The remoue.

THe rise of this first motiue (whiche see­meth to me banked vpon his similitude) expresly setteth out, [...]. (though much I thinke against his will) the true causes not onely of this, but also of all the rest of his motiues: which be (as here you may see) an vnstable body, an vnderstanding vnquiet, nature without grace, and opinion voide of grounde. For as for that principle of Romish exposition of the scripture, which onely, (as he saith) standeth vpon his owne [Page]grounde, their two balifes, Corruptor stilus, a cor­rupt stile, and Adulter sensus, an adulterous sence, haue both morgaged and forfeited many yeares agoe; as I doe not doubte, but I shall easely make knowne by plaine euidence when I come to that pointe.

The remoue.

THis counsell though it beare the face of good regarde; yet hath it the hart of rash attempte. Truth may bee tried, but faith must not be prouo­ked. For the triall of truth maketh it perfect: but the doubting in faith, taketh away the strength of faith. And therefore when there is question of truth, it is good to be circumspecte; & when there is controuersie of faith, it is best to bee constante. What rashnesse then is it in a matter of faith to go aside, wherby both faith and the truth be forsaken? Take the one of these without the other (I meane) the former without the latter, and I do not greatly [Page]mislike the counsell. Where truth is to be tryed by it selfe without any preiudice to faith in any question onely of truth, without controuersie of faith, it is best to goe aside, and to single out the maine points & cheefe ground worke of the que­stion, that the naked truth may bee knowne, with­out al colour of deceit. But if thou makest any con­trouersy of faith; whilst thou doubtest of faith, thou hast no faith: And then commeth the aduersary and spying thee naked, and disarmed of the shield of faith striketh thee home on the heade, either with some dangerous errour, or damnable heresie. He that in skirmish knoweth not on which side to hold his shield, whilest he is yet a debating which side is best, he is sodainely stroken with the darte, and so he loseth his life; so likewise is it in the spi­rituall warfare, hee that maketh controuersie how to holde the shield of faith, whilest hee yet doub­teth, the deuill letteth flie one of his fiery dartes, wherewith he is stroken to the harte; and so he lo­seth his soule. It is not good to bee so busie vpon euery occasion with our eyes, least we put them out at the last: the eye of the soule is faith, & ther­fore not good euer and anone to trouble it with controuersies, least we cleane put it out in the end. Wherefore my iudgement is cleane contrary to this of y^e moter: What controuersies soeuer arise, it is best for vs to keep in the way of faith, not star­ting aside like a broken bowe, (as saith the Psalme) Nor stepping aside as our first parentes did, when they had eaten the forbidden fruite, whose facte [Page]we iustifie, when we, in matters of faith, goe aside, hyding our selues thereby from the face and pre­sence of God. But it is our best, to doe the best we can to preuent al doubting. And if that cannot be, but wee must needes, as men, doubte, yet not to make factions of doubts, singling out (as cheefe champions of despaire, the cheefest doubts, that wee may bee singular in our infirmities. But when any controuersie of faith, which is doubte, doth arise, our practise must bee prayer, Lord I beleeue, helpe my vnbeleefe, and our comfort must bee the crosse of Christ: Not running to any rules of reason, which is to shallow to reach, much lesse to rule faith. And therefore as one faith of the lawe, so say I of faith. Fide semel data ex ea non de ea est disputandum. Hast thou faith? then from thence dispute what is reason, not from reason di­spute what is faith.

The remoue.

HEre the Moter eyther shooteth aboue com­passe or sure I spie not his arrow. What lo­gicke I pray you call you this? All particular con­trouersies in themselues: I had alwaies thought that in the thinges themselues there is no contro­uersie, neither yet in the propositions themselues is there any probabilitie. But euery proposition in it selfe is eyther simply true, or simply false; but vnto vs who like night-rauens behold the light of the truth, things be made controuersies, and pro­positions become probable; not because they are so in themselues, but because we thinke them so: neither by reason that their causes bee doubtfull; but because we doubt of their causes, this causeth both yea and nay in the same matter, and this re­quireth proofe on both sides.

Without this there is no controuersie, neither needeth there any proofe without this. And ther­fore I could easely perswade my selfe though I knewe no more by him, the penner hereof, to be a papist, in that, in regard of his prentisage in pope­ry, hee may not presume to workes of superero­gation, hee acquainteth himselfe in the meane time with wordes of the like qualitie. The like absurditie followeth in the next wordes where hee saith that poofe is lincked by reason: For if [Page]proofe be that, which the Philosopher in his Rhe­torickes calleth [...], then is it the linke of ma­ny reasons, and is indeede in the true nature there­of nothing else, but the very reason of that whose proofe it is: and so consequently where hee saith that proofe is linked by reason, the wordes sound as if he had said: reason is linked by reason. But the reason that he thus linked reason, was to make a gradation or ladder, that he might at last clime to the authoritie of the bishoppe of Rome, which is the sphere that giueth motion to al his motiues.

But let vs come to the pitch of his purpose; which proofe saith hee is linked by reason: which reason is cheefly grounded vpon the scripture: which scripture is authorized not in the letter, but in the sence: here is the toppe of his ladder or cli­max: and on the toppe of this ladder hee placeth his Romish, falsely called catholicke, expositours.

Whome I doubt not with lesse adoe, in the sequell of this tractate to displace. In the meane time let vs consider his cunning in making his lad­der. The scripture is authorized not in the letter but in the sence. Beholde his boldnes; saint Paule in the second chapter to the Rom. and in the se­cond epistle and third chapter to the Corin. spea­keth otherwise; For hee maketh the opposition betweene the letter and the spirit: but our aduer­sary is wiser then the apostle, and he maketh the opposition between the letter and the sense; lea­uing out in greate wisdome the spirit, because he knewe it would marre all their markets; as being [Page]that which the church of Rome, of all other chur­ches, medleth least with. Neither, I am afraid, doth the spirit loue to communicate much with them. But howsoeuer he forgetteth himselfe, wee must challenge vnto the spirit his vpper place and dig­nitie: which is, to authorize the worde of God. In the worde of man bee Sensus humani, humane sence that giueth credit vnto it: but in the worde of God, there is Spiritus Dei, the spirite of God that authorizeth it. And looke what sence is to the word of man, the same is the spirit to the worde of God. And surely they make but base account of the worde of God that censure it in the sense: put­ting no difference betweene the worde of God, and the worde of man; naye it seemeth they pre­ferre the worde of man before the worde of God, when they place the whole authoritie thereof in the sence, and the sence it selfe and credit thereof in the expositours, which be indeed the buts that the moter shooteth at in this place. For thus hee concludeth. The question at last is remoued from the text to the interpretour, from the scripture vn­to men. Very badly, beleeue me is it remoued, and it is long of themselues. For were it that they did attribute all to the spirit as we do, and not insteade of the Apostle his spirite, bring in their sence, that they themselues might haue some authoritie ouer the worde of God, because they thinke they haue some sense: there needed no remoue from text to interpretour, from the scripture vnto men. But the same spirit that writeth the scripture shoulde [Page]iudge of the scripture: and where y^t iudge was not to be found, that not to bee accounted scripture. Which may very well be done & easely be found out by conference of places: in that the spirite is one and the same in all places, alwaies alike, like it selfe alwaies, & neuer differing in any point from it selfe. And therfore where there is any difference in substance of doctrine, there must needes bee a differing spirite, whereby that place that thus dif­fereth from some one, or many places of the ca­nonicall scripture, and knowne word of God: may iustly be suspected to be the worde of man. And as for the diuersitie of exposition, according to the varietie of factions in religion, (which the moter iustly taxeth, with leading, drawing, and writhing the worde of God to serue their owne turne) it is not the outward shewe, merit or worth of the ex­positours, but the inward working of the spirite of God, that doth resolue the mind studious of the truth, being first sanctified by praier and prepared by humility. For what saith our sauior Christ spea­king of the same spirit in the gospel? He shal leade you into all truth. And therefore he onely is the competent iudge: neither ought we to rely vpon any mans iudgement, besides this: because euery man will bring somthing of his owne, howsoeuer, it may be he is instructed in some pointes by this spirite. The heathen Philosopher knew this, that mans iudgment is tempered with the hand of his affection: and therefore hee especially commen­deth those lawes, that leaue least to the will, and [Page 5]discretion of the iudge. And so likewise as that lawe, so is that religion most sound, that referreth al to the written word of God; leauing least in the power and hand of mans iudgment: wherefore that I may con­clude this point, and aunswere him in all pointes, I will make a truer gradation, I hope, then hee hath done.

All controuersies in the world stand vpon their yea & nay, but vnto vs require proofe, which proofe is limited by faith, which faith is grounded wholy vpon the scripture, which scripture is authorized not in the letter but in the spirit.

So that a mind studious of the truth is now to come to his last labour, to begge at the hands of his heauenly Father, that he would giue him such a por­tion of his spirite, that his spirite may expounde the scripture, that the scripture may confirme faith, that faith may rectifie reason, that reason may reforme our iudgments in all controuersies whatsoeuer, that we neuer either mistake errour, or mislike the truth. Det Deus.

The remoue.

HAuing, as he thought, brought the matter to a good passe, by bringing all cōtrouersies, proofs, reasons, yea and the scripture it selfe vnder the tuiti­on of the expositours: he laboureth in this place all that he may, to shew the Romish (whom he vainly calleth catholick) part, to be the onely lawfull heires of sound interpretation; which shew of his is brauely set out with six pagents. First, as of most worth, commeth in on the expositors side, the iudgment of the church: in the second place marcheth the definition of councels: thirdly to colour the matter better, the consent of fathers: fourthly y^e harmony of churches: fiftly the practise of all ages; and lastly the rule of A­postolicall tradition. Surely a braue shewe: but you must vnderstand, that when he hath all said, he hath al done: for he bringeth no proofe for any thing that he saith: and therefore we will do him that fauour to set downe some proofes for him.

The remooue.

THe Protestants are greatly beholding vnto the Moter, for mustering of their men without their charges: but yet he must aske pardon of their grand captaine Iesus Christ, whom no doubt he hath grie­uously offended, for making those men founders of the Protestantes, who were but his vnder officers, and at the best but his lieutenants; and therefore hee hath surely done Christ great iniury in taking his of­fice from him: for he only is our founder, and the rest be but master builders. And yet surely in my opiniō, [Page 12]it behooueth vs and the whole church to giue God infinite thanks, for those singular instruments wher­by his truth is conuaied vnto vs. Neither see I anie thing in the zealous spirit of Luther, nor in the lear­ned writings of Caluin, nor in the sincere life & doc­trine of Melancthon, which the aduersary may iustly despise. And yet doe wee not so receiue these men for our guides, that wee make them our gods: beleeuing them presently whatsoeuer they say, be­cause they say it, and cannot say amisse, though they erre lesse then the pope doth: they haue not this cre­dit with vs.

But whatsoeuer they prooue by manifest demon­stration out of the word, that am I bolde to beleeue. For then heare I not Luther, Caluin, & Melancthon speake vnto me: but the spirit of God by the mouth of Luther, Caluin and Melancthon, for they be but the instruments of that spirit. Thus hauing bestowed his liberality vpon the church of Rome in giuing them more then they know euer how to deserue: and play­ing the niggard with the church of God in denying them that which of duty they ought to haue had; he commeth at last to compare his owne conceipts to­gether, for as for the thinges he talketh of, hee spea­keth of either, as though he knew neither.

The remooue.

IF at any time heretofore, much more at this time the old prouerbe is verified: Comparisons be odious. For surely this is a most odious and detestable com­parison: not so much in the comparison it selfe, (though that also bee a shamefull thing to compare Christ with antichrist, the church of God with the church of Rome, a modest matrone with a shameles whore) as in the priuiledged lies, and authorised slan­ders that he bringeth. I call them priuiledged lyes, in that it seemeth the Pope hath made a priuiledge for any of his to lye on his behalfe: and againe autho­rised slanders, for that by the same authority there is commission granted to slander vs at their pleasure: with what face can he call that the spouse of Christ, that runneth a whoring after euery saint? what shew of oecumenicall councels, whose center is the Pope and circumference his pompe? what Fathers can he shewe, but onely the children of the father of false­hoode? what harmony call you that, where al is out of tune? what vniforme practise, what Apostolicall tradition, where the Apostle is the stale to practise the Popes trade? On the otherside, forsooth wee haue no lectorer but Luther, no doctor but Caluin, [Page]no maister but Melancthon. Our common conclusi­ons be priuate opinions, our consent is iarring, our constancy is change, our doctrine is dregs.

If Luther, Caluin, and Melancthon, be our onelie masters, then who taught Wicklife & Iohn Husse, be­fore their time? Nay, who taught the Christians in the primitiue Church? for they differ not at all from them: the only difference is between you and them, by denying you all those pointes, which haue beene knowne both by the time, the occasion, and person; when, vpon what occasion, and by whom they haue been brought in since the primatiue church. If com­mon be priuate, and conclusions opinions; if consent be iarring, & constancy change; if councels be con­uenticles and doctrine dregs: then truth is falshood, and good is bad. For the further proofe of euery one of these points, I will expect the returne of the Mo­ter, which wil, I knowe be, not without some pause: for at this time I know hee hath runne himselfe out of breath. Nowe let vs see his golden Epiphonema, which he vseth after this goodly manner in the next wordes.

The remoue

AS he that goeth a coursing when he hath found his game letteth slip with this incouragement, Now: So the nimble moter, coursing in his kinde, thinking belike his game to bee vp, vseth the same worde of incouragement, Now: but as if the bussard be blind, and in steed of an hare letteth slip at a brake bush, his wordes be but wind, and his course is but lost. So fareth it with the moter blinded in his affec­tion, in steade of feare and flying; finding constancy and perseuerance shall know his wordes to bee but wind, and his course to be lost.

The remoue.

A Good beginning maketh a good ende: that is true, where a good workeman in a good intent not hindered otherwise, taketh the matter in hand. But where either the workeman is hindered in his proceedinges, or meaneth no true dealing, or is not his crafts maister; there the beginning may be indif­ferent, the middle worse, and the ende worst of all. What euer the matter be, the beginning of this mo­tiue is not to be misliked, the middle not to be liked, and the ende not to bee, but misliked: whether his art was not good, or his faith not good, or his lucke not good, that know I not. But sure I thinke his pur­pose was to frame this motiue according to that forme of syllogisme, which is the worst of the foure, called by y^e Philosopher [...], making a the­ologicall proposition to lead an hereticall conclusi­on: by little and little incroching with falseshoode vpon the truth, as the night stealeth vppon the day. And therfore the best way to try his truth, is to trace him in the tracte of his own tractate.

The mysteries of religion are out of the reach of reason: which is the reason that God hath giuen vn­to his a larger hande of faith to apprehende them. Which faith, laieth the foundation Christ, in the authoritie of diuine and infallible truth, by yeelding the minde beleeuing without doubt, and obedient without discourse. Hitherto as I thinke we go toge­ther. But where further he saith: And receiuing in­differently the truth of doctrine, vpon the credit and [Page]affiance of the teacher. Here wee leaue him though he did beare vs company all the way before, that he might at the least bring vs vnto this. Actes. 28.11 The men of Berea though they had as good a teacher as euer came to Rome, yet are they commended as more noble men, then the men of Thessalonica in that they had not such confidence in their teachers, but that they would search the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Here was the credite that they gaue vnto their teachers which also is cōmended, to examin his word by the word of God: placing their chiefe affiance, not in the minister, but in the author of the word of God. For whosoeuer wil belieue al teachers shall be of all religions: but he only shall be of the true religion that relyeth wholy vpon the worde of God: and therefore this only, saith S. Hillary, is the rule of faith. Dicit Dominus, dicit Apostolus, the Lord saith it, y^e Apostle saith it; which is a thousand times of more waight and worth, then Dicit papa, dicit con­cilium, the Pope saith it, the councell saith it, which is their rule of faith. Wherefore, that we may ioyne issues with the aduersary, wee will come to the next point.

The remooue.

YOu wil get much by this match: the authority that staieth our faith stoppeth all controuersies in faith, Gardiner at his death. and winneth the absolute assent of the schol­lers vnto it, is so irrefragable, that the hardiest on your side haue beene constrained in the end to con­sent, and to confesse the same; though the politicke practise of their aspiring mindes made other shew in their life time; which policy against conscience pre­uaileth likewise with the Moter in his discourse fol­lowing.

The remooue.

BVt here the moter speaketh clean against his own conscience. For he cannot bee ignorant that wee approoue of the number and dignity of scriptures, with the sense and interpretation, according to the testimony of the spirit, the analogy of faith, and the correspondency or consanguinity of doctrine of those that be canonicall, with the difference and di­uersity of the others. First the testimony of the spirit teacheth to knowe the number, and to beleeue the [Page]dignity of the scriptures. First in that the spirit of God registreth all those as canonicall, which either Christ or his disciples do auouch as general proofes, or drawe any directe consequence, not meaning those particular proofes, which by oblique reference as the wrtings of heathen men are mentioned in the holy scriptures: and thus can I shew you by expresse places, al the bookes that our church holdeth cano­nical, and not any other, that I remember, auouched by the holy ghost as autentical proofe for any point. Secondly the testimony of Iesus is the spirit of pro­phesie, as saith the spirit of God in the 19. of the Re­uela. 10. and therefore those bookes of holie writ, that either prophesie or beare witnesse of Iesus; they haue the testimony of the spirit that they are the word of God: which is one way to knowe both the number and the dignity of the scriptures. Againe; the Analogy; of faith is another way by which wee reckon, and make reckoning of scriptures. Those bookes of holy writ that teach Christ and nothing contray to the analogy of faith, those we make rec­koning of as canonicall; those that be otherwise we reiect as apocripha. And this analogy of faith is no mutable, but a most sufficiēt directiō to those y^t haue true faith. If therefore the Papists mislike this rule of analogy of faith, it is a doubt they do misdoubt they haue true faith. Thirdly, one scripture compared by another, doth shew which is scripture: the worde is like the words of Christ who spake with authority and not as the Pharisies. So is there in the worde of God, such an assurance and a maiesty which is not to be found in the word of man. I wil giue you a taste [Page 15]of both kinds in the conclusion of two bookes. The last of Iohn the two last verses. This is the disciple that testifieth of these things, & wrote these thinges, and we knowe his testimony to be true. Nowe there are also many other thinges which Iesus did, the which if they should be written euery one, I suppose the world could not containe the books that should be written. What an assurance is here? we know his testimony is true: what a maiesty? the world is too little for it. On the other side, reade the last of the se­cond of Machabees and the last verse saue one. If I haue don wel, & as the story required, it is the thing that I desired; but if I haue spoken slenderly, it is that I could. What a weakenesse is here? hee knewe not whether he had done wel or no. If I haue done wel, &c. and what a basenesse? It is all that I coulde. In like sort, if you compare other places of other books canonicall and apocripha, you shall finde that the word of God is all sincere sine ceramel, hony with­out waxe, truth without toies. But the word of man, say it hath a little hony, some truth, yet if you looke into it with a single eie you shall finde much waxe, many ridiculous toies of humane inuentions. And therefore the cōparison of scripture is a right touch­stone of scripture. Wherefore if the testimony of the spirit, the analogy of faith, and the conformitie of the word of God bee constant and diuine: then is our beliefe warranted with more sufficient, and di­uine authority, then that that dependeth vppon the church, and is pinned to the Pope his sleeue. For that may bee like our lawe; which is (as they say) so mutable, that that which hath bin lawe in one chiefe [Page]iustices time, is no lawe in anothers: So may that which hath beene scripture in one Popes time, bee no scripture in anothers; or that which hath beene none, may be when it pleaseth the Pope. And thus you see my reasons on our behalfe, nowe let vs see his reasons against vs.

The remoue.

WEe say indeede that our ministers be men, and that all Christians, which be the church mili­tant, be no Gods, though neerest in y^e fauor of God. Wherfore considering our nature, Can. 1.4 Can. 5.2 Can. 5.3 Can. 5.6 we acknowledge with the spouse of Christ in the Canticles our owne blacknesse, drowsinesse, nakednesse, sloathfulnesse & errour. But looke vnto the spouse of Christ: grace from him giueth vs, and the whole church of Christ, beauty, cloathing, watchfulnes and truth. And ther­fore the case standeth thus: while the church loo­keth vpon Christ, and harkneth vnto his voyce, she [Page 16]cannot erre; for in him is all truth, his worde is truth it selfe. But wee must know that, as there it is, the church somtime sleepeth, and her spouse standeth without knocking and calling vnto her. But because her cloathes bee off, she is loath to put them on a­gaine: because her feet are washed she excuseth her selfe, for feare of defiling them in comming to let him in: Then putteth he in his hand, that is, sheweth his kindenesse and liberalitie vnto her, at the hole of the doore, that is, at that parte of the heart that lieth open to his grace: Then openeth she the doore, but then he is gone and past; because her harte was gone when he did speake: therefore is he gone when she openeth. I sought him but could not find him. Then wandereth the church and erreth, she is taken by the watch and hardly intreated vntil she find him again: and then she is safe and erreth not.

This then is the truth that the protestantes holde in this point. In any matter necessary vnto saluation the church cannot finally erre: but it is not long of her owne wisdome, but because renouncing all her own wisdom, she giueth herselfe, wholy to be taught by the spirit of God, according vnto his word to know and acknowledge her spouse. But yet some­times forgetting her selfe, in too much remenbring herselfe neglecteth her loue: by whose departure she may and doth erre in some matters. This the church of God holdeth: but it seemeth by the mo­ter, y^e church of Rome holdeth the cleane contrary, in that he addeth immediatly the contrary practise of their church: when he saith.

The remooue.

THis I take the moter meaneth by the inflexible truth of the church: That seeing the church is gouerned by the spirit of God, it may safely walke where it list without the worde; whither soeuer it goeth it cannot eyther speake or thinke any thing but the truth. And therfore if it determine any thing, eyther without or besides the word of God, it is no otherwise to be accounted, then a most certaine and vndoubted oracle of God. This therfore is the diffe­rence betweene them and vs. They place the autho­ritie of the church without the worde: but wee will haue it so knit, coupled, and tyed vnto the worde, that it cannot be separated or diuorced from it. For this is the discipline of a wel ordered, both house & schoole, that the spouse, & disciple of Christ should submit her selfe vnto the will and worde of her hus­band and maister: when as if she doth what shee list her selfe, without any commission from Christ, then is shee like those good huswiues that commaunde their husbandes our of doores. And if this bee their dealing, it is no maruaile though the church of [Page 17]Rome holdeth so much of our Lady: for so some say, those houses do, where the wiues beare away y^e buck­lers. I, but forfooth saith the Moter, this taketh away all doubt and wauering. It is true indeed, as in those hou­ses where the seruants seeke to please their mistris, not caring howe they displease their maister. But as those euill disposed seruants, for their too much loue to the one, are thought often times in the iudgement of the worlde, to play false with the other: So is it with those seruants of Christ, that had rather please the church then Christ, it cannot bee but both they, and their church be adulterous in the iudgement of the Lorde. Yea, but she hath commission from Christ, in that she h [...]th the direction of the spirit: Iohn. 14.20. The spirit w [...]ich I will send from my father, shall bring you into all t [...]uth. But you must vnderstand that this commissi­on is not without the limitation, of Quae dixi vobis, which told you: shall teach you all thinges, and bring all thiges into your remembrance which I told you. Yea, b [...]t the decree of the church is the very voyce of Christ why then let her vse the wordes of Christ, and we will [...]eleeue her. For that voice only is directed by the sp [...]it of God, that speaketh the worde of God. W [...]ich case S. Chrysostome setteth downe clearelie were he saith. Multi Spiritum sanctum iactant: sed qui [...]opria loquūtur falsò illum praetendunt: Many do boast of the holy Ghost, but they doe but make a false pre­tence of him, that speake of themselues. In the end of this Motiue, he chargeth vs for making a head from y^e body of the church: but we may more iustly chalenge thē for making two heads on the body of the church. For Christ will bee one head whether they will or no: And the Pope shall bee the other, whether Christ will [Page]or no, or else they will be no church, which I easily be­leeue. But our beliefe is error, and our vnbeliefe truth. Poore soule, thy vnbeliefe in our beliefe, and thy be­liefe of our vnbeliefe, is thine errour in truth, and the truth of thine error.

The remoue

IT is a rule in Philosophy, that, nihilagit exti sphaerā actiuitatis sua, Nothing by nature can workwithout the circuit of his own shop or workehouse. The fishes cannot flie, as birdes in the ayre: neither can [...]e birds swim, as the fishes within the water. And there [...]re it was pretily said of a learned lawyer of this land v [...] a noble warrier, when hee was as loude and lusty in t [...] Star-chamber as he vsed to be in the field: Sir remem­ber your selfe, We are not now in your element: The like may I say vnto the Moter, striuing to bee as fine in philosophy as he vseth to bee in philology: Sir wee are not now in your element. And therefore no maruaile though you so much mistake your selfe. For who euer (that euer had any tast of philosophy) would make o­pinion [Page 18]and affection the two heads of errour? when as euery error is nothing else but a false opinion. But if you would know the originall of false opinion, then may you make these two heads, and fountaines there­of: Fancy, and affection: For fancy doth so print his markes in the vnderstanding, that it fashioneth it; and affection setteth so sharpe an edge vppon the will, that it is formed thereby: by both which meanes opi­nion is ingendered: which opinion is, as the markes bee, true or false, and as the edge is, good or bad. Which markes, if they bee not suted in the sub­staunce of the thinges; which edge if it bee not aun­swered in the qualities of the obiectes, they breed two vvandring and misled iudgemntes, vvhich bee errours and false opinions. For euen the vvil it selfe, whose ob­iect is, verum bonum, the true good: though it bee led by the good, yet is it tried by the truth. And vvhere the obiect to the affection seemeth to be good, if in conti­nuance of time it proue not truly so to be, the vvant of truth in the good causeth, Voluntas est extensus intel­loctus ad ha­bendum velfa­ciendum aliquid. the vvil inlarged vnderstan­ding, to erre in iudgement, mistaking the apparent for the true good, which is nothing else but a false opini­on of the good: And therefore we vse to say, not with­out warrant of the truth: if vve conceiue vvel of a man whom experience proueth otherwise, or if vvee thinke hardly of any vvho sheweth the contrary in his dea­ling; vve had a false opinion of the man. If vvee loue one, vve haue (vve say) a good opinion of the man; if vve hate any vve haue a bad opinion: vvhich opinion either good or bad, beeing by contrarie experience found otherwise, our opinion vvas false, and our error manifest; and therefore is affection rather the father then the fellovv of opinion. And yet bee neither affec­tion [Page]nor opinion simply and at all times cankers. [...]. 2. For opinion as it is oftentimes false, so it is sometimes true: and if hee make a true opinion the authour of errour, that is an errour; if false opinion, that is false: For false opinion is error; and nothing is or can be cause or au­thour of it selfe.

And as for affection, it is neither good nor euill, but as it is vsed. If it bee bridled with reason, and vsed with moderation, y^e worst affection is good: if without rea­son it runneth at randome, the best is bad. The triall of an affection is all in the wearing. Indeede it may cause a false opinion helped by fancy, or by straining of it selfe; As fancy may do the like by helpe of affection, or by the strength of it selfe. So that wee will now ven­ture to make a diuision of errours, ranging them into three rowes, 1. The Errors of fancy, 2. Errors of affec­tion. 3. Errours both of fancy and affection, of which kinde, is the errour of the Moter in this place: which moueth him thus to hammer the two diuerse causes of the matter and efficient together. It is the counsell of fancie, and the current of his own affections, and no other thing, as the sequell will declare.

The remoue

TO make good his diuision, he would faine giue in­stances, and pattern out his two errours with two practises or examples. But how he can bring manifest presumption, to errour in opinion, or securitie of hap­pinesse, to errour of affection, it passeth my vnderstan­ding: But yet that he would faine doe, as I perceiue by him, by leauing them vnlimited on our parte. As thus, the manifest presumption of the truth of the scripture is left vnlimited by them in wanting canonical expo­sition; the securitie of happinesse in hauing necessity of meanes. So that if we want we erre, if we haue we erre: whether we want or haue still we erre. But we will an­swere him in all pointes when we come to his parti­cular obiections. In the meane time for his obscurity; feare to be vnderstoode is an argument of distrust.

The remooue.

IN the beginning of this speech I thought he had spoken of themselues: for he nameth the later religion, which no doubt is theirs: which I could prooue by ve­ry sufficient arguments: but that I am partly of Tertul­lian his mind, De virginibus velandis c. 1. that Haereseis non tam nouit as, quam veri­tas reuincit. Heresies are not so soone confuted for be­ing newe, as for being not true. And therefore leauing this let vs examine the rest of this period; which more truely toucheth vs, and commeth nearer to the mat­ter. They teach, saith he, that nothing is to be credited, but what is warranted in holy bookes: I assure you a shrewde obiection. Why then the Popes Legenda au­rea, his legend of lyes, is nothing worth with vs, but to stop mustard pots? A sore matter, when such a saint as the Pope, shall beate his head for his owne benefit, to deuise masses, indulgences, trentals, pardones, & pur­gatory, and you will not beleeue him, beleeue me your are to blame. You are but a young man, maister A. I hope his holinesse will pardon vs without a pardon, for holding with holy bookes. From whence hath he Peters keyes, Paule his sworde, Christ his wooden crosse, and his owne triple golden crowne, and his monkes monethly shauen crownes? Hath hee them not by warrant out of holy bookes? It standeth with his holinesse: I knowe hee hath: or else is he shamefully be­lyed. What though Antichrist bee mentioned in the Bible? I hope you do not thinke the Pope to be him? What though in holy bookes the whore of Babilon be much like the Pope of Rome, and her beast like the city of Rome, and the seuen heades of her beast, as like [Page 20]as may be the seauen hilles of Rome, Reuel. 17. as also the Angel expoundeth it? Yet welfare your canonicall expositi­on that shifteth all these to another shore; and blindeth the eyes of the simple with deuout ignorance & igno­rant deuoutnesse, making them beleeue, that their on­ly way to see, is to shut their eyes. But we are taught by another spirit to make the worde of God, a light vnto our feet, and a lanterne vnto our pathes. And this cau­seth vs to bee so simple, as neither to say nor doe any thing, neither yet to approue of any sayings or doings, without warrant from this word being throughly per­swaded of this, that who so walketh without this light, stumbleth; and who trauelleth without this lanterne, falleth. This were well, if you would set downe some infallible rules of interpretation. Shall a man make a rule for a rule, or set vp a candle in the sun-shine? The worde of God of it selfe, vnto it selfe is a rule: what rule then keepe you for a rule? Would you haue leade for golde, or the leaden rule of mans inuention, for the golden rule of diuine inspiration? But the truth is, hee speaketh according to the very fashiō of their church: it is nothing with them if euery worde bee not a rule, squaring the word of God according to their worde; when their word should be conformed according to y^e word of God. Ribera in pro­phe [...]as minores. I lighted of late vpon one of their inter­pretours, who setteth downe an hundred, thirty and three rules for the exposition of the scripture: wherof scarce three of them be to any great purpose. Our men make the onely meanes to compasse the meaning of the holy Ghost, to be the knowledge of the tongues & artes sanctified by the spirit of God: being furnished with which helpes our trust in God is, eyther in the A­nalogicall, or anagogicall, historicall, or morall inter­pretation, [Page]in one of these fower to find out the true and natiue meaning of most places in the booke of God. Neither be these expositions by these meanes accom­pilshed, to be accounted the conceits of priuate men: but rather the counsell of the true vicar generall of Christ, Marlorate. which is the holy Ghost. For as the writing of the Septuagintes, being so many men differing in so fewe wordes, were knowne to be directed by the fin­ger of God: So the consenting of many of our writers, iumping, and ioyning togither without iarre in one exposition, (as in our ecclesiasticall exposition appea­reth) doth certifie our consciences of the direction of the holy Ghost. Now what he meaneth by an infalli­ble proposition, an arbitrary assumption, and a dange­rous conclusion, I know not: vnlesse he would haue the church of Rome alone to frame the maior, the minor, and conclusion: which if he could once bring to passe, all the world should be papistes.

The remooue.

WE will not be angry with these slanders, least wee should seeme to acknowledge them, but con­temning them they will weare out of themselues. But yet let me tell you this: wee do promise no securitie of [Page 21]saluation, for it is out of our power, but Christ promi­seth it: whosoeuer beleeueth in me though hee were dead, yet shall he liue: he that beleeueth in me shal not perish, but haue life euerlasting: So that it is Christ and not vs that you repine at, in grudging at our securitie. Which securitie neuerthelesse wee teach not voide of works and repentance, for that were sottish: but with­out doubt or wauering, for that is truest. Faith, the seale of this security, can no more bee without repentance then the sunne without light, or the fire without heate. Faith the cause, repentance the effect: Faith the Tree, repentance the fruit: faith goeth before, repentance commeth after; after I say, not in succession of time, but in the order of causes. According to that rule of S. Paul: Quicquid non est ex fide peccatum est: whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne; euen repentance it selfe not ex fi­de, not comming of faith, is sinne. This ex fide, out of faith, argueth a priority of faith: why then you will say, he that hath faith, may liue without care; for repen­tance commeth with it. I, but yet you must know, that where faith and repentance be, there must needes bee care. For the first of the seuen affections of repen­tance, in the second to the Corin. 7.11. is, great care. So that our security is not sine cura ite, goe without care, as the etimology seemeth to implie. For being waked by repentance from the sinne of security, not to be secure bringeth vs the next way to security of saluati­on. Thus is our security, not carnall but spirituall; not without care, but full of care. For where there is true faith, there is true repentance; and where is true repen­tance, there is a great care, not only to eschew euil, but to do good. As touching that beastly similitude wher­with he windeth vp this point, it is not worth the na­ming. [Page]Hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled there­with. It only serueth to set out vnto vs, as doung doth the stable, where dwelleth an vnclean spirit.

The remooue.

YOu speake but by hearesay: for this can I say: you neuer had, much lesse euer red al Luther, that you can iudge thus throughly of him. Such be his fallacies, that all the sophistry of the sea of Rome, either in his time, or since, could neuer bee able to aunswere them. And because you talke of baites, let vs compare our baites together, that wee may see which are the best fishers of men. You baite for simple men with igno­rance: but we baite for ignorant men with knowledge. Your baites for sensuall men, be indulgences: but our baite for carnall men is care. Now let the world iudge whether we or you flatter our selues most in our owne vices, and decay soonest in our own flatteries.

The remoue

IT is a worlde to see, quam ingeniosa nequitia, what a wit wickednesse hath: Mahomets tombe of Iron drawn vp by a loadstone and hanging in the ayre. a strange deuise to drawe on a strong delusion. Howbeit, if this be all they haue to shewe: the deuise of the loadestone built Mahomets tombe before their temple; and the argument of mul­titude is more viewable in the churches of Turky, then of Italy. Christ is the loadstone, but all mettall is not Iron, that is, constant in affliction and firme in faith. More leade that beareth euery stampe, and tinne that windeth euery way, and copresse that carieth diuerse colours, then iron: some are too grosse to be drawn as lead, and some againe are too fine to be drawne, as sil­uer and gold: so that as most mettals cannot be drawn of the loadstone; so most men will not be drawne vnto Christ. Why then doth he promise to drawe all vnto him? whom he meant by that all I take it he telleth vs: [Page] Iohn. 3.15. whosoeuer beleeueth in him he will drawe him vnto him, y^t he shal not perish but haue life euerla­sting; or else as the cōmon answere is, genera singulorū, not singula generum, of all sorts some, not all and some: As the moter would haue it all men from al religions. Why then do they wrangle with vs? vvee are of their religion; why do we reiect the Iewes? they are of ours: vvhy do the Iewes contemne the Turks? they are al of one religion. If it be true that he saith that Christ hath drawn all men from all religions vnto his seruice: why doth he labour to distinguish the true from the false by multitude, when there is no difference at al? But indeed there is a difference, & if you vvill needs make it in the nūber, it is in the paucity, & not in the multitude: For that is Christ his own marke vvherby he knoweth his flocke. Luke 12.32. pusilla grex: Little flocke. Feare not little flocke, for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome. And the Moter saith.

The motiue.

HEre the moter would faine intrench his multi­tude, in the behalfe of their church within the safe garde of three places of scripture: but all in vaine. For first for his first place the second Psalme and 8. verse, & the beginning of the verse, there is, as in many other places, mention made of the vocation & calling of the heathen: which was fulfilled by the ministry of the A­postles, but especially by Paule, who thereupon is cal­led doctor gentium, the teacher or doctor of the gen­tiles; but there is no mention in that place of many or fewe. But yet hee to whom the offer in that place is made saith Mathew 22. Many are called, but fewe are chosen; whereout we may obserue two kinds of chur­ches, with their two sortes of congregations. There is the called church, and there is the chosen church; and their congregations bee many, and fewe. The called church hath many in the congregation, but the cho­sen church but fewe. You will be called the church, or the called church, therefore is your congregation ma­ny; but we are the chosen church, therefore is our con­gregation, fewe; that the scripture might bee fulfilled. And as for the latter part of that same verse: where the vttermost parts of y^e earth, which are not so populous as the middle, are promised as a possessiō vnto Christ, that is nothing vnto them, but it is much vnto vs who are said euen by the poet to be vttermost of all people. Et penitus toto remotos orbe Britannos. And therefore the Pope placed the Archbishop of Canterbury at his right toe, Tanquā alterius orbis papam: as he said, As it were a Pope of an other world. So that his first place [Page]affordeth nothing but the calling of the heathen, wher in we haue as great a share as any, in that we are parte of the vttermost partes of the earth.

The second place is the 28 of Mathew, or 16 of Marke as I take it. And it is as well applied, as it was by frier Francis, aliás saint Francis, who (bicause our sa­uiour Christ in that place giueth in charge to his disci­ples, to go out into all the world & preach the Gospel to euery creature) went to the sea side, and preached to the fishes, and into the wildernesse and woodes, pre­ching the gospell vnto the beastes and birdes. The like threede of consequence the moter draweth out of the same place; that because after his resurrection he sen­deth his disciples to teach all nations, and to preach vnto all creatures, therfore the greatest companie is greatest liklihoode, to be the true church; framing his argument affirmatiue; which the Apostle maketh ne­gatiue, Rom. 10. Sed non omnes: But all haue not o­beied the gospell. And by a speach borrowed from the prophet Esayaes intimating that eyther fewe or none beleeue as they ought. Lord, saith he, who hath belee­ued our report? and therefore either fewe or none in comparison, be the note of the true church.

The third place which bordereth nearest vpon their ground, (though of another nature) is in y^e 49. of Esay 20. Angustus est mihi locus, fac spatium mihi vt habitē. The children of thy barrennesse shall say again in thine eares, Straitned in her selfe, not inlarged be­yond others. the place is straite for me, giue place to mee that I may dwel. Where the church is not compared with other congregations, but with it selfe. In regard of the former desolations, persecutions, and afflictions, the church was barren, and without children: but there is a time of deliuerance there prophesied and promised, [Page 23]after which the Church so increaseth and multiplieth, that she exceedeth the narrownes of her own breadth, and ouerreacheth y^e shortnes of her own length. And therfore although fac mihi locum giue me place, shew­eth that she is straitned in her self; yet notwithstanding Angustus est locus, the place is straight: argueth no excessiue breadth in comparison of other places. Wherefore all that that place affordeth is a compari­son of times in the same church; and not a comparison of churches at the same time. And in my opinion con­sidering the state of the church of Englād what it hath beene, and what nowe it is; there is not in all the Scrip­ture, a more pregnant place, to confirme the consci­ence in this pointe in the truth of our religion, then this is being applied with the antecedēts. Thy builders make hast; thy destroyers and they that made thee wast are departed from thee, &c. lege, intellige, collige.

The remooue.

This sauoureth much of Machiauel, to say, seditions come by diuine dispensation, is as if the maister of the house shoulde sowe discorde amongst his ser­uauntes, thereby to vnderstande the dealing of both factions. But he proceedeth.

The motiue.

HAuing spoken for themselues, he would fain now speake against vs. Which he thinketh he doth by taxing of fewe, small, and thin numbers, as not fit for the seruice of the great King: and yet we reade in the reuelation that the most part of the world waite vpon the whore of Babilon: and the fewer or smaller number worshipped the Lambe of God. We are fewe, as that number that enter in at the straite gate, walke in the narrow way, and find euerlasting life. But we are not fewe, as those famous infamous heretickes, which came like great plagues one or two in an age. Englād, Scotland, Germany, Geneua, Denmarke, and a great part of France no contemned number, though wee contend not in number. There is Christ among the Caluinistes at Geneua, why not? a great deale sooner then at Rome; where there be the two infallible signes of his presence, the preaching of the worde, and right vse of the sacraments. There is Christ in the desarte: [Page 25]not vnlike; when the church was there, for the space of seauen hundred yeares or thereabouts, euen all the time of Antichrist his cheefe strength and tyranny. And this I take to be meant by the time, and times, & halfe a time: Reue. 12:14: But to the woman, which is the church, were giuen two wings of a great Eagle, y^t she might fly into the wildernesse, into her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and halfe a time, from the presence of the serpent.

The remoue

HE that in Logicke concludeth vvithout a medium, reckoneth at his Inne without his oaste: both which the Moter doeth in this place. First his argu­ment wanteth a medium: for a multitude is not a fit medium to proue a church. But multitudo credentium, a multitude of them that beleeue, argueth the church: but that is forgot all this while. Secondly, he reckoneth without his oaste: for hauing wrested three places of scripture, to his own purpose, though contrary to rea­son: he maketh reckoning of them in this recapitula­tion or score of his proofes, promised by God, foreseen by the Prophets, confirmed by the Apostles: But aske the Apostles, the Prophets, and God himselfe, & they vvill all, as one confesse, they knowe no such signe, or made no such score, as seuerally in their places wee made enquirie of. Yea, but the primitiue church vsed it alwaies against heretickes as a deadly and vnauoida­ble sword. But yet it was but a florish of theirs, saith the Moter, they brandished it to amaze, but did not strike with it. What need I answere him when he answereth himselfe? they vsed it as deadly, and yet did neuer strike with it: if they did not strike with it, how knewe they it to bee deadly? If they knewe it to bee deadly, why did they not strike with it? They saide perhaps as the Moter saieth in this, Poteram, &c. I coulde doe this, dry vp all your riuers of argumentes, with the sunne of the church. No, no, they were learned and godly men, and did both know, and acknowledge, that the true church consisteth not in outward shew but in inwarde substance: not in multitude of men, but in the truth of God: not in the name of catholikes, but in the nature of Christians.

The remoue.

THis is the paradox or position which this motiue holdeth, to vvhich we answere affirmatiuely: Re­spondetur quod potest: we answere, it can defend it selfe from the slaunder of counterfait. Nowe let vs see his cunning in prouing the contrary, though the manner of bringing in his position be out of frame, but we will not stand vpon words. His reason.

The remoue.

WHerein he seemeth by way of concession to grāt, that indeed the doctrine and discipline of the pri­mitiue church was wholy corrupted and depraued by them both in matter of doctrine, and discipline of ma­ners. But their hope vvas, that so generall a reformati­on and restitution could not be, and therefore grieued them the more because it was not expected: wherein I vvould faine shew you their blindnesse, and their im­piety. Their blindnesse, in that they would not see that [Page]God can do all things, hee can restore in a moment of time, y^t which mā hath corrupted in a milliō of yeers, and that either with, or without means. Their impiety, in that they delighted in their rottennes, without loo­king for recouery; thinking of God, because thēselues were so, as carelesse of his church. But he maketh shew of some reason in the words following, vvhich maketh me make the more haste.

The remooue.

THe policy of nature in things without reason, dis­couereth the reason, of the policy of this bauking the bush, where the nest is, a short complaining: The Lapwing. but where it is not, much adoe, as if there it were. Woulde you find his nest? then take him at the first and shor­rest, and let his longest and last alone. The first change [Page]of adulterous religion came, saith he, by the admirati­on of some man of extraordinary account: & was not this the first step to popery? when some bishoppes of y^t account in Rome were aduanced to the familiarity, and frendship of the emperours, Theodosius, and Con­stantine, and such like: this gaue the first occasion of popery. After that, that which he speaketh of, the am­bition of the supestitious increased it: For after the bi­shop was once thus aduanced to the frendship of Em­perours, then must the emperor take his crowne from the bishop and no other. ‘—Sumit quo dante coronam: &c.’ After this ambition, followed inuasion. The ambition of the superstitious to giue the crowne, turned to the inuasion of neighbours to get the crowne. After the emperour had made him his neighbour in placing him next vnto him, presently hee grewe ambitious, to giue him his crowne, and then traiterous to take his crowne from him. After inuasion of neyghbours, suc­ceeded the change of gouermente; The Emperour of Rome into the Pope of Rome, the empire into the popedome: which is as great change of gouerment as may be. And lastly see how they fashion religion, the fittest consequence of policy. For the authority of the Pope, it is the policy of their religion, to make the popes supremacy, the religion of their policy. For the Popes purse is purgatory, and pardons: for his pleasure stewes & strumpets: for their doctrine neither schoole diuinity, nor preaching diuinitie, but politique diuini­tie beareth all the sway. So that to find their nest go no further then the adulterous religion, which he spea­keth of first: and there, or no where you may find these vncleane birdes. For all the rest of his talke is nothing [Page 28]else but to drawe you from this place least you should perceiue them. What then say you to the rest of his discourse? Nothing but what hath beene said of olde; Sine controuersia sapit: he is witty and learned therein, but to no purpose, cleane besides the controuersie.

The motiue.

IT is not well done therefore of the church of Rome to bring in another, adding as it please them to the word of Christ, with a greater change therof, then the lawe written brought to the law of nature, or the Gos­pell of Christ vnto the lawe written. For the latter of those is the ripening of the former. But this last of theirs exceeding the highest degree of ripenesse, what is it but rottennesse?

If you deny the matter: the case is plaine. For if you accounte that for one, which was but from the not writtē law vnto the law written: then may you as ease­ly reckon that for another, which is from the written Gospel vnto the not written gospel traditions I mean, which you esteeme as true as the gospell). And sure, I think, if a book were written of your not written truth, it would rise to a greater volume then the gospell of Christ, and epistles of the Apostles. And therefore this is one addition, or, if you will, restitution, more then the scripture mentioneth, the church of God al­loweth, or the fathers did euer expect.

The remooue.

ALl prophetes both in the newe and in the olde testament make way for this reformation. For as euery falsehood maketh away the truth, so euery truth maketh way for the truth. But you perhaps would haue some particular places. First in the old testament the corruption of your religion is set out in the tearms of the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Da­niel the prophet: Dan. 9.27. And the reformation of our religion in the whole course of the 49 of Isayah, vnder the titles of reparation from ruine, recouery frō barrennesse and deliuerance from captiuitie. Againe in the newe testament the 17 of the Reuelation, both your abhomination and our reformation is so clearely [Page 29]prophisied, that though we were spurblind we need no spectacles to make the truth seeme greater. First in the 3.4.5.6. verses, the whore of Babilon is so liuely pain­ted out in her seat, attire, riches & qualities, that who hath any iudgment in colours, may easily see it to bee the picture of the Pope of Rome. Secondly the fall of Kingdomes and corruption of religion in the interpre­tation is set out. And ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kinges which yet haue not receiued a kingdome a Sub imperato­re Romano., but shall receiue power as kinges b Cum pontifice Roman [...]. at one hower with the beast. These haue one mind, and shall giue their power and authoritie to the beast. These shall fight with the Lambe, & the Lambe shall ouercome them. &c. 12:13:14: vers. The application of which explica­tion would set out vnto vs, both the number and con­dition of those kinges, who were but as kings, because they had giuen their power and authoritie to the pope of Rome. Thirdly the recouery of the kinges and the reformation of religion in the 16 and 17 vers. And the ten hornes which thou sawest vpon the beast, are they that shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eate her flesh, and burne her with fire. For God hath put in their hartes to fulfill his will, & to do with one consent for to giue their kingdomes vnto the beast vntill the wordes of God bee fulfilled: what can be more plain for reformation? First he saith the ten kinges shalbe with the beast, and fight with the Lambe: and then afterwards, hee saith, they shall bee with the lambe, and fight with the beast: that is, as it is there expounded, they shall with one consent giue their kingdomes vnto the beast, vntill the wordes of God be fulfilled: & then God putteth into their minds to fulfill his will. Which being happily begon by some [Page]of those kinges, God grant the other may take exam­ple by them and speedily may do the like. I might here shew that he hath out-dated the age of Popedome: but his absurdity in the next point is greater. Iudaei signa pe­tunt: 1. Cor. 2. The Iewes require signes, saith the Apostle. The moter is become a Iewe, he will not beleeue the truth, vnlesse it be confirmed with signes & wonders. Why, Luther did not preach himselfe, neither did he teach a­ny new doctrine, but what had beene from the begin­ning, that he needed any signes. The miracles of christ and his Apostles confirme his doctrine and our faith: for him onely teacheth he, and in him onely do we be­leeue. Neither the errour of the ancient, nor the suc­cession of ambition, nor the order of superstition, nor vnity in malice, nor experience in craft, neither naugh tie prouidence, nor lieng miracles, neither yet vsurped authoritie ouer many kingdomes, without warrant ey­ther from the lawe of God, or lawe of man, shal win vs from our Christ to your Antichrist; from the lambe of God, to the whore of Babilon; from the sincerity of re­formation, to the abhomination of desolation. Thus Luther moued, and thus stand we. Deo grtias.

The remoue

IT is an argument that the mistris is blinde who is led by her maides: Blind diuinity what thinke you then of their diuini­ty, borrowing all their light from humanity? The first in this motiue is Philosophy, and after her commeth in diuinity treading in her steps.

First Aristotle, and then Paule: and vppon Aristotles ground commeth in Paul; as who would say, Paul hath purchased a plot of Aristotle to builde vpon. Christ saith that his church is built vpon his own rocke: but the Moter saith that Paule builte their Church vppon Aristotles grounde. If they haue no better euidence then this, I doubt their title is not good. For besides that the Philosopher neuer had the ground, whereon the church standeth in fee farme: the Apostle neuer bargained with the Philosopher. And besides both these, I am afraide, hee hath forged the deedes both of the philosopher and Apostle, to serue his owne turne. First for the philosopher; I do not remember that hee sayth the cause is [...], or [...], the forme, patterne, or example of the effect. But Qualis causa talis effectus: Such as the cause is such is the ef­fect. And yet euen this also is not to bee vnderstoode of all causes at all times. Not of the finall, for the intent of a man may be good, and yet his action euill, as hee that doth euill that good may come thereof. Not of the efficient; for y^e carpenter is nothing like his house. And the double heate of the vpper and lower regions of the ayre, by the compassing of the contrary to it, Per antiperi­ [...]asin. cause the cold of the middle region, where the clouds be. Not of the material and formal causes; for the mat­ter [Page]and forme be the effect: and nothing is like it selfe, but euery thing is it selfe. Onely this principle is to be vnderstood of the proper effect of the sole or solitarie cause: And therefore the nice pointes of curious philo­sophy can lay downe no certaine ground for sound di­uinitie. Secondly for the Apostle: I maruaile where we may find that place of Paule, where, vpon the former Philosophicall ground, he buildeth the vnity of faith from the vnitie of Gods church? There be two kindes of blindnesse, saith Tertullian, non vident quae sunt, when men see not those things that be, they are blind: Videre videantur quae non sunt, Apologeti. cap. 9. Ephe. 4.5. and when men seeme to see those thinges that are not, they are blind also. Paule buildeth the vnity of faith vpon Christ onely, & that he cannot see: & so he is blind. He buildeth it not vpon the vnity of the church which he seemeth to see: And thus as saith the same author, Duae species caecita­tis facile concurrunt. He is doubly blind, which may ea­sely bee; for in the next wordes hee saith, they may goe backwardes, as true it is, blind men do, as soone as for­wardes; but his meaning is as his wordes be, From the difference of effects to deny the affinitie of causes: And yet the selfe same sun, hardeneth the clay, and softneth the waxe; being one and the same cause not onely of diffe­rent but also of contrary effectes: but yet the rule hol­deth in his causes and effectes; And from the impossi­bilitie of vnion in fayth take away the possibilitie of dependency from God. Indeede true it is which Ter­tullian saith, Cui veritas comperta sine deo, cui Deus cog­nitus sine Christo, cui Christus exploratus sine spiritu sancto, cui spiritus sanctus accommodatus sine fidei sacra­mento? To whome is the truth opened without God, to whom is God knowne without Christ, to whom is [Page 31]Christ made manifest without the holy Ghost, to whō is the holy Ghost giuen without y^e sacrament of faith? So that this is the gradation of faith: where is the sa­crament of faith there is the holy Ghost, where is the holy Ghost there is Christ, where is Christ there is God. From whence we may also drawe the line of de­pendency from God: God in Christ by the holy Ghost through faith, combineth the faithfull into one mysti­call body which is the church, and draweth it vnto himselfe to be vnited vnto Christ the heade. Where­fore hauing the sacrament of faith, which is a suffici­ent vnion, wee haue the holy Ghost, wee haue Christ, and by him effectuall dependency from God. As I will prooue in the next period, where hee labou­reth to inforce the contrary, for that is the proper place of argument. Onely in this place I do but point the finger at it; as a note of obseruation that here is the verticall point that this motiue in the height therof climeth vnto.

The remooue.

THe protestants religion hath both the law of faith, lex fidei, articuli fidei, saith Tertulliā, and the com­mandement of loue: A newe commandement giue I vnto you, that you loue one another saith our sauiour Christ: both these the protestantes haue: as may bee proued by their constancy in persecution, and consent in reformation: and therefore they want not that cer­taine principle of vnitie, whereby, as by a cognisance true religion is knowne. And as for that authoritie he speaketh of: we must knowe, that there is Rex, or iudex inter nos, a king or iudge amongst vs, whose go­uernment is outwardely to bee seene amongst vs: and there is Rex intra nos, a king within vs, whose kingdom is to be felt within vs in our hearts. Againe, the king or iudge that is inter nos, among vs, diuideth his power in ciuilem & ecclesiasticam, into ciuill and ecclesiasticall gouernement. But neither of these Christ accepteth of. For Christ hee submitted himselfe to the ciuill au­thoritie, when hee paied tribute vnto Caesar: and then to the ecclesiasticall, when he was brought before the high Priests: and iointly he putteth them both backe, where hee saith to him, that would haue had him bid his brother diuide his inheritance with him, Quis con­stituit me iudicem inter vos? who made me a iudge a­mong you? And yet by the confession of the very hea­then Christ was borne a king: Luke. 2.2 vbi est ille qui natus est rex Iudaeorum? where is hee, saie the wise men, which is borne the king of the Iewes? And by the superscrip­tion of Pilate himselfe Christ died a king: Iesus of Na­zareth king of the Iewes. Iohn. 19.19 Now then will you know the [Page 32]authority which maketh Christians? It is not regnum inter nos, a kingdome amongst vs; for my kingdome is not of this world (saith Christ:) But it is regnum intra nos; the kingdome within vs, which is of greater au­thoritie then that among vs. Our authority is greater then the Papists, if theirs were good. For although mans king­dome be of great force, as beeing regnum inter nos, a kingdome among vs; yet is it outwarde onely, and not within vs. But the kingdome of God is spiritual, holie, and within vs. And what other authority was there I pray you among the Apostles? Was Peter the Apo­stles Pope, and yet checked to his face by Paul? what o­ther authority in the primitiue church? was there ey­ther Pope, or councell, but such as was voluntary with­out call or commaundement of any one? And yet all controuersies brought to a better passe then the pope can euer bring them vnto: because the authority was inward and not outward, in heart and not in wordes. It is no meruaile though men without all religion, haue notwithstanding a care of their actions: for there is lex fraeni for that, mans lawe to bridle them in that case. And politicke wise men will goe yet further, they will not onely haue an eye vnto their handes, but they will haue a care of their tongue also, that it bee not an Hebrew-English tongue, that is Lashon, which in He­brew signifieth the tongue, and is English for the vice of the tongue. And they haue some reason likewise for this: for the law of man an outward gouernement, ta­keth hould of words as well as of works. But tell me I pray you, if you can, what is the cause why some men haue a respect vnto the thoughts of their mindes to re­straine and bridle euen them also? So that although sa­tan indeuoreth to suggest into them, Cogitationem ma­li, the thought of an euill thing: yet they will striue so [Page]against it, that they wil not permit it to be Cogitationem malā, an euill thought (as one of the fathers speaketh.) No other reason can bee rendred hereof, but spiritus dominatur in conscientijs, the spirit of God raigneth in their heartes and consciences, and the scepter of that kingdome (which is the feare of God) beateth downe all sinne in them: as with Ioseph who would not sinne, though secretly, and with preferment, because he fea­red God. There is not, nor euer hath beene, that I can read of among vs, any positiue lawes against othes & ordinary swearing in common talke: And yet wee see and know that there be some men, that be as careful to refraine their tongue from swearing, as to obserue any of the princes lawes, and will be drawn as soone to kill a man, as to sweare an oath: and this is nothing but Christus habitat & dominatur in corde, Christ dwelleth and ruleth in their hearts: and this lawe of Christ in the Gospell, Sweare not at all: neither by heauen, for it is the seat of God: neither by the earth, for it is his foot stoole: standeth in as full effect, force and strength with them, as any lawe or statute of any prince whatsoeuer: this is our dependency from God: this is the authority that ruleth vs in our actions, and ouerruleth vs in our opi­nions and iudgements: this is sacramentum fidei, the sacrament of our faith, wherein, according to the olde Romane Sacramentum militare, sacrament of war, wee giue vp our names, and take our oathes to be true vnto our heauenly king, and as good souldiors, manfullie to fight the Lordes battaile: whereby wee are vnited as many soldiours into one bande, hauing one captaine, one Lord, one God, one maister and sauiour, who is in and ouer all: Halleluiah.

The remoue.

SHoulde a man beleeue the wife that differeth from her husband? Or shoulde a man giue eare vnto her that wrangleth, chideth, and telleth lies of him that should bee her best beloued? no more can the prote­stants obey the voice of that church that differeth frō Christ, or desire to know her pleasure, that careth not to please her spouse. As for the scriptures, wee knowe them to bee the reuealed will of God; and erected by God, and not by vs, as the onely touchstone to try the truth by. But yet we do not (as the Moter challengeth vs) put down all iudges. For we haue our ecclesiastical iudges, for the discipline of the church, and our mode­rators in diuinity, for the doctrine of faith; both as dis­creet in gouernment, and as learned in iudgement as any they haue. Onely this is the difference betweene theirs and our iudges: They, as tyrants, woulde haue their censure aboue the lawe ouer the scripture: wee as subiectes, iudge out of the lawe by the scripture: And therefore they are more like to outlawes then wee to Rebels.

The remoue

SAy there be some small iars in matters of discipline among vs, doth this ouerthrow our religion? Bee all of yours of one minde? whence then come the diuers names of Thomists and Scotistes, of white and blacke friars? who differ as much in opinions often times as colours. And the Iesuites (who like Scipio subduing Africa was called Africanus, so tooke they their name) bee as peeuish as any Puritan with vs. But in the doc­trine of faith we go all hand in hand together: and so long as the substāce of doctrin remaineth, the circum­staunce of discipline canne make no rent in Christ his coate Articuli fidei lex fidei: De virgin ibus velandis: Hac lege manente caeterae iam disciplinae & conuersationis admittunt nouitatem correctionis, operante scilicet & perficiente vs{que} in finem Gratia Dei: The articles of our faith, be the law of faith: which law remaining other matters of discipline, and conuersation do admit the nouelty of correction, the grace of God working and profiting the church vnto the ende, saith Tertullian. Which articles, which lawe of faith, all Israell, that is, all the faithfull, carry into the house of the Lorde God onely: How wee hold the articles of our faith, and how y^e papists. vvhich the Philistins, that is, the superstitious, doe place in the house of Idols and images.

The remooue.

AS to the bleare eyes the light of one candle, Tertull. cen. Mar. lib. 1.2, by di­uiding the sight thorough the eyes weakenesse, not multiplying the light in the increase of it selfe, see­meth many: So to an erroneous iudgment, the truth of one religion (through the manifolde boutes and win­dinges of its own conceit, not by any receit of change in the truth it selfe) seemeth diuers. Sir, your silke is not good, or your colours not good, or your lucke not good: for no man will buy any that hath but halfe an eye of faith. For you see in your silke the difference of [Page]the die, commeth from the diuersity of the grounde. But our ground is one, our doctrin the same, and ther­fore no colours but one, as the church serueth them out. But if in the wearing of this silke, in the practise of this doctrine in our discipline, there seemeth in some fewe, some alteration in the skirtes, or vtmost partes: they sure bee some staines through the parties negli­gence, and no variety either in ground or colour (you shall see) if you see not the colours of your owne con­ceits. Not many groundes, but one, our catechismes and institutions lay downe; not many colours, but one our commentaries, and expositions vnfould. Take all our catechismes, (which be many) and you shall finde much variety of inuention, but none of iudgement: many waies in one ground. Take al our commentaries, which bee your colours out of the scriptures die: and you shal perceiue some better glosse in some, and some quicker brightnesse in others; but idem est omnium can­dor, the light of the truth is alike in all.

I appeale vnto your own conscience, whether there is not more forcing of the scriptures both by corrupt translations, & adulterous expositions in your writers then in ours. If you will not speake: that one place, the mother promise of all Gods promises, the thirde of Genesis and fifteene shal speak for vs. Looke vpon that place, as it is wronged by your expositours and tran­slatours, and looke vppon the rest of the promises of God, children of the same parents, like themselues and their parents, and you shall see, you haue made it with your ridiculous superstitions, neither like it selfe that is the truth, nor like the rest of the promises, wherof that was the first. Read in iudgement, and not in affection your own Rhemish testament, and tell me what fonde [Page 35]translations, and what foolish consequences you finde there. Compare the whole rabble of popish interpre­tors, Thomas, Scotus, Lyra, Hugo Cardinalis, Ihonsenius, Ribera, and the rest, with one Caluin, or, if that name mislike you, Musculus: if there be not more of the na­tiue, and naturall meaning of the holy ghost in that one, thē in them al, & Phillida solus habeto: And yours only shall be the church. This will I maintaine by ar­gument against the Moter with the wager of my life and deerest bloud. As for the rest of our expositours, though there bee distance sometime in their country, yet no difference in their colour. But as the miracle of tongues hath in one voice many languages, and in ma­ny languages one truth so likewise bee there for vs, in one word many expositours; and in many expositours one religion, and colour of the truth.

The remooue.

THe languishing comfort of dry expectation is the onely prop of a broaken state: but where the state is whole there is comfort enioying it selfe. One com­fort wee want, the comforte of wanting; another wee haue, the comfort of hauing: that web of conclusiones confession is already wouen with vs: and euery one that taketh charge in the church, Anglicana con­fes [...]io. The booke of articles red by euery parson vpon instituti­on. doth vnfould euery parcell thereof, making open profession of that recei­ued confession. And therefore as Tertullian speaketh of the fancy of that heretique Marcionis deus, Marci­ons god: so may wee say of his folly, ecclesia Motoris, the moters church is neither needfull nor heedefull, as the meres of middle way to bring vs to peaceable composition wherein wee dwell already. Wherfore mistaking his ground, his questions that follow crie all ayme to a wrong marke. For he taketh this as graun­ted, which wee still denied, that our church is greatly disordered, and out of frame by reason of controuer­sies and want of confession. And thereupon inferreth: that all graunt that there is no way to accomplish peacea­ble composition without a councell: when as that councel was called when that booke of articles was compiled. But yet following his folly, hee proceedeth. But who shall call it when there is none whom they all obey? If hee meane this of the church of England, hee is no true subiect: for we all (except papists) obey one prince. [Page 36]If he meane of the whole church of protestantes, he is no good Christian: for we all (except hypocrites) obey one Christ. And therefore the prince of the countrey, or some one by commission from him, may call a coū­cell, (as Ambrose did in Italy vnder the emperour) to stint the controuersies that shall arise in his domini­ons: whereupon if any fault shalbe, euery one amend­ing one, all shall be well; and I do not doubt, but these nationall councels haue from Christ the same obliga­tion for the spirit of truth which the generall haue: vbicun{que}: Yea and if I should say more effectuall, I thinke I should not much ouershoote my selfe: for Christ his promise is duo aut tres, to two or three; for if there be many, many times maior pars vincit melio­rem, the greater ouercommeth the better parte, as in those generall councels somtimes it came to passe. Whereby I am bold to say the obligation, vbicunque, is as good, if not better, for the prouinciall then gene­rall synods; so the same condition be obserued which is required of both, in nomine meo, in my name, saith Christ. For then Christ himselfe is president of that councell: where two or three are gathered togither in my name, there am I in the middest of them, which answe­reth to another question of the moter; who should be the president of our councels? But first he moueth another doubt: How many factions shall there assemble? And to put him out of that doubt, not so many as in Italy: where euery head is a faction. For as in a garden of spices, euery thing that in taste and smell sauoureth not of the spice, being separated by nature, is reiected as a weede: Can. 4.16. so in the Church (which is accounted in the scripture as a garden of spices) euery one that in life and doctrine relisheth not of the spirit, being deuided [Page]from the truth, is no better then a faction.

So that the members of a spirituall faction be simi­lar like the parts of fier or water, where of euery parcell beareth the name of the whole. Because in euery one of this faction, there be many whose fact is one, manie affections, many thoughts, many motions both of the will and vnderstanding, which wholy combine them­selues against the truth: Mark. 5 therfore may such an one imi­tate that foule spirit of the Gaderens, and say, my name is faction, for wee are many. And first for their liues, the Italian figs, their female if not their male stwes, their ambitious prelates, and their carnall Cardinals doe shewe of what spirit they bee. And as for their doctrine, read the scriptures, read the fathers, and you shall finde that it is not. Reade Wickliffe, Iohn Husse, Luther, Caluin, Beza, Whitakers, and Iewell, and you shall see it ought not. Read some of their own, Caietan and Ferus, and you shall knowe euen by them, manie points need not. Nay reade the conscience of the Mo­ter in these his writings, and you shal perceiue it was no point of doctrine (for hee toucheth not one in all his motiues that made him to turne his coat: but his only quarrel to vs, is that which Tacitus calleth complemen­tū accusationis, the accomplishment of euery accusati­on, in the tyrannous times of Tyberius, to wit, Crimen miestatis, that wee obey not the bishop of Rome: this moued him not to obey our lawes, not to be obedient vnto our Christ and his annointed. This is the som of all his motiues, which he might as well haue set down in two words, as in seauen motiues. Let thē not ther­fore charge vs with factions, wheras y^e whole body of their religion is nothing but faction. And let vs call e­uery thing in his proper name, acknowledging with vs [Page 33]some contention for the truth; and with them a great faction against the truth. There bee yet more doubtes: for hee is full of doubtes. Out of what sect shall the pre­sident be chosen? What number of suffrages shall bee on e­uery side? What rule shal be allowed for the interpretation of the scriptures? All these be carefully prouided in our national synodes: and why then may they not bee as well ordered and disposed, if a general councel should bee called of all protestants? But all these doubts doe a­rise in him from distrust of the assistance of Gods spi­rit, and for want of affiance in the promises of Christ. But we grounding vpon the worde of God, comming together in the name of Christ wee make Christ our president, and his vice-president who pleaseth him: for the number of suffrages, we leaue y^t to the direction of the spirit: and the rule of interpretation the analogie of faith. This is such a dreame, good sir, whereinto if your church could once fall, it would presently awake from that superstition, ambition, and auarice, wherein it hath slept night and day for a long time, and where­in surely the Moter lyeth; for now you shall heare him speake like one that talketh in his sleepe, and knoweth not what he speaketh. So desperate, saith he, is the possi­bility of vnion among them that hope, which imagineth impossible things, cannot possibly imagine it. Heare you him what hee prateth? hope imagineth impossible thinges. I haue red that hope seeth inuisible thinges, but that it imagineth impossible things, I neuer either heard or read of such an hope. What cause hath it to imagine such things? why none: then can it not hope. I but it hath good cause to imagine them: then be they not impossible. He spitteth fire and water at once. For hope cannot be without good cause: and impossibility [Page]cannot bee with any cause. There is both possibilitie and probability in all hope: else it is but a bastard hope.

The remooue.

THey that defend a bad case, must pretend a good cause: many high wordes set on a great face: but the simplicitie of the wise giueth a true grace. As hee that shooteth at the sunne though he bee well assured he shall neuer hit his marke, yet is he sure of this, that he shooteth hygher then hee that aymeth but at a dai­sie: So likewise the moter passeth through all the pathes of the prouidence of God, to search for their church and religion where he knoweth it neuer came nor will, that at the least he might be said to haue ven­tured as farre, and as faire as euer any did. For who e­uer did seeke for darknesse in the light, or for falsehood in the truth, or for the prouision of the deuill in the [Page 38]prouidence of God, but with the same minde as hee that set Dianaes temple on fire to be famous thereby?

And yet this is the quest of the moter in this mo­tiue, and to this end only maketh'he much of the pro­uidence of God, as the sequell will shewe.

The remoue.

WIthout all controuersie the prouidence of God alwaies watcheth, as an eye that at no time slee­peth, and the bountie of God euer giueth as an hand that neuer faileth. And this also in some sort wee may grant, that this eye of prouidence is more watchfull ouer man then ouer other creatures, and this hand of bountie more plentifull vnto his children, then vnto his seruants (although the true children and seruants of [Page]God differ no more then the two sutes of obedience, loue, and feare, being but as the christian and surname of the same thing) for the loue of obedience is feare to displease, and the feare to dispease is loue to obey; the feare of loue maketh the children, & the loue of feare maketh the seruants of the most highest. Further also we graunt that for the preseruation of the church and children of God, there is by the holy Ghost set downe not onely tesser a hospitalis, the inuiting signe in matters of spirituall commodities, as Selah in the psalmes; and [...] he that hath an eare, let him heare in the gospell: but also tessera hostilis the fighting signe in matters of danger, as markes in the sea to auoide shipwracke: As Christ his cauete, beware of false pro­phets, and the Apostles his absit, God forbid, so often repeated to call vs from calamitie. By both which signes it is more then euident that the preseruation of the church hath (aboue other thinges) both a watch­full eye to keepe it, and a mightie hand to vphold it from falling to vtter confusion. But herein wee differ, this we deny; that as the liuelesse bodies by their place, motion, or qualities; the vegetable dodies by their in­stinct of nature; the beastes by the iudgement of sence, and man by the excellency of his vnderstanding: so the church by the former tradition & custome should be preserued in her state. I confesse the first, I deny the former custome to be a signe of true religiō. For primū and optimum conuertuntur, the first, and the best, the best and the first is all one. In the state of nature first in­nocency, and then corruption; in the state of grace first integritie and then impietie. But as for the former, which in regard of the first may bee the latter, digres­sing from the first goodnesse, as the church of Rome did from the primitiue church, the corruption gathe­red [Page 35]by custome doth no more commend it, then the filth doth y^e sore that long hath festered. And as a sicke man recouered will not praise the state of sicknes al­though the former: So religion reformed may not brag of custome in corruption, admit it were the for­mer. So that thus y^e case standeth, we differ in doctrine not from the first, but from the former custome y^t diffe­red from the first. And customes plea of prioritie is not good but from the first.

The remoue.

HOw this place fitteth his purpose, I confesse my simplicitie I cannot conceiue. For if the bringing in of false religion ouer and aboue the true religion be heresie, then is the addition of their tradition heresie. But if the bringing in of the true, by thrusting out of the false bee the way of trueth, then is ours no he­resie. The proofe of both is that triall which both standeth to. We would haue our religion tried by the word of God, and writinges of the apostles, which is the onely true, and truly auncient religion; they will be tried by the word of the Pope, and the allowance and approbation of the church of Rome; which is wholy sowred with the leauen of y^e Pharisies, th'ambition of y^e prelates: in one word this is the argument. If we did ei­ther ad to or inuert y^e first forme of doctrine we would refuse to be tried by it, if they did not they would not refuse. And mark I pray you how he bringeth a rod to beat himself withal: for read y^e secōd ver, of y^e same chap & you shall see, y^t the multitude which hee alloweth [Page]as the medium of his argument in the fourth motiue to proue the church, the Apostle allotteth as a signe to set heretikes out by. But this by the way though som­what out of the way, I thought good to obserue▪ His nexte place is.

The remooue.

I Hope you take not this verse for any of the popes ca­nons, neither this doctrine for the doctrine of Anti­christ, the doctrine of worshipping of images, inuoca­tion of saints, praier for the dead, masses, purgatory, or any such stuffe shipped from hell, & shopped at Rome: But the rule of dependency of places teacheth vs, that by this doctrine is meant nothing but the doctrine of Christ, whom we acknowledge for our sole mediator, without any merit of ours or helpe of any other, this I­mage of the father we worship, this sanctum sanctorum we only cal vpon, there is true purgatory and no where else. And therefore for the trial of doctrines: Shew me any doctrine, and I will shewe you Christ his question to the pharisies to resolue you in the truth of it. Cuius est imago, &c. whose image and superscription beareth it? if you say your doctrine beareth Christ his image, then giue vnto Christ those thinges that are Christs, that is faith, loue, obedience. If you say it beareth the image of the whore of Babilon the church of Rome, then giue vnto the whore those things that belongeth [Page 40]vnto her, that is, pride, ambition, couetuousnesse, and superstition, as well you do. He that is pure, let him be pure still, and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and by this may be tried who bringeth this doctrine.

The remoue.

THe tradition of Corah was against the ordinance of God, not the inuentions of men: wickedly re­bellious to the lawfull magistrates of their own nation, and not iustly resisting the vsurped authority ouer al o­ther nations. Of which authority and y^e doctrin therof (that wee may cut his throat with his owne sworde) Christes verdict may truely bee giuen; non erat sic ab initio, it was not so from the beginning. And therefore both that authority, and the doctrine built thereupon falleth to the grounde, as beeing neither knowne nor heard of frō the beginning. The rest of this place deci­phereth out some hard mischance: for eyther the au­thor hath mangled the place, or the writer hath mai­med the authour: for there remaineth nothing but a spittle sence, where I leaue it.

The remooue.

VAriety is good, so it be of good: but variety of euil is the diuels banket. Say me, what variety cal you this? fashion, fancie, falshood, conceit, deceit, custom, and cosenage, which bee the dishes for this seruice. First for fashion, it is the threedbare fashion of all ca­tholickes to face their faction with the title of the olde religion: when (as God knoweth) their religion hath not liued, nor continued the age of one man of the old world, neither came, to the age of Methuselah, beeing not yet nine hundred yeares ago since first it came to light. When as our religion (which they call newe) hath all one beginning with the beginning of all: wit­nesse the first of Iohn Epist and Gospell, [...] that which was from the beginning, &c. that is, the be­ginning, middle, and end of all our doctrine; which is not so with them. Secondly, their olde fashion is se­conded with a newe fancy; for hee fancieth out a rule [Page]which is but a fancy: To wit the difference of teaching, and innouation of doctrine, which indeede speaketh plainly, that either yours or ours is hereticall. But to say that whatsoeuer differeth from your tradition is heresie, is the idle worke of fancy, finding no ground in the vnderstanding. On the other side; if you meane a difference of teaching, and innouation of doctrine, contrary to the Patriarkes, Prophets, disciples, and A­postles, of our sauiour Christ, therein appeareth your falshoode. For wee desire no other triall then the wri­tings of the Patriarks, prophets, disciples, & Apostles, the fathers of all ages moderating the matter in points of greatest difficulty. Fourthly, it is a strange conceite of his to sound the depth of doctrine, by the sound; or to trie religion by the eare onely. This is his conceite, and his deceit is to seduce the simple, that hee which vnderstandeth not the sence, saith he, may perceiue by the words, the sounds and contradiction of former o­pinion. O subtlety, why art thou so simple? O simpli­city, why art thou so subtile? Subtlety thou art to goe about to deceiue the simple with bare wordes and sounds, neither conceiued nor vnderstoode, as with a charme to bewitch and amaze them. Simplicity, thou art to men of vnderstanding, that they that vnderstand not the inwarde sence should iudge by the outwarde sence. As though wordes were any thing, without things but winde, verba symbola rerum, wordes bee the circumstances, thinges the substaunce; circumstance without substaunce what make you of that? wordes without thinges what thinke you of this? There is no braine in this; that men that vnderstand not the sence should be led as by a lanterne-man by the sound. Sixt­ly hee pleadeth custome (the continuance to wit of [Page]their contagion) as if to anger vs he would shame him­selfe. Tell me, doth custome prescribe as well against, as without law? Indeede, in cases of tithes and church priuiledges, the Ciuilian saith: vbi deficit consuetudo recurrendum est ad ius commune. Where custome fay­leth we must haue recourse to the canon Law: Making law to come in, where custome goeth out. But y^e diuine saith in matters both of doctrine and discipline. vbi deficit lex recurrendum est ad consuetudinem: where the law giueth ouer we must looke vnto the custom of the church. Where the word of God is silent (as some times of purpose to leaue some things arbitrary to the church) there the custome of the church preuaileth much. Not where there is scriptum est, the expresse word of God as a law & rule to ratifie any thing; there to bring in contrary practise, and to prescribe that practise for a custome to all posterity, (as you doe in many, nay most, nay all pointes controuerted between vs) that is not impiety alone, but impudency. Lastly his cosenage in shifting of hands giuing one thing for the other. Ecclesia Dei non habet talem consuetudinē. Eccle­sia dei, the church of God is one thing, and Ecelesiapa­pae, the church of the pope is an other thing. In the ae­quiuocation of the church consisteth all the cosenage of all their fallacies. Still they crie vpon the church; meaning their owne church, but pretending Gods church. But we must learne to distinguish them, and so to answere to his Stephanus obiection. Ecclesia dei non habet talem consuetudinem, the church of God hath no such custome; wee acknowledge th' authoritie suffici­ent, and subscribe thereunto. But the church of Rome is not the church of God; and therefore it is not greatly materiall what custome it hath.

The remoue.

SO shamelesse are they in their shameful practises, that the mischiefe which their malice hath concei­ued, their vanity will not haue concealed. So Luther and Zuinglius, men great in learning made so much the greater as they were greatly enuied of them; and the rest of that crewe, wordes of disdaine come from the hart of pride; were at the first appearing, that was short warning, branded by this note for heretiques: Let them looke to themselues, who branded them I maruaile? for mee thinketh I see the marke of the beast in their right handes and forheades: in their right handes, for they be ful of bloud; in their forheads for they be ful of falshood. I but yet none either catholicke or heriticke did [Page]challenge the church of Rome for the controuerted questi­ons; if they did not it was more for feare of Pauls sword then Peters keyes. And say they were so cunning iug­lers that none did espie them as they crept in by little and little with their packe of knauery: yet doth not this therefore excuse them, when as the Apostle cal­leth the raigne of Antichrist the mysterie of iniquitie working secretlie. And yet not so secretly but some haue seene it. Hath not one pope challenged ano­ther? Hath not one papist charged another? and haue not those worthy men of God, Luther, Cal­uin, Bucer, Peter Martyr, Iewell, Zanchius, and the rest of Christs sworne soldiours so torne their coates for these controuersies, that their bowelles yet bleede with their wounds? But these bee but vpstartes: which of the ancient did euer reiecte? Which of the fa­thers did not wholy allowe euery pointe of popery? First for the supremacy of the Pope ouer other bi­shops: the repugnance is as ancient as the beginning therof. Nay before it began at Rome your owne Gre­gory condemned it in Constantinople, vt supra. Am­brose, Chrysostome and Epiphanius, no babes: yet these giue sentence with Gregory against the superioritie & tiranny of one bishop ouer an other. Which is more odious ouer princes: and yet all their strength is in this. For the name of the church beareth out all their absur­dities: & the authority of the Pope doth countenance the church. To come from policy to religion: because you challenge allowance from the fathers, where shall you find so much as the name of the Masse in all the huge Volumes of saint Augustine? your placing of images in the church, and worshipping of them, was condemned in an auncient generall councell. And to [Page 43]let many other questions alone; read bishop Bilson his booke of the true difference of Christian subiection, Parte 4. p. 776 Chry. hom. 43. in Ihon. Ambrose de ijs qui initiantur myst. cap. 9 Aug. de ver. dom in Lu. ser. 33. Cyprian de caena Leo. dist. 2. Athanasius in illud quicunque dixerit verbum. &c. Irenaeus, lib. 1. Aug. Cont. Pel. Aug. Cont. Par. and vnchristian rebellion, and you shall see all the Fa­thers marshalled by him in such good order, against your transubstantiation: that the very throng of them maketh such resistance, that there is no possibilitie of passage that way. Eutiches an heretique as all confesse, and yet their transubstantiation the very substance of his opinion: as hee learnedly proueth. That is a small matter: they haue a spice of all heresies. The worship­ping of the crosse took his beginning as part of Valen­tine his heresie. Merit and free will Pelagian. Many me­diatours Parmenion: and all this is popery. In the Eu­charist they are Eutichistes. In the Crosse Valentini­ans. In freewill and merits Pelagians. In auouching of many mediatours Parmenians. So that to conclude, such is their religion so fraught with the dregs of all heresies, that what father soeuer writ any thing against any heresie: hee must needes write some thing against popery.

The remooue.

IF these be, as well they may be, the writings of Willi­am Alablaster, a yong maister of artes, then may they carie some name of wit but no credit of dis­cretion; some smackering of tongues, but small taste of artes; some rubble of Philology, but fewe grounds of Philosophy; some shewe of humanitie, but no sub­stance of Diuinity. And as for the manner of his Apo­stacy or backsliding, the priest himselfe, nay the partie himselfe, nay we our selues know to be farre otherwise then they woulde faine here beare vs in hande. The priest confessed that hee founde him more forwarde, meaning more backwarde, [...] more for­wardly backward then hee could desire: He himselfe confessed, it was a certain ten penny book that helped him to his two penny faith: But wee that know him, know the true cause to be vnthankfulnes banquetting with lust and ambition: For hauing alwaies a great deale more then hee deserued, and yet desiring still, much more then he had, growing discontent with ful­nes, hee fell at ods with faithfulnes.