: also in the table : what
wundt liul miracles were there wrought be-
liui .liilian's time? Ruffinus speaketh of
nono, 111 fore nor after. Hierom saith in his
time, that P;aihiqii;.ked at many marvels that
she saw thei'i; : namely," Devils roaring in
divrr.-^ idriiieiiis, and before the sepulchres of
tliiisc !i' l\ iiii'ii, men howling like wolves,
h;Ml.i!L: 1 kr (l.iL's, roaring like lions, hissing
likr .s( r|u ni.~, lowing like bulls. Some turn
their heads about, and touch the earth with
the crown of their head backward, women
hanging by the feet, their garments abroad to
fall upon their faces. She took pity of them
all, weeping for every one, she prayed Christ
to have mercy on them." But not ot any
that were cured of their madness there.
Again ye may note how Hierom agreeth
with Ruffine wheii he saith, that John Baptist
lay still in his time in Sebaste or Samaria :
bui Itt the history of Ruffine be true. He
sanh, ih:ii CI itaiii'from Jerusalem of the mo-
nas;ir\ lit riiilip, came to that place, where
the I'agaiis ruged against that body of John
Baptist, to pray ; you say they came thither
on pilgrimage : but howsoever it was, they
brought some relics away with them, the rest
were burned. Yet Glaudentius of Brixia,
and Paulinus of Nola, were persuaded that
they had his relics in the great Church at
Fundi in Italy. Gaud, de dedic. Basil. Paul.
Epist. 12. Now for any injury that is done
by us unto the bodies of the Saints, it is a
mere slander : but the counterfeit relics that
you show, and worship as idols, we destroy
and abolish. And to prove they are coun-
teifeit, we need no other testimony, but of
yourselves, which place one and the same
relic, in so many places at once. John Bap-
tist's head, you say is at Amiens, other say,
his face only. 1 will not inquire how it came
thither from Constantinople, whither it was
carried by Theodosius. Hist. Trip. lib. y, c. 42.
But the same part that is at Amiens, is at
Jean Angely. The rest of his head, from
the forehead to the neck, is in Malta : yet
the hinder part of his skull is at Nemours,
his brain at Novium Rastroviense, another
part of his head at Jean Morien, his jaw-
bone at Vesalium, another part at Paris, at
.Tokn Laterane, a piece of his ear at Floride,
his forehead and hairs in Spain, at Salva-
dore, another piece of his head is at Noyon,
and another at Lucca, in Italy And yet for
all these pieces, his whole head is at Rome
to be seen and worshipped. And many
Churches in England had relics of his head.
Is there not good cause think you, that we
should honour these holy relics : if for nothing
else, yet because they can multiply them-

MATTHEW.

selves, and be in so many places at once ? O
impudent brood of Antichrist.

13. A simple argument to justify the profes-
sion ol Hernnis. Yet that there were many
good men tiiat in times past led a contem-
plative life in desert places, I deny not : but
1 aHirni, that their example is a shame to
the moci^ monks and false flerniits of Po-
pery, wiiicii live in cities, and in tiie fre-
quence ot people, that I speak nothing of
tlieir faith and life, far unlike. Neither doth
llieroin or Sozomenus say, " they did pe-
nance for their own sins, and the sms of the
world:" neither had they any such blas-
phemous opinion, that they could satisfy for
tlieir own sins, much less for the sins of tjie
world. Anthony, wiio was counted the
chief of those Hermits, confesseth that the
wound of man's sins could not be healed by
any means, but " by the only goodness of God,
which gave his only begotten Son to suffer for
our sins." Ep. 2 and 4.

2fi. Christ can dispose of his body above
nature, but not to destroy the essential con-
ditions of a body, for then he should cease to
have a body, and overthrow the hope of our
resurrection. Ense. Emiss. horn, in Sabb. post
chier. And where you quote John. 20, to
prove that his body did go through a door,
your own translation is, that the doors were
shut, not that lie came through the door : for
he made the door open, and give place to
liim, as the prison door did to the Apostles
by the ministry of the Angels, Acts 5, which
yet were shut again, so soon as they passed
through, " for if the distance of place betaken
from bodies, they shall be nowhere, and being
nowhere, they shall not be at all," as Angus-
tin teacheth. Ep.bl, Dardan. Where you
quote Epiphanius to affirm, that the body of
Christ can be in the compass of a little
bread, it is a manifest abusing of the reader :
for Epiphanius saith not so, but the clean con-
trary. For teaching that the sacramental
bread, is an image of Christ; "And yet."
saith he, " neither in greatness nor fashion,
nor power, it is like either to his diviniiy, or
to his humanity : for it is a long shapen roll
in fashion, and void of sense as concerning
power :" which testimony of Epiphanius
clearly overthroweth your error of transub-
stantiation, and carnal manner of Christ's
presence in the Sacrament, both together.

29. Bernard was but a late writer, and was
deceived with the error of Peter's primacy,
though not so grossly as the Papists hold it
at this day; neither is his collection any
better than his autl.ority. Peter walked on
the water as Christ did, erpo he was the only
Vicar of Christ. While Bernard followed
such arguments, no marvel it were said of
him, he saw not all.

31. God useth not by heretics and anii-
christian tyrants, and masters of impiety, to
uphold and preserve his Church, but by pain-
ful and faithful teachers, and wise ana faith-
ful governors, although they have infirmi-
lic".

[ Chapter 15.

8. He that prayeth in a tongue which he
I understandeth not, catmot come near to God
I with his heart, seeing his heart cannot re-
i quest that which is contained in the sound of
I words uitered witli his lips. He may have a

j superstitious devotion or zeal of God, which
j being not according to knowledge, cannot
I bring hiin near to God. For he that will
I come near to God, must come by faith, with-
out wliich it is impossible to please God, and
faith cannot be of things unknown, but of
things revealed to us by the word of God.
Neither doth the Apostle say, that he who
prayeth in a tongue which himself under-
standeth not, doth edify himself, but he that
hath the gift to speak in an unknown tongue
which he himself understandeth, but not the
Church, may edify himself, but not profit the
Church. As for profit in spirit, Paul nameth
I not, but he that prayeth in spirii, that is ac-
cording to his spiritual gilt of strange tongues :
if he pray in the Church, he must pray with
understanding of other, that his prayerbe not
unfruitful, or else hold his peace, if neither
he, nor any other, can interpret his prayers.
As ibr him that understandeth not what he
I requireth in an unknown tongue, prayeth not
at all, but mocketh God and the Church, if
he pray openly. And where you say such a
one may have less distractions than other in
his prayer, there is nothing else, but a dis-
traction of his mind from his tongue, when
his heart cannot think that which the words
he pronounoeth doth signify, which he know-
eth not whether they be blessing or cursing,
prayers or thanksgivin'f, for spiritual benefits
or temporal, for himsell'or for other, lor for-
^iiyeness of sins, or perseverance in virtue.
\Vhereas true prayer, requireth a true sense
of feeling our present need, and ot the neces-
sity of our brethren, yea of the whole Church
of God. Nihis de oral. c. 33.

Prayer in an unknown tongue, was first
broui^htin by Fixai,the horrible heretic among
the Jews, who said unto his scholars, "Let no
man seek the interpretation, but only in his
prayers say these words," &.c. Epiph. 'Hair. 19.
who doubteth not, that this testimony of Isaias
may be rightly applied against him and his
sect: and even by the same reason it may be
applied against the Papists, who much more
than the hypocritical Jews, honour God in
vain with their lips, according to men's tradi-
tions, and therelbre their heart is far from him.

9. Of Popish traditions, doctrines, and com-
mandments, some be repugnant to God's laws,
as worshipping of images, sacrifice of the
Mas.«, communion in one kind, prohibiting ot
marriage and meats for religion's sake, and
such like. Some are beside the laws of God,
as idle and unprofitable ceremonies, whereof
they have an infinite number, serving not to
order, decency, and edification, but to idola-
try and superstition : while they make them as
a part of God's service and worship. In both
sorts, being the doctrine of men, God is wor-
shipped in vain, as our Saviour saith, out of

MATTHEW.

the Propliet Isaias. Now let us see, how you
defend ihem : first you say, " Paul gave com-
mandments both by his epistles and by yvord
ot'mouth, even in such matters wherein Christ
had prescribed notiiing at all, and chargeth
the laithtul to observe them," for which you
quote 2 Thesx. 2. 15. and 1 Cormt/t. 11. 23.
This is a detestable slander of the holy Apos-
tle, who taught nothing as necessary to be
observed, but that wliieh he had received of
the Lord, either in particular, as the obser-
vation ot the Lord's bupper, 1 Cormt/t. 11. 23.
or in general, as the comeliness lo be observed
in the holy meeiine.s„ according to tiie dis-
tinction ot sexes, which God hatii made. Out
of which general doctrine, the Apostle infer-
reth his arguments, for the covering of
women's heads in the congregation, and the
not covering of men's heads. And yet in the
outward ceremony of covering, or not cover-
ing, he prescribein nothing as a part of reli-
gion or the service of God, but as a matter of
comeliness and decency among men ; which
is varied according to limes, persons, and
places: and therefore concludeth, that it is
not the custom of God's Church to contend
for such matters. But for matters necessary
to God's worship, the Church must strive
even to the death of her children. As for
cereinonJes apt for decency, order, and edifi-
cation, they are allowed by the word of God,
and the Church hath liberty in the external
forms of them, so those three conditions or
ends be observed. But in the other place of

ceremonies which the Papists do not observe
Therefore the Papists 'nust confess, either
that such things were not prescribed by the
Apostles or else that they were prescribed
none otherwise, than indifferent ceremonies,-
which are subject to alteration, and in which
die religion or worship of God doih not con-
sist. And so the Protesftnts observe thern,
fororderand ctlihcation of God's people, that
use to assemble at such times : as the Apos-
tles observed the Sabbath day, Pentecost, and
other solemnities of the Jew3, not as a portion
of Christian religion, but taking occasion of the
meeting of the .lews in those festival times.

You say, " the Aposilcs appointed the Lent
and Iniber fasts, as well to chastise men's
concupiscences, as to please (iod thereby."
For the appointing of Lent and Imber fasts,
you quote Hierom. ad Marcel, cont. Mont, who
indeed allegeth the tradition of the Apo.'^tles,
for one forty days' fast in the year, but of
Imber fasts, and such other, he speaketh
never a word. And I have showed before
out of Euseb. lib. 5. c. 18. that Montanus the
heretic was the first that appointed laws
of fasting. And Irencus, cited by Eustb. lib 5-
c. 26. shovveth the diversity of fasting, as well
as ot observing the feast of Easter, which
proveth, that neither the one, nor the other,
had any certain prescription by die Apostles.
That men by fasting serve and please God,
you cite the e.xamplts oi Ajina, Tobws, Judith,
Hester, wlio served and pleased God thereby,
whereof we doubt nothing at all, wliile they

Paul, how prove you that he speaketh of any i used fasfmg to the riglit end allowed ol God,
thing not expressed in the Scriptures '.' For! that is, humbling of themselves, and chasti-
though he hath not cornprehended all thinj;s sing of the body, that it might be more obe-
in his Epistle to the Tkessalouiaus, yet he dient to the spint, and fervent in prayer. For
taught no doctrine necessary to salvation, : otlierwise, fasting of itself, as Hierom saith,

but that which Moses and the Prophets have
said, and which was accomplished and taught
by our Saviour Christ in the g<jspel. As for
matters of external discipline, and form of
administration of the Sacraments, public pray-
•ers, and such like, which are variable so the

general rules appointed for such matters b
observed, he never required any perpetual
observation.

But " ihe Apostle made laws of blood and
strangled, necessary to be observed." Not as
a part of God'' s. worship, but as necessary for
edifying of the Jews in love : which cause
ceasing, those laws also cease of themselves,
withoiit any abrogation. For now when the
infirmity of the Jews is no let, it is lawfiil to
cat blood and strangled.

The observation of the Lord's day is not
delivered by blind tradition, but hath testi-
mony of the Holy Scriptures, 1 Corinth. 16.
2. and Apoc. 1. 10. Acts. 20. 7. and the obser-
vation thereof, is according to God's com-
mandment, and no doctrine of men.

You say, "the Aposdes prescribed the
feasts of Easter and Whitsuntide, and other
solemnities of Christ, and of his Saints, which
the Protestants observe.^' Epiph. kter. 75.
Epiphanus ascribeth to tradition of the Apos-
tles, the Wednesday fast, and many other

IS no perfect virtue, but a foundation of other
virtues. " Think not," saith he, " that thou art
holy, when thou hast begun to fast and ab-
stain, for this virtue is a help, not a perfec-
tion of sanctification." 1 conclude therefore,
that Popish traditions, placing religion and

substance of doctrine be retained, and the ,iioIiness, in commandments and ceremonies

^f their own invention, are as ill as the Pha-
risaical traditions, and men seek in vain to
worship God by them. For Christ hath given
no warrant or authority to any man, to add
any thin^ to the worship of God prescribed in
his word. Neither hath he assured us, that
whosoever heareth man, heareth him, but so
long as man preacheth God's word, and not
the visions of his own head. Judas was one
of them, of whom it was said, he that heareth
you, heareth me, but this was understood to be
no longer than he preached the Gospel, else
the high Priests mightbe excused for heark-
ening to him, when he said, what will you give
me, and I will betray hivi unto liou. The Holy
Ghost joineth not with them that set up a new
religion, or teach new doctrines, but with
them that retain only the doctrine ofChrist, as
sufficient unto salvation. And that is the true
Church which heareth the voice of the spouse
and is content to be directed thereby in all
things. That company of men whicn teach
contrary to the Scripture, or beside the Scrip-

MATTHEW.

tures, to worship God not as the word hath
prescribed, but according to the doctrines of
men, is the synagoifne ot Sathan, and not the
Church of Christ: Neither have they sending
or commission from God. But they who sin-
cerely, according to the Scriptures, do teach
the gospel, have sending and commission from
God, Rom. 10, anif are to be heard even as
Christ himself so long as they teach nothmg
but that Christ hath taught, as is to be proved
out of the Holy Scriptures.

11. The Papists abstain not, as the Calho-
lics did in Augustin's time, for chastisement
of tlieir concupiscence, but of hypocrisj', not
for religion and holiness. For wine, spices,
fruits, salad, -and many fishes which they use,
do much more nourish concupiscence, than
usual flesh, from which they abstain. As
Augustin slioweih of the fasts of the Mani-
chees. De error. Man. lib. 2. cap. 12.

18. The Spirit speaketh so evidently of
your Popish prohibition of marriage and
meats for religion and holiness, that all your
lying words and shifts of hypocrisy, cannot
excuse you from holding the doctrine of
devils. If neither flesh nor fish defile a man
as you say now, why do you prohibit flesh to
some men at all times, and to all men at
some times ? The like I say of marriage,
wherebv' Gregory Martin, a bird of your own
nest, afnrmeth, that the sacred order of Priest-
hood is projaiied. Discoii.cap. 15. And Durand
can yield none other reason, why fish is eaten
on fasting days, but because God hath not
cursed the waters, "because remission of
sins should be by the water of baptism. For
this element is m.ost worthy which washeth
away filthiness, and upon which the Spirit of
the Lord was born before the making of^ the
world. But he cursed the earth in the works
of man : hereof it is, that it is not lawful in
fasting to eat any kind of flesh which liveth
on the earth, as four-footed beasts," &,c. Lib.
6. cap. aliisjejuiiiis. Let the reader nowjudge,
whether you abstain not from flesh as from
meat cursed of God. Whereas the faithful -
know, that all the creatures of God are goodf
and sanctified unto them by his word and
prayer.

2^. Christ never commendeth a sole faith,
which IS void of good works, to be sufficient
for justification, but a lively faith, which
workethby love, to justify alone, without
respect had unto the merits of tlie work.s.
This woman's faith was not solitary, or void
of good works, but accompanied with pa-
tience, invocation, humility, charity, and other
fruits of faith: yet was she justified before
God, by faith only, and before men justified
or declared to be just by the fruits of a living
faith. James 2. " A godly faith," saith Au"-
gustin, " will not be without hope and charity."

Chapter 16.

13. Peter by the grace of God, and not by

the merit of his confession, is made not the

rock, but a rock or foundation stone of the

Church, and receiveth such ecclesiastical

power, as was common to him with all the
Apostles.

13. All the logicians in the world, cannot
conclude in lawful syllogism out of the words
of this chapter, that any greater authority was
granted to Peter, than to every one of the
Apostles : who were every one foundation
stones of the Church, had every one keys of
the kingdom of heaven, had every one as
large and ample power of binding and loosing
as Peter had : and therefore this surmise or
Christ intending to constitute Peter head of
the Church is talse and feigned.

14. W Peter were head of the fellowship
before he confessed Christ, as the words of
Chrysostom import, then he was not made
head by these words that follow : " Thou art
Peter, "&c. But in truth Chrysostom never
deferred any primacy to Peter of authority
and dignity, but of order and promptness of
faith. Ham. 33. He giveth the same title
of headship to four Apostles at once. " For
Philip," saith he, " and those two couple that
held the headship of the Apostleship, were
of Bethsaida." Ot John he saith, Evang. Joan.
Prol. " The son of thunder is most beloved
of Christ, the pillar of all the Churches that
are in the world, which hath the keys of the
kingdom of heaven." 1 Corinth. Horn. 39,
he saith, "The dignity of all the Apostles is
equal." Therefore Chrysostom meaneth not
any authority over the rest of the Apostles,
or any other, than every one of the Apostles
had: though they had not all equal gitts, but
some excelled in gifts, as Peter, James, and
John : nor the like dispensation in executing
of their office, the primacy of the circumci-
sion being appointed to Peter, and the pri-
macy of the Gent-'-s to Paul.

17. Chrysostom mdeed thinketh, that Na-
thaniel did not acknowledge Christ to be
very God. But Hilary, whom you name.first,
Can. 6, or IG, hath never a word of Nathaniel.
But lib. 6, de Trinit. he saith, " Nathaniel
confessed Christ to be the son of God, as
Moses and the Prophets had foreshowed,"
who doubtless foreshow his divinity. Cyril
plainly aflirmeth, that he knew him to be
God, by knowing his heart. In John. lib. 2,
cap. 19. Augustin also in Joan. Tract. 7,
judgeth the confession of Nathaniel, " the
same that Peter made afterward, when our
Lord said unto him, blessed art thou Simon,"
&,c. Bede also saith, "Nathanic/ consider-
ing his divine majesty, confessed fiim to be the
Son of God." In Joan. cap. 1. Prirnasius also
saith, " Nathaniel hearin'j but ones entence
answered, thou art the Son of God, thou art
the King of Israel, which thing, when Peter
so long after confessed, he obtained to hear,
that he was happy, and tliat the keys of the
kingdom of heaven were given to him."
Kpist. ad. Rom. cap.. 10. Thus five doctors
against one, affirm that Nathaniel confessed
as much of Christ's divinity as Peter. There-
fore this is another vain surmise, why Peter
should be made the head of the Church. For
Christ had long before revealed his divinity
unto his Apostles, and they all, except Judas,

MATTHEW.

did believe it, as well as Peter, who for them
all, answereth and confesscth. John. 6, 69.
" We have believed and known that thou
artChrist, the son of the living; God." Where
Peter as in this place, Matt. 16, " had the
primacy of confession, not of honour :" as
Ambrose saith, De Incarnat. IJom. cap. 4.
That Peter received the building of the
Church committed unto him, we acknow-
ledge, as all the rest of the Apostles did like-
wise, being the foundation of the Church, as
well as he. Ephes. 2, 20.

18. No doubt, it was a great reward of Pe-
ter's confession, that the Church is built upon
him : but this reward, even as the same faith
and confession, was conjmon to him with the
rest of the Apostles. Neither doth Theo-
phylact mean otherwise : therefore he saith
witliin few words after, " Although it was
said to Peter alone, I will give to thee : yet
the kevs were granted to all the Apostles."

18. We confess with Cyril, Hilary, and
Basil, that Peter was a stone, designed for the
foundation of the Church, but so, as all tiio
rest of the Apostles are stones upon vvhicii
the Church is built. Apoc. 21, 14. Neither
do we wrangle, when we say that Christ is
the only rock or foundation, u|)on which the
Church is built, for the Apostle hath taught
us so to say. 1 Cor. 3, 11. Yet do we not
exclude the ministry and labourers of his
Apostles, whom also we ackriovvledge, to be
stones and fotmdations of his Church : not
in respect of' their persons, but in regard of
the heavenly doctrine, which being com-
mitted unto them, by diligent preaching and
writing, they planted in the world: and so
became with the Prophets, the foundation of
the Church : Jesus Christ still retaining his
place, to be the corner stone, in whom the
whole building being coupled together, grow-
eth up to a holy temple in the Lord. Eph.
2, 20, 21. Therefore as Christ is the rock,
foundation, or corner stuue, neither Peter,
nor all the Apostles, are the same. Fulg. de
remiss, peer. lib. 1, cap. 19. But your blas-
phemous advancing Peter's primacy, tendeth
to make him a whole foundation of the whole
Church, which none is but Christ. Neither
hath he therein any Vicar or substitute, but
by his divine power, sustaineth the whole
building of the Church himself. So saith
Chrysostom : " He himself sustaineth and
beareth all things, in whom the whole build-
ing is coupled together. Whatsoever thou
bhalt name, either the roof, or the walls, or
whatsoever it be, he beareth the whole him-
self." Epist. et Ephes. Horn. G. Therefore
that which is proper to the divine nature of
Christ, cannot without blasphemy, be ascribed
to the ministry of man.

18. Many words to little purpose. We ac-
knowledge that Peter was a stone, upon which
stone the Church is builded, as the rest of the
Apostles were stones, upon whom also the
Church is builded. And we confess, that Ce-
pha in the Syrian tonsfue, which language our
Saviour used, signifieth a stone, not only a
great main Rock, such as Christ is, being the

foundation of the whole Church, but also of
every little stone. And in the Syriac trans-
lation, 1 Pet. 2, where the Apostle calleth all
the faithful living stones builded upon the pre-
cious stone Christ, the same word is used.
Therefore, if we would translate so precisely
as you speak, out of the Syriac tongue, we
should say. Thou art a stone, and upon this
stone I will build my Church. But the Greek
which we translated, making difference of the
gender, wc have done right in observing the
same. And albeit -jrcTpoi and Trtrpain Greek, do
signify the same thing, yet is Trtrpof proper to
the Attic dialect, when it signifieth a rock or
stone. And because it is not like, that the
Apostle, without cause, would in so few words
vary the dialect, we must needs think, that
ircrpof in this place, is taken for the proper
name of Peter, and vcrpa tor the common name
of a stone, whereof Peter had that surname.
Which, whether it be referred to Christ whom
Peter confessed, or to Peter's faith, or confes-
sion of Christ, or to Peter himself in respect
of his doctrine and Aposlleship, as the ancient
fathers have all these three relations, it cometh
to one end : that Peter had none otiier autho-
rity than the rest of the Apostles, upon whom
the Church was builded, no less than upon
Peter, who also believed and confessed as
Peter did, had the keys of the kingdom of
heaven and pov.'er to bind and loose, as am-
ple as he. Matt. 18. 18. John. 20. 13. But let
us examine the authorities of the ancient fa-
thers, that are quoted for this matter. Augus-
tin understanding the rock to be Christ, is
condemned of error, because he followed the
Latin terminations of Fetrus and Petra. But
is not the same difference in die Cxreek? or
think you the ditl'erence is made in vain ? You
say, notwithstanding that his error, he never
dcnieth Peter to he the rock and head of the
Church. But if this text by his last judgment
in his retractions make not for it, how can he
hold Peter to be the rock of the Church in
your sense, or head of the same ? You say,
"he hath expounded it of Peter, in many
places, and allegeth Ambrose in a hynm:"
but in no place he concludeth thereof, the su-
premacy of Peter, or acknowledgeth Peter to
be such a foundation stone, as none of the
Apostles is but he, or that Peter was made
head of the Church. Psalm 69, he saith, " Pe- '
ter hayintj confessed Christ to be the Son of
God, in that confession, was called a stone,
upon which the Church should be builded."
These words set him not an inch above the
rest of the Aposdes. De verb. Dom. soc. 10.
serm. 49, is no word of the rock, or building
of the Church upon Peter. Except you mean
these words, "He saith unto Peter in whom
being but one, he informeth his Church, or
maketh him an example for his Church to
follow, Peter dost thou love nie ?" The
context of that place is plain, that Augustin
speaketh nothing of Peter, as the foundation
o; the Church. The other four places out of
the sermons De Sanctis., are none of Augustin's
authority, no more tl)an those sernions are.
The very style of which argueth them to be

AIATTIICW.

ofanotlier and a later writer : yet is one of
the sermons which you quote, ascribed also
to Ambrose. Jiut admit they were Augus-
tin's, yet they make little or nothing for Pe-
ter's supremacy, which is the matter in ques-
tion, and not whether the Church was builded
upon. Peter, which we acknowledge. Ser. 15,
he saith, "Peter was named the foundation of
the Church." So doth he in the Ser. 16, with
more ample words, but yet expounding him-
self, he saiih, "In the same house Peter lay-
eth the foundation, Peter planteth, the Lord
giveth the increase, the Lord sendeth water-
ing." In these words he showeth, how he is
a foundation and unmoveable stone, contain-
ing the building and burden of the whole
Christian work, namelj', as he pieacheth
Christ the true rock, and layeth him for the ,
foundation of the house, while he planteth the '
faith. In the Ser. 26, the author saith, Peter
is a rock or stone upon which the Church is
builded, "as he containeth the fouridation of
faith in the Church." And that is true of
every one of the Apostles, to whom was com-
mitted the doctrine of the gospel which is the
foundation of Christian faith. In the Ser. 29.
the author according to the scripture, calleth
Peter and Paul both, "Founders of the Chris-
tian name. Peter among the .Tews, Paul
among the Gentiles," and in many other words
showeth that Paul was not less or inferior to
Peter. Aniiut. in Job. cup. 30, there is nothing
touching this matter. But beside these, you
allege many other authorities, of which not
one, except Leo and Gregory of Rome, do
favour the supremacy of Peter, nor they so
absolutely, as now you hold it. To begin with
the council of Chalcedon, the fathers in that
council, did so acknowledge the Church to
be founded upon Peter, that they decreed,
the Bishop of Constantinople should hiive
equal authority and dignity with the Bishop
of Rome, except the primacy of seniority."
Action 16. and Can. 28, although the Bishop of
Rome's legates were present, and alleged
what they could to hinder the decree. 1'er-
tullian saith, "Peter was called a stone or
rock, for the building of the Church. All the
Apostles were stones. Cont. Marcio. lib. 4.
The Church was builded upon Peter, because
it was builded by him, that be first occupied
the key," itc De pudicifia prope finem. By
whom also it appeareth, that the Catholics in
his time, challenged authority of binding and
loosing, to pertain to the Church by that text.
Thou art Peter, &.c. where he like a heretic
contendcth, that it was spoken personally to
Peter, and that Montanus, the spiritual man,
with his Church, is successor of that autho-
rity, and not that Church is a number of Bish-
ops. Origen also, Horn. 5. in E.tod. callelh
Peter a great foundation, and most strong
rock, upon whom the Church is builded. But
liow that is to be understood, he showeth
plainly in his commentary upon this te.\t.
" But if thou thinkest, that the universal
Church is builded by God, upon this one Pe-
ter, what saycst thou of James and .John,
the children of thunder, or of everyone of the

Apostles? Therefore it was truly said unto
Peter, Thou art Peter, and upon this stone I
will build my Church, and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it: Yet it seemeth
to be said to all the Apostles, and to every
perfect faithful man, because they all as Pe-
ter, be stones, and on them all the Church of
Christ is builded, and the gates of hell shall
prevail against none of thera that are such."
Those words of Origen, you see do plainly
overthrow the supremacy of Peter, although
he confess him to be a stone upon which the
Church is builded. Cyprian, De unitate Eccte-
sicE, was as great a friend to Peter's supre-
macy as Origen. For thus he writeth, " Al-
though he gave equal authority to all his
Apostles after his resurrection and said. As
my Father sent me, so I send you, receive the
Holy Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive,
they shall be forgiven, and whose you shall re-
tain, they be retained, yet to manifest unity,
the beginning of that unity proceeding from
one, he'disposed by his authority. The same
thing verily was all the Apostles that Peter
was, endued with equal fellowship of honour
and authority, but the beginning proceedeth
from one, that the Church might be showed
to be one." This writeth Cyprian, of the
building of the Church upon one man Peter,
showing that all the Apostles had the same
honour and power that Peter had. And there-
fore Peter had no supremacy of authority over
them, or over the whole Church, more thanr
every one of the Apostles had. That which
Hilary writeth upon this place, Ca«. 16, of
the foundation ot the Church, ihay well be
understood of faith. As he doth most plainly
express his mind, De Trinit. lib. 2. " This one
foundation is unmoveable, this is that one
happy rock of faith confessed by the mouth
of Peter. Thou art the Son of the living God."
And lib. 6, he saith: "All the Apostles, for
the worthiness of their faith acknowledging
his divinity, received the keys of the king-
dom of heaven, and authority of binding and
loosing in heaven and earth." Wherefore
Hilary, out of this text, never acknowledged
the supremacy of Peter, or any greater au-
thority granted imto Peter, than unto the rest
of the Apostles. The next place, you quote,
for Ambrose, serm. 46, is the very same which
you quoted before, and ascribed to Augustin,
serm. 16. de sanct. resembling indeed the style
of neither. Likewise the serm. 69, is the very
same that you cited before, as Augustin s
serm. 26. de sand. These places if you had
viewed yourselves, you would not have cited
for shame under the name of two several
doctors, and yet they serve you to small pur-
pose. But you know Papists are ready to
take all draft that you will thrust into their
mouths, and never examine whence it eo-
meth. With wliom so long as you may re-
tain your credit, you esteem not what all the
learned of the world may judge of your im-
pudency. But lest you should seem to have
nothing of Ambrose, but forged, you quote
lib. 6. cap. 9. Luke, where he doth acknowledge
Peter none otherwise to be the foundation of

jM.vTTirew.

the Church, tharj every faithful mnn may be.
" For lie that shall overcome the flesh is a
foundation of the Church, and tiiout;!) he can-
nof be equal to Feter, yet he may follow him.
He denied not to hi^s disciple the grace of this
name, that he should be called Peter, because
he had solidity of constancy, and steadfastness
of taith of the rock. Endeavour that thou also
mayest be a rock. Therefore seek the rock,
not without thee, but within thee. Thy act
is thy rock, thy mind is thy rock. Let thy
house be builded upon this rock, that it may
not be beaten with any storms of spiritual
wickedness. Faith is thy rock, faith is the
foundation of the Church. If thou be a rock,
thou shalt be in the Church, because the
Church is upon a rock," &c. Here is all that
can be gathered out of this place for Peter's
supremacy. You were as well advised to
quote Hierom, lib. 1. i?i Jovin. whose words
are these. " But thou sayest, the Church is
founded upon Peter, although in another place,
the very same thing is done upon all the
Apostles, and they ail receive the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and the strength of the
Church is established equally upon them all.
Yet therefore, among twelve one is chosen,
that the head being appointed, occasion of
schism may be taken away." In these words
Hierom acknowledgeth np greater authority
of Peter, than of the rest of the Apostles, but
only a primacy of order for avoiding of con-
fusion and dissension, which in every com-
pany of them that be equal in degree, must
be observed. Your second place out of
Hierom, is in cap. 2. Isa. where he saith
of the Church: "This house is builded
upon the foundation of the Apostles and Pro-
phets, who also are mountains, as follow-
ers of Christ. Of this house and Jerusa-
lem, the Psalmist saith aloud. They that
put their trust in the Lord, shall be as the
mount Sion, he shall not be moved forever
which dwelleth in Jerusalem. The moun-
tains are round about it, and the Lord is round
about his people. Wherefore upon one of those
mountains, Christ foundeth his Church, and
saith unto him, Thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my Church, and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it." By this tes-
timony, Peter is one of the mountains, upon
which the Church is founded : where is Pe-
ter's supremacy in these words? Last of all
in cap. 19. Hier. where the text is Decavernis
Petrarum, Out of the holes of the rochx, he in-
terpreteth the rocks to be the Apostles, and
Apostolic inen. " For not only Christ was a
rock, but it .was granted also to Peter that he
should be called a rock," Behold Peter is a
rock, as every Apostle and Apostolic man is,
by this place of Hierom, who also in Matt,
cap. 7, saith, " Our Lord founded his Church
upon that rock, whereon the wise man builded
his house, of whic'n rock, Peter the Apostle
took his name." This being common to every
wise builder, proveth no supremacy in Peter,
and much less in any that shall claim it by suc-
cession from him, as the Romish prelate doth.
And therefore, expounding this text, he fiiid-

eth nothing proper to Peter and his succes-
sors, but common to all Bishops and Priests.
Among whom some not understanding the
place, took upon them a piece of Pharisaical
pride, which he there confuteth. And most
expressly defending the judgment of the
Church in the whole world, against the prac-
tice of the Romish Church, he saith: "If au-
thority be sought, the world is greater than a
city. Wheresoever a Bishop be, either at Rome
or at Eugubium, either at Constantinople or
at Rhegium, cither at Alexandria or at I'unis,
he is ofthe satne worthiness, and of the same
priestly office. Powerof riches, and baseness
of poverty, maketh not a bishop higher or
lower. But they are all successors of the
Apostles. But thou wilt say, how is the Priest
at Rome, ordained at the testimony of a Dea-
con. What dost thou bring me the custom
of one city ?" The place of Chrysostom is
answered before, sect. 4. And that Cyril
meaneth Peter to be a rock, none otherwise
than all the Apostles, his words are plain in
Isa. lib. 4. cap. 44. or 2. " But why do we
call them the foundation of the earth? For
Christ is the foundation of all, and stay of all,
keepeth and holdeth all things, to be sure and
steadfast. In him we are all built, a spiritual
house compacted by his Spirit, into a holy
temple, and habitation of himself: For he
dwelleth in our hearts by faith. The next
and nearer foundation to us, may be under-
stood, the Apostles and Evangelists, being
eye witnesses, and made ministersof the Word
lor confirmation of faith. For when we know
that their traditions are to be followed, we
shall keep a right faith, and not strange or
erring froin Christ. For by him it was said
to Peter, because he had confessed the faith
in him right soundly, and had said, thou art
Christ the Son of the living God, 'Thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
Church, calling a rock, as I think, the unmov-
able fiiith of the disciple. It is also said by
the Psalmist. Her foundations are upon the
holy hills: The holy Apostles are righily to
be compared to holy hills, the knowledge of
whom is established as a foundation to the
posterity." To the same effect he writeth lib.
5. cap. 54. Epiphanius in Ancorato acknow-
ledgeth Peter to be the first or chief of the
Apostles, on whom the Church is builded, but
he uiiderstandeth his confession, faith and
doctrine, not his person. "For in him," saith
he, "the faith was established by all means,
and all qiiestions of faith are decided in him."
So likewise hcere. 59, after he hath acknow-
ledged him to be a rock, upon which the
Church is builded, he addeth the reason, and
expoundeth how he is a rock. " Because,"
saith he, "he confesseth Christ to be the Son
of the living God, and here, upon this rock
of steadfast faith, I will build my Church."
Now seeing this rock of steadfast faith was
in all the Apostles, it is certain that Epipha-
nius purposed not to niake Peter a singular
foundation stone by himself, but jointly with
all his fellow Apostles.
Leo, Bishop of Rome, striving for the dig-

MATTHEW.

nityof his See, as his predecessors, Zosimus
Boniface, andCelesline, had done before, and
were discovered in ihe council of Africa, to
have alleged a iorged canon of the council of
Nice, is no equal judge in this case. Neither
could his allegations any thing prevail in the
general council of Chalcedon, but that the
bishop oi Constantinople was made his equal.
Gregory was almost immediately before that
Bonfface, that bought the title of supremacy
of Phocas : Yet he prophesied, that John,
bishop of Constantinople, which first chal-
lenged the title of Universal Bishop, was the
forerunner of Antichrist. Ep. 78. 82. 194.
Your last witness, Theodoret, calleth Peter
a principal foundation of the Church that was
shaken, and confirmed again by repentance.
But the same Theodoret showeth, that he
was a foundation, in respect of his faith and
confession, in Cantic, saying, "He calleth the
piety of faith, and profes'sion of truth, a rock.
For when our Lord inquired of his disciples,
whom men said that he the Son of Man was,
thou, saith blessed Peter, art Christ, the son
of the living God. To whom the Lord an-
swered, saying, verily, verily, I say to thee,
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build
my Church." And, lest you should think,
that Peter, in respect of his faith and confes-
sion, was a singular foundation. Psalm 47,
thus he writeth : " He hath builded the
Church, as the holy Apostle saith, upon the
foundation of the Apostles and Prophets,
Jesus Christ being the corner stone thereof.
And our Lord, himself saith, to blessed Peter,
and upon this rock will I build my Church, i
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it. Therefore, the Prophet hath put this |
word, well founded, for sound foundations,
that she may remain unshaken arid unmovea-
ble." These words declare evidenth', that |
Peter is a rock and fotindation of the Church,
no otherwise than all the Apostles are, and
hath no supremacy of authority over the rest,
granted by this text. Thus have we answer-
ed to those fathers, that say the Church was
founded upon Peter. But because you cannot
deny, but that they say, also, that the Church
is builded upon Peter's faith : you szy, they
mean not faith separated from the man, or in any
other man, as we unlearnedly take them. What
they meant by faith, and how we take them, I
have showed by their own words, which are
plain enough, and need no great learning to
interpret them. They mean that faith that
was in Peter, which he confessed at that time,
which he held alwnys after, and which he,
with the rest of the Apostles, preached in the
world, as they all held the same faith and con-
fession, and, therefore, were all made foun-
dation stones, in respect of the faith they
taught, upon which the Church is builded,
and received the keys, and authority of bind-
ing and loosing, in as ample manner as Peter
did. But let us hear what high point of learn-
ing you will teach us. " They mean," say you,
"upon faith, as in him, who here confessed
that faith." That is, upon Peter's faith :
Now, whether you mean that singular faith,

that was in Peter only, or the general faith of
the Church, whereof Peter's faith was a sin-
gular indiiiduum, it passeth my learning to
discuss. If you mean that faith, which \^as
a singular accident in Peter only, who here
conlesseth that faith : it is a strange paradox,
to say, that the universal Church, and faith,
should be grounded thereupon : Seeing the
foundation and the Church should fail, as
soon as Peter died. For that singular acci-
dent, could not descend to his successors any
more than other accidents to his person. If
you mean, that general laiih, that was in all
the Apostles, who all, by Peter's mouth, con-
fessed the same, then are they all by Christ
his answer, made foundation stones of the
Church, as well as Peter. And this is the
plain meaning, according to the evident
words of the ancient fathers.

18. We deny not that Peter had these pre-
rogatives, as a partaker of them together with
the rest of the Apostles for the present, and
for their successors, the pastors and govern-
ors of the Church to the benefit of the whole
Church, in all times to come to the end of the
world. The sayings of the doctors are plain,
that the rest of the Aposdes were made stones
of foundation by Christ immediately, and not
by Peter: received the keys of the kingdom
of heaven, and power to bind and loose, not
at Peter's hands, but immediately from Christ
himselt, as also the texts are plain. Matt. 18
John. 20. But Hierom, you say, " taketh this
rock not to be Peter's person only, but his
successors, and his chair." Ep. ad Damas.
The same Hierom as we heard before, saith,
"The Church is builded upon all the Apos-
tles, and all Bishops are their successors."
Li what Bishop's chair soever, tlie true doc-
trine is continued and kept, it is a rock of the
Church, as well as that chair wherein Dama-
sus sat. Gildas lib. 2. But if any Bishop of
Rome hold not Peter's faith, he sitteth not in
Peter's chair. And therefore he that joined
with Damasus holding Peter's faith of the di-
vinity of Christ, would not have joined with
Liberius, subscribing against the divinity of
Christ, who also sat at Rome, where Peter
perhaps never came. But certain it is, he sat
not in Peter's chair, no more than the Phari-
sees sat in Moses' chair, while they held and
taught that which Moses did not teach. Hie-
rom, therefore, following none as principal
but Christ, joined in fellowship with Damasus,
who, sitting in Peter's chair, taught as Peter
did, that Christ is the Eternal Son of (Jod.
And Augustin in that Psalm against the Do-
natists, saith, that the continuance of the same
doctrine and unity of the Church, even from
Peter's seat, is the rock against which the
proud gates of hell shall not prevail. Not
that whosoever sitteth in Peter's seat, must
have all authority that he will claim. For
Au"uslin himself in the African council,
with the rest of the fathers of Africa, de-
creed against the bishops of Rome usurped
authority and forgery. And in the council of
Chalcedon the Bishop of Constantinople was
made equal to the Bishop of Rome, the legates

MATTflEW.

of Leo of Rome, setting themselves against
it, but in vain. Leo therefore, is too partial,
for the prerogative of his own fee, and there-
fore his testimony is no prejudice, against so
many ancient falliers, as were of the con-
trary judgment before him.

18. Christ had his Church from the begin-
ning of the world builded upon the foundation
of the Prophets, himself being the head and
corner stone thereof. He speaketh therefore
now of the continuance and enlarging thereof
among the Gentiles, by the ministry of his
Apostles. And therefore, this is a mere fan-
tasy that his Church was not builded until
Clirist restored Peter to his Apostleship, Jo/t/i
21. 15, or that it was not perfectly finished be-
fore Whitsunday. You may as well say, it
was not distinguished from the Synagogue or
Church of the Jews for many years after,
seeing the great multitude of the Jews that
believed were still observers of the ceremo-
nies of the Law. Acts 31. 20.

18. So long as tlie Roman Church continued
in Peter's fatth and doctrine, it was founded
upon Peter, and not only upon Peter, but also
upon the prophets and apostles, yea and upon
Christ himself: so long the gates of hell pre-
vailed not against it. But none of the ancient
fathers affirm, that the Roman Church sliould
always continue in Peter's faith. Auguslin,
against the Donatists, affirmeth, thai; the con-
tinuance of the Church in the same religion,
even from the seat of Peter, is the rock which
the proud gates of hell do not overcome.
Now this count of priests from the seat of
Peter, might be made as well in the Church
of Antioch, as in the Church of Rome, seeing
Peter sat at Antioch, as well as he did at
Rome, and the patriarch thereof, at this day,
hath his succession of bishops from Peter's
seat, as well as the bishop of Rome. The
same count might be taken from other
Churches where the Apostles sat, as Tcr-
tullian showeth, dc prescriptione. "Go to,
now, thou that wilt exercise curiosity better
in the matter of thy salvation, go through the
apostolic Churches, in which the governors
sit, even still in the very chairs of the Apos-
tles, in which their authentical Epistles are
rehearsed, sounding the voice, and repre-
senting the face of every one of them. If
Achaia be near thee, thou hast Corinth. If
thou be not far from Macedonia, thou hast
Philippi, thou hast the Thessalonians. If
thou canst go into Asia, thou hast Ephesus.
If thou lie near Italy, thou hast Rome, from
whence authority is at hand for us, also."
These words of Tertullian, declared, that
not the Church of Rome, only, but every
apostolic Church, had a sure testimony of the
truth. And that Afiica had recourse to
Rome, only for the nearness of it. In the
second place, De utilitale credendi, cap. 17. Au-
gustin nameth neither Peter's see, nor the
Roman Church, but speaketh of the Catholic
Church, " which, even by the confession of
mankind, from Apostolic see, by succession
* of Bishops, heretics in vain barking about it,
and partly by the judgment of the people

themselves, partly by the gravity of councils,
partly, also, by majesty of miracles, condemn-
uig them, hath obtained the top of authority."
He hud spoken belore of the providence of
God, whicli had gathered, buikied, and beau-
tified the CImrch, by the fbreshowings of the
propliets, by the humanity and doctrine of
Christ, by the travels of th« Apostles, by the
contumelies, crosses, death of the martyrs,
by the commendable way of the Saints, and
by convenient miracles in due time. VVhere-
unto he addeth the testimony of mankind, in
the history of the suoficssion of bishops from
the Apofcile's time, juagment of the people,
authority of Councils, and miracles confinn-
ing it, and condemning all heretics. This
makeih nothing for the authority of the Ro-
man Church, or See, above all other Sees
and Churches. Augustin himself, with
other Bishops of his province, decreed, that
no man, under pain of excommunication,
should appeal from the Church of Africa,
to the Church of Rome, or any other place
beyond the sea. Concil. Afric. Can. 92. As
haa been decreed before, Condi. Mikvil. c. 22.
19. Cyprian in the (ihice cited, writeth
against the epistle of Stephanus Bishop of
Rome, and therefore it carrieth no show or
likelihood of truth, that he would write any
thing, that might make the authority of Ste-
phanus irrefragable, against himself. For
you would have us to understand, Peter's and
his successor's authority to be so great by
this grant, as none of them can err. But by
this place of Cyprian, it is manifest, that he
acknowledgeth no more to be given to Peter,
than to all the Apostles, namely, power to re-
mit sins. " It is ipanifest where, and by whom
remissions which is given to baptism, may be
given. For first our Lord gave this power
unto Peter, upon whoni he built his Church,
and from whence he instituted and showed
the begiitning of unity, that it should be loosed
in heaven which he loosed in earth. And
after his resurrection, he speaketh unto the
Apostles also, saying, as my Father sent me,
even so do I send you. When he had so said,
he breathed and said unto them, receive the
Holy Ghost: whose sins you shall remit,
they shall be remitted unto him, and whose
you shall retain, they siiall be retained.
Whereof we understand, that it is not lawful
to baptize and to give remission of sins, but
for the governors in the Church, and them
that are established by the law of the Gospel,
and our Lord's ordination : and that without
the Church, nothing can be either bound oi
loosed, when there is not any man that can
bind or loose anything." These be Cyprian's
words, which prove that the Church was not
built more upon Peter, than the rest. For if
vouurse, that he saitii, the power was given
first to Peter, and the Church was built upon
him, at that time when these words were
spoken, you confute your own note. Sect. 10,
where you say, the Church was only pro-
mised to be built upon him in this place,
which was fulfilled. John. 21, 16. If the
Church were not built upon Peter before that

MATTHEW.

time, all the Apostles received power of remit-
ting and retaining sins, betorethe Ciiurch was
built upon Peter. Jolin.'-lO,'2-i. Cyprian there-
fore nieaneth that Christ spake in the sin-
gular number, first to Peter, that which after-
ward he spake to ail the Apostles, showing
why he spoke in tlie singular number, not that
the Church should be built on Peter's person,
more than on the rest i bat to show tlie unity
of the Church beginning of one : as his very
words arc manifest, while he giveth equal
authority to all governors of the Church, as
successors of the Aposiles, and niaketh so
little account of Peter's successor above the
rest, that writing expressly against him, he
proveth by this text, equal authority of all the
governors of the Church. Fulg. de remi.pecc.
lib. 1, c. 24. De eccleain cafhoUca.

That the Church is built upon Peter's con-
fession, we have the ancient Failiers' testi-
mony, to warrant us. TTikinj, Dc Ti inif. lih. 6,
saith, " The building of the Church is upon
this rock of confession. This faith is the
foundation of the Church, by this faith the
gates of hell are of no power against it.
This faith hath the keys of the kingdom of
heaven. What this faith shall loose or bind
on earth, is bound and loosed in heaven."
Augustin also De verbis Dom. in Evang. Matt.
Seim. 13. " Thou art Peter," saith he, " and
upon this rock which ihou hast confessed,
upon this rock which thou hast acknow-
ledged, saying, thou art Christ the son of the
living God, I will build my Church, that is
upon myself the son of the living God I will
build my Church. I will build thee upon
me, not me upon thee." This like saying
he hath in John. Tract. 50, and 124. In Episl.
John. Trart. 10. Bede upon this place, saith,
" It is said unto him by a metaphor; upon
this rock, this is the Saviour whom thou hast
confessed, the Church is built, which to his
faithful confession, gave participation of his
name." The authority of Gregory, which
you quote, being a Bishop of Rome' himself,
and so near the lime of the open revelation
of Antichrist in the Romish See, is partial in
this case, and therefore against all the Pri-
mitive Church, not to be heard. Yet in that
place lib. 4, ejiixt. 33, for in epiat. 32, there is
never a word of, he joineth with us, saying,
the Church was built upon Peter's confes-
sion. " Continue in the true faith, and lead
your life in the rock of the Church, which is
grounded upon the confession of Peter, Prince
of the Apostles."

19. Wc acknowledge the authority, or chair
of doctrine, knowledge, judgment, and dis-
cretion, between true and false doctrine, to
be granted to Peter, and to every one of the
Apostles, to whom also the keys were

5 ranted, Hilary de Trin. lib. 6, Hierom. conl.
ov. lib. 1, Gavdentiun Brixiamis tract. 16. But
the rest that fqljoweth, height of government,
power of making laws, of calling councils, of
the principal voice in them, of confirming
thein, making and abrogating of Canons, or-
daining and deposing of Bishops, power to
dispense the goods of the Church, both spi-

ritual and temporal, especially to be appro-
priated to Peter, hath no ground iri the text :
neither was any such power permitted to the
Bishop of Rome, as Peter's successor, for
many hundred years after Christ. Polycarp
would not yield to Anicetus, Bishop of Rome,
in the celebration of Easter, as testifieth Ire-
neus. Apud Euaeb. lib. 5. caj>. 26. When
Victor usurped authority oVer the Churches
of Asia, he was countermanded by the Bi-
shops there, Euseb. lib. 5, cap. 25, and sharply
rebuked and withstood by Ireneus, and the
Bishops in France,Polycrates, and the Bishops
in Asia, and others. Not one of the first four
general councils was called by the Bishop of
Rome, i:eit.her had he principal voice ol' con-
firming or making Canons in them. But in
the first of Nice, he was made equal with
the Patriarch of Alexandria. Can. 6. In
two other, namely Constantinople and Chal-
cedon, the Bishop of Constantinople was
made equal in authority with him, and in all
things, except in seniority. Constant. 1, cap.
3, Chalced. can. 28.

In the councils of Milevit, and Africane,
appeals for any ecclesiastical cause, were
denied unto the See of Rome. Milev. can. 22,
Afnc. 92. Yea, long after that Boniface
had bought for money this supereininent au-
thority. It was not acknowledged of many
Churches, and even of the Church of Ra-
venna, in Italy, for many years after. That
keys in the Scripture, do many times signify
authority, especially when they are applied
to our Saviour Christ, we confess: but that
any such authority as is here expressed, of
making laws, calling councils, &c., is meant
by theni, we utterly deny, but whit authority
soever is understood by them, is common to all
the Apostles, and to the whole Church after
them,aswimesseth, Tertull. Scorpi.adv. Gnosr.
Hilar. Psal. 52. Aug de Docf.Chri. lib. 1, cap. 18.
Cant. Advers. le^. et Prophet, lib. 1 , c. 17, in Evang.
Joan. Tr. 5. Fulgent, de fide ad Petrum, cop. 3.

19. Corporal punishment, either for heresy
or rebellion against the Church, and the
Pastors thereof, belongeth not to the ministry
of the Church, but to the Christian Magis-
trate, who bearcth the sword. Rom. 13, 4.
Which Peter was commanded to put up.
Malt. 26, 52. But under this binding, you
would cloak, not only your cruelty practised
against the true professors of the Gospel,
but also your horrible treasons, rebellions,
invasions, and conspiracies against your law-
ful Prince and country, under pretence of ex-
ecution of the Pope's most slanderous and
aruichristian Bull of deprivation.

19. Eve.ry one of the Apostles had the same
authority in loosing which Peter had. Matt
18, 18. And the Church hath the same
power after them. Fulgent, de remiss, peccat
lib. 2, cap. 20. B\it as touching satisfaction
for sins due unto God, no man can make, but
Christ only. And the ministry of the Church
cannot pardon any debt due unto God, but
assure the party penitent of God's forgive-
ness : and so saitli Hierom, writing upon this
very text. " Bishops and Priests not under

MATTHEW.

65'

standing this place, take upon, them some-
whai ot tlie pride of the Pharisees, that tiiey
tiiiiik, liicy may either condemn innocents,
or loose guilty persons, whereas before God,
not tlie sentence of the Priests, but the life of
the persons ciiargod, is inquired of. We
ri'ad in Leviticus of the lepers : where they
;ire commanded to show ihenisclves to the
I'ricsts, and if they have the leprosy, then
they are made unclean by the Priest : not
that the Priests do make men lepers, or un-
clean, but in that thev have knowledge ot him
that is a leper, and him that is not a leper,
and can discern who is clean, and who is un-
clean. Therefore as the Priest in that case
maketh a man clean or unclean, so here the
Bishop and Priest bindeth or looseth : not
whether they be guilty or unguilty, but ac-
cording to his office, when he hath heard the
variety of sins, he knoweth who is to be
bound, and who to be loosed." Bede upon
lliis text writeth to the same effect. " This
jKJwer without doubt is given to all the
Apostles, to whom it is said by himself after
his resurrection generally, receive the Holy
<jhost, &c. Also to Bishops and Priests,
and to the whole Church, the same ofHce is
committed : although some of them not un-
derstanding rightly, think they can condemn
innocents, and absolve guilty persons, which
they cannot do, but going about to deprive
tliemselves of the power granted." E.xer-
cises of repentance prescribed by the Church
for saiistiiction thereof, or other censures of
discipline, may be released by them by whom
they are enjoined, and that kind of releasing
was of ancient time called indulgence. But
it was not allov\'ed to the Bishop of Rome to
admit or release, except in his own Church
of Rome, those that were cast out or sus-
pended by other Bishops and Churches : as
appeareth by many places in Cyprian's epis-
tles. Ep. 55, ad Cktrrel. and Ep. 68, ad Clerum
ci plehem Hispari. Hilary and Epiphanius
ascribe no greater authority to Peter than to
the rest of the Apostles. But Leo being a
Bishop of Rome, was too partial in extolling
of Peter's prerogative, and the pre-eminence
of his See of Rome. Therefore he was
overruled by the general Council of Chalce-
don. There is no godly temporal potestatCf
that challenged to be head of the whol";
Church, orofariy particular Church, as Christ
is head thereof^ neither any of that authority
which is here given to Peter, with the rest
of the Apostles and their successors, the true
ministers of the Church. But only they
challenge, as the highest magistrates, to have
sovereign authority within their dominions,
to maintain true religion by law, to banish
false religion and idolatry, and to punish all
offenders, whether they be of the clergy or
laity. Which authority, the godly kings of
Judah, David, Solomon, Ezekias, Josias, &c.,
and the Christian Emperors, Constantino,
Valentinian, Theodosius, and others, did ex-
ercise, to the glory of God, and to the benefit
of his Church. You say, "Greatest sove-
reignty in God'sChuich, attributed to Christ,
9

■Apoc. 3, is here coniinumcated U) Peter."
Tliis is such blasphemy, as Peter would
have rent his clothes, il he had heard any
man attribute so much unto him. For Christ
hath tlie key of David, as the son ot David
and only true Messias, which openeth and no
man shuttciii, and sliuttcth where no man
opciictli. This key Peter caimot have, ex-
cept he were Christ, for it is proper only to
Christ, but the keysof the kingdom of heaven,
given to Peter and the Apostles, are keysof
riiinistry in respect of Christ, whose stewards
they are, to open and shut according to his
word, and not at O.w'w own will and pleasure.

21. Christ alliriued not the like sutTering
to his passion to be necessary to salvation,
in every one ; but that every one in afl'ection
of denying himself, oui'ut to be ready to
sutler whatsoever is laid upon him, tor the
profession of the Gospel.

27. Every man's works be the fruits, either
of his faith, or of his intidelity. Good works
are done only by him that is justified by faith
only. " For without the merits of good works,"
saith Augustin, " the ungodly man is justified
by faith. Faith goeth before, that works may
follow, neither are there any good works
which do not follow, faith going before them."
In Ps. 67. The free will that he speaketh
of, in that treatise against the Manichees, he
showeth how it is to be understood in his
Retractations lib. 1. cap. 22. and lib. 2. cap. 8.
Man's will is not evil, by creation of the evil
God, as those heretics blasphemed, yet hath
man since his fall, no power to do any good,
but of the grace of God. "For free will," saith
he, " availeth not to any thing but to sin, if the
way of truth be hidden or unknown." De
spir. et lit. cap. 3.

Ch.\pter 17.

2. Christ is almighty, and yet can do no-
thing against his o^vn \yill, his word, or his
glory. And therefore it is a brute conclusion,
Christ could glorify his passible body, ergo
he can dishonour his glorious impassible
body, to bring it within the compass of a piece
of bread, that it may be devoured by dogs,
cats, mice, or, that is worse, to be eaten of
wicked men, the members of the devil. Or
Christ could add a glorious form unto his
body, ergo he can take from it the essential
properties of a body, and yet keep it a true
body still. Although the question be not so
much between us, what Christ is able to do
of his absolute power, as what he will do
according to his word.

3. If it please God by a special dispensa-
tion, they may : but the dead as Augustin
saith, by their own nature, cannot be present
at the affairs ot the living. Be cum pro mat.
cap. 16. " There be the spirits of tlie dead,
where they do not see whatsoever things are
done, or come to |jass in this life of men,"
cap. 13. "Therefore whensoever they are
present, it is by special grant of God, far
otherwise, than is the usuaiorder, attributed
to every kind of creature," cap. 16. Being a
matter therefore so extraordinary, and having

MATTHEW

no word to assure us of God's will, it is mere
tempting of God to desire any help by their
presence, as it is, to desire of G;>J to work
miracles, because God can and hath wrought
them by his Saints. Moreover the compari-
son of Angels and Saints departed, is very
absurd ; for the Scripture testitieth, that God
usetii the ministry of his Angels, both extra-
ordmiirily and ordinarily, for the protecting
of his children. But we have no testimony
of the Scripture, that he useth the souls of the
Saints departed, for any such purpose.

9. Peter called the mount Tabor the holy
mount, and the place where God appeared to
Moses was called holy ground, yet neither
Peter nor Moses taught men to have any re-
ligion or devotion toward such places, nor did
institute any pilgrimage unto the same : there-
fore the religion and devotion you speak of,
is but voluntary religion or superstition And ;
though some good men and women in Hie-
rom's time, had affection to see those places j
where Christ had been present, and wrought i
his miracles, yet did they not put any religion ;
m such visiting, or if they did, it was super- \
stition. Ilierom himself being gready com-
mended by Paulinus, that he lived in those
holy places, declareth how small religion he
had in them : " It is not commendable to have
been at Jerusalem, but to have lived well at ;
Jerusalem." And alter he hath set forth the j
praise of Anthony, and many swarms of soli-
tary men that dwelled in the countries near
unto Jewry, and yet never saw Jerusalem,
and specially of Hilarion, which being a man
of that country, and that lived in that country, :
yet saw Jerusalem but one day in all his life,
"that neither he might seem to contemn the
holy places tor their nearness, nor again seem
to shut up the Lord in a certain place. Thou
wilt say, to what end are the matters fetched
from so long a beginning. Verily, that thou
shouldst not think any thing to be wanting to
thy faith because thou hast not seen Jerusa-
lem, neither that thou shouldst esteem us to
be better, because we enjoy our dwelling in
this place, but whether here or elsewhere,
thou hast equal reward with the Lord accord-
ing to thy works."

IL Divers of the ancient fathers are of
opinion, that Elias sliall come in person,
immediately before the second coming of
Christ, as the forerunner of his second coming,
and to convert the remnant of the Jews. But
these words of Christ, do not prove it. For
he saith no more, but that the prophecy was,
that llelias should come, and that he is al- i
ready come, as he saith of John the Baptist, |
Matt. 11. 14, he is Helias that was to come.
And Origen upon this place understandeth no |
more comings of Elias, but this one of John,
that was come in the spirit of Elias.

19. If you mean of Popish Exorcists, nei-
ther have they authority of God, nor power
to cast out devils. Neither is there any such
ordinary function in the Church of God : that
men should have power to cast out devils,
injrc than to heal all manner of diseases,
b-pcak with Strang > tongue which they never

learned, or to work other miracles. Which
spiritual gifts God gave in the beginning of
the preaching of the gospel, to conlirui the
credit thereof among the Jews and tiie Gen-
tiles, but of long time have ceased among
Christians, who are to be directed by (lod's
word, whereunto their profession "bindeth
thoin to give credit, without any further con
tirmation of miracles, than that whicli is tes-
tified in the Holy Scriptures And where you
say, that heretics can never cast out devils,
or work any true niiracles, it is false : for our
Saviour Christ saith, that many shall allege
in the last day, that they have prophesied in
his name, cast out devils, and wrought man}
miracles. God, in the law, chargeth nis peo-
ple not to be carried away by false prophets,
though they work miracles. Dent. 13. 1.

20. We are not bound to believe all that
is reported of Gregory Thaumaturgus. Yet
being testified by authors of good credit, and
the miracles tending to the confirmation of
true faith, we do not deride them, as we justly
may the monstrous fables of your Popisli
legends, festivals, and other works of like
credit. Where also the miracles are feigned
most commonly, for the confirmation of false
doctrine, and the maintenance ofcovetousness
of Priests, as in the cases ot purgatorj-, pil-
grimage, and such like.

21. The Popish Church abuseth the igno-
rant, to make them believe they can cast out
devils, whereas they have no such power,
neither by all their prayers or fasting, can
they conjure out one unclean spirit, unless
they have first as sorcerers and Vvitches con-
jured him in.

26. There is no reason by this te.\t, why
the clergy should be exempted from tributes,
and obedience unto princes, more than all
true Christians, who are the children of God,
as well as they. Our Sa.viour Christ ther:;-
fore, doth exempt himself only, as the Son of
God, and King of Israel, not his Apostles and
Ministers also. You most sliametuUy abusv
the words of Ilierom clean contrary to liis
meaning. For he speaketh not of the clergy
only, but of all Christians : nor saith, they are
free from tribute paying to earthly princes,
but his meaning is, that they render not their
tribute, that is, due obedience to Christ the
king. Plis whole sentence is this. "Christ
oweth no tributes, as the kind's son, but he
which had taken upon him the numility of the
flesh, ought to fulhl all rio:htcousncss. And
unhappy are we, which have our name of
Christ, and do nothing worthy of so great
majesty. He for us, both bare the cross, and
paid tribute ; we for his honour, pay no
tribute, and as the king's sons are tree'f'roni
tasks." His meaning is, that we ouglit to
yield all subjection, which is signified by
tribute unto him who endured the cross for
us, and became subject to worldly power for
us. Chrysostom upon the 13. of the Romans
saith that this commandment of subjection,
extendeth to all men, both Priests and Monks,
and not only to secular men. "Let every soul
be subject to the higher powers : Although

MATTHEW.

thou be an Apostle, although tliou be an evan^ .
gelist, although thou be a prophet, or what- 1
soever thou art ; for this subjection hindcreili
not piety." Epist. ad Rom. llvin. 2'3.

27. 1 marvel at your modesty, that you
write so sparingly of Peter's prerogative
wherein your author is so rank, but you know
right well, that no man of mean judgment ac-
knowled^eth that book of questions to be
Augustin s, or any man's of like antiquity,
learning, and judgment. The payment of tri-
bute for Peter, is a sign of subjection, not of
superiority. But he that boasteth himself to
set in Peter's chair, will pay no tribute, but
rather exact tribute of Kings and Princes.

Chapter 18.

1. Chrysostom noteth it as their error and
infirmity, that they imagined Peter to be
prefered before them, as well in payment of
the tribute, as in other matters. Hierom
upon this place, saith : " By the equality of
the price, they thought Peter was prefered
before all the Apostles, which in payment
of tribute, was matched with the Lord.
Therefore they ask, who is the greater in the
kingdom of heaven, and Jesus seeing their
thoughts, and understanding the causes of
their error, will heal the desire of glory,
with the contention of humility." But by
Mark it appeareth, that this contention began
in the way, before they came into the house,
where Christ appointed Peter to pay tribute
for them both, there foie not upon that occa-
sion. Mark 9, 34.

10. Calvin doubteth not of the protection of
God's Angels, but whether every one hath a
several Angel, appointed for his custody
from his nativity, which no place of Scrip-
ture doth prove. But sometimes one Angel,
hath the charge of a great many men, some-
times many Angels are ready for the defence
of one man, and all the Angels with one con-
sent, do wait for our preservation, as in the
place noted, you may see the Scriptures j
cited. Neither doth Hierom mean, that
every one hath his several Angel, for he al-
legeth for proof, the Angel ot Ephesus, !
Thiatyra, Philadelphia, and the rest : where
if the word Angel were to be understood I
of heavenly spirits, yet it is one Angel for the ,
Church of a whole city, not for every person.

18. Upon the 16th chap, verse 18, you said,
the building was only promised, and conse-
quently the power was not given, but only
promised : yet here forgetting yourself, you j
say, " He »ave before this power to Peter i
over the whole, and now to all their Apostles,
and their successors," quoting Hierom and j
Cyprian, of which neither saith, that he gave
Peter power over tlie whole, but equal power
to all his Apostles, as is declared. Lib. 1,
cont. Jovin. Cypr. de unit. Ecd. c. 3. Hierom, j
in ep. ad Heliod, saith no more, touching this
matter, but ihat " all clergy succeeding the
degree of the Apostles, have the keys of the
kingdom of heaven." Of which I infer, th>a
all the Apostles had the keys immediately
from Christ, and not from Peter.

Chapter 19.

('). Augustin uselh the word sacramentum
generally, for every holy mystery, and we
confess there is a great mystery m marriage,
yet is matrimony no sacrament ol the New
Testament, as baptism and the Lord's Supper
are, being instituted in Paradise. There-
fore in the second place by you quoted, he
saith, " a certain holy mystery of marriage,
is commended to the faithful." Cliap. 1, 20.

9. The e.xception of fornication, leaveth
marriage after divorce, as free as it was
under the law. And although Fabiola of
her own accord did iienance after the death
of her second husband, yet was she not com-

Eelled to forsake her second husband, nor
er marriage judged unlawful by the Church
of Rome in that time. Hierom, although he
confess it a fault that she married again, yet
he excuseth it by necessity of her infirmity,
which could not live unmarried, and therefore
cilelh the saying of the Apostle. 1 Cor. 7.
" It is better to marry than to burn." Nei-
ther doth the saying of Paul, Rom. 7, hinder
the lawfulness of marriage after divorce : lor _
he is no longer a husband who is lawfully "
divorced for adultery. Malt. 5. 33.

11. You pervert the words of Augustin,
clean contrary to his meaning. "All men
take not this saying, but they to whom it is
given ; for they to whom it is not granted,
either will not, or else fulfil not that which
they will, but they to whom it is given
do so will it, that they do fulfil it." Augus-
tin's meaning is, that both the will to be
chaste, and the power to fulfil that will, is
of the gift of God, and not in the power of
man. Yet is not the will of man enforced,
but either changed into better by God's
grace, or else left subject to sinful concupi-
scence, where the grace of God makelh not
free. This is the true meaning of Augustin,
for as he saith in Psalm 147, " Virginity in
the flesh is but of a few, but in the heart it
ought to be of all men." But Origen saith,
it is given to all who ask for it : indeed he
seeineth to say so much, but yet in the end
he addeth, " It is profitable to know what a
man ougiit to ask, that he may be meet to
receive." Signifying, that God giveth all
things that we pray for, if they be expedient
for liis glory and our salvation. Hierom
upon this place is very plain, although he ac-
knowledge virginity to be the gift of God,
in them that pray for it, that labour for it,
yet he confesseth that it is not in every man's
power, saying, " Christ addeth, he that can
take it, let him take it, that every man may
consider his own strength, whether he be
able to fulfil the precept of virginity and
chastity ; for chastity of herself is pleasant
and alluring every man unto it, but our
strength must be considered, that he may
take it which can take it." Origen himself,
Tr. 25, in Matt, inveigheth against them,
which not having regard to men's strength,
forbid them to marry. Htsi/ch. lib. 1, cap. 3.

12. They that are assured of the gift of
chastity luito their lives end, may lawfully

MATTHEW,

vow or determine ot it : but without such as-
surance, no man can vow continence law-
fully. But where the vow is lawiul, it fol-
loweth not that it was meritorious, and more
sure to obtain everlastin<; lite, than the state
of wedlock. For eternal life is the free gift
of God in Jesus Christ, not the merit of
works, whereof the married -man by faith,
may be as sure as ihe virgin.

12. In the fifth secti-on you hold that vir-
ginity is possible for all men. Whereupon it
should follow that this is an absolute precept
to all men. For the word is not be that will,
but he that can.

The law of God requireth us to love him
with all our soul, all our strength, &.c.
Therefore wherein soever we are able to
show our love to God, we are commanded
to do it. But where there- is no general pre-
cept to all men, as to abstain from marriage,
there is a special respect to be had, what
every man by God's grace is able to do, and
what is most for the glory of God, and that
every man when he knoweth, is bound to do.
In the 6 serm. of Aug. de tempore, is never a
word of precepts or counsels.

13. There is great difi'erence between the
blessing of Christ, and the blessing of godly
men. That good Christians at all times
have brought their children to have the Bi-
shop's blessing, you have showed nothing,
chiij). 10, and as little in this that followeth.
Rutfine nameth divers holy men, at whose
hands he had himself been blessed. Hierom
hath nothing, bat of the prajors of godly men.
Theodoret saith, that being a young man, he
went with his mother, in the place where the
holy man Aphrates remained, aivd was par-
taker of the blessing of his holy hand, which
afterward he expoundeth to be prayers.
And who findeth fault with prayers of holy
men, whether they use the ceremony of '. ly-
ing on, or holding up the hands or no ? If is
the vain superstition of Popish Bishops' bless-
ing, that we contemn, not the blessing or
prayers of godly men.

17. Augustin writelh against those who
thought they might be justified bv a dead
faith, which is void of' good work.?, which
availeth no man but to his greater condem-
nation. We teach according to the Scrip-
ture, that man is justified by faith without the
works of the law, yet by such a faith, as
wcrketh by love and is fruittul of good
works. Although our Saviour Christ in this
place doth not show how men attain to eter-
nal life, but what perfect observation of God's
law is required of them that look to be justi-
fied by the works of the law, as the scribes
and Pharisees did. Neither that men are
able to fulfil the law, but by the rightcou.sness
of faith, by which Augustin saith, " these
things of the Ir.w which could not be fulfilled,
are fulfilled by taith. Exfosil. quart, prapos.
in ep. ad Rom. Num. 10.

21. ChrL-st neither commandeth, nor coun-
eelleth this perfection to all men, but only to
this one, to discover his hypocrisy, and vain
confidence that he had in himself,' as though

he had kept the law, when he was far from
it. Leo. Serm. 2. de quadrag. Hilary calleth
this a commandment of leaving the world.
Chrysostom upon this text, denieih that there
is such perfection in conuemning money, as
is in abnegation of a man's self, m taking up
the cross, and following Christ, which is
commanded to all Christians. Gaudentius
Brixi. Epist. ad Germinium. Paulinus who
sold all that he had, both his own goods and
his wife's, and gave it to the poor, yet for-
sook not his wife Theresa, ana counteth it
greater perfection for a man to forsake his
goods in afl'ection when he retaineth theni in
possession. Acknowledging that the leaving
of his goods was but the beginning, not the
perfection, which our Saviour speaketh of
Episl. 2, Paulin. el Theras. Sevcron.

Hierom upon this chapter verse 27. The
profession of Popish Monks, is to leave la-
bour, and all good exercises, to tire them-
selves with idleness and belly cheer hke epi-
cures. In Friar's profession is a fairer show
of hypocrisy, but never a step nearer to the
true imitation of Christ.

21. Augustin saith not, that thus to follow
Christ, is to be without wife, and care of
children, &c., for the Apostles many of them
had wives, and some had children, and had
property, as Peter his house, and John had
to entertain and provide for the Virgin Mary :
Matthew made a feast of his own goods.
Augustin saith, that he himself had loved
that perfection, whereof Christ here speak-
eth, and had sold all his goods, and given
them to the poor, and also had exhorted
others to do the like, and had some compa-
nions: yet preferred not himself before other
godly men that had possessions, as some
hypocrites did in his time, against whom he
writeth. Ep. 89, Ps. 103, Con. 3. " There
are some that hearing this saying of the
Gospel, desired to do so, as also not to marry,
nor to be troubled with children, nor to have
any abiding place, but to po into a certain
common life." Yet placeth he not the imi-
tation of Christ in these things : for rich
married men having children, and affairs in
the world, may follow Christ by true denial
of themselves, and taking up his cross daily,
when wandering hypocrites, without wife
and children, instead of following Christ in
humility and poverty, may follow the devil
in lying pride, envy, malice, and many other
vices.

2G. This is an impudent slander wherewith
you charge us, as you do many times, to say,
that God can do no more than he hath done
or will do : but this we say, that God can do
nothing contrary to his own will, word, na-
ture, glory, and yet he is Almighty. Cup. 17,
vcr. 1, Tertul. contra Praxag. In the sacra-
ment we dispute not what God can do. but
what he will do according to his word.
"Christ hath not taken away the nature of
his body, but given immortality to it." Aug^.
Enht. .57. Therefore he will do nothing with
it, that is contrary to the nature of it. Nei-
ther came he through the door nor througti

MATTHEW.

the stone of the sepulchre, nor through the
Virgin's body, although he came in after the
doors were shut, and although the Angel
rolled away the stone after his resurrection,
and he was born of his mother being a
virgin.

27. The Apostles left all things in affection,
but not in use and possession, as is proved
before. ISect. 10.

27. To do well in hope of rew^ard, is not to
be disallowed, but Christian men must have
respect unto the glory of God, and their
duty, though they should have none other
reward.

28. All the Saints of God shall judge the
world, and even the Angels, 1 Cor. 5. 2, and
3, not to the derogation, but to the honour of
Christ, as the members of his mystical body.
Beda in hunc locum.

29. The Apostles left their wives, none
otherwise than they left their houses, and all
other things here named, which every man
ought to leave and to follow Christ, if they
be a hinderance to their calling as Chris-
tians, or as the ministers of the Church.
Chup. 8, 3.

Cn.iPTER 20.

16. No man can write more efTectunlly
than Augustin doth against the Popish doc-
trine of election and free will in that place,
whose words be these, and not as you have
falsely translated them. "They who have
not despised him that calleth, but have fol-
lowed in believing," now without doubt they
hove believed willingly, what then followeth?
therefore it is neither of him that willeth, nor
of him that runneth, but of God that showeth
mercy. It is not because we cannot so much
as will, but being called, nor perform our will,
e.xcept God help us? After one sort God
performeth that we be willing, after another
sort he bringeth to pass that which we have
willed. For that v.'e should be willing, he
woiild have it to be both his and ours, his in
calling, ours in following. But that where-
unto we have been willing, he alone perform-
eth, that is, to be able to do well, and always
to live blessedly. What can be more plain
against Popery, then these sayings of Augus-
tin ? Prosper, de voc. lib. I.e. 22.

23. A cursed gloss, that corrupteth the
plain and manifest meaning of the text. The
Scripture never promiseth the kingdom of
heaven to them that are worthy of it, by the
merit of their works, or that deserve it by
well doing. It is the free gift of God, not of
works, as Paul showeth Ephes. 2. And though
God render to every man according to his
works, yet he saith not, for the desert of his
works. And our Saviour Christ commendeth
not the desert of their works, which have fed
him in the poor : but allegeth their works,
as an open testimony of their faith. For the
kingdom was prepared for them before the
beginning of the world, by the eternal decree
of God, by which they were chosen in Christ
to the praise of his glory, and created to good
>vorks, Ephes. 1. afld 2. and all reward due to

good works, dependeth upon the mercy of
God, and not upon the merit of the work.
Euseb. Eniis. Dom in Quinq. Neither doth
Chrysostoni speak of greater or lesser merits,
but of greater virtues and more excellent
works. For albeit God give greater reward
to greater virtues, yet it lolloweth not, that
any virtue deserveth or meriteth. For the
virtues, works, and rewards, are all and every
one the free gifts of God. Hierom hath some
words sounding to such a thing, yet not me-
rits or desert : but his judgment upon deli-
beration, is to be taken out of his books
against the Pelagians^. " Our righteousness
consisteth not ot our own merits, but of the
mercies of God, lib. 1. Righteousness is not
in man's merit or desert, but in the grace of
God, which accepteth the faith of believers,
without the works of the law." Before the
Pelagian heresy, maintaining the power of
free will and merit of works against the free
grace of God, did trouble the Church, divers
of the Fathers were not so wary and circum-
spect in their words and phrases, as after-
ward they saw it was necessary for them to
be : For the Pelagian heretics took hold of
such terms and forms of speech, and alleged
the sayings of the ancient Fathers, against
their true meaning and right judgment, as of
Hilary, Ambrose, Chrysostoni, Hierom, and
Augustin himselti as testifieth Augustin de
nat. tt gratia, cap. 61. 02. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67.

Chapter 21.

8. Your Palm Sunday procession is horrible
idolatry, and abusing of the Lord's institution
who ordained his supper to be eaten and drunk-
en, not to be carried about in procession like a
heathenish idol. But it is pretty sport, that
you make the Priest that carrieth this idol,
to supply the room of an ass, on which Christ
did ride. Thus you turn the holy mystery of
Christ's riding to Jerusalem, to a May-game
and Pageant play. And yet you say, " such
service done to Christ, is undotib'tedly ex-
ceeding grateful, yet no less grateful, than
that was done by his disciples," at this time
mentioned in the text. Your argument and
proof is none, but your bare asseveration.
That which his disciples did, had the warrant
of the Holy Scri pture ; but who hath required
these theatrical pomps at your hands ? or
what word of God have you, to assure you,
that he accepteth such will-worship? who
detesteth all worship \yhich is according to
the doctrines and tradition of men, and not
after his own commandment. Mat. 15. Isa.
29. Deut. 12. 32.

9. Holy words prot"aneIy abused, of them
that expect a third coming of Christ in per-
son, which the Scripture doth not teach, that
maketh mention of the two comings of
Christ, the one in humility to our redemption,
ti;e ether in glory to judgment. And as for
the attention and devotion of the people, that
you speak of, they can have none of those
matters which they understand not. And
though some have a blind and superstitious
afTection, yet the common sort be walkijig

MATTHEW.

about the Church, and prating, even in Mass
time, until the tingling of your sacring bell
call ihein to worship your idol.

13. The temple was not builded properly
and principally tor sacrifice, but for prayer,
as botli tills text doth testify, and Solomon in
his prayer at the dedication of the temple, 1
lieg. 6. The external ceremony of sacrifice
without taitlitul prayer, was nothing worth,
but prayer without sacrifice was always ac-
ceptable unto God, Fsal. 50.

16. The children that by instinct of God's
spirit, cried in the temple, Hosanna in the
highest, spake in the Syrian tongue which
they understood, and also knevv that they
saluted our Saviour Christ as their Messias,
whose coming they were taught according
to the Scriptures to look for, although they
understood not distinctly all mysteries of
Christ's office, which none of his Apostles
did thoroughly know, at this time. Therefore
this is a beastly conclusion of yours, ergo
prayers not understood of the party, are ac-
ceptable to Christ. If you urge the words of
the Psalm, which nameth infants and suck-
lings that can neither speak nor understand,
the meaning is not, that they praise God with
their voice : but that the providence of God,
to his great praise, is manifest out of their
mouths, to whom he hath provided meat be
fore they were born, and in that great weak
ness and ignorance, taught them to take it for
their sustenance, and call for it in their cryii
voice, when they lack it. So that our Saviour
Christ out of that text reasoneth from the
less to the more, if God ordained his praise
out of infants and sucklings, that cannot speak
or understand, how much more out of these
that can speak and have some understanding ?
'2-2. Inrespectof our ownunworthinesa, we
are utterly out of all hope to obtain any thing
that we pray for, and therefore pray not at all
inrespectof our worthiness, but we pray in
faith of God's promises, which of his free
grace, he hath made unto us, for the worthi-
ness of Christ .lesus. Neither must we doubt
of the expedience of those things which he
hath promised, and will perform in time and
manner, which by his wisdom he seeeth to be
convenient. But for such particular things,
as he hath made no express promise to grant
them, we must pray with submission of our
request unto his will, nothing doubting, but
he will grant whatsoever is for his glory, and
ourbencfit to receive. If we were worthy,
we need not humbly intreat his mercy, but
challenge all things of his justice.

5J3. Though Heretics run unsent, yet we
have inward calling of God, and outward call-
ing of the Church, which is sufiicient to war-
rant our ministry, both to ourselves, and to
all true members of the Church of Christ
though the malignant brood of Antichrist will
not acknowledge our office and calling, to
their own confusion.

Chapter 22.
5. This is riiihtlv noted, if you meant the
true Church of Christ, but your intent is of

traitorous reconciling to Antichrist, and the
see of Rome.

11. He that hath not good works, hath not
a true, lively, and only justifying faith. The
visible Church, hath both elect and rebrobate
in it. But the Catholic Church invisible,
which is the body of Christ, consisteth only of
God's elect, the true members of his body.
This you know right well, but that you are
disposed to slander us, wheresoever you can
take occasion to blind the ignorant, by ambi
guity, generality, or double understanding of
any word.

21. Civil princes and magistrates, ought not
to usurp ecclesiastical olhces of preaching,
ministering the sacraments, excommunica-
tion, or such like : but they ought to provide
by laws, that these things be done according
to the word of God, and to punish the offen-
ders. The saying of Osius, cited by Athana-
sius, is against Constantius, that would deter-
mine by his imperial authority, contrary to
the scriptures and the consent of the general
council of Nice, that Christ is not eternal
God equal with his Father. In such cases,
nothing is to be yielded to temporal princes.
Likewise, where the emperor would have a
Church granted to the Heretics, Ambrose was
not to yield, because it is against the word of
God, that heretics should be allovyed their
assemblies : yet of the place of their assem-
bly he saith, "Willingly 1 will never forsake
the right, being compelled, I have not learnt
to resist." And where he saith, a good em-
peror is not above the Church, he meaneth,
he hath no autherity to alter any article of
faith, or rule of religion and doctrine, given
to the Church by God. But he is over the
Church to protect it, to maintain the truth of
faith and religion by his authority, and to pu-
nish all ofienders, whether they be of the estate
ecclesiastical or civil. And therein he serv-
eth God, as Augustin saith of Kings, when
he doth those things, which none can do but
Kings. Ep. 50. " He serveth as a king," saith
he, " in making laws, commanding just things,
forbidding the contrary, as Ezechias served
God, destroying the groves and temples of
idols. What man well in his wits, would say
to kings, take no care who in your kingdom
maintaineth or oppresseth the Church of your
Lord God, let it not pertain to you, who with-
in your dominion, will be religious or sacri-
legious." So did Constantine the great call
councils, and sit in them himself, Emeb. de
vitii Const, lib. 1. and lib. 3. Eccl. hist. lib. 10. cap.
5. Athanasius himself was coinmanded by
him, in causes pertaining to his duty, and
clearing of himself from crimes objected in a
council called by the emperor, Socrates, lib. 1.
cap. 27. 28. 31.

30. Our Saviour Christ speaketh not of the
state of the souls departed at this time, but
after the resurrection, and therefore your ar-
gument is a most absurd conclusion, even
like your doctrine. Christ doth not in ell
points, compare the Saints after the resurrec-
tion of Angels, for then they should be invisi-
ble, and without bodies, as the Angels are :

MATTHEW. 71

but m that they have no need, or use of mar- 1 Peter hiinsulf, unto Anastasius, who now oc-
riage. Beside, it is false tiiat you say, the cupiethtlie same chair, although any betrayer
Angels may be present in every moment i had cn^pi in, in those times, it should not have

where they list, for they cannot be in more
places at once, than one: neither are liicy
where they list, but where God appointeth
them. Didymus de spiritu sunclo, lib. 1.

30. True virginity, such as Paul cornmend-
eth, resembleth the Angels, and thereof spake
the ancient fathers not of the filthy life of your
popish cloisterers, and unchaste priests, who
in not marrying when they cannot live chaste-
ly, resemble the devils, who are also unmar-
ried.

32. The Saints departed out of this life,
still live unto God, yet are they in the scrip-
ture oftentimes called dead men, and even in
this place of the resurrection of the dead.
Therefore it is no dishonour, to call them as
the scripture calleth them. But it is a great
dishonour to them, to honour them as idols.,
and to rob God of his honour, to bestow it
upon them, as Papists do, who in a manner in
all things, inatch them with Christ our only
Saviour, which is only worthy of all honour
and glory. Apoc. 7. 10.

40. We say not, that all tiie Law and the pro-
phets depend upon faith only : but contrari-
wise we say with Paul, "The Law is not of
faith, but the man that hath done those things
shall live by them, Gatat. 3. 12. Yet this we
say with Augustin, " The Law commandcth,
and faith obtaineth," de nat. grat. cap. 16.
Augustin saith upon this text, "It may be
rightly said, that the commandments of God
pertain to only faith, if that faith be not under-
stood to be a dead faith, but a living faith,
which worketh by love." De fide et operi-
huscap. 22. But if any man fulfil the Law, he
shall be justified by works without faith,
which seeing no man is able to fulfil, the just
shall live by faith. Galat. 3. 11.

Chapter 23.
2. Augustin saith not, that God preserveth
the truth of the Christian religion in the Apos-
tolic See of Rome, but showeth that so long
as the truth of Christian religion is maintain-
ed, we must not depart from the unity of the
Church for the evil life of the teachers or
Bishops. He answereth an epistle of a Do-
natist unto Generosus, wherein was declared
the order of Bishops, in a certain city, from
Donatus the author of that schism. Where-
upon Augustin saith, " If the order of Bishops
succeeding one another be to be considered,
how much more certainly and indeed whol
somely do we number from Peter, to whom
bearing the figure of the whole Church, our
Lord saitli, upon this Rock 1 will build my
Church, and the gates of hell shall not over-
come it : for to Peter succeeded Linus," &c-
He nameth the Bishops to Anastasius, among
which he saith, there was never a Bishop that
was a Donatist, "but out of Africa, they sent
one ordained, who governing over a few
Africans in the city of Rome, enlarged the
term of Montenses, or Cuzupitae. But into
that order of Bishops, which is brought from

prejudiced the Church, and innocent Chris-
&,m^, lor whom our Lord providing, saith of
evil in-elatcs or governors : Do ye those
things which they say, but do not those thiaigs
which they do." These be his words, by
which his meaning is plain, that the wicked
life of teachers "infccteth not the whole
Church, nor any innocent Christian, but that
so long as they sit in Peter's, or Moses' or
Christ's chair, that is, teach that which Mo-
ses, Christ, and Peter taught, they are to be
heard, and the unity of the Church not to be
forsaken for their evil life. He saith not,
that whosoever shall be Bishop of Rome,
cannot err in doctrine ; or, we may safely be-
lieve whatsoever the Bishop of Rome saith,
because he sitteth in Peter's chair. For
Christ biddeth not the Jews to do whatsoever
the Scribes and Pharisees said, for they said
Gorban, which was contrary to God's com-
mandment. Matt. 15, and many other things
contrary to God's Law, Malt. 5, but only so
long as they sat in Moses' chair, and taught
the same doctrine which Moses delivered
in the Law : for they sat not in Moses' chair,
but in their own chair, when they taught their
own traditions, and false doctrines.

3. Augustin speaketh against a railing Do-
natist, who called the Apostohc chair, with
which the Catholics in Africa had communion,
the chair of pestilence ; being able to charge
the Bishops that succeeded therein, neither
with false doctrine, nor with evil life, which
if he could have done, the fault had been in the
men, not in the chair. Neither doth he speak
only of the See of Rome, but also nameth ex-
pressly the See of Jerusalem, and consequent-
ly understandeth all the Churches planted
by the Apostles, which retained the purity of
doctrine delivered by the Apostles. There-
fore he writeth thus : "But if all throughout
the whole world, were such as thou dost
most falsely accuse them, what hath the chair
of the Church of Rome done unto thee, in
which Peter sat, and at this day sifteth Anas-
tasius, or the chair of the Church of Jerusa-
lem, in which James sat, and at this day John
sitteth, to whom we in the Catholic unity are
knit, and from whom with wicked rage, you
have separated yourselves: why callestthou
the Apostolic chair, the chair of pestilence ?"
&c. In the second place which you cite,
where Augustin saith, that our Saviour
Christ, by the chair of Moses, figured his own
chair, it is evident, that by the chair, he mean-
eth not the place where he sat when he taught
but the doctrine which he taught. Therefore
not the dignity of the See of'^Rome, but the
dignity of the doctrine of Christ, whereso-
ever it be taught, and the continuance, con-
sent, and unity in the same, is commended by
Augustin : not appropriated to the see or
bishop of Rome, any longer than the bishop
of Rome teacheth the doctrine of Christ
which is the chair of Christ and of Peter. It
is not the wicked life of the Pope only, nor

MATTHEW.

principally, ihiit declareih him to be Anti-
christ, but the doctrine of devils, which he
holdcth, and the exultation of himself in
devilish i)ride above Christ, and all that is
worshipped : while he arrogateth more to
hiniselt, than he alloweth to Christ, as in his
wicked doctrine of pardons, dispensations,
and such like. For under his Bull he par-
doneth that for which the passion of Christ
did not make satistaction, as you hold, and
dispenseth against the law of God, command-
eth idolatry, and communion under one kind,
directly against the commandments of God
and Christ, &c.

8. In the Popish Church, the Pope is your
master, of whom you learn, that you learn not
of Christ: and though you did all agree in
your heresy, you were never the nearer, but
the further from the fruth. Nevertheless,
there hath been and still are great dissensions

good works, what proselytes do you make by
your Circumcellion Jesuits, and Seminary
Priests, compassing sea and land for them?
Somervil, Parry, Throckmorton, Savage, Bab-
ington, and the rest ol those murdering spirits,
right children officii, and of Satan that was a
murderer from the beginning.

19. Giits bestowed upon the Church, to the
maintenance of true religion, be sanctified by
dedication unto God: but gifts otiered in su-
perstiiion and idolatry, are accursed as the
idols are. Popish altars that are set up to
overthrow the altar of the cross, are not holy
but cursed. And so is all that pertaineth to
them. Neither have they protection of the
Lord's altar that was in the temple, which
was a figure of Christ's only singular true
sacrifice once offered, and that never can be
sacrificed again, as Augustin saith. " Neither
did the altar ot the temple sanctify by touch-

among you: as ol' the authority ot the Pope, I ing, tor then the murderer which took hold
and ol die general Council, questions not yet I of the horns of the altar, should be sanctified,
defined among you. But neither Luther, nor | whom God commanded to be drawn Irom

Calvin, desired to be credited any further
than the word and doctrine of Christ did
warrant them : neither is their authority
otherwise esteemed of us, but so far forth

thence and executed." Exod. 21. 14. 1 Reg.
2. 28. Neither if any man had offered any
other gift than that which God commanded,
had the gift been made holy by touching the

it is agreeable to the Ilcly Scriptures. And I altar, for it was the ordinance of God, by
whereas you have one vicar, he is the vicar i which the altar sanctified the gift, and not
of Satan, whose dotrcine he maintaineth, any quality in the ahar. The saying of The-
in prohibition of marriage and meats, in com- ' opiiylact, being a late writer in comparison

manding of idolatry, and countermanding of
Christ. But Christnever appointed any vicar
general, but such as he himself is, even his
Holy Spirit the comforter, by whom he is still
present with his Church, unto the end of the
world.

10. It is a slander of VViclifT, and of the
godly in his time, though some persons, ima-
gine such degrees and titles, to be here for-
bidden. But such doctors, masters, and fathers
are forbidden, as be authors, teachers, beget-
ters ot new doctrines, and religious persons,
as Francis, Dominic, Layola, and such like.

13. The Priesthood of the law was of
God's institution, and therefore our Saviour
Christ, as Cyprian saith, kept the honour that
was due unto the Priests, but not as vou say,
in that he never reprehended the Priests, by
that name. For so Cyprian saith not : And
you forget at least the Priest that passed by
the wounded man. Luke 10, 13. And was it no
reprehension of the Priests think you ? when
he said, that he should "suffer many things
of the high Priests and be slain of theni,"
Mfitt. 16. 21. Yet he findeth no fault with
their name which the Scripture gave them,
no more do we with the name of Priest, as it
Cometh of Presbyter, and signifieth an El-
der : but as it is commonly used for a sacrifi-
cing priest, such as the ministers of the New
Testament are not. But rather the ignorance
and wicked life of your Po|ii.«h Clergy, hath
made the name contemptible to most, and
odious to some, that know the true etymo-
logy thereof.

15. God's great curse light on them, that
teach a faith void of good works, to be enough
for a Christian man. But you that teach all

of antiquity, is not so ^reatly to be regarded :
whose words although they seem to be plain
for transubstantiation, seeing he saith. Panes,
the loaves of bread by divine grace, are
turned into the Lord's body : Yet considering
he was a Bishop of the Greek Church which
never accepted the Popish heresy of trans-
substantiation, his meaning is not of any
change in substance, but iu use, of such bread
as was ofi'ered by the people for the com-
munion, and to the relief of the poor. You
are sick of the disease of the Pharisees,
which was covetousness, as Chrysostom and
Theophylact note by magnifying the gifts of
the altar.

21. By this we see, that in swearing by
creatures, we cannot avoid swearing by God,
yet this doth notjustify swearing by creatures.
For as the author of the imperfect work that
goeth under Crysostom's name, saith : " he
maketh himself an idolater, whosoever swcar-
cth by any thing else beside God, and sinneth

!th by i
louble.

first, because he sweareth, and then
because he maketh him God, by whom he
sweareth." In Matt. Horn. 12. Swearing by
creatures also is condemned by Bede, in
Malt. [r.

2'J. To garnish the Sepulchres of the Pro-
phets moderately without superstition, is not
evil ofi'self, but this hath commonly been the
manner of hypocrites by the subtlety of Satan,
to persecute the Prophets while they live,
and to make idols of their bodies when they
are dead.

ClUPTER 24.
T). Luther and Calvin neithernamed them-
selves Christ, nor challenged miy part of

MATTHEW.

Christ's officci, or honour to them, but the Pope
doth both: advancmg himself above Christ, in
his blasphemous pardons and dispensation;!,
iuid in coiUroUijig of Christ's institution.

14. The Spaniards have procurLd these good
preachers of the gospel, to pick a quarrel to
spoil, and by murdering of infinite thousands,
to dispeople those countries. Witness their
owi countryinan and fellow in religion, Bar-
tholomwus Cassaus, in his Spanish Colony.
Benzo the Italian in hist. Novi oriis. The like
zeal of religion caused them to attempt inva-
sion of this land. But God hath rewarded
them according to their wickedness.

1.^. This Hippolytus was not that ancient
Martyr, of whom Hierom writeth, butalatier
fantastical fellow, full of fables concerning
Antichrist. That he should be no man, but a
devil in the shape of man, that John the Eva:i-
gelist shall come with Eimi-h ;liii1 l".li;iH. li< -
lore the coming of Antic lin.-i, ih:ii Aiiiulu;-!
shall bring devils with hiui lu il. -Iiaii. oi'
Angels, and command Uuiu to carry hnu up
Vo heaven, with such like stutf. Yet he doth
not e.xpoiuid this abomination, of the abolishing
of the Mass, or the sacrifice thereof, nor speak-
eth of either of them: but flourishint; in words,
foreshoweth the abolishing of all Christi;in re-
ligion, which shall never be, for Christ will
contijiue with his Church to the end of the
world.

22. Chrysostom horn. 77. interpreteth this
place of the calamitv of the .Tows, which should
Iiavel)een all ilrsuovnl, tlinniMh the j^^reat ha-
tred and iiiilii;iiati'mol ihr l!;ii!iaiis,and the text
is plain, agririug witli his rxposilion. Yet is
the time ot Antichrist but short, in comparison
of the eternal kingdom of Christ, as the whole
time, between the ascension of Christ and his
second coming, in llir ^alll ■ nspc ct, is called
short. But that th.- rri-n .l' .\iitirhi-iM shall
be but three vcars ;ji'1 a hall, is luiili.-r sanl ct'
D.miel nor John; l-'or i.i liit; same tiima iliai
.lohn calleth forty-two months, in the same
Chapter he calleth three days and a halt, and
afterward twelve hundred and sixty days, ami
a time, times, and a half time, that is half a
prophetical week, for the comfort of the godly.
Vet may not these days and years, be counted
;tfter our usual measure of time : for that were
absurd and impossible.

23. Then believe not the Papists, for they
draw the Church from tke fellowship of all
nations, to one city of Rome, or to a piece
of Europe as th§ Donatists did to a part of
Africa.

26. The Church of God had no glorious
show in the sight of the world, for three hun-
dred years after Christ, when they came to-
gether in secret places, to serve God. There-
tore the glorious pomp of Popery in Italy,
Spain or France, is not the bright and clear
authority of the Church, whereof Augustin
speakelh. The Church wanted not for three
luindred years together after Christ, but in the
midst of the hottest persecution, retained the
same bright and clear authority among all
true Christians.

23. You have said, that the persecution of
10

Antichrist, should endure but three years and
a half, but you are never able to prove it of
usLial years, therefore it is no blasphemy to say,
the Pope is Antichrist, thouah his tyranny
hath continued tiimost a thou- .iid years. But
rather it is blasphemy, to say the Bope is God's
Vicar : for that importeth God and Christ to be
absent from his Church. Otherwise the Holy
Ghost supnlieth the want of his bodily pre-
sence, tmtil he come again to judgment.

30. Hierom and Beile say, either the sign of
the cross, or a banner of triumphant victory.
The author of the mnicrfiHt work in Mat-
thew by conference ol the other Evangelist
saith, "That the signofChiisi, isthe very Dody_
of Christ, which is to i)e known, by the sign of
his body, of thein that crucified him." But if
it be the sign of the Cross, it shall be no confu-
sion to them that have abhorred the supersti-
i:.i;i ami iiluiaiiy. (aiii.niir d with the siwi of
ill-' ( 'r. -.• : !ii,i railai-aMJi, a i which overthrow
la; i!i: ' I '.M.-s i>[ CiiriM, ihat is, the virtue of
Ciuist'ssaLriiice uliired upon the Cross, which
is the only glory of all true Christians : which
thing the Papists do, by setting up many al
tars and a new sacrifice.

Chapter 25.

1. They that have a dead faith, void of good
works, whether the lamp signify faith or chari-
ty, shall not be admitted into the kingdom ol
heaven.

8. Christians are in the favour of God,
through the merits of Cliiist .dsiis. Their
justice consisteth notol' tin ir .iw n merit, butof
the mercy of God. Hi(n;ii. ronf. Pdas;. lib. 1.
When the reward shall come, " he will crovm
his gifts, not thy merits." Au^;. Psal. 70. cone. 2.

20. The will, the work and the fruit thereof,
ui\([ f lith from whence it floweth, are all the
;nlts (if God, and no merit of riian. Our Lord
ajia Saviour, according to his mercy, saith
lialviiiiis. giveth us all rliiiifs that may bring

a-; t;, -alva.fioa, IjIk 2. Ih . S,,. s,:n<:'. infine.

?<>.. Till- iMii-doiii IS pr, iiaiail tor the elect
ofi;.!'!, \vli<iif ;!iev live until, by hearing ofthe
word of C. 1.1, lie \- ijiay have faith, they are al-
ways fniittai or„aMii| works, though not of these
here nained. i'or La/arus the beggar was
not able \o feed, clothe, or harbour Christ, yet
was he full of faith, patience, humility, prayers,
&c.

34, 41. Augustin, as he confesseth in his
retractations, having to do against the Mani-
chees, which held that men were of evil will,
by creation of the evil god, defendeththe free-
dom of will from coaction by nature, and not
from the thraldom of sin through the first man's
fall. P'or even in the same chapter, he wri-
teth upon the sayingof Paul, I see another law
in my members, resisting the law of my mind,
and bringing me captive under the law of sin,
which is in my members : " It is manifest that
this came of the propagation of the first sin of
Adam, and of evil custom."^ That they have all
goodness only of God, in the same place he
showeth where he saith, of those that by free
will havereceivedthefaiih of Christ. "They
have confessed their sinf, repented, displeaseci

.^71

MATTHEW.

themselves, such as they have been, and have
pleased him, being such as they were made by
him."

35. You falsify Augustin, he hath no such
saying upon that' Psalm, but contrariwise he
saith, " This is the sacrifice of praise, to give
thanks to him of whom thou hast what good
soever thou hast ; and by \yho3e mercy, what-
soever evil thou hast of thine own, is forgiven
thee." Against merit of works he is plentiful
upon that Psalm. " The widow bought as
much f )r two mites, as Peter leaving his nets,
as Zacchcus giving half his patrimony. The
kingdom of heaven is so much worth, as thou
hast:" meaning, that God regardeth not the
value of the work, as an equal price, for the
kingdom which he giveth, of his mere and
free grace, to his elect.

43. A lively faith that doth justify, is always
fruitful of good works, as Augustin saith, " A
good life is inseparable from the faith which
worketh by love." Defuie. et oper. cap. 24.

Chapter 26.

8. That which the woman ;!id by special
instinct of the Spirit of God, w.;s by God's ap-
pointment necessary to testify his burial to be
at hand. As for the cost bestowed upon the
Popish Sacrament; suppose it were the same
body of Christ, yet having no manner of use
of such things, nor he requiring any such thing
to be bestowed on it, were lost, and might be
nmch better employed on the poor ; whom
from this time forward, he commandeth to be
fed, clothed, harboured in his stead For he
shall not say, whatsoever ye bestowed upon
the Sacrament, Altars, Churches, &c. But,
whatsoever ye did to any of these little ones,
ye did it to me. On Churches whatsoever is
more than for convenience and comeliness,
were better bestowed on the poor that need it.

10. The work which the woman did by spe-
cial instinct of God's Spirit, was a good work,
but not meritorious. As for the superstitious
works of them that beautify idolatry with their
riches, is neither good, nor meritorious. That
which Ambrose did, the Popish Church will
not do : for he brake the vessels used in the
mysteries, to redeem the captives, aiid saith,
"The Church hath gold, not to keep it, but to
give it out, and to help in necessities. What
need we. to keep that which helpeth nothing ?"
Yet with Papists, gay and precious shows
help much to devotioiii. Yet Ambrose saith
further in the person of Christ. " The sacra-
ments require no gold, neither do they please
me in gold which are not bought with gold ;
the ornament of sacraments, is the redemption
of captives." If the Papists break their cha-
lices, it shall be ratlier to maintain war asrainst
the professors of the Gospel, than to redeem
Christian captives out of the hands of the
Turks and miscreants. Where you say the
poor were best relieved, when most was be-
stowed on Churches, it is untrue. God's name
be praised, the poor that be impotent indeed,
have bt'tter provision for them in such places
as the Gospel is received, than ever they had
in Popery ; as the Hospitals erected for the

orphans, widows, aged, and diseased, are a
plentiful testimony.

11. This vain new-found gloss, is confuted
by Augustin's authority, upon the same word,
John li. Tract 50. " He spake of the presence
of his body ; for according to Ms majesty, ac-
cording to his unspeakable and invisible grace,
it is fulfilled which he said, I am with you al-
ways unto the end of the world. But accord-
ing to the flesh which the Word took upon him,
according to that he was born of the virgin,
according to that he was apprehended of the
Jews, that he was nailed to the tree, that he
was taken down from the cross, that he was
wrapped in linen clothes, that he was laid
in the sepulchre, that he was manifested in
his resurrection, you shall not alwaj's have
me with you. VVhy so? For he was con-
versant wuh his disciples forty days, accord-
ing to the presence of his body, and they
waiting on him by seeing, not by following,
he ascended into heaven, and he is not here :
for there he sitteth at the right hand of the
Father. And he is here, for he departed
not in the presence of his Majesty. According
to the presence of his Majesty we have Christ
always : according to the presence of his flesh,
he said rightly to hi? Disciples, But me you
shall not have always," Hierom upon this place
saith ; "Methinketh he speaketh of his corporal
presence." Bede also upon this place writeth ;
" He saith he will not always tarry with his
Apostles in presence of his body, whom lie
never left in power of his divinity." And upon
John 12. he saith ; " Christ should remain with
them but a short time corporally," The an-
cient fathers understood this, not of the man-
ner of his presence, visible or invisible, but of
the presence of his body indeed, neither ever
heard they of that fantastical e.xposition.

13. The good works of Saints may be re-
corded and set forth in the Church to the ho-
nour of God, without their holydays and com-
memorations. For Christ instituted no holy-
day of Marv Magdalen, nor any such matter,
as the Popish commemorations are, nor com-
manded any image of her fact to be made, but
a memory bv preaching the gospel.

20. That he sat down with the twelve, it fol-
loweth not, that only the twelve were present
at the Paschal lamb, but that all the twelve
were present: yea by the institution of the
Sacrament of the Paschal lamb, where it is
commanded that none of it be reserved, it is
manifest that there were more of his Disciples
present, beside the twelve. For thirteen per-
sons could noteat a lamb of a year old, and
not bring satisfied with that, have other meat
to make up their supper, as it is plain by dip-
ping th(i sop in the platter, that there was other
meat than the roasted lamb, which had no
sauce or broth, but herbs. Therefore, all this
fantasy of the new sacrifice, and transmutation
of bread and wine, into his body and blood,
with the order of Priesthood there given them,
this foundation of only twelve present, being
overthrown fallith to the ground. And where
you say, the order of priesthood was given
them at this Supper,other of your fellows think

MATTHEW.

not, till after his resurrection, John 20. 21.
And there you hold that they were not full
Priests imtil then.

20. Here are many words of the institution
of a sacrifice, continuance of Christ's Pri^st-
hood in the oblation of the same, a new deiith
of Christ in the Sacrament, concomitance, &c.
but no argument out of the te.xt, no authority
of other places of Scripture, no testimony out
of the ancient Fathers alleged for them : yet
are we condemned of ignorance, not to under-
stand nor to know the Scriptures, nor the
power of God. Yet we be not so dull witted,
out we understand what you mean by your sa-
crifice, transubstantiation, concomitance, and
other such profane novelties and vanities of
voices, whicn the Scripture knoweth not, nor
you are able to show one iota of the Scripture
for them. But let us consider the parts of this
note. You say here is instituted both a sa-
crifice and a Sacrament, though the Scriptures
give neither of those names to this action. As
though our contention were for the name,
rather than for the thing itself. The one you
say we accept in a sort, the other we utterly
deny, witlioutall reason or religion. The name
of fc?acrament, because it sigmfieth that which
this action is made by Christ, as we find in the I
Scripture, namely a holy sign, we accept with |
good reason and religion, and in such sort as
me ancient fathers of the Latin Church, from
whose tongue, this name of Sacrament is bor-
rowed dicf acknowledge this action to be a
Sacrament. In such sort as the ancient fathers
did call this action a sacrifice hy a Metonyrny,
unproperly, because it is a memory of the only
sacrifice of Christ's death and by Si/necdoche,
because the sacrifice of praise and tliank.«giv-
ing is offered to God for the redemption ofllie
world in the celebration of this action. In this
sort, we do not utterly deny the term of sa-
crifice. But in such sort as the Papists take
it to be a sacrifice propitiatory, wherein the
natural body and blood of Christ, are offered to
God the Father by the priest in his mass, for the
sins of the quick and the dead, howsoever the
matter in compass of strange words and phra-
ses be shrouded, to hide the horrible blasphe-
my therein contained, wc utterly deny the
name of sacrifice, because itd suili thing was
instituted by Christ, but it is manifestly contra-
ry to the Scriptures. And this I think is good
reason and religion, to deny that which i.s not,
and is feigned to be, to the derogation of the
glory of oirr redemption, by the only sacrifice
of Christ. Thus much for the name : now for
the thing. You say it was instituted (or the
continuance of the external office of Christ's
external Priesthood according to the order of
Melchisedec. This is a false surmised end :
for the continuance of Christ's Priesthood, is
only in his own person, and passeth not from
him, as the Apostle saith atrapaSaToi' cx^t, &c.
He hath a Priesthood that passeth not by suc-
cession, wherefore, he is able for ever to save
those that come unto God by him, always liv-
ing, that he may make intercession for them,
Heb. 1. 24, 25. This is a continuance of his
Priesthood, according to the order of Mel-

chisedec. As for that profane novelty, of the
external ofiiceoiC'hrist's Priesthood, because
the Scripture teache;h it not, it is to be hissea
out of the Church of Christ. The Apostle
in the chapter befere named, referrmg to
Christ, whatsoever of Melchisedec pertamed
toChristj makcili mention of no such external
ofBcc. Beside that, this feigned contiiiuance,
of the external ofiice of Priesthood, is con-
trary to the Scripture. Which teacheth, that
the Priesthood, atti r the order of Melchisedec,
is proper only to Christ, who is the eternal Son
of God, without latlier in respect of his man-
hood, without mother in respect of his God-
head, having neither begiruiing of his days,
nor end of lite, which can agree, to none but to
our Saviour Christ, Hvh. 1. 3. Therefore your
Popish priesthood, challenging the continuance
of Christ's external office of Priesthood after
the order of Melchisedec, is a horrible blas-

ghemv against the eternal Priesthood of the
on of God. Further you say, " It is a sacri-
fice, in that it is ordained to continue the me-
mory of Christ's death and oblation upon the
Cross." So indeed the Fathers do figuratively
and unproperly call it. And this were tole-
rable, if you would proceed no further. But you
add, " that it is a sacrifice, to continue the ap-
plication of the general virtue of Christ's death
to our particular necessities by consecrating,"
&,c. Whereby you mean transubstantiation
of the elements, uito the natural body and
blood of Christ. But the Scripture teacheth us,
that the Holy Ghost, through faith, applieth
the benefits of Christ's death unto us for onr
redemption and salvation, and not the Priest
by his Mass, Rom. 8. 2. Gal. 3. 13. 4. Where
you say, moreover, that the " wine is consecra-
ted uito his blood apart, as shed out of his_
body,"&c. vou overthrow your own position of
the unbloody sacrifice, which vou say, you
offer without shedding of blood. Again you
say, " in this mystical and unspeakable manner,
he would have the Church to oflcr and sacri-
fice him daily." But Christ never gave out
any word, whereby you might gniher that he
would such a thing. Beside, the Scripture is
plain, he would not any such sacrifice of him-
self, to be offered by others, which did not
oftentimes offer himself, for then he should
have died often, but once for all, and found by
that one oblation, eternal redemption, and made
perfect for ever those that are sanctified, Heb. 9.
12. and 25 and cap. 10. 14. Therefore he need-
efh not to be offered by any oth.er, And where
vou say, that in mysterv ami Sacrament he
dieth, It is contrary t" ilie Srrr|i:iire, which
snith, he dieth no more. Runi. 0. '.). lor seeing,
for Christ's presence m iii>'stery and Sacra-
ment, }-ou admit no fi^'ure, I cannot but un-
derstand a horrible mystery of Christ's daily
dying in your Sacrifice of the Mass. But if
you sfly the dying in Sacrament is figm-ative,
it will follow, that the iiresence in sacrament
is ;dso figurative. And touching your high
point of concomitance, which you say we un-
derstand not, where you said, the wine is " con-
secrated into his blood apart, as shed out of
his body, &c. which was the condition of hia

MATTHEW.

ferson, as he was in sacrifice and oblation:"
demand of you, whether the blood that was
shed out of the body of Christ upon the Cross,
was by conconiitance, his wiiole body and
soul, niiuihood and God ? if it were not, why
then in your sacrifice is that in the cup, by
concomitance, not only the blood, but also the
body of Christ, his soul, manhood, and God-
head ?

When you come to the Sacrament, as a mat-
ter of small moment, in comparison of the
Sacrifice, you knit it up in two lines, not ex-
pressing what it is in deed, but affirming of
It, that m deed it doth not. For not the Sacra-
ment, " but the thing or matter of the Sacra-
ment," as Augustin calleth it, which is the
body and blood of Christ, feedeth our souls.
This Sacrament therefore is a holy sign, mid
seal of our spiritual nourishment imto eternal
life, by the very body and blood of Christ,
which is the spiritual matter, represented by
this sign, and who giveth grace, which is not re-
ceived of any, but unto eternal life. Augustin
in John, Tr. 2G. Where you add the condition
of receiving it worthily, it is contrary to your
own principle, that Sacraments, of the work
wrouglit, do give grace, so the receiver doth
not withstand. But there is more required of
him that shall receive worthily than not to
withstand.

25. Here is wrangling about words, to no pur-
pose, where the one Evangelist saith, he bless-
ed, the other saith, he gave thanks. Yea, the
same Evangelist saith, of the one part of the
Sacrament, he blessed, of the other part, he
gave thanks : therefore to bless and to give
thanks, in this place, is all one : and seeuig
thanksgiving is not referred to the bread, no
more is blcbsing. For if the Evangelists had
meant to refer it to the bread, they would have
added an accusative case, as Luke 9. Whr^t
then? do we mean none other blessing or
giving of thanks, than we do in sayirig grace
at our ordinary refections? Yes verily. We
mean solemn blessing, which is praise and
thanksgiving, by which the creatures are pre-
pared \o this holy action, as Oecumenius wri-
teth: agreeable with the saying of the Apostle
Paul, and of the ancient Fathers Justin, Ire-
neus, Cyprian, not meaning the whole con-
secrating to consist in this blessing or tlianks-

fiving, but a part only ; nor as you say, in that
lessing, witii the wordsfollowing» which you
understand to be none but these, "This is
my body:" but in the whole action, according
to Christ's institution: whereunto are required,
taking, eating, drinking, showing of the Lord's
death. Theopk. Alexan. Epist. Fuse. 1. But
where you join blessing with the words which
you call of consecration, to make it his IukK.
vou dissent from other elder Papists, \\ hi. Ii
Iiold, that these words only, withoutany bh ss-
ing, but with the Priest's intention, do make
the body of Christ.

26. Kyou be better advised, now to take in
blessing and thanksgiving, I hope you will
shortly consent, to admit eating, drinking, and
showing of our Lord's death, to be parts of the
consecration.

I Ambrose, whom you cite, speaketh of tbe
I Sacrament which is received. " This Sacra-
ment which thou receivest, is made by the
word of Christ. And bv these Sacraments,
Christ feedeth his Church, by which the sub-
stance of the soul is strengthened."

Augustin also, Ep. 59. saith, " Prayers are
made, when that which is upon the Table, is
blessed and sanctified, and broken to be dis-
tributed. In the sanctificaiion and preparation
of distribution of this Sacrament, I think the
Apostle commanded prayers properly to be
made. Which thmgs being ordered, and so
worthy a Sacram.ent being participated,thanks-
giving concludeth all." Therefore neither
Ambrose nor Augustin understand yourm.a-
gical kind of consecration, by crossing and
murmuring of words with one breath, within
v.'hichyou conclude your Popish consecration.

26. Damascen, although he lived in a cor-
rupt time, meaneth not Transubstantdation,
which was not invented in his time, but the
spiritual and supernatural change of the ele-
ments in the faithful receiver, into the divine
food of our souls which is the flesh and blood
of Christ, as appeareth first by his comparison,
of the like change of the water in baptism, by
grace of the Holy Ghost, into the laver of re-
generation. He saith, " To the bread and
wine which we are accustomed to eat, he hath
joined his Godhead, and made them his body
and blood, that by things accustomed, and that
are according to nature, we niiiy be conversant
in things which are above nature His body
is truly united to the Godhead, the body which
is of the Holy Virgin. Not that the same body
which was taken up into Heaven,cometh dowi,
but that the same bread and wine are changed
into the body and blood of God. If you require
the manner how it is done, it sufficeth to hear
that it is done by the Holy Ghost, as the Lord,
of the holy mother of God, by the Holy Ghost
made flesh to subsist to himself, and m him-
self." These M^ords declare his meaning to be
of a spiritual and supernatural change, not of a
corporal change of the bread artd wine, where-
unto he saith Christ hath joined his Godhead,
that by eating of bread and drinking of wine,
which -be things accustomed and natural, we
might be acquainted with things supernatural.
But if his words of transnnitation, or changing,
do seem to import a Pojnsji Tratisuhslan-
tiation: Then mark these wi.nis, in wliieh
he useththetermju£roi>'r,,7 wliirii, il ih, i, lie any
Greek word for'Tran.sulistiiiiiati.ui. niiaht sig-
nify the change of being or of sul'st:iuce. Y et
he" taketh it for coniniunication. For e.\-
horting men with earnest affection to come to
th ' Connnunion, he saith; "lyctushe parta-
ker- (.fljiat divine lire coal, that llic tire of (he
(1( sire, whi'his iiius, takiiiuliringofthat coal,
111 IV huni .ip (inr sins, and lighten our hearts,
and tlial li\- iiaiiiei|i:iiion of the divine fire, we
may be lir. .! ami ili Itied." No man doubteth,
but this whcile spi ( (il is figurative : and so is
the rest, ("ypriau's words are these, "This
bread which our Lord did reach unto his dis-
ciples, being changed not in shape, but in na-
ture, by almighty power of tiie word, is made

MATTHEW.

flesh : mid as in the person of Christ, the hu-
manity was seen, and the divinity w;is hidden,
so the divine essence hath uns]M;ik,-il)ly intiised
itself in.to the visible Sacramciii, ilmi ili votion
might be nnto religion about ilir S;urMnient,
and a more sincere access unto the truth,\vhose
body the Sacraments are, might be open unto
the participation of the spirit.'" This author,
by change in nature, nji aneth not change of
substance, but of the qualities or properties of
natural bread, whose nature is to feed the
body, whereas this bread is made to nourish
the soul. Therefore he saith, " That which
meat is to the flesh, faith is to the soul : that
meat is to the body, the word is to the spirit.
Therefore theeati'iiij ot tins llrsli, is a certain
earnest affection am! d. Mir tu, outinue in him.
When we do these ilmij^s. wi prepare not our
teeth to bite, but with sincere faith we break
and divide this holy bread." The undoubted
Cyprian, for the author of this work is uncer-
tain, in his Epistle ad M<ii:n<im, lib. l.Ep.Q.ex-
pressly calleth the Lord's lni.ly bread moulded
together of many ynuiis, aini his blood wine,
which is pressed out oi' cliisk-rs of grapes.
Lib. 2.Ep. 3. C'a^cfVw, he saith, '"The blood of
Christ is na water, but wine." These words
are plain against Transubstantiation.

Neither dotli Ambrose, by the change which
is wrought ui the Sacrament by the words of
Christ, mean the Popish pretended change :
for of the bread and the whie, when they are
consecrated by the word of God, he saith :
" If there were such force in the word of our
Lord Jesus, that those things began to be,
which were not, how much more effectual in
working is it, that they may be still vvliich they
were, and also be changed into another thing."
An example hereof lir L!i\(tli in every Chris-
tian man: "Thouiliys' !i wast, liut thou wast
an old creature, but aliri th-:i \v;.st consecra-
ted, thou begannest lu he a new creature."
Here the change is manifest, not in substance,
but in i^uality. And even in the chapter by you
cited, his words are evident to declare, that he
speaketh of no Transubstantiation. For after
he hath said, that our Lord .Tcsus, contrary to
the order of nature, was bom of a Virgin, he
addeth: "It was the true flesh of Christ thai
was crucified, that was hurled : therefore this
is truly a Sacrament of that flesh. Our Lord
Jesus crieth out: Tlii« isuiy bo.ly : before the
blessing of the li(M\riiI\- \\(.r;ls it is called
another kind : after . m- ( i m m, the body of
Christ is signified, lie iniii -- ii saith, it is his
blood: betiorc consecration, it i,- railed another
thing: after consecration, it is uamed Mood."
Also, by the same argument, of the superna-
tural generation of Christ by the Holy Ghost
of the Virgin Mary, he proveth the truth of
regeneration, where there is no change of sub-
stance, but in qualities and conditions. There-
fore in the one Sacrament he meaneth no more
Transubstantiation, than in the other. Raba-
nux Mouths ile instil. Cle.r. lib. I. cap. 31.

2fi. The te.\t is plain, he said, " This is my ho-
ly. This is mv blood," to declare, that he gave
o the faith of the worthy receivenhis verv body
ind blood, by those outward elements of bread

and wine, which are figures and signs of his
body and blood. And therefore, though he
said not, " This is a figure or sign of my body
and blood :" yet he said in the same sense,
"This Cup is the New Testament in my
blood." By which form of speech, he declared,
that the visible element is a sign or seal of the
New Testament estabhshed in his blood, shed
on the Cross, and not converted or turned into
his blood. For his natural blood is not the
New Testament in his blood, neither is the Cup
projjerly, but figuratively, the New Testament.
Wherefore itremainetli, that it is a Sacrament,
that is, a holv sign and seal of the New Tes-
tament, confirmed by the death and blood-
shedding of Christ. And so the ancient Fa-
thers mean, when they call the bread a figure
or sign of his body, and not the outward forms
or accidents of bread, separated from 'he sub-
stance of bread, for of that monster they never
heard. Tertullian against Marcion, which
denied Christ to have atrue body, writeth thus,
" The bread which he took and distributed to
his disciples, he made his body, saying, This
is m\ body, that is, a figure of my body, now
it ha'd not been a figure, except he had had a
true body. For a void thing, which is a fantasy,
could not have a figure. Or if he feigned the
bread to be his body, because he lacked a true
body, he ought to have delivered the bread for
us. It would have made- for Marcion's vani-
ty, that the bread should have been crucified."
These words of Tertullian declare, that he
meaneth the bread to be a figure of Christ's
true body, and not the accidents of bread. For
if this fantasy of Transubstantiation, had been
thought of in those days, Marcion would have
taken hold of tlie abolishing of the substance
of bread, to prove thebody of Christ to be only
in form or show, and not in deed, as the bread
which is turned into it is. He might have con-
firmed his heresy, that the world was not crea-
ted by God, the Father of our Lord .Tesus
Christ, seeing he did away the creature of
bread, to make it his body. Tertullian Lib. 5
saith "By the Sacrament of the Bread and the
Cup now in the Gospel, we have proved the
truth of our Lord's body and blood, against
the fantasrn of Marrion." AuL'usfin saith:
" For oi' tl,,-! it is uritlen, tlial the blood of a
l'e;.-i i. the soul of it, besidi' that I Said, thatit
per. ^111, .ill iini fo.iiie, what beeometh of the
soul ola he.ist, 1 iiia\- also interpret that precept
ina siLiii. for our Lord doubted not to say. This
isnivlHidv, when he L'ave the sisnofhisbody."
Cont. Adiiiianl. cap. 12. The blood of a beast
is a sign of the soul, or life thereof, so is the
bread a sign of the body of Christ. What
place is here for accidents of bread, to be call-
ed the sign of his body? except \-ou will sny,
the accidents of blood were forbidden in the
Law,and not the blood uselt'. Butblood itself,
as a sign of the life ol'ili.' heist, was forbidden
to be eaten, as hr^ ad i- L:i\'eii to be eaten, as
a signofChrist. ( liher- aneient Fathersare also
in plain words directly a L'ainst Transubstan-
tiation, as Chrysostom, in Epist. nd Ccp.snrinm.
Tlieodoret, Dial. 2 Gelasius Bishop of Rome
contra Eutychen All these in plain words af-

?,:attiiew.

firm, the substance of bread and wine to remuin
after consecration.

23. The blood of Christ was not mystically
shed in the Sacrament, but as it is mystically
present. The Apostles and Evangelists using
the present tense for the future, do signify,
that the passion of Christ was even at hand.
And therefore your vulgar Interpreter, ac-
cording to the sense, hath truly translated
the word, bv the future tense. For it is not
only said, that his blood is shed, but it is
added, for many, unto remission of sins, and
his body is broken, which was not but on the
Cross. For if the blood of Christ was shed
for the remission of the sins of the world in
the Sacrament, the passion of Christ was need-
less : and so to establish your blasphemous
sacrifice of the Mass, you make void and frus-
trate the most glorious and only sacrifice,
propitiatory for sins, offered by our Saviour
Christ upon the Cross. De remiss, pec. Lib. 1.
cap. 5.

29. Vain shifts a^inst the plain truth of the
te.\t, and the evident words thereof. The
demonstrative pronoun this, declareth, that
he spake of the wine in his hand. And so the
ancient fathers have always taken it. Cle-
mens Ale.xandrinus saith : " That it was wine
which was blessed, he showeth a^ain, saying
to his disciples, I will not drink ofthe fruit of
this vine." Fcedagog. I. 2. cap. 2. Cyprian
upon these words of the fruit of the vine,
which he calleth the creature of the vine, in-
ferreth : " In which part we find, that the cup
which our Lord offered, was nii.xt, and that it
was wine which he called his blood." Ep.
65. CcBcilio. Chrysostom also upon the same
text, saith: "He meant to pull up by the roots
a certain pernicious heresy, ot them which
use water m the mysteries, so that he showed,
that when he delivered this mystery, he de-
livered wine, and now after his resurrection,
in the bare table of the mystery, he used
wine. He saith, of tlie fruit ot the vine,
which truly bringeth forth wine, and not wa-
ter." Mattlt. Horn. 83. Seeing Christ there-
fore delivered wine, as the text and the fea-
thers say, your three causes are vain. For
the Sacrament is called bread and wine, be-
cause it is so indeed, although it be also called
the body and blood of Christ, as it is indeed,
after a spiritual manner, to the worthy re-
ceiver. But to examine your causes a little ;
you say, "Paul nameth it bread, because it
was so before, as Eve is called Adam's bone."
But Eve was not called Adam's bone abso-
lutely, but bone of his bones, and flesh of his
flesh. And that she was indeed, at that pre-
sent, in respect of her body, for I suppose you
will not say, her soul was made of Ailam's
bone. Likewise in your second exampb" :
Aaron's rod devoured their rods ; Moses call-
eth it Aaron's rod, tint it was when he wrote,
namely a rod, and the Sorcerers' rods were
not true Serpents, but in show. -Augustin
saith of Aaron's rod. " The thing was called
by th:it name, from whi-ncc it was turned, and
into which it was returned again, therefore it
ought to be called that which it was principal-

: ly." Quasi, sup. Exod. lib. 2. Qucest. 21. Your
third example of water turned into wine, is
most impertinent: for there it is expressed,
both what it was before the turning, and what
it was after. Your second forged cause, " for
that some things are called as they appear,
and not as they are, as Angels are called
men," is also unlike your matter, for the
Angels that appeared, were not fantastical
shows or accidents, but they appeared in
very bodies, as of men, which they assumed
for the time, as it is plain by the text. Your
third cause is also vain: "that the Sacra-
ments should be called bread and wine, be-
cause Christ IS the true bread and wine, feed-
ing us in body and soul unto eternal life :" for
Paul nameth it bread, in them which eat it
unworthily, to their condemnation.

41. Watching unto prayer is commended in
this place ; and in many other of the Scrip-
ture. And therefore in the Primitive Church
they had set times of watching ui prayer.
But your Vigils, that is, holy day eves, and
nocturnes, that is a certain task of Psalms,
and other prayers, are rather mockeries of
watches and prayers, than either that which
Christ willed his disciples to do, or the Primi-
tive Church used : although you say your re-
ligious persons use them still.

75. li you allege this for the Rock of the
Church, there hath been enough said upon
the 16th Chapter. If for washing away his sins,
to insinuate that his tears were a satisfaction
of them : the same Ambrose saith again in
Luc. cap. 22. " I read his tears I read not his
satisfaction."

Chapter 27.

24. They that execute godly laws, against
P9pish traitors and heretics, be in no danger
of Pilate's condemnation.

40. You must first prove, that Christ is as
verily present in your popish singing cake, as
he was present on the cross, and had by many
arguments approved himself to be the' son of
God, or else your comparison is vain and
ridiculous.

46. Calvin blasphemeth not, but honoureth
our Saviour Christ, when he saith that he suf-
fered in soul the wrath of God due for ths
sins of the world : which also he began to suf-
fer in the garden, when he felt no torment of
body, but yet was in such an extreme agony,
that his body did sweat drops of blood, which
was not fear of bodily pain or death only, for
then he had been of greater infirmity than
many of his servants, which through faith in
him, have rejoiced in both. Therefore it was
the burthen of sin, which he bare, and the
curse of God due unto sin, which he took
iil)on him, to deliver us from sin, and the pun-
ishment thereof, and not only the bodily pain
of death, that miforced him that was God, to
complain that he was forsaken of God. As
for the triumph over hell n;ained by his death,
Calvin doth not deny, and what by Scripture
vou can prove, of the descent of his soul into
he 11 after his death, it shall be yielded unto
you.

MATTHEW.

;>y. The honour done to Christ's dead body,
was no doubt grateful, ns a token of their
faith and love towards him, but meritorious
you cannot prove it. Hierom spcakelli not
of the laying of the Sacrament on llic altar in
the corporal: for there \yas no such laying
and wrapping of it in Hieroni's time. But
he speaketlf of a spiritual understanding,
which afterwards he e.xpresseth when he
saith, " He wrappeth Jesus in a cle;ui sindpn,
which shall receive him in a pure mind." Of
the ministration of the Lord's Supper ho snith,
"None is rn-hn- than In- wlii.li ■anicil, il, ■
Lord's body in a w„-k, ,■ hn^kn, a.-.,! h,^ I.I.hhI
in a glass." Am! it it br SiU c- 1( I's ronsi.fi-
tion as you sa\-, that lliu corporal when oii our
Lord's body lieth, must be pure linen: why
do you lay it upon a gilt pattern, and carry
his olood, which by concomitance you wot is
his body also, in a gilt chalice ? Y ou have a
certain poke for reservation: whether you
call it corporal, or corpora.x, lined indeed with
linen, but the outside is silk, gold, silver, and
pearls, &.C. How doth that, ;ii;d even yom-
Pi.x and Canopy, ngrc- with Silvester's con-
stitution ? I would also have marvelled, why
j'ou lay the body of Christ, as it was buried,
but that you told us before, thaf he dieth in
mystery and Sacrament, and therefore belike

he must bo wrapped in the corporal and
buried. But the decree is as truly Silvester's,
as it is true that the same tiulhors allirm, that
Constantine was baptized by him tiller he was
cletmsed of a leprosy: which the tuuient his-
tories prove to be false, Eum-h. in vita Conslan-
liiu; lib. 4. who was present at his baptism in
Nicomedia, as scemeth by history, tripartit.
lib. 3. cap. IZ.

Chapter 28.

1. The cause of the women's coming, is
expressi'd in the te.\t, to finish the office of
sm!i Mill li'iviul, which they intended, ;md were
iii:errii]ited by the Sabbath. Their desert the
SL-ii|iiui'e doth never make craise of God's
tree git'i. The visitation of the Sepulchre in
Hierom's time, was not for merit, as merit is
accounted <A' Papists, but by sight of the
place, to stir up tlieir minds to the consideration
of the benefits of Christ's death, burial, and re-
surrection, as the place you cite out of Hierom
doth testify,little favourinu; popish superstition.

20. An impudent slander. We neither say
nor think, that the Church hath failed many
hundred years till Luther and Calvin : but we
do constandy beheve, that it hath always con-
tinued, and always shall continue, to the end
of the world

ANSWER TO THE ARGUMENT OF iMARK'S GOSPEL.

The book that Philo did write, is of a sect
of Jews, not Christians, such as Josephus de-
scribeth the Esses. And Hieronym confess-
eth, that he writeth it as in praise of his own
nation. In Mar. Who also saith, the life of
all Christians, at that time, was such as Monks
in his time endeavoured to be, so that they
had no special order of Monks in that time,
except all Christians were Monks. Epipha-
nius saith, this book of Philo, was intituled,
irti iciaatuyv, which name, though he labour to
draw to Christians, by his conjectures, as
though it were derived of Jesse, David's father,
or ofJesus, before the name of Christians was
published from Antiochia ; yet is it most like
that Philo meant the same, whom .losephus
calleth Essenes, and even thu description of
them, which Eusebius transcribefh out of Phi-
lo, though he would draw it to Christians, is
plain enough for that sect of the Jews, and
unlike to the profession of Cliristi ins, except
in certain ceremonies, of praying, fasting, and
such like, which the Jews and especially the
sect of the Essenes, observed. "For they had
(saith he) the written books of men of old
time, which being Actors of their sect, left
them many monuments of the form of alle-
gorical interpretations." Which though Eu-
sebius do understand of the writings of the
Apostles and Evangelists- yet it is certain,
that the Apostles and the Evangelists, being
many then living, or not longr before that time
when Philo did write, could not be called by

him T^a\jioi avSpis, men of ancient tune
Therefore as Epiphanius and Hierom saith,
they were common Christians of that time,
or else as it is most like, a sect of Jewish
Essenes, somewhat like indeed to Popish
Cloisters.

The See of Alexandria, by the Council of
Nice, without any respect of Mark sent thithtr
by Peter, was judged equal to the See ot
Rome. For if they had had respect to Peter,
they would have preferred the See of Antioch
where Peter himself sat, rather than Alexan-
dria, where Mark sent by Peter, did sit.
The fixt Canon is plain. They decree, " that
the ancient custom be observed, that the Bi-
shop ot Alexandria, have the oversight of the
churches of E^ypt, Libya, and Pentapqlis, be-
cause the Bishop of Rome hath the like au-
thority of the churches near the city," which
RufTlnus called Suburbicarias li. 1. c. 6. In-
deed Leo of Rome, could not brook the de-
cree of the general Council of Chalcedon, by
which the Bishop of Constantinople was not
only preferred before the bishop of Alexandria,
but also made equal with the bishop of Rome,
and therefore writeth to Anatolius Bishop of
Consttmtinople, to dissuade him, as also to
Marcian the Emperor, and to Pulcheria the
Empress, to have the decree staid, but for all
his gainsaying and labour against it, the Coim-
cil aecreed it. For in matters of discipline
and government of the Church, the fathers of
Chalcedon knew, they had as great authority

MARK.

as the fathers of Nice. Or as the fathers of,
Constantinople the first, where the like decree
was made without any interruption or contra-
diction of the Romish See, which now in the
time of Leo had gotten great stomach, and
therefore could not away with it. No marvel
then, if Gregory, coming after Leo, did not
well allow it. Yet lib. 5. ep. 60. he is content,
that m as much as Mark was sent to Alexan-
dria by Peter, he himself being Bishop of
Rome, should seem " to have authority oyer
the seat ot the disciple, for the master's sake,
and the Bishop of Alexandria should have au- 1
thority over the seat of the master," that was I
Rome, "for the disciple's sake." This was |
greater modesty, than any of his successors j
would ever show. In the other Epistle, you
quote Uh. 6. ep. 37. He ackiiowledgetli three I

Sees of Peter, all equal in Principality, Anti
och, Rome, and Alexandria. And whereas
Eulogius of Alexandria, had ascribed as much
to himself, as sitting in Peter Chair even by
Gregory's confession, as he did unto Grego-
ry: he answereth in these words, "And
^yhereas special honour by no metms doth de-
light me, yet I rejoiced greatly that you gave
unto yourself, the same that you bestowed
upon me." Thus was Gregory a more fellow-
like bishop than those that came after him,
which can abide no man to sit in Peter s chair,
but themselves, no man to have principality
of dignity, or special honour, but themselves
Thus while you will needs bring in the digni-
ty of Peter's discmle for his sake, unawares
you have given Peter's chair of Rome a
mate.

THE ANSWER TO THE ANNOTATIONS ON MARK'S GOSPEL.

Chapter 1.

4. Forgiveness of sins is only in Christ:
yet was the baptism of John, a true seal of
forgiveness of sins by Christ, as the baptism
ol Christ's disciples was. The preparative to
Christ's Sacrament, by which sins were indeed to
be remitted, be your own words, and none of
Augustin's : who was indeed deceived, be-
cause he supposed, that some were baptized
again by Paul, which had received John's
baptism, which the text rightly translated,
doth not say : yet, he concludeth the matter
in these words : " Yet lest any man should
contend, that even in the baptism of John,
sins were forgiven, after some larger sanctifi-
cation to be given by the baptism of Christ,
unto those whom Paul commanded to be bap-
tized again, I do not greatly strive."

5. Yo are never able to prove, that Christ
did institute any sacrament of penance. —
John, by his doctrine and baptism, which was
the seal thereoti prepared a way to Christ,
but not to the baptism of Christ, for he
preached not his own baptism, but the wash-
ing away of our sins, by Christ: therefore,
he, also, was a mmister of the baptism of
Christ.

5. If he heard a particular confession of
sins, of so many thousands as he baptized, he
needed to have exercised his office more
years than he did months.

8. Ciirist baptized none wiih water, John 4.
2. Notwithstanding, the baptism vyith water
by his ministers, is necessary, if it maybe
had according to Christ's institution ; neither
doth Calvin teach otherwise. But if it cannot
be had in thnm that are prevented by death,
the lack of water shall not deprive God's
children of their inheritance. Ambrose de
obitu Valentin. Imper. doubteth not of the sal-
vation of the Emperor, wliich was slain be-
fore he w;is i)apii/.ed. "But 1 have heard,"
said he, "that you are grieved, because he
received not the sacrament of baptism. Tell
me, what other thing is there in us, but a
will, but a request ? The just, by what death

soever he be prevented, his soul shall be in
rest." And the example of Martyrs, which
were shiin before ihey were baptized, who, if
thtybe u-aslifd in llidrown blood, this man's will
hath viislitil /inn. And the text of John 3,
maketh no nmrc for the necessity of water,
than the like John 6, for giving the Connnu-
nion to infants, " Except ye eat the flesh of
the Son of Man," &.c.

12. Blasphemy : Christ was free from sin,
and, therefore, needed no repentance. But if
to solve the matter you say, that doing pe-
nance is nothing but fasting, and such exer-
cises of an austere and straight life, then
with you there may be doing of penance
without repentarice, and sorrow for sins.
And so your doing of penance, is not that
jUTavoia, changing of the mind, whereunto
John and Christ exhorted. Mattheiv 3,4.

15. No Christian man doth preach faith
only, without repentance, or void of good
works, though they preach, that faith without
works doth justify

Chapter 2.

5. Seeing sickness cometh for sin, men in
sickness ought first to repent of their sins.
For the sacraments without repentance, do
nothing avail, in them that be of years of dis-
cretion. But when they are truly penitent of
their sins, to confirm their faith in the pro-
inises of God concerning the remission of
sins, they may desire the sacrament of the
Lord's supper: other sacraments, for men
baptized, the Church of God doth not ac-
knowledge.

10. The Son of Man did forgive sins pro-
perly, as he was God ; his Apostie, by assur-
ing men of God's forgiveness, as God's minis-
ters, did also forgive sin.<;. Matt. 9.

10. God only |i):i.riv(ih sins absolutely and
properly : his iiiiiii-icrs follow the sentence of
God's word, in binding and loosing, remitting
and retaininj^ oi' sins, or else they lose their
labour. And though their sentence be given
before the day of judgment ; yet it is accord-

MARK.

ing to the sentence that God had before them,
gave in his holy word, by which they know
who is to be bound, and wlio to be loosed.
Hierom. in Mat. 16, Mat. 9.

CuAPTF.a .3,

10. Christ did heal them that touched him
by faith ; otherwise only touching of him, or
his garments, was no benefit to any that were
void of faith, Aiiibr. in Luke, lib. 6. c. 8. .ludiis
kissed him, the soldiers stripped hmi, tlie
high Priest's servants smote him, the people
thronged and pressed him. But they touched
him, saith Bede who received .his faitii and
love in a true heart. Mark lib. 1. c. 3.

12. Of them that preach the truth, we may
hear the sermons ; and if their prayers bo

food, we may be partakers of their prayers,
or, why should we judge them heretics that
preach the truth, and pray rightly? If they
be heretics closely to themselves, they hurt
themselves and not us, which communicate
with the truth which they profess openly ;
and not with heresy, which they hold
privily. But if they preach heresy, though
they nreach some truth among, as all here-
tics do; the weak shall do well to forbear
their sermons, ' and all men ought to refuse
communiofi or fellowship in prayers and sa-
craments with thern-

16. Peter is not always named first, for
Paul nameth .Tames before him, Galat. 2 9.
and 1 Cor. 9. 5. he nameth him last of all the
Apostles. And albeit, when the twelve are
named, Peter is named first, it proveth no
greater authority of Peter, than of a foreman
of a jury, who is called first for order sake, yet
hath no power or authority over his fellows.
So was Peter a foundation stone and all the
twelve were the same, as you confess upon
the lith verse of this chapter. Of Peter's pri-
macy. Matt. 16.

33. That the Virgin Mary never sinned,
not so much as venially in all her life, is a
blasphemous heresy against our Saviour
Christ Jesus: Who came to save that was
lost, and had his name for because he shonld
save his people from theirsins, Matt. 1. Who
did not unjustly reprehend her. Luke 2. 49. and
John 2. 4. It is contrary to the Scripture in
many places, " there is no man that sinneth
not," saith Solomon, 2 Reir. 8. 46. "There
is no differenre," saitli Paul, " All have
siiined, and are deprived of the glory of God,
being justified freely by his grace, through the
redemption which is in .fesus Christ." Rom.
3. 23. What were the authority of Augustin,
against these and many such so clear testi-
monies of the Holy Scripture ? But in truth
you do f'alsly ascribe this heretical saying to
Augustin, who hath no such assertion. But
when the Pelagians named a great many holy
men and wotnen, who as they said, sinned
not, and last of all the mother of our Lord and
Saviour, which they said, it was necessary
unto piety, to confess, to be without sin ; Au-
gustin answereth, " except of Virgin Mary, of
whom I will have no questioii, for the honour
of our Lord when we talk of sins. For whence
11

know we that more grace was given to her to
overcome sin of all parts, which obtained to
conceive and to bring forth liiin whotii it is
certain to have had no sin This Virgin then
excepted, if we could have thcni together all
those holy men and women when they lived,
and have asked whether they were without
what think wo they would have answered?"
Ill this speech, wo see, although Augustin will
have no question of her sin, yet he doth not
tiffirm that she never sinned And elsewhere,
he utterly overthrew the ground of this your
heresy, affirmintr that she was conceived in
original sin ; " What is more undefiled, than
that womb of the Virgin, whose flesh although
it came of propagation of sin, yet it
conceived not of the ofi'spring of sin. De.
genes, ad liter, lib. 10. cap. 18. Fidgen. deincam.
and gr. c. C. Procopius. Anselmus lib. 2. Cur.
Deus homo c. 16.

39. That all sins are pardonable, except
the sin aginst the Holy Ghost, we see it plain
by the text ; that any sin shall be forgiven
after death, which is not forgiven in this life,
no logician in Rhemes, can conclude in a true
syllogism, either out oi Mark, or Matt. 12. 32.

Chapter 4.

11. You slander Bede, he saith not so. For
how should heretics be brought to the Church,
if they did not profit by reading and hearing I
How was Augustin when he was a heretic,

j brought to be a Catholic, but by reading and
[ hearing of Ambrose, as he himself confess-
leth? Bede's words are these, "To them
that are without, and come not near to our
Lord's feet, that they may be partakers of
his doctrine, all things are done in parables,
both the warks and the words of our Saviour ;
for neither in those wonders which he
wrought, nor in those secrets which he
preacTied, chey are able to know God, there-
fore they are not meet to attain to remission
of sins, which is to be attained by grace
of this faith." Of these words it is plain,
that Bede spake not of every one that is out
of the Church, but of obstinate despisers of
the truth, which will not become scholars to
our Saviour Christ.

12. We need not fear lest in these speeches
God be made author of sin ; for he with-
draweth his grace from the wicked, and
giveth them over to a reprobate mind, not
as an evil author but as a righteous judge :
and both those sayings are true. They have
shut their eyes that they slionld not see, &c
And to them without, all things are in parables,
that seeing they may see and not see, &,c.
For those that maliciously and obstinately
refuse his grace oflered, (iod will not have
them to see that they may take it. And Christ
revealed the truth to his Disciples, not be-
cause they were worthy, but because through
God's erace they were willing to learn.

31. We hold not, that the Church hath
more and more decayed, or been obscured
sinco the Apostles' time until ours, for we
know it was spread further, and acknowledg-
ed in a greater compas of the earth four or five

MARK.

hundred years after the Apostles' time, than |
it was in the Apostles' age. But that it is j
drawn unto a smaller number since Mahomet
in the East, and the Pope in the West have
seduced great nations, he is wilfully blind,
that will not acknowledge. As for the truth
It was most perfectly known in the Apostles'
times, albeit in matters necessary unto sal-
vation, it was never obscured froni the iaith-
ful members of the true Church of Christ, in
any age.

Chapter 5.
28. When Christ dispenseth the miraculous
gift of healing by touching of his garment, or
his Apostles, or theirnapkins, or their shadow, '
the good Catholic conceiveth hope to be
healed by such means. But since the gift
of miracles is ceased, to look for help or
holiness of such things, it is superstition,
or tempting of God. Chrysostom in that
place quoted, speaketh of the miracles done
in the Primitive Church by the Ap<:>stles, and
other which had the giftof working miracles
in those times. That which Basil saith is
this : He showeth that the death of all the
Saints of God, that is of all true Christians,
is precious in the sight of God, as the Psalmist
saith. And although by the Jewish law, he
that toucheth a dead body, was unclean, and
must wash his garments ; '• Yet now," saith
he, "he that hath touched a martyr's bones,
receiveth a certain participation of sanctitica-
tion, of the grace, that rested in the body :
therefore precious in the sight of the Lord is
the death of his Saints." By touching a mar-
tyr's bones, he meaneth not superstitious
touching, for which you abuse his words, but
such touching as is necessary in them that
bury the Saints, or gather their bones to-
gether for burial, after they be burnt, or other-
wise dispersed by their persecutors. As it
is manifest, by the .lewish pollution by touch-
ing, which was the office of burial, forbidden
to the Priests. And the participation of sanc-
titication which he namcth, is the holy com-
munion or fellowship that Christians have,
with the Saints departed in the Grace of
God, whereof they were partakers in their
life. Whereof they declare themselves to be
partakers, which exercise such offices of
charity, towards the bodies and bones of the
Saints and Martyrs departed. And this is
the right meaning of Basil's words, which
you have perverted both in sense and trans-
lation. For what honour he thought meet to
be given to the martyrs, he testiheth in the
Homily upon the martyr Gordius. Horn. 48.
" It is the most ridiculous thing that can be
when the righteous despised the whole
world, that we should take upon us to set
forth their full commendation, of a few things
which they contemiicd. Therefore a re-
membrance is sulTicient for our perpetual
profit. For they have no need of any in-
crease to their glory ; but a remembrance is
needful for us, that we may imitate or follow
them." In these words Basil declareth, that
all other ways of honouring the martyrs and

Saints departed, than by imitation, are vain
and superfluous. And that a remembrance
for imitation, is sufficient for us to take per-
petual profit by them. As for grace or vir-
tue that is in their bones, to communicate to
them that superstitiously touch them, is far,
both from his words, and from his meaning.

30. While the gift of miracles continued in
the Church, it is true that the grace and
Ibrce of them came from our Saviour. But
that by relics or garments of Saints, Christ
worketh miracles at this day, is more needful
to prove, than to show whence the grace and
force of them doth come. Except you will
avouch all the feigned miracles rehearsed
in your legends, and the books of Saints'
lives to be true : by this argument Christ can
work miracles by relics and garments of
Saints, ergo there is no question to be made,
but all miracles of the legend were as truly
done, as those that be recorded in the
Gospel.

36. You would bear your sottish disciples
the Papists in hand, that we have no bettrr
arguments to prove justification by faith only,
without the works of the law, than these
words of our Saviour, only believe. And
therefore you draw our Saviour's words to
be like a common inconsiderate speech of
ours, when the physician saith, only have a
good heart, where other things are neces-
sary. But although the question of justihca-
tion in this place, be not handled specially
nor directly : yet the words of our Saviour
Christ declare generally, that to receive any
benefit from him, there is required at our
hand nothing else but faith, that we may be
able to receive it. And yet he meaneth not
a dead and solitary faith, but a faith living, and
which is fruitful of good works, yet not by the
works, but by the faith only, his benefit is re-
ceived. Hierom and Beda upon this text, ex-
tend it to justification by faith, as the very ana-
logy from the body to the soul doth lead them.

Chapter 6.

3. Christ was God manifested in the flesh,
both by the Scriptures and his j;lorious works.
But the supposed presence of his body in the
mass-cake, is contrary to the Scriptures, and
the truth of his natural body. If you allege
the words of Christ, Thisismylody, the .lews
had many texts of Scripture, concerning the
eternal generation of Christ, and his glorious
kingdom, which seemed contrary to the in-
firmity and humility of his first coming, yet
were not, being rightly understood. No
more is that text of the presence of his body
after a spiritual manner, to the faith of the
worthy receivers, contrary to those Scrip-
tures, which avouch the truth of his humani-
ty : whereunio the Popish imaginary pre-
sence is contrary, and cannot be reconciled
without fables, and feigned miracles, where
none is, as Autrustin saith, D« triytil. lib. 3. capA.

5. They wanted faith, which is the only in-
strument to receive the benefits of God.

9. Barefoot friars, with their sandals, be not
I so good as apes of the apostles in this their

MARK.

special commission. Neither doth Augustin
speak any thing of them. Their father Fran-
cis, was not born scarce a thousand years af-
ter Augustin.

13. Mark in declaring their commission,
expresseth not that they had power granted
to heal the sick, yet it is manifest, both bv
Matthew, and by that which Mark reporteth
of their practice, that they had commission to
cure the sick. Even so, although the visible
sign of oil is not expressed in rehearsal of
their commission : yet it is to be understood
by their practice, that it was appointed them,
so to use it : and not that they took it up of
themselves, by any general commission. And
so thinketh Euthyniius upon this te.xt.

13. They that have the power granted of
God, as the apostles had, may do as they did ;
but who be they ? or where be they now,
that have the power of working miracles?
But when there was such, these creatures
•were but external tokens of the grace of God,

gion and holiness. As for your pretence of
obedience, and chastisement, is but lying in
hypocrisy, for ihat there is no chastisement
of the body, in change ot the meat. And
those things which ot you are not forbidden,
as wines, spices, fruits, &,c., are more incen-
tive of lust, than common flesh, which you do
forbid. Durand, also, howsoever you would
cloak the matter, saith ilesh is forbidden, and
fish allowed, because God cursed the earth,
but not the waters. Matt. chap. 15.

33. Christ's spittle workeih not miracles,
but Christ by it, or any other thing whatsoe-
ver it pleaseth him, or without any thing, but
by his own word, or will, worketh miracles.
Therefore, we must not imagine any power
or holiness, in ceremonies, or creatures, in-
sensible, to do any thing of themselves, but
when it pleaseth our Saviour Christ, to use
them to such purposes, as in his Sacraments
usually, or in his miracles extraordinarily.

34. The Popish Church doth apishly, and

dispensed by the use of them, they had no , ridiculously, imitate our Saviour Christ, in
miraculous medicinal virtue in them. For ; conjuring out of the devils there, where
none could cure diseases by the same oil that 1 there is none, and abuseth his holy words
the apostk-- occupied, out ihey that had the and actions, to a superstitious purpose. Nei-
same gift of healing that the apostles had, i ther doth Ambrose speak of exorcism used

and faith as the apostles had. Whereas if
the oil had a marvellous medicinal virtue in
it, every one without faith might have done
the same as with a natural salve.

Chapter 7.
7. Precepts of nien be not only such as be
repugnant to God's commandments, but even
such as are beside God's commandments,
wherein any part of reiigion, or the service of
God is placed. As this washing of hands
before meat, and such like of themselves,
are not repugnant to God's commandments,
and may be used for cleanliness, but not for
religion. So the Popish traditions, which
they call the traditions of the Apostles and
Ancients, and precepts of the holy Church,
are either manifestly repugnant to God's
commandments, or else superstitious inven-
tions of men, by which God is worshipped in
vain; and are nothing like to the decrees of
the Council of the Apostles, Acts 15, nor to
the doctrine which Paul delivered. 2 Thess.
2. 15. Notes upon Matt. 15. That our mi-
nistry and ministration are agreeable to the
Scriptures, let the Scriptures bear witness,
yea your own conscience and confession by
silence ; for if any thing could have been al-
leged out of the Scripture against us, it
should not have been spared.

11. Christ speaketh of the Jewish altar.
The Church of Christ hath none such ; there-
fore, it is sin to give to the idolatrous altar of
popery. But to the maintenance of God's re-
ligion, it is not forbidden to give, so we ne-
glect not under that pretence, other necessary
duties commanded by God.

15. The Church of Christ forbiddeth not
meats for religion's sake ; but Antichrist at-
tending to Iving spirits, and the doctrine of
devils, forbiddeth meats and marriages for
religion, and in the abstinence placeth reli-

he ministration of baptism, although he
name a ceremony needless, and not used of
you Papists, namely, the touching of the ears
of him that was baptized, to signify that his
ears should be open to hear the doctrine of
the priest : and- of his nostrils, that he might
receive the good savour ot eternal piety.
"But the mouth," saith he," the Bishop touch-
eth not ;" adding a reason why they followed
not Christ in touching the mouth, as well as
the ears. But that they used spittle, or the
Syrian word, Ephjiliata, Ambrose saith not.
They had, in that time, many superfluous and
burdenous ceremonies of man's presumption,
about baptism, and other rites, whereof Au-
gustin complained, and wished that they
might be abolished. Epist. 118, Januario.

Chapter 8.

7. That Christ by his blessing multiplied
the loaves and fishes, it is ahvays acknow-
ledged of us. But that Popish blessing of
bread, water, candles, flowers, and such like,
whereof we have no commandment, nor
warrant in the holy Scriptures, we say still,
worketh no effect in them, but argueth an an-
tichristian arrogancy in the blessers, which
take upon them to add greater virtue or holi-
ness unto them, than God hath given in the
right use of them.

22. When our Saviour worketh miracles
by touching, we are reverently and faithfully
to esteem of it. But superstitious touching
of any thing, where we have ne^ word or
promise of God, to receive benefit by such
touching, we learn not of our Saviour Christ.
By faith' and the spirit of God, we challenge
to obtain that which God hath promised in
his holy word. But further to presume, by
corporal touching or external ajiplication of,
I cannot tell, and you are belike ashamed to
express what, holy things, without faith

MARK.

grounded upon God's word, and his spirit
tried and proved by the same word, we know
it is vain superstition, yea wicked presump-
tion.

3j. All the words of Christ and his Apos-
tles, that penain to the salvation of God's
children, though not in number and sound,
yet in weiglit and substance, are compre-
hended and expressed in the holy Scriptures :
which are able to make us wise unto salva-
tion. 2 Tim. 3, 15. " The Lord of us all,
gave to his Apostle," saith Ireneu.s, " power
of the Gospel, by whom we have known the
truth, that is, the doctrine of the Son of God,
to whom also the Lord saith : he that hear-
eth you heareih me : and he that despiseth
vou despiseth me and hijn which sent me.
We have not known the disposition of our
salvation by any other, than by them by
whom the Gospel came unto us, which then
indeed they preached, and afterward by the
will of God, delivered it in the Scriptures,
to be a foundation and pillar of our faith."
lib. 3, cup. 1. If any thing therefore be all/^ged,
as the Gospel, which is not contained in the
holy Scriptures, we may safely say with
Hierom, "This, because it hath no autho-
rity of the Scriptures,, may as easily be con-
temned, as it is alleged." Matt. 23. I

Chapter 9.

4. There may be personal intercourse be-
twixt the living and the dead, when itpleaseth |
God, for some special purpose, as in this sin- ■
gular example, and when the dead rose again,
at the resurrection of Christ, and appeared
to many at Jerusalem ; Matth. 27, 53. but not
when the dead will, Luke 16, 26. i

13. That Elias shall be a Precursor of Christ j
in his second coming to judgment, it is boldly
affirmed without authority of the Scriptures.
That he was in the desert sometime, we find
in the Scriptures, but continually he did not
remain in the wilderness. And if he had, bv I
so much he had been more unlike to Popish
Hermits, of whom many never came in the
wilderness, except you coimt that place, which
is a quarter of a mile from a great city, or a
populous town, a wilderness. Hierom saith:
'It hath been doubted among many, by which
of the Monks or solitary men chiefly, the wil-
derness became to be inhabited. For some
fetching the matter far off, have taken the be-
ginning from blessed Elias and .lohn. Gf
which, Elias seemethtous to have been more
than a Monk, and John to have prophesied be-
fore he was born. But other, unto which
opinion all the common sort doth agree, do
affirm that Antony was the liead or the be-
ginning ofthisprotcssion, which is partly true,
for he was not so much before all, as by him
the desires of all have been stirred up. But
Amathas and Macarius the disciples of An-
tonv, of which the former buried his master's
body, do yet still affirm, that one Paul a The-
ban, was the prince, or first beginner of this
matter, which we also, not so much in the
name, as in opinion do approve." In these
words you may see what prmcipal professors

of Hermits' life, Elias and John Baptist we-r«
accounted by Hieronym. Yet the Hermits of
his time, were nothing like Popish Heimits
but only in name.

38. Heretics may work miracles, to confirm
their erroneous opinions, but they cannot
prove their erroneous opinions by the Scrip-
ture.s, D€ut.\2. August. deunilat. ecclesix.cap-
16. It is sufficient that we prove by the
Scriptures which testify of the truth of Christ's
natural body, that it is not present in the Sa-
crament, according to the Popish imagina-
tion, which is contrary to the Scriptures, and
the judgment of the ancient Fathers. As for
lying miracles, such as Papists work, to prove
it by pricking their fingers to make it appear
bloody, or by sorcery as Marcus the heretic
juggled with the cup, " to make it appear
purple and red, that Christ might seem to
drop his blood into his cup :" we leave to Po-
pish heretics. The word of God is a suffi-
cient warrant for our doctrme, against all false
and counterfeit miracles.

41. Reward for alms-deeds, proveth them
not meritorious. For the reward is given ac-
cording to God's promise, and his promise is
accordmg to his grace and mercy, and not ac-
cording to the worthiness of the work : which
also is God's gift, and not our merit: and
therefore Augustin saith oftentimes, God " in
rewarding our works, doth crown his gifts,"
not our merits. Psal. 70. Con. 2.pml. 101

Chapter 10.

4. The Christian ftlagistrate or Common-
wealth, ought to permit no wickedness, which
he knoweth and can punish : neither doth the
Holy Church tolerate any thing that is " against
faith and good life," as Augustin saith.
Therefore the Church of Rome, and those
Princes and Commonwealths, that permit
open whoredom in stews, are not the Church
of Christ, nor they godly Princes and Common-
wealths, that suffer such gross wickedness,
openly and daily committed.

9. Except in the case of fornication Matt.
5. 32. 19. 9.

11. Mark, Luke, and Matthew did write all
by one spirit, therefore the exception express-
ed in the one, must needs be understood in
the other. Else you may as well say, there
can be no separation for any cause as you say,
tliere can be no marriage after divorce for
any cause.

19. The perfect keeping of God's command-
ments procureth everlasting life, but every
breach of them deserveth the curse of God.
Gahth. 3. 10. Therefore no man attaineth to
everlasting life by keeping of God's com-
mandments, btit by the mercy of God in Christ,
apprehended by faith without respect of works
or merits.

21. This was a special precept to this one
person, in observing %\h( ii nt'. he should have
declared in part, iluii he liiid k( pt the com-
miuulments with such ;iHi(iinn, as the law
ot (iod requirelh. But in neglecting this pre-
cept he declared that he was a carnal world-
ly man, far from the true love of God and his

MARK.

neighbours: preferring temporal thin^ be-
fore the reward of elerrml life. As lor the
superstitious profession of Popish Monks and
Fnars, with their blasphemous opinion, to
merit for themselves and for others that will
pay for it: was far from the meaning of our Sa-
viour Christ. Beside that, not one among a
thousand of them, if they have any goods or
lands before their profission, do sell them,
and give them to the poor, but rather to their
friends and kinsfolks, or luito the abbeys,
where they know they shall be wealthily and
daintily maintained. The Pope also is good
to many, and granteth them capacities to i)os-
sess temporal goods and benefices, contrary
to their former vow.

CHArXER 11.
8. You must first prove, that Christ is present
in your Mass cake, as he was riding to Jeru-
salem, in such sort as you affirm. Secondly,
if he were so present, seeing he commanded
the Sacrament to be eaten; you carrying it
about contrary to his commandment, cannot
please him with any thing that you do. For
now he is to be worshipped, at the right hand
of God in heaven, and not upon earth. Col. 3.
1. and 2.

16. God cannot abide the profaning of the
Church with heretical service, and preaching
of heresy and blasphemy, therefore he abhor-
reth the Popish service and preaching, which
is full of heresy and blasphemy. As for our
preaching, being justiilcd by the word of God
expressed in ihr Scriptures, and referring all
honour and glory of our salvation, to God and
Christ only, must needs be far from blasphemy.
But Popery giving part of the honour of God
and Christ to creatures, and part to their own
merits, and ceremonies of their own invention,
is both heretical and blisphemous.

17. The sacrifice of Christ's body, was per-
formed once by himself, to the eternal salva-
tion of all his chosen ; Heh. 9. and 10. And
therefore the repetition thereof, supposed in
the Popish Mass, is a most horrible blasphemy
against the sacrifice and eternal Priesthood of
our Saviour Christ. We minister the Lord's
supper, according to his own institution. We
have nothing to do with any man's invention in
celebration of the blessed Sacrament, "The
bread which we break is the participation of
the body of Christ." 1 Cor. 10.

26. Though more be required, than only
faith, yet onfy faith obtaineth remission of sins,
at God's hand. Rom. 4. 6. &c.

Chapter 12.
17. This is a mere slander of godly Preach-
ers, who as well teach the Prince's duty to
God, as the subject's duty to the Prince. But
Papists forbid Princes to yield that duty to
God which they owe to him as Princes;
namely, to S3t forth and maintain his religion
by their laws, and to punish all contemners
thereof. Aus: Ep. ad Bonifac. 50. And the
Pope forbiddeth subjects to yield their obedi-
ence to their Princes if they displease him : not
only those that renounce his heresy, but

even them that agree with him in religion:
yea hireth devilish Monks and Friars to mur-
der them, as the example is manifest in France
at this day.

19. .\ traitorous and heretical note confut-
ed. Chap. 6.

24. Whensoever the Doctors deduce any ar-
gument out of the Scriptures, as rightly as this
IS deduced by our Saviour Christ, that it may
be concluded in true and lawful syllogisms,
out of the words of the Scripture, we acknow-
ledge It to be the word of God, as well as that
which is expressed in the text. But not every
surmise, or unnecessary collection is warrant-
ed by this deduction. Neither would the Doc-
tors themselves be otherwise credited in their
collections, than if they be consonant to the
holy Scriptures. " In my writings," saith Au-
gustin, " I desire not only a godly reader,
but also a free corrector." De Tnnit. lib. 3.
cap. 7. "We ought not to account the dis-
putations of any men, though they be CathoUc
and praiseworthy men, as Canonical Scrip-
tures, so that we may not, saving the reverence
due to those men, disallow or refuse any thing
in their writings, if perhaps we find that they
thought otherwise then the truth is, being un-
derstood by God's help either of other men,
or of ourselves. Such am I in other men's
writings, such will I that other men be under-
standers of my writings." Epist. 111. For
Purgatory, Matt. 12. 32.

24. We interpret the Scriptures, according to
the analogy of faith, and confirm our interpre-
tation by authority of the Scriptures them-
selves, t iking the sense of the Scriptures out
of the Scriptures themselves, as all true Ca-
tholics ought to do, by the iudgment of Cle-
mens, cited in the decrees. tHit. 37. c. relalum.
When the Law of God is read, let it not be
read or taught according to the power or un-
derstanding of our own wit. For there are
many words in the Holy Scriptures, which may
be drawn to that sense, which every man shall
presume of his own head : but it may not be so.
For you ought not to seek a foreign and
strange sense without the Scriptures that you
may confirm it by any means by authority of
the Scriptures ; but you must take their sense
of truth, or the true sense of the Scriptures
themselves. And in the chief matters of con-
troversy between us and the Papists, we have
the consent of the whole Primitive Church,
and the most ancient and apnroved Fathers of
the same. The power of God how great it
is, we know : but we do not acknowledge that
he will do any thing contrary to his will and
his word. _ Therefore we do not believe, that
his body is present in miny places at once,
for then he should not be like his brethren in
all things, except sin, Heh. 2. 17. He shoiild
not retain a true body, whereunto our bodies
i'l the resurrection, should be made conform-
able, Philip. 3. 21. yea he should have no body
at all, yUzn^i. Epist. 57. Dardano.

33. To the keeping of the law faith only
is not sufficient, but perfect piety and charity
are required. But to justification of a sirmer,
that hath not kept the law, faith only is sat

MARK

fkient, Rom. 4. and 5. yet that faitli which
worketh by charity.

Chapter 13.

14. Calvin's doctrine tendeth to none other
end, but that God and Christ only might stand
in the holy place, and have all that honour and
service, which is due to him alone. The Sa-
craments of the Church, which be of Christ's
institution, he acknowlodgeth. As for the
sacrifice of the Mass, as a horrible blas-
phemy against the only sacrifice of Christ's
death, once offered for ever, he doth worthily
abhor. And more properly is the sacrifice
of the Mass, the abommation of desolation,
which overthroweth the effect of Christ's only
sacrifice, and maketh it like the sacrifices of
the Law, which being often repeated, could
never take away sins, Heb. 10. 11. Concern-
ing the testimony of Hippolytus, Matt. 24.
Cyprian, or whosoever was author of that
treatise, speaketh not a word of the sacrifice
of file Mass: but the words you take hold
of, be these, against the Capemaites, which
thought they should eat the flesh of Christ,
eod, or roasted, and chopped in pieces : " where-
as" saith he, " the flesh of his person, if it were
parted in gobbets, could not suffice all man-
kind, which being once spent, religion might
have seemed to have been lost, seeing lie
should have nothing left for sacrifice." Ilis
meaning is plain, if the flesh of Christ had
been consumed before his passion, he should
not have had his body to be offered in sacri-
fice, for the redemption of the world, and so
the Religion of Christ should have come to
nothing. For that he knew not your transub-
stantiaiion, his words following a little after
do testify, where he saith: "The bread is
meat, blood, life, flesh, substance, his body,
the Church, which must needs be understood
spiritually and sacramentally, or else you
must make more transubstantiations than one.

20. Neither Daniel, nor John, tell the cer-
tain time of Antichrist's reign, according to
our measure of time. Matthew, 24. Apoc. 11.
Apoc. 12.

22. We know the ordinary gift of working
miracles, is long since ceasecf in the Church,
and we mean not to counterfeit as yon do,
and long h;ive done. Our faith being ap-
proved by the Scriptures, is confirmed by all
the mi-racles of Christ and his Apostles.

Chapter 14.

6. Neither your authority, nor your cause,
is any thing like to Christ's, therefore you
ought not to abuse the words of his answer
for your private gain. Matt. 26.

22. In the same book and chapter, he hath
these words, "Thou hast learned, that of
bread it is made the body of Christ, and that
wine and water is put into the cup, but by
consecration of the heavenly word it is made
blood. But peradventure, thou wilt say, I see
not the show of blood, but yet it hnth a simi-
litude. For as thou hast received the simili-
tude of his death, so also thou drinkest the
similitude of his precious blood, that there be

no horror of blood, and yet it may work the
force of redemption." Also cap. 5, of the
same book, he rehearselh the words of the
priest in the Liturgy used in his time. The
priest saith, ' Make unto us this oblation as-
cribed, reasonable, acceptable, which is the
figure of the body and blood of Christ our
Lord Jesus." Lo what a friend Ambrose is
to your transubstantiatiou, corporal presence,
communion under one kind, and the sacrifice
of the very body and blood of Christ in the
mass.

23. The words of Ambrose are impudently
falsified, which I have set down truly, ver. 22.

23. Clemen's constiiut. lib. 8. c. ultimo, which
is good aiithority against you, because you
produce him against us, saith, that other were
present beside the apostles. Matt. 26. And if
it were true, that none were present but the
apostles, which you say were priests, yet the
commandment and institution is for all men to
drink, as is manifest by Paul, 1 Car. 11. Or
else by as great reason, you may say, the
commandment to take and eat the bread, per-
taineth not to all men, but to the priests only,
because such only were present, as you say.

22, 24. We do certainly believe the words
of Christ to be true, and his very body and
blood to be given us, to be received spirit-
ually. And yet we hold with Epiphanius in
the same place, that the sacramental bread
is "neither equal, nor like to Christ, neither
to the similitude of his flesh, nor to his invisi-
ble deity, but is insensible as concerning
power, whereas we know, that our Lord is all
sense, all sensible, all God, all moving, all
working," &c. Likewise we say with Chry-
sostom, that " this sacrifice is a token and sign
of Christ's death ; and that when our Saviour
Christ delivered this mystery, he delivered
wine of the fruit of the vine." Chrysostoin
therefore was no maintainer of transubstan-
tiation, but of the truth of our Saviour Christ's
words, in their right and sacramental sense
and meaning. Malt. horn. 83.

66. Whether Peter came to Rome, or no,
it is certain he feared not all the power of the
world that was set against the Gospel.

71. Mark that, in Augustin's words, Peter's
primacy and preferment is in order of the
apostles, not in degree, honour, dignity, or
authority. Ambr. de incam. Dom. c. 4. Ci/pr
de unitate Ecclesia. Hierom. cont. Jov. lib. 1.

Chapter 15.
11. When the Pope and his Prelates fol-
low the tyranny of the Jewish high Priests,
in persecuting Christ in his members, they
are rightly compared unto them. And yet
the name and office remaineth honourable,
as of God's institution. For we acknow-
ledge the singular sacrificing priesthood of
our Saviour Chri.'sf, and the spiritual priest-
hood of all true Christians. And according
to right etymology, the priesthood of the
law of Christ, and of his members, should
have another name than that which, in the
New Testament, is given to the ministers
of the Church : as in Hebrew, Greek and

MARK.

Laiiii it hath. But seeing use hath otherwise
gotten the upper hand, we contend not about
the name. But wiiere you say, the new
priesthood alter the order of Melcliisedec,
was began when the old priesthood ot Aaron
ceased, it is true, if you understand it
rightly, of the singukir priesthood of our Sa-
viour Christ, which never passeth from liis
person, and of wliich order there is no nmre,
out he. Heb. 7. But when you mean there-
by your Popish sacrificmg priesthood, and
that every Popish priest, is a priest alter
the order of Melchisedec, it is most horrible
blasphemy against the Son of God, who only
is a priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Because as he only is the King of peace, and
King ot righteousness, so only is without la-
ther of his manhood, and mother of his God-
head, without genealogy of his Godhead,
having neither beginning of his days nor end
of his lile, and therefore continueth a priest
for ever, and hath no successors in this
priesthood, being confirmed to him by oath
of tlie Lord himself, alter he hath .=aid unto
liini, " Sit thou on my right hand imlil I nuike
thine enemies thy footstool." Read the 7ih
chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and
llOili Psalm, and I marvel if you will not
spit in the face of every Popish Priest, that
dare open his blasphemous mouth, and say
he is a priest after the order of Melchisedec.
That the ministry, eldership, or priesthood
of the New Testament shall continue to the
end of the world, we do acknowledge, and
shall have the assistance of the Holy Ghost
to teach it all truth, as every true Christian
man hath the same promise. Johii 16, 13,
Jolrn 14, 16, and John 15, 26. But thereof it
followeth not that every priest shall always
hold the truth, nor that every one that is
called a Christian shall continue in true
doctrine.

The prayer of Christ was performed in
Peter, that 'in his great and gracious fall, his
faith failed not, but brought him to repent-
ance. Our Saviour Christ prayed for all his
Apostles, that God would sanctify them in
his truth, and for all that should believe in
him through their preaching. John 17. Yet
no man gathereth thereof, that every suc-
cessor of the Apostles, and every true Chris-
tian hath a pri\ilege hereby, that he cannot
err, as you would insinuate by Christ's
prayer for Peter, that the Pope hath as Pe-
ter's successor. Whereas that prayer spe-
cially concerneth Peter's person, in respect
of his particular danger through his fall : and
by analogy all Christians, as well as Peter's
successors, who by Christ's intercession are
holden, that their faith faileth not in temp-
tation. Luke 22. And that Christ saith to
all the Apostles, and in them to all true
preachers : he that heareth you, heareth me :
It is true while they preach nothing but that
they have learned of Christ. For otherwise
Christ speaketh not in them, nor by them.

15. If it be the faith of Popish Catholics,
for all Christian Catholics abhor it, to con-
spire to murder their prince, to invade their

country with foreign power, to acknowledge
the authority of an Italian priest, that hath
set forth his Antichristian bull, to deprive
their lawful prince of her royal estate, crown
and dignity, life and allegiance of her sub-
jt'cis ; no flu isiian judge need to fear, to give
scnii iicc MiMinsi such Popish Catholics, for
tin 11 h. I, !,c,il iiiiil traitorous faith.

30. True Cliri-.iians say not so, but rather
thus: The naiuial bod/ of Christ can suffer
no hurt or contumely : ihe Popish mass cake,
can suffer hurt or contumely : ergo, the na-
tural body of Christ is not the Popish mass
cake, or the Popish mass cake is not the na-
tural body of Christ.

34. See the answer. Matt. 27, 40 ; and thou
shall plainly perceive, that Calvin hath writ-
ten nothing that soundeth against the ho-
nour of God, and Christ our only Redeemer.

46. This duty was acceptable before God,
as proceeding from faith and love towards
our Savi,our Clirist, but not meritorious. Nei-
ther is it commended as an example to faith-
ful men, " to use all honour and devotion
towards the bodies of Saints, and holy per-
sons," for that were horrible idolatry, to use
all honour and devotion, which is due only
to God, towards dead men's bodies. But it
is an example to use such reverent handling
and laying of them up, as is a duty of cha-
rity towards the departed, and of faith in the
resurrection, without any superstitious wor-
shipping of the bodies. From which Joseph
and Nicodemus abstained, though they bu-
ried the body of Christ himseli; infinitely
much more precious than the body of any
other holy person. By this simple burial
of our Lorn, saith Beda, the ambition of
rich men is condemned which cannot be with-
out their riches, no not in their grave.

Chapter 16.

1. Still you plead for Corlan your offering
box, upon which foundation your Church is
builded. These women's good will was com-
mendable, but void of merit. And their faith
had been a great deal more commendable, if
they had not bestowed this cost upon one
that was dead, but had waited for his resur-
rection the third day, according to his? pro-
mise. There were other causes in his ap-
pearing first unto the women, than their
charges bestowed in spices for his funeral.

7. A poor prerogative in naming Peter, to
build up the kingdom of Antichrist. Al-
though Peter be here named specially, not
in respect of dignity, but in respect of his
infirmity, because he having most shame-
fully fallen, was now especially to rejoice at
the resurrection of his master, by whom he
had obtained recovery from his fall.

12. Christ took upon him none other shape,
but the disciples' eyes were hidden, that they
did not know him, us it is manifest, Luke 24,
16, so that the alteration of shape, was in
their eyes, not in his body. Beda, Marh \&and
L'ike 24. What Christ can do in altering his
shape, we doubt not, but what he will do or
hath done, we must learn out of his word.

MARK.

16. A fand argument against justification
by faith nniy, so often repeated. I'iiat faith
which God respecteth only in justifying the
ungodly man, is afterward fruitful of good
works, which as Augustin saith, go not before
justijication but follow him that is jiislifiud. De
fide, ct oper. cap. 14.

17. \ ou are in hope to delude the world
again with feigned jniracles, and tlierefore
you speak of the gift of miracles, as though
It were still executed by certain. But if you
will obtain credit by working of miracles
you must not bring in counterleit cranks, oui

of whom you have cast out devils, or whom
you have made whole, as of late Margaret
Jesop, a woman of your religion : But you
must bring them that speak with new
tongues, that take away serpents, that drink
any deadly thing and it shall not hurt them, so
shall you declare, that your former works are
not feigned and lying miracles, but such as
Christ gave power to his disciples to work in
his name. And yet if you could do these
things indeed, except your doctrine were
agreeable to the holy Scriptures, wc would
hold you accursed.

ANSWER TO THE ARGUMENT OF LUKE'S GOSPEL.

He is buried at Constantinople : to which
city his bones, with the relics of An-
drew the Apostle, were translated out of
Achaia the twentieth year of Constantinus.
And of the same translation also in another place
against Vigilanlius the heretic: It grieveth him
that the reUcs of the Martyrs were covered
with precious covering, and that they are not
either tied in clouts or thrown to the dung-
hill : why, are we then sacrilegious, when we
enter the Churches of the Apostles / was
Constantinus the Emperor sacrilegious, who
translated to- Constantinople the holy relics
of Andrew, Luke, and Timothy : at which
the devils roar, and the inhabiters of Vigilan-
lius confess that they feel their presence ?
His sacred body is noiv at Padua in Italy, v;hi-
tlier it was again translated from Constanti-
nople.

The estimation of Saints' relics, in Hie-
rom's tiine, though it was somewhat exces-
sive, yet it was far from the idolatry and su-
perstiiion of the Papists. For this he vvriteth
nd Riparium contra Vigilant. " But we do
not worship and adore, I say, not the relics
of martyrs, butneitlier the sun and moon, not
angels and archangels, not cherubin, not se-
raphin, or any name that is named in this
world, or in the world to come, lest we
should serve the creature rather than the
Creator which is blessed for ever. But we
honour the relics of the martyrs, that vve
might worship him, whose martyrs they are."
Yon see by these words that he alloweth
honour, that is, a reverent estimation, but no
worship, adoration or service, to be done to
the bodies or relics of Saints : when yet it is to
be thought, they had the true relics of Saints.
Whereas yours are, for the most part, false and
counterfeit, to deceive the people and to i)ro-

cure full ofierings. And where you say Luke's
body is now at Padua, whither it was again
translated from Constantinople, how are vou
able to prove it? or how is it like, the ilm-
perors of Constantinople, would sufl'er it to
be brought into Italy ? The sixth lesson
upon Luke's day in your Popish Fortius, saith
it is still working miracles at Constantinople.
But Blondus saith it is at Padua, with Ma-
tliias' body, and as like the one as the other.
For Mathias hath another body at Roine, ad
Maria 7najoris, and a third at Triers, besides
parts in other places. And a little touch to
the report of Hierom, concerning Luke's
bones, Gaudentius Bishop of Brixia some-
what elder than he, was persuaded that they
were in a Church which he dedicated at
Fundi, as appeareth by his sermon made at
the dedication, and so was Paulinus Bishop
of Nola. Epist. 12. He saith they were
brought out of Achaia, where Gaudentius
saith, he ended his life with Andrew, in the
city of Patrse = your Portius saith, he was
buried in Bithj'nia. Hierom saith this trans-
lation was in the 20th year of Constantiiis,
you say of Constantinus. And although in his
second invective, against Vigilantius, Con-
stantinus . is named, instead of Cons'antius
through the printer's fault, yet the error is
easily discovered, by the ancient chronicle
that goeth under the name of Hieroiri : re-
ferring this translation plainly to the time of
Constaniius, though not agreeiiig with Hie-
rom in the 20th year, but noting it in the two
and twentieth year of Constantius. And
might not Vigilantius have replied that Con-
stantius was a sacrilegious Arian ? of whose
translation, Hierom taketh so great autho-
rity, whatsoever the relics were, and whether
the devils did roar at their presence or no.

THE ANSVS^ER TO THE ANNOTATIONS ON LUKE'S GOSPEL.

Chapter 1.
3. Ordirinry means, are not to be neglected,
bdt used for the discussing of controversies
in Couiunis, hut the holy scripture is the rule
whereby the drlinition imjst be made, if it be
true, aa in the Council of the Apostles, Acts

15. But that the Pope is God's vicar, or Pre-
sident of general Councils, or hath any pro-
mise, that he cannot err, or any special di-
rection of God's spirit, as the holy men of
God had, which did endite the Scriptures, it
is never able to he proved Neither is the

J.UKE.

preface, nor conclusion of the author of the
second book of Maccabees, any thing like to
this preface of Luke ; which, though it be
directed to one special person, yet it contain-
eth nothing unworthy of the majesty oi the
Holy Ghosi, as those of the Maccabees do.
Whore tlie aut'ior acknowledgeth his infirmi-
ty, askcih parduHr if he have not done suffi-
ciently, wntetli to serve the vain delight of
men by variety of story : Whereas Luke, as
the pen ot the Holy Ghost, doubteth not to
say, that he hath exactly attained to the truth
of all' things, and set forth the same to the
certain coniirmation of the faith, wherein
Theophilus had been instructed, which is
necessaiyfor every Christian, though it was
first written unto Theophilus. Beside, that
second book of stories hath many things
false, that are disproved by the first book of
the Maccabees, and by Josephus, but spe-
cially matter contrary to the canonical Scrip-
tures, as a commendation of Razis, for killing j
himself, 2 Mace. 14. It is, therefore, false
and blasphemous against God's word, to say,
that Luke useth like humane speeches, to the j
author of that book. j

C. Christian men are just indeed before ;
God, though not by their own merit, but bv
the justice of Christ imputed to them through
faith. Augustin de 'pecc. trier, and re. lib. 2.
c. 13.

6. Neither of those three things can be
proved out of the text. For good men may '
walk in all the commandments of God, though
they can keep never a one perfectly. And
faith only in the merits of Christ, is imputed ;
for righteousness to all those that are justi- ;
fied by God without respect of works. Rom.i. |
Therefore keeping and doing of God's com- j
mandments, is not the cause of our justifica- j
tion before God, but the effect and fruit
thereof. Gaitdent. Brixi, epist. ad Paulum. \
So were Zachary and Elizabeth justified be- j
fore God bf faith, as Abraham was, and as a |
fruit of true justification, walked in all the
commandments of God, in the sight of men
blameless. For otherwise no man can say, ;
his heart is clean. If God should examine
our iniquities, who were able to abide it?
Zachary and Elizabeth were holy and just
persons, yet not free from sin. For Zachary
as one of God's people looked to have renii.s-
sion of his sins, and salvation by Christ and
not by his works, Litke 1. 77.

6. ' The word used by the Prophet in the
119th Psalm signifieth properly ordinances
and statutes, as all that are meanly learned
in the Hebrew, do know. And although the
Greek interpreter in that Psalm, translated it
iiKutioiiara, your vulgar Latin interpreter,
doth most commonly in the law, translate it
Ceremonias, ceremonies, Deut. 4. 5. 6. 7. and
80 commonly almost in every Chapter. The
Greek interpreter, not always (5i/cuia)/uara, but

sometimes vo^iov, TrpoaTay^iaTu, tvro'Kaf, that is, 1

the law, ordinances, commandments. And j
in the same chapter he translated it both

^iKuiui^ura and irpoaTa^ara, Deut. 11. ver. 32.

bv which it is evident, that the one word sig- 1

nifieth no more than the other. And that in
HtKaiufiara we must Seek no greater mystery
of justification, than in irpo<Truy//«ru, which sig-
nifieth ordinances, commandments, decrees,
or statutes. Saving that the Hebrew word is
iiiaiiv l-.nii's irlVrred to precepts which be of
(-11 MionK .-, ^is the vulgar Latin interpreter

(Idih r iiMiily translate it. And so it is

iiK).-.t like, that' Luke useth the word iiKoim-
ItuTu, as it is commonly used in the Greek
text of the law. "I'herefore, seeing you cavil
about the sound of a word, contrary to the use
thereof, our interpreters did well to avoid the
term justifications, whereabout you quarrel,
and to translate it according to the meaning
of the Greek writer, and the usual accepta-
tion of the Greek word. And why should
not a Latin interpreter use Tully's word for-
sooth being apt for the Greek, ratiier than
any barbarous term, not so fit or agreeable
unto it ?

10. The condition of the Church of Christ
is otherwise, than it was then under the law.
For now all things must be done in the con-
gregation to the understanding and edifying
of the people ; insomuch, as ifa man had the
miraculous gift of tongues, he might not
speak in the Church vvitliout an interpreter.
1 Cor. 14.

14. Belike John is born again with you eve-
ry Midsummer day. The joy that was at the
birth of John, though it were great yet it was
obscured by the glorious birth of Christ. And
seeing Christ is not only born, but also hath
suffered death, is risen again, and ascended
into heaven: "The joy of Johii's birth in the
Catholic Church of Christ, is hidden and dim-
med, as the light ofa star, by the sun shining
at noon days. John himself ackowledged,
that he was to diminish, as Christ increased,
John 3. 30. The Angel therefore did not
prophesy of your Popish celebrating of his
nativity, but of the joy that many shoidd have,
which looked for the redemption of Israel
which was at hand, when John the forerunner
of Christ was born. Otherwise the Church
of God communicateth with the joy of God's
Saints at that time, not only, nor chiefly, in
celebration of the memory of John's nativity,
but in contemplation of the performance of
God's promises, at all times of the year.

23. Paul, who alloweth a bishop and elder
to be the husband of one wife, is to be credit-
ed, what is meet for the ministers of the
Church, rather then Hieronym and Ambrose.
Against whom I oppose Clement Alexandri-
nus and Paphnutius, with the whole general
council of Nice, who thought it not expedient
that the ministers of the Church should ab-
stain from their lawful wives. Matt. cap. 8.
And seeing the Holy Ghost hath made iio such
law for them that receive the communion, to
abstain from their wives, we take not upon
us to be wiser than God. Otherwise all men
are exhorted to live in marriage, soberly, and
temperately : but not to separate themselves
one from another, except it be for a time, by
consent, that they may be exercised in fasting
and prayer, and then to come together again

LUKE.

lest Satan tempt them for their incontinency.
1 Cor. 7. 5.

28. The words of the Angel, are profane-
ly, superstitioiisly, and idolatrously abused by
the ignorant Papists, as a prayer, when they
are none, mumbled in Latin, whereof they
know not the sense, said unto stocks and
stones, yea to God himself: the learned
sort, if not approving, yet winking at such
shameful absurdities.

28. Papists in often repetition of these words
do shamefully abuse them, seeing they say
them not, nor can say them, in that sense they
were uttered by the Angel and Elizabeth.
Seeing they do so often, and so vainly repeat
them upon their beads, like the heathen, ra-
ther in derision, than honour of Christ and
the Bles.sed Virgin, Matt. 6. 7. And what
mystery or sum of the Gospel soever be con-
tamed in them, the ignorant people under-
stand nothing at all, who by your good wills,
should not understand the words in their mo-
ther tongue. If the Grecians use them well
in their Mass, why do not you use them in
yours? If they use them superstitiously, why
do you allege their example ? The liturgies
that you quote, be counterfeit under the names
of James and Chrysostom. And the one of
them is a good confutation of the other. For
if the Greek Church had a Liturgy written
by James the Apostle, who would think that
Chrysostom would make a new ? Again, if
Chrysostom had made a Liturgy, he would
not have made a prayer for Pope Nicholas,
that lived almost five hundred years after hiin,
nor for the Emperor Alexius, who lived seven
hundred years after him. This stufTthere-
fore is m.uch later than the Apostle James, or
Chrysostom's age.

2S. First, it is a slander, that we make the
Virgin Mary no better than other vul^^ar wo-
men. For we acknowledge that she was
blessed above all other women, in that she
was chosen to be the mother of our Saviour
Christ, and that she was full of the graces of
the Holy Ghost, but yet a woman, no goddess,
a sinner, no Saviour, and yet as free irom sin,
as the infirmity of man's nature could be.
Secondly, concerning our translation, we say,
the Greek word signifieth, freely leloved, not
full of grace : both in this place, and in the
Ephesians the first : by the testimony of all
Greek Dictionaries: by Chrysostom's judg- j
ment, whose words are these : ck uttcv, he
saith not cxaptaaro, which he hath given, but
cX'iiTioacv, but whereby he hath made us free-
ly beloved, that is, he hath not only delivered
us from our sins, but also hath made us his
beloved friends, as if one had gotten a scab-
bed fellow, rotten through pestilent sickness,
age, poverty, and 'famine, and should by and
by make him a beautiful young man, which
shall exceed all other in beauty, &c. what
clearer testimony can we have, that the
Greek word doth signify, freely beloved ?
And yet it is true, thaf the Virgin Mary espe-
cially, and all other Christians generally, was,
and are endued with excellent gifts of God's
grace : as Chrysostom saith of all, and the

rest of the Fathers, whom you quote, say of
the Virgin Mary. But our question is, whe-
ther the Virgin Mary had these graces of her
self, or of the free gift and love of God, with-
out her merits. And what the Greek word
signifieth properly, not how it hath of some
heretofore been imperfectly translated into
Latin. Chrysostom. Ex. Lnke, cap. 1. De nat.
Johaiinis Baptists, rehearseth these words of
the Angel in this sort : Peace be to thee, which
hast found favour vnth the Lord. That »>X/co ntvos,
Luke 16, is translated, /uZio/ sores, it proveth
not, that all participles derived of such verbs,
must signify such a fulness as you imagine,
answer to your preface, sect. 59.

31. Though Augustin gather that she had
vowed virginity, yet it followeth not of the
text. Therefore Ambrose bringeth another
cause why she asked how shall this be ? &c
"She had read," saith he, "the prophecy of
Isaias. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and
bring forth a son, therefore she believed that
it should be, but she had not read how it
should be. For how it should be, it was
not revealed to that great Prophet. For so
great a mystery was not to be uttered by the
mouth of a man, but of an Ansel. Therefore
now it is first heard : The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee. It is both heard and believ-
ed." The like saying is inEuthymius and
Theophilact. Although Gregory IVyssen be
of Saint Augustin's opinion concerning her
purpose of virginity: which is not like, see-
ing she promised to marry with Joseph, as it
is plain by the text.

42. Elizabeth acknowledgeth Mary to be
the mother of our Lord, but not to be our
Lady, neither doth the text say, that she
sang, but with a loud voice she said. And the
praise which she gave to the Virgin Mary,
was the praise of God, who blessed her
above all women : but yet made her not
equal with Christ, that she might be called
by those names which are proper to God
and to Christ only, but of you Papists are
applied to the Virgin Mary, to the dishonour
of her Son, when you call her " our life,
our salvation, and our sweetness, the mo-
ther of mercy, queen of heaven, lady of the
world," &c.

48. The Church of God hath always had,
and always shall have generations, in which
the Virgin Mary hath been, and shall be call-
ed blessed: Neither do we derogate from
her graces, blessings, or honour, when we
cannot abide tiiat the honourable mother of
our Lord and Saviour Christ, should be made
an idol, as she was of your forefathers, the
Collyridian heretics ; and as evil, if not worse
of your Papists. For the Colly ridians nexer
desired her to command her Son, now sittuig
at the right hand of God the Father, as your
blasphemous prayer doth.

48. Tile blessed Virgin Mary is never more
dishonoured, than in your festival days, with
those blasphemous Anthems, Salve regina,
Ave Maria .ilell/r, O regina mundi, Scala, Cedi,
Thronus Dei, Janua paradisa ; " O queen of
the world, ladder of heaven, throne of God,

LUKE.

§ate of Paradise, beati Maria, &c. O
lessed Mary, who is able to bestow upon
thee worthily the rights of thanksgiving and
celebration of praises, which by thy singular
assent, hast succoured the world, that was
lost ? What praises can the frailly of man-
kind pay unto thee, which hath found the
way to recover life, by the only company."
&,c. These and like blasphemies against
our Saviour Christ, be the chief fiowers of
your festivities. Jube natum, command thy
son : and Bonaventure doubteth not to say.
Jure nia/ris impera Jllio, command thy son by
the right of a mother: and, Co^e Deum, com-
pel God to be merciful unto smners, beside
the whole Psalter, Benediclus, Te Deum, Qai-
tuiiquo vult, all perverted, not to the honour,
but to the dishonour of the Virgin Mary,
whose greatest honour is, that Christ her
son and Saviour, should have all honour as-
cribed wholly unto him, which properly ap-
pertaineth unto them. And this prophecy
was fulfilled before there was any festival
day of the Virgin Mary, and long before the
people were taught to say the Ave Maria, or
before any of your Anthems were made.
For none of these be of any great antiquity.
Acts 1.

63. Strange and profane names, are no
where so common, as in Italy and Rome,
where even the holy Cardinals, carry the
names of heathen Romans and Grecians. Yea
your holy fathers the Popes after they have,
like Antichristians, renounced the names
given them in baptism, by which they were first
dedicated to Christ, do oftentimes choose unto
themselves profane names, as Sergius, Leo,
Julius Si.xtus, that 1 speak nothing of the
names received from the heathenish Saxons
and Normans, better liked in Popery, and
preferred by Popish Bishops in confirmation,
before names of godly signification taken out
of the Scripture, and given to children at their
baptism.

75. We may have true justice before God,
and true holiness also in his sight, but not
perfect justice, nor perfect holiness in our-
selves. And the end of our redemption by
Christ, is that we should " serve God in
true holiness, and righteousness all the days
of our life :" and tliis grace we have also

13, being justified by faith, as a fruit thereof,
not as the cause of our juttification before

by our Saviour Christ's gift, as in the verse
I

God

78. This is nothing but a malicious
slander. Beza only inquireth unto what pro-
phecies Zachary had respect, where the
Greek interpreter useth this word, which
Luke useth in this place.

80. The office of Jolin the Baptist was sin-
gular, and therefore his living in the desert
IS no example for other men, least of all for
Popish Hermits, who live not at all in the
desert, but nearer to cities and places fre-
quented, than many husbandmen in the coun-
try. Neither doth Hierom allow the opinion
of them that counted John to be the first
Hermit. Mark, chap. 9.

CllAPTF.R 2.

14. Augu.stin iii the same place citeth the
text : " it is God who worketh in you, both
to will and to work, according to his good
will :" where he showeth sufficiently that
even the same good will is made in us, by
the working of God. Again, in the same
place, " God bringeth to pass that we be
willing." Tlieretore man hath no free will
lo accept God's benefits before God of un-
willing, by his only grace, maketh him will-
ing. " Without me," saith Christ, " you can
do nothing." Ergo, not so much as to be of
good will to receive him, when he oflcreth
himself, but have this good will wrought by
his grace in us.

19. The Virgin j\Liry, though she had
great understanding, yet she did not per-
fectly understand all the mysteries of Christ,
as it is clear by the 50th verse of this chap-
ter, " They understood not the word that he
spake unto them." Therefore either mend
your note, or mend your Anthem. " The
maid's womb did bear the secrets which she
did not know."

35. The Virgin Mary tasted of great sor-
rows with our Saviour Christ, but not to the
same end or effect : for his sorrows and suf-
ferings, wrought our joy: her sorrow was
partly a natural compassion of motherly af-
fection, partly a conformation unto the suflier-
ing of Christ, which is required of all the
members unto thu head.

37. There is no doubt, but fasting though
of itself it be no part of God's worship,
which consisteth in spirit and truth, being
also, as Hierom saith, not a perfect virtue,
but a foundation of virtues, yet it may, and
ought to be exercised to the glory and ser-
vice of God, while by humbling cur flesh,
we are made more apt to worship him in
spirit. That fasting is a matter of policy we
never held. But that abstinence from flesh
may be commanded for policy's sake, we con-
fess. And to command it for religion's sake,
it is the doctrine of devils and Papists, com-
mon to them with other old heretics. jBut
if fasting or prayer, be an act of religion,
whereby you worship God with Latria, then
by your own doctrine, you are idolaters,
when you serve and worship creatures with
fasting and prayers, which idolatry is a great
part of your Antichristian religion.

Chapter 3.

8. The fruits of repentance being good
works, declare the repentance to be true and
unfeigned: if the repentance be true, the sins
are forgiven, therefore the works are not sa-
tisfactory : for satisfaction pertaineth to jus-
tice, forgiveness to mercy.

11. Alms commanded as a true fruit ot
repentance, which he that is able, and will
not give, shall rHH avoid damnation.

15. There was infinite difl^erence between
the holiness of John and of Christ, there-
fore John's holiness was no occasion of men's
error, but their own negligence, which did

, not know the Scriptures, concerning ChrisU

LUKE.

But this is your manner, to make small dif-
ference beiween the Lord and his servants.
Yet it was most certainly known, saithBeda,
to the Jews by the Scriptures, that the time
of our Lord's incarnation was at hand. But
it was niirvellous blindness, that they be-
lieved ot John o*' their own accord, not to be-
lieve of our Saviour, who was approved of by
so great signs and wonders, and testified by
John himselt also.

16. Only Christ's office and power it is,
to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with
fire : now in the baptism ministered by his
servants in the Church, and then in the bap-
tism that was ministered byJolui; the bap-
tism in both, is from heaven, as God's in-
stitution.

3()^That which is a manifest error, not of
the Evangelist, but of some writer that would
correct the Evangelist, according to the error
of the Greek translation of Genesis, being

But in this verse, Christ allegeth Scripturs
against the de-vil, not the devil against Christ.
And this Scripture is as rightly alleged
against tlie Church of Antichrist for adoring
ot creatures, as it was by Christ against the
devil himself.

23. This proveth not, that the gift of mira-
cles continueth unto this day. But when God
doth work miracles, either by himself or by
his servants, he chooseth the time, place, and
persons, most convenient f.,r showing his
glory, and confirming the faith of his disci-
ples.

30. There is no need to feign any monstrous
unprofitable miracles in this place. He might
pass through the midst of his enemies, with-
out any alteration of his body, by striking
thetn with blindness, that they could not see
him, or by terrifying their hearts, that they
durst not touch him. So saith Ambrose :
' He went down through the midst of them.

contrary to the truth of the Hebrew text, and i the mind of those raging people being sua
an ancient copy of Luke in Greek, why should ! denly either changed^ or astonished." The
he doubt to omit ? j same saith Beda, Euseb. Emiss. Horn. ser. 3.

23. Augustin saith not that Jacob and Heli 'post 2. domiin quadrag. Neither is there any
were brethren by the mother, but that Heli j ancient writer, that favoureth your monstrous
descending from Nathan, adopted Joseph, imagination, that, he went through men's bo-
being not his son by nature. Hierom citeth dies. For neither is it said, that he went
the law. Dent. 2^, that the_ brother or kins- | through a door: neither will he make his
man shoijld marry the vyife of him that died i body without space of place, for then his body
without issue, whereby it appeareth that by ' should cease to be a body, as Augustin sliow-
the brother, he understandeth not the na- \ eth, Epist. 57. Dardano. And though Christ
tural brother, but according to the_ Hebrew by tiie absolute power of his divinity can do
custom, such kinsman as was not forbidden all things, yet will he do nothing contrary to
by the law. Levit. 18. Only Eusebius out his own will, his word, his glory. That his
of Africanus, an Historiographer, supposeth ^ humanity, in all natural qualities, is like ours,
that Jaoeb and Heli were brethren by the his word bearcth witness. Heb. 2. 17
mother, and niarried both the mother of Jo- |

seph : which is not like, because such mar- Ch.\pter 5.

r^ing, is incestuous by the law. Levit. 13, 16. 3. Although it be true, that Christ's chair is
Except we should say, that their marriage in the Church, yet this is a fond collection,
was like the incest of Juda with Thamar, P^or if the ship were here the Church, then all
which is also in the genealogy of Christ. | to whom Christ preached that were on the

i shore and in the other ship, were out of the

Chapter 4.

2. For Lent fast, Notes Matt. cap. 4. except
Clement, constitution, which is a counterfeit
book, lately brought to light, rejected of the
ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church,
as containing many thing* heretical, false, and
frivolous, and yet altered since the ancient
Fathers' age. That he bringeth in James the
brother of John, writing and speaking with
the rest of the Apostles, many years after his
death, Lib. C. r. 14. And in the 18th chapter
of the fifth book, the celebration of Easter is
prescribed, clean contrary to that, which F]pi-
phanius tcstifiuth to have been the constitu-
tion of Clement, the pretended author of this
book, contra Audian, Hcer. 70. The same
counterfeit CInmcnt, lib. 6. cap. 7, calleth Phi-
lip, spoken of Acts 8. an Apostle, but lib. 8. rap.
52, he maketh him but a Deacon. These few
reasons, among a great number, show the
vanity and falsehood of that Apocryphal book.

8. If heretics allege the Scripture against
Christ's Church, as the devil did against
Christ, the Church must confound them bv
the Scriptures, as Christ confounded the devil.

Church.

6. Peter's successors be true preachers of
the gospel, as for the Pope that never preach-
eth the gospel, never casteth out Peter's net,
to fish for men as he did.

10. By Matthew and Mark, it is evident,
that Christ spake jointly to Peter and Andrew, <
"I will make you fishers of men." Mall. 4.
19. .Mark 1. 17. Therefore it is a brutish col-
lection, to gather Peter's prerogative, before
all men in the office of fishing.

20. The words of Ambrose be otherwise
than you cite them. "The Lord is great,
which for other men's sake forgiveth other
men : and while he alloweth some, he re-
leascth the faults of others, why should not a
man thy fellow prevail with thee, when with
God the servant hath the mean of interces-
sion and the right of obtaining ? liCarn thou
ihatjndgest, to forgive, learn that thou art
sick, to obtain forgiveness. If thou doubtest
to obtain pardon of grievous sins: take to
thee entreaters, take to thee the Church
which may pray for thee, by contemplation-
whereof, the Lord forgiveth that which he

LUKE.

might deny thee." There is nothing hard in
this speech, but the name of merit, which the
fatliers use oftentimes, when they signify any
mean of obtaining, and not as Papists take it,
for deserts. And the argument that he draw-
eth trom hence, liiat one man should be en-
treated by anoilii r to forgive, deciareth tiiat
ho mcaiieih luit w drthinc.^s, or merit of works,
to prevail with God: as ho e.vpresseth most
plainly in other places, where he saith,
" whence should I have so great merit, see-
ing^ mercy is my crown ?" Exhort, ad Virgin.
Affirming also, that a man is justified and
saved by faith alone, very oftentimes. In ep.
ad Rom. cap. 2. and 3. 4.9. 10. 11. 1 Cor. 1.
Gal. ca. 3. 5, and elsewhere.

24. Christ as (iod lorgiveth sins properly,
here to the sick of the" palsy. But iW«H. 9.
you hold, that Christ as man, forgave sins to
this man. The power that Christ gave to his
disciples to forgive sins, is to declare them to
be forgiven by God. Hieronym. in Malt. 16.

23. Francis followed not Christ in preach-
ing the Gospel, but did set up a new sect of
his own religion, of whom they be called
Franciscans, as of Christ Christians have
their name. Yea, Francis was crircified for
his sect, if we may believe his disciples' wri-
tings and paintings of him. Who, also, with
the rest of begsing friars, go about to abolish
the Gospel of Christ, and, ilierefore, did write
a new gospel, and called it the Gospel of the
Spirit, and eternal Gospel, which was expound-
ed openly in Paris, and had been preached 55
years without controlment, till at last it was j
burnt secretly, at the importurjate request and ,
outcrying of Guilielmus de sanclo Arnore, and
others, of Paris : Guil. de sanct. Amore de pe- \
riculn novissimi temporis, cap. 8. Matheus Paris
Anno Domi. 1256.

Chapter 6.

I. A false slander: we say not, that all J
things in the Scripture are very easy. But
we say with Auguslin, "that God hath gra-
ciously, and wholesomely so tempered the
Scriptures, that by evident, or plain places, he
might provide for hunger, and by dark places,
wipe away loathsomeness, i'or nothing al-
most is beaten out of those obscurities, which
is not found elsewhere, uttered most plainly.
De Doct. Christ, lib. 2, cap. 6. And as for this
Sabbath second principal, Epiphanius showeth
plainly, that it was the last solemn day of the
feast of unleavened bread, by conference of
the Law. Levit. 23. E/jipha. Hares. 51.

8. It is enough for you to call us heretics,
and say that we understand little or nothing in
the Scriptures, but thereof let our preachings,
writings, and conferences, bear witness. Yet
•we vaunt not of our understanding, but hum-
bly thank the author thereof

10. The Church ought to follow our Saviour
Christ, in prayer, earnestly, when ministers
of the word and sacraments are ordained.
But this example is little followed in Popery,
as common experience teacheth, where simo-
ny so greatly prevaileth in this matter, and
most of all at Rome.

23. The sufferings of this life, are notuxyrthy
of the glory that shall he revealed in the children
of God, Rom. 8. 18. Therefore, they be not
meritorious of the reward o( heaven; for
eternal life is the free "ift of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6. 23.

26. We preach mortification, and bearing
of the cross of Christ, to be necessary for all
Christian men, under pain of eternal damna-
tion, which is no pleasant doctrine to carnal
rnen. But your doctrine of pardons, absolu-
tions, dispensations, converting of eternal
pains into temporal, and then satisfaction by
meritorious deeds, and other men's works
sweetly paid for, be preachings of pleasant
things, to serve the humour of itching ears.
31. Our Saviour, Christ, gave names of sig-
I nification to his ministers, that we might not
only learn ihe dignity of their office, but, also,
I their duty. And, therefore, we do rightly
I make our argument of the notation ot the
I Apostle's name : They be legates, or ambassa-
dors, Ergo, they cannot make laws, nor pre-
scribe, or teach any thing, beside their com-
mission, for this is the duty of legates. Yet
is their office of high dignity and authority,
being the ambassadors ot the King of Kings:
because a legate, or ambassador, represent-
eih the person and authority of the prince
from whom he is sent. So an elder is a name
of dignity, gravity, and authority ; a bishop of
vigilance, wisdom, diligence, which in so
weighty affairs as concern his office, cannot
be without honour and authorny, Therelbre,
it is a lewd slander, that we deceive the sim-
ple in mea^•urmg the nature of sacred func-
tions, by the primitive siwnificaiion of their
names. Their offices and functions are set
down plainly in the Scriptures, as well for
the dignity, as for the duty that belongelh
unto them. And iheyhave apt names given
by the Holy Ghost, to admonish themselves
of their duties, and other men both of their
dignities and duties. But you would have
dignity without duty. If he have the name
of a priest, or a bishop, it skilleth not, though
he lack learning, honesty, diligence, watch-
fulness, he is priest and bishop, good enough
for Popery. And if he make laws, and teach,
beside his commission, as the Pope doth, he
is still apostle, or apostolic. But you labour
in vain to blind the world any longer, with
names and titles of honour, when the persons
have nothing that without duty doing, can be
worthy of any estimation, with them that
know what belongeth to those offices and
names. That the name of Apostles is not to
be given to all that are sent, but only to them
that have immediate commission from Christ,
as first the twelve, and then Paul and Barna-
bas, to whom you hardly allow the name of
Apostles, by full, special, and immediate com-
mission, but by use of Scripture, we do will-
ingly acknowledge ; but that the name of
Apostles absolutely w-as given to their suc-
cessors, by use of Scripture yon are not able
to prove For, in that general commission,
they had no successors. And Epaphraditus,
is not called an Apostle simply, but your

LUKE.

Apostle, that is, saitli Piiotius, because they
sent necessary tidngsliy I'aul to him. (^ecum.
Or, as Ambrose sauli, lie was made their Apos-
tle by the Ajiosll.c, when Le sent him to exhort
them: by which interpretation, he was the
messenger ol I'aul. i'ar unlilie to Gregory,
and his disciple Augustin, whom you call
Apostles, ot whom the latter was Gregory's
apostle. But Gregory was not Christ's apos-
tle : yet far from the sincerity, calling, and
authority oi' an apostle of Christ. But the
wonderlul prerogative of Peter's primacy,
above the rest of the Apostles, we see not,
seeing it vyas a primacy of order, not for honour
or authority. Cypr. de unitat. eccles. Hiercm.
cont.Jovin.lif). 1. and Ep. Evagrio. Concerning
the lesson you would have us to learn by the
name of Apostle, we acknowledge that none
are true Apostles, pastors, or teachers, but
those that are sent of God, and have lawful
calling by God and the Church.
35. if any precept be too heavy for you to

stitious worshipping of the memories of Christ
and his Saints, although they were true, and
not feigned relics. For tokens of exceeding
great love, should be extended toward the
poor niembers of Christ, to whom whatso-
ever is done of true love, he accepteth as
done to himself. Matt. 25. 40.

47. Only faith obtainelh remission of sins,
whereof love is an effect. For the argument
is not, as the whole discourse of the text is
manifest, from the cause to the eifect, but
from the effect to the cause. Many sins are
forgiven her, therefore she hath loved much,
as the words following do make it manifest.
For to whom little is remitted he loveth little.
The same thing declareih the parable of the
two debtors, tliat forgiveness of the debt
goeth before love, therefore is cause of love,
and not love the cause of forgiveness of sins.
So saith Ambrose: "According to man he
offendeth more, who ought more, but by the
mercy of our Lord, the cause is changed.

ir, you mitigate it by making it a voluntary > that he loved more which ought more, if he
counsel. But to lend, vvitliout hope of resti- ' have obtained grace or forgiveness," in Luke
tution, is a part ol true charity, which is one 1 c. 7. The like manner of speaking, and use
of the great commandments. Yet it is not j of the particle on, is in .lohn 15. 15. " I have
to be meant of all men, but such as have need j called you friends, for I have declared to you
to borrow, not to serve their pleasure, or to ! all that I have heard of my father," where
increase their gain, but for their necessity. [ this declaring is the effect, and not the cause
And it is manifest, that where we are com- j of his love.

manded to lend, not only usury is not to be 49. A slander, for we acknowledge the
looked for, but even the principal must be ad- ! power of forgiveness of sins by the ministers
ventured, never to be restored. \ of the Church, yet far differing from the power

48. If faith be taken tor bare knowledge, as ' of our Saviour Christ, who as God forgave
in James 2, he that trusteth to such a faith, ! absolutely of his own authority, his servants,
buildeth in the sand. Yet, true taith only by declaring his will in forgiveness of sins,
sufficeth to justification, and bringeth forth
good works as the fruits of a justified man :
as Augustin showelh plentifully. De fide
et oper. c. 15. and 22, and 23.

50. Remission of her sins, was not before

attributed to charity, but by her great love it

was showed, that many sins were forgiven

j her: as unio the debtor of a great sum. Cha-

CiiAi'TER 7. I lily therefore, was not cause of remission,

5. To build a Church or College, or any ; but an effect thereof And true it is, that

" '■ ■■ faith only justifying, doth not exclude other

causes, but only the merit of good works.

Other place for the maintenance of God
service, or good learning, is a good work.
But to build a Church or Monastery for the
maintenance of idolatry, or idle superstitious
hypocrites, such as your Monks are, is no
work acceptable to God, but rather displeas-
ing hi m.

30. John's baptism was a Sacrament, as
verily as the Baptism and Supper of the Lord
be now.

38. Outward signs of true repentance, and
effects of love and thankfulness for sins for-
given, as our Saviour Christ himself intcr-
preteth thtin, not works of satisfaction to
obtain forgiveness of sins. For as Ambrose
saith of Peter's tears, "We read his tears,
we read not his satisfaction," in Luke, cap. 22.

44. Note that carnal men, with Papists,
may bo otherwise faithful. But with Chris-
tians, althouLdi the faithful be not free from all
carnal ati'ciMioiis, yei they have crucified the
flesh, wiih the alfc'ciions and lusts thereof, so
that they cannot be truly called carnal men

"which follow a justified man, go not before
to justification." Aug. de fide et oper. c. 14
And witness, that faith only doth justice be-
fore God, are almost all the ancient Fathers
in express words. Origen in ep. ad Rom. lib.
3. c. 3. Cyprian ad Quirinuvi, cap. 42. Hilar, in
Matt. can. 21. Greg. Nazian. Orat. 22. de mo-
dest. Basil, de humilitate horn. 51. AmJiros. in
3. ad Rom. and many other places. Chrysos-
torn in ep. ad Rom. horn. 7. and many other
places, Hieronym, adversus Pel. IS). 1. in ep. ad
Rom. cap. 3. and others.

Chapter 8.
5. Paul speaketh not of rich women, that
might relieve his necessity, and spare the
Church : but of a wife that might be a bur-
den to the Church, as the text is plain, and
Clemens .'Mexandrinus tcstifieth. Stro/i. lib.
3. Otherwise it liad been absurd, that they
should leave their own wives, and carry

Theextraordinary works of devotion, towards ; strange women about with them, such long

the person of our Saviour Christ, are no ex- ! journeys as they travelled.

ample to justify pilgrimages to idols, super- ' 13. True justifying faith cannot be utterly

LUKE.

fa i ill may be

pre-
It. is

lost: but a dead and I'r
had and lost.

45. It is a weak argument for Peter's
rogative, that he is named only, or first.
a stronger argument against his prerogative,
that when the dignity and prerogative of the
apostles is purposely in hand, he is not named
first, as Gal. 2. 9. And yet Peter's primacy of
order, or confession, isgranted,not of dignity,
decree, or authority.

33. This is popish evidence, which all the
logicians in the world are not able to conclude,
in lawful form of arguments, out of the text.
The spirit of the maid and Lazarus returned,
ergo, from a third place. For it cannot be
thought, saith he, that they were called from
heaven or hell. And why may we not, or
ought we not to think, that their souls were
where the souls of other godly persons de-
parted were'?

ClIAPTEU 9.

1. That which is proper to God, cannot be
communicated to men. Therefore God only
worketh miracles, and forgiveth sins by the
ministry of man.

4L The church hath not at this day, power
to cast out devils, or to work miracles ordi-
narily : therefore your ordinary offices of ex-
orcists, exorcisms, and unctions, be mockeries
of the gracious gifts of miracles.

55. Peter used not an ordinary, but a mi-
raculous power, when he pronounced sentence
of death against Ananias and Sapphira, not for
defrauding the church, but for lying against
the Holy Ghost, Arts 5. 3. For they might
have kept the whole price, or not have sold
their land, without blame, if they had not play-
ed the hypocrites.

Chapter 10.

13. Punishing of the body by sackcloth and
ashes, is no satisfaction for sins past, but a
help unto repentance, as a sign of humiliation.
BasilinP.<.2<3.

16. It is all one to despise the ministers of
Chrisl's Catholic church, and to despise Christ.
But of the popish church, and the popish
priestS; it is not true.

21. The true children of the church, whosi
faith is builded upon the word of God, may
learn out of the holy scriptures, the manner
of Christ's presence in the sacrament, and
other things needful to know: when popish
hypocrites, with their faith implicit, know
nodiingnecessary for their salvation. For it
is sufficient in poperv. to bulie ve as the church
believeth, though they know not what the
popish church believeth, nor upon what war-
rant of God's word.

28. Christ was not asked, bv what means a
man might attain to eternal fife, but by what
doing, or what kind of works, the kingdom
of heaven were to he obtained : therefore
he mocketh not : but directly answereth
to the question, by fulfilling thehiw: which
if any can perform in such perfi^ction, a
God's justice doth require, he shall bo just

tied by the works of the law, without the
mercy of God in Christ. If he cannot, he
is under the curse : and tliat is every man's
case, seeing none is justified by the law, but
by faith in Christ, Gal. 3. But the scriptures,
you say, give examples of divers that have
kept and lulfilled it, as far as it is requisite i.a
this life. And first of David, of whom God
testifieth that he kept his commandment, and
followed mewiiii his whole heart. What im-
pudent abusing of the scripture is this ? Is not
the fall of David notorious ? And doth he not
in a hundred places in the Psalms, crave par-
don for his sins and transarressions of the
law? Therefore he kept God's command-
ments, but not perfectly, nor loved God with
all his heart, might, strength, according to
the commandnietil, Deut. G, though he walked
after God with all his heart, that is unfeignedly,
and not as hypocrites and carnal men do, that
profess religion. The like is to be said of the
peophii Asa's days,which swore with all their
heart, that is with full purpose, to keep their
oath, and unfeigned desire to seek the Lord :
yet dill they not fulfil the lavv, but were siri-
ners, and were justified freely by grace in
Christ, as Paul affirmeth of ail men without
exception, Rom. 3. 23. As for the prophet,
Psal. 119, confesseth, that he hath gone astray
as a lost sheep, and even in the same verse
you quote, prayeth that he may not err from
God's commandments. Therefore that he
sought God with all his heart, is not to be ta-
ken for a perfect keeping of God's law, but
for an earnest and unfeigned desire of the
spirit, against which even in the regenerate,
the flesh always rebelleth, so that they cannot
do what they desire. Gal. 5. 17. Ecclesiasti-
cus doth not say that David . loved God with
all his heart, but from all his heart, that is,
from the bottom of his heart, unfeignedly ; yet
not perfectly. For who can say, my heart is
clean ? I am pure from sin. Pro. 20. 9. And
David confesseth his own sin even from his
conception, Psal. 51. 7. The like is to be
said of Ezekias, who with a sound heart
walked before God in truth, that is, without
dissimulation or halting, as hypocrites do, yet
kept not the law perfectly, so that he could
live thereby, nor loved God with all his heart,
might, soul, &c. L-ist of all, Zachary and
Elizabeth walked in all the commandments of
God, yet fulfilled not the l.iw, and though
their life was blameless in the sight of men,
yet were they not able to stand before God's
justice, in whose sight no man living shall be
righteous, Psal. 143. 2. Now where you have
a vain evasion, in these words, as much as is
requisite, &c. It is requisite of every one, that
secketh to be justified by the law, that he keep
it perfectly without sin, else he is under the
curse, and cannot be justified by the works of
the law, Gal 3.

30. Against this vain collection by allegory,
the scripture is plain, that we are all dead m
sin, by the sin of Adam, Roni. 5. 12. Eph. 2. 1,
5. Col. 2. 13. The counsel Acausicanum,
wWich you quote belike to prove that the

LUKE.

freedom of will is not lost in Adam, saith ;
"It is so inclined by the sin of the first man,
and attenuated, that no man after could love
God as he ought, or work that which is good
for God's sake, except the grace and mercy
of God prevented him." And if by those words
you think there is any life left unto it, cap. 22,
the counsel saith, no inan hath any thing of
his own, but lies and sin. And cap. 21, nature
by Adam lost, by Christ is repaired. And
whereas you seem to leave some life, justice,
and freedom of will in man, which by Christ
is recovered, increased, healed, and enabled :
thus we read, cap. 7, the title of which is,
that we are not apt to think any thing of our-
selves, as of ourselves. " If any man do hold
that a man by the force of nature can think any
good thing, which pertaineth, and is expedient
to eternal life, or that he can choose either to
be saved, that is, to consent to the preaching
of the gospel, without illumination and inspi-
ration of the Holy Ghost, which giveth to all
men the sweetness, in consenting and believ-
ing the truth, he is deceived with a heretical
spirit, not understanding the voice of God,
saying in the gospel, wilhout me you can do
nothing : and that of the apostle, not that we
are apt of ourselves to think any thing, as of
ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."
And touching understanding, the apostle saith,
the natural man understandeth not those things
that be of the Spirit of God, for they are fool-
ishness unto him, neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned. So
that neither the will nor the understandmg
have any heavenly life in them.

35. That which is bestowed for the full re-
covery of the wounded man, is a duty of
charity, therefore commanded. So is what-
soever we are able to do, pertaining either to
the perfect love of God, or the love of our
neighbour as ourself, is of duty though it be
not expressly named, but generally coiiimand-
cd, and it is sin to omit it. That which Au-
giistin saith of Paul : he did bestow more,
when he went a warfare at his own cost, it
is to be understood of the general liberty that
all preachers have to live of the gospel. Yet
was it his duty, in that special case, to forbear
that liberty, or any other thing that is lawful,
that he should not give any hindrance to the
gospel of Christ. 1 Cor. 9.12. Therefore it
had been sin in him, to use that liberty to the
hindrance of the gospel. So that it was no
work of supererogation as you term it, but of
duty in that case, to forbear it. Again he
forbeareth, that he should not abuse his power
in the gospel, 1 Cor. 9 18. If he abuse his
power in the gospel, he sinneth, ergo he for-
neareth of duty : for it is his duty to avoid sin.
What then, did the other apostles sin in not
labouritig as the idle monks objected to
Augustin ? No, their case differed from his, j
as he showeth plainly in the same book, cap.
22. They used their liberty to no hindrance
of the gospel: he could not use it, but with
impediment of the gospel. Therefore works
of .supererogation arc noH>roved by Paul's ex-

ample. Neither by his counsel unto virgmity,.
w;hich is not to be neglected where God hath
given the gift, and it may serve to the advance-
ment of God's glory, which every one is bound
to procure, to the uttermost of his strengtli,
Deut. 6. 5. Luke 10. 27 ; though the special
state of virginity be not commanded general-
ly, because God hath not given the gift to all
riien generally. And somustOptatusbe under-
stood. Chrysostom interpreting this parable
allegorically, as many of the fathers do, yet
acknowledgeth, that the governor of the
church can bestow no more than is contained
in the gospel. For seeing nothing can be ad-
ded to the two Testaments, neither may the
law of God receive any increase or diminish-
ing, what is then, which the governor can be-
stow more than he hath received ? but that
which is his owti duty, in which he is bound
to endeavour, that he lay out that which is
committed to him that he hath received. Sec.
De eo qui inc. in lat rones sermon. By Chry-
sostom's judgment therefore in this place, he
can do no works of supererogation. Euthy-
mius upon this place saith, I will pay thee, if
thoii shalt bestow any thing of thine own that
may profit him. For teachers do add of their
own, when they dilate the interpretations of
the words of God. For they take indeed the
argument or substance of the matter out of
the two Testaments, but by their own speeches
they bestow greater pains upon them that are
diseased. This author gathering the judg-
ment of the ancient fathers of the Greek
church, could find no works of supererogation
in this text.

42. God be praised, there be in our church
many that have chosen the best part with
Mary, which all Christians ought to do, even
that "part which shall never be taken from
them. By example of Martha and Mary,
saith Ambrose upon this place, is set forth
the devotion of the one laboursome in works,
and the religious attention to the word of God
of the other : which if it be joined with faith,
is preferred before those works themselves, as
it is written, Mary hath chosen the best part
which shall not be taken from her. Let us
therefore study to have that which no man
can take from us, that our hearing be not slight
for fashion, but diligent. For the seeds of the
word of God itself are wont to be taken away
if they be sowed by the hiehwayside. Let
the desire of wisdom move ihee as it did Mary,
for this is a greater, this is a more perfect
work. Neither let the care of service turn
thee away from the knowledge of the heavenly
word, neither reprove thou them, nor judge
them to be idle whom thou seest occupied in
study of wisdom. There be also which have
chosen the contemplative life, which have
purposed to keep virginity or widowhood,
which offer to God, as he hath enabled them,
and as they see it for his glory, the free will
offering of their goods and labours. Not to
merit or make God debtor unto them, but to
testify their zeai, and thankfulness toward
God. Before Mhom thev acknowledge, that

LUKE.

when ihey have donv iili thej' arc coiiuiianded, i else it nuiatbc lojtcled, tisthe uayiiij^ot a man,
which IS inore than Uiey cun, ihey are unpro- ' and not of God. Tlie lomth place is ot our
fitable servants: luid iheret'ore look for re- ] judgment, which shall be " acconiiiig to our
ward by God's only mercy, according to his | works," which are iho truils and true effects
pronnse, and not according lo their deserts, i of a lively failli, by which the elect are dis-
The true church was many hundred years cenicd from the reprobate. Last ol all, where
without monks, friars, or nuns, and may be you say, " here ihey make clean and satisfy
without such votaries, as you mean, always, i for the Jew's former oifences, the text saith
Ami when the church had monks, which ] not so ; but to iheni which give alms of a true
ligious indeed, they were soon weary I faith, all things are clean without any cere-

of their hard labour, which was their profes-
sion, as appeareth by Augusiin's work, de
opere Monuckoruni: and slioinl\- dfiMin rated
into idleness the mother of all vu ( ,^, v.i.rreot
grew such inconvenience, as \v;us not to be
suffered in any Christian commonwealth :
and therefore they ai-e necessarily and most
justly abolished.

Chapter IL

27. Bede's words be these: "And let us
with these words, lift up our voice agai)ipt '
Eutyches, which denied the truth of Christ's
human nature, after it was assumpted of hi- ;
Godhead." Meanhig that we have a goud
argument, to prove the truth of his human na-
ture in these words of the womair, which our
Saviour Christ doth not deny, but showeth a
greater happiness in them that hear the word
of God ana keep it. Euseb. Emiss. homi.
Domi. 3. in. Qiuidr.

29. Although our Saviour Christ,by the virtue
of his death, overcame hell ;md the devil: yet
his soul which he committed unto his Fadier's
hands was in Paradise, where he promised
the thief should be with him, Luke 22. 43.
But that his soul was three days, that is, from
the time of his death until his resurrection, in
hell, it is contrary to the opinion of many Pa-
pists.

32. They declared their inward sorrow
for their sins, by outward signs of humilia-
tion.

41. Alms is a worthy fruit o'f charity, and
therefore hath great commendation in the
scriptures. But not to be a cause of salva-
tion, as by your pretended places of holy writ,
you go about to prove. First you bring Ec-
clesiasticus, which is no canonical scripture,
and yet you falsify 1 iswords. For he saith
not, that alms extinguish sin, but his words
are after your own translation, " alms resist-
cthsi;is:" after the Greek: "Alms shall be
clear from sins. In the second place, your
vulgar Latin translation is corrupt, for accord-
ing_ to the original tongue, in which Daniel did
vyrite, the text is, "break oil' thy sins with
righteousness, and thy iniquities with iavour
toward the afflicted." That is, as thou hast
sinned rnuch in injustice and cruelty, so now
break off that course of sin, and take the con-
trary way of justice and humanity. Your
third place is Tobias, which is no canonical
scripture : where I marvel that you add not
out of your Jjatin text, which is not in the
Greek, that alms delivereih from all sin."
But whereas Tobias saith, that alms delivereth
from death, it must be either understood as it
may agree with the canonical scripture, or

mony of washing, such as the hypocrisy of
the covetous Pharisees had invented, for puri-
fication and cleansing of God's creatures.
Augustin saith not, that " alms is done for a
propitiation to God of former oliences." But
Ids words are, "Our life must be changed
into better, and by alms God is to be entreated
for sins past, not to be bought after a sort,
that we may always commit them without
punishment." Alms therefore, are not a pro-
pitiation for our sins, -which is only Christ Je-
sus, 1 Jdut 2. 2, but a fruit of true repent-
:iiicr, ^vh^r;_llv God turnedi unto us, when we
wiih ,1 inic liiiili, that shuweth itself by such
fruits, turn uu;o him. "For only the taith of
Christ doth make clean," Augustin saith, in
Psalm 88. And tlrat only faith doth justify.
The fathers quoted, chapter 5. of this Gos-
Pel-

46. The name of priests is not odious with
us, because the .lew's Priests were naught,
for we hold, thai Christ; is om only high
Priest, and that all Chvisii;,n m n :m(l women
are Priests. But the wirl,' .1 li!. . :iiiii Ithisphe-
mous heresies of popish L'nests, have made
them odious to all good men.

47. To build the prophets' sepulchres, so
hypocrisy and superstition be away, is not
evil. But it is much more excellent to follow
the doctrine and virtues of the prophets, than
to build and garnish their monuments.

ClIArTER 12.

5. These are slanders, that the Protestants
teach security of salvation : and that fear of
hell maketh men livpocrites : although the
faithful by God's promise are assured of sal-
vation, and we must avoid sin, not only for
fear of punishment in hell, but chiefly for love
of God our merciful Father.

11. It is not enough for a Christian Catholic,
to say that he is a "Catholic man, and that the
church whereof he is a member, can give a
reason, &c., for a Christian Catholic must be
ready to give an account to everyone that
asketh of the hope that is in him. 1 Peter 3.
15. Again, this answer that you set do\vn,
restraineth the promise of wisdom and mouth
to be given, to a sophistical form of words,
which a parrot may learn to pronounce, and
is indeed a crafty evasion, rather than a clear
confession. For every heretic may ;ay as
much as you teach a popish CathoUc, for a
sufficient confession.

21. He is rich to godward, diat trusteth in
God and not in deceivable riche.s, which is rich
in good works, i.md is ready to distribute, &.c.
1 Tim. 6. 17,18. I3ut store of merits and merito-
rious works, the scripture never speaketh,.

LfJKE.

of, neither doth God reward our merits,
but his own gilts. Aug. m Psal. 70, cone. 2.
In Psal. 101.

3.5. If'to gird our loins be to keep chastity
and contiiiency, then married men may keep
ciiastity and coiitinency, lor this commarid-
ment extendcth to all true Christians. There-
fore, saith Beda, " He teacheth his scholars
to gird their loins to retain them trom the
love of worldly things." Euthymius saith,
"He propoundeth to them the virtue of work-
ing. For they that have any work in hand
have their loins girded up. Or by girding
the loins he exhorteth to the binding of con-
cupiscence."

Chapter 13.

3. Your interpreter meant true repent-
ance, howsoever you draw his word to pe-
nance, out of which you would pick satis-
faction.

5. A true faith, by which we are justified
before God, cannot be void of good works,
but a dead i'aith is like the fig-tree.

22. The straight way, as well in religion,
as in life, is the way that leadetli to life : and
the ancient way wherein all that are saved
liave entered.

24. The mortification of the flesh, and ab-
negation of men's selves, not Popish penance,
which is easily bou"ht out by a Pope's par-
don, are the straight wav, mentioned in the
text: as for the Popish Churcli's discipline,
is easy enough for them that have money to
redeem themselves from it, seeing the Pope
setteth up an open market of dispensations
and pardons : so that ibr money you shall
have liberty, either to commit sin, or else
pard(jn for any sin that you shall commit, and
of penance due for the same.

28. Augustin saith, it is madness to think
they can communicate with Christ in his Sa-
craments, which communicate not in his
word. Therefore, as he saith there also, " They
eat and drink the body and blood of Christ in
a Sacrament : and are not acknowledged,
because they acknowledge not by the Gospel,
his members dispersed over all the world.

34. The Jews lost their pre-eminence by
their own will, which cannot be called free,
when it was thrall to sin, and not made free
by the Son of God. Therefore neither the
Pelagian nor the Popish heretic, hath any ar-
gument here, to prove free will. " For iVee
will," saith Augustin, " to ove God we have
lost all through the greatness of the first
sin." Ep. 107, Vifrili. Again, " That part of
mankind, to which God hath promised deli-
verance and an eternal kingdom, may it not
be repaired by the merits of their own
works ? God forbid. For what good can
he work that is lost or cast away, except he
be delivered from perdition. What by free
will ? God forbid that also. For man using
free willamiss, lost himself anditalso. For as
he that killeth himself killeth himself while
he liveth, but in killing himself li veth not, nei-
ther can he revive himself when he hath slain
himself. So when man sinned by free will,

sin got the victory, and free will was lost. For
of whomsoever a man be overcome, to him
he is addicted or bound as a slave. This truly
is the sentence of Peter the Apostle : which
seeing it is true, J pray you what liberty can
there be of him that is a bond slave, but when
he delighteth to sin ? For he serveth freely
that doth his master's will gladly. And by
this he is free to commit sin which is a slave
of sin. But to do justly he shall not be free,
except he, being delivered from sin, begin
to be a servant of righteousness. That is
true liberty, for the joy of well doing, and
a godly bondage to obedience of the com-
mandment. But whence shall a man that is
bond, and sold, have this liberty? except he
do redeem him whose saying that is : It the
son shall make you free, then shall you be
free indeed. Wliich thing before it begin to
wrought in a man, i. -w can any man boast of
free will in a good work, which yet is not
free to work well ? except he extol himself
being puffed up with vain pride, which the
Apostle beateth down when he saith, you
are saved by grace through faith," &c.
Euchcrid. ad' Laurent, cap. 30. This is the
Catholic faith conceming free will. And
whensoever any ancient godly father seemeth
to avow free will, he meaneth against the
Manichees' and stoics' freedom from coac
tion, which we acknowledge, and not freedom
from the thraldom of sin since the fall of
Adam.

Chapter 14.

14. That good deeds may be done in respect
of the reward that is promised, we acknow-
ledge : but not only, nor principally, for our
own reward's sake, but for the glory of God
more [jrincipally.

23. Man's will is free from compulsion, or
enforcing: for if it were enforced, it were
not willing but nilling. Yet is it not free from
slavery and thraldom unto sin, which is the
freedom we deny, and the Pelagians with the
Papists affirm, chap. 13.

Chapter 15.
7. Our Saviour meaneth not, that there are
any so just, that they need no repentance :
For all have sinned. And there is not one just.
Rom. 3. 10. 23. But rather hypocrites, such
as the Pharisees were which thought they
had no need of repentance. As Augustin
holdeth In Qu- Evang. lib. 2. c. 32, Anibrose
upon this place intcrpreicth that one sheep, to
be all that are saved by Christ. " That sheep
is one in kind, but not in particulars, for we
are all one body, but many members. And
therefore it is written ; yc are the body of
(Christ, and members of his members. There-
fore the Son of Man came to save that which
was lost : to wit, all. For as in Adam all die.
so in Christ all shall be quickened. The rich
shejiherd therefore, of whose flock all we are
but the hundredth part, hath innumerable
flocks of Ani^'els, Archangels, &c." You see
therefore that by the just which need no re-
pentance. Ambrose understandeth not men,

LUKE.

but Angels. Becia understandcth the just to
be sucn as because they have not committed
the greatest sins, are slow to good works, and very
secure. These I suppose have need ol re-
pentance. Euthyniius and Theophylact
agree with Ambrose, Eucher. lib. 2. cap.
15. Therefore there are no men that need
no repentance simply, but in comparison oi"
them that are wholly fallen from God, as
open siiuiers and exconmiuiiicato persons.

10. Our hearts and inward repentance, are
not known to the Angels, but by the fruits and
true efiects thereof. For God only knowelh
the hearts of all the sons of men, and their heart's
repentance, 1 Reg. 8. 39. And although the
elect, after the resurrection, shall be like in
glory to the Angels, yet it followeth not, that
they shall be like in all things, and much less,
that their souls now in heaven, be like the
Angels; whose presence and ministry God
useth in the preservation of his chosen, in
procuring the means of their conversion and
salvation while they are in this world. And
though they be as near God in heaven, as the
Angels, yet it followeth not, that either the
one or the other, see and know our affairs,
otherwise than it pleaseth God to reveal
them. For that profane speculation, that
God is like a glass, in whom all things done
in this world may be seen in heaven, is a
vain devise of an idle brain, without all au-
thority of Scripture : yea contrary unto it,
which teacheth that God oidy searcheth the
heart and secret thoughts of man: which
therefore are unknown to Angels and blessed
spirits, except it please God of special dispen-
sation, to reveal them. And if they did or
mi^ht know all our affairs as well as God, yet
it followeth not, that we should pray unto them,
having a commandment and promise to call
upon <iod, and to be heard for Christ's sake ;
and neither commandment, nor promise, nor
example in the Scriptureofany godly person,
that prayed unto them.

23. Augustin meaneth the oblation of
Christ upon the cross to God the father,
the remembrance whereof, is celebrated
in the Lord's Supper, as he declareth him-
self more plainly. Octoginta trium Question-
urn. Qu. 61. He is our Priest for ever after the
order of Melchisedec which offered himself
a sacrifice for our sins, and hath commanded
the similitude of that sacrifice to be celebra-
ted in remembrance of his passion, so that we
may see the same thing which Melchisedec
offered to God, now to be offered in the
Church of Christ throughout all the world.
Remember that Melchisedec could not ofler
the natural body of Christ, so many hundred
years before it was conceived and born of the
Virgin Mary. Therefore that which Aii-
gustin saith is offered in the Church, is not
tlie natural body of Ch: '.st : but bread and
wine, in remembrance of his passion, as a
sacrifice of thanksgiving. Caesarius Arela-
tensis horn. 4. de Pasca, referreth it to the
effect of Christ's death, whereby pardon is
granted daily to penitent sinners.

CltAPTKR 10.

8. The faiihful know not ova of the word of
God, that they may gain salvation by their
money, but that by beinjj good stewards,
and making them friends of the unrighteous
mammon, they may gain testimony of their
liberalily, which shall not be unrewarded.
Otherwise, money is too base a thing to gain
salvation by, which the Son of God bought
for tliein, not with gold or silver, or any such
corruptible trash, but with his precious blood.
1 Pet. 1, 18, 19.

9. That alms, although greatly accepted of
God, is meritorious, the Scripture never
teacheth, nor that alms purgeth sin, or gain-
eth heaven. Notes Uth chapter of this Gos-
pel. The prayers of the poor are indeed
procured by giving of alms, if they be thank-
ful persons upon whom it is bestowed, but
no patronage in heaven. The Prophet Da-
vid, no doubt was a good alms-man, yet he
acknowledgeth no patrons in heaven, but God
the Lord: "Whom have I in heaven," saith
he, " but thee ?" Fs. 73, 25. Neither doth the
text say, the poor shall become patrons, but
" they may receive you into the everlasting
tabernacles," which is to be understood pa-
rabolically. Your alms shall be a testimony
of your charity and liberality, which shall be
everlastingly rewarded, proceeding from true
and lively faith, as our Saviour Christ show-
eth. Matt. 25. Neither is it possible to
gather a conclusion out of this place in due
form of syllogism, that the Saints departed
to pray for the living, or that they may re-
ceive their friends and benefactors into their

heavenly mansions, otherwise than by their
testimony, if in the judgment of God, they
shall be found faithful. Finally, alms given

to a hypocrite, in the name of Christ, of true
faith and charity, is as acceptable to God, as
given to a holy person, and shall be as well re-
warded. Seeing God hath not made us judges
of men's sincerity, which have need, but
commanded us to show neighbourhood to all
that be in necessity, especially to those that
be of the household of God, as far as we can
discern them. Chrysostom Horn. But all
these points neither concluded out of the text,
nor warranted by any other Scriptures, let
us see how you prove out of the doctors.
First, Hierom hath nothing sounding to such
a purpose, except you mean those words in
the end. "Tome, according to the former
interpretation it seemeth, that we ought to
make us friends of the unrighteous mammon,
not any kind of poor, but those which may
receive us into their houses and eternal ta-
bernacles, that when wc have given them
small things, we may receive of them great
things, and giving another man's goods, we
may receive our own, and sow in blessing,
that we may reap blessing : for he that sow-
eth sparingly, shall reap sparingly." These
words declare his meaning sufficiently, that
we must make choice of the godly poor,
as near as we can, to whom the kingdom
of heaven bel(Hig«th ; and give plentifully

100 LL

that we rocnive the rc.vavd plentifully.
Here is neither patronage, nor prayer of
Saints departed, nor merit ol holy men. Am-
brose, the next Doctor, saith no more but,
" That by giving liberally to the poor, we
may procure the favour of the Angels, and
ilie rest of the Saints." Lo, this Doctor
nameth the Angels, which receive no benefit
by our alms, and all the Saints, as well rich
as poor. For all the blessed spirits do love
them that are beneficial to the poor members
of Christ their head. But of special patron-
age, prayer, merit, authority to dispose the
heavenly mansions, &c. here is no mention.
Perhaps Augustin will say m.ore, because he
is quoted in two places : in the first he hath
these words : " The Gospel hath admonished
us to make friends of the mammon of ini-
quity, that those which make, they may re-
ceive into eternal tabernacles, who are they
that shall have eternal tabernacles but tiie
Saints of God ? And svho are they shall be
received of them into eternal tabernacles,
but they which have served their need, and
cheerfully administered unto them that they
lacked '? Let us remember therefore, that
in the last judgment our Lord will say to
them, which shall stand at his right hand,
I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat, and the
rest that ye know. And when they shall ask,
when they have done this duty to him ? he
answereth, when ye did it to one of these
mv little ones. These little ones are they,
which receive into eternal tabernacles," &c.
Hitherto we have nothing of patronage,
prayers, or merits of Saints. In the other
place he saith, " The just and the Saints, are

fort his members for his sake, of his mere
mercy and grace, not for the merit of their
work. Gregory also hath the name of pa-
trons, but not according to your meaning ;
his words are these, '• It availeth much to
beat dov/n the pride of him that giveth, if
when he giveth earthly things, he do ear-
nestly weigh the words of our heavenly
master, which saith, make you friends of the
mammon of iniquity, that where you fail they
may receive you into eternal tabernacles :
for if through their friendship, we attain the
eternal tabernacles, in giving, doubtless, we
ought to consider, that we rather ought to
offer gifts to patrons, than give rewards to
needy persons. Hereof it is said by Paul,
let your abundance supply their need, that
their abundance may be a supply to your
need: namely, that we should consider dili-
gently, that those whom we now see needy
we shall one day see abounding, and we ths^.t
are seen abounding, if we be negligent to
give, shall one day be needy. Therefore he
that now giveth temporal aid to a poor man,
in that he shall hereafter receive of him
eternal things, as 1 may so say, doth as it
were till the earth for corn, which rendereth
more plentifully that which she hath re-
ceived. It remaineth therefore, that pr\de
never ariseth of our gift, seeing that ol^ that
which the rich man giveth to the poor, he doth
it, that he be not poor for ever." Here is nei-
ther merits, nor prayers of Saints departed,
but the poor made, as it were patrons of the
rich, even in this life, that the rich should
not be proud of their liberality, because they
know that except they be rich in good works
gnified in this place, which do bring them 1 by relieving the poor, they shall be everlast-
into eternal tabernacles, \vhich have com- j ingly poor. Whereas if they make them
municated earthly goods for their necessi- 1 friends of their mammon, they shall be joined
ties, of whom also he saith, that if any man in reward of eternal life, with the poor mem-
give unto any of them a cup of cold water, ' bor.s of Christ, who accounteth done unto
111 the name of a disciple, he shall not lose . ami, whatsoever is bestowed in relief of
his reward." In the former part of this say- them. So that eternal life is the free gift

ing, he rehearsed the words ol the text
the hitter he showeth the plain and direct
meaning, that no work of charity showed
toward God's children, shall be unrewarded.
Chrysostom. at last speaketh of patronage,
or pleading, saying: "Orators and spphis-
ters, stand' at the judgment seats of men,
pleading for them that suffer wrong, and
often for them that do wrong, but the acts of
alms," saith he, " standeth at the tribunal
seat of Christ, not only pleading, but per-
suading the judge himself, that he himself
doth plead tor the guilty person, and give
sentence for him ; and although he have
sinned a thousand times, he crowneth him,
and proclaimeth him conqueror: for he saith
give alms and all shall be clean." Here, you
see, he had occasion in following of his com-
parison, to have said : the Saints departed
jilead for us, pray for us, merit for us : yet
that which he speaketh of patronage, is
of alms itself, yea principally of Christ him

of God, by Jesus Christ, unto all them which
by the fruits of good works, declare that they
take hold of it by a true and lively faith.

22. Abraham's bosom is still the receptacle
of the faithful, by Chrysostom's judgment,
who prayeth that he and all his people inay enjoy
it after their death, De Lazaro. Cm. 3. Tlie're-
ward also of affliction patiently suffered, we
acknowledge to be of God's mercy, and not
man's merit.

22. For as much as the death of Christ, was
as efTectual to redeem them that lived before
he suffered actually, as them that live since :
seeing in God's sight, our Saviour Christ, is
the Jjumh that was slain from the heiiinninff of the
■world, we believe that the godly fathers were
in heaven or Paradise, which is here called
Abraham's bosom, before the resurrection of
Christ, as well as after. For inasmuch as ihcy
were justified by faith in his blood, tliey re-
ceived tlie same crown and reward of righ
teousness that we do, behig justified by

self, who is our only mediator and advocate same means. And yet our Saviour Christ
before God, who rewarded them that coin- 1 was the first man that in his whole manhood

LUKR.

101

entered into heaven, into the fuhiess and per-
fection of glory which is prepared for all
God's elect, at tlie general resurrection. Ne-
vertheless, the virtue of Christ's death opened
heaven, to be a receptacle for the souls of the
righteous from the beginning of the world.
" The Spirit," saith Solomon, "returneth to
God that gave it," Eccl. 12. 9. So saiih Leo,
De pass. serm. 14. And wo heard before, that
Augustin denieth it to be a part of hell, Epist.
99. ' But Zachariah, you say, calleth it a lake
■without water. Indeed Zachariah nameth a lake
or pit without water, which is too uncomforta-
ble a place to understand it oi Ahmham' s bo-
som, which the Prophet meaneth of the cap-
tivity oi' Babylon, from whence the Church
was delivered. Theodoret saith, it may be
understood ei</iero/"eternoZ death, or of the error \
of idols. Hierom, saith, Tlicrich <j:luiion was in
this lake. Therefore he unilcrsiuc.il ii luit of
Abraham's bosom. Further ynii j^ay, it is called
of Isaias, a prison: but thatisas unlike, that a
place of happy and joyful rest, Chrysost. de
Divit. Lazaro., should be called a prison. Let
us see what the ancient fathers say to the
matter. First, Hierom understandeth this
prison of the bonds of sins and errors. So
doth Cyril in Isaias, Lib. 4. Orat. 3. Yet, lib. 3,
he saith that "Christ went to preach to the
spirits in Hell, and appeared to them that
were detained in prison, and delivered them
all from bonds, necessity, pain and punish-
ment." . Tlieretijre, in iiciiher of both places
he understandeth Abruhii/>i'sh«som, by the pri-
son spoken of in Isaias. And if by this latter ,
exposition he correct not his error in the ibr- '
mer, yet by the latter he showeth, that the te.xt
is not necessarily to be understood of any pri-
son after this life. As for the name o( Limhus '
patrum, it is altogether unknown of the an-
cient doctors, which, if it signify, as you say, |
the brim of hell, it cannot be'iar from the j
place of punishment, as the text is plain of j
Abraham's bosom. And Chrysostom saith plain- i
Iv, it is Paradise, against the conceit of them
that imagine it to be hell, Paradisus, ^c. " The
bosom of Abraham, was the poor man's Para-
dise. The rich man saw Abraham afar off, i
and Lazarus in his bosom. But some man |
may say to me, is Paradise in hell ? 1 say |
this, that the bosom of Abraham is the truln j
of Paradise, yea I confess it is the most holy
Paradise," ex Jaw. hom. de Divile. And Ter- !
tullian chargeth Marcion the heretic with this
opinion, that the fathers of the Old Testament
had their place of refreshing in hell, by this
text of Abraham's bosom. But he confuteth
him even by the same Scripture, saying, that
" Hell is one thing, Abraham's bosom another
thing, wherein not only the souls of the Jews,
but of the Gentiles also that are faithful, shall
have rest until the general resurrection," Lib.
4. cont. Marcion. Whether the hell of the
damned be called the lower hell, in respect
of this mansion of the fathers, Augustin, Ps.
85, professeth ignorance, and only doubteth.
ButfTp. 99, he utterly denieth Abrahavi's bosom
to be hell, or any part of hell, because Hell in
the Scripture, is never taken for good. The same

he saith, de Gen. ad lit. lib. 12. cap. 33. and cap.
34, where he proveth that Paradise is heaven,
he saith, " How much more then may the bo-
som of Abraham, which is alter il.i? lile, be
called Paradise ? But that there was such a
lilace whereunto oiir Saviour Ch ist descend-
ed, specially to deliver the fathers that were
in it, you quote a great number of doctors.
First Ireneus in the place quoted, hath never a
word ot the descending ol Christ into hell,
but of the effect of his life and death, to the
salvation of all his members. His words are
tliese : "Wherefore he gave meat to his dis-
ciples as they were sitting, signifying them
which sat in the earth to whom he came to
minister life. As Jeremy saith ; The Lord,
the holy one of Israel, remembered his that
were dead, which had slept before in the
earth of defection, and came down unto them
to preach salvation unto them to save them.
And for this also his disciples' eyes were
heavy when Christ catne to his passion,
and finding them sleeping, first, he let them
alone, signifying the patience of God, in the
sleeping of men. But coming the second
time, he awaked them and raised them up,
signifying that his passion is the awaking of
his disciples that slept, ior whom also he de-
scended into the lower parts of the earth, to
see that of the creature which was un wrought,
with those eyes of which he said to his disci-
ples ; Many Prophets and just desired to see
and hear, what you see and hear. For Christ
came not for them only which believed in him
in the time of Tiberius the emperor: neither
for those men only which are now, hath the Fa-
ther provided, but for all men which from the
beginning according to his power in their ge-
neration both feared and loved God, and lived
justly and godly towards their neighbours, and
desired to see Christ, and to hear his voice
Wherefore all such in his second coming he
shall first awake out of sleep, and raise up
them as well as the rest which shall be j'.idg-
ed, and he shall place them in his kingdom."
These words I have set down at large, that
you may see he speakethnot of the supposed
descent into hell, but of the virtue of his life,
deaih, burial, and resurrection, which extend-
eth itself to all the elect of God, and shall be
made manifest at the second coming of Christ.
Eiiscbius saith, "That the ramping Lion, the
devil, after he had opened the wide mouth of
hell, coveted to have devoured the soul of our
Saviour, with other which came down into
hell, against which he prayed in the words oi
the Psalm, deliver me from the mouth of the
Lion." By \yhich place it is rather proved;
that Christ did not descend iiito hell after his
death, seeing he was saved from the mouth
of the Lion, according to his prayer uttered
by the Psalmist: And somewhat before this
place, he interpreteth the complaint of Christ
that he was forsak-^n, when his body was on
the cross to be made in the midst of hellish
torments when " he beheld himself compassed
about with all the devils in hell, as it were a
multitude of wild beasts ready to devour him."
Eusebius therefore hath much against yov,

1C3 1^1

but nothing tor you. Mucli less Gregory Na-
zianzene in the place noted. For he saith no
more but, " Christ descended, that we might
be exalted." Ghrvsostom, the first ot them
that you have named, saith that " Christ de-
scended into hell, and disturbed them all, and
destroyed tiiat castle filled with tumult and
trouble :" Which may be rightly understood
of tlie virtue ot" his death, destroying the
power of hell that it hath no force against those
whom he hath redeemed. But he addeth
further, that "although it was hell, yet it held
the holy souls and precious vessels of Abra-
ham, Isaac, and Jacob." In these words ei-
ther he taketh the word hell largely, ior the
state of them that be dead, or else he is con-
trary to himself in other places, which 1 have
cited before, where he affirmeth Abraham's
bosom to be Paradise, and prayeth that he and
his people may be taken up into Abraham's bo-
som. Epiphanius against Tacian the heretic,
that denied Adam to be saved, saith: "For
what cause descended Christ into hell ? How
after his sutFeringa -.vhen he had slept three
days, did he rise agJn ? And how is it ful-
filled that he should have dominion over the
dead and over the living, and of what living
and dead, but of those that have need of his
help above and beneath V That Christ's de-
scent into hell and his resurrection was to
Adam's salvation, I see it proved by these
words, but that Adam was in hell, or that
Christ descended after his death, this place
saith nothing, but rather that Adam, with the
rest of the fatiiers, was in heaven. For who
were they that were above then ? but Adam
and the rest. Ambrose speaketh of the force
of Christ's death, which overcame death and
hell to the salvation of all God's chosen : and
not of the fetching ot the fathers out of hell.
For after he hath showed, that the devil by
death reigned in the punishment of sinners,
until the coming of Christ, he addeth these
words, Expers peccali, ^-c. "Christ being void
of sin, wiien he went down to the bottom of j
hell, breaking the locks and gates of hell, af-
ter he had destroyed the dominion of death,
he called back to life, out of the jaws of the
devil, souls bound with sin: and this is writ-
ten for a divine triumph, with Eternal charac-
ters, while he saitii, Death where is thystiiig.
Death- where is tiiy victory ' which felicity
of heal'h restored, Paul considering, crieth
out. As by Adam death entered into this
world, so by Christ salvation is restored to
the world." In these words, is nothing to ^
maintain Limbus palriim, nor yet the popish |
manner of Christ's descent into hell. llierOm
hath the like meaning', and his words be these : |
"By the blood of liiy passion, through thy
clcmencv, thou hast delivered those which ^
were hoiden bound in the prison of hell, in |
which there is no mercy. Finally, after our
Lord arose ajrain, those that were hoiden with
the bond of the sins of Adam, or as sorne will '
have it, of accustomed error, arose again with
him, and appeared in tlie holy city." These ,
words declare, that he speaketh of all tiiat |
had deserved hell, which by the death and I

resurrection of Christ, were delivered from
hell. For that he meaneth not of Limbus pa-
trum, as I have declared before, he affirmeth,
that the rich man clothed in purple, remained
in tills lake of hell, and obtained no refreshing.
" But to them," saith he, " which were bound,
and which to be delivered hy the mercy of
Christ, the speech is directed. Be you turn-
ed, you that are bound to the munition of hope :
and the sense is. You that are bound and hold-
en of cruel and terrible hell, which hope for
the loosing of your bonds, at the coming oi
Christ," dsc. Hierom therefore must either
be understood to speak allegorically, or else
he should most absurdly place all the fathers
in torments of hell with the rich glutton. Au-
gustin, ep. 99, as is before showed, denieth
that Abraham's boso7n is hell, or any part
thereof, but Paradise : yet he affirmeth, that
Christdescended into hell. But into Afira/mm's
bosom, saying he hath "not found, what bene-
fit he bestowed upon those just, that were in
Abraham's bosom when he descended into
hell, from whom he never departed, accord-
ing to the blessed presence of his divinity."
In the other place that you quote, Augustin
affirmeth nothing, but conditionally: "If it
seemeth, that it is not absurdly thought, that
the old Saints which held the faith of Christ
to come, were in places most far off from the
torments of the ungodly, but yet in hell until
the blood of Christ, and his descent into those
places, delivered them : truly from henceforth
the good faithful redeemed with that price
already shed, know not hell at all." You see
he doth not absolutely affirm, but as an opi-
nion, of some received, whereof he himself
was not thoroughly persuaded, and which in
some places he holdeth not: as Epist. 99. De
sen. ad lit. lib. 12. rap. 33. and 34. Paulius in
his Panegyrical Poem, writeth some things
poetically of Christ's conquest of hell, but di-
rectly of the Patriarchs in hell, and Christ's
descent unto them, he speaketh not, and
therefore is added to make up a number : as
most of the rest are. Cyril hath these words :
" And when now it was time that he should
preach to the spirits in hell, for he came to
have dominion as well of the living as of the
dead, he suflfered death for us. And this suf-
fering proper to our nature, he did undergo
willingly, according to the flesh: although as
God he was life naturally: that hell being
spoiled, and he made the first fruits of them
that sleep, and the first begotten among the
dead, as the Scriptures say, he might give re-
turn to life unto nature." These are the words
of Cyril, which compared with that he writeth
upon Isaias, do come something near your
purpose, to declare his opinion. Gregory also
afiirmeth, that Christ descending into hell,
delivered "only them that believed in him,
while they lived and led a godly life." Of eo
many doctors as be quoted, you see how few
do Hold, that Abraham's bosom was in hell, or
that the fathers were in hell before tliu com-
ing of Christ. And of them that held it, how
some place them in rest, as Augustin and
Chrysostom : some in pain, as Cyril and Plie-

roin, if he speak of their state. Hereby it
appeareth, that this opinion in these ancient
times of the Church, was neither generally
received, nor constantly maintained : the same
writer sometimes being of contrary opinions,
asChrysostom : and sometimes certain, some-
times doubtful, as Augustin. Let the indif-
ferent reader judge therefore, whether you
do impudently adirm your Limhus putrum to
be confessed and jjroved of all the ancient
writers, or we deny it with Purgatory, when
neither of both is found in the Scriptures, and
both by consequence are contrary to the doc-
trine of the Scriptures. We may be bold, I
think, with modesty to say, that Augustin
said of a like forced place: "The first place,
the faithof Catholics by divine authority, hath
beheved to be the kin";doni ot Heaven : the
second. Hell, where all that forsake or re-
ceive not the faith of Christ, shall feel eteriial
punishments. Tertium penitus ignommus, im-
mo nee esse i7i Scripturis saiictis invenimus. The
third place we are utterly ignorant of, yea,
we find in the holy Scriptures that it is not."
Aug. Hf/pognost.

23. llierom's words are these, " We thy
creatures give thanks unto thee, O Christ
our Saviour, but whilst thou didst die, thou
slowest our so mighty adversary. What
was more miserable than man before ? which
being thrown down with the terror of eternal
death, received the sense of living, to this
end only, that he might perish. For death
reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them [
which had not siruied after the likeness of
the transgression of Adam. If Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob were in hell, who was in
the kingdom of heaven ? If thy friends were
under the punishment of Adam offending,
and they which had not sinned, were held
guilty of other men's sins, what is to be
thought of them which said in their hearts,
there is no God? Which are corrupt and
made abomiriable in their wills, which have
declined, being made unprofitable together,
there is not that doth good, no not one. And
if Lazarus be seen in the bosom of Abraham,
in a place of rest, what like hath hell and
the kingdom of heaven ? Before Christ,
Abraham in hell, after Christ, the thief in
paradise. And therefore at his resurrection,
many bodies of them that slept, arose, and
were seen in the heavenly Jerusalem." These
words contain a rhetorical amplification of
the benefit of Christ's death : out of which
we can no more prove, that Abraham and
Lazarus were in hell before Christ, than that
they were damned. As those first words de-
clare, " What was more miserable than
man ?" &c. And that he saith, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob were in hell, he rather al-
ludeth to the phrase of the vulgar interpreter,
who translatelh Sheol that signifieth the
grave, by the word Infernus, which concern-
clh the bodies, rather than the souls, as it
appeareth bv the last words, that many of
them that slept arose at his resurrection.
And yet I will not excuse Hierom altogether
from this opinion, that they which died be-

fore Christ's death, went in soul to hell, by
which he meaneth, that they had not so
clear light of heavenly felicity, as after
Christ's resurrection ; whereof there maybe
SDiiie doubt: but of Limbus patruin devised
by the Papists he knew nothing, nor of
thrift's descent into it. Augustin, Ep. 1)9.
Eiodio. denieih that Abraham and Lazarus
wiih the Patriarchs were in hell, or that
Abraham's bosoiii is any part of hell, saying,
" I could never find in the Scriptures, that
hell is named for good. And if it be never
read in the divine authority, verily that bo-
som of Abraham, that is a habitation of a
certain secret rest, is not believed to be any
part of hell, although even in those very
words of our great master, where he saith,
that Abraham said : Between you and us
there is a great chaos established, I think it
may sufi^iciently appear, that the bosom of
that so great felicity, is not a certain part,
and ns it were a member of hell. For what
is that great chaos but a great distance se-
parating them far asunder, which not only is,
but also is established between them, &-C.
To the same effect he v riteth, De gen. ad
III. 12, <ap. 33.

28. Those that judge Purgatory to be
placed in this ereat distance, are not worthy
the naming. For none of the ancient fathers
for 400 years after Christ knew purgatory, or
durst affirm it. Neither can the Papists agree
where to place it. Where you make it no
doubt, that Christ by his descending delivered
some souls out of Purgatory, there is not one
of the ancient Fathers that will take your part.
Augustin, whom you name, speaketh not of
Purgatory, but of hell. ' But because evident
testimonies do make mention of hell and sor-
rows, no cause cometh to my mind, why our
Saviour should be thought to come thither,
but to save them from the sorrows thereof.
But whether all whom he found in them, or
some whom he judged worthy of that benefit.
1 do not seek, or am not certain. Yet I doubt
not but he was in hell, and performed this
benefit to such as were placed in the sorrows
thereof"." These be Augustin's words : but
you conclude hereof, thathe took none out o.
the hell of the damned : ergo, out of Purga
tory. As though you would enforce Augus-
tin to acknowledse your division of hells,
which it is certain he knew not: for if he had,
he needed not to have doubted, whether
Christ took all or some from thence. And as
for Purgatory, he was never certain of it,
therefore he could not speak so resolutely of
it, to say that he doubted not, but Christ saved
some from the sorrows ot it.

28. There is no doubt bui charity reinain-
eth with the Saints in heaven, but it is ill
proved by e.xamjile of a ilauuicd spirit in hell,
Again, ihai love whirh \\\i-\ li;i .e, is not now
carnal and . |). i i; ' > \\;:i.:> 'I., ir friends in the
fiesli, breiliii 11, l/i; s:.'i;..- , :ii,.' other, but spi-
riiual and ^i-m-nu luwurd all the elect of
God, whom tliey loveas ;lieniselves. Ano-
ther conclusion is: if those in hell have
means to express their desires to Abraham,

101

LUKE.

much rather may tlic living pray to the Saints,
and be heard of them. 1 marvel you do not
infer, if those in hell have such charitable
eflections, much more the Saints in heaven.
But these parabolical speeches prove no
more, than the end of the parable, namely,
that they which in this hfe refuse to credit
the holy Scriptures, may not look to be called
by any e-\traordinary visions or apparitions.
And yet if you would infer rightly, you should
make your argument thus: If damned spirits
to Saints far oti'can express their cogitations,
much more may Saints that dwell together
understand one another. As for men living,
they have no means but by audible voice to
express their desires, which cannot ascend
so high as the Saints in heaven, who also
lack the naturalinsirumenis, whereby such a
voice may be received. But you have a con-
veyance, by the continual i;u.«snge of souls
and Angels, which Augustin thinketh indeed
may give intelligence of some things, but not
of all things, but only so much as it pleaseth
God that they should know. Wherefore it
were good first to know out of the Scriptures,
whether it please God that Saints should
know such affairs of the living. And second-
ly, whether it is his pleasure, that we should
direct our prayers to them. If the Scripture
do reveal neither the one nor the other, how
should vve know what is God's pleasure ?
Yea, seeing we have express commandment,
to call upon God by Jesus Christ in all our
necessities, with promise that we shall be
heard in any request that is meet for us to
attain: we cannot call upon Saints without
breach of God's commandment, and distrust
of his promise. Yea, seeing prayer is a
sacrifice, it is to be offered only to God, and
not to Saints. They therefore blaspheme
God, which give the glory which is proper to
God unto creatures, and not Calvin, who
deniefh that the voice of our prayers upon
earth can be heard of Saints in heaven. As j
for the speeches uttered by Abraham and the I
damned soul, you might as well understand
that they were parabolical rather than histo-
rical, as you acknowledge they were not
uttered wiih corporal instruments.

29. " He might know these things," saith
Augustin, " by the report of Lazarus : not
when they were doing by men alive, lest it
shall be false which the Prophet saith ; Abra-
ham knew us not. Therefore we must
confess, that the dead know not what is done
here, while it is a doing here, but afterward
do hear it, of them which by death go from
hence unto them. Not all things indeed,
but such thiniTs as they are sufi'ered to de-
clare, who also are suffered to remember
those things which it behooveth them to hear,
to whom they declare them. The dead also
may hear some things of the Angels which
are present in those affairs, which are done
here, even so nuich as he to whom all things
are subject, doth judge that every one of
them ought to hear." Thus Augustin wan-
dereth in his imaginations, how' the dead
may know what is done among the living,

whereas he should rather have acknow-
ledged with Chrysostom, that this is a pa-
rable, or with Ambrose, that it is a narration
wherein many things are spoken paraboli-
cally, of which we must not ground any
doctrine not taught elsewhere in the Scrip-
ture. As for example, you may as well say,
that souls have fingers and tongues, and that
elemental water will quench hell fire, as that
Abraham knew what books were written
after his death. But our Saviour Christ's
purpose is not so much to declare what was
spoken to and fro, as what might be an-
swered to the importunate and impudent af-
fections of the damned^ spirit. And albeit
that the doctrine of the Church was compre-
hended in the Scriptures, might be revealed
to Abraham after his death ; yet it foUoweth
not, that Abraham knew all things, as you
affirm the Saints do in beholding the ma-
jesty of God : neither doth Augustin afnrm,
that they knew any more than it pleased God
to let them have the understanding of, either
by dead men's report, or by relation of An-
gels, or by any means whatsoever. More
rightly you should gather as Eusebius Emis-
senus doth of this text. Sujficet enim hos
audire, saith he, si his credere volverint. Om-
nibus enim ad snluitm sujfwiunl soli Mosi el
Prophetarum libri, si tamen heme intelligmitur

Chapter 17.

10. A spvvnnt bv doing his duty to his mas-
ter, des( ivi ill nui s:i much as liberty, much
less^tohi 111- ;ii: -If I's heir, ergo thb servants
of God, (hjiiiL; ill! ir duly, deserve not to be
God's heirs of the kingdom of heaven, but of
his mere favour and. grace he giveth it them.
Of which also he accepteth thein not as ser-
vants, but as friends, yea as sons and heirs,
and their service being not the thousand part
of their duty, also he accepteth, and reward-
etli of his mercy and not of their merit. Nei-
ther doth Paul say, that by cleansing ourselves,
&c. But if a man shall cleanse himself, he
shall be a profitable vessel, because the Lord
will acknowledge him as his owi, in whom
this effect of his Spirit worketh this cleansing.
For it is God that worketh in us both the will
and to be able to do anv such tiring, according
to his good pleasure, Phil. 2. 13. Marcus He-
rernita de iis qiiipulant se nperihus jnstificare:
" The Lord willing to show, that all the com-
mandments are of duty to be performed, and
that the adoption is given by his ovs-n blood,
saith, when you have done' all tiiese things
that are appointed unto you, then say, we are
unprofitable servants, we have done that we
ought to do. Therefore the kingdom of hea-
ven is not the hire of works, but the grace of
the TiOrd prepared for liisfailliful servants."

14. The leprosy was not healed by the
Priest, but declared to be healed, so are sins
declared to be forgiven by the Priest, and not
properly forgiven, Hicrnm in Maflh. 16. And
whereas you say. out of the author of the book
De visit. i7ifirm. that a niiiri must not despise
God's ordijianee, it is true. But both your
author and you, Irave to prove auricular con-

LUKK.

105

fessionto a Prleest, to be God's ordmance. As
you uokriowledge that book to be none of
Augustin's, so you should have done well to
have signifaed, as the truth is, that ihc author
was a man neither learned nor eloquent, and
that those books were most impudently as-
cribed to S. Augtistui: but then your quota-
tion of his authority had been nothing worth.

14. Thoy went not to the Priest to be clouns-
ed, but thut they miirlit declare, that they were
cleansed. And therefore this coUecUon, of

going to the Priest to shrift, is vain and ridicu-
C)us : being nothing else but a beggarly pe-
tition of two principles, namely, that neces.sity

of shrift is God's ordinance, and that there is
a Sacrament of absolution.

19. We see that he was whole before he
gave thanks, therefore faith only made' him
whole, and that his thunks followed his faith,
as an unseparable fruit thereof, not as a cause
of his healing.

23. No man must look to see Christ his ma-
ker in the Popish elevation, or procession.
For Christ shall not come into this world so
often as the Priests will con.secrate, but once
in the end of the world, with majesty ajid
glory.

Chapteh 18.

1. We should pray always, not in voice,
but in mind lifted up to God : as for Popish
c:uionical hours be of superstition, rather than
true devotion. For nil fi i in 's and places, are
allowed for vocal iir:iyi'r. as vmi term it.

8. We say not, that tli;; Cliisreh ever decay-
ed or ever shall decay in faith : although the
Church may err in matters of doctrine, yet
not to leave the faitli in the foundation. But
by your own confession, under the tyranny of
Anticlirist, faith shall be rare, and therefore
the faithfulfew, and not so notorious, among
so many wicked. Such we say was the state
of the Church under the tyranny of the Pope,
which is Antichrist.

13. Not as the Popish priests and people
knock ajid kneel to the idol of the Mass c;ike.
Augustin hath neither such words nor such
moaning.

17. We must not be children in understand-
ing, 1 Corinth. 14. 20. which is the mark you
shoot at,- for you would have men as ready
to believe, whatsoever you tell them in the
doctrine of the Church, as children are ready
to believe every fable.

20. Keeping of God's commandm«nts alone,
doth purchase life everlasting, if a man can
keep them perfectly. But if he once break one
commandment, he hath purchased the curse
of God. Mark 12.

22. This was a commandment to that per-
son, but neither commandment nor counsel to
all Christians : neither is it observed of Po-
pi.sh hypocrites, which sell not all to give to
the poor, but to their friends or cloisters.

30. Life everlasting, is the free gift of God
in Jesus Christ, Rom. 6. 23. Although God
L'iveth it to them that forsake all things for
Christ, not as a reward of merit, but as°a gift
of mercy.

Chapter i'.'.

4. E.xlernal offices done to Christ'.s person
by those that believed in liini, were accepta-
ble to him, otherwise not. Herod desired to
Kcc Christ, Uic multitude followed hun, and
throng(;d him, which after were ready to cry
Crucify iiim. The Pharisees divers times en-
tertained liim, Judas kissed him. But where-
as you say, the external offices of devotion,
&-C. are recommended to us for example : we
know he hath recommended the poor afflict-
ed for his sake to be relieved, but not to be
honoured in all respects as his person was,
of them who acknowledged him to be the
Son of the living God. As for his Sacra-
ments and Saints, retpiire no such external
ojffices, neither are they acceptable to him or
his Saints. As for the pressing of supersti-
tious Papists, to be near the idol of the Mass,
and to see it held up or carried about, con-
trary to the institution of the blessed Sacra-
ment, hath no colour of defence by example
of Zaceheus who desired to see Christ, rio
although Christ were as verily to be seen in
the Sacrament, as he was in the way, seeing
this Sacrament was ordauied to be eaten and
dnmken, not to be gazed and looked upon.

8. Alms and all other deeds of charity, are
a duty of tliankfuhiess for sins forgiven, no
satisfaction, as is manifest by the parable of
the servant, that owed ten thousand talents :
Matth. 6. 18. But in your discourse of re-
stitution, you open a great mystery of iniquity,
whereby the Jesuits. Seminaries, and other
broods of treason and impiety are maintained,
and not of the Pope's niere liberality. For
while you teach restitution to be necessary
which all good men do acluiowledge, you
have found out a case whereby infinite masses
of money may be brought to the Pope's dis-
position, and siich as be factors under him.
For if the parties injured be not known, dead,
or otherwise not to be satisfied, you deter-
mine, that the goods ill gotten, must be be-
stowed on the poor, or upon good uses, and
that is not amiss. But you will not trust the
conscience of the wrong doer, to bestow it as
he list, but according to the advice of your
superior, which is tlie Pope and his clergy,
which have . ure of so:iK'. So i'imi while you
challenge to the Pope -.w.'l mr-tlvos, the
disposition of goods gom.ii \, rnngfuUy, you
take upon you an office fur worse than Judas
exercised, and by this means, ill gotten goods
are worse bestowed, to maintain treasons,
heresies, and treachery, and if need be, open
wars against Christian Princes. But why I
pray you, if the Extortioner, Usiirer, Simoni-
ak, Briber, &c. have the conscience lo re-
store where he cannot to the parties injured,
which ought first to be regarded, may he not
bestow it uprightly and sincerely upon the
poor, or other good uses ? Or, if he lack ad-
vice, why may he not take it of godly and
wise- men, though they have not the charge
of his soul, and thoueh the Pope never hear
of it? But whereas Zaceheus restored four-
fold, it was not for satisfaction of his sins, but
a fruit of his true repentance, whereby he

106

LUKE.

declared, that the injury he had done to any
man, displeased him so much, that he ac-
counted it no better then theft, and therefore
was content to restore, as if he had been con-
victed of theft. Tlierefore, where you come
in with large bestowing upon Christ of all, or
a moiety, or four-fold restitution, despisintr the
rich man's penny, groat, or crown, you plead
well for Corban, and yet you are content to
play small game, and to take even the poor
widow's mite, if she have no more, or not
much more to grive, not contemning the rich
man's pound. But why did not Christ chal-
lenge tlie disposition of this four-fold restitu-
tion, that Judas might have had the fingering
of it? Or by what right may Christ's pre-
tended Vicar challenge that Christ did not?
At least wise, if Christ could not intend it,
why did he not commit the disposition of it to
Peter, as his deputy in those weighty cases
of conscience, reserved to his own jurisdic-
tion ? We know that Hberal alms of a cheer-
ful giver pleaseth God, as a fruit of faith, and
shall have great reward. He is blind that
cannot see, as well in this place, as in divers
other, how under colour of merit, satisfaction,
extinguishing of sin, and last of all, of restitu-
tion, you seek not only to devour poor widow's
houses, but to be lords of rich usurers' and
oppressors' goods.

17. The diversity of the rewards we ac-
knowledge, which are according to the di-
versity of his gifts. For of his mercy he
crowneth his gifts, not our merits. Aug. in
Psal. 70. cone. 1. Otherwise every child may
conceive, that the gain of ten pounds, doth
not deserve the government of ten cities.

Chapter 20.

35. The Greek is none other than your own
translation which you may be ashamed to
correct having in your preface preferred it
tefore the Greek.

35. The Scriptures never affirm, that good
nen by their works, merits or deserts, are
worthy of heaven : but only by the grace of
God in Christ Jesus. In whom they are ac-
cepted as worthy. And that man's works,
done by Christ's grace, do condignly or
worthily deserve eternal joy, it is contrary
to the opinion of the best of the Schoolmen,
who upon the saying of Paul, Rom. 8. " The
sufferings of this life, are not worthy or con-
dign," &,c. invented tlie distinction of Con-
gruu and Condignu. But to examine your
texts of Scripture, which you bring to prove
your new Popery. The first being no canoni-
cal Scripture, must either be understood ac-
cording to the perpetual doctrine of the ca-
nonical Scripture, or else be rejected. By
faith therefore, which is tried. in temptation,
they were found worthy, and not of the merit
of their works. And though he that loveth
hia father more than Christ, is not worthy of
him ; yet it followeth not, that he which loveth
Christ more than his father, is worthy of
Christ. For our sins do properly deserve
God's wrath, but our good works, because
they are not perfect, nor ours, but God's gifts

in us, deserve not to us God's favour and
grace, which is freely given. Thirdly, Paul
prayeth, that the Colossians " may walk
worthy of God," according to his acceptation,
not according to the merit of their good works
in this life, but that at the length, they may
be made worthy in Christ their Redeemer,
by whom they obtain remission of their sins.
Fourthly, Christ showeth not what the faith-
ful are by the merit of their works, but by
acceptation of his grace, through his merits :
therefore they are not called worthy, as
Christ is called worthy, Apo. 5. 12. for it is
said before expressly, ver. 4. "that none was
found worthy to open the book, and to read
it:'" but the words you cite, be Apoc. 4. 11.
and are spoken of the Godhead himself Be-
hold into what horrible blasphemy you run,
while you maintain the merit of man's works
(though done by the grace of Christ) to make
men as worthy of the joys of heaven by them,
as God is of glory, power, and majesty of his
own nature. And whereas you say it is all
one, to be counted worthy, and to be worthy
indeed by the Greek, it is false. For though
in one of our English translations it be once
so translated, peradventure the word (coun-
ted) being omitted through oversight, yet the
wicked are not unjust only by imputation,
but by merit of sin and unrighteousness that
is inherent : whereas the righteous are not
perfectly just, by merit of justice inherent, but
by imputation of the righteousness of Christ
through faith. Neither are we so ignorant of
the Scripture, but that we know the dignity
of God's grace, whereby not only we are ac-
cepted, but also our laSours rewarded, but
altogether of the grace of God, <uid not of the
merit of our works, which are not made
worthy of reward, (for then they should be
perfect) but in the merits and worthiness of
Christ are counted worthy of eternal life-

36. Our Saviour sayeth not, that the Sainfs
are now, but after the resurrection they shall be
equal to the Angels. Neither saith he, in all
things, but in that, they shall have no need or
use of marriage. That miy Saints, as the
Virgin Mary, Jolm Baptist, the Apostles, shall
be above all angels in dignity, the Scripture
ddth not teach, therefore it is presumptuously,
and blindly, though never so boldly affirmed.

Chapter 21.
4. No alms is meritorious in any respect,
nor any alms is acceptable, without true faith
and love. Bede allegorizing this widow to
be the Church, saith,"" The CJiurch casteth
all her living into the gifts of God : which un-
derstandcth even all that she liveth not to be
of her merit, but of God's gift, when she say
eth, God he merciftd to mc n sinner."

37. The godly may take great profit of soli
tariness, though they go not into the wilder
ness. Yet idle in solitariness, is not so good,
as well occupied in the Church.

Chapter 22.
15. Christ our Paschal Iamb was sacrificed
on the cross, where he wa': slain for us, I

LUKE.

107

Cor. 3. 7. A sacrament and memorial of
which oblalion, lie instituted in his last Supper.

]7. Whether there were two cups divided,
or one only whereof Luke speaketh here by
anticipation, certain it is, by Matthew and
Miirk, and the consent of all the ancient
writers, that these words, " I will not drink
of the fruit of the vuie," were spoken of the
cup of the New Testament. And althoufrh
they were not, yot you could not so avoid
the fruit of the vine : for according to your
own exposition, he did drink the fruit ot the
vine now in tiie kingdoniof God, which is the
celebration of the sacrament of his blood in
the New Testament.

19. "As the bread of the Eucharist, after
the invocation of the Holy Ghost, is no more
common bread, but is the body of Christ, so
also this holy ointment is no more bare oint-
ment, nor, it a man had rather so call it, com-
mon ointment, after it is consecrated, but it is
the gracious gift of Christ, which through the
coming of the Holy Ghost to it, by his divi-
nity hath power to work." Cyril, myst.3. As
the ointment is the grace or gift of Christ, so
the Sacrament is the body of Christ by his
judgment, nor any other transubstantiation in
the one, than in the other. Of the verity
of Christ's flesh and blood, we doubt not :
neither do we doubt, but that the same hphu^ eaten
and drunken, do bring to pass, that both Christ is
in us, and we in Christ: which words, because
you deny the sense of them, yciu have gilded
out of Hilary's saying, which declare, that he
speaketh ot a spiritual manner of eating, as
he saith before : " We do truly under a mys-
tery, receive the flesh of his body, and thereby
we shall be one, because the Father is in hini,
and he in us.

19. The former words prove no presence,
but mystical and sacramental, yet that Christ
is truly received of the faithful. The word of
the present tense, which is given, signifieth
that the body of Christ was tlien given to be
offered on the cross, and not in the Sacra-
ment. For Christ offered himself but once,
like as he died but once, and "by one obla-
tion found eternal redemption, and made per-
fect for ever those that are sanctified." Heh.
7. 27;. cap. 9. 12. 25. 26. 23. cap. 10. 10. 12. 14.
Against these plain testimonies of the Scrip-
ture, \yhat blasphemy is it to say, he offered
himself twice, died twice, shed his blood in
sacrifice twice? yea to set up a continual re-
petition of that sacrifice which was singular,
because once offered it was sufficient, which
none could offer but himself, who is an eter-
nal Priest, void of sin immortal, and which he
offered by his eternal spirit." Heb. 7. 24. 26.
27. 23. cap. 9. 14. And therefore the Fathers
of the Primitive Church, do not call the cele-
bration of the Lord's Supper a sacrifice in that
sense, you say, but because a spiritual sacri-
fice of thanksgiving is offered therein : and
unproperly, because it is a memory of the onlv
sacrifice of Christ offered on the (noss. Not
one of th"m saith it is a sacrifice propitiatorv.
or that Christ offered himself twice, or died
twice for us. No not Gregory Nissen, whom

you place in the first rank, because he seem-
eth to say most for you: for his scope is to
prove, that Christ suffered death of his own
will, not by necessity of nature, or malice of
his enemies : and therefore he saith, "he tar-
ried not for the necessity that hung over him
of Judas' treason, nor the violence of the .lews,
as thieves, nor the unjust sentence of Pilate,
that their malice should be the beginning and
cause of the common salvation ol men : but
prevented it by his own purpose, and by a
secret kind of sacrifice, which could not be
seen of men, he offereth himself a sacrifice
for us, and sacrificeth an oblation, being both
the Priest and the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world. When did he
perform that ? when lie gave to his disciples,
being gathered together, his body to be eaten,
and his blood to be drunken, then he openly
declared, that the sacrifice of the Lamb was
already finished. For the body of a sacrifice
is not meat to be eaten, if it be living : where-
fore when he gave his body to be eaten, and
his blood to be drunken, unto his disciples,
his body was already ofleredby a secret and
invisible means, as it pleased the power of him,
that vvorketh the mystery. And his life was
in them in whom the same power laid it
down, and together with the divine virtue that
was joined with it, was in that region of the
heart. Therefore if any man will begin to
measure the time from thence, when the sa-
crifice was made to God by that great High
Priest, which by a mean that could not be ex-
pressed in words, nor seen with eyes, offered
as it were a lamb, he shall not depart from the
truth." These words of Nissen declare, that
Christ, in purpose of his death, offered him-
self to God, before he was slain of the .lews :
not that he instituted a sacrifice to be offered
of others : signifying that the actual oblation
of himself on the Cross, was the execution
of that he purposed before, and not of the
malice of his enemies, .as it was a sacrifice.
Also he showeth that this mystical sacrifice
in purpose and will, was ofl'ered by himself,
and could be offered by none other, no more
than the execution thereof by his actual death.
Therefore, though in show of his words, you
dream of great aid, yet in substance of matter
he helpeth you nothing at all : but if he be
well marked, maketh much against you.
Leo in neither of both the sermons, calleth
the Lord's Supper a sacrifice, but speaketh
of the only sacrifice of Christ, oflfered on the
Cross. In the former he saith, that ".lesus
being certain of his purpose, and void of fear
in the work of his Father's disposition, finished
the old Testament, and did erect a new Pas-
chal : for when his disciples sat down with
him, to eat the mystical Supper, while in
Caiphas' hall they were treating how Christ
might be slain : he ordaining the Sacra-
ment of his body and blood, did teach what
manner of sacrifice should be offered, not
removing from this mvstery, the very traitor."
The Sacrament of his body and blood did
show, that his body and .blood should be that
sacrifice, which he should ofl^er. For eating

108

LUKE.

this bread, and drinking this cup, we show
the Lord's death, wherein liis body and blood
was sacrificed. U j^ou ask of Leo, where,
and when this sacrifice was offered, in the
next sorrnoii lie teileth you : " Christ our Pas-
chal, as the Aiiostle saith, was offered, who
offering himself a new and true sacrifice of
reconciliation to his Father, was crucified not
in tlie ten^ple, the reverence whereof now
was ended, nor within the compass of the

many words declareth, that he meaneth a
sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for the
death of Christ, whereof the Sacrament is a
memorial. " How should the divine imita-
tion," saith he, " beotherwise performed in us ?
if the remembrance of the most holy works
of God, were not always renewed with
praises and sacrifices of the Priests. For
this we do, as the Scripture saith, in the re-
membrance of him." In Ignatius is nothing

city, which was to be destroyed, for the merit ; but the name of sacrifice, which showeth not
of the wickedness thereof, but abroad and i what kind of sacrifice, and therefore if we
without the tents : that the mystery of the should admit that Epistle as authentical, it is
old sacrifices ceasing, a new sacrifice should nothing to the purpose, to or fro. But Justin
be laid on a new altar, and the cross of Christ i doth most expressly say, it is a sacrifice of
should not be the altar of the temple but of ■ thanksgiving, and that Christians have none
the world :" of the same sacrifice he speak- 1 other sacrifice. "For I myself do affirm,
eth in the apostrophe unto Christ. " Now j that prayers and thanksgiving, made by
also, the variety of carnal sacrifices^ceasin", | worthy persons, _ are the only perfect and

acceptable sacrifices to God. For these are

that one oblation of thy body and blood, ful-
filleth the differences of all sacrifices : for
thou art the true Lamb of God, which takest

the only sacrifices that Cliristians have re-
ceived to make, to be put in mind by their

siway the sins of the world, and dost so per- dry and moist nourishment, of the passion
form all mysteries in thyself, that as there is i which God the Son of God, is recorded to
one sacrifice for all oblations, so there is one | have suffered for them." Where is now the
kingdom of all nations." These words of j sacrifice propitiatory of the body and blood of
Leo, as every man may see, .pertain to the Christ ? Likewise Ireneus^ speaking of the

death of Christ, which fulfilled the difference
of all sacrifices : which thing, if it had been
done by a sacrifice in the Supper, the sacri-
fice of his death had been needless. Hesy-
cuius calleth the Lord's Supper a sacrifice,
by allusion untt^ the old sacrifices, and as it is
a memory of the only true sacrifice of Christ's

celebration of the Lord's Supper, calleth
" an oblation which the Church in all the
world doth offer to God, even to him which
giveth us nourishment, the first fruits in the
new testament, according to the prophecy of
Malachi." Which afterward cap. 33. he
im erpretetli to be the prayers of Saints. And

death, saying : " Aaron and his sons, do rightly , cap. 34. he saith, " We offer unto him not as

eat It : tor except Christ entreated by thi
mouth of the Priests, do come himself, and
sanctify the Supper, and dedicate those things
which are done, they are by no means made
the Lord's sacrifice." The same mystery he
saith a little before, to be both bread and
flesh. And lib. 1. he saith, that "the Cross
did make the flesh of Christ, which was nn

to one that hath need, but giving thanks for
his gift, and sanctifying the creature." Ter-
tullian in neither of both the places hath any
more than the name sacrifice, whereby he
meaneth the public prayers and thanksgiving
of the Christians. " We sacrifice," saith he,
" for the Emperor's health, but to our God
antl his, and as God hath commanded, with

apt to be eaten before his Passion : for who 1 pure prayer." Ad. scnpid. Likewise the

desired to eat the flesh of God ? apt for meat
after his Passion. For if he had not been
crucified, we should not eat the sacrifice of
his body. But now we eat that meat, receiv-
ing the remembrance of his Passion." These
places of liesychius, do open his meaning
sufficiently, in what sense he calleth the Sa-
crament a sacrifice. Gregory lived in a cor-
rupt time, more than six hundred years after
Christ, yet that he meaneth not a sacrifice

firoperly, but figuratively, it appeareth in the
alter place by you quoted most plainly. " But
it is necessary, when wc do these things, that
we slay ourselves in contrition of iieart unto
God : for we which do celebrate the rnyste-
ries of our Lord's Passion, ought to follow
that we do. Therefore it shall then be truly
a sacrifice to God for us, when we have made
oursfelves a sacrifice." See you not that it is a
spiritual sacrifice, as the sacrifice of ourselves?
Cyrillus, though not so ancient as the bishop
of Jerusalem, whose title the book of Mysta-
gogic doth carry, yet doth expressly call it " a
spiritual sacrifice. Dionysus calleth it often
itfovpY^av a sacrifice or holy work : yet by

prophecy of Malachi, he interpreteth of spi
ritual sacrifices. Adversus Jiideos : namely
" setting forth of God's glory, praise, and
hymns," Adversus Marc. lib. 3. " and simple
prayer out of a pure conscience,"' lib. 4- Other
sacrifices than these Tertullian never knew
Cyprian in his Epistle to Ccscilius, declareth
sufficiently that the Sacrifice whereof he
speaketh, is only a memorial of thanksgiving
for the Passion of Christ. " Because," saith
he, " we make mention of his passion, in all
sacrifices, for the sacrifice which we offer, is
the passion of our Lord, we ought to do
nothing but that which he did.'' And so it is
called by Rabbanus Maurus, who lived 800
years after Christ, and yet showeth that there
was none other sacrifice in his time. Deiiistit.
Cler. III). 1. cap. 3'2. The celebration of the
Supper therefore is a sacrifice, as it is the
Passion of Christ, namely, a thankful memo-
rial of the sacrifice of Christ's Passion.

Eusebius is as plain as is possible for the
sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, prayers
and memorial of Christ's one sacrifice offered
on the Cross. " A memory of this sacrifice

LUKE.

io:t

wo have received to celebrate, at tlic table l calleth the institution of the Sacrament, "Tini
by the signs of his body, and ot liis liealtbtul I mystery which he expressed for a ligurc^of
blood, according to the divine laws ot the New his passion, and of proving jh
Testament." Again '

onciudetl; the whole
matter of sacriHce in tliese words, " We oiler
sacrifice and incense, when we celebrate the
memory of that great sacrifice according to
the mysteries delivered concerning it. And
oti'ering to God tor our salvation, tlianksCTiv-
ing by devout hymns and prayers : and when
we sacrifice ourselves unto him wholly, and
to his word, tlie higii Priest leaning on him
with body and soul '" What can be plainer
against your blasphemous sacrifice ? Nazi-
anzen only nametti the oblation of unbloody
sacrifice, " by which we are united to Christ,
and made partakers of his passion and divini-
ty," meaniiTcr doubtless the memorial of that
sacrifice. For the propitiatory sacrifice of
live body of Christ, tor the redemption of the
world, he calleth, "The sacrifice that cannot
be sacrificed, or the unofierable sacrifice.
In saiict. pasch. Or. 4. And the Sacrament
itself, he calleth "The figures of salvation."
Ad. inmer. Irasc. Chrysostom, as other an-
cient Fathers do, divers times calleth the Sa-
crament a sacrifice : but in one place he
expoundeth his meaning so plainly, as no man
l)ui he that is overcome with impudence,
^\ ould wrangle any longer about that term.
For resolving that doubt, how Christ is said
to be offered daily, whom the Apostle to the
Hebrews, teacheth to have offered himself
but once, he concludeth in these words, " This
which we do, is done in remembrance of that
wliicli was done. For do this, saith he, in
remembrance of me : we offer not another
sacrifice, as the high priest, but the same al-
ways : but rather we work the remembrance of
a sacrifice." In ep. ad Hth. Horn. 17. Ambrose
in the former place, saith, " Therefore having
in remembrance his most glorious passion
and resurrection from the dead, and ascension
into heaven, we offer tmto thee this undefiled
sacriice, this reasonable sacrifice, this un-
bloody sacrifice, this holy bread and cup of
eternal lite." And in the first chapter of that
same book, he saith, " This reasonable obla-
tion, is the figure of the body and blood of
Christ," nieaning a holy sign for memory of
Christ offered on the cross. In the second
place which you quote, lie saith, " Before a
lamb was offered, nowChii.-i is oUnrd, he
isoffisred as a man, as rer( i\ ii;i; im-Mnn, and
he offereth himself as rri-.-i. iliat he may
remit our sins : but here in an image, there
in truth, where hemaketh intercession for us,
as an advocate with the Father." Mark that
Christ is not offered here in truth, but in an
image of similitude : and that he is not offered
by the Priest, but by himself as he was on the
Cross, seei#g the Sacrament is an image and
representation of that sacrifice, not a sacrifice
in truth.

Hierom also divers times useth the name
of sacrifice, but his meaning was none other,
than of the rest of the fathers in that time.
"Christ," saith lie, " offered in the figure of
his blood, wine and not water." Again he

truth of hi:
body." Here is not* a sacrifice propitiatory
of the body and blood of Christ, but bread and
wine offered m a figure of his body and blood,
and of his Passion. Augustine likewise call-
eth it a sacrifice, but not in that sense you
say. For thus he writeth of it : " Christ is our
Priest for ever according to the order of Mel-
chisedec, which offered himself a sacrifice
for our sins, and hath commended the simili-
tude of that sacrifice to be celebrated in the
remembrance of his Passion, that the same
thing which Melchisedec offered to God,
now we see to be offered in the Church of
Christ throughout the whole world." Ociog.
trium qwest. 61. Now choose whether you
will say, that Melchisedec offered praise and
thanksgiving, or bread and wine. For the
natural body of Christ he did not offer. But
the same that Melchisedec offered, ihe
Church doth offer, similitude of the sacri-
fice of Christ's death. Again he saith, "This
is the sacrifice of the Christians, we being
many, are one body : which also the Church
frequenteth in the Sacrament of the aliar
known unto the faithful, where it is showed
unto her, that in the same oblation which she
offereth, she herself is offered. De cimlnle
Dei, lib. 20, can. G. Again, speaking of the
sacrifice of Christ's death, he saith, "He^
himself is the priest that offereth, he himself
is the oblation, of which thing he would the
daily sacrifice of the Church to be a Sacra-
ment, seeing he is the head of his own body,
and she is the body of the same head. As
well she by him, as he by her accustomed to
be offered." Cap. 20. And most plainly against
Faustus the Manichee. Lib. 20, cap. 2\. S(cJ
quid agam, Sfc. " But what shall I do, aid
when shall 1 make manifest to so great blind-
ness of the heretics, what force that has whicli
is sung in the Psalms. The sacrifice of prai se
shall glorify me, and there is the way where 1
will show my saving health : The flesh and
blood of this sacrifice before the coming of
Christ, was promised by sacrifices of simili-
tudes: in the passion of Christ, it was given by
the truth itself, aftei the ascension of Christ, it
is celebrated by the Sacrament of remem-
brance." Much more hath Augustin in other
places, but this is sufficient to declare, in
what sense he calleth the celebration of the
Lord's Supper a sacrifice.

Fulgentius also, which followed him much
in doctrine, thereof thus writeth : " Hold this
most steadfasdy, and doubt nothing that Cod
be the only bogotttn Son, the Word, b ■ ng
made flesh, offered himself for us, a sacrf-
fice and oblation of sweet savour to God : to
whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost,
by the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Priests, m
the time of the Old Testament beasts were
sacrificed : and to whom now, that is in
the time of the New Testament, with the
Father and the Holy Ghost with whom he is
one God, the holy Catholic Church ceasetli
not to oiler the sacrifice of bread and wine

LUKE.

in faith and love. For in those carnal sa-
crifices there was a figuring of the flesh oi
Christ, which he himself being wiihout sin,
was to offer tor our sins, and of that blood
which he was to shed for the remission of
our sins. B ut in this sacrifice there is
thanksgiving and comntemoration of the flesh
of ChrTst, which he oflered for us, and of the
blooa which the same God shed for us."
Mark that Christ is not oflered to God his
Father, but the sacrifice of bread and wine to
Christ, with the Father and the Holy Ghost,
for thanksgiving and remembrance of the
death of Christ.

Your next quotation is, of all the Greeks
upon the 9th to the Hebrevvs. For Chrysos-
tOMi's judgment you have it before, that the
oblation of the Church, is rather a remem-
brance of a sacrifice, than a sacrifice properly.
Theophylact, following him, Heb. fO, saith,
" Here ariseth a question, Whether we also
do offer unbloody sacrifices? I answer. We
do: but we keep a remembrance of the Lord's
death, and it is one, not many sacrifices, see-
ing he was offered but once. For we offer
tlie same Christ always, nay rather we keep
a memory of that oblation, wherein he offered
himself, as though it were done now." These
words are manifest, that it is called a sacri-
fice figuratively, and unproperly, which is ra-
ther a memorial of the sacrifice offered by
Christ himself.

Oecumenius with all the Greeks, out of
whom he gathered his commentary, hath in a
manner the very same words : And saith fur-
ther, that Gregory in his Apologtlico saith,
That "the mysteries w'hich now are done
and practised, are exemplars of greater mys-
teries :" meaning redemption purchased by
the death and passion of Christ.

Primasi s also agreeing with Chrysostom,
and the other Greek interpreters, aiiswereth
to the same ol)iection, Whether our Priests
do not daily offer sacrifice? "Truly," saith
he, "they ofl^cr, but in the remembrance of
his death ; and because we sin daily, and have
need daily to be cleansed, because he can die
no more, he hath given us this Sacrament of
his body and blood, that as his passion was
the redemption and absolution of the world :
so this ob-lation might be redemption and ab-
solution to all that offer in true faith, and have
good intention." Again he saith, iMiid, ^c.
"This is not repeated for the infirmity there-
of, because it could not give perfect health,
but in remembrance of the passion of Christ,
as he himself said, Do this in remembrance of
me." His meaning ilierefore is, that our faith
being confirmed bjf this Sacrament of the
body and blood of Christ, applieth the benefit
of Christ's passion to the forgiveness of our
daily offences, and therefore is not properly a
sacrifice, nor a repetition of the sacrifice of
Christ, but a celebration of the remembrance
of Christ's death, according to Christ's own
instituiinn. In which there is no one wird
that soupdcih toward the setting up of a sa-
crifice : though the celebration of the Supper
wore commotily called so.

The council of Nice, 1, nameth oblatim ri;i,l
offering in divers canons, but in none other
sense, than the fathers before cited.

The council of Ephesus, in the Epistle to
Nestorius use more words, and therefore do
more plainly express their meaning : " Fore-
showing the death of the only begotten Son
of God, that is of Jesus Christ according to
the flesh, and likewise confessing his resur-
rection, and ascension into heaven, we cele-
brate in the Churches, the unbloody service
of that sacrifice, so also we come to the mys-
tical blessings, and are sanctified, being made
partakers of the holy body and precious blood
of Christ the Redeemer of us all," «fcc. It
were hard to gather a sacrifice propitiatory
of these words, which show how the service
of the sacrifice is celebrated, namely, by
preaching of the Lord's death, resurrection,
and ascension, and participation of the holy
Sacrament of the very body and blood of the
Son of God.

14. The Council of Constantinople the 6th,
cap. 32, nameth the unbloody sacrifice, as the
celebration of the Communion was commonly
called, whereby was meant, that it was iiot
properly a sacrifice, nor a sacrifice propitia-
tory for a sin, seeing without shedding of
blood, there is no remission of sin, Heb. 9,
22. And also it findeth fault with l;hem, which
alleging Chrysostom's authority, in his expo-
sition of Matthew's Gospel, offered wine only
in the holy Table, and did not mingle water
with it. By the oblation of wine, we may see
they were far from a Propitiatory sacrifice of
the body and blood of Christ.

The second Council of Nice, though it
were a collection of an idolatrous unlearned
company of Greekish Prelates, gathered to
serve the idolatrous humour of Irene the
wicked Empress, yet approving that counter-
feit Epistle of Athanasius, wherein mention is
made of blood that flowed out of an image of
Christ, that was crucified at Berytus : 'They
allow also these words of it; "'This is that
blood of our Lord, which is said to be found
among many men, neither must true Catho-
lics think otherwise, than that which is writ-
ten of us, as though any part of the flesh and
blood of Christ, might be found in the \yorld,
but that which is daily made spiritually in the
altar by the hands of the Priest." So that al-
though against the Council of Ephesus, they
speak grossly of the presence of Christ in the
Sacrament, yet they mean not carnally, as
the words do sound, but as appeareth by these
words of the Epistle, they mean that the flesh
and blood of Christ is present spiritually.

As for the Councils of Lateran, Constance,
Florence, and Trent, being late chapters of
heretical and blasphemous Papists, they are
not to be alleged in any controvetsy between
us seeing they were gathered by heretics,
especially and purposely against the faith of
the Catholic Church.

19. In these words authority and com-
mandment is given to the Church, to cele-
brate the mystery of the Lord's Supper: but
the special calling, ordaining, ana appoint-

LLKi:>.

Ill

ing of the Apostles and tlu'ir successors, to
be ministers ot the Ciiurch was after his re-
surrection : as appeureth Malt. 28, Mark 1(>,
Luke 24. But most expressly .lolni 20. But
to make his body, or to ofier it in sacrifice,
tliere is no authority given by these words,
for Christ instituted a Sacrament, not a sa-
crifice, of his body and blood. For the faith-
ful being made perfect by the only oblation
of Christ otl'ered by himself on the Cross,
need none other sacrifice, but a memorial
and Sacrament thereof, to confirm their faith
it) the remission of sins, purchased by his sa-
crifice. And although the Paschal lamb was
slain before it was eaten, yet Christ did in-
stitute the Sacrament of his body and blood,
before he was slain, nevertheless to be con-
tinued as a perpetual memorial of his death.
As the Sacrament of the Paschal lamb was
instituted before the deliverance of the peo-
ple out of Kgypt, yet to be a perpetual remem-
braiice of that deliverance, which figured the
spiritual deliverance of all the church, from
the tyranny of Satan and the power of hell.
Now whereas you quote divers ancient fa-
thers, to prove that Christ by these words,
" gave commission and authority to the Apos-
tles, and to all Priests that be their successors,
to sacrifice his body. Concerning the first,
Dijonis. eel. Hierarck. rap. 3. hath no word of
any such matter : and to go further with you,
not in all his works. Ireneus saith, '"rhat
Christ giving counsel to his disciples, to ofTer
unto God the first fruits of his creatures, not
as though he had need, but that they thein-
selves sliould be neither unfruitful, nor un-
thankful: he took that bread which is of the
creature, and giving thanks, said, This is
my body. And the cup likewise, which is of
that creature that is with us, he confessed to
be his blood, and taught the new oblation of
the New Testament, which the Church re-
ceiving from the Apostles, ofTereth to God in
all the world, to him which giveth nourish-
ment unto us, the first fruits of his gifts in the
New Testament, whereof in the 12 Prophet.?,
Malachi did foreshow," 6.:c. This prophecy
of the sacrifice, afterward he doth expound
of prayers, thanksgiving, praises, and works
of charity, cap. 33. and 34. His words de-
clare, that in his time, bread and wine were
offered to God, that is, dedicated to the holy
use of die Sacrament, whereby thanksgiving
I)rayers, and praises, were offered to God,
and charily among Christians confirmed.

Cyprian in that Epistle to Cecilius, con-
tendeth earnestly for wine to be offered in
the cup, as Christ did institute the Sacrament
in wine and not in water. But by the obla-
tion and sacrifice, he moaneth none other-
wise than Ireneus doth, and as we have
shovycd in the section next before : not a
sacrifice of his natural body and blood.
" I would have thee know," saith he,
"that we are admonished that in offering the
cup, the Lord's tradition be observed, and
that nothing else be done, but that our Lord |
ilid first for us. That the cup which is offered !
in remembrance of him, he offered mixt with 1

wine. I'ur wneu Christ saith, I am the true
vine, the blood of Christ verily is not water
but wine. Neither can the blood of him by
whom we are redeemed and quickened, seem
to be in the cup, when to the cup is wanting
wine, by which the blood of Christ is show-
ed, which i.s set iorih by llie Sacrament and
testimony of all the Scriptures. The cup, the
wine, the bread, is offered in remembrance of
Christ, not his body and blood properly sa-
crificed or offered." Clirysostoni, Horn. 17.
in Ep. ad Hell, as we have declared before,
saith, it is rather a memory of a sacrifice in-
deed, which the Church offereih, " An ex-
emplar of that which was offered once, and
offered lUito the holy of holies. Ambrose, in
Psahn 38th, saith, " Let us Priests follow him
as we may, and offer a sacrifice for the peo-
ple," &c. But in cap. 10. ad Heb. he hath the
very words that Chrysostom wriieth upon
the same text: answering the objection how
the Church offereth a sacrifice, when the sa-
crifice of Christ once offered, was sufficient.
" This that we do, is done in remembrance of
that which hath been done. For do you this,
saith he, in the remembrance of ine, we offer
not another sacrifice as the high Priest, but
the same always, but rather we work the re-
membrance of a sacrifice."

19. The text and the ancient doctors are
so plain in this case, tiiat you are constrained
to confess, that tliis sacrament is a lively re-
presentation, exemplar, and form, and also a
figure of Christ's sacrifice upon the Cross.
"But it is so a figure ot that sacrifice," you
say, "that it is the selfsame body sacrificed
and immolated in the sacrament, under the
shapes of bread and wine." This saith none
of the ancient Fathers, whichsay, it is an ex-
emplar, a commemoration, a figure of that sa-
crifice, no not Chrysostom and Ambrose,
whom you quote, but as I have set down
their words before. It is so the same sacri-
fiice, that it is rather a remembrance of a sa-
crifice, then a sacrifice indeed, or properly.
But here you accuse our perversity or igno-
rance, that think it therefore not to be
Christ's body, because it is a memory or
figure of his body. For to be a figure of a
thing, and yet the thing itself, vou say, re-
pugneth not. Your ignorance, although it be
ffreat, 1 will not here accuse, but your impu-
dence, that shame not to say, that to be a
Relative, and the Correlative of the same at
the same time, and in the same respect, re-
pugneth not. I think Sorbon itself, would hiss
out this monstrous absurdity : For you may
as well say, that Isaac to be Jacob's father,
and .lacob's son also, repugneth not.

But you have examples to demonstrate the
matter, that a thing may be a figure of itself.
First you say, " Christ the Son of God, is a
figure and character of his Father's person,
being yet of the selfsame substance. If you
had been well jerked when you were lads
for giving the Correlative to his relative, you
would have said thus : The son of God is a
fiigure or character of his father's person, yet
he is the selfsame person that his Father is

112

LUKE.

And if you will abide by tliis conclusion, your
example may serve to prove : That this is a
figure of Christ's body and sacrifice, yet is it
also the sellsame body and sacrifice. But it
you dare not affirm so much, lest you should
tall into flat sabcllianism, what perversity
shall I say, or ignorance, or impucience is it,
to frame your example, so, as it is nothing
like to the matter which it is brought to de-
monstrate ?

Your second example is, Christ's body
transfigured in the Holy Mount, was a figure
and resemblance of his person glorified in
heaven : Why say you not of his body glori-
fied in heaven : that the relation may be
right and projjer ? but because you seek to
run away under a mist of doubtful words. But
who will grant unto you, that Christ's body
there transfigured, was a figure of his body
glorified, when not his body, but the glorious
shape which then he took upon him, was a
figure or part of his divine and heavenly glo-
ry, wherewith he is now invested in heaven.
For his face now shineth not as the sun, but
ten thousand times more bright than the sim :
his body is not now covered with garments
white as light, but shineth most gloriously as
the body of the Son of God.

A third example you have. That the sacri-
fice is no less a trv+e sacrifice, because it is
commemorative of Christ's Passion, than
those of the Old Testament were less true,
because they were prefigurative of the same.
Indeed it wantelh nothing but Christ's insti-
tution, but that it might be a true sacrifice.
For if the Sacrament had been ordained by
Christ to be a sacrifice commemorative, as
they were to be sacrifices prefigurative, it had
been as true a sacrifice as diey : and yet
being commemorative, as it is, though not a
sacrifice, it could not have been tiie same
thing whereof it is commemorative, no more
than those sacrifices were the same sacrifice,
or thins, whereof they were prefigurative.

20. The Greek maketh nothing for very
blood in the chalice, but speaketh of the blood
of Christ, shed upon the cross: for in the cha-
lice it was not shed, but the cup is the New
Testament, in the blood of Christ, shed upon
the cross, or the redemption of the world.

20. The Apostle to the Hebrews, chap. 9,
doth most plainly declare, the figure of the
sprinkling of blood by Moses, Exodus 24, to
be accomplished in the sacrifice of Christ's
death, and bloodshedding once ofiered upon
the cross: whereof the Sacrament is a me-
morial, and no sacrifice. Therefore it is a
most wilful perverting of the sense of the Holy
Ghost, to draw those words of Christ, This
cup is the New Testament in my blood, to a
second sacrifice. And whereas you say, he
alludetii unto the words of Moses, Exodus 24,
it ia more like, that he alludcih to the words
of Moaes used about the institution of circum-
cision and ihc Paschal lamb. Gen. 17. Exod.
12, which were sacraments as this is. The
diirurencc you make of the standing piece or
goblet ol Moses, as you call it, and the chalice
of Christ, is ridicidous. By which vou would

make fools believe, that Christ used not a
common cup or pot, usual to be drunk in at
meat, but a consecrated chalice, such as you
occupy at Mass. Whereas the CJreek word
used by all the three Evangelists, and Paul,
sigmfieth none other but an usual drinking
cup or pot, whether you will call it a standing
piece, bowl, goblet, or chalice. Wherefore
your conclusions are such, as you are accus-
tomed to make, either upon none, or upon
false premises, or upon ti-ue premises most
absurdly and brutishly interred, as in this
place. The cup is the New Testament in
Christ's blood : Er^o, Christ's blood in the
chalice, is the blood of sacrifice. Whereas
by true logic, it followeth after this manner,
that all the Papists in the world are not able
to avoid. The cup is the New Testament in
Christ's blood. The natural blood of Christ,
is not the New Testament in Christ's blood.
Therefore the cup is not the natural blood of
Christ, which was .sacrificed on the cross, but
a sacrament and holy memorial thereof^ In
the celebration whereof, a part of Christian
religion doth consist, as in the celebration of
baptism. And by these sacraments, in that
they be seals of faith, the benefits of Christ's
passion are applied unto us, through the work-
ing of the Holy Ghost, but not by sacrificing
again the body and blood of Christ. Yet
doth not the sovereign worship of God in the
New Testament, consist principally in any
external religion, service, or sacrifice, ofTered
by any mortal creature, but as our Saviour
Christ saith expressly, in spirit and truth
John 4. 23.

20. The relative, which, in the Greek, as
well as in the Latin, is governed of the noim
blood, and not of the word chalice. For the
relative must, according to true grammar, be
referred to that which went next before it in
construction and composition, which is the
name blood, and not the word chalice. ■ The
Greek, as it is now read indeed, following the
Hebrew phrase, which is usual in the Holy
Scripture of the New Testament, goeth some-
what from the common phrase of the Greek
tongue, but of Basil was read, without all
controversy, according to the common Greek
construction. And therefore all your trifling,
of the real presence, and true sacrificing, is
nothing but vain and unlearned insultation.
For no ancient writer, for a thousand years
after Christ, or more, ever observed any such
matter out of this text. And therefore,
whereas you say, that Beza turneth himself
roundly upon the Holy Evangelist, charging
him with solecism or false Greek: without
all conscience and honesty you slander him
rnost impudently. For he nameth not sole-
cism of false Greek, but solcccophanes, which
is an appearance of incongruity, where there
is none indeed. Except you would betaken
forsuch ignorant asses, tliat you know not the
diflcrcncc, of solcrdsmus and solaecophanes, your
malicious slander can have none excuse. In-
deed, he saith, that these words might be
added to tlie text, out of the other Evangelist.*,
as in divers other places both he and others

LUKE.

113

have observed, by conference oi' copies, and
testimony of the ancient Fathers : Yet he
siandeth not upon this conjecture, but that
either the ancient reading was, as Basil wit-
nesseth, or else, that it is a Hebraism in the
same sen^e. And where he saiih, it cannot
be truly said, neither of the clialice itself,
nor of the contents thereof, that it was shed
for us : you affirm, it is to give the lie to the
blessed Evangelist, or to deny this to be
Scripture. But I pray you, consider, upon
what ground you charge him with such open
blasphemy. Do you hold indeed, that the
chalice, in proper speech, was, or could be
shed for us? IN ay, the contents you will say ;
well, there is one figure granted. And for the
contents, shall wc not believe the word ofj
Christ, which saiih this cup is the New Tes-
tament? Yes doubtless. Why then it foUovv-
eth, that the New Testament is the contents i
of the cup. Was the New Testament shed
for us, or could it be shed for us ? No verily.
Therefore Beza without giving tlie lie to the
Holy Evangelist, might say, that it cannot be
saici in proper manner of speaking either of
the cup, or of the contents thercot, that it was i
shed tor us. And yet acknowledge, those
words to be Scripture, being referred to the [
noun, blood, which was indeed shed for us [
on the cross : So miserable be your flights,
and shifts of falsehood, forged upon iinpudent
lies, and malicious slanders, gross ignorance,
and unlearned collections. God be praised,
who daily maketh your folly and madness, \
more and more manifest to all men; 1

24. The Apostles were not void of the
Spirit of God, for no man can acknowledge !
Jesus to be the Lord, but in the Spirit: al-
though they were not so plentifully endued
with the gifts of the Holy Ghost as afterward.

3L Our Saviour Christ, by these words
giveth no superiority to Peter, but foreshow-
eth his infirmity, greater thajt of the rest, in
respect whereof, ne had need of a special
prayer to uphold him, that his faith should not
fail in that great temptation : Admonishing
him, what his duty was, after he had experi-
ence of his own frailty, and of the comfort of
God's grace, to strengthim his brethren, by
assurance of God's mercy, whereof he had so
great trial in himself And as concerning ilie
Pope's supremacy, or prerogative, not to err,
I say, as in the like collections of the Papist.
All the Logicians that arc, or ever were, can-
not rightly conclude indue form of syllogism,
either the one or the other, out of the words
of this text. Which is sufficient to cotifute
all the large discourse that followeth. Never-
theless, 1 will examine all the arguments, as
they lie in order, fie calleth Peter by name
twice, not to put them out of doubt, that he is
their superior, but to admonish him seriously,
in what danger he specially, and the rest gen-
erally, were through the mahce of Satan, and
their own weakness, which was not yet known
unto them. "And lest the eleven Apostles,"
saith Bedc, "should glory, or attribute unto
their own strength, that they almost alone,
among so many thousand Jews should be said
15

to have contiimed with the Lord in tempta-
tions, he showeth, that they also, if they had
not been protected by the aid of the Lord,
assisting them, might have been broken in
pieces with the rest, through the same storm
or tempest." Neither doth any of the ancient
Fathers lor five hundred years after Christ,
gather out of this place Peter's superiority or
prerogative of not erring: and although they
had done so, yet their collection slioufd have
had no ground out of the words of the text.
Prosjjer cont. Cans. cap. 35. Drogo dc sacram.
DominicKB passion. Bernardi conlempoTantus.
Basil citeth this text to prove that we ought
to pray for them that are sought in temptations.
You say " he prayed specially for Peter, to
this end that his faith should never fail, and
that he being once converted, should after that
forever confirm, establish, or uphold the rest
in their faith." But the truth is, he prayed
specially for Peter, because Peter specially,
and through his greater presumption, was in
danger of greater temptation : that in so grie-
vous a fall, he should not through weakness
of faith,- fall awa}', for that signiheth the word
cKXtiirtii', but be converted, and become an ex-
ample of God's mercy, to all penitent sinners.
" As I," saith Bcde, speaking in the person of
Christ, " by prayers protected thy faith, lest by
temptation of Sat.an it should have failed : So
thou also remember,to lilt up and comfort thy
weak brethren, by example of thy repentance,
lest peradventure they should despair of par-
don." In these words therefore, is taught the
duty of Peter, and of every Christian man,
that hath tasted of God's proiection in temp-
tation : to use his example and experience, to
the comfort of others, no prerogative granted,
that Peter from henceforth shall never err,
nor any that succeedeth in his chair at Rome,
whereof here is no mention in the world.
Neither was Peter ever after this, appointed
to confirm, establish, or uphold the rest of the
Apostles in their faith othevwtj^e than a fel-
low member of charity to comfort them, in
this present danger, or in any like. And as
for the co;ifinnation, establishing, or uphold-
ing of the rest of the Apostles in the truth of
the gospel, they received it of the Spirit of
Christ, equally with Peter, and not of the pre-
rogative of Peter's chair. Yea when Peter
walked not aright according to the truth of
the Gospel, in a contention being stirred up,
by Cerinthus the heretic, as Epiphanius testi-
fieth, at Antioch in his own See, he was repre-
hended openly by Paul, and so his faith, which
began to waver, was confirmed by another
Apostle, as the faith of the rest at another
time was by him. Therefore Peter, bythesg
words, was not made superior over the rest
of the Apostles, and the whole Church : nei-
ther had any singular privilege, by Christ's
prayer and promise, that his faith should
never fail. Christ pravetli for ail his Apostles,
that God would sandifii them in hi.t truth,yea for
all that .''hould btliivc n; him 1lir(iv<;h their preach-
ing, yet hath not every true Ciiristian such a.
privilege, but that he may err from the true
faith, though not finally unto condemnntion.

114

LUKE.

Further, where you say that none other
Apostle, Bishop, or Priest, niay challenge any
such prerogative, either of his office or per-
son, otherwise, thnn joining in faith with Pe-
ter, and by holding of him ; In part it is true.
For neither Peter, nor any other rnan hath

') . • any such prerogative, as you surmise. But
Paul the A])ostle, neither joining with Peter,
nor holding of Peter, was bold to reprehend
Peter, Barnabas anduthers, upon assurance
of the truth of the gospel, which he had
learned by revelation, according to the Scrip-
ture, and to convince him of error and dis-
simulation, before all men. That he joined
not with Peter in that his error, it is manifest
by his reprehension. That he held not of
Peter, he declareth as plainly, saying, that he
was an Apostle of Christ, neither of men nor
by men, Galat. 1, 1, mid 12, but by Jesus Christ

, immediately, as the rest of the Apostles

were. The Scripture therefore, nothing fa-
vouring this false gloss, you come to the
Doctors : and first to Leo, himself a Bishop
of Rome, and a great maintainor of the dig-
nity of his See, therefore somcwiiat partial
in this case, and rejected in the general
Council of Chalcedon, for the supremacy
which he laboured to establish. But what
saith Leo ? Verily his words do not a little

' extol Peter's dignity, yet not so much as

you would bear us in hand, by your false
translation. The words of Leo be these :
"Prayer is made specially for the faith of
Peter, as though the state of the other should
be more certam, if the mind of the principal
were not to be overcome. In Peter there-
fore, the strength of all is defended, and the
aid of God's grace is so ordered, that the
steadfastness, which by Christ is given to
Peter, by Peter should be conferred to the
Apostles." In these words Peter is neither
called the head, nor said to be invincible.
But if we shall further ask of Leo, how this
steadfastness is conferred by Peter to the
rest of the Apostles, and to tlie wliole Church,
he will not answer, by his successor the
Pope ; but, " confirming us by his exhorta-
tion, and not ceasing to pray for us, that we
be not overcome by any temptation." And
this he saith not only for himself, as Pope
and Peter's successor, but for all the people
of God and specially for the citizens of
Rome, where Peter sat and died, as in the
words following it is manifest. Therefore
Leo out of these words of Christ, galhereth
no such superiority or prerogative of the
Pope, in not erring, as you would enforce out
of him, but without any warrant of his words
or meaning.

Next fblloweth Auffuxlin, lib. Q. Nov. text.
Q. 75, an author worthy to avouch such a
matter, namely, a counterfeit Augustin, for
a false interpretation, which no man but more
than beastly impudent, will ascribe unto Au-
gustin the ancient father whom neither
in words, nor matter, this writer doth any
thing reHeiiible, but rather writeth many
things directly against Augustin. And yet
is falsified both in words and sense : for

these are his words : " He prayed for Peter,
and did he not pray for James and John, that
I speak not of the rest ? It is manifest, that
in Peter all are contained. Because he saith
in another place, 1 pray for them Father,
whom thou hast given unto me, and I will
that where I am, they also be with me."
These words, if the authority of the writer
were any thing worth, are against the pre-
rogative of Peter, showing that the prayer
of Christ, extended to all the Apostles as
well as to Peter. But the circumstance of the
text is plain that it was sjpecially for Peter,
in respect of his greater infirmity and danger.
Thirdly, Ambrose is brought in, writmg,
but no place quoted where, lest your falsi-
fication and false collection might more ea-
sily be espied. But by likelihood you mean
Enar. in Ps. 43, where he hath these words,
" The adversary is compelled to tempt the
holy ones of the Lord to his own loss. For
while he tempteth them, he maketh them
better, that he which is tempted, may instruct
others, who seemed weak to his own self.
Finally Peter is set over the Church, after he
hath been tempted of the devil. And therefore
our Lord signifieth before hand, what thing
that is, that afterward he chose him a pastor
of the Lord's flock. For to him he said : But
thou after thou be converted, confirm thy
brethren. I'herefore the holy Apostle Peter,
w-as converted to his amendment, or to be-
come good corn, and was sifted as wheat,
that with the Saints of the Lord, he might be
one bread, which should be nourishment unto
us. For while we read the acts of Peter,
and know the precepts of Peter, he is made
unto us a nourishment unto eternal life and
salvation." Here is Peter made an example
of the profit, that the Saints reap by tempta-
tion, but no privilege of supremacy or prero-
gative of not erring, ascribed either to his
person, or office, or succession. But you
argue that the Church w'as to be preferred,
no less afterward, than in the Apostle's time,
therefore the privilege was granted to the
office in succession, and not to the person of
Peter. Thanks be to God, the Church's pre-
servation is otherwise provided for by Christ
the only true head thereof, and needeth not
the Pope's supremacy, or infallibility, as is
manifest by the Scripture. Eph. 4, 11, 12, 13,
&.C. This argument therefore, consisteth of
two vile sophisms : the one a beggarly peti-
tion of the whole controversy, that Peter had
such a privilege and prerogative, as cannot
ever be proved out of the holy Scriptures:
the other a false assignation of that to be
cause, which is no cause at all of the
Church's preservation. Yet you are not
ashamed to say, " Hereupon all the fathers
apply hisprivilege of not failing, andofcon-
firmmg others in faith, to the Roman Church
and I'eter's successors in the same." And
yet you are not able to bring any one of the
ancient and authcntical Fathers, that lived
within four or five hundred years after Christ,
that cither acknovvledgethsuch a privilege of
the Romish Church, or of the Bishops thereof)

1,1 'KE.

115

or that gather any sucli thing out of this text.
Cyprian saitli, " To the Konians, whose faiili
by commenuationot' the Ajjosiles is praised
(perfidia) falscliood or false dealing can liavc
no access." Ilr >i>; :iK( ih ;iy;aiiist the impu-
dence of cerlaiii Im n in -. ilsit being driven
out of Africa, siun ht , im i lainnicnt at Rome,
which the godly c:!iurcii there would not
consent unto. Cyprian therefore speaketh
not of the Romans absolutely, but those whose
faith was praised by the Apostle, from which
faith if they swerved, as they confess them-
selves, it should be to their greater shame.
Ep. 31. Again he speaketh not of error in
faith, but of false dealing, and neglect of
discipline. For if Cyprian had been per-
suaded, that the Church and Bishop of Rome
could not err, he would never have so openly
dissented from them as he did in the question
of rebaptizing of them, that were baptized
by heretics ; in which he with the Council of
Africa, did openly oppose himself, against
Stephanus, Bishop of Rome, and the Church
of Rome also, as many other Bishops of the
East Church did, declaring thereby that the
Bishop of Rome's authority, in those times
was not acknowledged, nor his privilege of
not failing in faith, once heard of. And as for
this present text, of Christ's prayer for Peter,
it is so far off, that Cyprian could gather any
prerogative of the Bishop of Rome out of it,
that he doth extend it generally, to all the
members of Christ : " Yea he prayed so ear-
nesily for us," saith he, " that we read in
another jjlace : And the Lord said to Peter :
behold batan hath desired to toss you, as
wheat : but I have prayed for thee, lest thy
faith should fail. If then he laboureth, and
watcheth and prayeth for us, and our offences,
how much more ought we to be earnest in
prayer, and to pray, and first of all to entreat
our Lord himself, then by him to satisfy God
the Father." Episl. 8. Again he writeth :
" Our Lord prayed, and he prayed not for
himself, but what should he entreat for him-
self bein^ innocent : but for our offences, as
he himself declareth, when he saith to Peter:
Behold Satan hath desired to toss you as
wheat, but I have prayed for thee, lest thy
faith should fail " This is Cyprian's judg-
ment upon this text, which proveth, that he
acknowledgeth no such privilege or prero-
gative, as is now-a-days pretended.

As for Bernard who lived almost a thou-
sand years after Cyprian, when Antichrist
had openly invaded the tyranny, it is no mar-
vel, though he were deceived, to yield to
such a prerogative, as none of the ancient
Fathers of the Primitive Church would ever
acknowledge. As for the distinction that the
Pope may err personally, but not judicially,
or definitively, is vain, seeing neither of
bpth parts, can be proved out of the Scrip-
tures. Neither had the high priesthood, or
Moses' chair any such privilege, in respect
of their ofTice, that the high priest could not
err: seeing, the contrary is manifest in the
Scripture. Vria the high priest did set up
an idolatrous altar in the Lord's Ten^plc, and

didoflersacrilice uponii. '-iliig- 1(3. Eliashib,
through ignorance of God's law, contracted
iifiinity with Tubia the Ammonite, and made
him a great chamber in the house of the
Lord. Nechnn. 13, 14. Caiphas was a Sad-
ducee, and cuiidemned Christ. But admitting
your distinction, it is to be proved that Bi-
shops of Ronic have erred iiidicially, and de-
finitively. The Bishop of Rome in Tertul-
liaii's time erred not only personally, but also
definitively, when he acknowledged the pro-
phecies of Montnnus, Prisea, and Maximilla,
and gave letters of peace to the heretical
Churches of Asia and Phrygia, which had
been excommunicated by his predecessor, as
witnesseth Tertullian, cinlra. Fraxeavi. Li-
berius erred not personally, but judicially
and definitively, when he subscribed to the
Arians, as testifieth Athanasius. Apolog. 2.
Ad solUaire vitam agentes, Eieronymn. in Ca-
talogo. Damnsun in pcmiijicali. Marianus
IScotus. rebus Damianus epist. 15, cop. 16.
Honorius did not only fall into heresy, but
also in a decretal epistle, did publish and
confirm the same, as was proved in the
Council of Constantinople the sixth, where
he was condemned for a heretic. " With
these also," saith the Council, " we have
foreseen to be cast out of the holy Catholic
Church of God, and to be accursed, Hono-
rius, which had been Pope of old Rome, be-
cause we find by his vvritings, which he
made to Sergius, that in all things he fol-
lowed his mind, and confirmed wicked doc-
trines. Const. 6, act. 13. I^ikewise Leo. 2,
in his Epistle to Constantinus, approving the
sixth general Council, writeth thus : "Like-
wise we accurse the inventors of this new
error, 1 heodorus Bishop of Haran, Cyrus of
Alexandria, Sergius, Pyrrhus, Paulus, Petrus,
successors of the Church of Constantinople
rather than Prelates. And also Honorius,
which did not lighten this Apostolic Cluirch,
with the doctrine of Apostolic tradition, but
by profane treason, endeavoured to subvert
the immaculate faith." Augustin also citeth
the decretal epistle of Innocentius to the
Bishops of Nuniidia, wherein he holdtth,that
to receive the Communion, it is necessary for
infants." Cont. duas Ep. Pel. ad Boni/ac. lib.
2, cap. 4. And saith of him expressly.
" Who defineth tliat little childreri, cannot
have life in them, except they eat of the flesh
of the Son of i\Ian." Thus did Innocentius
err definitively, in a matter confessed by the
Papists themselves, to be an error^ that the
Communion is necessary for infants : which
was a common error in Augustin's time,
holden of all the Church, for any thing that
we can read to the contrary. And it is a
monstrous lie to report, that Augustin saith :
That in the office, or seat of the Pope, our
Lord hath set forth the doctrine of truth.
For writing against the schism of the Do-
natists, he speaketh of the chair of unity,
not of Popery. " Our heavenly master,"
saith he, " hath forewarned this thing,"
meaning Schism or dissension, " so greatly
to be avoided, that of evil governors ne as-

116

lijkl:.

surctli the people, tliat the chair of whole- ■ Diocesan, what great marvel is it ? or wTiat
some doctrine should not Ua forsaken of privilege

p<-lled

them, in which even evil men are

to speak good things. For they art

matters which speak ihem, but (i.

hath placed the doctrine ot truth in

of unity. Wherefore he being true, and tl:

or prerogative ot the See doth he
iicknowledge ? which contesseth that Libe-
iius subscribed to the Arians. And yet in
iiivtrs epistles Damasus askelh counsel of
I lierom in many questions, as Hierom did of
hmi in one, about the use of the term Hypoa-

truth Itself, of governors donig their own |tasis (or unity's sake.
evil things, and speaking the good things ofi Cyprian in the place quoted, speaketh not
God, saith : do ye tliose tilings which they of the Bishop of Rome's prerogative, but of
pay, but do not those things which they | obedience to be given to every jjishop in his
do, for they say and do not." All men see own dioccss, and namely to himself, against
tiiat here is nothing in the world for the ; the timorousness of Cornelius Bishop of
prerogative in the Pope's chair, that he can- i Rome, who was moved by the threatening
not err : but that unity is not to be broken | brags of one Foelicissimus, a wicked schis-
foT the evil manners of the icaGlicrs, so long , matic, excommunicated by Cyprian and other
as they teach the trutli. V/hcn you prove. Bishops of Africa, to yield something unto
that the Pope for his public, judicial, and de- him. Whereupon Cyprian showeth, w'hat

finitive writings, hath no good warrant,
Luke, Mark, Solomon, had for their Gos-
pels, the Proverbs, Ecclesiasles, and Canti-
cles, we will admit their case to be like.
But while the world standeth you sliall never

inconvenience would ensue, if he did not con-
tinue constant, in rejecting him and his proud
heretical company, after their cause hath
been once judged by their proper Bishop, in
the province where their offences were well

prove the best of the Pope's writings, to be known. And therefore writing against their
equal with the Canonical Scripture. For in ' gadding to the See of Rome, he saith, " And
any men's writings, although there be the j ^yhat cause had they, to come and to bring
like truth, yet is there not equal authority, as! tidings of a false Bishop, made against the

AuKUStin saith.

That Augustin and the Bishops of Africa
did write to Innoconlius and Coelcsiinus, Bi-
shops of Rome, it was not for that llu y as-
cribed this pretended prerogative, eiilier to
their persons or to their office, and seat, bux

true Bishops ? For either they are pleased
with what they have done, and continue still
in their wickedness, or if they be displeased
and go from it, they know v.'hither they
shuuld return. For seeing it is decreed of
and it is also meet and right, that

as good Catholic Bishops, have always used , every man's cause should be heard there,
to confer one with another, when any (pies- ' wh^re the crime was committed, and a
tion hath arisen in the Church, to require their j portion of the flock is ascribed to every
mutual consent in the truth, and against here- j pastor, which every one should rule and go-
sies, as in those three epistles quoted, which J vern, as he that is to give account of Lis
were written to Innocentius, of their proceed- doing to the Lord: verily, they over whom
ings against ihe Pelagians it appoareth. But I we have government, ought not to run about,
when the Bishops of Rome, would have ] nor by their crafty and deceitful rashness,
usurped anthoriiy over the Cluirches of At- j to set at variance the concord of Bishops
rica, by colour of a counterfeit Canon of the pureeing together. But there to plead tl

Council of Nice, they were not regarded,
either in respect of their persons, or their
office and seat. Cone. Afric. cap. 105. Yea
they count it afi absurd thing, " that any man
should believe, t!iat God could inspire any
one man, with ine justice of examination,
and did deny the same, to innumerable priests,
gathered together in council, as they were,
to cut off appeals unto the Sec of Rome.
Epist. ad Ctskst. Neither doth Chrysostom,
in his epistles to Innocentius, acknowledge
any sucti prerogative or privilege of the See
of Rome, but as one Christian friend to ano-
ther, being himself in banishment, dcsireih his
furtherance for the benefit of the Church, show-
ing how injuriously he had been dealt withal.
Basil also in purposing to write to the Bi-
shop of Rome for his counsel, concerning the
afl'airs oi' the Church, and touching the Coun-
cil ot Ariminum, doth but practise that care
of all Churches, which in the same epistle he
commandoth in Athanasius, without ascribing
nny superiority or prerogative to the Bi.'ihop
of Rome. If Hierom being a priest of the
Church of Rome, doth once or twice ask
counsel of Damasus his proper Bishop and

aas&, where they m,ay have both accusers
and witnesses ot their crime : unless to a
few desperate and lost persons, the authority
of the Bishops placed m Africa, seem to be
les«, which have already judged of them,
and with the gravity of their judgment, have
condemned their conscience hound with
many snares or cords of offences. Their
cause is already heard and known, sentence
is already given of them, neither is it meet,
that the censure of priests should be repre-
hended, through lightness of a moveable and
inconstant mind."

This writcth Cyprian of Fortunatus and
his accomplices, that being condemned in
Africa, sought restitution at Rome, as though
the authority of the Bishops of Africa had
been less than the authority of the Bishops ot
Rome and Italy, which Cyprian would never
acknowledge tor his time, though heretics by
such gadding about, never ceased to molest
him.

The words of Hierom are these : " But
thou wilt say, the Church is founded upon
Peter, although in another place, the same
thing is. done upon all the Apostles, and they

LUKtl. 117

by Ezechiel 18. 21. For God will not reject an
humble and contrite heart, Psal. 51. 19. Se-
condly, that true taith is never void of good
works, as repentance, love of God and our
neighbour, hatred of sin, confession, and other
external works, as time and opportunity may
serve. Thirdly, that Christ gave remission
of sins freely, and not ofmeril for zeal or repre-
hension of his fellow, but of his mere mercy
and grace, by which he gave him faith and
repentance : as he doth to all that are con-
verted to him. So the ministers of the Church
onghtto assure penitent sinners of forgiveness
and the kingdom of heaven, without any sa-
tisfaction or punishment for satisfaction,
which is never required on their part in the
Holy Scriptures. Neither have they any

all do receive the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, and the strength ot the Church is es-
tablished equally upon them: yet tor this
cause one is chosen among the twelve, that
the head being appointed, the occasion of
schism might be taken away" By which
words Ilierom mcanelh, that retcr was chief
of the Apostles, in order to avoid dissension,
not in authority or prerogative of not erring.
And elsewhere he acknowlodgeth every Bi-
shop to be of equal authority with the Bishop
of Rome, as in his epistle to Evagrius, rea-
soning against a custom of the Church ot
Rome. " Neither is the Church of the citv
of Rome to be esteemed one, and the Church
of the whole world another, both France and

Britain, and Africa and Persia, and the East, ^ . . , , -.

and India, and all barbarous nations adore 1 commission to require it any of God's of elect,
one Christ, observe one rule of truth. If au- | or to delay the reward of any for whom Chrii^r
thority be sought, the world is greater than I hath satisfied to his Father, as he hath for all
one city. Wheresoever a Bishop be, either ' that are redeemed by him. Last ot all, e;\'ery
at Rome or at Eugubiiim, eitlier at Constan- ' man that by faith appHeth unto himself the
tinople or at Rhegium, either at Alexandria ' general promises of God, may be as sure of
or at Tanis, he is of the same worthiness, of ' salvation, as he was. For they are as true ot
the same priesthood. Power of riches, and | every one in singular, as they are ot all in
baseness of poverty, make not a Bishop general. "And this thief was justified on the
higher or lower. But they are all successors , cross," saith Augustin, " by that consumma-
of the Apostles." \ tion and brevity, which the Apostle, Rom. 10,

maketh general to all men, who having all

■ Chapter 23. | other members of his body fastened on the

43. No man ought to defer conversion, but cross, and having those two free, beheved

to repent as soon as he is called, as this thief with his heart to righteousness, and confessed

did, for God giveth not the grace of repent- i with his mouth to salvation, and immediately

cording to the will of man, but accord- obtained to hear, this day thou shatt be with

sown pleasure, and purpose. Neither me in paradise." Ad Simpliaa lib. 1. q. 2.

ance, ac^

ing to his own pie

must any mari look to obtain salvation by Likewise Ambrose saith : "It is a most e.x-
faith, which is void of good works. For such cellent example to desire conversion, that
was not the faith of this penitent thief, but pardon is so soon granted to the thief, and that
fruitful ot good works, as the place and time ' grace is more plentiful than his prayer: for
could suffer. But to go straight to heaven, our Lord doth always grant more than is
without satisfaction or punishment for his asked." In Luke cap. 23. The like comfort
former sins, every Christian man may be as- f(u- all penitent sinners, is gathered out of this
sured, not only by this example, but also by example, by Cifprian De can. Dom. num.(.
manifest testimonies of Scripture, if he die in , And Cli ryso.it om in Oen.hmi. 55. and in a man-
t\\e hoxA, Apoc. 14. n.John 17.24. 1 Cor.b. | ner by all the ancient Fathers. Therefore
1. John 5. 24. &c. And as for our satisflic- \ the Papists do wickedly go about to make it
tion and punishment for our former sins, is almost singular and extraordinarj'.

not found in the Scripture, but is contrary to
the general doctrine of remission of sins by
the free grace and mercy of God. For there-
by every one that truly believeth and con-
fesseth Christ, may challenge as certain
knowledge of his salvation, by the general
promises of God in the Scriptures, as the
thief by these special words of Christ uttered
unto him. Neither was this good thief saved
by any other means, than all Christians are
saved, namely, by the free mercy of God in Je-
sus Christ apprehended by faith : Prosp. cont.
Cas. p.U. Which Angelomus in 2 lib. Reg. c. 12.
contirmeth the example of Peter and this thief.
Droso de sacra. -Dom passion. He maketh
this thief to be Adam that is a pattern of all
sinners that are saved. Julianus Tnlel. prog,
lib. 2. rap. 1. Wherefore we should learn, not
to despair, but to believe steadfastly, that
if we do truly repent as this thief did, we
shall as certainly receive pardon for our^ins,
at what time soever it be, as God promiseth

55. The cause of the women marking of
the place of Christ's burial, is expressed in
the text, whereunto the popish manner of
watching the idol of the sepulchre in their
churches hath no resemblance, and therefore
is nothing else but gross superstition, and
mockery of the mysteries of our faith, where-
fore the burial of Christ is one. The impiety
is so much the greater, when the sacrament,
ordained to he received, to assure us of life,
is laid in the grave as though it were a dead
body. Or if oecause it was ordaii ed to be
a remembrance of Christ, they may do with it
what they will, to signify the actions and pas-
sions of "Christ's body, w-hy do they not like-
wise baptize it, bind It, scourge it, crown it
with thorns, and nail it to a cross, as well a»
they bury it, and raise it out of the sepulchre.

Chapter 24.

1. The observation of the Lord's day, is

taught in the Scripture to be apostolical, and

LUKE.

not grounded upon uncertain tradition un-
written, as other Papists aliirm.

47. Tiie Papists are under this curse, which
preach that the Cluirch consisteth in com-
munion of the Romisli Pope, and not in the
communion of all nations.

30. Alihough this were to be understood,
of the celebration of the Lord's Supper, as
some of the ancient Fathers do think, yet it
is no example, nor warrant of ministration in
one liind. For the breaking of bread, should
be here taken figuratively lor the whole tia-
crament, by Synecdoche, which is used when
a part is named for the whole. AndChrysO|s-
tom upon that promise ol Christ, that he will
drink the cup of the fruit of the vine, anew in
the kingdom of his father, saith expressly,
" After his resurrection in the bare table of
this mystery, he used wine. Of the fruit of
the vine," saith he, " which verily bringeth
forth wine and not water." Neither is there
any of the ancient Fathers which think that our
Saviour Christ here gave the Sacrament, that
gathereth example or warrant of ministration
m one kind. Finally, you cannot say, that he
gave bread only, as the Sacrament, except
you will also say that he consecrated in one
Kind, which you all confess to be unlawful
and sacrilegious.

47. The universal Church of Christ, is
wheresoever the gospel or doctrine of salva-
tion is embraced, and not tied to the city or
congregation of Rome, which when it_ was a
member of Christ, iS a particular Church,
and not the universal Church, Hierom mis-
liking the custom of the Church of Rome, that
a priest should be ordained by the testimony
of^a Deacon, saith : " What ! dost thou bring
forth unto me the custom of one city T But
now Rome is not the universal Church, nor
any sound part thereof: but the whore of
Babylon, the seat of Antichrist. Apoc. 17. 18.

Seeing the Scripture doth not express, in
what form Christ lifted up his hands, it is
great presumption to affirm, that it was in the
similitude of the cross. Neither is it any
thing like, because Jacob laid his hands over-
thwart, or across upon his nephews' heads,
that Christ did so, seeing here was not the like
cause. For Jacob laid his hands after that
form, because the younger son which should
be the greater, was placed at his left hand,

is righ
I of th(

the sign or figure of the cross in any estima-
tion with the Apostles, or the faithful in their
time. Valentinus the heretic, was the first that
made any great account of it, as testifieth
Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 1. TertuUian, indeed, roc-
koneth signing with the cross to be an old tra-
dition, which yet is no more certain to have
been used by the Apostles, than other like
ceremonies which he there nameth, as the
tasting of milk and honey by them that were
baptized, and the abstinence from washing
for a week after baptism, oblations for birtn
days, and such other long since abolished,
which they should not have been, if they had
been ordained by the Apostles, as necessary
for Christian religion. "The like may be said
of Basil's testimony. Augustin in the place
noted, speaketh not of the sim of the cross,
which Christ never commanded to be set on
men's foreheads but of the seal or mark where-
with the true worshippers of Christ are
marked, Apoc. 7. in their foreheads, to signi-
fy that they should not be ashamed to confess
the reproach of Christ, which is the glory of
the Christians. I'inally, when you ask • -hat
forin a Christian man can use to bless himself,
rather than the sign of the cross ? I would
first know, how a Christian man can bless
himself, seeing the Apostle saith, it is without
all controversy, that the lesser is blessed of
the greater or better. Heb. 7. 7.

Secondly, that the si^n of the cross is dedi-
cated in the death of Christ, rather than the
signs of other things that were likewise in-
struments of his passion.

Thirdly, how it is a convenient memorial
of Christ's death, which is not ordained of
Christ, nor taught by his Apostles to be such.

But you say whosoever it be, " that Bishops
and Priest's do bless with an external sign, no
man can reprehend, being warranted by
Christ's own example and action :" As though
every action of Christ, were an example for
us to follow. But admitting this to be gn ex-
ample, and action to be followed, Popish
Bishops and Priests are justly to be repre-
hended, because they are not content with that
external action of Christ, which they read in
the Holy Scripture, of imposition or lifting up
of hands, but they will use another whereof
they have no warrant in the Scriptures

ANSWER TO THE ARGUMENT OF JOHN'S GOSPEL.

There are but eight books of Cyrils' com-
mentaries remaining, four of them being lost.
Instead of which Jodocus Clictoveusj added
four of his own writing, namely the hfth, the

these gr'Mt learned Doctors of Rheims, are
accounted for the books of Cyril, and some-
time devoutly alleged, as the authority of Cy-
ril : as in the preface and cap. 10. vers. 29

BUth, the seventh, and the eighth, which of I of this gospel and elsewhere

JOHN.
ANSWER TO THE ANNOTATIONS ON THE GOSi'EL OF JOHN.

Chapter 1.
1. A horrible slander of Calvin, who
teacheth none otherwise of the Godhead of
Christ, tlian the papists themselves. Affirm-
ing that he is God, of God the Father, in
respect of person as the Son, yet very God, of
one and the same Godhead that the lather is
God, which is not nmltiplied by communica-
tion of generation, but is one and most singu-
lar in all the three persons. Which most true
and perpetual doctrine of the Church, he hath
maintained in his writings against the Arians,
Sabellians, and Tritheisls of our age, while the
authors of this slander take their ease, and
never once opposed themselves against them.

1. The protestants are nothing like the Ari-
ans, for they acknowledge the words of Christ
to be true, in such sense as he spake therii,
and as the ancient f ithers of the church did
take them and expound them, for many hun-
dred years after Christ, as in places convenient
is proved. Mat. 2G. Mark 14. Luke 22.

12. Men have no freedom of will, to accept
the grace of God oflered, until they be by
"race prevented. And although they be not
forced or drawn by necessity, yet they are by
the grace of God made willing, which by na-
ture vvere altogether unwilliuw. The word
which they have here translated power, signi-
fieth dignity, or authority, which is given only
of God's grace, as the words of the text are
manifest, to them that receive Christ by faith ;
which is not of "hitn that willeth, nor of him
that runneth, but is the gift of God." Eph. 2.8.
Rom. 9. 16. By this power, saith Cyril upon
this place, he undersiandeth adoption and
grace : afterward most safely he inferred, that
they are born of God, that he might show the
greatness of grace, which joineth together
strangers from God, and maketh them the
sons of God, and of love giveth freely the no-
bility of the lord to his servant. Eus. Emiss.
horn, in nal. Doin.

14. Blind devotion of ignorant papists, who
understand not the words, much less the mys-
tery expressed in these words, Verhum caro
factum est, or Homo fuctus est, at which they
kneel, as you say, although I suppose it is not
generally observed of all papists.

26. John acknowledseth, that he is only a
minister of the external action and element,
and that Christ is the author and giver of spirit
xial grace : other difference he showeth not.

42. Cephas signifieth any stone, such as
Peter was one, appointed to be one of the
twelve foundation stones of the church. But
if the pope cannot err in his decretal Epistles,
Anacletus saith it signifieth " a head, or begin-
ning, or first." Dist. 22. cap. Sacro. sand.
Anad. Ep. 3. Virgilius Eulhero.

42. A wretched conclusion: " Christ looked
upon Peter, erfro, he appointed and preferred
him to be chief apostle, the rockof his church,
and his vicar." The addition of his name Ce-
phas proveth that he was appointed to be a
stone, whereon the church should be builded,
but not a singular or the only rock thereof, no
more than the addition of Boanerges proveth

that James and John were the only children
of thunder, or that BarnabasVas the only son
of consolation. Neither was the name of Si-
mon changed, for he was still called yimon.by
our Saviour Christ, Mat. 16. 17. chap. 17. 25.
Luke 22.31, and John 21. 15, and by James
Acts 15. 14. 'I'hat Christ builded his Church
upon Peter, as upon a rock, and most firm
stone, as Cyril saith, it is no controversy;
seeing he luiih it jointly upon the foundation
of all the a|iostles, and the faith and doctrine
of Peter, which was the faith and doctrine of
all the apostles, is tlie rock whereupon the
church is builded, and not the person of Peter,
as the same Cyril testifieth. Dialog, de Trinit.
lib. 4, in Isa. lib. 4.

Chapter 2.
_ 2. The only presence of Christ at the mar»
riage, isnot sufficient to make it a sacrament,
as baptism and the Lord's supper are sacra-
ments. But his word of institution, 7nusl come to
the outward element, that it maybe madea sacra-
ment : as Augustin teacheth expressly. Tract,
70. in Joan, de Cataclysmo, c. 31. Augustin in
the places by you.quotcd nameth marriage a
sacrament, as he doth many other things ; but
not a sacrament of the New Testament, the
institution whereof he acknowledgeth to have
been before man's fall, de nup. et con. lib. Leap.
21, the same teacheth the Master of the sen-
tences, lib. 4. dist.

3. The Virgin Mary maketh no express re-
quest to our Saviour Christ, to v/ork any mi-
racle, and if she did, yet he did nothing at her
request, but according to his own wisdom and
good will.

3. Whether tlie Blessed Virgin knew the
time of the manifestation of Chrisl, is not
Vertain : but it is most certain that Christ knew
his own time belter than she, and therefore
he had no need to be admonished byher. Al-
though the words do import no request, but
only signify that the wine failed. Whereby
she mitjht mean, that she did modestly refer it
to his pleasure, whether he would supply the
want of the wine by some godly exhortation,
or by working a mirach . If she were per-
suaded that he would begin his miracles at
her request, as you are bold without all war-
rant to affirm, she was much deceived : for he
would not yield to her motion, whatsoever her
meaning was. Therefore this place nothing
favoureth her intercession to Christ, and niucn
less our prayers to her.

4. The phrase is no more subject to divers
senses here, than Mat. 8. 29, where the
only sense is, What hr'.ve we to do with thee,
.Tesus thou son of God ? therefore your latter
interpretation is right. Christ had nothing to
do with his mother, nor she with him, in mat-
ters pertaining to his office, and commission
of his Father. And therefore his words were
a reprehension of herintermeddlintr vvith that
wherein she had nothing to do. For we may
not so excuse her, that we accuse our Saviour
Christ, who did not reprehend her unjustlj',
but as she deserved, though not only for her

■liO JOl

own cause, but for iusiructioii to others, who
might take ollence by licr interpelhition, to
think that he was in matlers of his office, sub-
ject to his mother, which he utterly denieth :
and therefore doth nothing at her request,
but as he himself saw it expedient. His mo-
ther required a miracle, saith Aiiguslin, but
he did not acknowledge human bowels when
he should work divine works, as though he
should say, Tliat of me which worketh a mi-
racle thou didst not conceive, thou art not
mother of my divinity. Tract. 8. in Joan.
Chrysostom upon this place, Horn. 20. think-
eth that she was tickled with vain glory and
ambition, as also when she sent to speak unto
him, when he was preaching, Matth. 12. 4.
Which although it be not gathered out of the
text necessarily, yet it showeth that the Vir-
gin Mary in his judgment was not void of sin,
nor so reputed of the ancient fathers.

5. It caimot be proved by these word.^ that
she took not the reprehension of Christ, to
pertain unto her : but rather the contrary, see-
mg that now she requirelh perfect obedience to
be given to his word, no longer taking upon her
to admonish him. Where you say, " our Lady
by her divine prudence," &lc. tlie speech is
insolent, and cannot be excused of blasphemy,
whatsoever your meaning is. For though she
were endued with singular wisdom of God's
spirit, yet it cannot be rightly called "her di-
vme prudence." Further where you say that
she doubteth not, but Christ will grant her
petition, you speak beside the book, seeing
the Gospel maketh no mentionof any petition,
neither could she have faith or certain persua-
sion of a miracle, seeing he had not only
not promised any such thing, but also sharp-
ly rebuked her, for offering to intermeddle
in such matters, as did not appertain unto
her. What wilful blindness is this ? that
you will not acknowledge that Christ said
directly and expressly, "his time was not
come but that she had no repulse though
he seemed to say, his time was not come."
Shall we believe you, or the Evangelist ?
which reporteth that he said, " my time is
not yet come." Finally, where you say,
' she doubted not but he would begin a little
before his ordinary time for her sake," as
Curd thinketh he did, it is monstrous presump-
tion to a.scribe such persuasions to the blessed
Virgin, wherein she should have grievously
offended : if bein? before admonished that he
had nothing to do with her in such matters,
and that his time was not yet come : contrary
to his express word, she should have con-
ceived such presumptuous persuasions as you
ascribe unto her. Neither doth Cyril think
as you say, neither can any such thought be
^^athered out of the words of that Chapter.

'He showeth," saith Cvril, "how great ho-
nour is due to parents, when straightway he
tor his mother, cometh to the act, which as
niuch as was in him, he had deferred for a
fk ."u'""^- • '^^^^'^ ^'ords of C»yril declare,
that he tarried the full tunc which in his di-
vine wisdom he .saw to be most expedient for
working tlus miracle.

9. He that seeth water turned into wine,
and seeth that by all senses it is judged so to
be, hath need to know, how bread is turned
into the natural body of Christ, contrary to
the judgment of all his senses. When the
Scripture, never mentioneth any such conver-
sion : yea when it is certain by the Scrip-
tures, that the body of Christ never lees-
eth the essential properties of a body, he hath
need to know, how the body of Christ can be
under such a shape, wherein it hath no essen-
tial properties of a natural organical body.

15. Christ as King and high Priest, yea
very God, had all authority to punish offend- '
ers, in soul, body, and goods : but the ministers
of the Church, his servants, by this example,
may not take upon them temporal punishment
of men, in body and goods at their pleasure :
whereby you insinuate the Antichrislian pow-
er, which the Pope would usurp, not only to
excommunicate Princes, but also to procure
conspiracies against their lives, to murder
them, and to deprive them of their kingdoms-
and dignities, contrary to the manifest Scrip-
tures, and the judgment of all the godly fa-
thers of the Primitive Church. For it is man-
ifest that Christ in this place, useth his di-
vine authority, as he declareth by raising up
the temple of his body after it was by them
put to death, Cyril in Joan. lib. 2. cap. 32.
Chrysost. in Joan. horn. 22. None but Antichrist
therefore, that boasteth himself as God, will
presume to do that which Christ here did, by
the same warrant that he did it. The civil au-^
thority of magistrates, is otherwise sufficiently''
established over mens' bodies and goods.

24. Howsoever this doctrine be grounded
upon the text the Papists practise commonly
against it, who give the Sacrament commonly
to them that were never instructed in the
mysteries of Christian religion, if they once
come to years of discretion, although they
know neither the Lord's prayer, ten Com-
mandments, articles of faith, or any thing else
necessary to salvation: except it be to pro-
nounce the words ill favouredly, in a tongue
whereof they have none understanding.

Chapter 3.

5. Spiritual Baptism with the Holy Ghost,
is necessary to salvation, as our regeneration :
whereof the outward baptism is a seal, not to
be neglected where it may be had according
to God's institution.

5. It is not necessary in this place by wa-
ter to understand material water, but rather
the purifying grace of Christ, as in the 4th
Chap. vcr. 11. whereof the washing with wa-
ter in baptism, is an outward sign or seal,
which also is termed fire, Matth 3. 11. The
water therefore in Baptism is not our regene-
ration properly, but a Sacrament and seal
thereof. Inidoriis Origin, lib. 1. Cap. de Spirit
sanclo.

Secondly, where you say, that John's bap-
tism "had not the spiritual grace," it is false ;
for it had remission of sins joined unto it,
Mark 1. 4. although not of the ministry of
Jolui; but of Christ the fountaui of all grace.

JOHN.

121

Thirdly, where you say, No man can enter
into the kingdom of heaven, without external
Baptism, you teach the contrary yourself soon
after, saying, that in two cases, it is not neces-
sary. Augustin atlirmeth as rnucli, saying,
"That the visible Sacrament is then supplied
invisibly, when not the contempt of religion,
but the article of necessity exclude the mys-
tery of baptism." DeBaptis. cont. Don. lib. 4.
cap. 22.

Fourthly, you slander Calvin, to match him
with the Pelagians, wiiich promised eternal
life to all infants, without Baptism, in respect
of their innocence, denying original sin.
Whereas Calvin holdeth all infants under the
sentence of eternal damnation for the guilt of
original sin, yet excepteth the elect who are
born again by the Spirit of God, although the
Sacrament of Baptism be sometime lacking, [
not through their default, but because tliey
are prevented by death. In which case it is I
otherwise supplied, as in your two cases.

Fifthly, you slander Calvin and us, whom
you charge to think, that only faith doth so
serve, that the external element of water is
superfluous or not necessary when it may be
had according to Christ's institution. For in
some cases you confess it not necessary.
And indeed the words of our Saviour Christ,
are not properly of the external Sacrament,
more than John 6. of the other Sacrament.
" E.xcept you eut the flesh of the Son of man,
and drink his blood, you have no life in you."
Whereas all infants are excluded from that
Sacrament, and consequently should be ex-
cluded from life, if the words were meant of
the outward Sacrament. And the fathers of
the ancient Church, which thought Baptism
■was necessary, did likewise think the Com-
munion to be as necessary for infants, as Au-
gustin, Innocentius Bishop of Rome, and all
the Church of their time, for any thing that we
can gather by their writings. Finally, when
the word of water in this text, significth the
purifying grace of Christ, rather than the out-
ward element of Baptism, here can be no ar-
gument drawn out of this place, that Sacra-
ments confer grace of the work wrought, but
according to the dispensation of God's spirit,
which worketh according to his own pleasure

31. The doctrine and Baptism of .John was
from heaven, though there was infinite differ-
ence between the ministry of John, and the
Majesty of Christ.

Chapter 4.
2. St. Augustui thinketh the Apostles were
baptized by Christ himself, rather than by
John, but without authority of the Scripture,
and contrary to this express text. And there-
fore we must rather admit that which he
sayeth in the same Epistle, reconciling this
text with that of John 3. 22. " That he bap-
tized with the presence of his majesty, but
he baptized not with his own hands. For
the Sacrament of baptism was his, but the
ministry of baptizing, pertained to his disci-
ples." A^ain, he baptized not by himself, but
by his disciples. Tract. 15. mJohn, he affirm-

eth, that Christ baptized in spirit, as he doth
continually, not in body. Chrysostoni also
in John ;i. 22. hath these words : " The Evan-
gelist showetii afterward, that Jesus himself
baptized not, but his disciples, whereupon
it IS manifest, that in this place also it is so
to be imderstood." In Johii Horn. 28. and
upon this text he sayeth : " He himself did
not baptize, but the messengers did so re-
port, when they would stir up the hear-
ers to hatred of him :" Hmn. 30. Cyril, also
upon the former text, saith : " Christ bap-
tized by his disciples." In John lib. 2. cap. 57.
Euthymius upon that place John 3. 22.readeth
in the plural number: "They baptized, and
not he, for the Evangelist saith afterward,
that Jesus hiinself baptized not, but his dis-
ciples." Again he saith, " some copies have,
He baptized, which is understood that he
did not by himself, but by his disciples."
Bede also following Augustin saith upon this
te.xt: "Jesiis did both baptize and not bap-
tize. He himself baptized because he him-
self cleansed, he himself baptized not, be-
cause he did not himself dip in water."
Thcophylact, in John 3. 22. saith : " When
thou hearest that he baptized, think not that he
baptized by himself, but by his disciples, for
that work of the disciples, the Evangehst
referreth to their master." Therefore the
consent of so many fathers is to be prefer-
red, before the bare conjecture of one fa-
ther, and that against the express words of
the text.

20. By adoration, is meant worshipping of
God generally, as the word plainly signitieth,
and not offering of sacrifice only, or chiefly.
Neither could any office of religion, be done,
acceptably to God in any other place, by them
that did not communicate with the ark and
7'emple at Jerusalem. Which was not pre-
ferred in respect of antiquity or succession
only, but because it had the word of God in
many places of the Scriptures. Whereas the
Schismatical Temple, was directly contrary
to the holy Scripture. Neither had the true
Temple at Jerusalem continual succession in
the true worship of God, for it was divers
times profaned, and the worship of God
clean taken from it, as in the days of Achaz
2 Reg. 16. and in the time of Manasses 2
Reg. 21. Then was it laid waste and de-
stroyed, by the space of seventy years, and
was not after that fully builded in forty-six
years, Jo/t7t 3. After that restitution it 'was
divers times profaned and polluted with
idolatry, as in the tyranny of Antiochus, when
it was dedicated to Jupiter Olympus, 2 Mace.
6. and at other times. Therefore the autho-
rity of the Scripture, was th-^ only sufficient
warrant thereof, as it is of true religion at this
day. Tlie Lord revenge your blasphemy
against his holy Supper, which is celebrated
by our Church, according to that we have re-
ceived of the Lord himself in the Gospel,
wherein you can show no ground for your
Popish IVlass.

23. The spiritual sacrifice prophesied by
Malachi, is interpreted by all ancient writers

123

JOHN.

that speaK of it, to be prayers and thanks-
giving, and not the oblation of the natural body
of Christ, but the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
oiFered in the celebration thereof Irensus
lib. 4. cap. 35. Justintnf dial, cum Tryphon, Ter-
tuU. adver. Judaos, and contra Marc. lib. 3. Cypr.
lib. 1. adver. Judivv.i, tViim 16. Chrysost. in Fs.
93. and 95. Hier. in Zuch. lib. 2. cap. 8. in Ma-
lack.cap. 1. Cyril, in Joan. lib. 1. cap.'Jl. Aug.
adversus JudtBos, cap. 9. Theodurel in Malacli. 1.
who allegeth this very text, and Paul 1 Tim.
8. for prayer. Augustin also, applieth it " to
spiritual and inward prayer." Tract. 15.
Chrysostom "to the spiritual sacrifice of our-
selves," required of the Apostle, Rom. 12. In
John Horn. 32. Cyril understandeth by spi-
rit, "spiritual worship, and the rule of life ac-
cording to the doctrine of the Gospel, which
is acceptable to God the father." In John lib.
2. c. 93. Origen to the same effect under-
standeth " worship proceeding from them,
which having thi, earnest of the Spirit, walk
according to the Spirit." In John Tom. 14.
Euthymius, expoiuideth it, " for prayer, prais-
es, and thanksgiving, and the sacrifice of
righteousness." Theophvlact, for " worship-
ping of God in mind and soul." So that the
whole consent of the ancient fathers, beside
the evidence of the text, is contrary to this
popish interpretation, whereby spirit and truth
IS referred to the <jross counterfeit sacrifice
of the Mass. Finallv, though some external
elements, as water, bread, and wine by the
Scripture are required unto the service of
God, in respect ot our infirmity, vet the true
worship of God even in the use of these, as of
any other external rite allowed by the Scrip-
ture, is in spirit and truth, not in body and
shadow.

39. They which believe because the Church
teacheth so, must afterward much rather be-
lieve, when they hear Christ himself, teach in
the Holy Scriptures.

Chapter 5.
2. All miracles that God did from the be-
ginning, are not recorded in the Scripture,
but so many as are necessary for the confir-
mation of the Church in ftiith to attain eternal
life. And now concerning your observations,
I say it is' not proved by this place, that God
givcth virtue of miracles and cure to water,
for then it should have been alike medicina-
bie at all times. Secondly, the text callcth
not the pond probatica, but saith, that at or

near probatica, which was the eheep gati
there was a pond c:il]fd He ' ' "

and .32. And rdbeit the sheep appointed for

eneep :
sda, Neh.

h.'-\

sacnhce were washed therein for commenda
tion of the sacrifices which is not proved, yet
we may not conclude, that therefore miracles
are wrought about the Sacraments of the New
Testament, otherwise than we read in the
Scripture of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, be-
stowed on them that were baptized. For the
Sacraments have sufficient credit of the word
of Christ, and nerd not daily to be confirmed
by miracles. Thirdly, (he text doth not tench
that thia miracle was wrought on festiv.;!

days, but at a certain time when it pleased
God. As for the miracles done at the me-
mories and feasts of Saints, when we see
them, and have examined them by the Scrip-
tures, we will admit them. Fourthly, it is not
proved that Angels, much less special Saints,
are patrons or workers of miracles, in certain
jjlaces. For who can say that one Angel was
always appointed over this pond ? and though
he were, yet it followeth not, that God useth
the ministry of mens' souls to such purposes
As for the force of divers waters, supersti-
tiously attributed to the prayers or presence
of Saints, which both stories and experience
showeth to be natural, hath no ground out of
this place. Fifthly, pilgrimage is still idola-
trous gadding about, for any warrant it hath
out of this place, except the Papists first can
prove that any such miracles are wrought at
such places, as the Scripture testifieth of
this : secondly, if any false miracles be there
wrought to maintain idolatry and false wor-
shipping of God, contrary to the Scriptures,
they are to be condemned with the workers
of them. August. De unilat.' Eccl. cap. 16.
Si.\thly, we grant that man's reason in mira-
cles known to be done by him, must yield to
God's pleasure. Seventhly, whether this pond
were a figure of Baptism, we will not con-
tend. Eighthly, if upon so weak a collection,
you can promise salvation without Bapt'sm,
to men that desire it and cannot have it, much ^
rather you might acknowledge the same grace
of Christ to pertain to infants, which are ex-
I eluded from Baptism by necessity, without
any fault of theirs, if they appertain to God's
election.

14. God is our Ghostly Father, to whom
we must go by repentance for release of his
fatherly correction, and not to any Popish
priest.

29. Good works which proceed from none
but a justified man, do prove that a man is
justified before God, by f:iith without works.
34. The testimonies of John, Moses, and
the Prophets, are not the testimonies of men,
but of God, speaking by men. So of his
Apostles, Bishops, and Pastors, testifying of •
him out of the Scriptures, which are the word ■
of God, and not of man.

39. Papists cannot fuid one jot of Popery
allowed, either by express words of the Scrip-
ture, or by necessary conclusion out of the
same, and therefore by their will, would not
have Scriptures searched by the common
people.

39. We confess, that the Scriptures are not
only to be read, written, or painted on walls,
but diligently to be searched, and deeply to
be studied, in which we know eternal life is
to be found, without all addition of Popish
doctrine which is not to be found in Holy
Scriptures. Ciirysostom upon this text saith,
Horn. 39. in Joan. Christ scndeth us to the
testimonvof the Scriptures. By this example
let us lake from them armour against Here-
tics. The whole Scripture inspired of God
is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, '
to instruct in justice, that the man of God

JOHN.

123

may be perfect, furnished to every good work :
Not that lie may abound in some things, and
in other things be wanting, for such an one is
not perfect.

43. He nieanetii every false Pronliet, that
coineth to tliein in his own name, as Theudas,
Judas Gahleus, Barcocabas, and such Hi<e,
which are all Antichrists or adversaries to
Christ, whom the Jews received, and were
deceived by tiiem. The Pope is that great
Anticiirist, which was prophesied to sit in the
temple of God, that is, in the visible Church,
and to deceive the greatest part of them that
profess Christianity, althougii the Jews which
are out oi' the visible Church, do not receive
him. 2 T/tess.2.

•
Chapter 6.

27. " The Sacrament," saith Augustin, " is of
some received unto destruction ; but the mat-
ter itself, whereof it is a Sacrament, is re-
ceived of every man to life, of no i;;an to
destruction, whosoever shall be partaker of
it." In. Joan. Tr. 26. Tiiercfore these words
of Christ, are not of the Sacrament, but of the
matter of the Sacrament, which is his flesh and
blood, to be eaten spiritually by faith, whereof
also Augustin saith : " Why prepares! thou
thy teeth and belly ? Believe, and thou hast
eaten it." Tr. 25.

32. The true bread here significth, the true
food of eternal life, but thereof it followeth
not that the Sacramental bread, is called bread
in the Scripture in the same sense as though
it were not material bread made of corn after
consecration, but only spiritual food. For see-
ing it was material bread, before consecration,
there is no word of Scripture, to prove that it
is not so still. But contrariwise, the cup is
cailcd the fruit of the vine after consecration,
"which is wine," saith Chrysost. in Matt.
Horn. 83. Therefore the bread is likewise
" bread made of corn," and so Cyprian saith
It is Lib. 1. Ep. 6. Magna. The doctrine of
Transubstantiation, was not heard of in the
Church for more than si.x hundred years after
Christ. Annot. in Matt. 26. The places of
Jer. 11. and Gen. 49, though of some ancient
writers' they be referred to Christ, yet if they
be rightly considered pertain not unto him.
The former is of the adversaries of Jeremy,
who conspired to famish him in prison and,
said. Let us destroy him with wood instead
of bread. The other plnne is of the abund-
ance of wine, that should grow in the land of
the tribe of Juda. But if we follow the old
writers' exposition, they make nothing for
Transubstantiation.

44. Without force or violence, of unwilling
he maketh us willing, by changing our will
to embrace Christ gladly, and otherwise we
never taught. Yet our will by corruption of
nature is bond to sin, and not free, before if
be altered bv God's Spirit, The words of
Augustin In Con/. 2. Ep. Pel. Uh. 1. cap. 19. be 1
these, " How many enemies of Christ every I
day, by the secret grace of God are suddenly I
drawn to Christ ? Which word if I had taken
out of the Gospel, how many things would '

] this Pelagian Heretic have said of me for it,
when even now he wrestlcth not against me,
but against iiiiii which crieth. No man can
come unto me, except the Father which sent
me shall draw him. For he doth not say,
shall lead him, that we might by any means
think that his will dotli go before, who is
drawn if he were willing before ? and yet no
man coineth except he be willing. There-
fore he is drawn by marvellous means, that
he may be willing by him which knoweth to
work witiiin, even in the hearts of men, Not
tluit men, whicii cannot be, should believe
against their will, but that of unwilling, they
may be made willing. In the other place his
words are, That he might teach us that even
to believe is of gift, not of merit. As I said
unto you, saith he, no man comelh to me,
but he to whom it is given of my Father.
And where our Lord said this, if we re-
member the Gospel before, we shall find that
he said also : No man cometh to me, eX'
cept the Father which sent me shall draw
him. He said not, shall lead him, but, shall
draw him. This violence is done to the
heart, not to the flesh, why then dost thou
marvel ? Believe and thou comest : Love,
and thou arc drawn. Think not that this is a
sharp and grievous violence, it is sweet, it is
pleasant. Sweetness itself doth draw thee."
These sayings we allovv better than you, which
maintain Free-will in part, with the Pelagians.
49. They that did eat Manna, as corporal
food only, and not as spiritual meat by faith,
died both body and soul, as they that eat the
blessed Sacrament unworthily. But they that
did eat manna by faith, worthily, did eat the
flesh of Christ spiritually, and drank his blood
spiritually, for they drank of the spiritual
rock which followed them, and that rock was
Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 4. Where the Apostle saith
expressly, that our Fathers were all baptized,
and did all eat the same spiritual meat, that
we do, and all dran!\ the same spl.itual cup for
they drank of till' nick, which was Christ as we
do. So doili Ai:^.iwini understand the place,
saying, Q«;V«)/7i,i m Mn.ina, &c. "Whoso-
ever understood Christ in manna, did eat the
same spiritual meat which we do. But whoso-
ever sought only to fill their bellies of Mamia,
which were the fathers of the unfaithful, they
have eaten and are dead. So also the same
drink. For the rock was Christ. They drank
therefore the same drink that we do, but
spiritual drink, that is, which was received
by faith, not which was drunk in with the
body." De utilitate Fcenilent. ca. 1. Christ
therefore putteth no difl^erence between the
spiritual substance of Manna, and his -flesh
and blood: but between the corporal food,
which beinc: rrceivrd into li^e belly, and not
into ihr li.art by faith, li;id no power of eter-
li il lilc ill it. And Manna was not a figure of
the Sacrament, but of the bqdy and blood of
Christ, which is the heavenly or spiritual mat-
ter of the Sacrament. For all that receive
the Sacrament do die naturally, as all they
that did eat Manna, and as many as receive it
unworthily, deserve also to die spiritually as

121

-JOHN.

they did that received Mannn unwovtliiiy. The
comparison you make, because it spoaketh
conmsediy ol the Sacrament, and of the mat-
ter of the Sacrament, and hath ako many
obscure applications, had aceil to be more
plainly set down, before we can admit it,
or wholly reject it. Specially, you must de-
clare, how the Sacrament is to every man,
what he liketh best : whether the ark in which
it is reserved, for a perpetual memorial, be
the Pix, and whether there be any days, in
which it cannot be received, as of the Sabbath
dav, and such like.

52. The Jewish hovj was not of inquiring
the manner as the Virgin Mary's how but of
denyintj and not believing the matter. There-
fore' saith Cyril in the ne.Kt chap. Uh. 4. cap. 14.
in Juan. Ojiorlehal igilitrfulciprimum, &.C. "It
had been meet, therefore, hrst that they had
set the roots of faith in their mind, and then
to have inquired those things, which are to
be inquired But they before they believed,
inquired out of season. For this cause our
Lord did not expound, how that thing might
be brought to pass, but exhorleth that it be
sought by faith. So to his disciples which
believed, he gave pieces of bread,* saying:
Take yo, and eat ye, this is my body. Like-
wise he gave the cup about and said : drink
ye all of this. This is the cup of my blood,
which shall be shed for many, unto remis-
sion of sins. Thou seest plainly, that to
them which inquire without faith, he hath not
expounded the manner of the mvstery: but
to them which believed although tliey mquir-
ed not, he hruh set it forth/' By this place it
is evident, that believing Christ's words to be
true, we may inquire in what sense they are
true, and after what manner spiritually or
corporally, the flesh of Christ is to be eaten,
and his blood drunken. Also in that Christ
gave pieces of hread, we are taught, that it is
not by transubstantiation, but after a spiritual
manner that the flesh of Christ is to be re-
ceived : namely by faith, through the mighty
working of the Holy Ghost, not only in the
Sacrament, but also without it.

53. This place proveth invinciblj', that the
flesh of Christ is truly eaten without the Sa-
crament, therefore spiritually, as well vN^thout
it, as in It. For else all that die without par-
ticipation of the Sacrament, shpuld be void
of eternal life. Concerning the place of Au-
gustln : he declareth in the same Sermon,
the manner of the eatiu" of Christ's flesli,
and drinking his blood to oe spiritutil. Tunc
autem, &c. Then shall this be, that is the
body and blood of Christ shall be life to
every one, if that which is taken in the Sacra-
ment visibly, be eaten spirit'ially in the truth
itself The words .A Leo be against the
Eutychian heretics, which did not believe the
truth of the body of Christ, and therefore
could not ri»htly receive the Sacrament of
hia body and blood, when tiiey did not be-
lieve, that he had a very true body and blood.
53. Although these words are not proper
of the Sacrament, but of the matter of the
Sacrament, yn (he argument isyood to prove

the necessity of drinking, as well as of eating,
seeing Christ hath given the visible Sacra-
ment of both. And it is strong against th«
Papists, who imderstand it only of t'ne Sa-
crament. For although by their fond conceit
of concomitance, they hold the blood to be in
the body, yet they do not drink it according
as Christ requireth, who addeth not that word
superfluously, but to express that his flesh and
blood is a perfect nourishment, which con-
sisteth, as Justinus saith, "as well of dry as of
moist noiirishment, to be eaten and drunken."

53. This is monstrous impudence, to grant
the premises, and to deny the conclusion.
For if these words be proper to the Sacra-
ment, it foUoweth of necessity, by these words,
that whosoever dotf# not cat and drink the
Sacrament, is excluded from life. Contrari-
wise, if whosoever receiveth not the Sacra-
ment, be not excluded from life, then these
words are not proper of the Sacrament, and
sacramental eating and drinking of the flesh
and blood of Christ. But further, you say,
Augustin applying these words to infants, did
not mean, that they could not be saved with-
out receiving sacramentally : as the heretics
and Erasmus did imlearnedly mistake him.
To say nothing of us whom you coimt here-
tics, as heretics have always counted true
Catholics, Erasmus had more learning than
all the rabble of the Rhemists, and had read as
much of the ancient Fathers, as all the Pre-
lates in the Chapter of Trent, that have in-
vented a new meaning of Augiistin, which
can never be gathered out of his words, but
is directly contrary to the same. The words
of Augustin, even in the place by you quoted,
are these: "I say let us hear our Lord, not
speaking this of the Sacrament of Baptism,
but of the Sacrament of his holy Table, whi-
ther no man rightly cometh, but he that is bap-
tized, except you shall eat my flesh, and driiik
my blood, you shall have no life in you. What
seek we any further? What can they an-
swer to this, except stubborness will bend
their striving sinews against the constancy of
truth ? Or is there any^body that will dare to
say this also, that this sentence pertaineth not
to little children, and that they may have life
in them without the participation of this body
and blood ; because he sayeih not, he that
shall not eat, as of Baptism, he that shall not be
born again, but sayeth, if you shall not eat, as
it were speaking to them which could hear
and understand, which indeed little children
cannot do ? But he that sayeth this, doth not
mark, that except tliis sentence do bind all
,men, that they cannot have life without the
body and blood of the Son of man, the elder
age also in vaintaketh care for it." What can
be more plain, than that Augustin meaneth
here, as he speakcth, of the Sacrament and
sacramental receiving at the holy Table, and
that this Sacramento? the Lord's body, in his
opinion, was as necessary for infants, as the
other of Baptism ; neither is there any one
word, to insinuate your pretended sense in all
that Chapter, or in"any other place, where he
speaketh to the same effect, as in the four and

JOHN.

125

twentieth Chapter of the same hook. Optime
Punici Christiani, &c. " The Christiiiiis of
Africa, do very well call Haptisin itself, no-
thing else but salvation, and tlie .Sacrament of
the body of Christ, nothin;? else but life.
Whereupon? but, as I think, of an ancient
and Apostolic tradition, which they hold, as a
thiny ingrafted into the Church of Christ, that
no man without baptism and participation of
the Lord's table, can come, not only to the
kingdom of God, but neither to salvation nor
eternal life." And a little after: " What other
thing also do tliev, which call the Sacrament
of the Lord's Table life, but that which is said,
I am the bread of life, which came down
from heaven, and the bread which I will give,
is my flesh, for the life of the world, and ex-
cept you eat the tlesh of the Son of man, and
drmk his blood, yoLi shall not have life m you.
If then so many, and so great divine testimo-
nies, do agree, neither salvation, nor life
eternal is to be hoped for to any man, with-
out baptism and blood of our Lord, in vain it
is promised to little children without these.
Moreover, if nothing but sins do separate a
man from salvation and eternal life, nothing
is loosed in little children, by these Sacra-
ments, but the guiltiness of sin."

Innocent, BisTiop of Rome, was of the same
opinion, as is niiuiifest in his Epistles to the
Bishops of Numidia, cited by Augustin, Conf.
duas ep. Pel. lib. 2. cap. 4. and ii. 4. c. 4. cont. Jul.
lib. cap. 2. Ep. 106. Bonifacio cont. Pelag.
Hypognost. li. 5. ep. 23. Bonif. where he
writeth of the Sacrament given to an infant :
which custom you confess, yet was it errone-
ous, because this Sacrament ought not to be
received, but of them that examine them-
selves, which infants cannot do. 1 Cor. 11. 28.
And therefore your Popish Chapter of Trent,
although it were true that the Fathers held
not opinion of the necessity of this Sacrament
for infants, as the contrary is manifest, yet
cannot excuse the Church and Fathers of that
time, from a gross error, if they only thought
it was lawful to give the communion to infants.

54. By participation of the flesh and blood
of Christ, which is the matter of the Sacra-
ment, we are made partakers of eternal life
both of body and soul, whereof the Sacrament
is a lively seal; and certain assurance. But
without the Sacrament also, we may eat the
body and drink the blood of Christ spiritually
by taith, the Holy Ghost in unspeakable man-
ner feeding us therewith, as he doth infants,
which are not to be received to the Lord's
table. And this is the true sense of all the
Doctor's words alleged m this section, which
we acknowledge, e.\cept where they thought
the Sacrament to be necessary for infants
also.

55. This saying of Cyril, is true of Manna
and the water taken for corporal food only :
but as they were the Sacraments of the body
and blood ot Christ, they were the same spiri-
tual meat and drink that we receive, as tes-
tifieth Augustin, cited before.

58. Contrary to the express commandment of
.Christ in the instiiutiou of the Supper. "The

Chapter of Trent vainly goeth about to prove
out of this place, which spoakcth not of the
Sacrament, but of the matter of the Sacra-
ment, that the one half of the Sacrament is
not necessary. Albeit seeing that eating and
drinking is so often joined m this Chapter,
they might well know, that drinJiing is here
to be understood, though it be not expressed,
and that by (uiting of this bread, is meant a
full participation of Christ, which is both meat
and drink unto us. And that Christ by this
bread, meaneth not the Sacrament in form
of bread, as they call it, is manifest by this
argument. Whosoever eateth this bread,
shall live for ever, but whosoever eateth the
Sacrament shall not live for ever : therefore
whosoever eateth this Sacrament eateth not
this bread. Again, the words are general, both
of Priests and People, whereupon you may
as Weil conclude, that the Priest need not
consecrate, but in one kind of bread, as that
the receiving in one kind is sufficient. Neither
doth Augustm say, that the Church hath
authority to alter Christ's institution, but to
dispose of circumstances which are accident-
al, as of time, place, and such like, which per-
tain not to the substance of Christ's institution.
Now for receiving in both kinds, he took as
good order as could be, both uistituting the
Sacrament in both kinds, and giving express
commandment, that all should drink ot it. But
thou art not ashamed to say, that both Christ
and his Apostles, beside the Ancient Fathers
of the Primitive Church, left you example of
receiving under one kind. I'or Christ's ex-
ample you quote Luke 24. 35. But in expound-
ing the same text, you dare not affirm it to be
the Sacrament, and if it were, you might ■there-
of prove, that Christ did consecrate in one kind
also, which you hold to be an absurdity.

Secondly, if it were the Sacrament, as some
of the Fathers hold, Chrysostom telleth you,
" that he used wine at the same table,'' in
I Math. Horn. 83. upon his promise to " drink
: the fruit, of the vine anew in the kingdom of
1 God." For his Apostles, you note, Act. 2. 42.
j where either you must grant the figure Sy-
necdoche, that is, that the part is named for
the whole, or else you must say, that the
Apostles who brake the bread to them, did
also consecrate in bread only : for it is not
said, They continued in receiving of bread,
but in breaking. But it is most like, that the
Evangelist meaneth, of their mutual feasts of
\ love, which more at large is expressed vers.
46. which after the Hebrew or Syrian lan-
guage, were by Synecdoche, called breaking
of bread. That the primitive Church gave
the blood only to children, you quote Cyprian
de Lapsis nu. 10. where mention is ot the
cup given to a child, but no word to prove,
that the cup only was given, except you will
say that the blood only was given to old folks,
as well as to children. For the words are,
Vbi vero, &c. " But when the solemnities
being fulfilled, the Deacon began to oflTer the
cup to them that were present, and the rest re-
ceiving it, their place was come." Next is
Tertullian, for reserving the body only, lib. 2.

126

•JOHN.

ad uxorem : where mention is made of a su-
perstitioua custom, that women had to reserve
the Sacrament, and "receive it daily before
other meat:" but noihiiiji to prov, that tliey
reserved not the one kind as well as the other.
The hive, I sav, to the place of Cyprian,
where a woman kept the Sacrament m her
chest, which he calleth, Sanctum Donutit,
•* The Holy Sacrament of the Lord :" Why
should we not understand both kinds as well as
one ? although if a superstitious custom of one
hind only were proved, what lawful practice
can be proved ? the reservation was unlawful,
and if it were in one kind, it was more unlaw-
ful. That the sick person was houscUed in
one kind, it is contraryto that which Eusebius
hath, if you do understand it. The Priest being
sick, so that he could not come lo Serapioii
that sent for him, ^ive to the boy his messen-
ger, a littleof the Eucharist, and teachiiifrhim
how to use it for the sick man's case that was
ready to die, " bade him wet it, and drop it
into the old man's mouth:" whereby it ap-
peareth, he gave him of both kinds, and so the
child did, (nrclp^^tv o TTuti Ki ana tu cvex^i ''"' <^"o-
/lart. " The buy did moisten it, and withal, did

fiour it into his mouth : and alter he had swal-
owed a little, he gave up the ghost :" but if he
had given him only of the cup, what needed
these two verbs to express the delivery
thereof In that fragment of the Epistle of
Basil toCaesarea Patricia, there is no word to
prove that the Eremites received the Commu-
nion in one kind, or reserved it in one kind
only. The causes of your practice proceed of
Antichristian pride, in that you will seem wiser
than Christ, who instituted the Sacrament in
both k'inds, than the Apostles and Fathers of
the Primitive Church, who gave it in both
kinds, and yet knew what belonged to the
reverent use of the Sacrament, better than
you. And for the same cause that you say,
the priest must consecrate in both kinds, the
people also ought to receive in both kiuils.
For they in eating and drinking, ought to show
the Lord's death, and the separation of his
blood from his body, or his blood shedding,
until he com(!. 1 Cur. II. 26. But it is a fine
reason that you gather of Saint Paul's words,
1 Cor. 10. IS. They that eat of the sicrifices,
are partakers of the altar: therefore it was
enough to eat only of one kind, to be partak-
ers of the whole. But who will grant you
this conclusion? or that it was lawful to ab-
stain from the drink offerings, because by eat-
ing, they were made partakers of the altar?
TEey were made i)artakers of the altar, which
took no benefit thereof, although they ob-
served the whole institution ofGoU, much less
spiritual benefit should they obtain, that
break the ordinance of God, and were par-
takers of one kind only.

62. This insinuation is your own imagina-
tion, without ground of the text, or testimony
of ancient Father.'*. Christ by these words
doth remove the olfoncc, which they took of
his base condition in the fiesli, and therefore
could not see his divine power, whereby he
was able to* give his ficsh and blood to be

eaten, and drunken, which Ins divine power
was manifested in his glorious ascension.
And yet the ascension ol his body from the
earth, and placing thereof in heaven, is a suf-
ficient argument to prove, that he giveth not
his flesh and blood to be received after a bodi-
ly manner, in what shape or form soever dis-
guised, but after a heavenly, divine and spiri-
tual manner,by the unspeakable working of the
Holy Ghost. Which uniteth his natural body
and blood to us, though distant as far from us
in place, as heaven is from earth : so that we
are truly made " flesh of his iiesh, and bone
of his bone," and lively members of his mysti-
cal body : not only in this Sacrament, but also
in Baptism, and by spiritual communication
through faith, by which "Christ dwelleth in
our hearts." Galat. 3. 27. Ephes. 3. 17. Au-
g^ustin doth rightly use the argument of
Christ's ascension, to prove that Christ giveth
not his body, as carnally present in the Sacra-
ment, but to be received spiritually by faith.
August, in John, Tract. 27. 30. 31. and specially
Tract. 50. he saith of his natural body : " He
j ascended into heaven, and he is not here,"
with much more to that effect. Again, I)e
I verbis Apost. Ser. 2. upon this text he saith :
" What if you shall see the Son of man as-
cend where he was before ? What meaneth
it, doth this offend you ? Thought you that
I would make parts of this body which you
see, cut my members in pieces and give them
to you ? What then if you shall see the Son
of man ascend where he was before ? Verily,
he that could ascend whole, could not be con-
sumed. Therefore he hath given us an
wholesome refection of his body and blood,
j and hath briefly soluted so great a question
I of his integrity. Let them therefore eat
' which eat, and drink which drink: let them
hunger and thirst : let them eat life, let them
I drink life. That to eat is to be fed, but so to
be fed, that it faileth not whereof ihou art fed*
That to drink, what is it but to live? Eat life,
drink lii'c, thou shalt have life, and life is still
whole. For then this thing shall be, that is
the body and blood of Christ shall be life to
every oiie, if that which is taken visibly in the
Sacrament be spirituallv eaten and spiritually
drunken in ihr inirh lis'clf." Mo«/i. 26.

63. Till' llrsh ,.t Christ separated from his
divine and (;incktninir Spirit, whereof it hath
power of life, as tlie Capernaites did imagine
it, profiteth nothing. But being united to his
divine Spirit, according to the sayings of Hi-
lary, Cyril, and the rest that are here cited, it
is not only profitable, but also necessary for
our salvation, in his incarnation, sacrifice and
feeding of us therewith, either in the Sacra-
ment or without it. Neither do we teach
otherwise. But the Papists hold this error of
the Capernaites, of his flesh separated from
the quickening virtue and power that it hath of
tlie word united to it, when they teach that the
body and blood of Christ, may be verily and
truly, and not only, sacramentally eaten and
druiiken of ihe wicked, to whom it giveth no
life, contrary to the express words of Christ,
so often repeated in this Chapter, and the con-

JOHN.

J 27

seiU of the ancient Father.:. " This is there-
fore," saith Augustin, " to eat that meat, and to
drink that drink, lor a man to abide in Christ,
and to have Christ abiding in him. And by
this he that abidetii not in Christ, and in wliom
Christ abideth not, out ol doubt he neither
eateth his flesh, nor drinketh his blood spiri-
tually, though carnally and visibly, he press-
et I with his teeth, the Sacraments of the
body and blood of Christ : but rather he eateth
and drinketh llip SMcramcnt of so great a
thing to his (■dniiomnation." 2Varf26. in John.
Agam, of wiik' <l im n, he saith, " It is not to
be said, thai tliry cal the body of Christ, be-
cause they arc not to he counted among the
members of Christ. And that I speak not ol
other things, they cannot be both the members
of Christ, and the members of an harlot.
Finally, he himself saying, he that eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me,
and I in him, showeth what it is, not only in
Sacrament or sacramentally, but in very ih rri,
to eat the body of Christ, and to drink Ins
blood!" De civil, lib. 21. cap. 21. In deel iriiiu'
in what points the carnality of the Capemaites
consisted, you confess with Augustin. De
Doct. Christ I. 3. c. 16. that these words of
Christ, " E.xcept you eat the flesh of the Son
of man," »fcc. be figurative. Wherein then
standeth the figure ? in the words, " Flesh and
blood," or in the words " Eating and drmk-
ing '.'" Verily our Saviour Christ doth so
plainly affirm, "The bread w'hich he will
give to be his flesh, which he will give for the
fife of the world," that we must needs under-
stand his body crucified, and his blood shed
for us, or his humanity sacrificed for us : then
it remaineth, that the figure be in eating and
drinking, and so the whole question is of the
manner of eating and driniang which is either
literal and without figure, as Papists take if
receiving into the mouth and body, or else .
spiritual and figurative, as Augustin there
teacheth, " by communicating with the pas- I
sion of Christ, and by sweet and profitable
recording, that his fl^esh was crucified and
woundecT for us." Which communication by
faith and the working of God's Spirit, is the
eating and drinking of his very body and
blood, either in the bacrament, or without it,
and which giveth eternal life to all that re-
ceive the body and blood of Christ either in
the Sacrament or without it.

64. It is want of faith in the Papists, that
they think our Saviour Christ cannot give us
his flesh and blood, to be eateri and drunken
of us, except it be received with the mouth
into the body, and to believe tJiat which they
believe contrary to the word of God, though
it be never so contrary to sense, it is no true
faith but a ialse persuasion of lies. Finally,
though .ludas did not believe the doctrine
of Ch'ist, yet it is not like that he showed
any outvvard token of unbelief; seeing it
is not said, that the twelve continued with
him.

66. In the thirteenth section, you confess the
words of Christ to be fimrative : now forget-
ting yourself you say, the disciples revoltmg,

proveth that he spake not iiietaphorically, upon
a fond imagination, " that his Apostles would
have plucked thtin by the sleeves," &,c. which
we never read that they did at any time. But
indeed, the cause of their revolt, was for
that they understood literally, that which he
spake of eating and drinking figuratively.
Which is one cause also, that the Papists
long since have revolted from the Churcn of
Christ, and tlio faith of the ancient Fathers,
who understood the words of the institution
of the Supper, as these also of the spiritual
or heavenly matter of the Supper, to be figu-
rative. For if Christ had spoken here of
eating and drinking literally, as the elements
are received in the Sacrament, how was it
possible they could have understood him, be-
fori; the Sacraiiii III was instituted? for their
infidelity had then been excusable. But when
ho had said ver. 47. "he that believeth in
nip. hath eternal life," they might, if they had
iiMi lioen obstinate, have understood, that the
niaiiiicr of eating and drinkmgof his fieshand
Mo.id to have eternal lifo, was by faith and
believing in him : aiiil nm after any gross
manner, as tin v im; jim >i, and the Papists
likewise : whcr. !>>■ lii. y ilc.-.iroy the truth of
his natural body, iii taiiiug from it the essen-
tial properties of a body, as quantity, place,
shape, and such like.

68. Peter worthily beareth the person of
all true members of the Church, when for
no cause he will revolt from Christ, who only
hath the words of eternal life, from which if
Calvin, Luther, or an An^el from heaven
would draw us, we must hold him accursed.
To the saying of Augustin, Tr. 27. in John,
we must add that which he sayeth in the
same place, as the conclusion of the same
matter. " Let all this avail thus much unto
us, that we eat not the flesh of Christ, and
drink the blood of Christ only in Sacrament,
which many evil men do, but let us eat and
drink unto the participation of the Spirit, that
we may abide in the Lord's body as mem^
bers, that we may be quickened by his Spirit,
and not be offended, although many do eat
and drink the Sacraments temporally, which
in the end shall have eternal torments."

Ch.^fter 7.

17. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the
Life, out of whom no man can live well,
But they that live well in Christ, are assured
of the truth.

20. The Pope is Christ's adversary, and
not his vicar, because he denieth the offices
of Christ to be prcnliar unto him.

39. The Popish .^aciiiiih nt of Confirmation
hath no institution cu- iriMund in the Holy
Scriptures. I.'<i>l'irii^ i)ri'^in. lib. 7. cap. de Sp.
mnct. understandeth this of the effect of
baptism.

59. And Antichrist hath also some wicked
aiiioiiLf r'l • LTood, which secretly serve him
an. I lull. 1 I ilie execution of just laws against
III-- ailli. ), III-. Otherwise, it will be hard to
piovo liiai (iaiiialiel was a servant of Christ,
but against his will.

128

JOHN.

Chapter 8.

32. He that is justified once by faith only,
persevereth and abidetli always in keeping
of his commandments, according to the mea-
sure of grace and strength, that he doth re-
ceive of the spirit of sanctitication.

34. So it be understood, there is no great
matter ; whether it be translated or not.
You might have been as bold to translate it,
as to expound what it meaneth, but that you
would seek a knot in a rush. Apucalypse 19.

36. Augustin saith not, that man "was never
wthout freewill, but the contrary, that man is
never perfectly free in this life. " When a
man begiimeth not to have grievous crimes,
as every Christian man ought not to have
them, the man bes^inneth to lilt up his head to
liberty." But this liberty is only begun, not
perfect. " It is true, man when he was creat-
ed, received great strength of freewill, but by
sinning he lost it. Deverhis Apost. Sem. 2

39. (iood works declare men to be children
of Abraham, and so meaneth James, as is
plain by his words, " Show me thy faith by thy
works," &c.

49. Christ was not a Samaritan, that is a
heretic and schismatic in such sense as they
called him so.

Chapter 9.

4. The text speaketh of working: meriting
and deserving are a cursed gloss beside the
text.

6. We marvel not, that Christ and his
Church useth such Sacraments, and external
ceremonies in curing our souls, as be of
Christ's institution. But we marvel how any
man dare make medicines for curing of souls,
that they never learned of the heavenly phy-
sician.

22. Many words to little purpose. Our
translation hath not simply excommunicate,
but adding, out of the synagogue. And the
Jews before Christ, had the same discipline
that the Church now hath, of casting them out
of the fellowship of the faithful, that for their
disobedience deserved it. The true Church
only hath true excommunication, the hereti-
cal assemblies, such as the Popish Church is,
counterfeit censures : Whose blessings God
curseth,'and blesseth their cursings. As for
the state of England which the Pope hath
cursed, God hath ever since wonderfully
blessed. And the Spanish Navy being the
power of all Papistry, which the Pope bless-
ed, had the curse of God following it until it
was almost destroyed.

24. We grant not your Popish miracles, as
you would msinuate, but say of them, as Au-
gustine said of miracles, of the Donatists,

A.way with these miracles, which are either
tables of lying men, or wonders of deceiving
spirits, for either those tilings are not true,
which are reported, or if Heretics have any
miracles, we are the rather to take herd of
them." Rut true miracles that God worketh
by In.s SamiH, to confirm the truth taucht in
the Scnpturea, we embrace and acknowledge
to the glory of God.

C'KAPtEK TO.

' 1. Calvin and Luther had lawful calling
both of GJod and the Church. But the lineal
succession of Catholic Bishops in every coun-
try, is not necessary. Por many heretics
have succeeded good Bishops, manv good
Bishops have succeeded heretics in fine and •
place, but not in doctrine. It is the succes-
sion of doctrine therefore, that is to be regard- " ,
ed, and not of place or persons: and that is
the true meaning of all the doctors which you
quote. Ireneus speaketh of continuance' of
doctrine, from the Apostles unto his time,
against the new heretics Valentinus, and Mar-
cion. So' doth Tertullian against the same,
and all other heretics that were before his

j time. Cyprian speakeih against them which
without lawful callmg thrust themselves into

, the office of Bishops. Augustin Epist. 165. ^ ..
although he allege the succession of Bishops ' **

j from Peter and other like veasons, yet in the
end concludeth: " Although we presume not
so much of these documents, as of the.Holy
Scriptures." Likewise contra Epist. Manich.
cap. 4. Although he allege many arguments
to hold him in the Catholic Church, beside
the most sincere wisdom, which is gathered
out of the Holy Scriptures, yet he confesseth
that all those arguments must give place to
the demonstration of truth : which truth may
always be plainly proved out of the word of
God, which is the truth. Joan. 17. 17. Neither
hath Lirinensis any thing to the contrary in
all his book.

22. Christ being in the Temple in the feast
of the Dedication, which was instituted by
the Church in the time of Judas, MaccabaeuSj
did not thereby allow whatsoever Maccabaeus
did in his life ^vithout the warrant of God's
Law. Thanksgiving to God, for restitution
of the Temple, alter the horrible profana- ,
tion thereof, is a thing approved by God's
Law : but a memorial thereof, is an indifferent
ceremony, which was not instituted by Eze- '
chias, after the profanation of the Temple
by Achaz and Urias, nor by Josias, after the
same was most horr.bly polluted by Manasses
and Amon, nor by Zorobabel ana Jesus, Es-
dras or Nehemias, after it was re-edified, when
it had been utterly destroyed by the Chaldees.
As for your Popish hallowing of Churches
hath nothing like unto it but the name, the
vain shadow whereof pleaseth you so much,
that contrary to your custom, and profession,
you are bold to translate the Greek Encenia,
which your vulgar Latin text retaineth, Dedi-
cation, and durst not translate Scenopegia, cap.
7. the feast of Tabernacles.

29. Though divers of the Latin Fathers, did
read so, yet the original text is otherwise,
neither can any of the Greek Fathers be
brought to avouch this reading, although Cy-
ril be ridiculously named, whereas that 7th.
book is not of Cyril, but of Clictoveus ma-
king. Therefore the Late ran council, did not
rightly allege this text against Abbas Joa-
chim, whose error by manit'est texts of Scrip-
ture uncorrupted, might easily have been con-
futed. As for the slander of Autotheism, is

JOHN,

answered before, cu;j. 1. Gregory Naziaiizen,
calleth the Holy Ghost avroKvuoi and avTo<j,oi,
which is all one-, as if he had called him
nvToieoi, and yet he denied not his proceeding
from the Father and the Son. Marius Victo-
rinus Aier lib. 3. coii(r. Arrianos, doubteth not
to say that Christ is ayroyvos motn/s in respect
of the substance of his deity. This quarrel
showeth some want of learning, but more
abiuidance of malice.

Chapter 11.

44. Jodocus Clictoveus you should sar, if
you could speak the truth: for the seventh
book of Cyril is lost. Augustin applieth
this text indeed to the authority that the mi-
nisters of the Church have in absolving sin-
ners. But that Christ reviveth none in the
Church, but by the ministry of the Priest,
Augustin saith not.

51. Peter's seat hath no privilege by Christ
his prayer, for divers Bishops of Rome, An-
tioch and Alexandria, have been Heretics.
As niany high Priests were idolaters and
Sadducees, as this Caiaphas was. But God
would have this saying of that high Priest to
be prophetical, that the Jews should have less
excuse of their obstinate incredulity, when
the cause and virtue of his death was uttered
by their own high Priest, though he spake in
another meaning. But this is a miserable
argument: Caiaphas prophesied once bv
special direction of the Holy Ghost, which
touched his mouth saith Chrysostom, not his
heart: Ergo, the Romish Caiaphas cannot
err. For the privilege of Peter, Luke. 22.

Chapter 12.

5. There is no such need or use of Church
ornaments, whereof you speak, as was of the
anointing of Christ, for the mystery of his
burial, therefore the casi? is nothing hke.

8. Augustin Tr. 50. in John, saith ; " Not ac-
cording to the presence of his body in which
he was bom, crucified, rose again," &c.
Matfh. 26 " He was to tarry but a small time,
with the Church corporally." Beda in 12. Johi.

20. The text is Grecians, which were Jews
dwelling among the Gentiles, or at least pro-
selytes, that were bound by the law, to visit
the Temple at Jerusalem. But now saith
Paul, "I will have men to pray in all places,"
&c. 1 Tim. 2. 8. "neither in the mountain nor
at Jerusalem, but in spirit and truth," saith
Christ, John 4.

39. They neither would nor could be will-
ing, because they were reprobate. And that
also doth Augustin signify in the same place.
Therefore he addeth immediately : " For God
foresaw their evil will, and he to whom things
to come cannot be hid, foreshowed it by the
Prophet. But thou wilt say, the Prophet tell-
eth another cause, not of their will. What
cause t^lleth the Prophet? That God hath
given them the spirit of compunction : eyes
that they should not see : and ears that they
should not hear : and hath blinded their eyes,
and hardened their heart, I answer that their
will hath deserved even that. For God so

blindcth and liardcneth by forsaking and not
helping, which he may do by judgment se-
cret, but he cannot do it by judgment unjust."
Again ; de bono persev. lib. 2. cap. 14, he saith :
" Iri the same lump of perdition were those
Jews left wiiich could not believe, when so
great and excellent miracles were wrought
m their sight, for why they could not believe,
the Gospel hath not spared to tell saying:
But though he had done so many miracles,"
&c.

Chapter 13.

5. The doctrine is very true, yet not so aptly
gathered out of the text.

10. That the relics of former sins remit-
ted, are to be cleansed by devout acts of chari-
ty and humility, none of the P'athers whom
you cite, do teach in any one word. Am-
brose contendeth for a ceremony of washing
the feet, of them that are newly baptized,
which the Church of Rome did not observe in
that time. And answering this objection,
why the feet need to be w-ashcd, when all sin
is washed away in Baptism, lie saith: "Be-
cause Adam was supplanted by the Devil,
and poison was shed upon his feet, therefore
thou washest thy feet, that in the same part,
in which the Serpent deceived, greater aid of
sanctificatioTi may be added, that he may not
supplant thee afterward. Therefore thou
washest thy feet, that thou mayest wash
away the poison of the Serpent. Also it pro-
fiteth unto humility, that we should not be
ashamed in a mystery, of that we do not dis-
dain in obedience." This saith Ambrose to
maintain the ceremony of washing of feet
after Baptism. August. Epist. 108, gathcreth
no more of this text, but that Peter was bap-
tized, and denieth that he did penance, as
they which were called penitents used to do
for heinous olFcnces: but as all Christians
had need to repent, or to do penance daily,
for their daily sins and transgressions,^ which
he proveth by the ordinary use of fasting,
alms, and prayer, in which we say, " forgive
us, as we foruivo, then by manifestuig that
we have sins ' < '.n li r.;i\i.n, and with these
words humblii' ■.:-!.. -. we cease not after
a sort, to do i!: ; : ■■ ' but of cleansing
of sins reniiit'.u ix .-| i Like th not. Tr. ^6. in
John, he saith: ■' Tliat iii Baptism a man is
waslied -whollv, lief and all. But when he
liveth afterward among men, he treadeth on
the earth, therefore human aflections, without
the which in this mortality we live not, are as
it were feet, when we are affected with hu-
man matters, juul so affected, that if we say
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
there is no truth in us. Therefore he washeth
our feet daily, which niaketh intercession for
us : and that we have need daily to wash our
feet, that is, to direct the ways of spiritual
steps, we confess even in the Lord's Prayer,
when we say, forgive us our debts, as we for-
give our debtors: for if we acknowledge our
sins, as it is written, verily he which washed
his Disciples' feet is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all sin, that

130

JOHN.

i3, even to our feet, in which we arc conver-
sant on the earth." What impudent mer-
chants are these, to quote these places for
cleansinir of sins remitted ? And if this cere-
mony had been used of the Apostles tor purg-
ing of small otl'cnces and hlthiness ot the
soul, which is false, yet why should holy-
water and such ceremonies, as the Apostles
never knew, lemit venial sins, as they call
them ? What Ambrose saith you have heard
before, but if Bernard's authority in this case
be sufficient, you must make ablution of feet
the eighth Sacrament. For he affirmeth, and
endeavoureth to prove, that it is a Sacrament,
as Ambrose doth, that it is a ceremony meet
to be retained, and continually to be used
after Baptism.

14. Not only by the Church's authority,
which never accepted this ceremony for a
Sacrament, but by the Scripture itselti we
know that it is none : because it is no seal of
God's grace, nor hath any promise annexed
unto it, as Baptism and the Lord's Supper
hath. Therefore it was only an exaniple of
humility, as the plain words of Christ are,
altliough by occasion ol that cxainjile, other
doctrine was inferred of our spiritual washing
by Christ, once wholly unto regeneration, and
daily of our feet, for our daily transgressions.
Wherefore there is no reason why we should
believe the Popish Church, that the Cup is
not necessary for the communicants, contrary
to the manifest institution of Christ, and the
practice of the Apostles, expressed in the
Scriptures.

Chapter 14.
12. All miracles that serve to confirm the
doctrine delivered in the holy Scriptures, we
receive and admit, although we be not bound
to believe any man's report of miracles, but
only the writing of the Apostles and Evange-
lists. But all miracles that serve to maintain
false doctrine or superstition, which is not
taught in the Scriptures, we esteem, as Au-
gustin did of the miracles of the Donatists,
that either they were fables, or illusions of
evil spirus, by what iium soever they be re-
corded, or written. De unit, Ecd. cap. 16. As
for miracles which you affirm to be done by
images, if they were not most impudent forge-
ries, as has often been discovered, yet seefng
they tend to maintain idolatry forbidden ex-
pressly by God's commandment, they ought
to move no Christian man, but so nuich the
more to abhor those idols, and that Antichris-
'.ian sect oi Fop(My iliat niainlainoth them.
No man need to marvil, say you, if they do
miracles. Indeed miracles done by them are
no marvels. No marvel if they sweat, when
their paper heads be smeared on the inside
with hot oil. No marvel if they bleed at
the nose, when blood is poured in at the top
ot their lieads. No marvel if they move
their eyes and lips, when a false kpave
behind puUeth the wires fastened to those
devices by which they move. No marvel if
thoy apeak, when a devilish wretch spcaketh
in a trunk behind them. These, and such

like miracles done by them, no man need to
marvel at.

15. It is possible to love Christ, and to keep
his commandments by his grace, but not per-
fectly, because he giveth to no man perfec-
tion of strength in his frailty, Rom. 7. 18. &,c.
Gal. 5. 17. &,c.

16. li you will not translate any words that
have divers significations, you must leave
five hundred more untranslated than you have
done.

16. The Holy Ghost shall ever remain with
the Church, and with every true member
thereof: Yet not every true member of the
Church, nor every minister thereof, which is a
successor of the Apostles may challenge all
privileges, that the Apostle had, necessary
for conversion of the world, but not for the
perpetual government of the Church.

17. The true Church of Christ can never
fall unto apostasy, heresy, or to nothing, but
therefore it is an impudent slander, to affirm
that we say so. Yef many of the visible
Church shall fall from the laith, into heresy
and apostasy, 2 TItes. 2. 1. Tim. 4.

28. This place is true of the humanity of
Christ, which the Arians blasphemously ap-
plied to his divinity: which in many other
places is proved most plainly, to be equal with ■
his father. So conference of Scriptures, if
the Papists would ^ive over their preiudicate
opinions, would end all controversies between
us : as well that of the corporal manner of
presence of Christ in the Sacrainenl, as other.
For these words, " This is my body," must
be so understood, as they may be not contrary
to other places of Scripture, that avouch the
truth of Christ's humanity, which cannot stand
with their transubstantiation and carnal man-
ner of presence.

CuArTER 15.
2. Wicked men may be members of the
visible Church for a time, and so of Christ,
being ingrafted to Christ sacramentally, but
not in deed. " He that bringeth no fruit, can-
not be in the vine," saith Chrysostom, Horn.
75. in John. "Although by faith he seemeth
to be |oined to Christ." EuUiym. 15. John.
Augustine understandeth these branches in
respect of the humanity of Christ. "The vine
and branches," saith he, " be of one nature.
Therefore when he was God, of which na-
ture we are not, he was made man, that his
human nature might be a vine, whereof we
men might be branches. JnhnTr. 80.

2. The true members of Chri.st may con-
tinually increase by his grace in the fruits*
of faith, which are holiness and righteous ,
ness. I

3. Augustin doth not so expound it, but show
eth how water doth cleanse in Baptism, name- .

by virtue of the word, his words are these,
hy doth he not say, you are clean for Ba[)-
tism, wherein you are washed ? but he sailh ■
" for the word which I have spoken unto you,
but because even in the water, the word doth
cleanse. Take away the word, and what is the
water but water ? The word cometh to the

JOHN.

131

element, and it is made a sacrament, even the
same as it were a visible word," &c.

4. Augustin saith not, that no man can be
sure ot perseverance, but that these speeches
are used by him which knoweth who shall
persevere, that no man through security fall
mto pride or presumption, but of perseve-
rance he aftirmcth, ca/;. 12. "To the first man,
which in that good in which he was made
right, had received that he might not sin, that
he might not die, that he might not forsake
that good, an aid of perseverance was given,
not whereby it should come to pass that he
should persevere, but without the which he
could not persevere by free will. But now,
unto the Saints predestmated by the grace of
God unto the kingdom of God, not only such
an aid of perseverance is given, but such,
that even perseverance itself is given to them,
not only that they cannot persevere without
this gift, but also that by this gift they are not
but perseverant. For he not only said : with-
out me ye can do nothing but also he said :
you have not chosen me, but I have chosen
you, and have appointed you that you rnaygo
and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit may
abide. By which words he showed, that he
had given them not only justice, but also per-
severance in it. For when Christ so appoint-
eth them that they go and bring forth fruit,
and that their fruit should abide, who dare be
bold to say, peradventure it shall not abide ?
AH Christians, therefore, oughtto be assured,
that they shall remain in the vine, keep his
commandments and such like conditions as
be required of them. For as Augustin saith,
" He that makcth men good, maketh them
also to persevere in good."

4. Whosoever is not a lively member of
Christ, can do no good work, but meritorious
to salvation, which is the gift of God's grace,
to man can do any thing.

10. The just man, such as the true Christian
man is, shall live by faith, that is, shall be
justified before God unto eternal life by faith
only. Which faith throughout the course of
his temporal life, cannot be unfruitful of good
works, and is never alone or solitary, although
a man be justified before God " by faith with-
out works." Rom. 3.

24. So far forth as Luther and Calvin teach
nothing but that Christ taught, the Papists are
as deeply in sin in not believing them as the
Jews, though they work no miracles: seeing
the doctrine they teach, is already confirmed
by all the miracles of Christ and his Apostles.

27. Provided always, that the Prelates of
the Church teach nothing but that which is
agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, inspired by
the Holy Ghost. ^ ^' ' i^ ^

Chapter 16.

2. The translation of Geneva, which so
translateth, hath in the margin, " or put you
out of the synagogues." The one in effect is
as much as the other.

12. Though the infirmity of the Aposllc,
could not yet bear that he had to say to them
it followeth not that those things are not con-

tained in the Holy Scripture. Augustin upon
this place saith : " When he himself hath not
uttered these things, which of us can say,
these and these they are ? Or if he dare be
bold to say, how doth be prove it ?" Yea he
proceedeth the further and saith : "If we had
read any of these things in the books esta-
blished by canonical authority, which were
written after the ascension of our Lord, it
were not sufficient to have read it there, ex-
cept it were also read there, that the same is
one of these things, which our Lord would
not then tell his disciples, because they could
not bear them." By this saying of Augustin
you come short to tell us of any thing that is
not contained in the Scriptures, that it is in the
number of those things, which Christ would
not tell his disciples. Leo, comparing 15 John
15, with this verse, ser. 2. de Pentecost, to the
same effect.

13. The Church can never err in any point
necessary to salvation, nor any true member
thereof, continue therein. For this promise
is to every one of the Apostles, and to every
Christian man and woman, to their comfort,
unto eternal salvation. Yet were the Apos-
tles deceived for a time in some things, as in
the caUing of the Gentiles : and true Christian
men may err, but not finally to their damna-
tion. Therefore the full accomplishment of
this promise Augustin referreth unto the life
to come : " I think," saith he, " that this can-
not be fulfilled in any man's mind in this life,
for who living in this body, which is corrupted
and weigheth down the soul, can know all
truth, when the Apostle saith, we know but in
part." Tract. 96. in John.

13. The Spirit of Truth is promised to all the
Church, and to every member thereof, for
whom our Saviour Christ prayeth, snying,
" sanctify them in thy truth, thy word is the
truth," John 17. 17, and is not restrained to
any one governor, which is not ordained by
Christ, nor yet to general councils, which if
they err from the word of truth, are not led
by the spirit of truth. And yet are general
councils a good mean, in matters of qu(\sfion,
where the ministers of the Church, which
have the special gifts of knowledge and un-
derstanding in the Scriptures, may by mutunl
conference of the word of God, find out the
certain truth, as in the council of the Apos-
tles. Acts 15.

23. To ask of Saints in the name of Christ,
is to make Christ a mediator between us and
the Saints. ButChrist saith, "whatsoever you
ask the Father in my name, he will give it
you," not whatsoever you ask of Saints in
my name, the Father of the Saints shall give
you. We may see upon what ground the
Popish faith isbuilded. And yet you say un-
truly of all your pravers to Saints for mariy
in your Portice conclude not with per Chris-
tum Bominiiin notftn/m : " By Christ our Lord."
For cxniiiplc among a creat number, take a
few. In that oflice which you call scn^ithim
beatcp Marice, there be three lessons_ which
be all prayers to the Virgin Mary, which be-
gin, sancta Maria virgovirginum, 4'<^. Sancta

JOHN.

Maria piarumpisisima, &lc. Saiicla Dei genelruc,
&c. In which this coiickision is not. And yet
no less is asked ol her, than eternal lite. And
because they be very blasphemous, it shall
not be amiss, tor the ignorant in the Latin
tongue to translate them. The first is, "Holy
Mary, Virgin ofvirgins, mother and daughter
oi the King of all kmgs : bestow thy comiort
upon us, that by thee, we may deserve to
have the reward of eternal life, and to reign
with the elect of God forever." The second,
" lioly Mary, of all godly women most godly
make intercession iorus, of all godly women
the most godly, that by thee, oh ! Virgin 1 he
may receive our prayers, which being born for
us of thee, reigneth above tlie heaven, that by
his love our ollenccs may be put out." The
third, "Holy mother of Qod, which worthily
hast deserved to conceive him whom the
whole world could not comprehend, by thy
godly intervention wash away our sins, tliat
being redeemed by thee, we may be able to
climb to the seat of eternal glory, where thou
remaiuest with thy Son without end oi time."
And what call you this but a prayer? "By
the blood of Thomas which for thee he did
spend, make us Christ to climb, whither Tho-
mas did ascend." The PopishPoet forgot per
Christum Dominum nostrum, or else it needed
not when the blood of Thomas was added to
the blood of Christ Again, per te Tlioma post
levae umnera amplexetur nos Dei dextera. " By
thee, Thomas, after the gifts of the left hand,
let the right hand of God embrace us, lest
the enemy, the world, or the works of the
flesh do carry ys away captive to hell. Again,
opem iwhis, &,c. " O Thomas reach thy help
unto us, rule them that stand, lift up them that
lie, correct our manners, acts, and life, and
direct us into the way of peace. More-
over in a prayer to Osmund : Confessor domi-
nj, &,c. " Thou confessor of our Lord, help
the people with thy prayers, that being void
of vices, they maybe associate unto thee, and
whom thou findest preventing thy solenmi-
ties, thou teacher of^ people cause that they
may accompany thee." To Anne. " Thou that
wast happy, being conceived with such a vir-
gin, make us in the last hour to die without
sin." Again, " Anne, thou healthful mother,
make us to live to Christ." To Catharine,
" Hail virgin worthy of God, hail sweet and
gentle virgin, obtain for us the joys, which
tnou dost possess with glory." By these few,
among a shameful rabble of Popisii prayers,
you may sec how true it is, that their " Church
concludcth all her prayers," per Christum dom-
inum nostrum, " even those also that be made
to Saints."

Chaptek 17.
17. The Church cannot err, nor any faithful
man finally, in matters necessary to perpetual
Balvation. But if the Church or any man
depart from the word of truth, they must
needs err. Though in matters necessary to
Balvation, the true Church, and every true
Chriatian, be preserved from erring finally.

Augustin interpreteth, sanctifying in the trnth,
" to be sanctified in Christ, which is the word
and the truth." Tr. 108. in Mm. Wliereof
it foUoweth, that neither the true Church,
nor any Christian man, can fall finally from
Christ.

19. Christ offered not his body and blood in
the Sacrament to his Father, but to his disci-
ples in remembrance of his only once oblation
thereof to his Father, by which he perfected
forever his Saints. Heb. 10. 14.

20. The Canon of the Mass, is too -base to
be matched with this divine prayer of our
Saviour Christ, which yet followed his Sup-
per, and not went before it, as the Popish
Canon beginneth before consecration.

Chapter 19.
17. The Scripture never calleth the cros3
whereon Christ died, holy, but rather cursed.
For Paul proveth that Christ became ac-
cursed for us, by that he suffered on the
cross, according to the Scripture : " Cursed
is every one that hangeth on a tree." Gal.
3, 13. And for many hundred years_ after
Christ, there was no mention or regard what
became of it. But when superstition began
to grow, it was said to be found in Constan-
tine's time by Helena his mother, which it is
not like that Eusebius would have omitted in
the life of Constantino, writing of Plelena,
matters of less importance than that inven-
tion, if it had been so indeed. But howso-
ever it was, it was credited in the latter
times, and much esteemed, not without some
spot of superstition. For if there had be-
longed any jeligious care of it to the Church
of Christ, the Apostles would havie procured
the keeping of it, and not suffered the Church
to have been three hundred years without it.
For it had been an easier suit for Joseph and
Nicodeiiius to obtain of Pilate, than the body
of Jesus himself. But in the latter times, as
superstition did more and more increase, and
miracles w-ere feigned unto it, the cross also
w^as multiplied in number, and the nieces
were made thereof so many as would load
a ship, if they were laid together, as Eras-
mus sailh. Which also is defended to be
possible by the suspected authority of Pau-
linus, Bishop of Nola,/^'- H) where he saith :
" That cross holding a living force in matter
void of sense, doth since tlie time it was
found, so lend the wood of it to the innumer-
able desires of men almost daily, that it sus-
taineth no diminishing, and continueth as if
it had never been touched, men daily taking
part of it, and yet worshipping it still whole.
But this incorruptible virtue and solidity
that cannot be consumed, it did drink in
truly of the blood of that flesh, which having
sufl'crcd death saw no corruption." But this
is so gross a fable, that the Censors appointed
according to the Council of Trent in the low
countries, for shame had commanded their
ind. cxpurfr. to be put out of the books of
Johannes Sartorius, who allegeth it to justify
the hyperbolical saying of Erasmus. But let

JOIIIf.

133

us see what is alleged out of liie ancient
writers concerning it. First, Cyril speaketh
of the sign of the cross, which doth put men
in remembrance of many good tilings against
Julian, which slandered the Christians, that
they worshipped the wood of the cross, by
painting the imago of it in their forehead and
before their houses. Ilierom bcingin Jewry,
writeth in the per.soii of Paula and Eustochi um
to Marcclla,ot the nieniories of Clirist's birth,
life, death and burial, that were in those places,
among which he reckoneth, Crucis lamhere
lignum, to liek or kiss the wood of the cross,
whereby it seemeth they were persuaded
1 that the cross was there, and yet it may be
the words be allegorical, as many other in
that epistle : " To see Lazarus come forward
bound with clothes." Meaning to be in the
place where Lazarus was raised, and to re-
member his coming forth. Leo, Epist. 72,
writing to the Bishop of Jerusalem, showeth
that he may«be put in mind of both the na-
tures of Christ, by the places where his mi-
racles are wrought, and his passion suffered.
" This thing the very cross itself doth speak
to thee incessantly :" by which words it could
not be proved, that Leo was persuaded, that
the cross itself on which Christ died, was
then at Jerusalem : but that in the end he
saith : " I received reverently, a little piece
of our Lord's cross, with your commenda-
tions." Hom.B, de passion, he speaketh mag-
nifically of the cross, " (hat it was the altar
of the world, in time of the passion of Christ.
That Christ carried the trophy of his triumph,
and on the shoulders of his invincible pa-
tience, he brought into all kingdoms the sign
of salvation to be honoured, as though even
then, by the very similitude of his work, he
confirmed all his followers, and said, he that
taketh not up his cross and followeth me, is
not worthy of me." In which saying, ex-
cept you grate upon the words, " the sign of
salvation to be had in reverence or ho-
noured," is nothing sounding towards your
superstition. Although in the words follow-
inff, Leo expoundeth his meaning, how it is
to be honoured, by admonishing men of their
conformity unto Christ's death and passion.
Evagrius a writer in a more superstitious
time, telleth a miracle of Christ that was
sho\yed when Thomas Bishop of Apamea,
carried the cross whereon Christ died, about
the Church to be worshipped of men which
earnestly desired to see it, at such times as
he used not to show it, because Chosroes
having lately destroyed Antioch, they thought
it should be the last time that they should
see it. For they were next in danger, which
they escaped for that present time, and an
image of that miracle was hanged up in the
Church, which soon after, with all the city
was consumed with fire by the Persians. In
which stor}', if it be true, it is to be n'oted,
that the cross was supposed then to be at
Apamea, where soon aher, by all likelihood,
it was burned with the Church in which it
was kept. Paidns Diaconus a late writer,
also telleth how Tiberius Constantinus found

a great treasure hidden in the earth under
a marble cross, which he caused to be taken
up : saying, " Do wc tread under our feet
our Lord's cross, wherewith we ought to
defend our Ibrehead and breast?" In which
story, the judgment of Tiberius Constantinus
which would not tread upon it, is no inore to
be esteemed, than the judgment of maiiy
Emperors betbrc him, which had seen it in
their palace and suH'ered it to lie, or of him,
whosoever he was, that did hide the treasure
under it. Now come wc to the epistle of
Paulinus, and the story of Rutfinus, in which,
mention is made of the invention of the cross.
And first, concerning the credit of that
epistle lately brought to light, the reader
must be admonished, that the style rather
savoureth some monkish character, than that
Paulinus, whose epistles unto Augustin have
long been read and known, and the Popish
censors, as we have showed before, are
ashamed of it. But admitting it to be au-
thentical, let us see what credit it deserveth.
First he sendeth to Severus "a part of a
little piece of the wood of the divine cross, '
and that his relic might be the better esteemed,
he telleth the whole story of the invention of
the cross by Helena. In which story it is
worthily to be considered, how well the
writers thereof agree, that we may verily
think it was forged. Seeing Eusebius, who
writeth the life of Constantine, and in the
same rehearseth the acts and buildings of
Helena in Jewry, maketh no mention ofariy
such matter. Therefore that brief note in
the chronicle, bearing the name of Eusebius,
is doubtless an addition of some later writer.
Ambrose then is the most ancient writer,
that maketh mention of that invention. De
obitu Theodos. And he saith plainly, that
three crosses being found, the cross of Christ
was known by the title that Pilate fastened
unto it. " The healthful cross was known
by the title." Ruffinus saith, the title could
not betray the cross of Christ. Sozomenus
and Nicephorus say, the letters were worn
out. Soz. lib. 2, cap. 1. Niceph. lib. 8, cap. 29.
Paulinus saith : the way to discern it, was
revealed chiefly to Helena herself. Ruffinus
ascribeth the device to Macarius Bishop of
Jerusalem : so doth Sozomenus, Theodoret,
and Socrates. Paulinus saith it was known
by raising up a dead man lo life. Ruffinus
saith it was discerned by restoring a sick
woman to health, with whom agree Socrat.
lib. 1, cap. 17, Theodoret. lib. 1, cap. 18. So-
zomen addeth, that it was reported also of a
dead man to be restored to life. Paulinus
saith, the cross remaineth whole at Jerusa-
lem, but yet so, that albeit innumerable pieces
be daily cut off at the request of men, it is
nothing diminished, but remaineth as though
it had never been touched. Ruffinus saith
that Helena left part of it at Jerusalem, the
rest she sent to Constantinople, which as al!
the inhabitants of Constantinople affirmed,
Constantinus inclosed in his own image, and
there it was in the time of Socrates. How-
it came to Apamea, let Evagrius tell. Man-

134

JOHN.

deville saith, it was wliole at Constantinople
in his time, although the monks of a certain
Abbey in Cyprus, affirmed that they had a
part of it, to get anoH'ering. Paulinas saith
thai the Bishop of Jerusalem yearly at Easter,
" bringeth it forth to be adored, himself being
the principal of the worshippers." Ambrose
saith, that to worship it, it is an heathenish
error and vanity of ungodly men. For these
are his words : " She found the title, she
adored the king, not the tree verily, for that
is an heathenisli error, and vanity of the
ungodly. But she adored him that had hanged
upon the tree, which was written in the
title." Therefore if the invention of the
cross were not a forged matter, as by the di-
versity of reports, it seemeth to be, yet by
the judgment of Ambrose agreeable to the
holy Scripture, the cross cannot be wor-
shipped without heathenish error, and vain
impiety. Finally, the placing of Mary and
John, for so you call those blocks, by the
rood in the Popish Church hath no more
warrant in the word of God than the rood
itself, for anything we can see in this chapter.

20. The tongues of all nations are sancti-
fied by the Holy Ghost, to utter the great and
magnifical things of God. ^cte2,ll. The
writing of Pilate, to the derision of Christ, is
a vain reason of the sanctifying of these
three tongues. For by Hebrew it is most
like the Evantrclistmeaneth the Syrian lan-
guage, which tlien was the vulgar tongue of
the Jews : and in Latin was no part of the
holy Scripture first written.

34. By those sayings of Augustin and
Chrysostom, it might be rightly gathered,
that those fathers acknowledged but those
only two sacraments, in that sense and kind
of sacraments and mysteries, baptism and
the Eucharisty, which flowed out of the side
of our Saviour Christ.

Chapter 20.

11. Howsoever Hierom, in the person of
those two women, in whose name he wrote
that epistle, esteemed of the monument, the
Apostles made small account of it, nor the
Church before the time of Constantinus,
which was about 300 years. And although
the sepulclires of martyr.'?, and the remnants
of their bodies, be reverently to be esteemed,
yet the superstition and idolatry of Pa-
pists, worshipping feigned and counterfeit
stuff for the most part instead of true relics,
is no way to be excused

19. It can never be proved that Christ's
body came either through the wood of the
doors, or through the stone of the sepulchre,
or through the ciausure of his mother's
womb. And concerning the last, the Scrip-
ture is evident to the contrary, where it is
said, that our Saviour Christ was presented
to the Lord, according as it is u ritten :
" Every male that first openeth the matrix,"
&.C. /.^//.7'2,20. The same affirmelh Hierom,
Cont. I'tlai;. lib. 2, saying, " He oi)encd the
gates ot ilic virgin's womb, that was shut."
For the immaculate virginity of Mary, con-

sisted not, in that the ciausure was not
stirred, but in that, she was free from the
company of man. What he writeth against
Helvidius ol such things as do accompany a
natural birth, which he acknowledgeth to have
been in the birth of Christ, and rightly saith
not to be more shameful than the cross of
Christ, I had rather that they should read in
Latin, than I express in Englteh : Solus est
viasculus adaperiens vuluam, tjui in veritate
sanclus vocaretur. Vuluam quippe matris eius
non concupiscentia mariti concuhentis, sed om-
7iipi>tenliafili nascentis aperuit. Ful. de i?i car.
and gra./. cap. 13. Again I cannot see how
it can stand with the article of his nativity,
that he came out of his mother's womb, the
clausures not stirred, when such a coming
cannot properly be called a birth : whereas
the Scripture, speaking of his nativity, useth
the terms that are commonlv spoken of in the
birth of all men. Matt. 1, 21, and 25. Luke
2, 6, and 7, a?id 11, 4;c. Whether all parts
after his birth, remained as close as before,
as divers ancient Fathers think, I will not con-
tend. It is sufficient to know so much as the
Scripture teacheth, that Christ was truly born
of a virgin. Leo saith, " It was an error of
the Manichees to deny that he was born cor-
porally of the Virgin Mary," in Matt. ser. 4.
Therefore we must so acknowledge that he
was born of a virgin, that we do not deny that
he was born corporally. Neither is it said,
that Christ came through the doors being shut,
but after the doors were shut, which yet at
his entry were opened miraculously, as to
the Apostles the prison doors. Acts. 5, 19,
and 12, 10. So I say of the stone, if he arose
before the Angel removed the same. Matt.
28. You say, " that some say, he came in at ^
the window," yet are you able to name none
of us, that so saith or thinketh. But where
we say, the door opened unto him miracu-
lously, or that he came in late, after the
doors were shut, you say there be flights to
defend falsehood against express Scriptures :
but we may well say, you have nothing but
brazen faces, to oppose against the manifest
truth. For where have you any express
Scriptures, that he came through the wood
of the doors being shut, the express words
of the Evangelist are, after the doors were
shut. But you add, that our exposition is
against the Apostle's " testimony, who there-
fore took him to be a spirit, because they
saw him stand suddenly in the midst of them,
all the house being close shut." Which is
a weak testimony, that he came through the
wood and iron of the doors. They thought
him to be a spirit when he walked on the
waters. Matt. 14, 20. Yea it is no certain ,
testimony, that he came in miraculously, for
it might he, the door was opened unto him
by some of the house unknowing to them.
But admitting that he came in miraculously,
your gross miagination is contrary to the
testimony and argument of Christ himself,
when to remove that false suspicion out of
their i:iind>^, he saith, " handle and see me,
lor a =i>irii bath not flesh and bones, as you

.lOlIN.

135

see me have." Luke 21. Which argument,
had been altogether insufficient, to prove tlie
truth of iiis bodily presence, and resurrection I
in body, it ihcy had been persuaded that,
after your fantasy, he came through tlie
boards of the door: or that their senses, con-
cerning his bodv, could have been so greatly
deceived, that delivering them bread to the
judgment of all iheir senses, he had deli-
vered in the same compass and shape of
bread, not bread, but his natural body sit-
ting siill in their sight. If therefore the
Apostles had luidcrstood the words of the
Supper, as Papists do, they could not have
been persuaded by the arguments of their
senses, which Christ offcreth, of the truth
and certainty of the resurrection of his body
from death to life. But all the Fathers, you
say, " confess that he went in, the doors being
shut." That he came in miraculously, the
most do think, and so do we, but not that
his body came through the wood of the
doors. Ambrose saith, " Thomas had cause
to wonder when he saw, that after all bodies
were shut, the joints not hurt, his body gotten
in through places enclosed, where no way
v.-as. And therefore it is marvel, how the
bodily nature, through an impenetrable body
did pass, his coming being invisible, his pre-
sence visible, hebeing easy to be touched, hard
to be deemed." This he speaketh of the
Apostle's error : but his resolution upon the ,
words of Christ, "handle me," &.C., is this. [
" Therefore not by an unbodily nature, but by '
quality of bodily resurrection, he passed
through the places shut, where no usual way
was. For that which is touched, is a body,
that which is handled, is a body, and we shall
rise again in the body. For it is sown a na-
tural body, it riseth again a spiritual body." |
In these words it appeareth, that Ambrose j
esteemed the quality of Christ's body, after ,
his resurrection, to be the same, which shall |
be of our bodies after they be risen again. I
Therefore, except you will ascribe a perilous
error unto him, you must acknowledge, that
he meaneth no more but a miraculous en-
trance, without passing of his body through
the substance of other bodies, except you
will acknowledge the same passage to be
the quality of all glorified bodies. Augustin
Ep. 3, sailh : " The same virtue of his divinity
brought forth his body, being an infant,
through the virgin's bowels of his immacu-
late mother, which after brought in his body,
being a young man, through the doors, that
were shiu." That is, he was born miracu-
lously by his divine power, he entered in
miraculously by his divine power, when the
doors were shut, the truth of his body still
remaining, to which, as he saith elsewhere,
" he gave immortality, he took not from it
the nature." Ev. 57. De Cicit. 22, cap. 8.
After he had told the miracle of the ring that
fell from the woman's girdle, being both fast
and whole, he saith, " They believe not this,
which believe not, that our Lord Jesus Christ
was born of the virgin's womb of his ipo-
ther being whole, and entered in to his dis-

ciples after the doors were shut. But let
them inquire of this, and if they, find this to
be true, let thom believe the other." Ad-
mitting this miracle of the ring to be true,
as Augustin was persuaded it was, upon the
report of the noble woman, from whom it
fell, yet it foUoweth not, that the substance
of the ring went through the substance of
the girdle, but that the one substance giving
place for the time, returned again when the
other was jtassed. Some incredulous Jew,
seeing that the ear of Malchus was so soon
healed, would not believe that Peter's sword
went between it and his head, as we are
sure it did. So we say of the birth of Christ,
and of his entry, the doors being shut. The
place through which his body passed, might
be whole, and shut before and after he passed,
but not in the instant of his passing, because
that is contrary to the nature of a true body,
such as his was. Cyril saith, " Our Lord
entered unto his disciples suddenly by his
omnipotence, after the doors were shut, over-
coming the nature of things," with more
words to the same effect, arguing nothing,
but that he came in after a wonderful man-
ner, which we do acknowledge : yet not al-
tering the nature of his body, but subduing
the nature of other things to himself, as he
showeth, in his walking upon the water.
Which Hierom also allegeth, to prove the
miraculous entering of Christ. " But though
he entered after the doors were shut, which
the nature of human bodies doth not suffer,
therefore we shall deny both Peter and our
Lord to have had true bodies, because they
walked upon the waters, which is against
nature. By this it appeareth, he meaneth a
marvelous manner of entering, but yet such,
as taketh not away the truth of Christ's body,
" from which, if you take distance of space,"
as Augustin saith, " you take the body clean
away. Or if you take the bodies from the
qualities of bodies," he meaneth essential
qualities, " there shall be no place where they
maybe, and if they be no where, they be not at
at all." This saith Augustin of the nature
of Christ's body, agreeable to the nature of
all true bodies. Ep. 57. Leo saith to the
same purport. Now, what God is able to
do if he will, we doubt not : but when we
know his will by his word, concerning the
truth of our Saviour Christ's human body,
wherein he was made like unto us in all
things, Heb. 2, 17, ^c, we cannot admit
such miracles, as be contrary to his will re-
vealed in his word, upon pretence of his Al-
mighty power. And if you detest the he-
resy of the Ubiquitaries, as contrary to faith
and the common rules of nature and divinity,
for the same reasons you should leave your
heresy of the body of Christ being in many
places at once, and yet without the due space
of place, whereby according; to Augustin's
rule, it is made to be in no place, and conse-
quently, to be no body at all.

2L In the words of Christ, is no institution
of any Sacrament, because there is no visible
element whereunto the word may be added

13S

JOHN

to make a Sacrament. But he rencweth the
commission granted belbre to his Apostles,
and to their successors, by declaring the plea-
sure of God, to pronounce sentence of forgive-
ness of sins to all that are truly penitent, and
of the retaining of them to the obstinate and
impeniterM. And this is the authority that the
Apostles and all Ministers of the Word and
Sacraments their successors have, to forgive
and retain sins. Gregory bishop of Rome sailh:
" Then the absolution of the president or over-
seer is true, when it foUovveth the pleasure of
the eternal Jud^e." Horn. 26. inEvang.

22. He giveth the Holy Ghost by a visible
sign, to assure them of the authority which he !
gave them, which was, by preaching the gos- \
pel to remit and retain sins, for which purpose
he opened their mind, that they might under-
stand the Scriptures, Luke 24, 45. &,c. That
you add he did it " tor the grace of the Sacra- !
ment of Orders," as Augustin saith, it is an '
impudent imtruth : for neuher that counterfeit |
Augustin, whom you quote first, nor the true
Augustin, Cont. ep. Pann. 1.2. c. 11, doth once
name the Sacrament of Orders. For of the
poNver or grace that is given to them that are
ordained ministers of the Church, the question
is not now: but whether there be any Sacra-
ment of Orders ; and whether this power be
absolute; or following the judgment of God,
to be executed by preaching and declaring
the will of God out of his word, or by cere-
mony only. Concerning which matter, Au-
gustin saith in the place by you alleged, that
Christ by giving the Holy Ghost, when ho
gave power of remission of sins, "doth show
sufficiently, that they do it not, but the Holy
Ghost verily by them, as is said in another
place. For it is not you that speak, but the i
Holy Ghost which is in you. And the Holy |
Ghost is so ill the governor or minister of the
Church, that if he be not a hypocrite, the Holy
Ghost worketh by hi!n, both to his own re- 1
ward, unto eternal health, and to the regene- 1
ration or edification of them, which by him |
are either consecrated, or have the Gospel i
preached unto them." These words declare i
what manner of authority the ministers of the
Church have, in remission of sins, either when j
they minister the Sacrament of Baptism, or
when they preach the gospel. Cyril also in I
the place noted, is of the same judgment with !
us. " And certainly it pertaineth to the only j
true God, that he be able to loose men from !
sins. For to what other person is it lawful to |
deliver the transgressors of the Law from I
sin, but to the author of the Law itself? For ■
80 we see it to be done in men's affairs For j
no man without punishment resisteth the
Laws of kings, but the kings themselves, in '•
whom the crime of transgression hath no j
place. For it is wisely said, that he is ungodly, I
which will say to a king, thon doest unjustly '
How ihf'n iiath our Saviour given to his Dis-
cipica tiio dignity and power of the divine na-
ture '? Certainly, because it is not against
reason, that sins can be forgiven by them
which have the Holy Ghost in them. For
M4>«n they remit or retain, the spirit which

dwelleth in them, remitteth or retaineth. And
that shall be by them as I think by two means,
by baptism and by repentance. For either
they bring men that believe and are approved
for holiness of life, unto baptism, and dili-
gently keep the unworthy from it : or when
the children of the Church offend, they rebuke
them, and pardon them when they repent.
As Paul sometimes delivered the fornicatoi
among the Corinthians, unto the destructioL
of the flesh, that his spirit might be saved,
and received him again, that he should no
be overwhelmed with greater sorrow." Am-
brose hath none other meaning, nor any word
of the Sacrament of Penance : but reasoneth
against the Novatians, which denied that sins
could be forgiven after baptism by the minis-
try of men, wherein you do impudently be
lie us, to match us with them. His wordlsare
these : " What skilleth it whether the Priests
do challenge this authority given unto them,
by repentance, or by baptism ? there is one
ministry in both. But thou wilt say, that in
baptism the grace of the mysteries doth work:
what? in repentance doth not the name of
God work?" By these words it appeareth,
that Ambrose acknowledgeth no Sacrament
of Penance or repentance. For then he would
have said : Doth not the same grace of the
mysteries work in penance ? Are they not
both sacraments alike ? But he saith, " Doth
not the name of God work?" meaning, that
the grace of remission of sins, which is grant-
ed in the name of God to the penitent, is as
efTectual without a sacrament, as in a sacra-
ment.

23. At the institution of the Holy Sacrament
of our Lord's Supper, there was no word of
sacrifice or power of sacrificing given to
Priests. But where you say, the second
faculty of priesthood, consisting in power to
remit sins, is here instituted: you confess
they were made but half Priests before. But
how I pray you could they baptize or minister
the Lord's Supper, without power of remis-
sion of sins unto the penitent? Therefore
here is no Sacrainent of penance instituted,
but the authority of their Apostleship, con-
firmed and renewed unto them and their suc-
cessors, ministers of the Church. Moreover,
you shall never be able to prove, that the
power of remission of sins doth imply con-
fession to a Priest, or satisfaction of work:
neither is there any word in the Holy Scrip-
tures, to declare these two parts necessary
to repentance. Neither doth it follow of any
necessity, that men are bound to submit them-
selves to the judgment of Priests, if they
have authority to forgive sins. Neither were
their power piven in vain, if none were bound
to seek absolution at their hands : for they are
bound to offer it to all true penitent sinners,
although they seek it not at their hands, yea
to e.xhort and desire men to be reconciled
unto God by their ministry, 2. Cor. 5. 20. Luke
24. 47. Again, men may seek absolution at
their hands, though they be not bound to sub-
mit themselves to their judgment, nor vet to
confess all, or any of their particular iinntal

stns unto them. And where you quote Cy-
prian de Lapsis, he speaketh not one word of
the necessity oi the cont'ession of all sins to
a Priest, but of them that had openly fallen to
idolatry, who were bound openly to acknow-
ledge their sin, before they could be received
into the communion of the faithful : commend-
ing them also, which although they had not
openly fallen, yet having but only thought to
yield to idolatry, being pricked in conscience
confessed the same to the Priest, and sought
comfort and wholesome medicine, though it
were but for small wounds, in comparison of
them that had yielded in act, Hierom sailh,
" That as in the law the Priest maketh the
leper clean or unclean, so here also the
Bishop or Priest bindeth or looseth, not them
that are innocent or guilty, but according to
his office, when he hearetli the diversities of
sinners, he knoweth who is to be bound and
who to be loosed." Here is no word of the
necessity of Confession, but only he showeth
that the Bi.shop or Priest, hath none other
power of binding and loosing, than the Priest
of tJie Law had in making clean or unclean,
which he did none otherwise but by declaring
and pronoimcing who was clean, and who was
unclean. So the minister of the Church hear-
ing that there be sinners penitent and unpeni-
tent, knoweth to bind the one, and loose the ]
other. '■

Moreover, where you say the authority to
retain sins, consisteth especially in enjoining '
satisfaction, &c. It is altogether without the
testimony of the Holy Scriptures, yea contra-
ry to the same, which teach, " that all penitent
sinners are by the ministry of the Church, to
be assured of remission of their sins freely ,
through the redemption of Christ." Rovi. 3. i
25. 25. l.John2. I.and2. &c. For by the death
of Christ, is made a full satisfaction to the
justice of God for our sins, and not by any
works of ours. Christian men therefore look
to have remission of their sins in the Church,
and by the ministry thereof after baptism,
contrary to the heresy of the Novatians, but
not by any sacrament of penance. For neither
Ambrose, Socrates, or Hierom, do once name
the sacrament of penance in the places noted :
but show that the ministers of the Church
have authority as well to loose as to bind, to
forgive sins as to retain : whereas the Nova-
tians granted the one, and denied the other.
Augustin joining reconciliation of them that
are'bound to baptism, doth not thereby acknow
ledge a sacrament of the one, as well as ot the
other. The like is to be said of the lamentation
described by Victor Uticensis : and the com-
plaint of Cyprian, Ep. 54, for the necessity of
reconciliation by the ministry of the Church,
of those that are bound by the same, doth not
prove a sacrament of penance, which is the
matter we stand upon. That the power here
given, is exercised by preaching and de-
nouncing the promises or threats of God,
either publicly or privately, you know not
what it meaneth : but even the "Fathers whom
you have cited, do testify the same, as appear-
etb by their sayings before remembered.
18

IN. 137

That confession may be made profitably when
a man's conscience cannot otlierwise be satis-
fied, we deny not : but that it is always ne-
cessary for obtaining remission of sins, we
utterly deny The saying of Chrysostoin we
acknowledge, understanding this power to be
given to the ministers of the Church, as am-
bassadors of Christ, whose sentence being
uttered in earth according to their commis-
sion, is ratified in heaven. But how this pow-
er is exercised, Chrysost. also showeth, cap.
6, of the same book, "not only by teaching
and admonishing, but also by prayer." And
concerning the necessity of confession to the
Priest what Cyprian saith in his book de Lap
sis, I have showed before. The former place
is a commendation of them which confessed,
even their purpose of defiling themselves with
idolatry, though they did not accomplish it in
act, in comparison of other that would be re-
stored to the fellowship of the Church, with-
out any confession when they had actually
and openly fallen : which doth not argue any
necessity of confession, in the same or in any
such. In the second place he urgeth open
confession and satisfaction to the Church
which by their fall was ofiended, of them that
had openly fallen into idolatry. So the place
nothing proveth the necessity of confession
of all sins, nor satisfaction to the justice of
God. Cyril also, or Origen, in Leu. lib. 2.
speaketh of hard discipline and open penance
for open and heinous sins : the words are
these : " There is yet a seventh way of
remission of sins, although hard and labori-
ous, remission of sins by repentance, when
the sinner washeth his bed with tears, and his
tears are made his bread day and night, when
he is not ashamed to declare his sin to the
Lord's Priest, and to seek medicine according
to him which saith, I said, 1 will confess mine
unrighteousness against myself, and thou hast
remitted the impiety of my heart." You must
remember there are six other ways of remis-
sion of sins, in which no confession unto the
Priest is required, neither is it here required
as necessary, but in case of that hard and la-
borious kind of repentance, which was ap-
pointed to open and notorious offenders. And
yet by the text of the Prophet, which he citeth,
it may seem he meaneth by the Priest of God,
our Saviour Christ : for the Prophet speaketh
of confession to God only. Tertuljian in his
book de pmnitenlia, speaketh only of public
confession of them that had openly fallen.
Hierom. in Eccles. 10, saith, "if the serpent the
devil hath bitten any man privily, and with-
out any man's knowledge hath infected him
with the poison of sin, if he that is stricken
doth hold his peace, and do not repent, nor
will confess his wound to his brother and
master, the master which hath a tongue to
cure him, cannot easily profit him : for if the
sick man be ashamed to confess his wound to
the physician which he knoweth not, medicine
or physic heal not." This place doth not in-
fer a necessity of confession, but where the
conscience is especially troubled, not to the
Priest, but to any learned brother, which by

138

JOHN.

comfortable exhortation may cure him. Basil
saith, " The confession or declaration of sins,
is after the same manner as the showing ot
the passions of the body. Therefore a> men
do not open the passions of their body to all
men, nor to any kind of men, but to those that
are skilful to cure them, so the confession of
sins ought to be made to them that are able
to healtheni, as it is written ; you that are
able, bear the intirmitiesof the weak, that is,
take them away by careful looking to them."
These words do not affirm that all o;ir sins
must of necessity be confessed to a Priest, but
that choice must be made of a godly learned
physician of the soul, when we do make de-
claration of any of them, whether he be
Priest or no, that is able to minister spiritual
medicine unto them. Whereby it may rightly
be gathered, that in vain men make their con-
fession to many Popish Priests, which be
altogether unlearned and unskilful. Basil
speaketh for the instruction of them that
lived in monasteries in his time, among whom
many were learned and able to give good
counsel that were no Priests. But Leo you
say nameth Priests, Ep. 80. he doth so indeed,
and secret corifession as sufficient against
them, that required open confession as neces-
sary : yet saith he not, that confession to the
Priest of all sins, is always necessary. For
that it ise.xpedient in some cases, for men to
confess their sins to their Pastor, we deny
not, but you have not proved that it is always
necessary. The words of Hierom be as I
have declared before. " When he hath heard
the diversities or divers kinds of sins, he
knoweth who is to be bound, or who to be
loosed :" namely, the penitent to be loosed,
the impenitent to be bound. Which he can-
not do, by hearing the variety of sins : for
all sins are to be pardoned to them that repent,
and no sin is to be remitted to the impenitent.
That Ambrose heard sometimes secret con-
fessions, and kept them secret, we give ere
ditto Paulinus : but that confession of all
ains to a Priest is necessary to obtain re-
mission of sins, neither Ambrose nor Pauli-
nus, nor any ancient godly Father doth tell
us. Augustin, horn. 49. speaketh of open
penance for them that had openly committed
adultery,' as it appeareth by the example of
Theodosius the Emperor, which he bringcth
to persuade them, saying, " God would have
the Emperor do open penance before the peo-
ple, specially because his sin could not be
kept close, and is the Senator ashamed of
that the Emperor was not ashamed ?" I have
answered before to Ambrose, and Cja^rian,
that neither of them speaketh a word for the
necessity of the confession of all sins to a
Priest. The author of a book, devcraetfaha
pmniientia writeth against Augustin by name,
and by the stile showeth himself to be a late
writer in comparison of Augustin. Yet he
thinkeih not confession to a Priest to be so
necessary, but that if a Priest be wantino;, a
man may confess to his neighbour, and shall
nave pardon, aa the lepers that went to show
their faces to the Priests, were healed befor-

they caine to them. But that confession of
secret sins is not necessary to be made to any
man, but only to God, Chrysostom showeth
Horn, de pcBnilent. et confessione : " it is not ne-
cessary to confess in the presence of winesses,
let examination of thine offences be made in
thought, let this judgement be without a wit-
ness, let God only see thee making thy con-
fession : God which casteth not thy sins in
thy teeth, butlooseth thy sins for thy shame."
Again, in Ep. ad Heb. Horn. 31. " I say not to
thee that thou ought to bewray thyself abroad,
nor that thou shouldst accuse thyself before
other men. But I will have thee obey the
Prophet saying, reveal thy way to the Lord,
confess thy sms before God'" The like say-
ing he hath in Psal. 50. horn. 2. and in many
other places of his works.

Chapter 21.
7. AuOTstin in that allegory, doth not in
one word signitV the preferment of Peter be-
fore the rest of^ the Apostles. If Gregory
himself a Bishop of Rome, and so near the
open manisfestation of Antichrist in that See,
that he prophesied of the forerunner, gather
something for Peter's primacy, it is no mar-
vel : yet it is little that he saith in this Horn.
24. for the Pope's supremacy. His words are
these : " I think your charity doth already
consider what it is that Peter draweth the net
to the land. For to him the Holy Church was
committed, to him it is said specially, Simon
.lohannis, lovest thou me ? Feed my sheep.
That which is afterward opened in voice is
now signified in work. Therefore, because a
preacher of the Church doth separate us from
the ways of this world, surely it is necessary
that Peter draw to land the net full of fishes.
For he draweth the fishes to the steadfastness
of the shore, because by the voice of holy
preaching, he showeth to the faithful the
steadfastness of their eternal country. This
he did by words, this he did by epistles, this
he doth daily by signs of miracles. So often
as by him we are converted to the love of
eternal rest: so often as we are separated
from the tumults of earthly things : what are
we else, but sent into the net of faith, as fishes,
and drawn to the shore?" In these words,
there is no more granted to Peter, than was
true of all the Apostles, yea, than is true qf
every Preacher of the Gospel. Bernard is so
late a writer, that we defer nothing to his
authority.

\^. Christ maketh not Peter his Vicar gen-
eral, more than every one of his Apostles,
who had every one a general charge of all the
flock of Christ's sheep.

17. As Malt. 16, the Church was promised
to be builded none otherwise upon Peter than
upon all the Apostles, and thart the keys of
heaven should be given to him, no more than
to all the Apostles : so Peter here is made no
more general Pastor and governor of Christ's
flock, than all and every one of the Apostles
is. Nor all the logic in the world can other-
wise conclude out of the words of the te.xt.
Neither do the Protestants to uphold their

JOHN.

139

Archbishop against tlie Puritans, as you call
vtheni, avouch or prove any such preeminence
of Peter above the rest of the Apostles, that
he should be their head, and they to depend of
him, nor acknowledge any primacy of Peter,
but a primacy of order, as the ancient Fatliers
do, not of authority. The Archbishop's au-
thority for external government of the Church,
liath better arguments to uphold it, than the
feigned supremacy of Peter. Your only rea-
son to prove a diflercnce of preeminence be-
twixt Peter and the rest, is, that Christ asked
Peter whether he loved him more than the
rest. Where for equal charge, no difference
of love had been required. This is nothing
but a foolish sophism, where that is taken for
the cause, which is not the cause indeed.^ For
the cause why Peter was bound to love Christ
more than the rest, was that Christ had forgiv-
en him more than the rest, according to the
Parable, Luhe 1. For having thrice denied him,
he causeth him thrice to confess that he loved
him, and willeth him to declare his greater
love, by more diligent and painful feeding of
his flock. Wherefore Peter's greater love
proveth not any greater authority given unto
him, but that he is bound to greater duty and
service in the Church of Christ. And this is
the uniform consent of the most ancient writ-
ers upon this text. ■ Augustin fmding no su-
premacy of Peter in this Scripture, proveth
thereby the duty of all shepherds to feed the
flock of Christ, for the love of Christ. " Our
Lord doth first ask that which he knew, and
that not once but twice and thrice : Whether
Peter doth love him : neither doth he hear any
thing of Peter so many times, but that he
loveth him: neither do'th he commend any
thing to Peter so many times, but that his
sheep should be fed. There is rendered to
a threefold denying a threefold confession,
lest his tongue should be less serviceable to
love, than it was to fear, and lest death ap-
proaching should seem to have expressed
more of liis voice, than life present. Let the
duty of love be to feed the Lord's flock, if it
were a token of fear to deny the shepherd.
They which feed the sheep of Christ with this
mind, that they would have them to be their
sheep and not Christ's, are convinced to love
themselves and not Christ, of desire of glory-
ing, or ruhng, or gaining, not of love of obey-
ing, of helpmg and pleasing God. Against
these men therefore doth the voice of Christ
watch, so often repeated, whom the Apostle
lamenteth, to seek their own, and not the things
of Christ." Tract. 123 in John.

Cyril finding as little for Peter's supremacy,
hath these words, "For seeing^ Peter which
with the rest was adorned by Christ himself
■with the name of Apostleship, denied him
thrice in the time of his passion, there is now
of right required of him a triple confession of
love, that thrice denying, might be recompens-
ed with an equal nurnber of confessing. So
that which was committed in words, is cured
with words. Now he asked of him if he
loved more than the rest. For he that had ex-
perience ot the greater mercy of our Lord to-

ward him, ought of right to be affected with
greater love. For though all the disciples
generally were stricken with great fear when
our Lord was betrayed, yet Peter's ofTeiice
was greater, who in a very short time denied
Christ thrice. P'or so much therefore as by
the mercy of our Saviour he obtained forgive-
ness of a greater sin, there is justly demanded
of him "reater love. For to whom more is
remitted, he ought to love more, as he saith
elsewhere. Hereof the Church receiveth a
rule of asking them thrice, which come to
baptism, that by thrice confessing of Christ,
they may be numbered among the faithful.
The teachers of the Church also do learn, that
they cannot otherwise be joined to Christ, ex-
cept they study with all care and diligence,
that the reasonable sheep may be well fed,
and be in good health." And a little after.
" Therefore by thrice confession of Peter, the
crime of thrice denying is avoided. And he
saith. Feed my lambs, renewing unto him the
dignity of Apostleship, lestby Tiis denial that
happened by human infirmity, it might be
thought to have been weakened." Lib. 12. c. 46.
in John.

Chrysostom, though not so plainly yet suffi-
ciently expresseth the same sense : " There
are indeed many other things which cause
us to have trust in God, and which do de-
clare us to be noble and approved. But
that which doth most of all procure unto us
the love of God, it is the love of our
neighbour, which Christ exacteth of Peter:
for when they had ended their meat, Jesus
saith to Simon Peter, &c. But wherefore,
omitting the rest, doth he speak to Peter?
He was the mouth of the Apostles, and princi-
pal. Wherefore Paul also went to see him,
beside the rest, and withal to show him, that
now he was to be trusted : for as though he
had forgotten his denial, he doth commit the
care of his brethren unto him, neither men-
tioneth his denying, nor casteth it in his teeth,
he only saith. If thou lovest me, take care of a
thy brethren, and that love which thou hast
showed in all things, and wherein I delight,
and thy life which thou didst say thou
wouldest lay down for me, deliver it for my
sheep." And a little after he addeth, Ter
interrogat, &c. " He asketh thrice, and al-
ways commandeth the same thing, that he
might show how great care he hath of his
sheep, and that is the greatest argument of
love." And lest you should thinli he ascribed
greater authority to Peter, than to the rest of
tlie Apostles, for that he saith in the same
Homily, that Ciirist committed to Peter the
charge ofthe whole world : He saith the same
of Peter and John together ; " Seeing they
were to take upon them the charge of the
whole world." In John horn. 87. Therefore
his meaning is, that Peter as first in order, was
the mouth ofthe Apostles, to testify of all their
love, and that was spoken to him of feeding
the sheep of Christ, bclongeth equally to all
the Apostles. Bcda agreelh in words fully
with Augustin. Now to the places which you
cite out of the ancient Fathers : First I say

140

JOHN.

the place of Cyprian is falsified by Pammelius,
contrary to the ancient edition in print and
miiny written copies yet remaining, yea con-
trary to the citation thereof by Gratian in the
Decrees c. 24. q. 1. c. Loquitur, in which is no
mention of the primacy of Peter, and the very
argument of the place is directly contrary un-
to It. The very words of Cyprian be these :
"To the same Peter he tiaith after his resur-
rection, Feed my sheep. And although after
his resurrection he giveth equal power to all
his Aposdcs, and saith : As my Father sent
me, I also send you, receive the Holy Ghost,
whose sms you shall remit, they shall be re-
mitted unto him, whose you shall retain they
shall be retained : yet that he might manifest
unity, he disposed by his authority, the origi-
nal of the same unity, beginning of one. Veri-
ly the rest of the Aposlles were the same
thin^ that Peter was, endued with equal fel-
lowsliip, both of honour and power, but the
beginning proceeded from one, that the
Church may be declared to be one." By this
true allegation of Cyprian, which maketh al-
together against Peter's supremacy, you may
see what is shamefully foisted in by the Pa-
pists, which nowadays have none other shift
to keep their credit with their sottish scho-
lars, but to corrupt and falsify the writings of
the ancient Fathers and others, as appeareth
by their Index expurgatorius lateh' printed to
their shame perpetual, which they determined
to have been kept in secret. And that Cy-
prian's meaning is, that all Bishops have equal'
authority, these words in the same book do
plainly convince : " The Bishop's office is but
one, part whereof is holden in whole of every
several Bishop." So that every one hath the
whole authority for his part. Rabanus Matt-
rus de institut. der. lib. 1. cap. 4.

But that the vile practice of the Papists
may be laid open, not only in falsifying the
writings of the Fathers, but also in wilful
perverting their meaning against their own
knowledge and conscience, it shall not be
amiss to set down their own words, namely
the judgment of the University of Douay,
approved by the censors according to the de-
cree of the Council of Trent, concerning the
book of Bertram. The title, " How the book
of Bertram, Priest of the body and blood of
our liord, being amended may be tolerated."
"Although we make no great account of this
book, and therefore we would not greatly
care if either it were no where extant or
utterly lost: yet seeing it hath been al-
ready oftentimes reprinted, and hath been
read of mo.st men, and being prohibited by
name, hath been made known to all meii,
seeing filso the heretics do know of the i)ro-
hibilion thereof by divers catalogues, and
that he was a Catholic Priest and a Monk of
the Abbey of Corbey, and was well beloved
nnd reverenced not so much of Carolus Mag-
nus, ns of Carolus Calvus, nnd doth help the
Btory of that age : and seeing that in other
Cnfnolic ancient writers, we hear very many
errors, nnd extenuate them, excuse them,
and very oftrntimes hv devising sonio prettv

shift we deny them, and do feign some corit-
modious sense- unto them, when they are op-
posed against us in disputations or in conflictiv
with the adversaries: we do not see, why
Bertram doth not deserve the same equity
and diligent recognition, lest the heretics
should jangle against us, that we burn up and
prohibit antiquity which maketh for them, and
therefore it is no marvel that so few things
seem to make for them, when we Catholics
do so unreverently hiss out and destroy anti-
quity, which birt in show dissenteth from us.
Moreover, we fear lest this book not only by
heretics, but also by unruly Catholics, by
means of the prohibition thereof, may be read
more greedily, alleged more odiously, and do
more hurt bemg inhibited, than if it were per-
mitted."

Upon these consid-erations they take order,
and show how this book at the next print-
ing shall be falsified, by adding, putting out,
changing of the words and sentences, and by
perverting the whole scope and meaning of
the author. Out upon you antichristian here-
tics void of all truth and honesty, as your
own words and deeds declare.

The sayings of Chrvsostom be shamefully
wrested to maintain the Pope's supremacy,
which he uttered to show the dignity of every
Priest, or Minister in the Church. For they
are spoken to coinfort Basil, whom he set
forward to be Priest, when he avoided it
himself Wherefore Basil in the beginning
of this book, complaineth that he was de-
ceived by him, and asket-li what he should
gain by this office that he might be persuaded
that he was not deceived. Chrysostom an-
swereth, " what greater gain can there be.
than when it is certain you do those thmgs
which Christ himself said to be arguments of
love towards himself? For speaking to the
chief of the Apostles, he said ; Peter doest
thou love me," &c. And so proceedeth in
all the discourse, showing out of this text, the
dignity of the Church Ministers, to whom
Christ hath committed the charge of that he
loved best and in exereising of which charge,
he would have our love towards him, special-
ly to appear. So in the former place by you
cited, he meaneth not by Peter's successors
only the Bishop of Rome, but all good Minis-
ters of the Church. His words are, "He
committed his sheep to Peter, and to them
that come after him." For it had pertained
nothing to Basil, if he had spoken of the dig-
nity and prerogative proper to the Bishops of
Rome. In the second place he saith : " Wilt
thou still quarrel with us, that thou hast not
been well deceived, when thou shah he made
ruler over all the .•<ul)st;meo of (Jod, and when
thou (lo(-st the s;uiir things, which when Pe-
ter did, he would have him to be of power,
and to excel the rest of the Apostles: for he
saith, Peter doest thou love me moi*e than
these," (fee. It is manifest that he meaneth
that Basil being called into the ministry of
the Church, was made equal with Peter in
dignity, if he would endeavour to be equal
with him in love? And that the matter

JOHN.

141

wherein Christ would have Peter to excel,
was in love and diligent feeding ol'his sheep :
The charge whereof, is not to be committed
but imto cuosen men, such as afterward Ghry-
sostoui describeth : and not to the Bishop of
Rome only.

Now concerning Gregory, which condemn-
eth the name of imiversul liishop as Anti-
chrisLicin, we go not about to clear him
from all usurpation of jurisiUotion more than
to his Hee appertamed. For I lie mystery of
ini(jnity preparing to the open mamfestation
of Aniicnnst, long before did work, in the
See of Rome. And yet all that he asciibeth
to Peter, doth not make Peter or the Pope,
such a supreme governor, as you wouhl have
him. That he saithof the Couiui! ..( I'liaice-
don, seeing it appeareth not in iIm ;mw uI lUe
Council, but a contrary decnc. wm tciii iiie
Council made the Bishop of Coiistaniiuoide
equal with the Bishop of Rome, nothwith-
standing all the lajiour that Leo then Bishop
of Rome could nuike by himself and his
deputies, deserveth no credit. His predeces-
sors alleged a counterfeit Canon of the Coun-
cil of Nice for their prerogative, but the for-
gery was discovered m the Council of'Africa,
cap. 105. Where you say, the Council of
Chalcedon would not give any unjust title to
any man, you acknowledge the dignity of the
See of Constantinople equal* to the See of
Rome in all things, seniority except, to be
just, which was granted and concluded in the
last session, Act. 16. And whereas you say,
the title of universal Bishop otfered to the
Bishop of Rome, I know not in what sense
was true and lawful, and only in the Bishop
of Constantinople and other which had no
right to it, it was insolent, unjust, and anti-
christian, you speak clean contrary to Grego-
ry's mind, who condenuied it as simply unlaw-
ful in any man, and saith : "That none of his
predecessors would use that so profane title,
although it was offered by the Coimcil of
Chalcedon. lib. 4. ep. 80. ep. 36. and a name of
proud appellation," being given to himself, lib.
7. ep. 30. In the same epistle he denieth,
that he commanded the Bisliop of Alexandria,
and saith that such " proud terms proceeded
from the root of vanity, which ought to be far
from his hearing." Whereby it is manifest,
that although he thought too highly of the

dignity of his Sec of Rome yet he was far
from the antichristian pride, ot the most that
succeeded him. Finally, the reason that he
useth m condemning the name of Universal
Bishop, and why he refuseth it, do plainly de-
clare, that it cannot be just or lawful in any
Bishop, or in any sense.

Moreover, we deny not but Leo the Great
took too much upon him, as some of his pre-
decessors had done before him, yet did he
never arrogate half so much as the Popes do
at this time. The authority of Bernard, who
hved in the time of Antichrist's chief exalta-
tion, and was in many points deceived with
his errors, is not to be regarded in this con-
troversy. The Greek Verb signifying to go-
vern as a shepherd ruleth his sheep, addeth
no more authority to Peter, than to any other
Bishop or Elder of tlie Church, to whom it is
also used. Acts 20. 28.

18. That Peter was martyred, may be con-
cluded out of this place : but that he was cru-
cified, it cannot be proved out of the words of
this text. And least of all that he was cru-
cified at Rome. And although many of the
ancient writers affirm that he died at Rome,
yet it may be doubted of, seeing other parts
of their report, as of Peter's sitting five and
twenty years at Rome, are confuted by the
Scriptures. Beza in this place doth not ab-
solutely deny Peter's being at Rome, nor yet
his crucifyuig there, but that most impudent
fable of the passion of Peter, bearing the
name of Linus, by which it might be con-
cluded, that Peter was justly condemned for
drawing men's wives from their husbands.
But the fable is worthy of no credit.

25. There is written sufficient, that we may
believe that -Tesus is Christ, and that believing
we may have life in his name,Jo/(7! 20. 31. there-
fore all things necessary to salvation are con-
tained in the Scriptures. The Evangelist
saith not, that any thing is omitted of his doc-
trine, but of his acts : For though he spake
more words than he expressed, yet all the
doctrine that he uttered in those words is
contained in the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testament. The Apostles preached
nothing but that which was contained in the
Scriptures. Act. 17. 11. and 26. 22. Rom. 1. 2.
Gregorius BcBticus Hibertanoi sedis episcopus ad
Galium Flacidiam

ANSWER TO THE ARGUMENT OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

It is needless to write any thing against the I neither was the Gospel translated from Je-
scope of this preface, when there is none so rusalem, at that time where the history
sottishly addicted to Popery, but if he have of the Acts recordeth that Paul came to
the understanding of a natural man, he may Rome, for then the Church flourished there
easily perceive how wretchedly you go about, under James, and many ten thousands of
to wring out of the Acts of the Apostles, a the .Jewish nation, were believers, Acts 21,
usurped title ofheadship, for the city of Rome, i 20. Neither doth Luke in the Acts, so
First you say it delivereth the Gospel to be | much as in one word insinuate, how the
translated from Jerusalem, the head city of ] Gospel was first brought to Rome, for it
the Jews, to Rome, the head city of the Gen- had continued there many years before
tiles. Which is utterly false in both parts. Fori Paul came thither, as appeareth by his Epis-

142

ACTS.

tie to the Romans- Except that he maketh
mention of Aquilu and Friscilla, lately come
from Rome lo Corinth, upon the command-
ment of Claudius, by which Aquila, perhaps,
the Gospel was first brouglit to Rome. But
hereof we will not contend. Certain it is,
that liie Gospel was not taken from Jerusa-
lem, nor sent, as it were, to Rome when Paul
was delivered to the Romans. For it was
there long before; the Church, as you confess,
being planted there by Peter himself Ag-ain,
what blasphemous impudence is it to say,
" That St. Luke cared not to tell the appear-
ing of Paul before Caesar, because his pur-!
pose was no more, but to show the new Je-
rusalem of theChristians, where Christ would
place the chief seat of his Church :" when it
is certain that he ended his story before Paul
did appear. For upon his appearance, he
was delivered, as he testineth himself,
1 Tim. 4. 17. And as for that, which you make
his only purpose, what antichristian presump-
tion is it to affirm, that to be his only purpose,
which he doth not in any word signify ?
Whereas his purpose is sufficiently to be
gathered out of the preface unto his Gospel,
whereunto he joineth this second book of the
Acts, to declare the doctrines and doings ot
the Apostles, conformable to the deeds and
doctrine of their Master, for the certainty and
assurance of the faith of Theophilus, and of
the whole Church. Again it is false, that you
say, " The Fathers and all Catholics, have
always looked to Rome, as the Jews did toj
Jerusalem. For although, while the Church
flourished there, they had some respect unto j
it, because it was the chief city of the i
Empire, to which and Irom which, might be i
most convenient concourse, and recourse : \
Yet did they not so regard the Church of |

Rome, that they would be always ruled by it.
Polycarp coming to Rome, would not give
place to the Churcli of R6me, nor to Anicetus
Bishop thereof, in the celebration of Easter.
Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 26. When Victor Bishop of
Rome, about the same question, would have
excommunicated the bishops of Asia, he was
countermanded by them, and was rebuked by
Ireneus, Polycrates, and others. Euseb. lib. 5.
cap. 25. Cyprian and the Bishops of Africa,
would not yield to Stephanus, in the question
of the baptism of heretics. Epis. ad Pomp. el.
Cone. Aph. Firmilianus and the Bishops of
the East, stood against him in the same cause,
Apud. Cyp. Ep. 75. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 4. The
Council of Nice made all the Patriarchs equal
with the Bishop of Rome, cap. 6. The Bi-
shops of Africa forbade the ambitious titles
which began to be given to the bishops of
Rome. Cone. Carth. 3. cap. 6. They forbade
appeals to Rome. Cone. Milevit. cap. 22.
Aphrycan. cap. 92. The general Council of
Chalcedon regarded not the negative voice
of Leo Bishop of Rome, or of his Legates.
Acts 16. The Church of Ravenna, in Italy
hard under the Pope's nose, for many years
together, would not acknowledge his superi-
ority. Platini in Don. 1. Yea it is so far off,
that the Fathers esteemed Rome to be Jeru-
salem of the Christians, that they judged it to
be Babylon of Antichrist. Tertull. cont. Marc,
lib. 3. Aug. de CivU. lib. 16. cap. 17. et lib. 18.
cap. 2. et 22. Hiero. Algasiquest. 11. et in Esa.
lib. 13. cap. 4. FrcBjht in Didym., &c. To
conclude, 3. Luke writeth no more of Pe- \
ter and the rest of the Apostles, than he
knew certainly to be true. Of Paul he
wrote more at large, because he kept him *
company in all his peregrination, and was pre-
sent at the most matters, whereof he writeth.

ANSWER TO THE ANNOTATIONS ON THE ACTS OF THE
APOSTLES.

Chapter 1.

5. The ministryof man giveth not the Holy
Ghost, but Christ by man's ministry as well
in the baptism of John, wherewnth he himself
was baptized and received the Holy Ghost,
as also in the baptism of his Disciples. Hie-
rom saith, that our Saviour Christ received the
Holy Ghost immediately after his baptism :
"That it might be declared unto us that it is
a true baptism whither the Holy Ghost coni-
eth." Cont. Lucif.

7. It is for us to know the coming of Anti-
christ, so far forth as God hath revealed in
the holy Scri[)tures. But you the ministers
of Antichrist would have no inquiry to be
made of him, lest he should be found in the
See of Rome, the Western Babylon, as Au- !
gustin doth call that city- i

11. We believe, that Christ's flesh is verily i
eaten, both in that sacrament, and otherwise [
in baptism, and without both by faith, after a
spiritual manner, for so doth Chrysostom [
mean, notwithstanding his ascension. But

his ascension and sitting at the right hand of
God in heaven, until he come to judgment, is
a sufficient argunient against the corporal pre-
sence of Christ in the sacrament, or anywhere
else used by Augustin, Tr. 27. John and Tt. 50.
" You shall not eat," saith Augustin, " this
body which you see, nor drink that blood
which they shall shed, that shall crucify me:
I have commended unto you a certain sacra-
ment, which bein" spiritually understood,
shall give you life.' Ps. 98. " If Jesus died
not, of whom is this sacrifice a token and
figure." Chrys. Matt. Horn. 83.

14. Their wives are comprehended, as well
as other women, for it were inconvenient to
think the Apostles would exclude their own
faithful wives, and remain shut up with other
women. And it was expedient that their
wives also should be confirmed by the Holy
Ghost, who were partly to be companions of
the painful peregrination of their husbands,
partly to remain patiently without them. And
if you had not forgotten your note immedi-

ACTS.

113

ately before given, upon tlie ISih verse, you
would not have excluded them out of this
company, except you would deny I hem lo
have been true members ol'thc visible Church.
14. For the assumption of the Virgin Mury,
there is nothing brought but counterlcit stulli
Denis, Damascen, Aihanasius. For in that
sermon entitled to Athanasius, the author doth
so distinctly express in plain terms, that
which was concluded in general councils'
long after his death, that it may easily appear
to have been written many hundred years af
ter his death. For although the truth of the
two natures, and one person of Christ, was
linown and acknowledged of Athanasius be-
fore the heresies of Nestorius, Eutyches, and
the Monothelites did spring : yet he did not
speak so expressly against their subtleties,
as the author of this sermon doth. For thai
which is alleged of Dionyse, there is nothing
extant, but the report of one Juvenalius in the
said oration of Damascen, who citeth whole
matterout of the stories of Euthymius, which
by all likelihood, is that Euthyniiu;? that wrote
upon the Gospels, the Psalms, and Panoplia,
which are now extant, in the days of Alexius
the emperor of Constantinople, long after the
days of Damascen. Beside this, the very
manner of the narration, argueth it to be fabu-
lous. Euthymius reporteth that Juvenalius
bishop of Jerusalem, being demanded of Pul-
cheria the empress concerning the body of
the Virgin Mary, which was believed to be
buried at a Church in Gethsemani, which the
empress desired to be traiislated to Constan-
tinople, to a Church which she had built
in Blachernis the third year of Martianus the
emperor : the said Juvenalius ans^vered thus :
''Out of the authority of the holy books, there
is nothing written of those things which pertain
to the departure of the blessed Virgin, only
out of an ancient and most true fame we have
received," &c. And so setteth down the man-
ner of her death and assumption, and pro-
ceeding in his tale to show that Timothy and
Dioiiysius were there, he rehearsetii a large
discourse out of an epistle of Dionysius to
Timotheus, forgetting that a little before he
said, he had nothing out only by fame. And
if you will needs have this liistory to be true,
we must needs affirm that the lessons which
you read on the assumption day, taken also
out of a counterfeit Hieroni as the style be-
wrayeth, are itdse and untrue. For in them
the author saith, that he did write this trea-
tise, that Paula and Eustochium might have
a Latin gift, to keep the solenuiity of this
feast. " Lest peradventure, if there come in
your hands that Apocryphal writing of the
passaiie hence of the blessed Virgin, you
should receive doubtful things instead of cer-
tain. Which in desire of reading thereof,
many of the Latins through love of piety, do
embrace more dearly, specially seeing of
these matters no other thing can be proved,
but thatthe glorious Virgin as this day depart-
ed out of her body- And her sepulchre is
showed to us which see it unto this present
time, in the midst of the valley of Josaphat,

which valley is placed between liic mount
Silo and the mouiU Olives, which also you of
Paula, have seen with your eyes, where in
honour of her is built a Church of marvellous
workmanship of stone, in which, as you may
know, it is reported there of all men that she
was buried, but now her tomb is showed to be
empty, to them that see it. These things I
have said to this end, because many or us
doubt whetlier she were assumpted together
with her body : or else died leaving her body
behind. But how, or at what time, or by what
persons her most holy body was taken away,
or where it is laid, or whether she be risen
again it is unknown. Although some would
affirm that she is already raised up to lii'e, and
clothed with blessed immortality in heaven
\\ith Christ. Many also affirm that John the
Evangelist, the minister of the blessed Virgin
is risen again : because nothing is found in
his sepulchre but Manna. But what of these
things may be judged most true, we are un-
certain. '\ et better do we commit the whole
matter to.God, to whom nothing is impossible,
than that we would rashly define any thing W
our authority, which we do not prove." If
this authority be good, which h. ing read in
your popish service maketh the story of her
assumption apocryphal, and the matter itself
doubtful: then is the other story which. you
have set down false, that maketh it certain.
If that which you have set down be true, then
is that false which you read solemnly in your
Church service. Beside this, compare their
reports of the place of her burial, and the one
author convinceth the other of falsehood.
Your Church lesson out of a counterfeit Hie-
rom, saith, the Church and place of her burial
standeth in the midst of the valley of Josaphat.
Juvenalius bishop of Jerusalem, in your fable
out of Damascen, saith, the Church and se-
pulchre in Gethsemane, which according to
the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, is
in mount Olivet, and after John's gospel, on
the other side oi'the brook Cedron. Whereas
the valley of Josaphat is between the city and
the brook, and between the city and mount
Olivet, as the other author truly saiih. Are
you not ashamed therefore, to avouch that
bodily assumption, which your own Church
doth not affirm, and for proof, of it, to allege
such fabulous forgeries as are convinced to
be false by your own service book? Now
concerning your quarrel against us for abo-
lishing of the festivities of the assumption,
1 nativity, and conception of the Virgin Mary,
by which means, as you say, she shall have
no festivity at all. First, know ye, that we
have no religion in any festivities of creatures,
neither do we celebrate any of their feasts in
worship of them, for, as Augustin saith, "We
have no religion of men that are dead, for if
they lived godly, they are not accoimted such,
that they would seek such lionours, but they
will have him to be worshipped of us, by
whose illumination, they rejoice that we be
, fellow-servants of their degree or dignity.
I Therefore they are lo be had in honour for
. imitation, not to be worshipped for religions."

144

ACTS.

De vera religione cap. 55. Secondly, these are
abolished in our Church, because their insti-
tution was most superstitious: the one, for a
leigned assumption of her body, whereof your
own writers arc uncertain, as Durand, and the
author of your Matin's lessons: the other,
for to maintain the heresy of the Franciscan
Friars, that she was conceived and born
without sin, which is contrary to. the Scrip-
tures. Finally, as in a thing indifferent, we
make choice of days and times for the assem-
bly of the congregation, besides tlie Lord's
day, such as are thought most exjjedient, ac-
cording to that liberty which the Church hath
in matters of indifference, without esteeming'
the dignity of Saints by the number of festivi-
ties, as you do. And therefore we rather re-
tain the feasts of the purification and annunci-
ation of Mary, because they may be more
proper to Christ, in whose honour, and not in
the honour of his servants, we keep all such
solemnities and festivities.

Where you say, we cannot abide the
praises of the blessed Virgin Mary, it is a
lewd slander, for we do very well all&w all
praise that may be given to her, without dis-
honour of G.)d, and Christ her Son and Sa-
viour. And whereas you call to witness
the ancient writers, as though they ascribed
unto her such blasphemous praises as you do,
you abuse the reader greatly, for all in a man-
ner that you allege is counterfeit, and forged
by authors much later than those whom you
name. As that Homily of Athanasius, \vhere-
of I have spoken before, those liturgies
bearing the names of James, Basil, and Chry-
sostom, whose gross forgeries have been
long since discovered. To these add the
sermons gathered upon Augustin De Sanctis,
whereto if any credit be to be given, re-
member that in the 39th Sermon, he doubt-
eth of the assumption of Mary, which is an
ancient approved truth with you : yet there
it is said, that no Catholic story doth declare
it, and moreover, that the Catholic Church
doth not know it. And for a good proof
that Augustin is not author of these homilies,
he allegeth the testimony of Isidorus, who
hved about 200 years after Augustin. Yet
if it maintain any piece of Popery, it is au-
thentical with you, and either it must be Au-
gustin, or at least Fulgentius. But the al-
lepng of Isidorius provelh that it is neither
otboth. As for most holy and ancient Eu-
phrem, if we admit that special oration that
you cite under his name for authentical, yet
he must be understood as Cyrillus. That in
regard of the great honour that God vouch-
safed her, to have Christ born of her, those
praises are ascribed to her, not as a merito-
rious or principal efficient cause of our re-
dem lion, but as a holy vestal and instru-
mental cause of the conception and birth
of Christ, by whose only merit and worthi-
ness our redemption and salvation is per-
fected, as by a proper and principal only
meritorious efficient cause thereof. That
which Irenanis, Augustin, and other do write
of the concurring of both se.xcs to our sal-
vation, is not to make the blessed Virgin

Mary a meritorious, or proper efficient cause
of our salvation, as Eve was of our condem-
nation, but only to show, that as by a woman
sin entered into the world, through ijie sugges-
tion of the serpent, so by the seed oi a wo-
man the serpent's head is bruised, God using
the faith of Mary for the conception of Christ,
as the devil used the incredulity of Eve, to
die deception of Adam.

Concerning the tragedy of Gregory Na-
zianzen, whither you send us in the margin
it seemeth you make no great account of
that testimony, being yet in appearance of
words very rank for your purpose. But either
you know that it is falsely ascribed to that
ancient father, which was written by an au-
thor of much later time, or else you acknow- •
ledge, that in such poetical speeches is small
force to prove matters in controversy. In-
deed, as they that be learned in the Greek
tongue do observe, the author of that tra-
gedy neither in words, nor sentences cometh
near to the style of Gregory Nazianzen, nor
yet keepeth the law of the lambick verse,
which Gregory in that kind of poetry,
doth precisely observe. Moreover, he at-
fecteth some phrase, by imitation of Euri-
pides, which as it is not like that the grave fa-
ther Nazianzen would have done : so if he
had attempted the matter, he would have
better deserved it, than this writer doth. Fi-
nally, in this place he attributeth to the
Virgin Mary in his poetical vein, that which
you deny to be the meaning of such titles
and praises as are given unto her : and in
other parts of that poem, he hath many things
which I am sure you will not allow tor good
divinity. Among which let this example
suffice, that in one place he bringeth in the
same blessed Virgin, condemning herself of
greatest and most extreme folly. Finally,
your sophistical interpretation of the mean-
ing of the titles and terms given to the Virgin
Mary, cannot excuse him of blasphemy, any
more than the same pietences may e.xcuse
a man of treason, that giveth the proper
titles of a kingdom to a King's mother, under
colour that she is an intercessor for him' to
the King, and brought forth the person of
the King into the world. And yet some of
your prayers unto her, can be excused by ,
neither of both these shifts, as these : " Com-
mand thy son. By the authority of a mother
coimrumd thy son. Compel God to be mer-
ciful," and such other. See the notes upon
John 16, 3. Beside the honouring of Ma-
ry with the title of Qneen of Heaven, and
such like is condemned by Epiphanius for a
heresy. Har. 78, and 79. And there is no
cause, why such titles should be given her
in respect that she was the mother of Christ.
For as Augustin saith, De saiicta virg. cap. 3.
" She was more happy in that she conceived
the faith of Christ, than in conceiving the
Hesh of Christ. If then these titles be unmeet
for piety in respect that she received the faith
of Ciirist, which grace is common to all God's
children, then are they more unfit in respect
that she conceived the flesh of Christ.
To conclude tiicrcfore with the saying Oi"

ACTS.

14j

Epiplmnius, Heer. 78. " Wlieilier the holy !
virgin died and was buried, lier falling in
sleep is in honour, her death in chastity, and
her crown in virginity : or whether she were
slain, as it is written the sword shall pierce
thy soul, her glory is among l.he martyrs,
and her holy body 'in praise and commenda-
liotirt, by whom the lijiht arose into the
woiid : or whether she hath remained, for
it is not impossible for God to do all things
that lie will, for her end is known to no man :
we ought not to honour the Saints more than
IS convenient, but honour their Lord." Hter.
7'.). " She was indeed a virgin, and an ho-
nourable virgin, but not given to be wor-
shipped, but she herself worshipping him
that was born of her Hesh, and came from
heaven from the bosom ot his father. For
which of the Prophets hath commanded any
man to be worshipped, much less a woman ?
Therefore let Mary be in honour, let the Fa-
ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost be wor-
shipped." Finally the Colliridian heretics
might excuse their idolatry, by such inter-
pretation as you make of their meaning, and
by as good reason might offer their cakes, as
you do your candles and other ofl'erings.

15. Peter practised no authority, but only a
primacy of order, as Chrysostom showeth
upon this text. " No\y consider this also,
how Peter doth all things by the common
sentence of the disciples, nothing by his own
authority, nothing by commandment." And
when Beza calleth him Anlistes, the chief
of the company, he meaneth in order, not in
authority, as though Peter were the Bishop,
and the rest of the Apostles only his chap-
lains at hand, or at commandment.

26. Inthe wordofGod, we read that lots are
directed by God only. Prov. IG, 33. But per-
haps you had respect to the toy of Thomas'
lots, when they added the direction of Saints.

Chapter 2.

1. Auguslin calleth the mysteries which
he gathered out of the numbers 40 and 50
sacraments. By which you may see, how
largely he useth the term. And that it is not
by and by a sacrament, as baptism and the
Lord's Supper are, which Augustin calleth by
the name of a sacrament or mystery gene-
rally.

4. Of confirmation here is no word. And
it cannot be proved by the text, that the fiery
tongues sat upon any more than the Apostles,
who were to be preachers of the Gospel
unto all nations. Although we read, that the
gift of tongues was granted to others also,
therefore it is no inconvenience to think,
that the whole number received that gift,
but the Aposde specially. Neither doth
Beza absolutely deny, that the Virgin Mary
■was present, but derideth the fond picture of
the Papists, in which she is painted in the
midst of the Apostles, as though she were
chief of their Collesfe.

14. The Pope wilhngly resigncth this part
of Peter's office, in preaching first, and com-
monly preachcth neither first nor last.

23. It is a most impudent slander, that
Luther or Calvin ever taught that God was
the autiior of the traitorous sin of Judas.
And it is a knot in a rush that you find, when
you charge Beza with false transl ition
where he rendereth the word providence.
For what signifieth providence, but foresee-
ing, and what is foreseeing in God, but fore-
knowledge ?

24. Christ suffered nothing in soul after
his death : but Augustin, in the place whiihrr
you send us, saith nothing at all to this pur-
pose.

27. The article of Christ's descending into
hell, is not grounded upon this texr, but upon
other places of Scripture. " Upon those
just," saiih , Augustin, " which were in the
bosom of Abraham, when he descended into
hell, i have not yet found, what benefit he
bestowed, from whom according to the
blessed presence of his Godhead, 1 see that he
never departed. As even in the same day in
which he died, he promised the thief, that
he would be with him in Paradise, when ho
was to descend to loose the sorrows of hell.
Ej>ht 99.

27 He suffered nothing in soul after his
death, but before his death, he suffered the
pains due for our sins.

27. All the Fathers do not affirm, that
Christ went into hell to deliver the Patriarchs
and just that were there. First, Ter. cont.
MarcionUh. 4, saith, "Hell is one thing, and
Abraham's bosom is another thing." Chry-
sostom saith, it was an holy Paradise. Ex.
Luc. 16. Horn, de diviniie. Augustin De ge-
Ttesi ad lifer, lib. 12, cap. 33, saith of Abraham,
" I see not how we can believe, that he was
in hell :" aiid cap. 34, "How much more
alter this life, that bosom of Abraham, may
be called a Paradise." Moreover, where you
call it a blasphemy of Calvin, to say that
Christ suffered the pains of hell on the
cross, you betray greater malice than wit
or learninj?. For what dishonour is it to our
Saviour Christ, to suffer that which was ne-
cessary for our redemption, namely, that
torment of hell, which we had deserved, and
which the justice of God required that he
should endure for our redemption. Or rather,
what is more to the honour of Christ, than
that he vouchsafed, to descend into hell for
us, and to abide that bitter pain, which we
had deserved to suffer eternally? And what
may rather be called hell, than the anguish
of aoul, which he suffered, when he being
God, yet conaplained that he was forsaken of
God ? Again, where you say that Calvin
should ten.ch that he did not otherwise de-
scend into hell, it is false : for he acknow-
ledgeih, that the virtue of his death, did over-
come hell, whicli in some sense, may be
cp.lled a descent into hell. Furthermore, if
descendinir into hell, be taken according to
the Hebrew phrase, for entering into the state
of the dead, that are departed this li.'"e : Cal-
vin also acknowledgetb, that in this sense
also, Christ descended mto hf-ll. Finally, if
Christ's descending into hell, as toit.c of iho

146

4CTS.

Jincioni Fathers did expound it, were nothing
but his burial, he contesseth tiiat also, though
it be not the true sense o^ that article. Yet
so doth Kuffirius expound it, and testify,
;hat this clause of the descending into hell,
in his time, was neither in the creed of the
Church of Rome, nor in the creed of the Ori-
ental Churches. Ruff.itisymh.

Now concerning the Hebrew words, after
which the Greek are used, they be not proper
for soul and hell, as you do more boldly than
wisely affirm. Beza opposeth not himself
against the Scriptures at all, nor against the
ancient fathers, neither doth translate falsely
of purpose, but truly, against purgatory, and
I Ambus palrum.

38. Amendment of life requireth of neces-
sity sorrow for sin, and departing from the
former sins, which they that are to be bap-
tized, do profess, which is that penance
whereof Augustin speaketh. Dejid. el oper.
cap. 11. Butep. 108, he showeth repentance
after baptism. " Men do also penance, if
after baptism they have so sinned that they
are worthy to be excommunicated, and af-
terward to be reconciled, as they do, which
in all Churches are properly called peni-
tents." Again he saith of another kind of
repentance, " For repentance is a daily pun-
ishment of good and humble faithful men :
in which we knock our breasts, and say, for-
give us our debts," &c. But of the sacrament
of penance he speaketh not a word.

42. It cannot be proved, that this was the
blessed Sacrament, and much less, that it was
ministered in one kind. Cup. 20.

44. This living in common was neither
anabaptistical community, nor papistical
monkery. But such as ought always to be
among all Christians. That no man account
that to be his own, which the necessity of his
brother requireth, to be bestowed on him.
For that the Christians then had property in
their goods, and might so hold it, it is mani-
fest by the words of" Peter to Ananias, Cap.
1, 4. Chrysostom saith, the Christians were
then so affected, as the people were in his
time, when God shook the city with an earth-
quake, where there was no community, but in
charitable affection. They that lived in Mo-
nasteries, in Augustin's time, were both in
religion, and conversation, far diflering from
Popish monks and nuns, who labour not with
their hands, as those did, but live idly, of the
sweat of other men's brows, and devour that
which should relieve them that be in neces-
sity. Against which sect budding up in his
time, Augustin wrote his book De opere Mo-
yutchorum. But of the true solitary persons,
lie writeih De tnnrib. Ecd. Cath. lib. 1, cap. 31,
such saith Erasmus, as I would were now in
the world, signifying that the Popish cloisters
are nothing liKe ihein. Cccsarms Arelut. Ham. i
20, horn. 2.5. j

47. No Papist is able to prove, that there
was any visible Church for five or six hundred I
years after Christ, that maintained all the '
chief points of Popery.

Chapi-ek 3.

1. This was the time of the evening sa-
crifice, when the religious Jews resorted to
the Temple to pray : But for Popish canoni-
cal hours which are their morning service,
it maketh nothing at all.

6, 12. These notes do one of them fight
against the other : for in the former you
say this power was in Peter properly, in the
latter you say, the Apostles in such works,
do it not by any proper power in them,
You ( avil against that we say : this was a
miracle done by Christ by the hands of the
Apostles, as though they had no more to do
than a dead instrument. But who is so sim-
ple, or rather senseless, to think that the
Apostles wrought miracles as dead instru-
ments? when Christ himself saith, it is not
you that speak, but the spirit of your Father,
which is in you. Matt. 10. 20. Doth he mean
that the Holy Ghost speaketh in them as
in dead instruments ? or rather is the author
and suggestor of that wisdom, according to
which they make answer. So when the
Scripture saith, that God " only doth work
great miracles," Psalm 136. 4. We must
still acknowledge God to be the author, and
man to be the instrument of all wondrous
works, that God worketh by their hands : and
so the Apostles confess themselves.

16. This faith might be the man's faith in
Christ, whom he heard them name : or the
faith of miracles in the Apostles, apprehend-
ing only the power of Christ, by which this
man was healed. Which although in the
Apostles it was joined with the whole belief
of Christian Religion, yet in some it was
without that belief, which wrought no less
miracles in the name of Christ than this.
Matt. 7. 22.

21. Gregory Nazianzen was such an here-
tic, which so citeth this place in Greek, as it
cannot otherwise be understood, but that
Christ must be contained in heaven, and how-
soever it be translated, this sense must needs
be concluded out of the words. For if heaven
must contain Christ, Christ must be contained
of heaven, or as you translate it, heaven
must receive Christ, er":o Christ must be re-
ceived of heaven. And if this presence in the
sacrament draw him not from heaven, then is
his presence in the sacrament not corporal.

Chapter 4.

19. The confirmation of the Apostles was
nothing like a Popish confirmation which they
that receive are never the better for it. True
Catholic Christians, if they he forbidden
by enemies of the Church, ought to answer
as the Apostles did. But Papists that be coun-
terfeit Catholics, if they do not obey the
Christian magistrates, or governors of the
Church, are justly punished.

28. The malice of the Jews was of tha
devil, and of themselves: but God didnotorily
permit, but also use their malice most holily
and justly, to bring his purpose to effect.

37. The rest also brought the price, and laid

ACTS.

It at the Apostles feet, but of kissing their
holy feet, is here no mention. And although
Mary kissed the feet of Christ, it is no
warrant for the Pope to ofier his feet to
be kissed even of Kings and Emperors.
When Cornelius fell down at Peter's feet,
Peter would not suffer him. Ads 10. 13. The
people of the East country, were lull of
ceremonial reverence, in tailing down, kiss-
ing, and such other external rites of huniili- j
ation, and the rather to Epiphianus, because
he was an adversary to heretics, and opposed ]
himself ao:ainst the proud Bishop of .lerusa- j
lem, which favoured some heresies. But the
duty of all men is evil gathered of that im-
moderate zeal of the people, which Epipha-
nius hinsself did not allow. For he was forced
by the throng to suffer such things, and did
not willingly of purpose stay in one place, to
receive such honour of the people, as the en-
vious Bishop of .Terusalem did falsely object
unto him, as it follovveth immediately in Hie-
rom. But if such kissing of feet be com-
mendable, how Cometh it to pass, that the
Pope only hath holy feet to be kissed, and not
other Bishops and Clergymen as well as he ?

Chapter 5.

2. Augustin is cited out of new found ser-
nion.s, which yet have not obtained credit
of Antiquity. The text is plain, for what
sin they were punished. Neither can it be
proved that they promised the whole, but
that they affirmed they brought the whole,
when they withdrew part. Sacrilege is con-
demned by many other places of .Scripture,
although it be not by this. And if it be also
by this, as some fathers of better credit than
you cite do suppose, yet the principal cause
is manifested by the words of the Apostles, to
be lying and hypocrisy. Now what heretics
they be, that teach man to commit sacrilege,
you must name more particularly. The popish
clergy in Henry the eighth's time, consented
to the suppressing of monasteries : and some
Papists at this day without conscience of sa-
crilege, do enjoy their lands, and dwell in
their houses, peradventure you mean them.
If you mean us, as we do utterly detest sacri-
lege, so we think ii not only lawful, but ne-
cessary, to put down idolatry, and to apply to
good and godly purposes, things dedicated to
maintain false worship, superstition and ido-
latry. He.iych. lib. 2. cap. 10. in Livit.

3. Every thing that Peter said or did, with
you argueih his Popedom : but either you
must brino; better arguments, or else children
will laugh you to scorn. The punishment
laid upon these hypocrites, was greater than
excommunication, the end whereof is intend-
ed to be the repentance and amendment of the
excommunicat, which was not in this case.
Hesych. lib. 2. cap. 10. Livit. Neither doth
Augustiii judge, as you say, that it was ex-
communication, but saith, that Paul in deli-
vering the incestuous Corinthian to Satan,
sought by destruction of the flesh, to provide
for^is spiritual salvation, "that either by
some.piuushment, or corporal death; as Ana-

nias and his wife fell down at the Apostle
Peter's feet : or else by repentance, for he
was delivered to Satan, that he might slay in
himself the wicked concupiscence of the
flesh." These words, as all men may see,
)iiove not that Ananias and his wife were ex-
(■<iiiii)iiinir;ii('il, i)in that Peter of charitable
:illi ;iioii u-cil ihissevcrity, wishing, if it were
Cuui'.s will, the salvation of their souls. That
the exconnnunication of Paul, 1 Cor. 5, had
the corporal vexation of Satan incident unto
it, cannot be proved by the text. For every
one tliat is cast out of the Church of Christ,
is delivered into the power of Satan, although
he suffer no bodily vexation by Satan.

4. They that have as great power to keep
their vow of virginity advisedly made, as
Ananias had to deliver the whole price of his
land, sin damnably if they break it. But if
they have rashly vowed that, which they are
not able to perforin, they have sinned in mak-
ing such an unadvised vow, but it were better
for them to marry, than to live incontinently
out of marriage. Hier. ad De. ad Epip. Har. 01 .

4. Not every one that taketh from the
Church, or that lieih to God's ministers, sin-
iirtii :it;ain<t the holy Ghost, as these did,
alilii iiLiii he sin against God. For the Holy
Ghost is not in all God's ministers, to know
things done in secret, as he was in the Apos-
tles, and therefore they tempted the Holy
Ghost, whom they knew to be in the Apostles
after a miraculous manner.

10. The text saith, they were punished so
severely, for lying to the Holy Ghost in de-
frauding of the price, and tempting the spirit
of God.

11. The fear of God fell upon the whole
Church, and unfeigned reverence towards
God's Ministers : whom they feared not as
tyrants, but loved as fathers. " A father and
a Bishop ought to be loved, not to be feared."
Hiernm. Ep. 62. ad Theophilum.

15. God wrought greatly by Peter's mini-
stry, that he cured even those that came un-
der his shadow, but this proveth not the Pope-
dom of Peter, and much less that Peter
worketh still miracles from heaven: as that
counterfeit Augustin doth seem to insinuate,
who lived long after Isidorus, that was 200
years after Augustin, as it is manifest by ci-
ting his saying, as an ancient author. <^er. 3.
de sand.

39. When you see the end of that doctrine
which Luther preached against you, then
boast of the victory of the Popish Church.
We see the fall of Babylon daily more and
more : and the madness of them that seek to
uphold her, made daily more and more mani-
fest. But especially we know out of the
holy Scriptures, that the Popish rabble is
the Synagogue of Satan and kingdom of Anti-
christ, and that the doctrine which we teach,
is the faith of Christ.

Chapter 6.
3. The ministry, whereunto the Deacons
were assigned was an holy ministry, and the
tables whereunto they were appointed to

148

ACTS.

serve, were holy tables, neidier was their
ofiice exercised in profane things. For the
Apostles, although they distinguish the
preachuig of tlie word from serving tables,
yet do they not thereby condemn that service
of tables which they themselves did exercise
before, of profaneness. For the provision
for the poor members of Christ, is a holy
service, {ind no profane thing. Paul ap-
pointeth the collection for the poor, to be on
the Lord's day, which he would not have
done if it were a profane matter, 1 Cor. 16.
1. 2. And yet it is not denied, but their mi-
nistry was used also, to other holy purposes,
as teaching, baptizing, and assisting the Apos-
tles and other principal pastors in tlieir spirit-
ual charge aJid ministry. But that liiey were
occupied about the Altar, as the popish Dea-
cons are, or had any office like unto theirs,
neither any of the places which you quote or
cite doih show, nor any testimony of anti-
quity doth show. The Epistles of Ignatius and
Folycarp, that now go under their names,
though they have nothuig for ihe Popish Dea-
conship, yetarp they not authentic, but gather-
ed out oi the Apocryphal consiiiutions ot that
counterfeit Clemens. Dionj'sius, though not
of that antiquity which is pretended, yet doth
not he name the Deacons, in the place by you
quoted, which bring forth the bread and the
cup, for the ministration of the Sacrament,
but certain principal ministers. Although it
is no inconvenience to withstand the Dea-
con?, seeing it is certain by Justinius, that
they were used for the di.=tribution of the
Lord's Supper. Finally, we acknowledge
that the Deacon's office is holy, according to
the testimony of most ancient Fathers, and
therefore it is not that profane and ridiculous
order of Popish Deaconry.

Chapter 7.
16. The bodies of the Patriarchs were not
translated to be made idols, as the manner is
in Popish translations, but to testify to the
posterity, their faith in the promise of God,
whereby tliey looked for the spiritual pos-
session of the land, althous^ii they died in
banishment. Such causes favour not Popish
superstition. Chrysostom saith, that .Joseph
caused his bones' to be removed, "lest the
Egyptians should abuse his body, to occasion
of impiety." In Gen. Horn. 67. Augustin
though not altogether free from error, in that
book De cura, yet of burial and all things
thereto bflongin<r, he saith, "They be ratber
the comfort of the living:, not the help of the
dead." De cura, cap. 2.

33. The ground was holy by the presence
of God in his minister the Angel, according to
his pleasure : but that holiness continued not
after the departure of the Angel. So nil places
were holy, which it pleased our Saviour
Christ to sanctify with his presence, hut not
all places <jr persons which he touched, for
then Judns and the soldiers that crucified
Chri.st, sliould have been exrcediiiKly holy.

The persnnnl presence of Christ in the sa'crn-
meni, must first he proved before anysanctifi-
cationof pliicPHi!i that respect can be crinclu-

ded. And then it must also be proved how far
he will have his holiness to proceed. For that
presence in the mouths and stomachs of the
wicked, doth not sanctify them by your own
doctrine, nor I think in the belly of a mouse
or other beast that happeneth to eat your con-
secrated host. To reverence any place in
respect of God's presence, where he hath
appointed the same, is no superstition, but to
esteem the land of Jewry to be holy, because
Christ hath sometime trodden upon it, from
whence he hath withdrawn his presence, is
gross superstition. Hierom in the places noted,
ascribeth no holiness to the ground, but in
respect of the lively remembrance, that men
may have by sight of those places, in which
Christ was conversant, and wherein he
wrought his miracles, otherwise, "It is no
commendation," saith Hierom, " to have been
at Jerusalem, but to have lived well at Jeru-
salem." There is asready a way to the court
of heaven from England as from Jerusalem.
Ep. 13. ad Patdiniim.

35. Christ is our only Redeemer from spirit-
ual bondage, who only paid the price for us. ^
Moses was a minister of their bodily deliver- '
ance from Egypt. But neither Moses nor any
Saint, can be inferior mediators and advocates
unto God for us, e.xcept they can also be infe-
rior Christs and Saviours. For there is but
one Mediator Jesus Christ, who is our advo-
cate with the Father, 1 Tim. 2. 5. 1 Johf. 2. L
Saviour, Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate,
be the proper offices of Christ, and therefore
are not communicated to his servants.

48. This argument as lightly as you esteem
it, bcareth hard against your fantasy of con-
comitance, seeing by your corporal being of
Christ in the sacrament, you draw the pre-
sence of his Godhead to the saipe place where
the sacrament is, not as God is in all places,
filling them v>-ith his majesty, but as the ful-
ness of the Godhead dwelleth in Christ by
union of person. For although the godhead
dwelleth in the body of Christ, as in a temple
not made with hands, yet he dwelled not in
the temple of Jerusalem, when Christ was
present in it, nor in any other house or place
into which his body came. For it is one thing
to say, the Godhead filleth all places, another
thing to say he dwelleth here or there. For

public prayer, places appointed are most con-
venient, yet all places are consecrated unto
God for prayer. 1 Tim. 2. 8. and Churches
are not more convenient for public prayers,
in respect of their holiness, but for order and
comeliness sake.

58. Such narrations we may read good store
in the kircnda aurea, Sermnncs dinripuU, the
festival, and such other Popish books, stuffed
with fables and babbles, like to to the counter-
feit Augustin, the author of these sermons.
There was too much counterfeit stufT printed
before under the name of Augustin. You
needed not to have added more from Pari.",
but that you hate the truth, and delight in
lies, fables, and forgeries.

60. Those homilies that are printed under
the name of F]usebius Emissenus, were never
written by that ancient Bishop of Emesa, but

ACTS.

149

by a man of later time, and a Frenclmian born,
as is manifest, Hojn. dc sancla Blandina, and
other places of those homilies. And yet the
author of that homily nieanetli none other
worshippers, nor any oilier worship, than he
describeth in the beginning thereof, namely
such as (lid celebrate the praises of the Mar-
tyrs to the glory of God, and to stir up men to
the imitation of tlieiii. It i'clloweth not that
we must pray to the Saints.

Chapter 8.
2. It v,-as an oflice ot Chiistiaii charity, to bury
the i)ody ut Stephen ; what miracles were af-
terward w loiiiilit at the finding of his body,
and at the memories of him, tlic Scriptures
telleth not. Angustin reporteth much : yet
doth he condemn "worshippers of sepulchres
and pictures." Demor. eccl. cath. lib. 1. cap. 34,
and testifieth, that some idle monks in his
time, carried about the relics of martyrs,
which might be counterfeit, and not relics of
martyrs. Be opere Monuch. cup. 28.

14. This sending of Peter, is a good argu-
ment to prove that Peter was not their supe-
rior, as Christ's vicar. For then he niight
have sent any of them, or gone of his own
accord without sending. Peter was therefore
inferior to the rest, and under the authority
of the whole college of Apostles, though he
were equal to every one, and in primacy of
order, nrst of all. Whereas if Peter had
been superior as Christ's vicar, they could no
more have sent Peter than they could have
sent Christ himself. That the word of send-
ing is not always exactly used in the Scrip-
tures, you have no example to bring, but of
the sending of the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Whereas all men of mean judgment know,
that the mystery of the holy 'i rinity being in-
effable, the words are almost all borrosved,
that are used to show the distinct working
and effects of the persons thereof. But here,
in proper phrase of speaking, the Apostles
sent Peter and .Tohn : Peter and John there-
fore were subject to the Apostles. But you add,
that the word of sending, " is not always so ta-
ken in the common use of the world, seeing the
inferior or equal, may entreat his friend to do
his business for Trim." I grant that to be true,
but the inferior or equal that hath entreated
his friend, cannot truly say, he hath sent his
superior or equal. Neither can a corporation,
that is under a sovereign head, sucii as you
would have Peter to be, send their head, or
choose him to be their foot, to go for them.
Neither can the citizens send their mayor,
which is the Prince's lieutenant, more than
they can send the Prince himself. He may
go indeed by his own consent or desire, but
he cannot be sent, except he yield unto the
authority of the senders. Lastly, you say,
belike, for the uttermost refuse, that the col-
lege of the Apostles, comprising Peter, was
greater than Peter their head alone. This
granted, Peter's he^adship was not the sove-
reign authority of Christ, neither was Peter
head of the Apostles, as Christ's vicar. For
<he ^vholp Church, comprising Chri.=t. the

head thereof, is not of greater authority than
Christ himself. Neither may Christ be sent
by authority of the whole Church. No more
niight Peter have been seen by authority of
the whole college, if he had had the whole
authority and government over the Apostles,
as Christ had, and always hath. Neither is
this place used only of Protestants, as you
say, but also of some Papists, to prove that
the Pope ought to be subject to the general
council, representing the whole Church. Epist.
Syn. Con. Basil, ad innecfiuam snb nomine Eu-
genij PapcB, cont. .tyn. Basil.

17. Here you will enforce a sacrament of
confirmation with oil, which neither in this
place, nor in any other place of the Scripture,
hath either word of institution, or outward
element of Christ's appointment, which two
things must needs concur in any sacrament.
The Apostles here prayed, that the Samari-
tans, for further confirmation of their faith,
might receive the visible miraculous graces
of the Holy Ghost, as the gifts of tongues, of
prophecy, of healing, and such like : out of
which it is impossible to conclude any ordi-
nary or perpetual confirmation of all that an
baptized, and that with oil, whereof there \3
no mention in all the Scriptures that it wfs
either appointed or used for such purpose.
Now that you are forsaken of the word oi
God, let us see what testimony you gatler
out of men. First you bring Beda, who li'ed
700 years after Christ, and speaketh of the
ceremony of anointing with oil by the Bishop,
as it was used in his time. Yet doth he not
call it a sacrament, nor say that the Apostles
used that ceremony, but that it belonged to
them to give the Holy Ghost and not to Phi-
lip, as in his time bishops used to anoint with
oil, and not the Priests, by which unction they
were persuaded the Holy Ghost was given.
Notwithstanding you are bold to conclude,
that this imposition of hands with prayers,
was the ministration of confirmation : wnich
with all the logic you have, you can never
conclude out of the te.xt, nor out of Bede's
words : although they be more than can be
proved out of the Scriptures. But you are vet
more bold to affirm, for you may say what
you will without proof, that " the prayers here
specified, were no doubt the very sarr.e that
the popish Church useth to that purpose."
The te.xt is plain what these yirayers were,
that they might receive the Holy Ghost,
which Oecumenius out of the consentof all
the Greek fathers doth expound, " the 3ower
of working miracles," Acts cap. 10. The
words that your popish bishops use ii their
confirmation with oil, are, " I mark the3 with
the sign of the holy cross, and confirn thee
with the chrism of salvation, in the nsme of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy 3host.
Peace be to thee." What affinity havj these
words with the prayers of (he Apostle? ? But
if Beda be too young, Cyprian is an mcient
writer, who belike is a patron of popish con-
firmation with the chrism of salvatioi. But
that you confers is left out both by th- Rvaiv
■iclisf. and b\ Cvr.rian.

ACTS.

Cyprian indeed showeth, that those that
were baptized in the Church were offered to
the governors of the Church, and by their
prayer and imposition of hands, obtained the
Holy Ghost, and were signed or consununated
with the sign of the cross : we see here pray-
er and imposition of hands, according to the
example of the Apostles to obtain the Holy
Ghost, but we lack still yet the chiefest mat-
ter to make up a sacrament, the chrism of
salvation. To supply that want, you say
many "things were done and said in the ad-
ministration of this and other sacraments in-
stituted by Christ, which are not particularly
written by the evangelists, or in any other
scripture." To admit that all things done
and said, be not particularly expressed in the
scriptures, shall we therefore admit for sa-
craments such things as have neither their in-
stitution, nor the word, nor the element set
forth in the scriptures ? Some circumstances
not material are omitted, but the chrism of
salvation, if it had been of Christ's institution,
,and the Apostles' practice, should never have
been wholly omitted being a matter of so
^[reat importance, as the very name you give
into it doth pretend.

But all antiquity, you say, and most general
practice of the Church, do evidently prove,
that this sacrament was instituted by Christ,
aril yet not written of in the Scriptures. To
omit that the testimony of all the world, with-
out the testimony of the Holy Ghost, is too
■weak a ground for us to build our faith upon.
It is utterly false that you say ; for neither
doth all antiquity testify of it, neither was it
ever generally practised of the Church as a
sacrament. For in the Greek Church, this
confirmation was never received to this day.

But to examine your witnesses of antiquity
severally. First, Uionysius is not of such an-
tiquity as you pretend, for if he had been, his
writings coukl not have been unknown to
Eusebius, Hierom, and Gennaduis, who con-
tinued the catalogue of principal writers of
the Cimrch for five hundred years after
Christ But we must take him in such order
as you offer him. This Dionysius speaketh
of an unction used to them that were baptized,
after which they were admitted to the Eucha-
rist: as he doth of many other ceremonies of
unction, not used in the Popish Church, all
which yet he comprehendeth under the sa-
crament or mystery of unction.

TortuUian ppeaketh also of the ceremony
of un:tion, which was used in baptism, to sig-
nify tliat the baptized was consecrated as a
chann;)ion of Christ, to fight atrainst the devil,
the world, and the flesh, which in baptism he
hath •«>nounced and defied. Which he dc-
«lareti plainly in his book Be hapti.imo, say-
ing : ♦ Ab soon as we came out of the laver,
we ars anointed with the blessed unction, of
an andent discipline, by which they were wont
to be jnointed with the oil out ol the horn in
the Drii.'fthood : whereof Aaron was anoint-
ed by Moses : whereof Christ is called a
ChriHir^te, which is unction," &.c. Dehinc,
■" Afienvurd the hand is laid on, by blessing.

calling upon and inviting the Holy Ghost,"
&c. All which declare, and the whole dis-
course of the book, that he speaketh of cere-
monies used about baptism, not of the Popish
sacrament of confirmation. Also, that unc-
tion was a ceremony distinct from imposition
of hands. The same thing also doth Cyprian
teach, ep. 70, saying, " He that is baptized
must needs be anointed, that having received
the chrism, that is unction, he may be anoint-
ed of God, and have in him the grace of
Christ. And afterward he speaketh of pray-
er for him that is baptized, to receive the
Holy Ghost with imposition of hands. Like-
wise ep. 72, where he calleth not unction, but
that which is represented by irnposition of
hand, a sacrament. For in the epistle he cer-
tifieth Stephanus B. Rome, that they have
concluded in Africa, that they which come
from heretics, must be baptized. " Because
it is little worth to them to lay the hand upon
them, that they may receive the Holy Ghost,
except they receive also the baptism of the
Church. For then at the length they may be
sanctified perfectly, and be the sons of God,
if they be born of both the sacraments, seeing
it is written, except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God." You see plainly, he
speaketh of the spiritual birth of water and
the Spirit, which is testified in baptism, where-
of the element of water and the laying on of
hands, were signs, not of a several sacra-
ment of unction. The decretal epistles of
Melchiades, as all the rest of that rabble, is a
mere counterfeit, in which the author doth
not only in barbarous Latin tell the difference
of this Popsih sacrament from baptism, but
also showeth how much more worthy it is
than baptism. August, cont. lit. Pet. lib. 2. cap.
104, saith, " that Petilian the heretic, in the
spiritual ointment spoken of by Psalm 132,
will interpret the sacrament of chrisin,
which truly in the kind of visible signs is
holy as baptism itself, but it may be in the
worst men, in them that spend their life in
the works of the flesh, and shall not possess
the kingdom of heaven ; and therefore per-
tain neither to the beard of Aaron, nor to the
edge of his garment," &c. How largely
Augustin useth the name of sacrament, 1
have elsewhere declared. Mall. 1. sect. 2. al-
though in this place he showeth rather how
it was accounted among the Donatists than
among the Catholics. For the Donatists ac-
counted all them to be holy brethren, that
were baptized and anointed among them :
whereby also it appeareth, that this unction
was a ceremony pertaining to baptism. For
of imposition of hands to receive the Holy
Ghost, he showeth that it was only a prayer;
and therefore might be repeated, whereas
baptism, that is a sacrament, ministered even
by heretics, may not be repeated. Imposi-
tion of hands, is not as baptism, that cannot
be repeated. For what is imposition of
hands, but prayer over a man ? Wherefore
you do fondly, and contrary to the testimony
of antiquity, to join these two ceremonies of

unction and imposition of hands unto one sa- .
crament. Cyril Mystagog, 3, speaketh of
unction immediately after baptism, in the ■
foreliead, ears, and breast, without which he
denieth that men were worthy to be called |
Christians, or their regeneration perlect :
therefore as he attributeth too much to that
ceremony, so he showeth it was differing
from the Popish sacrament of confirmation,
Ambrose, lib. 3. cap. 'Z. JJe Sacrame/tt, hath
never a word either of chrism, or of imposi-
tion of hands, but only of prayer for the seven-
fold grace of the Holy Ghost, to be poured
upon the baptized ; and no more he hath De
lis qui niyst. init. cap. 7, only he putteth the
baptized in mind, that they have received the
divers gifts of the Holy Ghost. But cap. 6,
he maketh mention of unction, the ceremony i
used at baptism. The epistle of Leo doth j
also plainly distinguish the ceremony of im- ]
position of hands Irom unction, saying, " that j
one is by imposition of hands upon the faith-
ful to be baptized, or that are converted from |
heresy, to deliver the Holy Ghost." Of the
other he addeth, "to make chrism, and with
chrism to anoint the foreheads of them that
are baptized ;" wliicli thing with many other,
he maketh unlawful for Chorepiscopi, which
he saith were but priests, yet doth he not call
either the one ceremony or the other a sacra-
ment, as baptism and the Lord's Supper are
sacraments. The council of Laodicea willeth
them that are baptized, to be anointed with
chrism ; the council of Carthage forbiddeth
the priest to make that chrism. The Aurifi-
can council speaketh expressly of that anoint-
ing which was done by every one that was
baptized, and is not to be repeated, therefore
cannot speak of the Popish sacrament, which
is given only by the bishop, after baptism.
The words are these : " None of the minis-
ters that hath received the office of baptizing,
ought to go abroad any whither without
chrism, because it is agreed amongst us
that chrism be occupied but once in baptism.
But concerning him which in baptism, by any
necessity hath not been anointed, the priest
shall be admonished thereof in the confirma-
tion. For among us the blessing of the
chrism is but one, we say not this in preju-
dice of any, but that the anointing may be
counted necessary. " But contrary to this
canon, the Papists hold, that the child must
be twice anointed, in baptism and in confir-
mation. Now for the author of this ceremo-
ny, for sacrament we find none, you allege
Dionysius and Basil, referring it to tradition
of the Apostles. Whereunto if we must give
credit, we must acknowledge many of the
Apostolic traditions to be abolished, as it is ;
certain of many ceremonies described by that
Dionysius, by Tertullian and Basil. Where-
fore either we must say it was not ordained
of the Apostles, or else it was ordained as a
removeable ceremony, as other ceremonies
likewise fathered upon the Apostles, are long
since worn out of use. The constitutions of
Clement be mere forgeries, full of manifest i
lies, as I have showed elsewhere. The de- 1

15J

cretal episllea of Fabian, be even as good
stufi' as the rest of that sort. But you do
falsely aflirm, that the author of the treatise
"Do unction Chrismatis apud Cyprianum,
doili say that Christ did instruct his Apostles
at that time of the institution of the sacra-
ment, to consecrate this chrism. For he
saith not so, nor any thing to that efl'ect :
though he extol the ceremony of making this
chrism, greatly. And if it must be made of
balsam, as he and your canon law also saith,
you have long deceived the common people
with a wrong confection, like false apotheca-
ries, for true balsam is u precious ointment,
verily hardly or not at all to be gotten in
these parts. As for imposition of hands with
prayer, which was the old and pure ce-
remony of confirmation, we do not speak
against it.

To conclude, you say none but known he-
retics did ever deny or contemn this confir-
mation or holy chrism. But as yet you have
not proved any such sacrament, acknow-
ledged by the ancient Catholics, though of old
time, there was a ceremony of anointingr
which was omitted in Novatius, because he
was baptized in his bed being very sick, and
like to die. Whereupon also his followers
neglected that ceremony also, as might seem
by Theodoret.

Yet doth not Cornelius say, that he fell into
heresy, because he had not received the Holy
Ghost, by consignation of a bishop, but only
showeth what manner a man he was, and how
that being baptized in his bed, after he reco-
vered, he regarded not the rest of the cere-
monies, of which he should have been par-
taker, according to the rule of the church,
not so much as to be sealed or confirmed bv
the bishop, which having not obtained, saitn
he, how could he obtain the Holy Ghost ?
By these words, it is not proved, that unction
was the ceremony of confirmation, but rather
one of the ceremonies of baptism, that were
omitted, because he was at the point of death.
It was against the discipline of the Church,
that such should be admitted into the ministry
as received baptism upon such necessity.
And the bishop was fain to entreat the clergy
and people for him, that he might neverthe-
less be ordained. That which Optatus writeth
of the Donatists, was not a special outrage
against the holy oil, "but generally against
any thing that belonged to the Catholics.
For the Donatists also liad their holy oil, and
did attribute more unto it than the Catholics
did to their unction, as is showed before out
of Augustin, co7it. lil. Petit, lib. 2. cap. 101.

Where you complain of the savage disorder
of the Caivinists, in contemning your Popish
ceremonies, we might make answer of your
devilish disorder, in burning and defacing the
holy scriptures, yea the bodies of all them
that profess the Gospel of Christ. But of all
savage parts, that ever were practised since
the creation of the world, all circumstances
considered, there is none comparable to the
Bartholemew Fair of the French Papists afi
Paris, and other places in France.

152

ACTS.

17. The ancient ceremony of imposiiion to this purpose, endured no longer than the
of hands, which is nothing else, as Augustin; miraculous gifts, as the unction with oil to
saith, "but prayer over a man," to be i recover bodily health, named by James. But
strengthened and confirmed by the Holy ' there is another kind of imposition of hands,
Ghost, or to receive increase of the gifts of I mentioned, Heb, 6. 2. whereof there rnay be
the Holy Ghost, as Ambrose saith, we do not j a perpetual use in the Church, which is the
in anywise mislike, but use it ourselves, i same, which Augustin calleth, "nothing else,
Neither do we charge the Papists, for dimi- { but prayer over a man," and whereof he
nishing the force of Baptism, in saying that i speakpth, Tract. 6. in Ep. I John. J^ut where
men may receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost | you say, we may deny the force of excommu-

by faithtul prayers with imposition of hands
but for making their unction a Sacrament,
whereof, neither the word nor the element is
of Christ's institution: and for affirming Bap-
tism to be unperfect without it, for it is to be
iised say they, " that they may be found per-
fect Christians," De Con. dkt. f). cap. omnes.
Again, " And that he shall never be a Chris-
tian, which is not anointed with chrism in
the Bishop's confirmation." DeConaecral.dist.
b.cap. Ut. Jeiuni. And in that counterfeit
epistle of Melchiades, "Confirmation per-
taineth to the perfection ofbapiism :" Where-
of it is inferred that Baptism is imperfect with-
out confirmation. Thirdly, we charge them.

nication, because corporal punishment, which
was annexed unto it in the Primitive Church
ceaseth, it is utterly false. For we have a
plain commandment for the use of excommu-
nication. Matt. 18, without any mention of
corporal punishment, which was not always
joined with excommunication in the Primi-
tive Church, albeit it might be sometimes.
Your other slander, that we mean to take
away all Christian religion, because it hath
not the like operation of miracles, as in the
beginning, because it is without colour, I
omit as rj^worthy of any answer, only be-
wraying the intolerable malice of your lying
spirit. 'Let God be judge in this case be-

because they say that this their sacrament is | tvvixt you and us. Last of all, you charge some
"T'.Tl.n ,„„„, 1 ...;.i, „,.... , „„ „*•.,_*„ 1 „ „en e. »;„„ *i,«

'To be reverenced with greater reverence
than Baptism," because it can be ministered
by none but by a Bishop. De Consecrat. Dist.
5. cap. 1. De his vera. To these matters of
charge, taken out of your Canon Law, you
answer nothing, but cavil of the gifts of the
Holy Ghost obtained by prayer and imposition
of hands of the Apostles, which we deny not,
impudently accusing us of great perversity,
and corruption of the plain sense of the Scrip-
tures in this point: First, because "some of
us do affirm the Holy Ghost to be none other
but the gift of wisdom in the Apostles, and a
lew others for government." But this is a
slander, for none of us doth so affirm. Further,
you charge some of us, to affirm that it was
no internal grace, but only the gift of divers
languages. But this also is a slander; for
we neither deny the internal grace, in all, nor
restrain the outward grace only to the gift of
tongues. But we affirm, that the Holy Ghost,
in this place, is taken principally for the visi-
ble graces of the Holy Spirit, as is manifest
by that saying : The Holy Ghost was not yet
come upon any one of them. "What," saith
Oecumenius "did not they that were baptized
by Philip, receive the Holy Ghost ? Yes they
received the Holy Ghost unto the remission

of us, to make nomoreofConfirmation, orthe
Apostle's fact, but as for a doctrine, instruction,
or exhortation, to continue in the faith recei-
ved. But this is also false. For we acknow-
ledge imposition of hands with prayer, that
they which were so taught, instructed, and
exHorted, might receive strength of God's
Spirit so to continue. And yet all gain,
where you say, there are among us, \yhich
put the baptized coming to years of discre-
tion, to iheir own choice, whether they will
continue Cfiristians or no ; it is false, as the
rest. For when they are required to make
confession themselves, of that faith which
other men possessed in their name at their
baptism, they are not put to their choice, but
put in mind, that they must perform thein-
selves, that by others was promised in their
name. Finally that which the Scripture tell-
eth us of prayer, imposition of hands, of the
Holy Ghost, of grace and virtue from above,
we acknowledge as well as instruction : but
oil and balm, and the rest of the Popish doc-
trine, of this counterfeit Sacrament, because
it is not found in the holy Scriptures, we re-
nounce it.

22. This place of Augustin, hath been suf-
ficiently answered before : he speakelh not

of sins, but they received him not to the work- j of satisfaction to God's justice, but of oiU
ing ot niiracles." Again, Simon Magus i ward signs of inward repentance. And if by
saw that by imposition of hands the Holy your term of doing penance, you meant no
Ghost was given, but he could not see the in- more than Ancrustin. or vour vulvar intcrpre-
ternal grace, therefore it was the grace of ter doth by o^^ere pccmtentlam, it were all one
working miracles, us of tongues, hcalins, pro- w-ith repentance: for so doth he sometimes
phesying. casting out of devils, and suchlike:! translate the word, that you cannot say, do
and this was virtue from above, in some also penance, but be penitent. Mark 1. 15. Some-
that were void of internal grace. Matt. 7. 22. 1 times vou are enforced to translate the word
.10 saith Oecumenius, " We may understand /"ffHiVt-nn'o, repentance, Act.< 5. 31. Ads II.
that HI the giving of the Holy Ghost, there 18. 2 Tim. 2. 2.'i. Therefore if this your trans
was some wonderful thing that was sensible, lation be true, wiiy do you not always use it ?
tor otherwise Simon would not have made but instead of repentance, give us penance.
• J '■"'l"^'"' ';^''<;P.' he ''nd seen it." Wc say \ 22. For great sins, great sorrow and most
inaeeil, thai this kind of imposition of hands ! hearty repentance is requisite. And men

aiust pray without doubling, tor all things
that God hath promised, fames' 1. 6. Neither
is Simon willed to pray with doubting, but
Peter seeing him to be still in the bitterness
ot gall, doubtelh whether he will truly re-
pent, and sincerely pray to God for remission
of sins. Oecunienius saith, "For Peter fgre-
saw that he was not to be converted to re-
pentance, therefore he saith, if perhaps it
may be remitted." Otherwise, we must not
fear only, but be altogether certain, that we
are not worthy to be heard, or to obtain mer-
cy, nor to look up to heaven, or to be called
God's children of ourselves, and therefore
must be assured to be heard and obtain mer-
cy, for the worthiness of Christ our only Me-
diator and Advocate

24. When the Pope and the Governors of
your Church can cause us to see that the
Sorcerer saw, namely, that those whom you
confirm, receive the power of miracles, it
Avere some reason to upbraid us by his ex-
ample. But when you neither work mira-
cles, nor teach the doctrine of the Apostles,
but clean contrary unto it, look you that we
should desire you to pray for us, whose
prayer we know to he abominable, because
you refuse to obey the law of God ? Prov. 28. 9.

27. A lewd slander. Beza, saith, that this
desert cannot be understood of the city of Ga-
za, which at that time, was a populous city,
but of the way which led unto it, that was in
a desert or waste ground. And so saith Oe-
cumenius out of the consent of the Greek
Fathers. " The way was toward th€ South,
and he said it was desert that he should not
fear the authority of the Jews." The same
in effect saith Chrysostom in Acta, Homil. 19.
Intolerable both malice and blindness of Po-
pish Rhemists.

27. He came as a proselyte, to worship
God in the Temple at Jerusalem, according
to the law, not on pilgrimage to worship po-
pish idols. But now the time is, and then
was, that the true worshippers should wor-
ship God neither in Jerusalem, nor in any
other place of greater devotion and sanctifi-
cation, but in spirit and truth. J-ohn 4. 21. The
Temple and the coming up to Jerusalem to
worship, had the express word to warrant
them: Popish places of devotion and the pil-
grimage to them are superstitious and idola-
trous, haying no warrant of God's word for
their holiness, but manifest prohibition in
God's law. Exod. 20.

31. All parts of the Scripture are not so
written that an interpreter is necessary.
" The Holy Ghost hath bountifully and health-
fully so moderated the holy Scriptures, that
by open or plain places, he might provide
against famine, and that by dark places he
might wipe away loathsomness. Fornoihing
almost i s found out of those obscurities, which
may not be found in other places, to be ut-
tered most plainly." De Doct. Christ, lib. 2.
cap. 16. That many things are hard to be un- !
derstood in the Scriptures, which need an '
interpreter, we confess with the Eunuch, and I
with Hieroni, I

38. When we read of any .Sucrauient
ministered by the Apostles, tliough all things
be not expressed in particular, yet we believe
that all things were done, that by the insiiiu-
tion of that Sacrament were necessary to be
done : which is the thing that Au^ustin
meaneth, where he saith, " by the order of
the delivery or institution" of Baptism, name-
ly, the renouncing of dead works, which is
the doctrine of Baptism, saith the Apostle.
Heb. 6. 2. with the wliole confession of Chris-
tian faith, mentioned in that place by Auuus-
tin, which is expressed in the Scripture. But
your Sacrament of Chrism we beheve not,
because we read it nowhere. Contrariwise
your manner is, to find a miserable colour for
your horrible sacrilege where you find bread
only mentioned in some place of the Scrip-
ture, you imagine, or at least would have us
to imagine that the Apostles ministered the
Supper of our Lord in one kind, directly con-
trary to the institution thereof, and the ex-
press commandment of our Saviour Christ.
In which places, you should give credit to
this saying of Augustin, for the cup, which
is written in the institution of that Sacra-
ment, and not for the Sacrament of Chrism,
which is no where instituted, or mentioned
ill the holy Scriptures.

Chapter 9.

4. We conclude not Christ in heaven,
otherwise than of his own will he hath ap-
pointed to remain there. But your question
is easily answered out of the text, that Christ
spake from heaven, from whence the glorious
light shined, passing the light' of the Sun.
Oecumenius saith, "They that accompanied
Saul heard not the voice that came from
above."

36. The force of good works reacheth to
the next life to be rewarded of God's mercy,
and not of man's merit.

39. The text saith not, that her alms-folk
prayed to God for restitution of her life, and
it they did, yet the argument foUoweth not,
that they ought to. have prayed for release of
her punishment in Purgatory. Because the
Scripture teacheth no such place of punish-
ment after this life, nor prescribeth any form
of prayer, to obtain mercy for them that are
departed, and have received their judgment:
for immediately after death, foUowetff every
man's particular judgment, Heb. 9. 17.

Ch.\fter 10 . •

2. "Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin,
without which it is impossible to please God,"
Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11. 6. Therefore it is cer-
tain that Cornelius had faith, as a true Pro-
selyte in the Messiah to come, although he
knew not that he was come, and so saith
Beda. Therefore this place proveth not that
good works before faith are preparatives to
it, for no works are good, but such as are done
in faith. And seeing you affirm, that works
before faith, are not meritorious, you falsify
Beda, and slander Gregory, by translating the
verb propieruif, he deserved, which is com-

monly used of the fathers, to obtain without
respect of merit or desert. But that the rea-
der may see how impudcnlly you cite this
place, to prove that good works are prepara-
tives to faith, I will set down his whole dis-
course upon this text. "Men attain not to
faith by virtues, but to virtues by faith, as
Gregory e.xpoundeth it. For Cornelius, whose
alms before baptism, as the Angel witnesseth,
are praised, came not by works to faith, but
by faith to works. For it he had not believed
the true God before baptism, unto whom did
he pray ? or how did Almighty God hear him,
if he prayed not to be perfected in good things
by him ? Therefore he knew God the Crea-
tor of all things, but that his Almighty Son
was incarnate, he knew not. He had faith,
whose prayers and alms could please God.
And by good action he obtained to know God
perfectly, and to believe the mystery of the
mcarnation of his only begotten Son, that he
might come to the sacrament of baptism. By
faith therefore he came to works, but by
works he was made strong in faith." Augus-
tin also afiirmeth, that he had faith before he
believed in Christ, saying, "He did not give
alms and prayed without some faith. For how
did he call upon him whom he believed not."
lie prced. sand. lib. 1. c. 7. The same is to be
said of the Eunuch. And hov.- are you not
ashamed to say, "That good works before
faith, are preparatives to the same." When
# Augustin saith, "Faith gocth before, that
good works may follow, neither are there any
HOod works, but those that follow faith going
before." I's. 67. Where he saith, " that the
ungodly man is justified by faith without the
merits of good works."

9. No man denicth but set times of prayers
both public and private, are very convenient.
But tne popish service, hath nothing but the
names of these hours, and not the times them-
selves observed in their prayers, which are
all finished in the forenoon, when they are
said or sung, for they are not used but at cer-
tain solemn times, whereas the sixth hour is
the time of high noon, the ninth hour, is the
third hour before the sun set.

All godly persons do observe times of
prayer, as the morning at their rising up, at
noon when they take their repast, likewise at
night at their repast, and when they go to
their rest. And these prayers both public and
private, are made in the true faith of Jesus
Christ, and in the unity of his ("atholic Church.

15. Befbre this time God uttered as much
10 Paul, namely at the time of his conversion,
as hetestifieth. Acls2Cy. \7 and IS.

25. The Pope refuseth not, but rcquireth
greater adoration of the greatest Princes, so
well he followeth Peter's steps. Chrysostom
saith, "This doing he showed his humility,
and tnught other, and giveth God thanks, and
declareih that although he was commanded,
yet he wasverv ready of himself What then
naith Peter, Arise, for I also am a man. Thou
pfpst how above other men he teacheth them
to think no great matter of him, or to have no
yreaf opinion of him." The first words are

of Cornelius showing humility, the latter of
Peter, teaching that men may not think too
highly ot him : Peter said, I am a man- The
Pope can admit other to say to him, " Thou
art neither God nor man, but as it were a
neuter between both." But Chrysostom's
opinion pleaseth you not so well, as Hierom's
adv. Vigilan. Where either you understand
not Hieroin aright, or else Hieromdoth injury
to. Cornelius, to charge him with error of
gentileify, and such gross ignorance, that he
thought Peter w>is God. Of whom what he
was, he was instructed by God in a vision.
But his error was, that he thought religious
honour to be due to Peter, which Peter ac-
knowledgeth to be due only to God, and to no
man. For civil adoration could not be pro-
hibited by this reason, that Peter was a man,
for it is due to men, and in some measure was
due to Peter. Therefore it was religious
worship, such as Papists attribute to Saints,
that Peter refused. Athan. cont. Arr. lib. 2.
" Petrus quidem Apostolus, Cornelium volen-
tem se adorare prohibet, ego, inquiens, homo
sum." Euihym. panopl. par. tit. 11. Basil ci-
teth this text to prove that no Christian man
must admit immoderate honour, but reprove
them that give it.

30. Peter was not bound to believe the re-
port of the vision of Cornelius, before he was
admonished by vision and revelation himself.
But the doctrine revealed in the Scriptures
concerning the calling of the Gentiles, he
should have acknowleiiged before his vision.
If we see any miracle or hear it reported by
men of as good credit as Peter was, we will
believe it, Uiough it be not written : but if it
tend to iraintain another gospel than that
which is set forth in the Scriptures, we will
not be moved by Peter nor Paul, nor any An-
gel to leave the truth known for any miracles.
Gal. 1.

35. Such as believe only, as Simon Magus
did, and do not fear God, nor work righteous-
ness, are nothing acceptable to God. But
such as fear God and work righteousness, are
accepted of God, not for their works, but for
their faith only. Ro7n. 3. 28. Ephes. 2. 8.

40. Christ teacheth us to receive instruc-
tion unto faith, and unto all things necessary
to salvation at the hands of his chosen minis-
ter.«, but not to take faith itself at men's hand,
nor to take any instruction of our superiors
without examining the same by the word of
God, but to search the Scriptures, as the
Bereans did. Ac^- 17. 11.

47. The seal is not unprofitable which is of
God's appointment, but popish confirmation
and penance are not of Christ's institution,
nor mentioned in Ausrustin in the place which
you cite. And if confirmation be a sacrament
of necessity, as you teach, why did not Peter
as well confirm them, as he commanded them
to be baptized ?

Chapter 11.
4. The Christians acknowledged not Peter
to be Po|)e : for no man may reprehend him,
if he carry innumerable souls to hell with him

ACTS.

155

by his own Canons. Distinct. 40. cav. Si Fapa.
18. Peler was a good shepherd, that dis-
dained not to show iiis warrants, which tlic
Pope like a proud Pilate ref'useth.

24. Understanding visible, for that wiiicii
may be seen, there is no doubt, but all Chris-
tians were always visible. But if you under-
stand visible, for that which is seen and knowai
to all the world, as you say the name of
Christians halh been ever since Christ's as-
cension, it is not true, that the Churcli was
always visible. For persecutions have been
so great, that the world saw none of those
things. And therefore Dioclesian and Max-
imian wickedly boasted, that they had utterly
abolished the superstition of Christ and name
of Christians. Inscriptio Salmanticce in monte
JBartholomoei. The like devilish boasting
made Nero in his time ; Inscriptio in ruinis
pagi Macanesar, a place of Spain. But the
Catholic Church of Christ, whereof we re-
joice to be members, is Jerusalem the heaven-
ly, which is the mother of us all, and being
an article of our faith, is therefore invisible.
Hfi. 11. 1. GaZ. 4. 26.

26. We acknowledge no names but of
Christian Catholics. The names of Calvin-
ists, and Lutherans, &,c. are but slanders by
you invented, as the names of Athanasians,
Alexandrians, Homousians, were by the Arian
heretics. Neither do we hold ourselves con-
tent with the name of Protestants, though it
be not so odious, as to be called of any man,
when we are the people of God and Christ.
Neither did the only calling of the old here-
tics prove them to be heretics, but their per-
nicious opinions contrary to the Holy Scrip-
tures. For Athanasians, Homousians, &c.
were true Catholics, though they were nick-
named by heretics. The name of Domini-
cans, Franciscans, Jesuits, and such like,
Eroveth them to be sectaries, because they
e of their own choosing though they all
maintain one grand heresy of Popery, having
also their divers opinions among them : and
each sect envying other, and swelling against
the otlier. The name of Papists you do not
greatly mislike, because it is not the name of
one man. We might answer you the like, of
the name of Protestants. But divers heretics,
have the name of their heresy, not of their
author, as Patripassians, Collyridians, Apos-
tolici, Cathari, &c. But the name of Papists,
is taken both of the author of your heresy,
and of the heresy itself. In the saying of
Hierom, you omit which is principal. '• I fol-
lowing none chief, or first, but Christ, am
jomed in communion with tliy blessedness,
that is with Peter's chair." While the Bishop
of Rome therefore joined with Christ, as then
he did in the matter whereof Hierom speak-
eth, and in all doctrine necessary to salvation,
whosoever gathered not with the Bishop of
Rome scattered with Antichrist. But when
Liberius Bishop of Rome, did by subscription
openly profess Arianism, as the same Hierom
testifieth in Calal. Fortunalian, would Hierom,
think you, or ought any Christian man to have
garliered with him ". Wlien Honorins taught

heresy, would the council of Constantinople
the sixth have joined in communion with him ?
Did they not justly accurse him, and condemn
him, after he was dead? But now the Pope
is not accused and convicted of single heresy,
but openly revealed to be Antichrist himself
That the name of Catholics was imposed by
the Apostles, it is not proved, nor aflirmed by
Pacianus, but rather the contrary. For these
are his words: " But thou wilt saj', under the
Apostles no man was called a Catholic ; admit
it was so, yet grant this. When after the
Apostles there were heresies, and ihey en-
deavoured to rend in pieces and to divide
with divers names the dove of God, and
Queen, did not the Apostolic people require
their surnanie, \vhercby they might distin-
ouish the unity of the uncorrupted people,"
ifcc. Nevertheless the name of Catholic is
very ancient, and yet is not this word Ca-
tholic, the proper note in the Creed to discern
the true Church, but holy also must be added,
except you will expound Catholic as Pacianus
doth, " for obedience unto all the command-
ments of God," which includeth holiness.
But if you take the name without the meaning,
it is a weak reason to discern the true be-
lievers. For though heretics could never
obtain to be so called by true Christians, yet
have they challenged, and commonly obtained
the name of Catholics, when they were more
mighty in the world than true Catholics, as
the Arians in the days of Constantius, when
almost all the Bishops of the East and the ♦
West yielded unto them, as Vicentius Liri-
nensis testifieth. Neither doth Augustin say,
the only name of Catholic doth keep him m
the Church, but among many other things,
that is one : as in the second place, where ne
joineth the Catholic faith with the name of
Catholic, without which as in Papists, the
name of Catholic is a vain sound without true
sense : and is not given to the Popish Church
by her adversaries, as it was to the true
Church in Augustin's time, but utterly denied
unto her, although she do never so malapertly
challenge it. And when she hath not the
thing itself meant by the name, yet boasteth
that the very name, without the meaning, is a
sufficient note of the true Church. Finally,
\ye believing and confessing the Holy Catho-
lic Church, what can we but acknowledge
ourselves to be true Catholics, and deny the
Papists to be the same ? neither doth any of
us deride the name of Catholic, when it is
rightly applied according to the true mean-
ing thereof, but the vain usurpation of that
name, in them that be nothing less than
Christian Catholics. Such we may well call
Pseudocatholics, Cartholics, Cacolikes, Cath-
olic Apostates, or any thing rather than true
or Holy Christian Catholics, which they are
not. But It is notoriously known, that the
most honourable name of Christians, is in
Italy and at Rome, the country and See of
Antichrist, a name of reproach, and usually
abused to signify a fool, or a dolt, as witness-
eth Christ. Franch. Col. Jesuit, in fine. That
some Lutherans have altered th« woid of the

156

ACTS.

creed, ami for CattwHc put Christian, it is no
heresy, though it be not to be allowed. Last
of all, the Catholic way of" discipline, proceed-
ing from Christ by his Apostles, with Augus-
tin we do gladly follow, protesiiii<5 that the
Papists can never prove thai their heresy,
which they falsely call the Catholic way, did
ever proceed froin Clirist by the Apostles, or
that It prevailed in tlie Church, for many
hundred years alter Christ.

Chapter 12.

3. Peter was not chief pastor of tlie church
of Jerusalem, where prayer was made for
him, but James : whom you confess to be
Bishop of Jerusalem.

4. It cannot be gathered out of the text
that Peter's person was better guarded than
the person of James, and least of all, in re-
spect that he was a more notorious person,
but because he was to be kept longer, by rea-
son of the solemn feast.

5. The Church of Jerusalem pra\'ed for
Peter as a principal member of the Catholic
Church, and a great Apostle of Christ, but
not as chief pastor of the whole Church, for
that is Christ only. 1 Fet. 5. 4.

6. It is a marvel, how they were known
from all the other prisoner's chains that were
at Jerusalem and Rome, for three or four
hundred years, until Eudo.xia found them.
Besides this, the lessons read upon Lammas-
day, in your Matins, say, that Alexander bi-
shop of Rome, after he had been imprisoned
by Quirinus a Roman, and was delivered, in-
stituted this feast, and builded this Church,
where that only chain is wherewith he was
bound by Nero, knowing nothing of this trans-
lation, and building of Eudoxia.

12. As in Rheims, Paris, Antwerp, Spain,
Italy, &.C. For Christian religion and a prince
that maintaineth the same, God be praised,
reigneth in England, as in many other king-
doms and seignories of the world.

17. The Church of Jerusalem prayed for
Peter, but not as for their head, for James was
now their Bishop, as you affirm yourself.

Chapter 13.
2. This is a lewd .slander, "that we do boldly
turn what text we list, and flee from one lan-
guage to another for our advantage." for
we translate out of the original tongues,
though we may borrow light of other transla-
tions, where any thing is ambiguous. But
here the Greek word used by the Evangelist,
eignifieth to minister or serve in any public
function, either of the Church or of the com-
monwealth. So doth Paul call the civil ma-
gistrates by a name derived of this verb, or
from whence this verb is derived "Scirovpyoi,
ministers. Rom. 13.6. Therefore yotir vulgar
translator hath better translated the participle
in this place, generally ministering, than
Erasmus doth, by a special kind of minister-
ing, that is sacrificing. You must first prove,
that the Apostles said mass, before you can
translate this word, which eignifieth generally
their ministry in their public office, to be

saying of mass : which by the text appearetlt
to have been teaching and preaching, for that
is the proper ministry of Prophets and teach-
ers: and so doth Chrysostom expound the
place himself " What is ministering? preach-
ing." Acts horn. 37.

2. Paul was an Apostle neither of men nor
by rnen, but immediately from and by Jesus
Christ. Gal. 1. 1. Therefore was he not or-
dered, consecrated, and admitted by men,
but sent by the Holy Ghost, with the prayers
of the Church, to execute his office of Apos-
tleship, far abroad among the Gentiles. Yet
are they to be condemned, which in these
days usurp the office of preaching and other
sacred functions as from heaven, without the
Church's admission.

3. Paul and Barnabas were not consecrated
BishoiJS, for they neither had diocess nor pro-
vince assigned them, but were sent of the
Holy Ghost, and were commended by the
Church of Antioch, with fasting, prayer, and
imposition of hands, to the work which God
had appointed them, that is, to preach abroad
in many nations, and not to remain at Antioch.

3. Fasting and prayer are convenient to bo
used at such times as ministers of the Church
are ordained, and that may be rightly referred
to Apostolic tradition, because we find it writ-
ten in the Acts of the Apostles. But your
imber day's fasting is but a mockery of the
ancient discipline of the Church. For you
observe those days of necessity, although
there be none that take orders in the diocess,
and at other times, when your bishops are
disposed to give orders, you use no such pre-
paratives. Again you slander us, when you
say, we do ridiculously affirm the fasting here
spoken of, to be fasting froiii sin, or moral and
Christian temperance, which are always to
be observed. For we affirm, that fasting
here signifieth abstinence from all meat and
drink, and not from flesh only, as you do ridi-
culously and devilishly practise it ; and when
you abstain from fish also, yet wine, fruits, and
spices, and also confections made of them,
are a solemn Good-Friday fast among you.

At times appointed by the Church to fast
for special purpose, we acknowled":e it meet,
that all men, that for infirmity of Dody may,
ought to abstain, and not to contemn those
ttiues, as Arius taught. But again we say,
that to appoint ordinary times of necessary
and religious fasting without special cause,
it was of the ancient Church accounted heresy
in Montanus. Eiiseb. lib. 5. cap. 18. Leo join-
eth always the Wednesday fast to Friday and
Saturday watching. Epiphanius leaveth out
the Saturday, and saith, that Wednesday and
Fridav were appointed bv the Apostles to fast
on. How truly, let your Church define, which
doth not observe that tradition. As for sacri-
fice, Epiphanius speaketh of none, but Lea
of the sacrifice of alms only.

3. There are no sacraments named of im-
position of hands, neither do we see here any
ordering or consecrating of Bishops, Priests,
Deacons, or Subdeacons, neither any order-
ing of Hubdeacons, any where else in tho

Acrg.

Scriptures. And although in tlie ordaining of
ministers of the Church, which was with the
ceremony of imposition of hands, there were
used longer forms ot prayer tlian be expressed
in the Scriptures, yet the substance and mat-
ter ot them is contained and expressed in the
Scriptures. Neither must we imagine, that
all those popish ceremonies which they used
in ordaining their clerks, have been used by
the Apostles, because all the words of their
prayer is not expressed. For they are such
as were never universally observed in all
Churches ; yea, ninny of them were never
heard of in the Primitive Church for many hun-
dred years after Christ. That the sacrament is
called fraction of bread, you have not yet
proved, but if it be granted unto you, there is
no reason you should exclude the cup, which
is commanded by Christ, because bread only
is named, seeing you allege it now to prove
that such things were used in ordering of
ministers as the Scripture never menrioneth,
although only imposing of hands be named.
And seeing the sacred words and actions of
baptism and the Lord's Supper are publish-
ed by the Apostles in their open writings, it
is a vain excuse to say, " they kept any such
things close from the hands or ears ofinfi-
dels." And if it were a good reason, that the
Apostles should keep such things close, by
what authority did Dionysius disclose theni ?
Although in truth the words of Dionysius
import not so much, but that the signs were
left by the Apostles, partly in writing, and
partly without writing, " not only in respect
of profane men. which may not meddle with
them : but also because our Hierarchy is con-
tained in signs, having need of sensible things
to bring us to a more divine understanding of
things intelligible." So that in truth he giveth
no reason why the Apostloe would not write
these things, but for what cause they deliver-
ed them, either by writing or without writing.
Ambrose speaketh not of offering Christ in
sacrifice at the mass, for then he would not
have said, "In our Lord's place or stead,"
but that he may be bold to offer up Christ
himself in sacrifice to his Father. But al-
luding to the manner of sacrificing in the old
Law, he nameth all parts of his oflice, as
prayer, preachinc, and ministration of the sa-
craments, sacrifice. For he useth the name
of sacrifice for any service that we offer to
God, as De virfiin. lih. 1. " A virgin is the best
or oblation of her mother, by whose daily sa-
crifice God is pleased." But of the offering
of Christ in the celebration of the supper, how
it was he declareth ojfic. lib. 1. cap. 48. " Be-
fore a lamb was offered, a calf was offered,
now Christ is offered, but he was offered as
a man, receiving passion, and he offereth
himself as a priest, that he may forgive our
sins : here in an image, there in truth : where
he maketh intercession for us, as an advocate
with the Father." Therefore he meaneth
that Christ, is not truly offered, but in an im-
age or comrnemoration. Hierom saith the
ordination of clerks is accomplished not only
by words of prayer, but also by imposition of

hands: but that you aay is in some inferior
orders, " where Paul and Barnabas were or-
dained to be bishops throughout all nations."
This is new doctrine without all testimony of
antiquity, that the Apostles were made bi-
shops, and that throughout all nations, and or-
dered by their inferiors, Simon, Lucius, and
Manahen, whereof you are not able to prove
that any of them was bishop. For bv your
own stories and report, Peter was a bishop
now of Antioch. Wherefore, as Chrysostom
and Oecumenius write, these Apostles were
sent out "to exercise their function of Apos-
tleship," and not ordained bishops. For all
authority of inferior ministers of the Church
was in the Apostles by their Apostleship, so
that they needed not to be made bishops or
priests by other that were of inferior place
and degree in the Church.

47. Their will bound to sui before, was by the
grace of God enlarged and made free to believe.

Chapter 14.
12. Not only sacrifice, but all religious ser-
vice is due only to God. Matl. 4. 10. Cornelius
would not have worshipped Peter as God, nor
John the Angel as God. Yet the religious
worship of both is forbidden: of Peter, be-
cause he was a man, to whom no religious
honour is due : of the Angel, because he vas
a fellow servant, to whom no religious wor-
ship appertaineth but unto God, to whom only
the Angel willeth John to bow with religious
affection. Ads 10. 26. Apoc. 2. 9. And seeing
you confess sacrifice to be due only to God,
and prayer is a sacrifice, Ps. 14. 1. 2. and a
contrite heart is a sacrifice to God. Ps. 51. 19.
And praise and thanksgiving is more accept-
able to God, than the sacrifice of a bullock,
that hath horns and hoofs, Fsal. 69. 33. 33.
it foUoweth, that none of these is to be offered
to any creature. And it is most brutish igno-
rance to think that spiritual or internal sacrifice
of men's souls, may be offered to creatures, to
whom it is unlawful to offer external sacrifice
of o.icenand garlands. But the only external
sacrifice of the Church, you say, is the sacri-
fice of the Mass, of which you have not one
word in the Holy Scriptures. The worship
or honour due to creatures tor God's sake, is
civil, not religious, of charity, not of religion.
"The Saints and Martyrs," saith Augustin,
'■ are to be honoured for imitation, not to be
worshipped for religion. We honour them
with charity, non servitute, not with service."
which in Greek is called DovUa. " Neither
do we build temples unto them, for they will
not be so honoured of us, because they know,
that we, when we are good, are temples of the
highest God." De vera religiorie cap. 5.5. And
therefore if Papists had any fear of God, or
shame of the world, they would not defend
such gross idolatry as they do, even for all
their distinction, giving the service which
they call LaiWo, not only to God, but to images,
and to the cross, as it is manifest, by Cone.
Nic. 2. Act. 4. Thomas m 3. nent. Dist. 2. Mar-
re?, arch. Corcyr, beside many other of their
late writers, Sanders himself defending it,

ACTS.

rather than improving it, but in the end con-
fessing, that it is a controversy' of Papists,
not determined by the Church. Sand, of Ima-
ges, Cap. 18. or 17.

22. Every one of the Apostles had the chief
authority in the government of the Church, but
the perpetual order of the Church for external
government and difference of governors, is
better learned out of other places than this, 1
Cor. 12. 28.

22. Our translation is true, ordained by
election, and answcreth the Greek word,
which we translate : not e.xcluding the impo-
sition of hands by the Apostles as you do
vainly charge us, but comprehending both
that election by the Church, and the ordina-
tion by imposition of hands of the Apostles.
And although the ministers of the Church
were chosen in ancient time, by voices of
the Christian people, concurring with the
election of the clergy, and governors of the
Church, yet we do not hold, that it is of the
substance of their calling to be chosen by
voices of the people, but only, as the Apostle
saith, that they must have a good testimony of
all men, at the least, that they cannot be justly
convinced by any man. 1 Tim. 3. 7. Tit. 1. 7.

22. The cause why we avoid the name of
Priests, it is because by common use taken to
signify Priestsof the law, whose name is never
in the New Testament given to ministers ot
the church : yet is our translation true, and
roper to the Greek word, which signifieth

for here is nothing but vain wrangling and
contention for words and terms, with impu
dent slandering us of corruption, for transla-
ting as your own vulgar interpreter often
doth : which yet is Catholic in him and here-
tical corrnption in us.

Chapter 15.

2. We acknowledge there is great use of
godly Councils for deciding of controversies
by the Scriptures, and we do willingly submit
ourselves to be ordered by them, so that all
controversies may be determined as this was,
by the word of God written. But that the
Pope and his Clergy, who are the parties ac-
cused by us of heresy, should be the only
judges, it is against all equity and rea.^oi).
Not we therefore, but the Pope and the Pa-
pists, refuse the trial by a general and free
Council, to be gathered of the chief learned
Bishops and pastors out of all Christendom,
if it might be, or a free national Council out
of all Europe, which hath often been required
of us, but never yielded unto by the Papist.=,
who will be the only judges in their own
cause, as in their late Chapter of Trent, or
else they will acknowledge no Council.

6. You slander us, in saying we would have
all rnen give voice in a Council, or that none
but the holy or elect should be admitted.
That all men shoidd be present at a general
or provincial Council, it is impossible, yet
more may be present than to debate the mat-

pi .

Elders, and therefore of your own vulgar | ter, as it appeareth by the text, that the whole
interpreter, is often translated. Seniors and of I Church gave their conseftt to the decree, and
you. Ancients, not so properly, as of us El- J joined in the Epistle, though your vulgar in-
ders, though both be words of age. For both j terpreter omit the conjunction. Also, more
the Latin and Greek signify with comparison, may debate the matter, than are met to de^

as \ye have translated'Elders, but your term
ancients, is without comparison, as though
the Laiin were Senes. As for the name Priest,
as it is derived of the Greek word, we do
not refuse it, but rather wish, that the sacra-
ficers by the law, had never been called by it.
But seeing we are not lords of men's speech,
we yield unto common use, to call them
Priests, and translate the Greek words ac-
cording to the true etymology thereof, without
all colour of falsehood or corruptiouj For if
you translated it always Priests, as you do
not, it were a vain argument to prove your
Priests to be sacrificers, because tlie sacrifi-
cers of the Law are improperly so called
Priests. Many indeed ofthe ancient Fathers,
confound the names oi' Sacerdos and Presbyter,
wherein as they are not to be commended,
because thev observe not that distinction of
the names which you confess yfns always ob-
served of the Aposiles : so can you not prove,
that they did it as you say, for none other
cause, but to show that Presbyter in the new
law, is the same in sacrificing or in every
other respect that Sacerdos was in the old
law. For there are many things common to
both, as public teaching, praying, and ad-
miDisteri,i2 of the Sacraincnts: but ofTcrin:

fine it. And so were ancient Councils cele-
brated in presence of the Emperors, and
many other of the people. Yea, it is memo-
rable, that in the Council of Nice, a learned
Philosopher that troubled all the Bishops,
was confuted and converted by a simple godly
layman, Rnjfin. lib. 1. c. 3. hist, tripar. lib.
2. cap. 31. Finally, we would not have any
Heretic excluded but that he may allege
what he can in defence of his errors, that he
may be either converted or confounded by
the power of truth revealed out of the holy
Scriptures, as it appeareth in this e.xample.
But the Heresy ofthe Papists is refuted, that
alloweth none to give voices but Bishops,
and them of their own sect, whereas it is ma-
nifest by the text, and your own interpreta-
tion, that the Elders or Priests concurred
with the Apostles, not only to consider of the
matter, but also in determining thereof. But
albeit the ministers of the Church so gathered
together, represent the whole Church, yet
have they not the promise of God's Spirit to
direct them, but so far forth as they do hum-
bly submit themselves to his word, which if
the greater part refuse to do, they may err,
as many Councils have done, both general
and provincial. The Papists themselves do

the sacrifice, was peculiar unto them, and i not admit the decree of tlie Chalcedon Coun
received an end in the sacrifice of our Saviour I cil, which was against the supremacy of the
Christ, offered by him once for all. There- 1 Bishop of Rome ; yet all the Council agreed

rS. 159

(iiined truly, were not privileged irom error
by the Bishop of Rome's assent, but by follow-
ing the word of God : for the Bishop of
Rome's assent, assistance or confirmation can-
not make error to be truth. Liberius after
he had ascribed to heresy, gave his assent to
the Council that Constatius held at Rome,
with Ursatius and Valens, and other Arians,
wherein Felix, a Catiiolic Bishop, was de-
prived, and he himself now a heretic, or a
dissembler witii heretics, was restored: as
testifieth Damasus himself Bishop of Rome in
Pontifical!. Yet was that Council for all his
consent and confirmation wicked, and blas-
phemous. If Honorius had lived when he
was condemned and accursed in the Council
of Constantinople the 6th, for a heretic,
would he have given his assent, assistance or
confirmation ? And if he had gathered a
Council of Monothelites, such as he was,
would he not have confirmed that Council,
determining against the Catholic faith ?

7. The text saith not, that the first Gentiles
were called by Peter's mouth : and the Scrip-
great debating before he spoke. Neither j ture is evident to the contrary. Paul was
were his successors, or their substitutes, pre- sent to the Gentiles, even at his conversion,
sidents in any of the four first general Coun- ! Acts 26. 17. Neither did he slack the time,
cils, that were after the Apostles' times. For but immediately preached in Arabia, and saw
of Nice was president and principal authors of, not Peter until three years after. AH \vhich
the Canons, Alexander Bishop of Constant!- time, it is not like that he neglected his call-
nople, of Constantinople Nectarius Bishop of j ing. Beside your own vulgar translation
the same See, of Ephesine Cyril of Alex- ' saith expressly, that he spake to the Gentiles,
andria, of Chalcedon Anatolius of Constanti- and disputed with the Greeks, cap. 8. 26. be-

unto it, except the Bishop of Rome's Legates.
And the same decree was made in the first
general Council of Constantinople, when nei-
ther the Bishop of Rome, nor any man for
him did gainsay it. Const. 1. cap. 2. Chalcedon.
Action. 16. The second Council of Nice,
agreed that Angels' and men's souls are
" Dodily, and circuniscriptible," Acts 5, which
the Papists themselves cannot deny to be an
error. Neither did Paul come to the Council
for tlie definition of the Church, as though he
doubted of the matter. For before this time,
he had openly reprehended Peter and Barna-
ba.s erring and dissembling in this question.
Gal. 2. 11, &-C. Paul and Barnabas came there-
fore to seek the definition of the whole
Church, for satisfaction of them that were
troubled with that doubt in Antioch, and not
for their own resolution.

7. Peter striketh no stroke, more than his
fellow Apostles, who all agree to the truth re-
vealed out of the Scriptures, and confirmed
by God's wonderful works.^ I

7. Peter speaketh not first, for there was

nople. Isidorus in prasfat. con. to. 1. Yet Eu-
sebius saith, that Eustathius Bishop ofAntioch,
was president at Nice. Johannes Aniiochen
Patriach, opus.suo. in Concil. Basil saith: "In
many ancient Councils, the Pope was not

fore Peter was sent to Cornelius. Therefore
it seemeth that the adverb irpuKTuv, in the speech
of James, is not referred to the time of the
conversion of Cornelius, but to the order of
Peter's speech, which was first of God's visit

president, as appeareth in those, in which the j ation of the Gentiles in calling them to
Bishops of Rome did not make the defini- , his people : which James confirmeth by au-
tions, but the Council, saying-, it hath pleased ' thority of Scripture, and then concludeth as
the Council." And of this Council he saith, I Peter did. Therefore you can prove no pre-
"The Council of the Apostles, Acts 13, Peter ; eminence in this point granted to Peter,
alone did not call together, but the twelve I 13. Your whole drift in this place, is to
Apostles; neither did Peter pronounce the deny the primacy of order unto James, whom
sentence, but James, and they ordained the all antiquity, except Hierom, allowed to be
decretal Epistle, not in the name of Peter, but the principal person in this council, as he was
of the Apostles and Elders." And where ', at this time the bishop or chief overseer of
you say, that no Council was ever recei- the Church at Jerusalem, and therefore is

ved into authority and credit, without the
Bishop of Rome's confirmation, it is false.
For the Councils of Milevit and Africa, that
decreed against the Bishop of Rome's au-
thority were received into authority and
credit in the Church. So was the Coun-
cil of Chalcedon even in that point of
the Bishop of Rome's primacy, wherein it
was not confirmed by the Bishop of Rome,
obtained authority and credit in the church
as testifieth Liberatus, cap. 13. beside msny
provincial Councils, whereimto the Bishop of
Rome's consent was never required. And
the Councils of Arians, and other heretics,
did not therefore err, because they wanted
"the Pope's assent, assistance, or confirma-
tion, but because they determined contrary
to the truth expressed and contained in the
holy Scriptures. As those Councils which
having the Bishop of Rome's assent deter-

named before Peter by Paul. Gal. 2. 9. Cle-
ment's disposition lib. 6. cited by Eusebius,
saith, that James was constituted " bishop of
the Apostles." Chrysostom upon this place
saith. " And see that after Peter, Paul doth
speak, and no man stoppeth his mouth,
James beareth it, and doth not go back, to
him was the principality or chiet place com-
mitted. At the beginning truly, Peter spake
more vehemently, but this man more mildly.
So they must always do that are in great au-
thority, that they permit things burdenous to
other men, and they themselves deal more
gently," in Acts, Horn. 33. Thus you see he
ascribeth plainly the chief place and power
to .lames. Hierom, indeed, defending Peter's
simulation against Paul, endeavoureth to prove
out of this place, that Peter was not ignorant
of the truth, whereof he had been a principal
setter forth in the council. But the matter is

100

ACTS.

so evident by the circuiiistances of the text,
and the judgment of ancient writers, that the
author, Opuscali tripartili cant. lorn. 2. cap. 9.
saith, that when James gave sentence, it was
not yet fully ordained concerning the pre-
emhience ot'Peter above the rest of the Apos-
tles, and of the fuhiess of his power above all
churches. Finally, where AugusLin saiih,
that the former general councils may be
amended or corrected by the latter, he speak-
eth not of alteration in matters of indifference,
for then he would not have used the word
amending or correcting, but some other w^ord,
that siguifieth altering" or changing : for
amending and correcting, is of errors, and so
the words going betore and alter, do make
manifest that he meaneth. For before
he saith, that only the canonical Scriptures
have sovereign authority, so that it is not
lawlul to doubt, whether any thing written in
them be true or right, but that ail latter writings
of Bishops may be lawfully reprehended,
either by other learned writings, or by coun-
cils, if iney have erred from truth, and that
provincial councils must give place to ge-
neral councils, and that the former general
councils may be corrected by tlie latter.
" When by any trial of matters, that is opened
which before was shut, and that is known
which before was hidden :" so that he speak-
eth manifestly of correction of errors, not
alteration of things indifferent, writing against
the Donatists, that maintained the authority
of the council of Carthage, holden by Cyprian
against the truth.

20. Tiie Church hath no authority to com-
mand any thing necessary to salvation, but
that which may be proved undoubtedly out oi
the Holy Scrip'ture : otherwise in matters of
indifference, we yield to your observation.
To abstain from blood and strangled, was
not necessary to salvation, but for charity to
bear with the weakness of the Jews for a
tica.son,

28. When any of God's creatures are by him
appointed to be inferior causes or ministers
unto him, it is no fault to join them: as the
sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. But
where God hath not appointed his creatures
to be joined with him in cause, there it is
blaspheinoiis to niaich them with hirn in ef-
fect : as when you .«ay, God and our Lady
hath holpen me, thanks to God and our Lady,
our Lord and his saints be praised, &c.
These speeches are neither scriptures, nor
scripture like, nor warranted by this council.
Neither hath this council given the form of
the speech here used to all other cotmcils,
how lawfully soever called and confirmed
with the Bishop of Rome's as.scnt, except tlieir
determination may bo warranted as this was
by the holy scriptures. Cyprian with the
fathers of Africa, do declare unto Cornelius
Bishop of Rome, upon what authority of
scriptures their de'ermination was grounded,
and are bold to say, it hath pleased us by the
suggestion of the Holy Ghost, before their
council received confirmation of the Bishop
of Rome, yea before be once heard of it.

Neither do they in that epistle, require his
assent, but only report what they had done,
and tor what causes, and upon what
ground.

Secondly, you note, that holy councils have
ever the assistance of God's Spirit, and there-
fore cannot err, where you play the sophis-
ters kindly : for if it be proved that any do
err in that point, they are not holy. But if
by holy councils you mean lawtul councils,
as you say in the margin, or as you seem to
explain holy councils, such as are " lawfully
kept for determination or clearing of doubts,"
&c., there is no doubt but they may err, if
they follow not the direction of God's word,
against which, in vain they may boast of the
direction of God's Spirit. Cyprian and all
the bishops of Africa, gathered a council as
lawtul as any they did betore, no doubt but of
good intent tor determination and clearing of a
doubt that was moved among them, whether
such as came from heresy, were to be bap-
tized again : and with a purpose to condemn
errors, and heresies, and to appease schism
and troubles : yet did they err in their sen-
tence and determination, concerning the
same doubt, and all through ignorance of the
scriptures, and not of any perverse or here-
tical affection. Whereupon Augustin, as is
before declared, doubteth not to affirm that
all men and all councils, both provincial and
general may err, and that the certainty of
truth is to be found only in the canonical
scriptures. "And who can be ignorant, that
the holy canonical scripture, as well of the
old, as of the new testament, is contained
within her certain limits, and that it is so
preferred before all later writings of bishops,
that it cannot in any wise be doubted or dis-
puted of it, whether it be true, or whether it
be right, whatsoever, it is certaiii to be writ-
ten in it : but that the writings of the bishops
which have been written, or which are now-
written after the canon is confirmed, may be
lawfully reprehended, both by the more wise
speech, perhaps of any man that is more skil-
ful in that matter, and also by the more grave
authority, and more learned prudence of other
bishops, and by councils, if any thing in them
perhaps have strayed from the truth. And
even councils tiiemselves, which are gather-:
ed in every region or province, without all
doubt, must give place to the authority of ge-
neral councils, which are gathered out of all
the Christian world : and that oftentimes the
former general councils themselves, may be
corrected by the later, when by any trial of
matters, that is opened which was shut, and
that is known which was hidden, without any
sweJling of sacrilegious pride, without any
stifl'neck of puffing arrogance, without anycon-
lention of cankered envy, with holy humility,
with Catholic peace, with Christian charity."
Concerning your third obversation, there is
no doubt but Christ's promise shall be per-
formed nnto the end, but the privilege of
God's assistance pertaineth only to them
which follow the direction of his holy word
in councils or othej- sentences of the Church.

For the Spirit of God, must not be sacrile-
giously separated Ironi the word ot God.
Therelbre the deteriiiiiiatioii ol ihe lour ge-
neral councils is to be reverenced as ihe lour
gospels, because it svas taken out of the lour
gospels, whicti teacli the truth of the divi-
nity and humanity of Christ, and of the divi-
nity ot tl'.e floly Ghdsi : not because it was
so agreed by aiahonty of so many bisiiops
gathered in those councils. M either do we
make any such lond dillerence ot tlie coun-
cils as you dream of, but receive the filth and
sixth, as well as the first tour, lor the matters
of faith and doctrine concluded in thein,
agreeable to the holy scriptures; and further
we receive none. You say there be divers
things in the first four councils thai you find
against our heresies, yet are you able to show
none. But we show against you the sixth
Canon of Nice Council, declarinir ilir r.i.-ho|i
of Alexandria to be equal to ilu i'.i.-h'iii ot
Rome, and generally every Mriroiuiliinii m
■his province. We show the t\\ i niy-seveiuh
canon of Chalcedon, wherein is deelared ihe
determm ition as well of that council, as ot the
first of Constantinople, that the see ot Constan-
tinople should have equal privileges of dignity
and authority with the See ot Roine. We show
the words ol the Council of Ephesus in their
Epistle to Nestorius, that "Peter and John
were of equal dignity because they were both
Apostles and Holy Disciples:" By which
words the supremacy ot the Pope pretended
ifom Peter is overthrown. So we show the
four tirst general Councils, all against the
Pope's sup: jiiiacy. Likewise the fifth con- 1 stance

161

cils. The father of lies and slanderer of the
Saints will welcome you tor this logic, except
you repent in time. What Augustui ascribelh
to general councils, you heard before his
own words : how he acknowledgeth that they
may err, because they may be amended or
corrected, that some thing may be shut up
and iiiddeii from tliem, which afterward may
be oiicned and known.

The end of cuuncils is to search out the truth,
and theretore you say well, they must not
presume ot the floly Ghost, if they neglect
ordinary means to come to the knowledge of
the trutli, and much less if they be not direct-
ed by the word ot God, which is the rule of
truth, and tiuiii itself, as our Saviour Christ
suitli in his puiyer, " sanctify them in thy
truth, thy word is the truth," John 17. 17.
But if the Pope cannot err, it is certain that
councils are not necessary. For your first
reason proveth them to be only convenient, •
your second reason numbereth iheni among
human means of searching the truth, by which
it may be inferred, that the Pope out of coun-
cil may err. For if human means of search-
ing the truth be necessary that the Pope doth
not err, as you must needs confess, because
you say, the assistance of the Holy Ghost
promised to Peter's See, prestipposeth human
means, and calling of councils is a human
mean, therefore calling of councils is neces-
sary that the Pope doth not err. Whereby it
seemeth you take upon you to decide that
question, which though it hath been hitherto
decided by two General Councils of Con-

d by two
and Basil,

firming all that was decreed in the tburth and
in the sixth of Constantinople, Can. 36. we
show, confirming the equality of privileges
■of the Bishop of Constantinople with the
Bishop of Rome, according to the former de-
terminations of the Councils of Constantinople
the first, and of Chalcedon. When we say that
councils may prr, and that the Holy Ghost is not
tied to the voices of men, nor to the nimiber of
sentences, you affirm, " that it is direcily to
reprove this first council also of the Apostles,
and Christ's promise of the Holy Ghost." But
by what logic you gather this conclusion, we
cannot perceive, except if be this : Councils
may err, crg-o, this council of the Apostles did
err. Or else thus: Christ promised the Holy
Ghost, et-ga, he tied the Holy Ghost to the
voices of men, or to the number of senten-
ces. If these be good conclusions, I refer
me to all that have but one crumb of right
reason or natural logic. That you report of
Beza is a most detestable slander, lor he
speaketh not a word against the first general
c uncils, but against the assemblies ot proud
and unlearned lii;ht headed bishops of Greece,
which lived in those best times, whereof it is
manifest by the church stories, that many of
them were heretical and blasphemous, having
not the Holy Ghost, but the devil himself to
be President of their meetings. This logic
is like the former : Beza saith, there were
wicked Bishops in the best times, ergo, he
blasphemeth against the first general coun-

that the council is above the
Pope, which may err out of the council, yet is
it not agreed of among all Papists at this time,
p'or the more part hold, and so do you else-
where, that the Pope is above the council,
and that the council may err, if it be not con-
firmed by the Pope. Yet the council of Con-
stance was confirmed in that point hyJohn 23,
before his resignation, Sess. 12. and in the end
thereof, all -things concluded in that council.
Coitciliariter, that is, as in form of council,
were conhniicil l\ r.pe Martin the fifth,
Sess. 45. 'i1i;,i ( hrisi i< not present with he-
retics, and sclusiiii.'us, ii is out of doubt : but
seeing in many ^A the synods and councils,
holden in Gerrriany, France, Poland, England,
and other places, the truth hath been conclu-
ded out of the Holy Scriptures, it is certain
that Christ was present in those assemblies
by his Holy Spirit, and that in such things as
they have determined according to the word
of God, they are not to be reputed for here-
tics or schismatics, but for true Christian
Catholics.

31. When the Papists themselves do not
acknowledge the authoritv of the Tridentine
assembly, for both the TEmperor and the
French king protested against it, and it is not
at this day received of the Popish Church of
France, there is no reason that we should be
subject unto it, although we have many other
arguments to oppose against it. And where
you say, that "all good Christians rest upon
the determination of^ a general council ;" you

ACTS.

condemn yourselves to be no good Christians,
because you do not trust upon the determina-
tion of the General Council ol Constance and
Basil, in liic question ol the Pope's supremacy
above the council. You condemn the Popish
Church of France, which accepteth not your
Tridentine cliapter, for a general council, in
which there were scarce tony Bishops, and
they for the most part Italians and Spaniards.
That all heretics make exceptions against
councils that condemn them, it proveth not all
to be heretics that are condemned by coun-
cils. The Catholics also condemned by the
councils of heretics, took exceptions against
those councils. The exceptions that we make
are most reasonable. For it is against all
equity that they Vvfhich are parlies, that are
partial, that are accused, should be the only
judges. Neither could the Arians justly say
so against the Nicene Council, or other here-
tics against the councils that condemned them:
neither can all thieves justly say so against
their punishers. For their judges are never
parties, seldom partial, never accused in that
offence, whereupon they sit asjudges. That
we would be tried only by God's word, it is
true, but that we will expound it as we list, it is
false. For we will and do by God's grace ex-
pound it sufficiently to confute your heresies,
according to tJie plain and natural sense
thereof, and in doubtful places, according to
plain places, and according to the exposition
of the most ancient and best approved Fathers
ot the Primitive Church, in the most and chief
of the controversies that are between you and
us.

36. It is to be feared, and it hath been
often complained of, among Papists them-
selves, that Popish Bishops have visited
oftener for a fleece, than for the benefit of
their flock. And when their meaning was
best, they were far from the doctrine, and
therefore from the example of the Apostles.

39. It caimol be alleged lo justify any dis-
sension, but to show that for dissension's sake
in matters of external policy, and discipline
of the church, specially, as 'his of the Apos-
tles was, the substance of the doctrine is not
to be misliked, nor the church or teachers
thereof to be utterly rejected : it is rightly
alleged. • The dissension that is among many
true Christians in the sacrament of the supper,
doth no more convince either part to be no
rnember of the church, than the like dissen-
sion that was between Cyprian and llie Bisiiops
of Africa, and Cornelius with the Bishops of
Europe, about the sacrament oi baptism, doih
deny either of them to have been true members
of the church, and yet the one party erred
from the truth.

41. All things necessary to salvation, are
expressed in the holy Scriptures, yet other
things not particularly expressed, but agree-
able to the general rules of Scriptures, lor
order, comeliness, and charity's sake, are to
be observed and kept, though not as things
necessary t() salvation. For no mortal men
have authority to command any such things,
which are not expressed in tlie holy Scrip-

tures, that are able to makes wise imto salva-
tion by faith in Christ, 2 Tim. 3 15.

Chapter 17.

5. This is rather a lively pattern of the deal-
ing of Papists in Queen Mary's time, against
the Christian Cathohcs, and of the godly men,
which in that time did receive them.

11. This place is rightly used, to prove that
the hearers ought to examine by the Scrip-
tures, whether tne teacher's doctrine be true,
and to reject whatsoever they find not proved
by the Scriptures. Yet are not the sheep
made judges of the shepherds, people of
the Priests, &c. but the word of God is made
judge of all doctrine, whether it be true or
false. And these men searched the Scrip-
tures, to try whether those things were so as
the Apostle preached. For they having re-
ceived the Scriptures in credit before, were
not bound to believe him, except his doctrine
w^ere consonant unto the Holy Scriptures,
as he himself testifieth Gal. 1. 8. That if he
preached any other Gospel than he had
preached before, they should hold him accurs-
ed. And the Gospel which he preached be-
fore, was that which God had promised before
by the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Rom.
1. 2. And although they could not read the
Scriptures, yet they heard the Scriptures
read, and were brought to understand them
by his preaching. Wherefore their searching
of the Scriptures, was not only to confirm them
being before thoroughly persuaded, but to
persuade them being not thoroughly brought
to the faith, until they found the Scriptures
to be manifestly agreeable to the Apostle's
preaching. And yet it followeth not that the '
sheep must be judges of their Pastors, but
that they must hear them, obey them, and be
ordered by them, which they will do more
cheerfully, when by searching the Scriptures,
they find their Pastor's doctrine to be the doc-
trine of the Holy Ghost : and not the inven-
tion or tradition of men.

22. Though Paul in this place, doth not
expressly reprove any true devotion, nor a
great number of Popish superstitions, that
you name, yet are your superstitions mani-
festly convinced by other testimonies of Holy
Scripture. Not as any excess of worship, or
religion, as you seem to define superstition,
but as a will worship, more than is appointed
by the law of God. And so doeth Isidorus
give the F^tymology of the word : Orig. U. 8.
c. 3. For in zeal of true religion and worship
of God, keeping his law as a rule thereof, we
cannot exceecT That you discharge us of
superstition, we accept your testimony, as the
witness of our adversaries: but where you
charge us to be void of religion, the Lord be
judge between you and us. The (Jreek word,
which the Apostle useth against the heathen,
is abused also by the heathen against the
Apostle and Christian religion. Act. 25. 19.
And therefore superstition is not only wor-
shipping of idols and gods of the heathen.
For although heathenish superstition be taken
away, as Augustin saith : Yet other as evil

ACTS.

1G3

superstition is come in the place among the i
ungodly, that will not be directed by God's |
word ia religion, but follow their o.wn imagi- |
nations. Augustin himself condenincth wor- j
shippers of sepulchres and pictures, of super-
stition. "Now you shall see," sailh he, " what
ditlercnce there is between the Mermaids
of superstition, anil the haven of religion.
Gaihjr not unto ine the professors ol the
name of Christ, neither knowing nor showing
tlie force or virtue of their profession. Fol-
low ye not the multitudes of the unskilful,
which even in true religion are superstitious,
or so given to their lusts, that they have for-
gotten what they have promised to God. I
know there are many worsliippers of sepul-
chres and pictures." Dc morihus eccles. (Juth.
c. 31. Ambrose calleth it, "a heathenish"
error, to worship the Cross wliereon Christ
died. De ohitu Tlieodosy. Gelasius, Bishop of
Rome, calleth it " superstition to abstain from |
the cup" in the Lord's supper. De consec. disl.
2. C. Comperimus. Celestinus Bishop of Rome
reproveth certain Priests for superstitious ap-
parel, Ep. 2. ad GallicB EpiscopoD. But the
superstition of Papists, hath not only all ihrsr
points but many more, which tin > \s.iuM jn r-
suade the ignorant to be high |i.iiiiis .i| [r\u:
religion. You see by these few te^iinicmiis
we call that superstition, which the ancient
Fathers before us have so termed, and that
we do not so define superstition, as we would
imply all true religion, but only those things
that are not prescribed by the word of God.
Wherein notwithstanding. Papists do place
by these words, all true religion.

23. The authors of this note show them-
selves to be ignorant in the Greek tongue, for
the Greek word doth signify whatsoever men
do reverence for religion's sake. The Dic-
tionaries say, it signifieth the forms of wor-
ship, or devotions, as well as the thuig wor-
shipped. Now the word devotion, is indif-
ferent either to true or false devotion, and so
is the Greek word. Therefore the devotions
of good Christians, is no more touched by
this term, than true religion by the term of
religion, when it is applied to false religion.

29. In your blasphemous Images of God
the Father, and of the Holy Trinity, vou do
transform the glory of the immortal God, to
the image of a nurtal man, or feathered fowl.
Rom. 1. 23. Yea of a monster which is
worse. And where you say, they are not
made to be adored with godly honour, you
say untruly, for all religious honour is due to
God only,' and it is concluded in that idola-
trous council of Nice 2. and defended by
Thomas and other Papists, that the Image of
God is to be worshipped, with the same wor-
ship tliat is due to God himself. Your other
excuse, that they are not made to hi any re-
semblance of the Divinity, or of the three
persons in the Godhead, it is also false ; for
to what end else should any image of the
Trinitv be made ? The Gpntiles saiH as much
of their Idols, that 'hey know they were not
gods, nor like to gods, being void of sense
and life, neither did they worship them as

gods, but they worshipped the invisible god-
head, and the same that we call angels, the
virtues and ministries of the great God, but
all in vain as August, showeth in Psal. 96.
Because they worshipped as you do, those
that have eyes and see not, mouths and speak
not, hands and handle not, &c. Neither can
you make the image of Christ, as he was in
form of man : for you can make no image but
of his bodily shape, and not as he was God in
tiie form ol man. And that image which you
make of his bodily shape, is no more the
image of Christ, than of any other man.
When Epiphanius saw in a Church at Ana-
blatha, an image painted in a vail, as it were
of Christ, or some Saint, he affirineth that it
was contrary to the authority of the Scrip-
tures, that any image of a man should hang
in the Church of Christ. Epiph. ep. ad Joan.
How much more the image of the Holy Trini-
ty, and of the Holy Ghost? But you say
boldly, " to paint or grave any of the three
persons, or the three persons, as they appear-
ed visibly and corporally, is no more incon-
venient or unlawful, than it was indecent for
them to appear in such forms." Thus these
senseless Idolaters control the Law of God,
which expressly forbiddeth any such image,
of any similitude or shape of any thing in hea-
ven, in earth, in the waters to be made. Exo.
20. Accusing the majesty of God of inde-
cency, if he hath appeared in any visible
shape, which he hath forbidden to be made
of him. And yet in giving the law, God
w-ould upt appear in anv visible shape, lest
the people should abuse' that shape, to make
an image of God after it, as the Lord himself
declareth expressly, Deul. 4. 15. &c. There-
fore, though it be not simply unlawful, to ex-
press in painting the visible shapes that were
showed in visions to the Prophets, yet to
make those shapes for any use of religion, or
service of God, it is abominable idolatry.
You strain very much to find the image of
God the Father, when you say, he showed
himself to Daniel as an old man. For al
though Daniel in virion saw an old man, how
prove you that the said shape of an old man
represented the person of the Father, ratiier
than of the Son, who is as old as his Father, or
than the whole godhead ? As for the Cheru-
bim over the propitiatory, when you can
show as good warrant for your images, as we
find in the Scripture for them, namely an ex-
press commandment to make them, we will
i yield them unto you to be lawfully made.
! '' Thou shalt not make to thyself",'] saitli the
Lord, that is of thy private authority or mo-
tion, reserving to himself power to command
what images he thought necessary to be
made for the use of his religion. Where
you talk of the images of angels with their
winjs, you might have alleged the authority
of the 2. Nicene council, which defineth, that
they "have 'oodles a'ld are circumsciiptible,"
Acts .5. h\v that you are ashamed ofthe gross
error of that idolatrous council. Tlie image
of God the Father with the world in his hand,
vou commend highly, " to signify his creatioi}

164

ACTS

and govemmeirt in the same, whereof the
people being well instructed, may take much
good and no harm in the world." But fust,
you must remember that these images have
been and are where the people are not m-
structed at all. SecoiHllj', that if they be tru-
ly instructed of the creation and government
of the world, "Tliis is a lying imagey and
doctrine of vanity," aS the Prophet calleth all
images, Abac. "2. iS. Because it makelh the
creation and government of the world to
seem proper to the person of the Father,
which is common to the whole godhead.
Finally, where you say the people through
their faith in Christ, are far from all fond
imagination of false gods, it is most untrue.
For your Popish ignorant people, be as fond
in their imaginations as the heathen were. Au-
gustin saith, worshippers of pictures, though
they profess the name of Christ, neither know,
nor show- forth the virtue or force of their
profession. And of all worshippers of images,
or before images, Aiigustin saith, " And who
doth worship, or pray beholding an image,
which is not so affected, that he thinketh he
is heard of it, and hopeth that to be performed
by it, which he desireth." In Fsal.US. Gre-
gory indeed, contrary to the saying of the
Prophet, Ab. 2. alloweth images to be lay-
men's books, but he forbiddeth all kind of
worshipping of them. And as for the anti-
ouity of them, it was not long before his time
tnat they were tolerated in Churches. Epi-
phanius rent the Image that he found in the
Church, because it was there, as he saith,
"contrary to the authority of the Scriptures."
Ep. ad Joan. &c. The council of Eliberis be-
fore him decreed "that pictures should not
be in the Church, lest that which is worship-
ped or adored, should he painted on the walls."
Behold, the council feared th;it which after-
wards by the neghgence of the Bishops came
to pass, lest the Image of God who only is to
be worshipped, should be painted on the
walls ; and esteemed that to be most detest-
able, which yon defend to be convenient and
lawful. So well you agree with the doctrine
of the ancient fathers and councils.

34. That Dionysius Areopagita was author
of those books which now bear his name, you
bring no proof at all. We allege that Euse-
bius, Hierom, Gennadius never heard of his
writings, for if thev had heard, Dionysius
Areopagita should nave been registered by
them among ecclesiastical writers. And fur-
ther whosoever shall read those books of
his, shall find indeed many ceremonies, but
as unlike to the ceremonies of the Popish
Church, as thev are to ours. The rest, of
the flight of Heretics, and that we see all
antiquity against us, is hut vain janirling
without proof, and contrary to manifest
proof in all our writings against the papists,
and namely, in confutation of these Popish
notes.

Chapter 19.

3, 4. There is nothing in this chapter to

prove Jolm's baptism insufficient. The sense

if. if it were truly translated, they that heafd
John's doctrine, were baptized in the name of
our Lord Jesus.

6. Paul ministered no Confirmation, but by
prayer and imposition of hands procured im-
to them the miraculous gifts of tongues and
prophecy.

12. There was no virtue in the napkins by
touching of Paul's body : the te.xt saith plainly,
the miracles were wrought of God by the
hand of Paul. The napkins and handker-
chiefs were but outward tokens, to confirm
the taith of them that were to be healed in
the absence of the Apostle, that they might
know that the gift of healing which he had re-
ceived of God, was not tied to the presence of
liis body, but tliat he could, when it pleased
God, dispense it being absent : not that who-
soever touched those napkins was by and by
healed. The miracles whereof Chrj'sostom
speaketh, do indeed commend the grace of
Christ their Master, whose faithful witnesses
they were. But thereof it followeth not, th t
all things which have touched holy men mu t
be honoured superstitiously as their relics, or
that we must look for miracles at the tombs of
every saun. Finally, whatsoever Hierom in
heal wrote against Vigilantius, who reproved
the superstition that began to grow in honour-
ing of saint's relics, is nothiiig to defend the
cart-loads of your counterfeit relics, which
are such gross imposturen and cozenages of
the world, as the like iinpudency in feigmng of
superstitious fables to deceive men with
idolatry, was never foimd in the Pagans. He
that hath not observed of his own knowledge
and experience, may read in Calvin's admoni-
tion concerning relics. Which admonition
if it had been, or yet might be followed, that
an inventory were made of all the saints' re-
lics that were said to be in every Church
and Abbey, the monasteries of popish relics
would exceed Lucian's true narrations.
Where you say that relics do yet wonders
among you, they be none other but the lying
signs of Antichrist, and if they \, ere rightly
examined, they would prove to be nothing
else but forgeries. But if any wonders be
wrought to maintain idolatry and superstition,
as Augustin saith of the miracles of the Dona-
tists, we have more need to beware of them.
Deunil. eccle. cap. 16. For miracles are not
sufficient to commend any religion to be true,
but true religion cOmmendeth true miracles.
The Montanists had miracles, as witnesseth
TertuUian. Lib. Be aiiima cap. Nihil ani-
ma;. Marcus the heretic wrought wonders
about the sacrament of the cup. Irene-
uii lib. 1. cap. 9. Vigilantius was not con-
demned of heresy by th(^ Church, although
Hierom did write so bitterly against him,
who did write also against Augustin, and
against Rnfiinus, which yet were counted as
good catholics as he. As for Vigilantius,
neither by Epjphanius, Pliilastrius, Augustin,
Theodoret, Isidorus, Daniascen, Aiitioclius or
any other ancient writer that gathered the
catalogue of heretics and heresies that were
before their time is once touched, or his opi-

ACTS.

1G5

nion against the immoderate estimation of
relics condemned.

15. Tiie devil in this place obeyed neither
the name of Paul nor of Jesus, therefore
neither of both names uttered by conjurers
were able to e.xpei devils. And therefore I
marvel wiicrcupon you dreamed, when you

fathered this note upon these words, Paul I
now. In Hierom we read iliiit many by
Hilarion were delivered from devils, but that
any other did cast out devils in his name we
read not. Of the miracles done at the tombs
of Martyrs I have spoken before. That Lu-
ther and Calvin attempted to cast out devils,
and sped as these Jewish conjurers, it is a
popish slander invented by a lying spirit,
which possesseth many papists.

18. Not all that believed, but many of them,
the text saith, came voluntarily, not of neces-
sity, and confessed openly some of their
deeds, namely such as exercised sorcery,
and such curious arts, not all their sins m
thoughts, words, and deeds, therefore they
came not to popish auricular confession.

19. If heretical books be confuted as most
of the popish books are, it is not necessary to
burn them. For by reading them with their
confutations, ihe true Christians shall learn
more and more to detest thoir hfrf^sios : as in
the books confuted by Aiilihihi, ('\iil, iind
others is manifest. Bin I'lm-i^ wliuli kiinu
they carmot prevail against ihr truth, will liavr
all books of true doctrine, which they call
heresy, to be burned and defaced : yea even
the holy scriptures if they be not of their own
translation.

21. The Gospel was not taken away from
Jerusalem when Paul came thither, for many
ten thousand Jews believed c. 21.20. And
the Gospel was received in Rome long before
Paul saw Rome.

24. The Greek word in this place doth pro-
perly signify certain pieces of coin, in which
was stricken the temple and image of Diana,
more like to your popish broaches and other
tokens of Idolatry that are sold and given in
places of your pilgrimages, than unto your
superstitious shrines. Yet Chrysostom in-
terpreteth the word to signify little arks or
shrines, or such like superstitious toys. Act.
Horn. 42.

35. Our translators add but the substantive,
which must needs be understood, to the adjec-
tive, and so doth Chrysostom understand the
word, so doth Oecumenius expound it. And
your interpreter doth add that which is neither
m the word nor meaning of the text. We
need not add the word image against popish
images, we have places enough to condemn
your foul idolatry, plain and evident. Which
if the curse of God pronounced by the prophet
were not upon you, you could not but see.
But seeing bv God's judsment you are made
like those things which you make and
worship you have eyes and see not. Psal.
115.8.

Chapter 20.
7 Paul ministered in both kinds, accord-

ing to his own doctrine, and Christ's insti-
tution. 1 Corinthians, 11.

16. The Piische and Pentecost now observ-
ed do differ from the Jews' feasts ; therefore
the Apostles could not celebrate them both
together. And the diversity of celebration
that was inunediately after the Apostles, ar-
gueth that the Apostles, as in a thing indiffer-
ent, decreed noihiiiir certainly, which appear-
eth in the coiitn.v. i-\ In tween Polycarp and
Anicetus' Inn, us „i,u,l l.iiseb.Ub.5. cap. 26.

21. The docinii.- ,.| .lusiification by faith
only, doth not exclude, but require repentance
from dead works, and renovation unto good
works.

29. Calvin and Luther were no ravening
wolves, nor bloodsuckers, but faithful and
diligent Pastors.

35. This helppfh nothing your Popish un-
written traditions, for this doctrine, though
not in such ftuin oi woiil;, yet in substance of
matter, is wnitrn m the Gospel, yea in the
law and the prophets.

Chapter 21.

9. That Peter used his wife after his call-
ing, Matlh. 8. Of Philip you may say what
you will, but you are never able to prove, that
lu> used not his wite after his calling. And
t^'hniens Alexandrinus saith plainly against
\'>u: that "Peter and Philip begat sons." Stro-
mal, lib. 3.

9. Clemens Alexandrinus saith, doubtless
out of some very ancient tradition, that " Phi-
lip gave his daughters in marriage to hus-
bands," Sto?rial. lib. 3. which is contrary to the
profession of perpetual virginity. Many also
that were married, were enuued with the
gift of prophecy.

Chapter 22.

17. The text joineth with the Sacrament, in-
vocation of the name of the Lord, whereunto
salvation is promised, Rmn. 10. 13. Joel. 2. 22.
to wash aw.ay his sins. Therefore this place
maketh nothing for your Heresy, that the Sa-
cramenrs give grace, ex opere operato, of the
work wrought.

Chapter 23.
8. Of truth, nothing but truth can be con-
cluded, but of falsehood, not onlv falsehood,
but sometime truth. As this truth, that the
dead are not to be prayed for, doth follow
of the false opinion of the Sadducees, that
the soul is mortal supposed to be true, and
so do many other truths. As for example,
the souls of the righteous be not in torment
after their death, the souls of the wicked
be not in heaven after their death, &c. Not
only Ananias was a Sadducee, but also An-
nas and Caiaphas, before Christ's death.
Caiaphas doth prove himself to be a Sadducee
by his saying, John 11. 50. wherein he spake the
truth aoninst his meaning. Ann is is shewed to
be a Sadducee. Art. i. 1. & 6. And Jo-
sephus testificih, thai the Sadducees were
chief in dignity, and had the government
many times among the Jews, therefore it is

166

ACTS.

not unlike, but many of that vile sect by bri-
bery aspired to the high priest's office. An-
tiqui. lib. 18. cap. 2. , - , , •

12. He ihat vovveth that which he is not
able to perlorm, doth likewise sin, and doth
of necessity break that vow, which he is not
able to keep. And if any man take an oath,
to discover true Catholics, he is bound to
perform it. For it is no sin absolutely to dis-
cover them, that may without sin discover
themselves. And many vows and oaths, are
unlawful to be made, which when they are
made, it is lawful to keep, as the oath made
to the Gibeonites, the breach whereof was
punished in Saul's posterity, 2 Sam. 21. And
if it were sin absolutely to discover them,
yet it is not lawi'ul to lie in denying or con-
cealing of them. Wherefore your doctrine
savoureth strongly of the sect of the Priscil-
lianists which said : " Swear and forsvyear,
but bewray no secrets." Although obstinate
Papists, be indeed rank heretics and traitors.

Chapter 24.
25. The right way to teach justification by
faith only in Christ, is begun with man's con-
demnation by the law, whicli requireth justice,
temperance and all virtues, most perfectly, in
pain of damnation ; and after men are justified,
to teach them also that all virtues are neces-
sary fruits of faith. And therefore yoti may
go look what heretics do say, that virtues
make hypocrites. For we say no such thing.
But they that teach justification before God,
by works, or by keeping the law, do rather
make men hypocrites than trulyjusl, because
that of works of the law, no man is justified
before God. Gal 2. 10, 11.

Chapter 25.

19. Jesus Christ never gave the city of
Rome, the seat of Caesar to Peter, and much
less to the Pope, but the Pope hath usurped
it against Cassar, contrary to the express
commandment of Christ: Give unto Csesar,
that which is Caesar's. Matt. 22. 21.

Chapter 26.

20. Paul preached repentance, but never
Popish penance ; whereof if he had spoken,
none of that honourable audience could have
understood him. Therefore he useth that
word in the same sense it was commonly un-
derstood both of the .lews and of the Gentiles
of whom this assembly did consist.

Chapter 27.

23. God's providence was great to plant and
increase his Church at Rome, but not to set
up the Pope's authority there, above all o'her
bishops, yea above kings and princes. Whe-
ther Peter preached or died at Rome, we find
nothing in the Scriptures, which should not
have been omitted, if it had been so necessa-
ry a matter to be known for the Pope's supre-
macy as you make it.

24. Whom have I in heaven saith David, but
thee ? speaking to the Lord Ps. 73. 25. And
we having an advocate with the Father, Jesus

Christ, have no need of Paul's intercession, 1
John 2. 1. Augustin saith, "That Christ our
high Priest having entered into the innermost
part of the vail, that is, heaven, he only of all
them that have tasted flesh, dotii make inter-
cession for us." Psal. 64.

31. God appointeth before hand not only
the end, but also the means by which men
come to that end. So in predestination of the
Saints to salvation, he haih appointed that
they shall repent, believe, and work tlieir sal-
vation with fear and trembling, which means
if men do always and finally despise, we may
not say, " they cannot be saved though they
be predestinate," which is blasphemv to think,
but out of doubt they were not predestinated
to salvation. Because the Holy Ghost hath
said, whom he hath predestinated, he hath
called, justified, and glorified. Rom. 8 30.
The will of man is free from coaction in all
things, but not from slavery to sin, but so far
forth as it is made free by the grace of Christ.

Chapter 28.

1. If the inhabitants of Malta do show
Paul's prison, they show a fable : tor it is ma-
nifest oy the text, that although he were a
prisoner, he was not shut up in a prison.

5. Our merchants and other that have tra-
velled into Malta can find no such miracle of
that land. But if God have given any such
grace to that island, it is not to maintain su-
perstition or idolatry, but to show the glory of
his truth that his Apostle preached. We
doubt not of the power of God in working mi-
racles, but where we have not his word to
assure us, we must have good proof before
we are bound to give credit. "Christ show
eth," saith Tertullian, "that the faith of signs
and wonders which are easy to be done by
false Christs, is rash and uncertain." Advers.
Marc. lib. 3.

20. Chrysostom in the same homily, De
patientia, Job 5, saith, " If any would reward
me with all heaven, or with that chain where-
with Paul's hand was bound, I would prefer
it in honour." By which saying itappeareth
that the fathers in amplifications sometime ex-
ceed measure. Gregory learned not of the
Scriptures to send the filings of a chain which
he knew not whether it were Paul's or no, to
tne empress. Paul himself sent no snich vain
presents.

22. As Paul proved that way which they,
called heresy to be the true religion, we have'
been always ready to prove that which you
call heresy in us, to be the true religion of
God, iiamely by the holy Scriptures, Arts 24.
14, which we are sure was itie faith of Adam
and all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles,
and of all true Christians unto this time. That
Papists are able to deduce their faith from
/Vdam Adc, it is a most monstrous fable, see
ing they cannot deduce it out of the holy
Scripture.s, which they hold to be insufficienf
to teach all things necessary to be believed
unto salvation. What testimony can they
have of the faith o' Adam with all the rest of
the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, when

they refuse the holy Scripture as insufficient?
The name of sect and heresy doth as truly
agree to you that falsely object it to us, as it
did to the Pharisees, fcjadducees, and obsti-
nare blind Jews, that falsely did charge the
doctrine of Christ and his Apostles with it.

27. The e.xcecation of the Jews is to be
attributed to themselves that obstinately re-
fused to sec : and to God, who justly punish-
eth them with that blindness that they could
not see.

ANSWER TO END OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

VVe do not think it impossible that Peter
might be at Rotue, and die there, but we say
it IS not like to be so, because there is no
mention thereof in the Acts of the Apostles.
And if he were at Rome, because the Scrip-
ture doth not make mention o( it, we afHrm
that it is not necessary to be known that he
was there. Moreover, whereas Hierom af-
finneth that he came to Rome the second
year of Claudius, and held the priestly chair
25 years, we say it is impossible to be true,
because it is confuted by the Acts of the
Apostles, and the Epistles of Paul, and the
Greek writers, which affirm that he was 7
years at Antioch before he came to Rome.

TS. 167

f The Church of Rome, had been happy still
if she had continued in the doctrine of Peter
and Paul, wherein she was first instructed,
Augustin writcth against some that feigned,
that Christ did write magic books to Peter
and Paul, supposing Paul to have lived with

' Christ, "l-'or that they had seen Christ
painted with Peter and Paul, in divers places
of Rome. Because Rome doth more notably
and solemnly commend the worthiness <n

I Peter and Paul, even because of the same day

I of their passion. So by all means they were
worthy to be deceived, which sought Christ
and his Apostles, not in their holy books, but
in painted walla."

It sufficeth us to know, that the articles of
the Creed are all and every one proved to be
true, by the writings of the Apostles, ahhough
we know not, when, or by whom, that symbol
was first compiled. But where you say, that
all of age and capacity are bound to know
and believe every article of the same, you
condemn the opinion of your forefathers,
which thought it not convenient, that they
should learn them in their mother tongue, and
that it was sufficient for them, to say their
creed in Latin, though they understood never
a word of it.

ANSWER TO THE ARGUMENT OF THE EPISTLES IN GENERAL.

In this Argument, beside tnat it doth not
express sufficiently the sum ol the Epistles,
the reader mu?t be admonished, that it is no
where written in the Epistles, nor in the whole
Scripture : that every member of the Catholic
Church, hath strength sufficient to make him
able to fulfil the commandments of God's
Law, in such perfection as God requireth in
his Law, or that his works are made merito-
rious of eternal life. The contrary doctrine
is manifested in Paul, Rom. 7. 18, to the end,
Rom. 6. 23, neither doth he ever ascribe such
virtue to works, as the Papists do, that they
are meritorious. He that will not err in read-
ing these Epistles, must learn to know that
Church to be the pillar of truth, which hold-

I eth the doctrine of truth taught in these Epis-
I tie, and in the whole Scripture, out of which
I only, the ti^ie Church must be known from
the lalse, Chrysoslom in Matthew, oper. imperf.
homily 49 in John, homily 58. in Genesis, ho-
mily 12 and 13. Augustin, de unilat. EccL cap.
2 and 3. and 16. De pastorihus cap. 14. Final-
ly, those hard places to understand, where-
of Peter speaketh, are only concerning the
second coming of Christ, and not generally
all the matter of his Epistles: yet are there
other things hard also, l)ut Augustin teacheth
us, that "nothing is contained in those dif-
ficulties, which is not elsewhere found utter-
ed most plainly." De doclrin. Christ, lib. 2.
cap. 6.

ANSWER TO THE ARGUMENT ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

Epiphanius saith. the Epistle to the Romans
is counted the first among Catholic Chris-
tians, but he saith not, it was so accounted
for the primacy of the Church ot Rome. By
the same reason you might prove the Church
of the Jews to be the chief, because the Epis-
tle of James is placed before the rest. Au-
gustin joincth to the words by you set down,
"Taking from both, that is, Jews and Gen-
tiles, all pride of merits, and joining them both
together to be justified by the discipline of
humilitv." Whereby we see, that Augustin
calleth the opinion of merits' pride, and the

doctrine of justification by faith, the discipline
of humilitv, as indeed it is. For the Apostle
never saith, that men shall have strength to do
meritorious works afterward, which were not
to take away the pride of merits, but to change
the matter of pride, the pride of merits still re-
maining. Finally, Luther and Calvin make no
dissensions, or scandals against the doctrine of
the Roman Church taught in this Epistle, but
discover the heresies and blasphemies of the
Antichristi in Church of Rome, which are con-
trary to the doctrine of this Epistle, and to the
ancient faith of the Church of Rome.

168 ROMANS.

ANSWER TO 'J'HE ANNOTATIONS ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE

APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS.

Chapter 1. ! 9- To serve God in spirit, cloth not exclude

7. This form of saUitulioii or blessing was outward works of obedience, but requireth
not proper to the A|)o.sile, for it is not used of them to be done, not with the outward man
them all, but may Willi huiuility and reverence, only, as hypocrites do then>, but in true af-
as a prayer, bles^inij, or Chrisiian salutation, fection ot mind. Ceremonies oiher than
be used of all Christians, especially oi minis- such as be necessary, as those of Christ's in-
ters of tlie Church. And although Mani- stitution, or such as be convenient for order,
cheus in a certain Epistle to Marcellus, did decency, and edification: are excluded by the
wish'' grace, mercy, and peace," yet was that worship in spirit and truth: which God re-
never accounted heresy in him, but that he quireth, John 4, and Paul practised in the
called himself, as Epiphanius recordeth, "an gospel.

Apostle ot Jesus Christ," and as Augustin re- 15. Paul did preach the gospel also by

porleth in Episl. fundamenti, " an Apostle of writing, and the people did hear by reading.

Jesus Christ by ilie jjrovidence of God the For it^it had not been in his commission to

Father," without any further salutation there, preach the gospel by writing, he would not

So these two doctors are quoted in vain, to have declared in the beginning, that he is an

prove it unlawful to use this salutation. Apostle of Jesus Christ, whereby he procu-

8. So long as the faith which the Apostle reth attention and obedience unto his doctrine
praised, did continue in the Church of Rome, wtiich he teacheth by writing. Peter neither
the lathers had cause to praise God, j^nd to in writing, nor in general preaching, showed
commend it likewise. But none of them said himself chief of the commission, yet faithfully
or thought that it could not fail, or that the discharged of the Apostleship the circumci-
Churchof Rome could never depart from that sion, tli.it was committed unto him, Gal. 2. 7.
faith. The word which you translate in Cy- 17. These are the words of Augustin. " He
prian misbelief, is Perjidia, fahehood, or false said not the justice of man, or the justice of
dealing: for he speaketh of discipline, and a mans own will, but the justice of God, not
not ot taith, against which discipline the Ro- by w hirh ( '.ml i# just, but wherewith he doth
mans while they continued in the faith that cidtiir man. whetj he justifieth the ungodly."
was commended by the Apostle, would do For man is clothed with the justice of Christ,
nothing, as they profess in their epistle to Cy- 1 when justice is imputed to him without works,
prian, acknowledging that it were the greatest Rom. 4. 6. And the ungodly man is not jus-
shame for theni that could l^e, to degenerate tified by justice that is in him, for ther& can
or go out of kind, from those commendations be none in an ungodly man, but by justice im-
and that glory. "For it is less shame," say puted unto him tor the merits of Christ,
they, "never to have come to the commenda- Wherelore this place of Augustin, maketh
tion of praise, than to have fallen down from directly against justification by inhereiit jus-
the high top of praise. It is less fault not to tice, as every man might have seen, if you
have been honoured with a good testimony, hadnotof heretical malice suppressed the rest
than to have lost the honour of good teslimo- of the words, and falsely translated the word
nies. It is less crime for a man to have laid induit, which signifieth, hath clothed, and not
basely without praise or commendation of endowed.

virtues, than being disinherited from faith, to 17. The faith of the Catholic church is not
have lost his own praises. For those things the Popish faith, but the faith that apprehend-
which are uttered to the glory of any person, elh the mercy of God in the merits of Christ :
do swell up into the envy of a most grievous which faith worketh by love, and obtaineth
crime, unless they be kept with diligent and remission of sins committed of infirmity,
careful "labour," Epist. 31. For Cyprian, whereof we are truly penitent. This is that
thougH in error himself, yet chargeth Rtepha- faith whereby the just man liveth. "And
nus bishop of Rome with error. Hierom without it," saith Augustin, "those that seem
showeth, that Liberius bishop of Rome fell to be good works are turned into sins. For
into heresy, in calal. Forlimat. Also he re- all that is not of faith is sin. Theref^ore there
proveth the custom of the church of Rome, is but one hope of all the godly, which groan
Ep. Evagrio, and preferreth the custom of the under his burden of corruptible flesh, and in-
Catholic church in all the world. Ambrose firmity of this life, that we have an advocate
professeth, that he desired to follow the with the Father, .Testis Christ the righteous,
church of Rome in all things. " But yet we and he is the propitiation for our sins." Cant

therefore that which is better observed in man's faults by penance, he hath no word

ig a
.but
other places, we do rightly observe." De sa- contrariwise he saith, "Seeing all the just,
cram. lib. 3. c. 1. Wherefore you gain nothing both of the elder time, and the Apostles, lived
by these commendations but greater shame, bv right faith, which is in our Lord Jesus
except you prove the Romish religion that now Christ, and had such holy nianner.» with faith,
18 Papistry, to be the same faith that was prais- that although they could not be of so perfect
cd by the Apostle and the ancient fathers. I virtue in this life,'as in the life to come, yet

ROMANrf.

169

what sin soever halli crept upon them of hu-
man frailty, it is immediately wiped away
through the piety of the same faith." Our
sins, tlierefore, through laith, are Ireely remit-
ted. And this saying dotli jirovc mvincibly,
that a man is iustitied wholly by faith, and not
partly by works. For if a man were justified
partly by works, as the scripture saith, " the
just shall live by faith," we might as truly
say, the just shall live by works, which all
Christian ears abhor to hear.

18. The Law which is a schoolmaster unto
Christ, teacheth us how to live alter we be
incorporate to Christ. Therefore it must be
preached, that menseeing their danination by
the Law, may be saved by faith in Christ,
and being justified by faith, may walk as obedi-
ent children in holiness and righteousness, and
not after the former lusts in ignorance, 1 Pet.
1. 14. (fcc. Lack of faith is the root of all sins.
And all breach of God's commandments, in
the regenerate which know them, cometh
through weakness of faith.

23. Such be your images oi God the Father,
and of the blessed Trinity : the rest of your
images also, made and set up to be worship-
ped, or had in any use of religion, are ex-
pressly forbidden by the second command-
ment.

24. Both is true, that God hath delivered
them, and not barely suffered them, as a just
Judge, and they have delivered themselves,
as following their abominable lusts.

26. God as a righteous Judge delivereth
up the wicked, who wiUingly deliver up them-
selves, not driving nor forcing them to sin,
nor barely permitting, but willingly punishing
them, in withholding his grace from them,
and giving them over to their own destruc-
tion. The wickedness of unnatural lust is no-
where more common, than in the maintainers
of such idolatry, as the Apostle here con-
demneth, and whereof he showeth that it is a
just vengeance and punishment.

32. The scripture neither here nor any
where else doth teach, that any sins are so
venial, that is, "pardonable of their own na-
ture and not worthy of damnation." For the
wages and worthily deserved reward of all
sin in general, is death, Rom. 6. 23. though
some sins are more heinous, and deserve
greater damnation. And to say, that some
sins are pardonable of their own nature, is to
say, that Christ died not for such sins, or that
in vain he died for them, seeing they are par-
donable, and do not deserve damnation of
their own nature. But the Scripture telleth
us, that all " transgression of God's law is
sin," and deserveth the curse of God, and
therefore damnable. 1 John 3. 4. Gal 3. 10.

Chapter 2.
6. Augustin's words are these, " Good
men also shall not receive reward according
to the merits of their good will only, but also
have received even the same good will by
the grace of God." So that he ascribeth the
reward wholly to the grace of God, and not
to the merits or worthiness of men's £food
22

will. " For the ungodly man is justified with-
out the merits of good works by taith," Ps. 67.
" Thou art nothing by thyself, call upon God,
the sins are thine, the merits are God's
punishment is to thee : and when the reward
shall conic, he will crown his gifts, not thy
merits, /"s. 70. Con. 2.

6. The Apostle neither here nor any where
teacheth, that Christian men's works are me-
ritorious, or the cause of salvation. Neither
dolh he say expressly, as you most falsely af-
firm, that he giveth everlasting life to men for
their good works, although he say, God shall
render to every man according to his works :
" Glory, honour, and incorruption to everyone
that worketh good." And you do as falsely
slander Augustin„to say, " life everlastingto
be rendered for good works, according to
this manifest scripture." For thus he moveth
tlie question. " If life eternal be rendered to
good works, as the scripture saith most ma-
nifestly, that God shall render to every one
according to his works, how is life eternal
grace? seeing grace is not rendered to
works." Behold, he saith to good works, not
for good works : and so concludeth the ques-
tion, that he excludeth the merit of good
works : Therefore most dearly beloved, our
^ood life is nothing else but the grace of
God : and without doubt life everlasting
which is rendered to good life, is the grace
of God : and this is freely given, because that
is freely given, to which it is given. But that
to which it is given, is only grace, but this
which is given to it, because it is the reward
of it, is grace for grace, as reward for righ-
teousness, that it may be true, because it is
true, that God shall render to every one ac-
cording to his works." And in the next chapter
he writeth, "The Apostle saith, eternal life
is the grace of God, that we might under-
stand hereof, that God brin"eth us to eternal
life, not by our merits, but for his own mer-
cy." Although the purpose of the Apostle in
this place be not to show how men may at-
tain to eternal life, but that none can by their
own justice attain to it, because no man
bringeth such works as God's justice requi-
reth, to deserve eternal life, namely a perfect
observation of the law without any transgres-
sion.

13. This sentence is not the ground of
James' disputation, that faith void of good
works doth not justice, and that good works
also justify or declare a man to be just. For
the Apostle here speaketh not of faith, but of
the Law. The law justifieth only the doers
and perfect observers thereof, faith justifieth
the believers. Neither doth Paul speak here
of any means, whereby a man is justified, but
showeth that no transgressor of the law can
be justified by the law, because the law justi-
fieth none but the doers thereof, which seeing
no man doth perfectly, no man is justified by
the works of the law, as he saith expressly.
7?om. 3.20. Gal.Z.W. As for your distinction
of the first and second justification before God,
it is but a new devise, not thmescore years
old, utterly unheard of among the ancient fa-

170

ROMAIs'S.

thers. For whom God justifieth by faith
without works, he also glorifieth. Rovi. 8. 30.
And that which you call the secondjustifica-
tion, or increase of justice, is but the effect
and fruits of justification betorc God : and a
declaration befcve men, that we are just.
And so meaneth .lames, that Abraham who
was justified or made just before God through
faith, was also justified, or declared to be
just, before men, by works : when he offered
his son Isaac. So that this diversity of justi-
fications, ariseth of divers significations of the
word justifying, which signifieth sometimes
to make jusi, sometimes to show or declare to
be just : as where the Prophet saiih to God,
Fs. 51. " That thou mayest be justified in
thy sayings," meaning, that thou mayest be
declared and approved just. " So wisdom is
justified of her children," that is declared, and
approved to be just. Matt. 11. 19. "The
Publicans justified God." Luke 7.29. "Christ
was justified in the spirit," I Tim. 3. 16. That
is, declared to be just, in which sense James
saiih, that a "man is justified of works."
Therefore where as you quote Augustin, for
your distinction of the first and second justi-
fication, there is no word in him thereof.
Finally, where you say, we condemn all
Christian men's works,' as unclean, sinful,
hypocritical, Pharisaical, it is a most impu-
dent slander, for we acknowledge all good
works of Christian men, to be tlie gifts of
God, the fruits of justification, the notes of
election, the way wherein all Christians must
walk unto salvation : but seeing they are
imperjecl, they are not able to make us just in
the sight of God.

13. You deal not only deceitfully, but most
falseljr and impudently, to say we make the
word juslifi!, in this place to signify, acquitting
him that is worthy to be condemned, or to
have the justice of Christ imputed to him
without works. For we say, that he which
observeth the law shall be justified and made
just by merit of his works, if any man can
perfectly observe it. But he that is a trans-
gressor of the law, is no doer of the law, to
be justified thereby. But when we speak of
justice by imputation, as the Apostle hath
taught us in the 4th chapter, we affirm that
God justifieth us, when he imputeth justice
unto us without works, by which imputation
of justice, we are not falsely accounted, but
are indeed by God truly made just, by the
righteousness of Christ which is given unto
us, and which we aj)prehend by faith: so
that although we be unjust in ourselves, we
are truly just in Christ, because Christ is
truly given unto us, " to be justice, sanctifica-
tion and redemption," 1 Cor. 1. 30. and we are
truly made "the justice of God in him,"
2 Cor. 5. 21. "When we are found in Christ,
not having our own justice which is of the
law, but that which is by the faith of Christ,"
the "justice which is of God through faith."
Fhil. 3.9. So the whole glory of our jirsiifi-
cation, is referred only to the mercy of God
in Christ. As for that you call justice inhe-
rent, is sanclification, following justification.

no cause, but a necessary effect thereof. And
therefore you wrestle in vain, out of this place
to prove justification of a Christian man by
works, where the Apostle proveth, that no
man can be just by works, because no man
fulfilleth the law. Augustin gathereth not
hereof, that any man shall be just by fulfilling
the law, but that " the Jews the hearers of the
law, had need of the grace of the just justi-
fier, that they may be doers. Or else it is so
said," saith he, "they shall be justified, as if
it were said, they shall be accounted just,
they shall be reputed just." For thus he han-
dleth the matter. " The doers of the law
shall be justified, is for to be understood, that
we may know they cannot otherwise be doers
of the laM--, except they be justified, that justi-
fication doth not come to the doers, but justi-
fication goeth before the doers of the law.
For what other thing is this word justified,
but being made just, verily by him which jus-
tifieth the ungodly man, that of an ungodly
man, he may be made just ? For if we should
speak so, that we should say men shall be
delivered, this verily should be so understood,
that liberty should come to them that are
already men. But if we should say, men
shall be created, it should not be understood,
that they should be created, which were men
already]^ but by the very creation they should
be made men. So if it were said, the doers
of the law shall be honoured, we should not
take it rightly, but that honour should come
to them, which were already doers of the law.
But when it is said, the doers of the law shall
be justified, what other thin^ is said than the
just shall he justified, for the doers of the
law, verily are just, and by this it is as much,
as if it were said, the doers of the law shall be
created not because they were, but that they
may be: that the Jews which are hearers of
the law, might so understand, that they have
need of the just justifier, that they may be
doers." Thus without all shame of^ obstinate
blindness, you allege, Augustin for you, where
he reasoneth purposely against you : and
slander us to think, that it is more to God's
glory, to call and coimt an ill man so conti-
nuing for just, than by his mercy to make an
ill one just indeed. "For we think and say,
that God of a wicked man, by his grace and
mercy doth make one just indeed by the jus-
tice of Christ, neither calling nor accounting
him just, that continueth wicked, as he was
befoi-e, but giving him also the spirit of sanc-
lification, whereby after he is made just by
grace, he doth the works of justice, and keep-
eth God"s commandments though not perfect-
ly in this life, but labouring toward perfection
until he come to the estate of happiness,
which is perfect in the life to come.

26. The Apostle saith not, that any Gentile
fulfilleth the justice of the law, but if he keep
the justice of the law, which none doth, the
want of circumcision doth not hinder him
from being just. Therefore he doth "not in-
sinuate, that true justice is not in faith only
but in doiuE of good works, and kceiiing the
law by God's grace," for as yet, he speakctb

ROMANS.

171

not of God's grace, nor of keeping the law by
his grace, but confuteth the Jews which glo-
ried in carnal circumcision, and kept not the
law.

29. God endueth no man with sufficient
strength to keep his commandments in this
life, in sucii perfection as his law doth re-
quire, yet liis grace in the merits of Christ, is
sufficient for us, seeing his strength is made
perfect in intirmity, 2 Cor. 12. 9.

Chapter 3.

4. God preserveth men from error that
neglect not to follow his word, which is the
rule of truth. Against which, if governors of
the Church, councils, or any other men, will
presume any thing of their own wisdom, they
are left unto error.

5. All sin is manifestly against the will of
God revealed in iiis word, although nothing
come to pass, contrary to the determination
and secret will of God, which is often un-
known but never unjust. Neither can sin
come of God, which is perfectly good. But
as it is a demonstration of his justice, in the
punishment thereof, and of his mercy in the
pardoning thereof, it is not against the secret
will, that there is sin, for we must as well
take heed of the blasphemy of the Manichees
that feigned an evil God, because evil could
not proceed from the good God, as ot the im-
pudence and blasphemy of the libertines, that
make God the author of their sins, which
•they commit of their own wicked corruption
to serve their own lusts, and not to serve the
glory of God.

10. These general speeches declare that
none was ever void oi sin, or good of his own
. Btrength, but only by the grace of God, as Job,
Zachary, Elizabeth, and all the elect of God,
after they are called and justified. And even
the Virgin Mary, and John Baptist, were not
just in God's sight but by faith in Christ. For
not only in the 13th rsalm .- but also in the
Ps. 143. 2. the Prophet saith, that "none living
shall be found just in God's sight." There-
fore he speaketn of that corruption of ail man-
kind, considered without the grace of God
justifying them, and not of the multitude of
the wicked only. For how could all the
world be made guilty before God, and every
mouth stopped, if only the wicked were un-
derstood ? therefore of necessity it pertaineth
to all, and so doth Chrysostom expound it in
ep. ad Rom. Horn. 7. Theodoret. apud Oecum.
and the text is plain. Alhinusin Fsal. 142.

20. Augustin also often showeth, that
good works done of faith, do "follow him
that is justified, and do not go before to jus-
tify," and therefore cannot join with faith in
justification. Paul to the Galatians speaketh
expressly against them that joined any works
either ceremonial or moral, with failh in
the act of justification. Galaf. 3. 10. 11. 12.

21. Againstlliis proud and scornful slander,
what we hold of the justice of Christ imputed
to us through faith, is declared before, cap. 2.
ver. 13, and need not be repeated again : that
we are justified in God's sight, by the justice

and merits of Christ, which is given to us of
God, and we by his spirit being made lively
members of his body, are truly accounted just
by his righteousness. And that virtue of jus-
tice, whe'r-ewith God, by the spirit of regene-
ration, endued man at his conversion, is an
effect or fruit, not a cause of our justification
before him. Neither doth Augustin say any
thing to the contrary, but to the confirmation
hereof For we acknowledge, that God doth
work our illumination and justification in-
wardly, who by his grace, doth ingraft even
infants, into his body. " For he in whom all
shall be quickened, givcth the most secret
grace of his spirit to the faithful, and poureth
It even into infants, which cannot follow his
justice in works, but by the secret communi-
cation and inspiration of spiritual grace, by
which whosoever cleaveth to the Lord, is one
spirit," saith Augustin. And therefore to be
justified in Christ, is to be truly justified by
the justice of Christ, as all have truly sinned
in the sin of Adam, and are justly condemned
in Adam, not only in imitation ot Adam. For
by the discourse of Augustin, the justice of
Christ is no more inherent in us, than the sin
of Adam, whereby yet we are condemned,
through propagation of Adam's corruption,
as we are justified by communication and
participation of the grace of Christ by his
spirit.

22. Hope and charity do of necessity fol-
low true faith, by which we apprehend the
justice of God, but they are not comprised in
the word of faith, to join in apprehending God's
justice. Paul to the Galatians saith, that
faith which worketh by charity, availeth with
God, he saith not, that charity with faith ap-
prehendeth God's justice, or justifieth before
God, but showeth that a lively faith which
worketh by charity, doth justify before him.

24. Paul acknowledgeth but this one justi-
fication by faith without works, before God :
in which there is nothing given to merits,
either of faith or works. Nor any disposition
or preparation to justification by faith and
works proceeding of grace, but as Chrysos-
tom saith, " so soon as a man hath believed,
he is immediately withal justified." In 3. ad
Rom. Horn. 7. " He showeth here the power
of God, that he hath not only saved, but also
justified, and brought into glorification, using
no works hereunto, but requiring faith only."
You see that he ascribeth salvation to this
justification wherein God useth no preparation
of works, but faith only.

28. Faith here excludeth all merit of works,
from justifying a man : yet the sacraments
have their place, as seals of justification : and
good works as necessary fruits and effects of
justification. And whereas you say, we foist
in the term only, you were best charge all
the ancient fathers, which view this term, of
whom we have received it, to be foisters, and
excluders of the sacraments and good works.
Chrysostom saiih, " That God had both saved
and justified us, using thereto no works, but
requires faitn only." Ambrose saith, "All that
are justified, are freely justified, because

172

ROMANS.

working nothing, nor recompensing, the^ are
justitiedby faithonly, through ihe^itt of God,"
in 3. ad. Rom. Ongen saith, " G-od justifieth
hy contemplation oitaith only." Com. in Ep.
ad Rom. lib. 3. aip. 3. Theodoret upon the
text, being justilied tieely, saith, "lor having
brought laith only, we have received remis-
sion of .sins." Jn Rum. 3, liierom, or what
ancient writer soever, is author of the com-
mentaries in Ep. ad Rom. 4. sailh, " God jus-
tifieth the ungodly man by faith only, not by
works which he had not." And in other
places very often useth the same term, as
Chrysostom and Ambrose also. Likewise
Cyprian hath the same term, saying, " That
faith only availeth, and that so inuch as we
believe, so much we obtain." Hilary in Malt,
can. 8. and can. 21, saith, " That faith only jus-
tifieth." Gregory Nazianzen saith, "To
believe only is justice," Orat. 22. Basil saith,
" This is perfect and full rejoicing in God,
when a man doth not boast of his own righ-
teousness, but knoweth himself to be void of
true righteousness, and to be justified by faith
only in Christ." Dekumil. Hom. 51. Rufiinus
saith, " Only belief ought to suffice for remis-
sion of sins." Expose, symb. Awgustin saith,
" It may be rightly said, that the command-
ments of God pertain to faith only, if not a
dead faith, but that lively faith be under-
stood, which worketh by love. De Jide. et
oper. c. 22. Only faith in Christ doth make
clean." Fs. 38. Faalinus ep. 5S. Augustin
saith, "Salvation is to be sought by faith
only."

Chapter 4.

1. The Apostle provelh by the example of
Abraham, that no man hath estimation of jus-
tice before God, for the merit of any works
done before faith, or after faith. And so his
arguments do prove evidently. For if Abra-
ham be justified by any works, he hath to
glory, but no man hath to gloi-y, ergo, he was
not justified by any works. KAbraham w^ere
justified by any works, the reward should be
imputed, not according to grace, but accord-
ing to debt : but the reward is not .imputed
according to grace. Ergo, Abraham was not
justified hy any works of his. Anselm. De
Excell. Virg. MaricB.

Abraham was justified, as David termeth
the blessedness of man, to whom God repu-
teth justice without works. But David term-
eth this blessedness of every one whose sins
are forgiven : therefore of faithful men to
whom God reputcth justice without works.
As it is manifest by the Psalm, where he
applieth the comfort of this blessedness to
himself, that had obtained remission of his
sins. P/tal. 32. 3, 4, 5. and afterward saith :
That every iioly man shall pray for it, ver. 6.
The Holy Ghost therefore, spcaketh not of
your fancy, of the first justification, wherein a
man cannot stand one minute of an hour, but
of (Jod's justification, whereby he continueth
us in justice by iiis only mercy, in the merits
of Ciiri.st apnrehcnded by faith, until he bring
U8 to eternal glory. Rom. 8. 30.

2. If Abraham were justified before God,
by works either done before faith or after, he
hath to glory with God, but glorying with
God, is excluded by justification by faith.
He also to whom God oweth a reward of debt,
may glory with God, therefore if Abraham
could claim ju^ification by works, though
proceeding of faith, he might glory with God.
But the reward is imputed according to grace,
and not according to debt : Therefore Abra-
raham was not justified before God, by works
proceeding of faith.

4. He also thatpresumeth of his own works
tobe justified, though he acknowledge that he
hath done them by the grace and help of God,
challengeth justification as debt, and shall not
be justified before God. As it is manifest in
the parable, that Christ told against them that
trusted in themselves, that they were just,
where the Pharisee ascribeth to the grace and
help of God, all those virtues and works of
his, by which he trusted in himself that he
was just: saying, God I thank thee, that I
ana not as other men, &ic.Luke 18. 9. There-
fore not only Pelagians, but Papists rather be
in the same case tnat the Pharisee was.

5. The word reputed, signifieth no false
account or estimation, but yet it sigiiifieth
that faith is accounted for justice without
our merit, for the merits of Christ which are
not inherent in us, but are communicated
unto his spirit, whereby we are made mem-
bers of his body and partakers of his justice.
In this chapter the Apostle useth the term of
imputation ten times, wherefore in this place
it were convenient, if you had any thing, to
plead it against imputative justice, as you do
scornfully call it. Whereof we have none other
doctrine than the Apostle in this chapter and
elsewhere most plainly teacheth. But here
the light was so clear, that you durst not for
shame once mention it.

6. \ our word of terming is more near a
perfect dcfinitiouj than our word of describing.
For a description may be imperfect, a defini-
tion is concluded in proper bonds or terms.
This is therefore no heretical translation of
ours, but a malicious cavillation of yours. But
to the matter, we would not have men believe
that justification is nothing but remission of
sins, for the text addeth, imputation of justice
without works: and therefore no quality of
grace or justice inherent in tis. And seeing
you acknowledge that in the first justification,
God findeth no merits, and the scriptures
teach none other justification before God unto
reward of eternal lite and glorification ; we
conclude, that in justification unto salvation
which David termeth the blessedness of man,
God findeth no merits to reward, but only sins
to forgive unto such as have faith in him,
whereby once justified, ihev bring forth good
works, as the fruits of faith, not as the meri-
torious cause of their justification. Remig.
I'sal. 32. Fulgent, de remiss, peccat. lih. 1. cap. 4.

7. God's curse light upon those heretics,
that say our sins are never truly forgiven, but
only hidden. For to be covered and hidden
from God's justice by the redemption of Christ,

ROMANS.

173

and not to be imputed unto us, is to have tlieni
truly forgiven ibr Clirist's sake, so tliat even
our conscience is purged and clearly dis-
charged ot them, because Christ hatlisalished
the justice ol God perfectly lor tlieni. But
let those heretics take heed, that ihey dero-
gate not much Iroinihe lorce of Christ s blood,
and the grace ol Cod which atiii ni that Christ's
blood purgeth us from the gum, but not troiu
the punishment due to our sins, which is as
much to say, that our sins are not truly for-
given: " I'or where there is forgiveness,"
saith, Chrysostom, "there shall be no punish-
ment." Horn. 8. in ep. ad Rom.

11. Our sacraments of the New Testament,
are seals of the same grace and justice of
laith, which is here commended, as circum-
cision was, which was not a bare sign and
mark, thereof, as you say, but a seal ot God
lor confirmation of faith, as the text saith.

11. We say not that the sacraments be notes,
marks, and badges only of remission of sins,
but, as the Apostle saith, seals of God, to
assure our_faith of justification by remission
ol sins. Arid where you say, it toUowethnot
in all, because it was so in Abraham, you bid
open battle to the Apostle, who bringeili torth
the example ot Abraham to show how all men
are justified betore God and what is the use
of the sacraments in all men : because Abra-
ham was justified before he was circumcised,
therefore not by circumcision, but by faith
only. And although Isaac, and many thou-
sands were first circumcised, and alter justi-
fied, yet this is perpetual, they were not jus-
fied by circumcision more than Abraham,
who was justified before he was circumcised,
but by faith, as Abraham was. 8o saith Au-
gustin in the place by you quoted : " In Isaac
which was circumcised the eighth day trom
his birth : the seal of justice went before, and
because he followed the faith of his father
as he grew, justice itself followed, the seal
whereof went before in his infancy : so in in-
fants that are baptized, the sacrament of re-
generation goeth before, and if they hold the
Christian piety, conversion also doth toUow in
the heart, the mystery whereof went belbre
in the body." Here you see plain, the sacra-
ments give not grace or justice of the work
wrought, but are seals ot the justice of faith,
though they be received before the justice of
faith. The objection of infants baptized that
die before they have faith, Augustin doth an-
swer in tlie same place, showing that God
supplieth by his grace tlie want of faith and
confession in thein, as he did in the thief, and
(loth in them that are martyred before they
be baptized, the want of the sacrament.

'24. This place is most plain, that Abraham's
faith was not only an historical faith, thai God's
speeches were true, but a sure confidence
and trust in God that his promises pertained
to him, that he also should be blessed. And
so faith shall be imputed to us for justice,
which believe in him, which raised up Jesus
Christ from the dead, "who was delivered
for our sins, and rose again for our justifica-
tion:" that is, which put our trust in God

who hath justified us by remission of our sins,
through the merits of the death and resurrec-
tion ot Christ. And here I would wish the
simple deceived, to consider for what justifi-
cation did Christ die, and rise again : even
lor that by which we are made just unto sal-
vation, and that is it whereby justice is impu-
ted to us by faith without works. Therefore
the Apostle speaketh in all this chapter of
that only justification by which we are saved,
and not of that fantastical first justification
newly mvented of the Papists, which is lost
as soon as we fall into any sin. But where
you say, to establish our fiction of confidence
we make none account of the articles of the
Catholic faith, it is an impudent fiction, for we
affirm, that we are justified by none other
faith, but even by that faith which is declared
in those articles, not by a bare knowledge of
them which the devil hath and many repro-
bates, but by steadfast believing ol them, and
sure confidence that every Christian huth in
God the Father, and in Christ his Son, con-
ceived, born, suffered, dead, buried, risen
again, ascended, and sitting at God's right
hand, which also shall come to judgment, and
in the Holy Ghost, by whom he is sanctified
and made a member of the Catholic church
of Christ, which is the body of Christ, the
communion of Saints, whereby he is made
partaker of the merits of Christ, and assured
thereby of remission of his sins, resurrection
of his body, and life everlasting. Venantius
in symholum, remissionem peccatorem. This is
that faith, and none other, by which we look
to be justified before God : neither do we call
it in contempt an historical faith, but when it
is so confessed, as the devil doth believe it.
The distinction of faith historical and tempo-
ral, from faith spiritual and eternal, is not of
our invention, but learned of Augustin, De
vera religione, cap. 50. And whereas you say,
we may'term Abraham's faith and the bless-
ed Virgin's faith an historical faith, it is false :
tor Abraham and the Virgin did not only be-
lieve the word of God to be true, but to their
justification believed in God, and did put their
whole trust and confidence in him. So the
Virgin Mary rejoiceth in God her Saviour.
Cyprian saith, " But he believeth not in God,
which placeth not in him only the confidence
of all his felicity. De duplici niartyrio.

Chapter 5.

1. Christian men do not vaunt in them-
selves, but glory in God, in the hope of salva-
tion which confoundeth not, therefore glory
in the certainty of their salvation. But the
hope of Papists is in uncertainty : therefore it
is not Christian hope which confoundeth not.

1. It is not vain security, but infallible cer-
tainty that we ought to have by our justifica-
tion by faith. For that sincere re.st, tranquil-
lity, and comfort of mind and conscience, upon
hope that he is reconciled to God, which you
confess to be peace toward God, is an infal-
lible certainty, seeing hope confoundeth not,
as it is in the text. Verse b. As for vain se-
curity, it is thai w'.iich is placed in ir.crits of

ITt

ROMANS.

men, in Pope's pardons, masses of Requiem,
and such like.

And whereas you say your faith, which we
call Fiilucia, " Trust or confidence," is quite
out of the compass of the creed and scrip-
tures: you do wilfully blaspheme the truth.
For it is comprised in the very first words of
tlie creed, Credoin Deum, "I believe in God,"
which is, I repose my whole trust and confi-
dence in God. So doth Ruffinus in exposit.
symholi, expound the verb Credo, as is mani-
fest by his e-xamples of him that committeth
himself to a ship, of the husbandman, of him
that is married, of him that taketh the charge
of the empire, all which trust to receive fruit
of their belief But specially by the testi-
mony of the Apostle, which saith, " He that
Cometh to God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of them that believe in
him : the text is of them that seek him."
Heb. 11, 6. Where we see plainly, not only
an historical faith, that God is, but a trust and
confidence, that he is a rewarder of them
that seek him. But that our trust and confi-
dence is within the compass of the scripture
whereupon the creed is grounded, it is mani-
fest by these testimonies, a few of a great
number. " Blessed are all they that trust
or have confidence in him." Ps. 2, 12. " I
have trust or confidence in the Lord, I shall
not be confounded for ever." Ps. 24, 1.
" They that have trust or confidence in the
Lord, shall be as the mount Sion which shall
never be moved." Ps. 125, 1. " Blessed is
that man whose trust is in the Lord, and
•whose Fiducia, confidence is the Lord." Jer.
17,7. Christ saith, "be of good confidence,
I have overcome the world." John 16, 33.
And for the very word fulucia, confidence in
God, which you do scorniuUy object unto us,
as Senacherib by the mouth of Kabsacke
objected to Ezechias ; 2 Reg. 18, 22. It is
found even in your own translation in many
places, ". Have confidence in the Lord with
all thy heart." Pro. 3, 5. " That thy confi-
dence may be in the Lord." Pro. 22, 19.
" He that hath trust or confidence of me, shall
inherit the land, and possess my holy hill."
Isa. 58, 13. " Thy life or soul shall be
saved, hecause thou hast confidence in me
saith the Lord." Jer. 39, 18. " In our Lord
Jesus Christ we have trust and access with
confidence through his faith." Eph. 3, 12.
" Let us go unto the throne of grace, with
confidence that we may obtain mercy." Ileh.
4, 16. J^inally saith John, " This is the con-
fidence or tiTJst that we have in God, that
whatsoever we ask according to his will, he
heareth us." 1 John 5, 14.

2 Grace signifieth the favour of God, by
which we are not justified for a mornent ac-
cording to the new device of the Papists, but
wherein we stand and glory in the assured
hope of eternal life : and from this faith pro-
ceed all virtues and fruits of obedience, not
to our justification, but to God's glory, and
our greater reward of his mercy, not of the
merit of our works.
4. You confessed in iho first section, that

hope is given in justification, and confirmed
by probation and tribulation, therefore it is
not grounded upon our doings, for probation
and tribulation do not properly cause hope,
but declare it ; as tribulation doth not cause
patience, therefore our hope is grounded only
upon God's promises. For our faith and hope
are in God, and not in our own doings. 1
Pet. 1. 2, 1.

5, The text is plain, that he speaketh of the
love of God, wherewith he loveth us, as it is
manifest in the eighth verse. So doth Chry-
sostom expound it. Rom. 5. horn. 9. " God
showeth the heat of his love towards us,
chiefly that he hath not honoured us a little
at once or slenderly, but at once hath poured
forth his love, as a fountain of all good
things." So doth Photius and Oecumenius
understand it. Ambrose also upon this place.
Therefore Augustin's exposition must give
place to the truth. And yet he saiih not that
it is the love wherewith we love God, but
whereby God maketh us lovers of him.
In the other place, " the love .of^ God is se-
cretly given by imposition of hands :" but he
is so far from calling it confirmation, that he
saith, " imposition of hands may be repeated,
though baptism cannot. For what is imposi-
tion of hands but prayer over a man ?"

6. The Greek word signifieth privation ot
strength, and sometime of all strength, as 1
Cor. 15. 43, so doth it here. For what strength
hath the impious, or-what freedom of will
anto good 1 which is dead in sin. Ephes. 2.5. .
12. We do none otherwise affirm Christian
men's children to be holy from their mother's
womb, than Paul, 1 Cor. 7, 14, saith. "they
are holy," because they be comprised in
God's covenant, and have right to be baptized,
but that they are guilty of original sin, we
confess and teach more soundly and substan-
tially than you do.

14. This place doth manifestly convince,
that the Virgin Mary also was conceived in
original sin : because only Christ was con-
ceived by the Holy Ghost of a virgin. But
why do you not boldly afRrm it as an undoubt-
ed truth, that the blessed virgin was rot con-
ceived in sin ? Seeing that Pope Sixtus the
fourth hath clearly determined that it was
so, and instituted the feast of her conception
to confirm that opinion, and added to the sal-
vaiion of the Virgin Mary these words
" And blessed be Anne, thy mother, of whom
thy virgin's flesh hath proceeded without
snot." And condemned the Dominican Friars,
cliarging them not to preach nor pubJ/sh the
contrary opinion, by his bull bearing date
1483. Here you must either confess the
Pope's error, or else liold this opinion abso-
lutely against the master of the sentences.
Lih. "3, dist. 3. Thomas Aquinas and other
schoolmen upon him, yea and Bernard, Epist.
ni,ad Canonicos Lugdumens. Anselmus, Cur
Dciis homo. at). 2, cap. 16. And Augustin, De
Genes, ad liter, lib. 10, rap. 18.

19. To he justified by imputation, is to be
consliiuted and made just indeed, yet not by
justice inherent in us but fy the justice of

KOMANa;

Christ : as many are made sinners indeed by
Adam's sin, whicii so justly imjiufod to them
that be his tieirs : and they be unjust and sin-
ners m truth, and worthy of con(l(!mnation,
even by the sin which Adam committed, tor
which they are justly plagued with that cor-
ruption of original sin, that desccndelh from
him by propagation.

Chapter 6.

3. Paul ascribeth our justification before,
to faith without works, therefore lie doth not
now make Baptism a cause thereof: but of
the ends and effects of Baptism, he proveth
that sanctification and renovation are neces-
sary, for all that are justified freely by the
grace of God, through faith in Christ. The
same argument may be draw-n from circum-
cision, to prove, that the Jews before Christ
ought to bring forth the fruits of sanctifica-
tion and renovation. Yet the Apostle by ex-
press words, excludeth circumcision, from
being a cause of justification, because Abra-
ham was iustified before he was circumcised,
■'who is the form of justification of all men,''
as Ambrose saith, Com. in. ep. ad Gal. cap. 3.
And Baptism succeeding in the place of Cir-
cumcision, is a seal of justification by faith,
in all Christians, as circumcision was in Abra-
ham, not a cause thereof. Neither can justi-
fication before God by Baptism, or any works
of Christian religion, be concluded out of
this text.

4. Baptism is a seal of the justification by
faith, and therefore assureth us of remission
of sin, renovation and sanctification, that God
giveth unto us being justified. The applica-
tion of Christ's death, burial, and resurrec-
tion, is the proper work of the Holy Spirit, by
whom vye are regenerate, which is resembled
and ratified by me external seal of Baptism,
which testifieth that we are ingrafted into
the similitude of his death and resurrection.

12. This is to draw the Scripture to your
own private opinions: not to ground your
opinions upon the Scripture. Paul saith, it is
sin, and afterward. Chap. 6. 7. he saith it is
forbidden by the Commandment, " thou shalt
not covet," and verse 17. "though it do not
reign," &c. he calleth it sin dwelling in us.
Augustin, De ntipt. ^c. cone. lib. 1. ca. 23. de-
nieth it to be sin in the regenerate, because in
them it is forgiven, and not imputed, as he
showeth plainly cap. 25. of the same book,
where he saith : answering the question, how
it can be sin in the child unregenerate, that
was not sin in the father being regenerate,
when he begot the child. " To these things
it is answered, that concupiscence of the
flesh, is forgiven in Baptism, not so that it is
not, but so, that it is not imputed for sin. And
albeit the guilt thereof be loosed, or taken
away, yet it remaineth till all our infirmities
be healed, the renewing of the inward man
profiting from day to day, when the outward
man shall have put on incorruption, for it re-
maineth not substantially, as a body or a spirit,
but it is a certain affection of ill quality, as a
disease or sickness." By this place it is

plain, how he denieth it to be sin, namely, as
It is not imputed, yet remaineth sin by nature,
and therefore passeth by generation, from the
parents to the children. In the second place
by you quoted, he saith, that "the guilt, of
concupiscence is consumed in the laver of re-
generation, so that for it, the baptized say not
in their prayer, forgive us our debts :'| which
is all one in efTect, as though he said, it is sin,
whereof the regenerate are assured of the
forgiveness or remission thereof. And Contr
Jul. Ffil. U. 5. ca. 3. he saith plainly : "concu-
piscence of the flesh, against which the good
spirit doth lust, is sin, because there is in it
disobedience, against the government of the
mind." The authority of the Tridentine Coun-
cil-alleged by Papists, is as good, as ask my
fellow it I be a thief.

14. There is nothing in the text to prove
that grace giveth us strength to avoid all sin :
for it we had sufficient strength, we should
never sin of infirmity.

17. Obedience from the heart, imto the
form of doctrine, is faith, by which we are
discharged from sin, and have professed to
lead a new fife, not to continue servants unto
sin. Therefore rernission of sins, is not
ascribed to works of obedience, that follow
justification.

17. They that are converted to the Chris-
tian faith by the true Apostles, and have re-
ceived a form of doctrine or Analogy of faith,
which also is Paul's words, Rom. 12. 6, ac-
cording to the truth of the Holy Scriptures,
ought by no means to be removed from it.
But such as have been converted to the Chris-
tian profession by false Apostles, Heretics,
or men infected with any error, must not con-
tinue in the form of doctrine which they have
first received, if it contain any thing repug-
nant to the word of God. But must reform
their faith, and form of doctrine also, accord-
ing to the trui;h,

19. We may and ought to increase the vir-
tues of justice and holiness, that are given us
by God's grace, with daily exercising our-
selves in practice of them, by strength of his
spirit, without whom we can do nothing.
But hereof we gain not a new justification
before God, neither add unto the justification
by faith, whereby we are made the children
of God. But declare the same to the glory
of God, the benefit of our brethren, and to
the increase of our reward, according to his
promise.

23. This place doth most plainly declare,
that eternal life is not due to the merit of
works, but is the free gift of God. Augustin
in the place quoted, meaneth not by the word
merit, desert of men's good works, but Mod
works themselves, to which God giveth re-
ward freely, as to his own gifts and graces in
us, proceeding of faith, which is also the gift
of God. And so reasoning against the Pela-
gian in his own terms, by this sentence of
Paul, doth clearly overthrow him. "When
we find life eternal to be called grace," saith
he, " we have in the same Apostle Paul, a mag-
nifical defender of grace, this saying, The

176

ROMAiSS.

■wages of sin is death, but eternal life is the

frace of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord. See
pray thee in how great beauty, how care-
fully he hath placed his words, which being
diligently considered, the obscurity of this
question may be somewhat cleared. For
when he had said, the wages of sin is death,
who would not judge, that most agreeably
and consequently, he should add : but the |
wages of justice, is life everlasting. And it
is true, that as to the merit of sin death is ren-
dered as wages, so to the merit of justice,
eternal life as wages. Or if he would not say
to justice, he might have said to faith, because
the just liveth by faith, whereof also, it is
called in many places of Holy Scripture, a
reward: but justice or taith is no where called
a reward because the reward is rendered to
justice or faith. And that which a reward is
to him that worketh, tliat is as wages or sti-
jiend, to the warrior. But the blessed Apos-
tle against presumption, which so nnich as-
sayeth to creep upon great persons, that he
salth, for it, the Angel of Satan was given
unto him, by whom he was butleted, that he
should not be lifted up in presumption : there-
fore fighting most watchfidly against this pes-
tilence of presumption : he saith, the wages
of sin is death. He calleth it rightly wages,
because it is due, because it is worthily
paid, because it is rendered to merit. After-
ward, lest justice should lift up itself, of
man's good merit, as man's ill merit is not
doubted to be sin : he hath not said contra-
riwise: eternal life is the wages of justice,
but eternal life, saiih he, is the grace of God.
And lest it should bo sought any other way,
than by the Mediator, he addeth, in Christ
Jesus our Lord, as though he should say:
Hearing that death is the wages of sin, what
goest thou about to advance thyself, O thou
not justice of man, but plain pride, under the
name of justice, why goest thou about to lift
up thyself, and to demand life eternal, which
is contrary to death, as a wages that is due ?
It is true' justice, whereunto eternal life is
due. It it be true justice, it is not of thee, it
descendeth from above, from the Father of
lights, that thou mightest have it, verily thou
hast received it. For what hast thou, which
thou hast not received ? Wherefore, man,
if thou shall receive eternal life, it is indeed |
the wages of justice, but to thee, it is i^race, j
to whom even justice itself is grace. Tor it,
should be rendered to thee, as due, if thou j
haddest of thyself justice whereto it is due. '
But now, we have received of his fulness, not'
only grace, by which we now live justly in
labours, unto the end, but also grace for this
grace, that we jnay live hereafter in rest,
without end. Our faith believeth nothing j
more whoh;somely than this, because our un-
derstanding findeth nothing more true.

This saymg at large, declareth, that albeit I
he use the term of merit yet he acknow-
ledgeth that there is no desert of good works
unto eternal life, which is the free grace of [
■God, by which we have true and perfect jus- i
tice in Christ through faith, according to

which free gift of faith, when we labour in
the works ot justice, which is his grace, even
for this grace, we receive not the wages, but
the grace of eternal life. Therefore Augus-
tin acknovvledgeth no merit or desert of good
works, understanding the word merit proper-
ly, for desert, because grace is not given to
merit, but freely. Wherefore it is nothing
but heretical wrestling against the truth, to
abuse his terms, clean contrary to the purpose
of his meaning.

Chrysostom upon this place, saith thus:
"He saith not, eternal life is the reward of
your ^ood works, but eternal life is the gift
of God, that he might show, that they are de-
livered not by their own s rength, or virtues,
and that it is not a debt or a wages, or a retri-
bution of labours,