M^r LEECH. CHAP. 1.

INtreating of this parcell of holy scripture; I sawe the dead, In a sermon at Christ-Church in Oxford 1607 Apoc. 20.12. both great, and small, stande before God; I di­stinguished a fowrefolde acception, or signification of great, and small. FIRST; great, and small for worldly au­thoritie, and temporall condition. SECONDLY; great, and small in respect of heavenly supereminency of grace, and spirituall infusion. THIRDLY; great and small in lieu of diversity of rewards, and retribution. FOVRTHLY; great, and small in regard of contrariety, and disparitie of workes, and operation.

ANSVVER.

A time there shall bee, when the bookes of everie mans conscience shall be laide forth; a day of feare and furie, when an vniversall flowde of fire shall overstreame the whole world, when the hea­vens shall threaten, the earth cast vp, al creatures cry vengeance, de­vils accuse, conscience giue evidence, and the whole Iu­rie [Page 25] of Saints passe verdict vpon sinners: and then the secrets of all harts shall be disclosed. In holy Scripture this iudgement is often mentioned: but of all others,Hier. that glorious Eagle S. Iohn, mounting the high spheare of divinest contemplation, doth most expresly by his vision and revelation, manifest the declaration thereof; and of all other places, most pregnantly in this your text, Apoc. 20.12. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God, and the bookes were opened. Was there no other place to confirme an vntruth, but that which shall confound all vntruth? no other Scripture to iustifie you, but that which shall iudge you? Would you sow tares vpon that ground, vp­on which, wheate, and tares shalbe distinguished? Remember whence you are fallen, and repent, and doe the first workes or else I will come against thee, saith Christ, Rev. 2.5. O the eternity of that cursed time,Rev. 2.5. to be spēt in wretchednesse and confusion; no myriads of yeeres to free from the execution of that perpetuall iudge­ment. An end not ending, a death not dying should terrifie and amase you, and make you returne, seeing the dead both great and smal shall stand before God. But to your distinction. There is a great mistake in your fourfold acception of great and small. For antiqui­ty, which you so much boast of, doe all expound it otherwise:Rupert. in Apoc. Rupertus, by mortuos, magnos, and pusillos, vnderstanding homines impios, spiritus malignos; Anselm. in Apoc. 12. Lyra in Apoc. 12. An­selmus, Lyra, Hugo in Apoc. 12. Hugo, theGloss. in Apoc. 12. ordinary glosse, and many o­thers vnderstanding by the dead, great, and small, ma­los, only wicked men. AndCarthus. in eund. Carthusian intimateth so much of S^t Austins opinion, that he vnderstandeth not, by mortuos magnos and pusillos, the Saints; but by [Page 26] libros apertos. Carthusians words be plaine; Augusti­nus per libros apertos, intelligit Sanctos, in quibus mali poterunt legere, seu videre bona, quae facere debuerunt, & neglexerunt: Austin vnderstandeth by the books that were opened, the Saints, in whome the wicked might see, and reade the good which they ought to haue done, and haue neglected. How then holdes your fourfold acception, if by the dead you meane the li­ving, and by the wicked you meane the Saints?Caelius Rho­dog. lib. 20. Rho­dogine recordeth, that Polemo being the spectator of a Tragoedy at Smyrna, a ridiculous actor comes out vpon the stage, and being to pronounce, O coelum, ô terra! bends his hands and eies to the earth and crieth ô coelum! and then lifts his eies and hands to the hea­ven and pronounceth, ô terra! Polemo condemneth his action for a soloecisme. It is no lesse in you, to call evill good, and good evill: and in the Prophet it is forewarned with a woe. Whose fourfold acception this should be, I knowe not. If your owne, I am sor­ry for the mistake, and I confesse it is the first notice that I ever tooke of your breathing in any Schoole learning and in that, I shall doe you no more iniury thenGretzer. App. 1. ad lib. 1. Bellarm. § Idem dictū pag. 558. Caietanus, homo potiùs in Scho­lasticis subtilita­tibus & argu­tiis, quàm in lectione Pa­trum, Concilio­rum, & veteris memoria exer­ [...]itatus. Gretzer (that great Sir Railer of the society of Bar-Iesus) doth to Caietan: for he taxeth the Cardi­nall that though hee were well seene in the subtilties of Schooles; yet he was not so in the writings of the Fathers. So you on the contrary, haue taken vppon you the reading of the Fathers; but your poverty in Schoole learning this naked distinction sheweth.

M^r LEECH.

Herevnto I applyed that distinction of S. Gregorie; Moral. lib. 26. cap. 24.25. Quidam judicantur, & pereunt; quidam non judican­tur, & percunt: quidam iudicantur, & regnant: quidā non iudicantur & regnāt. That is (as an other auncient writer, somwhat varying the words, but keeping the sense, doth excellently render it) some are to be iudged, and dam­ned; perishing by iudgment. Some are iudged, and dam­ned already; perishing without iudgement. Some are to be iudged and saued; saved with iudgment. Some are iudged and saued already; saved without iudgement. And al this diversity of iudgement ariseth from contrari­etie, and disparity of workes, acted, and done heere in this life, by great and small mentioned in my Text.

ANSVVER.

In the two Chapters of S. Gregory which you cite in your margine, though the distinctiō be found, ac­cording to your quotation, but in some copies: yet it maketh no more for your purpose, then that place thatBellarm. de Mon. c. 5. §. habemus in primis. Bellarmine bringeth to prooue the antiquity of Monkes; Enos coepit invocare nomen Domini: ergo Enos was the first founder of Monkery. So you infer that there is a disparity of workes, acted, and done in this life, by great and small; ergo there is a distinction be­twixt precepts and coūsels: an argument as forcible, as that common non sequitur of schooles, A baculo ad angulū. But of this more hereafter. For many things that seeme most materiall about the question, are re­peated so oft and in divers places, that I must be con­strained to bring those wanderers to your sermon.

M^r LEECH.

This distinction I briefly dilated vpon, as the straight­nes [Page 28] of time (which now had overtaken me) would giue me leaue, and comming to the last member of the distinction, in the verie close, and vpshot of the sermon, I concluded, that those, that were to be saved without iudgemēt, are such, as did transcend the precepts of the lawe by due per­formance of EVANGELICALL COVN­SAILS of perfection; endevoring not only to performe the Morall obligatorie decalogue, but thirsting after more eminent perfection added, nay voluntarily by power of an arbitrary choise, offered vnto the lawgiver more, then the general precepts of the law necessarily tyed them vnto; de­voting and consecrating themselues vnto the heavenlie profession of spirituall poverty, Angelicall chastity, and humble obedience, renouncing their owne will, forgoing carnall concupiscence, forsaking all things, yea and them­selues, for Christ, and heauens sake. That is to say; they de­spise the worlds transitory trash, and pleasures; and onlie thirst after spirituall goods, which are the true treasure of heauen.

ANSVVER.

Conclusio sequitur deteriorem partem; what a conca­tenation of mistakings are here? your text misinter­preted,Anselme Hugo. Gloss. Carth. Aug. &c. vt supra. as Antiquity, the Fathers, and glosses proue a­gainst you; your distinction to no purpose vrged and now the last member thereof so misapplyed by inser­ting into the words of S. Gregory Evangelicall coun­sailes of perfection, when as no such point is in that chapter, that pitty rather then pith must answer you. [Page 29] You haue wire-drawne this distinction, and twyned such webs in it, as haue caught your selfe. Your first o­verture of this Doctrine, was not so much as you here report; it began like a snaile to creepe out then, but neither heade nor hornes appeared then. I re­iourne the full answere of this, to the due place. Your positions be vbiquitaries, I can apprehend thē where I will, and I will doe it, where I see most sting and strength.

M^r LEECH.

This was the summe, and substāce deliuered in my first entrance into the point, M^r Doctor KING (Vicechance­lor of the Vniversity) being then present; and giving no signification of dislike conceiued by him against the veri­tie of this doctrine.

ANSVVER.

Your discourse vpon Evangelicall counsels was thrise presented to the publike auditory: but with much more reservation thē you let your readers vn­derstand. In the first you did but intimate or insinuate that which followed. And boast not much that you handled it thrise, seeing it was misliked thrise, that in this you may speak as the Poet did in another kinde; ‘Ovid. de Trist. lib. 1.Ter limen tetigi, ter sum revocatus.’ Of M^r Vicechancelors manifesting no dislike you doe oppose, and I will answere in your next chapter.

M^r LEECH. CHAP. 2.

NOw let the indifferēt, & iudicious Reader obserue, whether I may not more then probably conclude, that either the Vicechācelor, at this time, appre­hended it not; or apprehending it, in his owne true iudge­ment, and conscience disgusted it not; or distasting it, yet being not able to convince, and refell the demonstratiue e­vidence of it, could haue beene content to wincke at it, and giue it his indulgent connivencie, so that it might thus haue passed away in silence.

ANSVVER.

THat you accuse the most vigi­lant governour of our vniversity for silence as if either by negli­gence, or connivence hee did let passe your error, who hath as a true and most faithfull servant in Gods church watched ever in his government, that the wicked man sow no tares, you doe it very impudent­ly without sense or shame. All confesse with admi­ration the speedinesse of his apprehensiō, the sound­nesse of his iudgement, the all ability of his know­ledge. His continuance, experience, honourable and holy employments in the worke of a true Evangelist haue manifested to the worlde how farre he is from the imputations you put vpon him, the reasons why [Page 31] he made no publike dislike at first, follow.

M^r LEECH.

Was the point erroneous? Where then was his iudge­ment, that should haue descried it, if it deserued his cen­sure? why escaped it then vnrebuked? might this doctrine now passe currant, and must it afterwards be iudged coun­terfaict? In a word: is the doctrine as it was generally in­timated, allowable; and are the particulars thereof being now dilated, and amplified, made therevpon intollerable?

ANSVVER.

Many questions not worth the answering; idle and dull interrogations only worth the censuring. Two qualities striue for the first place in this Paragraph, Im­piety and absurdity, fit twins, but most vnfitly bestow­ed in your iniurious traducing this honour of our Ox­ford. You might foreconceiue what is answered to this before you read it, but to awaken you, receiue thus much: Howe your sermons were approved of (especially after you became the hackney preacher of the Vniversitie) both by him and others, is not vn­knowne to you: they were ever accounted the [...] of Postillary friers, bestowing those sacred howers in gathering stickes, never making iudgement the Master of your opinion, seldome adorning your speech with the better part of that which the Navy of Hiram brought to Salomon, I meane with gold and siluer; but with Ivory and Apes and Peacocks, legends, al­legories, &c. But neerer to the purpose, to answere [Page 32] why your doctrine was not descried by his vigilant wisdome and rebuked; the reason was, either his ab­sence at that time, which whither he were or no hee knoweth not, being not only then, but ever since hee gouerned vs, imployed continually in the greatest and most aduantageous businesse that ever any Vicechance­lor laboured in: or else because of the vndisposed, vn­digested, rude, and crude manner of your preaching, wherin you proposed your positions so darkly and ob­scurely, that vnlesse you were vnacquainted with your selfe, you had not begun your Epistle with Effi­cacior lingua quā litera; for ifSome body doth much in­iury you if hee were not author of much & cor­rector of most in this your booke. none had mēded your pen, your most ingenuous friendes, woulde haue as much neglected your paper worke, as your pulpit. O howe much are you to answere for the prophanatiō of that holy place, and for your idle words in that holy worke, beating the aire, mispending the time, mistaking the Text, that the most iudicious among vs, could hard­ly conceiue, whether your doctrine were positiue, or priuatiue, affirmatiue or negatiue, & the most charita­bly censorious thought it perdere horā to heare you;Arist. as the Philosopher spake to such another [...], whose speech was composed of non sense & non sequitur. If in your first sermon, you only vrged the distinctiō, and began to build your rotten wall vpon that founda­tion afterwardes: marvaile not that when like a Mole you were working vnder ground, you were not dis­cried when you were not aboue ground. For as it is a doctrine conceived in darknes, so you brought it forth in clowds of darknesse.

M^r LEECH.

Howbeit certaine of a purer straine (Brethren some mē call them; and Brethren I confesse them to be; fratres in malo, as Simeon & Levi sometimes were) secretly mur­mured, and began in corners priuatly (as Heretiques vsu­ally haue done) to traduce me, my doctrine, and my author S. Gregory: calūniating that in secret, which openly they durst not yet adventure substantially to impugne.

ANSVVER.

Nullus est eorum fidus affectus, Ierom. quorum est diversa fi­des, saith S. Ierom: Difference in religion extinguish­eth charity in affection. You proue this true when you taxe the purer straine, and yet you straine for a more perfect straine. Do any of the more pure strain professe angelicall integritie, virginall chastity, spiritu­all transcendency? as you teach. Or to come to your meaning, be any here, of those purer straine? whome while you scoffe, he that sitteth in heauen shall laugh you to scorne: be there I say, any here of those who making conscience of their waies haue refused in manuall sub­scription, and orall declaration, willingly to manifest their harty consent and reverence to the religious Articles in our Church maintained? The name of Brethren is much abused by you: a name that Christ by his own mouth sanctified, the Apostles in the Acts so frequently vsed, S. Iohn in his Epistles so familiarly recited, the Primitiue Church in their time so blessed­ly entertained. TheRatisbon. in Comp. Theol Schooles obserue the name of Brother to be nomen vnitatis, aequalitatis, charitatis & societatis, and even by this brotherhood, we haue san­tiorem copulam cordium quam corporum saith Bernard: Bern. [Page 34] A name more welcome to the godly, then the Oliue branch to Noah, then David to Ionathan, then the waters of Bethel to David. It is an Oade, a Psalm, a Can­ticle, aCant. 1.2. name as an oyntment powred out, as that name in the Canticles. It was the oyer and determiner ofGen. 13.8. Abraham and Lots controversies in the law, and it is the bonde of peace and girdle of truth to al true Chri­stians in the Gospell. Of Iosephs miseries it is recor­ded that the Archers greiued him, and shot against him, and hatedGen. 49.23. him. Malitious, perfidious, murthe­rous brethren greeued him, iniuriâ operis; shot a­gainst him, blasphemiâ oris; and hated him, invidiâ cor­dis, saithHugo in Gen. Hugo. You may be rankt with such brethrē if you continue the Cacoethes of traducing those worthies, whose liues shine before men, that they honor God and glorifie their Father which is in heauen. Discharge not then such arrows, even bitter words, hedded with venome, feathered with fury, and shot off with folly. But these Brethren you say they bee fratres in malo, such as were Simeon and Levi. How Caiphas-like you denounce iudgement against fratres in malo, your brethren in iniquitie, looke the Text Gen. 49.5. Gen. 49.5. &c. Never any Scripture, came so neere to any offenders, as that to fratres in malo, the salt Peter Pyoners; who like as if the dreame of the Stoicks had come to passe, that the world should be fired, had in­struments of cruelty in their habitations, into their se­crets let not my soule come (saith old and Reverend Ia­cob) my glory bee not ioined with their assemblies: for in their wrath, they killed a man; and in their selfe will, they digged down a wall: Cursed be their wrath, for it is fierce; and their rage, for it is cruel. Nay the very curle of cur­ses, [Page 35] and very bottome of the viall and dreggs of ven­geance, with the dissipation and dispersion of their families vpon the face of the earth; the eternall de­testation of their names, with the clapping and his­sing and supplotion of al the world against them, be vpon them, and their posterities, that practise such Helborne boundlesse conspiracies. Wee haue no such fratres in malo. Obiect not murmuring against any among vs; it is the brand of malecontented Trai­tors, not of godly preachers. The Christians in this life may be compared to the Stork, desolately sitting; to the Turtle, mourning; to the Doue, lamenting; to Ra­hel, weeping; and to the soules vnder the altar crying out, How long Lord, holy and true, dost not thou avenge? So they may sorowfully complaine to see the abomination of desolation, Romish, diuilish, An­tichristian positions presume ever to bee taught in our Churches and Temples. It was no factious mur­muring, no secret calūniating, as you vniustly tearme it: but the vindicating of truth from oppressiō, which neither Policy for example, nor religion for peace could tolerate. Your preaching was misliked, not your au­thor. S. Gregories praises we neither deny, nor envy: yetBar. Tom. 8. Annal. An. Christi. 1593. num. 62. p. 57. Baronius affirmeth that he liued in a barrē time, and therein taxeth him for some wants in learning. AndCanus loc. Theol. lib. 11. c. 6. Canus observed that he was overcredulous in the reports of miracles in his time, & therein touch­eth his defect in iudgement. But whatsoever he was in other points, sure hee was no father, or author of your position; your citations out of him, haue no one word of Evangelicall Counsails of perfection.

M^r LEECH.

The report, and rumor whereof (by relation of some friends) no sooner came vnto my eares, but presently (knowing well the assured grounds of my doctrine) I ad­dressed my selfe to haue satisfied, and contented any inge­nious, and vnpassionate auditour, by a second repetition, with a briefe, punctuall, and perspicuous explanation and confirmation of my aforesaid doctrine: For I was altoge­ther vnwilling to suffer the least imputation or scandall to be fastned vpon it, or vpon the Author (were it but in corners secretly) and farther, though I intēded not to run into a publike opposition, yet now occasion might bee mi­nistred vnto me, & others to vindicate a necessary truth from the detraction of calumnious tongues.

ANSVVER.

To satisfie anie auditor is not only ingenuous, but a religious act. But did you giue content to any mā that conferred with you in it? Did you not rather in your preparation for the second sermon, take occasion to cast the stumbling blocke of offence in your third, ve­rifying that speech, ‘ [...].Finis vnius mali’

gradus est futuri? I will not aske you whether the second sermon were your owne: or whether you purged the bowels of a Fryers Postill, & culd all those your pearles (as you thought them) out of the Dunghill of some moath-eaten Monke, tyed vp in chaines, till you came to free him, and to binde [Page 37] your selfe. The generall iudgemente vpon your booke, when it came first foorth, was this, that it was composed of two styles, diverse in forme, vne­equall in fabrique; the one somewhat dull and leaden very resty, the other more nimble and quicke-silvered but somewhat scurvy: whervpon a familiar acquain­tance of yours censured it thus, that the grounde of your paper was plowed by an oxe and an asse, a con­iunctiō forbidden in the law. I do not desire to make my paper guilty of idle wordes, but yet this I must professe that your second repetition, which you mē ­tion, doth savour of much vnsavory stuffe, and hath in it ^d sapientiam attramentalem, non mentalem. Senec. You say, you did not purpose to run into a publicke oppo­sition, when you did reiterate that, in your second, which you had in your former sermon. But I desire you to summon the sobriety of your senses before your owne iudgement, and confesse plainely how it could otherwise be, But that the proclamation of cō ­tradiction in you, would proue a publicke oppositiō mainetained by you: weigh this in the ballance of dis­cretion, and you will finde it lightnes and innovation. you seeme to ioine your forces in mainetenance of your position, when you say occasion was given to you and others to vindicat this necessary truth. What others assisted you? Among vs, all desire to purge the Temple from superstition, & to sweepe away those cob­webs which the Spiders of Rome haue hanged vp. There is no one, that dare polute our Holie places publik­lie, with anie such infectious doctrine: so farre are your fellow Counsailors from making a plural number, that a duall number never shewed themselues a­mongst [Page 38] vs yet in this controversie.

M^r LEECH. CHAPT. 3.

BEing thus occasioned by the secret, & clancular mur­muration of Brethren (the fame whereof began now to disperse it selfe abroad) to addresse some defence of my former doctrine; I tooke the next opportunity to sup­ply the publike place, & willing rather to giue a litle far­ther touch to convince the said Brethrē, then to dwell, as yet, vpon any maine, and full discourse (which was not my purpose; the point being yet not publiquely contradicted) I repeated, and dilated vpon the point more at large, as it was originaly deduced out of the last brāch of S. Gregorie his distinction; to wit, quidā non judicantur, & regnāt: to this purport, and effect.

ANSVVER.

OCcasion and scandall be either gi­ven or taken, they were both gi­ven by you rather then offered you. You desired to giue a touch to convince the said Brethren: all of vs were brethren in this, all a­greed in dislike of your manner of preaching; which was so dull and Delphically mysticall, that fewe heard you, and none approved you. But I woulde willingly desire you to reconcile these two places in this paragraph. [Page 39] First that the fame of the brethrens murmuratiō be­gan to spread it selfe abroad, and yet within fiue lines you confesse, the point was not publikely contradi­cted. If murmuration be contradictiō, then non sense may serue as a marginall note. But because you breath at the brethren againe in this chapter (though I defende none that Schismatically contradict the state or breake the blessed peace of our flowrishing Church, neither doe know any such here, God that knoweth the secrets of all hearts, bearing me recorde;) seeing you so malitiouslie traduce this Honorable Vniversi­ty, as if it were an Anabaptisticall Seminary: I doe chal­lendge you, or anie of your part, to answer these two points; First that there beVide Iohan Pappium. Peace of Rome and many other bookes. more materiall differen­ces in points of religion, and more grosse pointes of Chatharisme amōg Papists, then among al the Schis­matiques or Separists: Secondly, that the Church of Englande never had any so Puritannical; as to iudge themselues celestiall men, terrestriall Angels, excel­ling, surmounting, transcending in perfection, fulling the law, nay more then the law.

M^r LEECH.

Of this point (said I) I may speake as S. Iohn speaketh to the seauen churches of Asia; cōcluding euer the burthē of his admonitiō which a pathetical Epiphonema in the reprehension; Let him that hath an eare to heare, heare what the spirit saith to the churches. And may not I apply, let him that hath not only an eare to heare, but a soule to saue by the eares hearing, heare what the coelestial Oracle heauēly spirit & Catholike Church iointly speak, & [Page 40] deliuer concerning Evangelicall Counsells.

ANSVVER.

Remember not only what S. Iohn endeth his epistle with: but also what he sealeth vp his whole revelatiō with, I Apoc. 22.19. protest vnto euerie man that heareth the Words of the prophecie of this book, If any māshal adde vnto these things, God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are writ­ten in this booke. For that sweet aphorisme and accla­mation of everie of S. Iohns Epistles cited by you, I acknowledge the power and divine spirit speaking in it. For what is recorded of Hercules Gallicus, that his speeches tyed the eares of his hearers to his tongue, is more true by many degrees concerning God: and therefore it is not onlie Davids incitation,Ps. 34.9. O come and see and taste how good the Lord is; butPs. 34.12. Apoc. 1. O come hi­ther chidren and harken, I will teach you the feare of the Lord. And S. Iohns proclamation in the first of the Apocalyps; Blessed are they that read, and they that heare, and they that keepe the words of this booke, & ther­fore let him that hath an eare, heare what the spirit saith to the churches: yet whosoever heareth and receiveth false doctrine willinglie, receiveth and heareth his owne damnatiō. And for the Catholique Church you bragge of,Lactantius lib. 4. Institu­tio. cap. vlt. Lactantius hath given warning of such boasts, singuli haereticorum coetus suam esse Ecclesiam Catholicā putant. The Celestial Oracle, heauenly spirit, & true catho­lique Church (I say and wil confirme it by al maner of arguments) they never taught that point as you seek to mainetaine it, concerning Evangelicall Counsels of Perfection.

M^r LEECH.

Or I may speake with our blessed Sauiour, advising, ex­horting, counselling, yea, out of the whole masse of mākind, inviting, nay inciting some to that angelical gift of vir­ginall chastity; qui potest capere, capiat; hee that can a­spire to the top of angelicall integrity, let him become a votary of virginall Chastity.

ANSVVER.

The strangest exposition of wordes, that ever I read or heard. Virginall chastity: the word virginall is out of tune; a weake wired chastity, to ascend the top of angelicall integrity. Paule did not only approue, but appoint Ministers: and yet asketh the question,2. Cor. 2.16. Quis idoneus ad haec? And though Christ not only was a vir­gin, but did allow of virgins: yet hee may pronounce this speech, Qui potest capere, capiat, without any such inference or cōsequence. You deliver no gold with­out drosse, no place of Scripture without some wre­sted and impertinent glosse. But in your sermon you shall receiue more satisfaction.

M^r LEECH.

This is S. Paule his sapientia inter perfectos; apostoli­call wisdome for men of angelicall perfection. These easilie disclose, and discouer the worlds foolishnes & impostures, when they paragon them with heavens remuneration, & treasures. These are the salt of the earth, & the light of [Page 42] the world: stars fixed in the spheare of heauen, the Church militant; not wandring in their motion towards heauen, the Church triumphant.

ANSVVER.

The auncient writers doe not so expounde those words. Al shew that the Apostle doth therein distin­guish betweene the beleevers & vnbeleevers, as may be seene by the connexiō: but more especiallyChrysost. in 1. Cor. 2.6. Chry­sostome thus expoūdeth perfectos, [...], he calleth them perfect which did beleeue. S. Hie­rome expoundeth so, Theodoret so, & the whole currēt of expositors vnderstand a kinde of perfection in beliefe, not in life. Aquinas hath such a restriction that agreeth with the rest: and all this sheweth that your speech is meere Pelagianisme, wherin you mag­nifie the arme of flesh, and the nature of mankinde, and so seeme to approoue a perfit perfection, which you do most vnperfectly. It is S.De peccat. mer. & remis­sion. 15. Augustines advise, Cum dicitur cuius (que) perfectio, qua in redicatur videndū est: When perfection, saith he, is named, we must cō ­sider wherein it is named. Perfectus est aliquis sapientiae auditor, non perfectus Doctor: a man may be a perfect hearer of righteousnes, not a perfect doer, or as some think, a perfect knower why? we knowe but in part, 1. 1. Cor. 15. Cor. 15. Yes we knowe perfectly perfectione viae, non perfectione patriae, by the perfection of the way here, not by the perfection of our Country hence, say the Schooles. Perfectione ordinis, non finis, saithIunius. Iunius; perfectione partium, non graduum, saithLomb. Lombard; per­fecti viatores non perfecti possessores, saithAug. in Ps. 38. Austin, per­fect [Page 43] travellers in righteousnes, not perfect possessors: and this so limited, by that good Father, as that hee alloweth it only pro consortio humanae societatis, pro huius vitae capacitate, pro statu viatoris, pro huius vitae modulo, only for a perfection sufficient to converse and hold society with mankind, a perfection for the model & capacity of this life, for the state of passen­gers and wayfaring men; and concludeth,Ad Bonif. lib. 3. Omnium in carne nostra imperfecta perfectio, the perfection of all men while they are in the flesh, is vnperfect. Iohn Baptist had not a greater among the sonnes of womē: but whosoever was least in the kingdome of God, & al the celestiall spirits, is farre beyond him. Inter natos mulierum, non autem inter choros coelestium spirituum, Bern. serm. 38. in Cantie. saith S. Bernard: among sonnes of women, not amōg armies of Angels. Not Iohn Baptist, a Prophet, nay more then a Prophet? Who had for his cloathing haire; for his habitation, a desert; for his meate, wild locusts; for his title, the praecursor; for his preaching, Repentance; for his ministration, Baptisme; the vsher, and harbinger of our Saviour: had not he angelicall perfection? If hee that so faithfully attended his Ma­ster, had it not: how should you, that haue fled from your Master, attaine vnto it? I say not,Esay 14.12. ô Lucifer how didst thou fall? but, O Lucifer, whether wouldst thou rise? Is it obedient humility, to be so proud? Spirituall poverty, to desire to be so pompous? Angelicall chasti­ty, to be so luxuriant? I acknowledge, that there bee some that are salt of the earth, lights of the world, ro­ses in the field, lillies in the vallies, terrae gemmula, coeli stellulae; yet far from Angelicall integrity. They may climb a step, but not to the top of Iacobs Ladder.

M^r LEECH.

These are our best pilots amongst men; their godly cō ­versation ought to be our holy imitation. These guid by their examples the barkes of our bodies (wherein the eter­nall treasures of our soules are caried, as in earthen ves­sells) through the perilous rockes of the seas of this world, that they may ariue safely at the designed hauen of heauē, when they flit from the bed of this mortall body.

ANSVVER.

Pilots they may be: and yet, as theOvid. de Trist. lib. 1. Poet of his Pi­lot spake;

So I of the best; they haue their slidings, falls, faults, trances, appolexies. If you haue read over S. Austin, you may finde the distinction betweene peccatum, & crimen: sinne in generall, which no man is freed frō; and hainous, notorious, scandalous sinne, culpable in the eies of men, crying in the eares of heauen. In hisEnchir. ad Laurent. Enchiridion ad Laurentium he affirmeth this; the life of holy men may be found, though not without falt, yet without an offensiue fault; and more whosoe­ver teacheth, is Hereticall. Beware in defending your perfect Pilots, you make not shipwrack of a good consci­ence: the mast of your faith is shaken; let not the an­ker of your hope be broken.

M^r LEECH.

These are beacons on a hill (the hill of the Church) whose liues as lightes, and burning lamps, forewarne, and so forearme vs against all invasion of any spirituall enimies. These are entia transcendentia men soaring aboue the ordinary pitch of men, celestiall men, terrestriall Angels, surmounting and transcending the precepts of the law by Evangelical counsailes of perfection: endeavouring not only to performe the law, but thirsting after a more holie, heavenly, & excelling perfectiō, haue performed more thē the lawes generall precepts obliged them vnto; adding o­ver, and aboue the law,De vera vir­ginitatate prope finem. that which the lawe wanted of the merit of perfection; as S. Basill speaketh; professing spiri­rituall poverty, Angelicall Chastity, and humble obe­dience; and all this for heavens sake.

ANSVVER.

Holy men in all ages through faith, as the Apostle speaketh, haue obtained good report. We yeelde it with reverence vnto them, we honor their vertues, & seek to imitate their examples. But that you should seperat any from the praedicament of humanity by being trans­cendents, that they shoulde so farre hurle beyonde the reach of man, I knowe no reason for it. Some may transcende the Politicke lawes of Nations, but not the lawes of God, asP. Matt. loc. Com. clas. 3. Peter Martyr distinguisheth: or some may be Transcendents respectiuely, if compared with others, but simply, they are not so, in themselues. Gre­gorie doth not teach it, you cannot proue it. You af­firme [Page 46] that the keeping of more then the lawes gene­rall precepts, is possible. I answere, that we doe vnder­stand the keeping of the law either according to the letter of the law, Loc. com. clas. 3. cap. 3. or according to the meaning of the law Or as Peter Martyr distinguisheth, the law may be cō ­sidered either by the generall outwarde iudgement of man, no farther then the barke of the letter, as the Pha­rises did:Mat. 5. or by the inward sense & pith of the law, as our Saviour in the fift of Matthew expounded it. Accor­ding to the letter of the law, a man may be so happie by grace, as not to be a worshipper of images, no blasphe­mer, no adulterer, no theefe, no murtherer, & so of the rest: but according to the meaning of the law, it is impossi­ble for anie in this masse of corruption, to performe perfectly, & fully, anie of the precepts of the law; much lesse, more then the precepts. And herevpon I infer what S. In Cant. ser. 50. Bernard in this case speaketh, The commande­ment neither hath beene fulfilled in this life, nor can bee. And that which an ancientMarc. He­rem. de lege spir. Hermit voucheth to this purpose, Seeke not the perfection of the law in mans ver­tues, for no man is found perfit in it. You vniustly ac­cuse the law, that it wanteth perfection: it must iudge you, condemne you it not. Scripture saith it, heaven and earth cannot gaine say it, thatPsal. 119. the law of the Lord is perfit. The best that ever were, wanted much of the fulfilling of the law, confessing themselues vnprofita­ble servants. You seeke to proue comparatiuely, that one man may soare aboue the ordinary pitch of others, by reason of his gifts: & this we grant. But hence to proue that the law is vnperfit, and that man may passe absolut­ly beyond the law, is absolutely vntrue. The place in Basil cannot proue any such point; and your owne speech [Page 47] in your sermō, doth disproue any such assertion, whē you vrge Davids confession of the immense measure of the law,Psal. 109. Mandatum tuum nimis latum: so that like Peter in the mount, you speake you know not what.

M^r LEECH.

And that they may more readily follow, and devoutlie adhere vnto Christ they cast away that which presseth downe so fast, nay which often times presseth downe to hell; overloading, and surcharging the soule with immo­derate weight; the thorny cares, and choking riches of this present world.

ANSVVER.

The abnegation of the world, yea of themselues, is the first vowe in Baptisme: no sooner wee come into the world, but vow to forsake the world. The Apostle in the PhraseHeb. 12.1. Heb. 12.1. exhorting to cast awaie eve­rie thing that presseth downe, & hangeth on so fast: mea­neth that riches should be cast away then, when they are the occasion of sins. And therefore S. Ierom doth condemne, not himIn 6. Matth. qui habet, sed qui servit divitiis. So in regard of Christ, we must discharge our selues, if they be hinderances to vs, of whatsoever; though never so deere or precious to vs: wee must put them of, as Bartimaeus did cast away his cloake, to followe Christ. It is most true, they be thornie cares, the roots thereof ilia terrae, the exenterated guts and garbadge of the earth; and fruits thereof, though lillia terrae, yet but the fading strewing flowers of the earth, The [Page 48] rootes stinking, the fruits dying. And yet as of poison, Plin. amulets maie be made: so of the vnrighteous Mam­mon, there may be good vse; a man being no more to leaue his riches and possession, then his place and vocatiō, vnlesse he finde that God so appoint and call him, & that his riches doe corrupt and hurt him.

M^r LEECH.

These with feare and trembling recompt, and remem­ber that terrible interrogation of our Sauiour concerning the worlds riches, and the profit redounding vnto man in the vaine, and maine pursuit thereof; what shall it advā ­tage a man to win the whole world, and to loose his owne soule?

ANSVVER.

If conscience be, as some define it, a bit before sinne, a scourge after sin: thinke vpon it, least it do worthilie torture you for knowing your masters will and doing it not. Recompt, and remember, and examine your ovvne soule; whether, like to the prophane Heb. 12.16 person in the epi­stle to the Hebrewes, you haue not sold your birthright for a portion of meate. A sinne against knowledge, & con­science, is neare to the vnpardonable sinne. Seeing you know, nothing can redeeme a soule without Christ; re­member with feare, and trembling, your owne speech, What shall it advantage a man to winne the whole worlde, and to loose his owne soule? Which place, as you vse it, doth iustifie my former speech, that then riches, and the whole world are to be contēned; when the soule by delighting in them, is endangered.

M^r LEECH.

And therefore these professors of Evangelicall Coū ­sailes, merchandising for their soules earnestly with al spi­rituall endevour vpon the seas of this worlde, followe the counsell, which Christ gaue to the yong man (who came to the WAY to learne the way to heauen) if thou wilt bee perfit, go sel all that thou hast, and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen, and come & follow me.

ANSVVER.

Professors of Evangelicall counsels S. Gregory calleth them not:S. Gregory hath no such word as Pro­fession of E­vangelicall Counsells. you lacke both proofes and grounds for your assertion. The yong man I shall bring to your ser­mon: there you shall see, that, though S. Gregorie vse the same words of Christ to the yong man, yet to noe such purpose. Till then I say to you, as our Saviour did to another yong man; Yonge man, I say vnto thee Arise: and if you heare not this, I ingeminate his speech yet to a third yong man; Act. 9.4. Saul, Saul, why perse­cutest thou me?

M^r LEECH.

O what an exchange had this yong man made, what an offer did Christ make him, what counsell did the wisdome of the father giue him, how much doth it now repent him? In a word: ô how happy had he beene, both in body and in soule, since he had beene secure of the salvation both of bo­dy, and of soule, and not only secure of that, but thesaurū habuisset in coelo, his penny had beene of pure gold, & he had had measure for measure, yea aboue measure, heauens [Page 50] remuneration heaped vpon him in lieu of Christian per­fection, if he had parted with himselfe, and abandoned the worlds trash, to haue partaked with Christ, and heauens treasure.

ANSVVER.

It had beene a royall exchange, if he hereby for ri­ches that are transitory, had obtained heauens blisse, his soules security. I am glad that all your lamp is not leavened; that yet, you beleeue a man may bee secure and certaine of his salvation, which is a point vncertainely delivered among you. What meane you by his now repenting? Thinke you that he is in hell? I doubt not but you may easily know, seeing in Rome you haue news every day from hell and purgatory. Certainty of salva­tion, howsoever it be opposed by the Iesuits in gene­rall; yetMedina. 1. 2 q. 112. art. 5. p. 630. Medina averreth, that he would haue every beleeuer certainely to hope he shall obtaine eternall life: & Vega (saithGreg. de Va­lentia tom. 2. pag. 957. Gregory de Valentia) holdeth, that some spirituall men may be so certaine that they bee in grace, that this their assurance shall be without al feare and stag­gering. AndCathar. as­sert. & apolog Catharinus holds the same certainty of faith which we teach. I might vrge much out of3. d. 23. p. 46. Scotus, Par. 3. q. 61. mem. 7. art. 3. Alexander of Hales, Lib. 3. distin 20. q. 1. art. 2. Bacon, & others whō you claime yours. AndStap. de Iu­stif. pag. 341. Stapleton commeth so nere to the point, as that hee professeth thus wee leaue not a sinner hanging in the midst of wavering doubt­fulnesse, but wee place him in good and firme hope. Your penny of pure gold I will not stand to waigh: if I should bring it to the ballance of the sanctuary, I should find it scarce sense, and much lesse Scripture.

M^r LEECH.

And yet this being a counsell not a precept, it is not enioined as a precept to all, but giuen by way of counsaile vnto perfecter men, as the Fathers teach. And the reason is excellently rendred by S. Gregory the great, to be this. It is not enioined as a precept to all (for then were it sin either to marry, or to possesse any of the worldes goods) but yet it is counselled vnto men of more ho­ly rancke; For these haue an arbitrary, and voluntary choice in their things.

ANSVVER.

That your owne advocate should giue evidence against you, is great disadvantage. S. Gregory himselfe calleth it, praeceptum; a precept, not a counsaile. I desire all indifferent readers to looke on the 25 Chapter of his 26. booke of Moralls,Greg. Mor. lib. 26. where (as I saide before) you borrowed this distinction: there is only the word precept; neither counsel, nor counselled is there menti­oned. And in your place, vrged, but not quoted, not found in S. Gregory, suppose it were so, it may haue a good meaning: for that which you call a counsell, is nothing but a particular praecept; which, though it bind not all, yet it must bee observed of those who are furnished with gifts, and find themselues fitted thereto by Gods spirit.

M^r LEECH.

Such were the Apostles, and those Apostolicall mē, that hauing possessions, sold them, brought in the mony & laid it downe at the Apostles feete.

ANSVVERE.

What Apostles did so? Indeed Peter and Andrew for­sooke their nets, Mat. 4.20. &Mat. 9.9. Matthew forsooke his custome. Reliquerunt, non vēdiderunt, saith one.Luk. 19.8. Zac­cheus did restore al; Luk. 19.8. Mat. 19.27. The Disciples did forsake all; Mat. 19.27. S. Phil. 3.8. Paule did vilie value all, Phil. 3.8. On­ly the Merchant did sell all, Mat. 13.46. But that is but a parable.Laert. Plut. Heathens did somewhat in this kinde.Mat. 13.46. Dio­genes neglected all, Socrates contemned all, Crates cast awaie all: and yet these were as farre short of the dis­ciples, as the Disciples of Angelicall perfection. But to the purpose: that the Apostles sold all, it is not so; they sold nothing, for they had nothing to sel. That the A­postolical mē sold their possessiōs,Act. 4.35. Act. 4.35. it is true: but it was not by Evangelicall counsaile, nor for Ange­licall perfection; but to supplie the present want of the Church.

M^r LEECH.

Such was holy Antony that ancient Monke of Egypt; S. Paul the Hermite; S. Benedict; S. Hierom; S. Basil; S. Gregory Nazianzen; S. Gregory the great; S. Bernard, and many other Doctors, and Fathers; the most renowned lights of learning, and greatest pillars of the Church.

ANSVVER.

For your Catalogue of Saints; Trithem. Anthony was no such Monke, nor Benedict: the former lived in the year [Page 53] 330; the later in the yeare 500. I marvaile not, that you make these to be Monkish Counsellors; seeing be­fore, you haue so reckoned the Apostles themselues. You ioine the Saints very vnequally; and claime kin­dred of some, that never knew your religion. I exa­mine not the sanctitie of some of them, but denie all their bils of Sale: or, if they sold al, I hope you wilbe accōp­table what they did with the mony. I acknowledge the reverence of those blessed Fathers, S. Hierom, S Basil, S. Gregorie Nazianzen, &c. I marvailed why you brought not in S. Francis, till I remembred thatCanus loc. Theol. l. 11. c. 7. Ca­nus calleth him a lowsie Saint: and yet hee instructed a Cade lambe so wel that it would kneele at Masse, and the Saint was wont to preach to geese which heard him with devotion. Or why remembred you not S.Baron. ano 1208. n. 5. Fulbert, a man of Evangelicall perfection; who being sicke, the virgin Marie came & gaue him sucke from heaven? Or, among many others,Ant. part. 3. art. 23. c. 1. §. 1 S. Dominicke, whō Antoninus maketh the first inventor of Evangelicall Coūsailes? Of whom he affirmeth, that before he was borne, there were two images founde in a church at Venice; the one of S. Paul, the other of Dominicke: on S. Pauls image was written, By this man you may come to Christ; on Dominickes image, But by this, easier. Anto­ninus giveth the reason; because Paules doctrine led but to faith, and keeping of the commādements: but Dominicke should teach the observing of Evangelical Counsailes, which is the easier way.Risum tenea­tis amici? This storie might haue fitted you.

M^r LEECH.

And was not Christ himselfe Master, & Regius Pro­fessor [Page 54] of this spirituall poverty? spirituall I call it, because the contempt of this worlde for the hope of heaven, is the worke of Gods spirit, wrought within our soules. Witnesse his entrance into this world, when his house was a stable, his cradle a cratch; witnes his continuance in the worlde, living meerely vpon almes ministred vnto him by cer­taine godly women, and deuout persons. Witnesse his com­plaint; the foxes haue holes, and the birds of heaven haue nests, but the sonne of man hath not, whereon to rest his head. And was hee any richer at his departure out of this worlde, when wanting a sepulcher of his owne, he was enterred in an other mans tombe?

ANSVVER.

[...]ri [...]. Mot. 6.It is blasphemous in ^k Bristow, to affirme, that no man is able to put difference betweene the miracles of Christ, and of his Apostles, and of Thomas Aquinas, Bernard, Bonaventure, Becket, Francis, Dominicke, & o­thers. It is almost as much in you, to paralel Christ Ie­sus, blessed for ever & ever, with your Saints: I meane not with the Fathers (that were more tollerable, though vnfit) but that his sacred name, person, functiō, birth, life, death; his precepts, actions, passions, all his con­versations, should be paraleld, with false, vtopicall, Anna­logicall, Imaginarie, statuary Saints. Know, and heare, and feare, and tremble; Hee will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine. But I wil catechise you, in this point farther: was that practise of poverty in Christ, performed by any Evangelicall Counsaile, or not? If by counsaile; from whom received he coun­saile, that was the wisdome of his father, and himselfe [Page 55] the great Esay. 9.6. counsellor? If not by Evangelicall counsaile; why do you bring Christ for an example of the pra­ctise? We confesse to our endlesse comfort, his wil­ling and gracious readines to become poore, to make vs rich, in that he borrowed a stable, to be borne in; a cratch, to be laide in; a pitcher, to drinke in; a parlour to sup in; and a toombe, to lie in: but this is not to your purpose.

M^r LEECH.

Finally; though he were Lorde, & owner of all (beeing God the Lord, and creator of all) and the sole heire-apparāt of heaven, and earth; yet was he content to forsake all: of rich he became poore, teaching aswell opere, as ore, by ex­ample of liuing, as manner of teaching; reall practising, as or all instructing; first doing, & then teaching; and all to this end, vt conversatio magistri forma esset disci­puli; as blessed LEO speaketh; that is, that he might gene­rally weane all Christians from the loue of this world; but especially, that he might become vnto his disciples, and all Apostolicall men, a perfit patterne of this spirituall pover­ty; the maisters conversatiō being the schollers best in­struction.

ANSVVER.

Every action of Christ serueth for our instruction, but not every action for our imitation. It were ridi­culous in vs, if we should presume to thinke we mightMat. 14.15. walke on the water as he did, orMark. 8.3. endeauor to cleanse the leapers, orMat. 9.25. to raise vp the dead, orIohn. 9.1. giue sight to the blind, orMat. 4.1. to fast forty daies and forty nights, or to [Page 56] goe about to liue in such hunger and thirst and want, as our blessed Saviour did: it is impossible we should performe them. Wee haue no lawfull warrant for these; & more the Apostle teacheth, whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne. As for poverty, it is no where in Scripture enioined vs. A blessing, spirituall pouerty hath,Mat. 5.3. Blessed are the poore in spirit, it is [...], not [...] but for the want of temporal things, it afflicteth so many, that none need to affect it.Hugo de claustro ani­mae. Hugo de claustro animae, sheweth how some affect a monkish pouerty, that they may come to some spiri­tuall dignity: and giueth the reason; Et in Ecclesia hono­rari volunt, qui in sua domo non nisi contemptibiles esse poterant. You knowe by practise among you, this to bee true, that among the Monks, and Monkies of Rome, Po­verty is made the first step to ambitious vain glory, & masked humility the vsher to obtaine aspiring dignity. The words in Leo in the end of that sermon, make not for you. They only shew the humility of Christ in all passages of his life: and in that close exhort vs therevnto, as he himself did by his own mouth; learne of me to be humble and meeke.

M^r LEECH.

For Christ came not downe from heauen to earth, from the bosome of the Father, by his eternal generation, God, to the wombe of his Mother, by temporall incarnation, Man; when he deigned to stoope downe so low, nay vouch­safed exinanire seipsum, to put of the garment of his Fa­thers, and heauens glory, investing his incomprehensible deity with the base ragges of finite mortality; I say Christ [Page 57] did not performe all this only to fulfill the morall Deca­logue, but ouer, and aboue the lawes righteousnes,Se S. Basil de vera virginit. hee taught that, which the law wanted of the merit of perfe­ction.

ANSVVER.

The conclusiō of this, is nothing else but this, Christ did more then the law required, therefore there is somewhat more then is required in the law. I answer he did more then the law required of him, for him­selfe, by his passiue iustice in suffering that which was due vnto vs; whereas, his actiue iustice, was enough to satisfie for himselfe, and whereby also the law is sa­tisfied by vs. But this argument is like Mephibosheth, lame in both feet; for neither did Christ all this to practise Evangelicall counsells as you inferre, nor did he hereby manifest any want of perfectiō in the law, as you do vrge, out of Basil de vera virginitate, which book is misdoubted to be his, because it is one of the [...] which are fathered on Basil, of which workes Eustathius, one violent against Marriage, was the au­thor, asSozom. l. 3. cap. 13.14. Sozomen witnesseth. Besides the disallowing of the booke, receiue this satisfaction. If the booke were S. Basils, and that it were his speech that Christ did adde perfection to the law: it must so bee vnder­stood, as that he added fulfilling & perfect observing to the law, not thereby manifesting that the law did want perfection. For if that be perfect, as the Philo­sopher defineth it, to which nothing can bee added; and that God himselfe gaue that especiall command in three several places inDeut. 4.2. & 5.32. & 12.32. Deuteronomy, that nothing should be added to the law: how dare you accusing [Page 58] the law of imperfection, stand out against Gods wis­domes proclamation? [...], which is commonly translated transgression, may also be interpreted out­lawry: 1. Ioh. 3.4. you are subiect to the sentence and punish­ment of outlawry; the law doth accuse you for sin, and you accuse it for imperfection. Vnlesse you send for an advocate to Hell, there is none to speak for you. Briefly to your quotation, I say the law wanted not perfecting, but man wanted meanes of fulfilling it. Christ in that sense added perfectiō to the law in ful­filling it, because as CardinallCusanus ex­cit l. 10. Cusanus confesseth, never did any fulfill the commandements but Christ. But in this there was no addition, and therefore no for­mer imperfection in the law.

M^r LEECH.

And as he taught this vnto vs by practise in his owne most sacred person, and in the persons of his Apostles, so he left vs the first pure primitiue Church, and raised vp ma­ny in the other succeeding ages and Centuries of the Ca­tholike Church, to be examples, and patterns of these E­vangelicall Counsells.

ANSVVER.

It is a toile that my pen must follow yours, in these so idle repetitions and needlesse Tautologies. I ingemi­nate my former answer; Christ did not professe the teaching of Evangelicall Counsells, he came not from heauen with another edition of the law then what Moyses had brought. The Primitiue Church knewe [Page 59] not the name of Evangelicall Counsells: that asAssert. Lu­ther conf. art. 18. pag. 86. Fi­sher B. of Rochester said of Purgatory, that there was li­tle mentiō or none at all, among the Ancients, there­of; so I say of Counsells, this opinion was a Posthume to the Primitiue Church. Anselmus, that liued many hundred yeeres after, denyeth that any man may per­forme more then he oweth, as you would teach by Coun­sells. His words be,Anselm. de concep. virg. c. 21. Nullus potest reddere quantum de­bet, solus Christus reddidit pro omnibus qui salvantur, plus quàm debetur. But asDion. Xi­philin. in epi­tome Domit. Decebalus, king of Dacia, put to flight the Romans, by arming trunks of trees insteed of souldiers: so the new Romans suppose to gull vs, by obtruding shadowes insteed of substance; in­serting into their Pamphlets the name of the Primi­tiue Church, Ancient Catholike Church, Fathers of the Church, in those matters controversed betweene vs, whereas the Church and Fathers in this case may an­swere Papists, as answer was made to1. Sam. 28.26 Saul, in the 1. Sam. 28.16. Wherefore dost thou aske of mee, see­ing the Lord is gon from thee and is thine enemie?

M^r LEECH.

This was the summe of my repetition, with a more am­ple explanation of my former doctrine; iustified now in publike against the Brethren, who had traduced it in their whispering conventicles, according to the liberty of their private spirits.

ANSVVER.

You haue landed this discourse, thinking hereby to [Page 60] gaine the name of an authorizer, if not an author. But bragge not that you haue publikely iustified that a­gainst the Brethren, which you will be constrained to deny before the Saints. The writtē Coppy which you delivered, is much different frō this second repetition, & you and it farre from truth. Because with Peter, you hope to warme your hands at the high Priests fire: therefore you deny the truth of your Master. Follow Peter rather in repenting, then in forswearing.

CHAP. 4. M^r LEECH.

THis sermon being ended, and supper time immedi­atly approaching; M. Doctor Hutton (one of the Channons of Christ Church; now deputed Pro­vicechancellour in the absence of M^r. Doctour King) sent for me by one of my fellow Chaplaines into the commō kitchin,A place fitt to treat vppon Io­vinianisme; but vnfit for the sa­cred mysteries of Religion. to conferre with me vpon the point delivered in my sermon.

ANSVVER.

The summe of this ensuing chap­ter, was begot in the Kitchin, it is so full of smoake & heat. Your marginall note doth much tra­duce Doctor Hutton, Prebenda­ry, & Subdeane of Christ-Church; an auncient learned preacher, Professor, Doctor of Diuinity: [Page 61] the least of these titles might haue restrained you in your duty towards him. But a more neere respect of obseruance bound you to reuerence him, not only for private, but for publicke authority; not only for feare, but for cōscience sake, saith the Apostle. He was the Ma­gistrate, Provicechancellor, Deputy Governor of your betters, at that time; not in that house alone, but in the whole Vniuersity. He might haue sent for you by an officer, not your fellow Chaplaine; vnto a publique place, not so familiar; to cōvent, censure, imprison, pu­nish you, not to conferre with you. It is not the place, that doth honest the man but the man the place. Lu­cifer rebelled in heaven, Adam sinned in Paradise; whē as Lot served God in Sodom, Ioseph in Egypt. Better to speake truth in the Kitchin, then falsehoode in the Pulpit. The place of all other is least circumstantiall.

M^r LEECH.

Hither I no sooner came, but, hee (interessing himselfe in the quarrell of IOVINIAN) began very fiercely to as­sault, and chardge me for preaching scandalous & erro­neous doctrine; excepting farther against the tearmes of Angelicall Chastity, and Evangelicall Counsailes of perfection; expresly mentioned by me in the aforesaid ser­mon.

ANSVVER.

For any Iovinian heresie that you taxe him with, or the opposers of your opinion, you knowe in your conscience that no Protestant ever defended anie of [Page 62] them. S.Aug. de hae­resibus ad quod vult De um haeres. 82. Augustine in his tract De haeresibus ad Quod­vult Deum, the 82. heresie, reciteth the divers positiōs of Iovinian: and I doe freely and fully protest, that I knowe no point wherewith our Church in that kinde may be accused. In what point of Iovinianisme was he guilty? name it. I am sure, if you could, you would. Your doctrine offered much offence, & therfore was scandalous; and was opposite to our Churches do­ctrine, and therefore to be called erroneous.

M^r LEECH.

The onset being thus given by his worship, my warde was; Sir. (vnder your correction) the doctrine lately by me preached (howsoever you disconceipt it) is not, nay cannot possibly be either scandalous, or erroneous; for it is the doctrine of that great Pillar of the Latine Church S. Gre­gory; accorded vnto, and confirmed by vniforme consent of fathers, both of the Greeke & Latine Church.

ANSVVER.

As Salomon spake ofEccl. 12.12. making many books, so may I of vsing many words; There is no end: the one, wea­rying of the flesh; the other, angariation to the spirit. It is not as you take it, the doctrine of that great Pillar of the Church, S. Gregory: it is a Doctrine which is the Pillar of Monkes, & I assure my selfe the Monkes would not maintaine it, vnlesse it did maintaine Monkes. The Fathers of the Greeke and Latine Church, are answe­red so sufficiently, as that I hope you will change and challendge your Grand-Iurie for beeing too partiall for our part.

M^r LEECH.

As for the termes ofVirginity e­qualleth it selfe to Angells; yea, if wee examine well the matter we shall finde it to exceed An­gells; for that contrary to na­ture, it getteth a victory in flesh aboue flesh which Angells doe not. Cypr. de bono pudicitiae. Virginity (an Angelicall gift) exceedeth ma­trimony, as much as an An­gell excelleth a man. Damas. l. 4. Orthodoxae fidei cap. 25. Vide Cypr. de nati­vitate Christi & Hieron. lib. 1. contra Iovini­an. Angelicall Chastity; & Evan­gelicall Counsailes of perfection, I haue not hammered them vpon any anvile in the forge of my owne braine, but rather borrow them from Orthodox Antiquity.

ANSVVER.

It is no doubt that you forged not these tearmes: for this mysterie of iniquity, though it be but novelty, hath beene more ancient then you. You quote pla­ces in the Margent: the first out of Cyprian de bono pu­dicitiae, a booke much doubted of to be his, as Reve­rend M^r Perkins in his problem. Perkins in his Probleme proveth; and the other out of Damascene, and Cyprian de Nativitate, & S. Hierome contra Iovinianum. For that booke of Cy­prian de Nativitate, it is not only doubted of, but de­nied by theCent. 3. cap. 10. p. 245. Magdeburgenses, In edit. Bas. apud Froben. 1520. Erasmus, Medul. Pa­trum com. 1. lib. 24. p. 37. Scultetus; & by your owne, In argumēt, lib. de Card. operibꝰ Chri­sti. Iacobus Pamelius, Biblioth. sanctae lib. 4. de falsa librorum inscriptione. Sixtus Senensis, In appar. sacr. voce Cy­prianus. Antonius Possevinus, andDe amist. grat. & stat. pec. lib 6. c. 2. Bellarmin. But suppose it were Cyprians, & that those other Fathers did speake so largely of virginity: yet you know that by their Hy­perbolicall praising of it, they almost made an Idoll of it. And therefore the IesuitAcosta lib. 2. de virginitate c. 18. Acosta cōfesseth, con­cerning S. Hierome; Dum oppugnatores virginitatis in­sectans, videtur aliquando matrimonio iniquior. They thought it the fittest kinde of life, for those times, be­cause of the imminent daunger of persecution: but [Page 64] Espen. com. in 1. Tim. 3. Espencaeus denyeth not, nay absolutly affirmeth, that in these times a man may marrie, & yet his marriage no hinderāce to his desire of a more perfect life: Nup­tiae licèt plurimum difficultatis habent, sic tamen assumi possunt, vt vitae perfectiori impedimento non sint.

M^r LEECH.

Against this he replyed; that if I preached any errone­ous doctrine out of S. Gregory (such as this must needes be) then both the defence of the doctrine, and Author him­selfe would be required at my hands. For (said hee) cannot Gregory haue his errours, but you must broach thē here to infect this place with POPERY?

ANSVVER.

He required with much wisedome but that which was reason. If it be the Apostles rule, that every one must be able to giue accompt of the hope that is in him: then much more a Preacher to giue accompte of his doctrine. And that Gregory is thought to hold some points erroneous, I doubt not but your Ghost­ly Fathers will enioine you to beleeue. For besides that many errors are imputed to the Fathers byBiblioth. sanct. l. 5. c. 6. Six­tus Senensis, Biblioth. se­lect. lib. 12. c. 23. p. 53. Possevine, andMel. Can. lib. 7. de loc. Theol. l. 4. c. 6. obs. 2. p. 558 Melchior Canus: Gregorie in particular, is reiected by aTumul tua­ria Apol. pro dispens. ma­trim. Henri. fol. 46. § de Noverca. Champion of your own, in Apologia Tumultuaria, wherein the Author thus basely disclaimeth Gregories iudgement; Gregorius hîc non est audiendus, ne (que) quantum ad ius naturae, ne (que) quā ­tum ad honestatem: Gregory here is not to be heard, ne­ther as concerning the right of nature, nor honestie. [Page 65] And before giveth the reason,Apol. Tumul. Scripturas obtorto collo ad suum institutum pertrahit: for with a wrested necke he draweth the Scripture to his owne purpose. And Hart in his conference with Doctor Rainolds, Conference betweeene Do­ctor Rainolds and Hart. pag. 386. line 21. Gregory did mistake the words of Scrip­ture. doeth scornefully reiect the opinion of Gregory: and there­fore it was not so vnfitly said that Gregory had his er­rours. The Church of Rome denyeth him in manie things, as will appeare: andDurand. l. 4. sent. dist. 7. q. 4. Durand concludeth; Gre­gorius, quum fuerit homo, non Deus, potuit errare. And therefore D. Hutton spake truely, Gregory hath his er­rours.

M^r LEECH.

This was the accompt, that the culinariā Doctor made of S. Gregory the great; one of the holyest,Ildephons. de viris illustribus ca. 2. Isidore de viris illustribus cap. 2. Vide Greg. Turon. lib. 20. histor. de laudibus Gregorii. & learnedst do­ctours, that ever breathed in the Catholique Church; ex­celling S. Antony in holinesse, S. Cyprian in eloquence, S. Augustin in wisdome; full of compunction, humilitie, the grace and feare of God; indued with such light of knowledge, that not any of the present time was equall vnto, no nor of the former: to whose morall exposition of scripture all the doctours giue place, & that in the iudgment of a ge­nerall councell.

ANSVVER.

Cham in Noahs family, or Dathan in Moses Policie, coulde not haue vented out more loathsome vn­seemely speeches, then this your Culinarian Title of him, whom you were bound to, not only for the par­ticipation of Gods blessings to you in his learning, [Page 66] wisedome, governement; but especially for his wor­thy care, and loue to you, beeing a speciall meanes to bring you into that Colledge. Of God the Psalmist testifieth, that he setteth vp one, and putteth downe ano­ther: but that you shoulde so presume to extoll one Doctor, and disgrace another, I do beleeue you vvill much blame your selfe vpon due examination. Your scoffing at Doctor Hutton is senselesse and gracelesse: the most learned, reverend, and ancient here, will testi­fie against your greasie scoffe, that his young yeeres were beautified with al kinde of learning, in which he was eminent, his middle yeeres with all ingenuity in iudgement, his reverend yeeres with great wisdome in government. Therefore forbeare scornes. Concer­ning S. Gregorie, we are willing to giue him whatsoe­ver he deserveth: but it is very Hyperbolicall and vndis­creet in you, to affirme, that none of the latter should be like him, none of the former. Comparisons are e­ver odious, and dangerous. And yet we could be cō ­tent to afford S. Gregory that attribute of greatnesse, which Alexāder had in Greece, Pompey in Rome, Arsaces in Parthia, Euseb. and Charles in France: but to giue him so many Titles as Eusebius records that Galerius had, Pō ­tifex Maximus, Thebaicus Maximus, Sarmaticus Ma­ximus, Quinquies Persarum Maximus, &c: the grea­test Bishop, greatest in Thebes, greatest in Sarmatia, in Persia fiue times greatest, greatest in Germany, grea­test in Aegypt, to giue so many titles of greatnesse to your Gregory, is to make him a monster. That hee should exceede S. Anthony, S. Cyprian, S. Austin; all that know their storie, will deny. Anthony not worthy to be cōpared with Austine: nor Gregory with Cyprian, [Page 67] or Austin: for these two most worthy pillers of the Church, were as the flowers of Roses in the spring of the yeere, as Lilyes by the fountaines of waters, as branches of Frankincense in the time of Sommer, as faire Oliues that bee fruitful, or Cypres trees that grow to the Clowdes, asEcclesiast. Ecclesiasticus speaketh of o­thers. Cyprian for eloquence, Austin for dexterity of wit, wisedome, learning. Cyprian was, asNaz. Orat. in Cyprianū. Nazianzene re­porteth him, the great name of Carthage & of all the world; whose name was famous in all Churches, both Heretique and Christian; whose name and workes Nazianzene professeth he reverenced, more then he did all others, and for his eloquence surpassed all o­ther men, so farre as other men doe bruit beasts. SaintEpist. ad Paulinum de instit. monat. Ierome calleth him sweet, professing that the Lord dwelt in him, andDe doct. Christ. c. 40. Austin calleth him a most sweet Doctor, and most blessed Martyr, and concludeth of him; Tanti meriti, tanti pectoris, tanti oris, tantae vir­tutis Episcopus. And concerning blessed Austin, Epist. ad Aug. 31. & 37. Pau­linus calleth him the salt of the earth, a Candle worthy to be set on the candlestick of the Church, his mouth like a Conduit pipe of living water, a veine of that eternall fountaine.Eras. epist. praef. 1. tom. Augustini. Erasmus testifieth of him, his name be­ing Aurelius Augustinus, that the world hath nothing magis aureum, vel augustius; that there never was a golden name more worthily giuen to any, then to him. And if I shall reckon Titles giuen to him, that is called the perfection of the Fathers, the Hammer of He­retiques, the Treasure, Megasine, liuing librarie of learning, and infinite his other Titles: it would be te­dious. Nay Iesuits and all kind of Papists afford him such Encomtasticks, that never had any Father of the [Page 68] Church so many. LookePossevin. in appar. sacr. p. 151. 152. Possevin in his Aparatu sacro, where he giueth him the greatest and worthiest Ti­tles, that ever any Doctor of the Church had, and te­stifieth that by the consecration of theSynod. Flo­rent. Florentine Synod, he was called Illustrissimus Latinorū Doctorum. You see how grosse your comparison is. Concer­ning the approbation of a general Councell, there is no such thing directly named in any of the Concilia Toletana, being 13 in number. The only Councell of all which, that mentioneth Gregory, is the last; of whichCaranza in Epitome Cō ­ciliorum. Caranza in the Epitome of Councells, giueth this note, Nihil habet hoc concilium singulari annotatione dignum.

M^r LEECH.

Concilium Tolc­tan.Did it then become M. Doctor Hutton to detract frō the due worth of so great, and learned a Saint? since I may yet adde this to perfect his praise; whatsoever hee was vnto others, doubtlesse vnto vs he was an Apo­stle (to speake in the phrase of the Apostle) to whom our English nation standeth perpetually obliged for her con­version from Paganisme vnto the Christian faith.Beda, Eccles. hist. Angl. lib. 2. cap. 1.

ANSVVER.

Gregory was not our Apostle. All histories be against you. Britaine had true religion planted here, before your Gregory or his Monke Austin were extant. It is recorded by yourBaron. Ann. 35. num. 5. Chronologicall Cardinall, that Ioseph of Arimathaea was here:Theod. de curand. grec affect. lib. 9. Theodoret saith, S. Paul; Bar. anno 597. n. 20. Baronius thinketh, S Peter; Nic. l. 2. c 40. Nicephorus saith, that [Page 69] Simon Zelotes: andTertul. ad­vers. Iudaeos Tertullian, Orig. in Hom. 4. in. E­sec. Origen, and other of the most worthy of the Fathers doe affirme, that the Gospell was planted here in the time of the Pri­mitiue Church. And that you shall not reply, that re­ligion was extinguished, and afterwards lightned by Gregory: I say, religion was not extinct at the com­ming of that proud petty Monke, Austin, whom hee sent. WitnesseLib. 1. c. 8. 17. 21. Bede whom you vntruly cite, who writeth that before Austins comming, the Britaines were troubled with Arrianisme and Pelagianisme: but that three French Bishops delivered them. And the forger of the three cōversionsThree con. par. 1. c 9. n. 1 testifieth more, that from king Lucius time vntill the comming of Austin, which was foure hundred yeeres and more, they did not alter their faith, but it remained among them when he entred. Therefore Gregory converted not our land, per se, nor per aliū. And Austin, as impetuous or imperious as he was, was but Gregories Curat. For Gregory, at that time, asOrdo. Rom. praef. Cassander observeth, did change the Lyturgies and service bookes, vsed in our westerne parts: for which cause it is likely Austin came ouer. So that Gregory and Austin converted bookes, not soules: and therefore were Translators, Cor­rectors; no Apostolicall Doctors, or founders of our Church.

M^r LEECH.

But to passe over the praise of this bright shining star in the firmamēt of the Church; my reioynder was, that this doctrine must first be proved to be erroneous & scanda­lous before any such imputation ought (vpō any absolute [Page 70] necessity) to be imposed, and fastened vpon it, since scādall doth arise from errour, & errour is an approbatiō of that, which is false in iudgement, and vnderstanding.

ANSVVER.

The answer of the Philosopher inDiog. Laert. in vit. Phil. Laertius, to one that immoderatly praised him, was fit for you: Me hic aut ludit, aut odit; this fellow would procure me to be scorned, or hated. Your vnmeasurable LASHON of cōmēding Gregory, it deserveth no other speech. We esteem Gregory to be the best Pope, from the yeere a­bout 600, wherein he lived, to this present. He never held theReg. Epist. lib. 9. ep. 9. supremacy, Lib. 7. ep. 69. l. 7. ep. 30. merits, and other points of Po­pery: and he never taught this Doctrine, as you do; & therefore the error, & scandal must remaine with you not with him.

M^r LEECH.

And as for defending of S. Gregory, my opinion then was, and now is, that the very name, it selfe, and Authori­ty of this worthy Father ought and would rather (amongst all learned, and iudicious divines) be my iust defence & ful dischardge, then that his credit should bee so farre called in question, as now (after a 1000. yeares continuance in the Catholique Church of Christ: being generally reputed Or­thodox so long) to stande in neede of mine, or any other mans defence whatsoever.

ANSVVER.

The worthines of Gregory is not denyed: But that [Page 71] his very name should be sufficient to prescribe against all opposers, and to patronize your conceipt, it is much doubted. Concerning Gregory, I thinke of the reading of him, as S. Hier. in ep. ad Romanum Ierome doth of reading the other Fa­thers: Meum propositum est antiquos legere, probare sin­gula, retinere quae bona sunt, & à fide Ecclesiae non recede­re. I would you had taken this course in reading Gre­gory. But for the point in hand; you haue not in al the words of S. Gregory, the distinctiō of Praeceptū, & Con­silium: no place that defineth Evangelica consilia, nei­ther their name, number, or any thing concerning thē. And therefore to any never so little intelligent, you will seeme strangely ridiculous, to make Gregory, God­father to that childe he never knewe; or Author of that doctrine, which he never taught, or thought. Wee call not his credit into question: I would yours did it not, as I formerly shewed, and especiallyBar. Tom. 8. Annal. Ann. Christi 1593. num. 62. p. 57. Baronius, who speaking of the barrennesse of learning in Gregory his time, sheweth that Gregory himselfe was ignoraunt in many things.

M^r LEECH.

And yet rather then the doctrine shall be thus odiouslie traduced, and my Author want his promerited defence, I will according to that poore ability (wherewith God hath enabled me) endeuor to defend both it, and him: and there­fore if S. Gregory, in this point, hath not transgressed the boūds of Ancienter Church, nor crossed any tenent of his owne Present Church, nor yet, for this, hath hitherto been censured by the lawfull iudgement of any Catholique suc­ceeding Church; nay if the Church more ancient then his, [Page 72] his owne present, and the ever after succeeding Centuries of Catholique Church haue, from hand to hand, deliuered vnto him, receiued with him, and with vniforme consent followed him in this point of doctrine, never so much as once noting it, questioning it, impugning it, cōtradicting it (which certainely they would haue done, had the doctrine beene erroneous: for their devoted piety spared no Here­tique,Origen. Millie­nar; Tertul. Montanising Cypr. rebapti­sing. no not the most renowned martyrs, nor glorious fa­thers of the Church in any of their errors, repugnant vn­to the vnity of Catholique verity) then, vpon these premi­ses, I may irrefragably conclude in defence of my Authour, and doctrine, that S. Gregory his position is no privat o­pinion hatched out of his owne braine, but the vniforme deduction, and tradition of Christ his spouse the true Ca­tholique, never erring Church inspired, guided, & dire­cted by God his holy spirit in all ages.

ANSVVER.

Rather then you will let truth haue the superemi­nence, quae magna est & praevalet, you will continue to father your opinion vpon Gregory, yea and vpon the Primitiue & Derivatiue Church. Act. 9. But it is hard for you to kicke against the truth. The weedes of supereroga­tion, growing vnder the shaddow of Evangelicall Coun­sailes, haue had no time of encrease of growing, in the ancient primitiue Church. None of the first and wor­thier Fathers, taught it. It is a common, but not commē ­dable vse among you, of imposturing & interpreting the Fathers in a wrong sense. The chiefest groūd for your doctrine, is the misinterpreting of that place of S. Paule: which sense neither the Originall will carrie, [Page 73] nor any Greeke Father ever followed. And that bles­sed servant of God M^r Perkins, in his Probleme, pro­veth against opposers, how farre the Fathers were from mainetaining workes of supererogation. Physiti­ans, that meane to cure the disease, first beginnne with the cause: so giue me leaue, seeing workes of superero­gation bee only the inductions and cause of teaching this doctrine. First I desire you to answere, whether S. Hierome thought any such works were performed, who disclaiming them, thus speaketh,Hier. lib. 1. c. 3. cont. Pelag. Tum ergo iusti sumus, quando nos peccatores fatemur, & iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito, sed ex Dei consistit misericordia; or, whether S.Retract. l. 1. c. 19. Augustine doth thinke a man might supererogate, who affirmeth a contrary positiō, Om­nia mandata Dei facta deputantur, quando quicquid non fit, ignoscitur; orChrys. in 8. Hom. in. 4. ad. Roman. Chrysostome, who in his 8. homily on the 4. to the Romanes affirmeth, No man to bee iustified by the Law, because none can fulfill the Law; Bern. in 73 ser. in Cant. or Bernard, in his 73. vpō the Canticles, who wisheth no man to trust to his own iustice, or fulfilling of the Law; or, to approch neerer, what meantDe Consil. Evang. & sta­tu perfectio­nis. Gerson, that famous Doctor, to deny any perfection in Evangelicall counsailes. Secōd­ly, I desire you to answere, whyAq. 22 dae. Art. 5. Aquinas teacheth that perfection doth essentially (which is perfectly) consist in keeping the Commandements (which none can do,) and in the fulfilling of the Lawe, if that perfe­ction of Counsailes bee so much aboue the Law; whyIn sent. lib. 3. distinct. 34, q. 3. Paludanus vpon the Sentences, doth affirme, that some men may attaine to as great height of perfection, liuing in marriage, and possessing much, as they that liue single, and giue away all that they haue. I will aske no more questions, but seeing this is so taught by so many reve­rend [Page 74] Ancients, yea & by many of your owne later,Ians. in 100. Cap. in E­vang. Iansenius in his 100. chapter vpon the Evangelicall concord professing with Gerson and Aquinas, that on­ly the fulfilling of the law doth iustifie, and Cus. excit. lib. 10. Cardinall Cu­sanus confessing that none but Christ ever did fulfill the Commandements; seeing all this is thus: why will you so boldly affirme, that this doctrine was never im­pugned, never contradicted, &c: which indeede was never rather taught, never approved? It is true, S. Gre­gory was never contradicted in this, for hee never taught any such thing: But this opinion was gaine­said, and disliked; and the Church never received, ne­ver generally delivered any such position. Although if it had, your epithet of never erring Church is scarce currant: for you cannot deny but the Church hath had her blots.Dial. con­tra Lucif. S. Ierome cōplained that the whole world groaned and wondred to see it selfe Arrian; &Aduers. proph. Novit. Vin­centius Lerinēsis confesseth, that not only some por­tion of the Church, but the whole Church may be blot­ted with contagion. But this was none of her blots, spots, or infectious blemishes: for shee never gene­rally mainetained, or taught this Doctrine.

M^r LEECH.

But M. Doctour Hutton lending a deafe eare vnto my defence (though in my conscience, and iudgement, it ought to haue satisfied him) sounded another alarome, and ringed a fresh peale in my eares, charging, nay surchar­ging me (ad nauseam vsque) for holding any distinction betwixt Precepts & Counsailes. For (saide hee) there is no such distinction: those, which you falsely cal Coūsailes, [Page 75] are in deed Precepts and not Counsailes.

ANSVVER.

The Comoediā Plautus. Plautus taxeth some that had no stuffe in them but in their tongue, and that only in speaking lewdly of their betters; Isthic est thesaurus stultis in lingua situs, ut quaestui habent malè loqui melio­ribus. Let the lawes of God, Nature, and Nations moue you to reverence this honest and learned Do­ctour: hee did truely, and wisely chardge you, that S. Gregory had no such distinction. Praeceptum, and prae­cipitur, be Gregory his words. In your strongest place out of him, you can vrge no such thing. That the Fa­thers haue called virginity, poverty, &c: precepts, shall hereafter appeare at large. In the meane time, to pre­scribe against al opposers, to giue you a tast, & to bring your metall to the test before I try it by the ballance: Virginity is called a precept byAthan. in e­dit. Comelin. Graecol. p. 77. Athanasius, his words be, Omnium Rex Christus tantùm valuit praeceptis sui [...], vt pueri nondum maturi legum disciplinae, virginitatem quae supra leges, profiteantur; Poverty and leaving of al, is accoūted a precept byHilary in 19. Mat. Hilary on the 19. of Mat­thew, where on those wordes, vende omnia, hee thus speaketh, Adolescens insolens iacturam legis facere prae­cipitur. And not only these, but many other of the Fathers doe so call them, thereby strongly invading your opinion.

M^r LEECH.

And this was his definitiue resolution, sifting out of [Page 76] the sieue of the Church all the wheaten meale, I meane the fine flower of spirituall Poverty, Angelicall Chastity, & leauing nought else within it, but the branne, and huskes of Iovinian his heresie; which (to speake of it in one word, as it deserveth) is the very evacuation, and exinanition of all the best fruits of our Christian religion. And this he did with an earnest protestation; not being able to con­taine himselfe from vowing, and solemnely swearing be­fore God, that he would send me vp to my Lord Bishoppe of London, to answer the point before the high Commis­sion.

ANSVVER.

The Church is compared to the house of God: but that in this house there should be such a vtensile as a sieue, I never read nor heard. It is not mystica vannus Iacchi, that it should as you thinke, after such a prepo­sterous maner, retaine the bad and shake out the good. I leaue your sifting comparison, and yet will remem­ber you,Mat. 3.12. that there is one, who shall come with his fanne in his hand, & shal purge his flower, gathering his wheate, burning his chaffe. You seeme ignorant of the difference betweene asseverations & oaths, when you tearme Doctor Huttons earnest and religious protes­tation, an oath, David to Ionathan, Vriah to David, E­lisha to Eliah, the Sunamite to Elisha, S. Paule to the2. Cor. 11.31 Corinths, 1. Tim. 2.7. Timothy andGal. 1.20. Galathians, did vse more earnest and vehement protestations: and yet were not taxed for swearing. Sathan hath his brand for accu­sing his brethren: how full you are of Accusatiues, e­very page doth betray it selfe. He maintained no part [Page 77] of Iouinians heresie, vttered no oath in any violent fer­vency: you straine out vires and virus, passion and poison against him, that afforded you much loue and compassion, who was a meanes to obtaine a place for you in that house, and, when some distasting you sought to work your remoue, he defēded you against that storme.

M^r LEECH.

To this I replied. Sir: the distinction betwixt Pre­cepts & Counsels is no devise of mine, but the doctrine of S. Paul, grounded vpon Christ his restrictiue negatiue; non omnes capiunt: wherevpon S. Paul had no precept: and vpon Christ his exhortatiue affirmatiue, qui potest capere capiat. Herevpon the Apostle giueth his counsell; Consilium do: 1. Cor. 7.21. and thus all ancient Church hath inter­preted his sentence.

ANSVVER.

It was not S. Pauls doctrine, Counsell is not his worde, [...] is not so translated, the Lexicons shew that the greeke Poets & Orators did not so vnderstand it, Doctor Benefield hath so sufficiently answered it, that there is no gainesaying. The heresie of Nestorius lay but in the chāge of one letter, taking [...] for [...]: & those many Bishops that resisted Nestori­us as S. Basil. apud Theod. l. 4. c. 19. Basill observeth, were so religious in the car­riage of that controversie, that they woulde not ex­chāge a syllable or letter. If the change of a letter may doe so much: what may the misinterpretation of a [Page 78] word? though it be a very naked proofe, to ground any point of beliefe vpon one word, howsoever vnderstood. I know you haue not distilled much out of the School-limbiques, & therefore wil remember you of this di­stinct difference betweene counsell, & sentence; that the one is proper to the will,Aquin. 22 dae. the other to the vnderstan­ding. The place of Scripture out of Christes mouth, maketh nothing in this matter for you, non omnes ca­piunt, &c. The later wordes of the Text answere the former: Omnes non capiunt hoc: Christ his speech is in­terpreted in respect of the common condition of na­ture in generall. So virginity may be proposed, not imposed vpon any: none may be compelled, none constrained therevnto; but Capiuntij quibus datū, they must, that are able to take it vpon thē. And so Christ inioineth, enforceth, & commandeth them by an Im­peratiue in the 12. verse; He that is able to receiue this, let him receiue it. Thus the Church hath, and doth inter­pret this speech. Omnes nō capiunt, all in generall not enforced, because not enabled: but, qui potest capere ca­piat, he that is so furnished by Gods spirit, [...], hee is commāded by this word of God: it is not volunta­ry, but necessary; therefore no counsell, but a cōmande, and so consequently, the place maketh not for you.

M^r LEECH.

But admit (by way of supposition) your peremptory con­clusion, and suppose that there bee no counsailes, but let all be precepts; do they not thē as Precepts binde you, & that sub poenâ? For that which is a precept is commanded; that which is commanded, must be done of necessity; that, which [Page 79] must perforce be done, is punished being left vndone: & in vaine is that commanded as necessary, which is left in the free choice of the commanded as volūtary as S. Hierome teacheth. Wherefore giue me leaue (without offence) to de­maunde; why do you, or any other marry, or possesse anie of the worlds goods? Ought your practise to bee cōtrary to the precept? And doth not S. Gregory teach, that if coūsailes were precepts, then were it sin, and that damnable too, to possesse any of the worlds goods? And were not mariage ta­ken away (which is no lesse then flat heresie) if virginitie were a precept? as S. Basill and the Fathers teach.

ANSVVER.

The Stoicks divided the offices of Philosophy into [...] and [...], perfectum et commune. So the Pa­pists distinguish al the duties of a Christians life, into these two; Counsells, and precepts: Mat. 7.11. and so by the Pha­rises ^l Corban, they affect such perfection by the rule of Counsaile, as that they transgresse the law of Com­mandement: for, asPez. p. 552. Pezelius noteth, they make thē Perfectiores leges Evangelicas, which be but Enarrati­ones decalogi. But to your supposition, how vmbra­gious soeuer you seeme to be, it is manifest you ne­ver vnderstood the state of the question. Counsells are precepts, I can easily bring a Iurie of Fathers to proue it, not such as you impanelled to condemne your selfe. Precepts, I say, they be to particular men, who exceed others in gifts of grace. And because much shall bee required of him, that hath much gi­uen him: therefore a Counsell as a praecept doth ob­lige not all in generall, but him that is particularly [Page 80] furnished by God, for such a purpose and service; and therefore he that hath the gift of chastity, other cir­cumstances concurring, is bound sub poena, not to marry. S. Hierom doth only speake of generall pre­cepts: and the place in Gregory is oft cited, and as oft answered, but not quoted at all. But I say the same of him,Greg. mor. l. 26. cap. 25. as of Hierome: for Gregory is most plaine in the point, in the 25 Chapt. of the 26 booke of Mo­ralls, his words be, specialis iussio, and specialia praecepta, and specialiter imperatur; and the distinction of gene­rale praeceptum, & speciale praeceptum, is so often repea­ted about the midst of that Chapter, as nothing can be more plain. So that Ierome and Gregory come over to vs: for they meane speciall precepts, not generall. And certainely, as S. Basil speaketh, if virginity were a generall command to all, it would exclude mar­riage but being not, some may marry, some liue chast, all doe well.

M^r LEECH.

This I demanded; but hee then passed it ouer with si­lence; and therefore I expect his answere now, how hee cā avoid this consequence, which followeth vpon his own lear­ning.

ANSVVER.

Eccles. 12. The words of the wise are like Goads, & like nailes fa­stened by the masters of the assemblies, saith Salomon. His words might haue satisfied you, if truth and reason would haue yeelded you satisfaction: but a false opi­nion once grounded is like poison fully setled, or like Deianiraes shirt; it wil hardly be shaken of without [Page 81] plucking the skinne with it.

M^r LEECH.

As for sending me vp to London, to answere the point there, my reply was; that, for my part, I was ready to answere vnto the point, and to iustify the doctrine ei­ther there, or else where in what consistory soever in the kingdome. Only for your own credit sake, and place (said I) which you supply, I wish that it would please you to bee better advised; at least to conferre with some other do­ctors, who heard the sermon as well as your selfe, and ma­turely to deliberate, whether there be scandalum datum, or acceptum, a scandall on my part iustly giuen, or on your part vniustly taken; and whether your exception a­gainst my doctrine will beare waight, or no being poysed in an indifferent ballance of equity; before you resolue vpon this precipitation. Otherwaies, you shall bewray great want of sound iudgement in opinion, and disclose much oversight in discretion.

ANSVVER.

Theod. in Plut. Pericl. Pericles had that skill in wrastling, that though he receiued a fall, yet hee would perswade the wrastler that cast him, and others that beheld him, that he cō ­quered. I know no such subtelty in you, as you would haue your hearers to beleeue: but sure I am, you did not braue it so with the Doctor as you here relate. In all these proceedings of D. Hutton, you haue iniured him much, but your selfe more: you know what slayeth the soule, and therefore ought to forbeare al insulting [Page 82] tearmes, iniust imputations, circumstantiall dispa­radgments, false relations, and to regard age and au­thority, learning & piety, so are you bound by feare and conscience. What, other Doctors iudged, concer­ning your sermon, you knowe, by those reverend Di­vines and governors among vs, when you were cen­sured about it: and therefore it is an idle question, whe­ther you gaue or tooke the offence. The doctrine, you know, was Papisticall: therefore you ought not to haue obtruded such a point in the pulpit. Christs speech is generall, [...] Mat. 18.6. whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones that beleeue in me, it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and that hee were drowned in the depth of the sea. Your weapons were made on the Philistims forges:Aug. your arguments were neither de veritate, nor pro veritate; Neither truth of matter, nor sobriety of speech, had place in your tempestuous conceit, & disiointed sermon. You were not so willing to answere at London, nor so peremp­tory to accuse the Doctor for want of iudgement in o­pinion, or ouersight in discretion.

M^r LEECH.

And farther; I assure you; call me whether you will into questiō, I shall discharge my selfe with sufficient cre­dit, when you shall gaine little by questioning my doctrine or molesting me causelesly.

ANSVVER.

You wel ad the word farther, for you never spake so [Page 83] farre as this: you haue a strange gift of amplification, you scarse spake the tēth part of that, which you haue here so enlarged, as is confirm'd and averred by wise & honest witnesses that heard it. This large discourse was not extant then. You neither durst, nor could babble so much in so short a time. you durst not, for your distraction that night, observed by many, was very much: it shewd that then you had not altoge­ther dispassioned your conscience, but that there was some sparke, which did feare and follow you, observed by her owne eie, though no other eie should perceiue her; chased by her own foot, though nothing, either in heauen, or earth should pursue her. Relation tells me there was some ouerture of compunction then, in you; your looks, gestures, words gaue testimony, that you durst not speake so peremptorily. And, that you could not, it is plaine: scarse three questions and answers passing between you, and those rather commanding your Coppy, then disputing the question.

M^r LEECH.

Here the kitchin-conference brake vp: only, in the loose, he required a copy of that doctrine of Counsells delivered by me out of S. Gregory. To this I voluntarily condescended: adding these words to intimate my confi­dent resolution. Sir. For the doctrine, I will request no fauor at your hands: only I hope that you will doe me iustice: if not, assure your selfe, I shall right my selfe else where. This was the last period of our confe­rence at that time: and so wee parted: supper calling vs both away.

ANSVVERE.

So much for your saucy & vnsauory kitchin-stuffe. You need not againe to insist vpon the place, a circū ­stance in that businesse lest materiall. And the advan­tage of malice and hatred hence, is very small, if duly considered. Therefore breefly to enforme the Chri­stian indifferent Reader; Concerning that aspertion of disgrace, you call the kitchin conference, thus it was, as I haue receiued it, from the mouthes, & vnder the hands of those it concerneth. Presently vpon your sermon, you were sent for, because of the generall dis­tast thereof: being not found before Euening prayer, you were sought for againe, after that divine service, but not found, till M. Doctor Hutton, Subdeane, was come into the kitchin, instantly before supper. A cō ­mon order and custome in that house required, that the Subdeane & Treasurer should (as you well know) come into the kichin to see that provision & service performed, as Bursers doe in some of our lesser Col­ledges, Stewards in others. You being first met with there, were examined, the copy required, you were admonished not to preach the like doctrine, taxed for not vnderstanding S. Gregory, reproued learnedly; and lastly, threatned to bee sent to the Castell, if you did not with some speed yeeld vp your Papers.

CHAP. 5. M^r LEECH.

SOme two daies following (vpon the very point of the prefixed time, which doctor Hutton had appoin­ted) I deliuered vnto him (in his own lodging) a pun­ctuall summe, & coppy of the doctrine, so vehemently by him excepted against, & so earnestly required.

ANSVVER.

YOu desired but till the next mor­ning, & then promised to bring that part of the sermon, but did not till two or three daies after: which shewed, either negligent presumption, in contemning au­thority; or ignorant dulnesse, in compiling your notes without method or dexteritie.

M^r LEECH.

The said copy, with all seeming alacrity he cheerefullie, & contentedly received at my hands, dismissing me with­out any further questioning about the point, either thē or any other time after. Wherevpon I concluded, that he had retracted his former opinion, by a more prudent circum­spection.

ANSVVERE.

You conclude not Logically, the premises bee not well collected: it was a Censure, if you well obserue it, that you were inhibited to preach that doctrine any more: he did neither feare, nor faint in the busines, as by the remainder will appeare.

M^r LEECH.

And that he now determined to pursue me no farther, I was then, & am now the rather induced to beleeue, be­cause, on the very night of our said kitchin-conference, he repaired vnto a very graue, & learned Doctor in that V­niversity (who had heard my sermon) to craue his opinion, & resolution concerning the point; complaining first of my peremptory, & obstinate resolution; discovering with­al his disgust of the Doctrine; certifying him farther of his purpose to send me vp to the Bishop of London to answer the point there.

ANSVVER.

It is a fiction that there was any reluctation in M^r Doctor Hutton, or that hee desired by any to be resol­ved in the point: he was no reede to bee shaken with the winde of vnsavorie breath. Hee only repaired to that excellent patterne of learning, life, and governe­ment Doctor Kilby, to desire the help of his memory, concerning the point that you delivered in that eve­ning sermon, thinking you woulde not haue endured [Page 87] to deliver your copy: and therefore, being to sende the notes the next morning to our Vicechancelor, then at London, because he would not be partiall, or confidēt in his owne memory, he desired the Brotherly helpe of this graue and worthy Doctor, and this was his onlie occasion of repaire vnto him that night.

M^r LEECH.

The venerable Doctor perceiving his heddy resolution & withall conceiving the truth of the Doctrine (which his discreet & mature iudgment could not possibly suffer him to dissemble) very prudently, & learnedly advised him to stir no more in the point; but to passe it over with a calme, & quiet silence. For (said he) in sending him vp to Lon­don, well you may put him to trouble & chardge: but for the Doctrine (for ought that I could conceiue) the issue wil be this: he may, & will answer it either here, there, or else where, with more credit, then you shal possibly gaine in cal­ling it into question.

ANSVVER.

The Reverend Doctor consulted with, was a friend to your person, not to your Doctrine: and that rather in commiseration, then approbatiō of you. How often did he disswade you, from maintaining any such posi­tions? intimating that it had beene the course of he­retickes in all times, to open some strange pointes to get them a name. The generall notice of his soūdnes of Doctrine, and excellency of learning, may free him: but more then this he protesteth vtterly against anie [Page 88] adhering to your opinion, ever distasted and detested your venting & ventilating of such heresies. Besides, it is false that the Doctor should vse any such speeches,Plaut. Pyr­gopol. that you could answer the Doctrine with credit. The bragging souldier in Plautus, thought to purchase him selfe very high commendation in the Comedie, when he cryed out, Magnum me faciam nūc, quoniam illi me collaudârunt: and so you attribute much to your selfe, because, you say, you haue the opinion and approba­bation of this Reverend Doctor. And I must confesse, if you had any such shelter, you were in better state then you are. But seeing his wisedome, & integrity, vp­rightnes before God, and man, do deliver the contra­rie, and his religious protestation doth seale it: silence your selfe, and repent with other, this error.

M^r LEECH.

And is this said he the reward of our Pulpit paines? Are Schollers, whose state you knowe to be but meane, to be put by schollers vnto this extraordinary charge, needlesse, and causelesse expense? Ought not you, & I, & all of our ranke, rather study to giue them all lawfull content, then to seeke their grievances, by surmising against them vniust mat­ter; taking exception, where no scandall is given, to bring them to iust discontent? wherefore (Master Subdeane) to waste neither more time, nor wordes about this point; for conclusion (since, as you say, you are come purposely to aske my opinion & counsaile in this matter) my advise is (if you will be ruled by me) let all matters be husht; rest as they are; & there an end, without either further troubling, or provoking him.

ANSVVERE.

It is a true saying sometimes,Aug. Qui volens detrahit famae, nolens addit mercedi. You doe in this supposed Dialogue, detract frō the worth of this learned Do­ctor, & yet vnwillingly you accumulat much honour to him in traducing him. They that are so pitifull in the grievances of Schollers, are to be reverenced, and no doubt shalbee rewarded. I woulde schollers were not wanting to schollers in these offices. But your case was so spitefull, that it deserved not to be accoū ­ted pitifull: and therefore his wisedome knowing the Apostles Cannon, Reiect him that is an hereticke after once or twise admonition, did then no farther intercede for you, then that you might be censured at home, & receiue condigne reformation here, rather thē to be transported to London: And that he did for many rea­sons, either because the worlde should not take no­tice that any durst make our Pulpits Antichristian O­racles, as you did; or, because hee knew that your cen­sure in that high and honorable Court of Commis­sion, would be likeGen. 4.13. Cains sentence, to heavy for you to beare. Whereas you double that speech in this Pa­ragraph, that M^r Doctor Hutton came to aske coun­sell or advise, both these Doctors do vtterly denie it: and I am sorrie you so malitiously repeate it againe, knowing how confident each of them bee in the contrary opinion to you.Caietan. in Thom. 22dae. q. 184. art. 7. Caietan his censure vp­on the doctrine of Counsailes, is, that hee thin­keth this doctrine fit to be sprinkled with salt. I applie it to you; your lines be vnseasoned, they lacke truth in [Page 90] relation, soundnesse in opinion, want of verity in thē, want of charity in you, want of salt in both.

M^r LEECH.

Thus the good Doctor soundly, plainely, &, on al parts, charitably afforded him his friendly advise. And herevpō it was, that Doctour Hutton was satisfied; whereof he gaue sufficient signes, when hee received the aforesaide copie.

ANSVVER.

The HebrewBuxdorf. in Hebrea Gram Coniug. Grāmarians haue a rule, that Cha­racteristicum temporis excludit Characteristicum con­iugationis: so the characters of the time in many A­postats, doe exclude the notes of all honest respects, and characters of all parts of honesty. Your paper see­meth to groane vnder your lines, it is so heaped and dawbed with vntruthes. The Doctor spake charita­bly, but his charity did not so fully cloath you, but he left place for the rod of correction. And though Do­ctour Hutton for a smal time seemed content, having received your coppy: yet hee daily exspected besides your silence, some recantatory satisfaction.

M^r LEECH.

So the matter was, for that time, ended; and the do­ctrine, without any māner of preiudice, or farther contra­diction, cleared: being now at two severall times by me preached; First generally glanced at, & intimated only: Se­condly, [Page 91] against the Brethren (who in private corners tra­duced it) publiquely repeated, amplified, & explaned.

ANSVVER.

There was onlie a cessation a while from your trouble, no satisfactiō given for your doctrine. Your feare was somewhat calmed, but the point no waie cleared: your inhibitiō was sufficient note of the con­tradiction of your opinion; but that was not all, for all among vs did distaste it. You did present this twise to the Vniversity: but it was denyed grace as oft as presented. You verifie the Psalmists speech,Psalm. Impij ambulant in circuitu: The wicked weary their soules vntruely, in their vnrulie designes and desires.

CHAP. 6. M^r LEECH.

AND nowe resolued, as my next occasion drew me to preach, to proceede forwards with the exposition of my text, & to haue vnfolded the sense of the ope­ning of those mysticall bookes; the booke of conscience, & the booke of God his eternal prescience; for so it followed in my text; the books were opened, & an other book was opened; which is the booke of life. This was my intention; because I had now spoken sufficiently of that point (as I thought) which I met withall but obiter in my text, vpon a subdivision, and a distinction cited forth of S. Gregorie.

ANSVVERE.

IT had beene good that you had heere ended your course dis­course vpon Counsailes, without Counsaile, rather then to sow vp these thin fig-leaues which you gathered out of Bellarmine and Coccius to cover the nakednesse of the cause: you thought you spake sufficiently of the former point, few so thought but your selfe. Sufficiently indeed to manifest the cor­ruption of your hart, but not sufficiently to teach the truth of the point.

M^r LEECH.

As I resolued privately vpon this course, so I had per­formed it accordingly, if a certaine exorbitāt accidēt had not interrupted, and disturbed this my quiet, and setled resolution; diuerting my purpose (for that present) & cō ­verting my forces another way. The occasion whereof was as followeth.

ANSVVER.

Greg. Mor. lib. 18. c. 6. Gregory in his Moralls writeth of some new-fan­gled questionists, Praedicamenta doctrinae quae quaerūt ad quaestionem habere non valent ad refectionem, that as1. Tim. 1.4. S. Paul speaketh they giue heed to wrangling, which breed questions, rather then godly edifying which is by [Page 93] faith. You haue beene ever ready, but ever vnhappy in these questions, for still comming to the well of a deepe and profound controversie, either with the woman in the Gospell, you had nothing to drawe with, or else with the childe in the fable, your bucket was too small, and your roap too short. What forces you meane I knowe not, but it seemeth they were conducted vnder the regiment of the whore of Baby­lon.

M^r LEECH.

In the Easter time following M. Benefield (one of the Inceptors of divinity for the Act ensuing) whether it were of his owne proper motion (which I very hardly can suppose) or vpon the instigation of some other of the Bre­thren (which I doe more easily belieue; since he must needs goe, whome a maine schisme driveth) purposedly provi­ded one of his six solemne lectures (read for the assumpt of his degree of Doctorship) mainely, and directly by way of opposition, and confutation of that erroneous Popish do­ctrine.A new doctor of Oxford con­trarie to all the Catholike Doc­tors of the Church. For so it pleased this initiate Doctor to brand the Doctrine of all the Ancient Catholique Doctors, de­livered concerning Evangelicall Counsells. Wherein whether I, and my doctrine were mainely shot at and im­pugned or no, I will not iudge in my owne cause; let the e­quall, and impartiall Reader vmpire for vs both.

ANSVVER.

This worthy, discreet, and learned Doctor (Corp. Chri­sti Colledge. of that honorable foundation, which hath bread as rarely in­dowed [Page 94] divines, Ludov. Vives. B. Iuell. M^r Hooker. D. Rainolds. &c. as ever liued in our Church) is much a­bused by you, yet not so much iniured by you, as hono­red by all others. In respect of him, and the Choisest o­racles of our wisdome, whom you abuse, I cannot but breake out into that speech of Seneca,

This good servant of God, neither by instigation of o­thers, nor in contradiction of you, as hee protesteth, provided and promised in the publike schoole to reade on this point, eight weekes before. You know those solemne lectures are commonly all, concerning points of controversie: and why then might not this bee the subiect of one of his readings, as well as any other? No maine schisme ever drewe him to this action or any exotical opinion; he was never subiect to interpre­tation for any Schismaticall contradiction: his worthy Lord, the most reverend Bishop of London, Bishop Ra­vies of honorable memorie, cuius pia memoria defleri potest, nō deleri, approued him to be free from schisme and abounding in science; and his sermons, Lectures, Exercises, actions, all proceedings iustify him, and condemne you: in his lecture hee never named you, nor aimed at you; he only read against the question, as Bellarmine defended it.

M^r LEECH.

This busines was not so secretly plotted by the aforesaid Brethren, nor yet so privately intended, and caried by the Actor himselfe, but I had certaine notice giuen me by a friend of mine (a graue Bachellour in divinity,M. R. and a mā [Page 95] of good esteeme) who was acquainted both with the proiect, and the day of lecture: whereof hee gaue me a particular intimation.

ANSVVER.

As S. Paul speaketh of some widdowes, 1. Tim. 5.11. that being i­dle, they go from house to house, & not only idle, but prat­lers & busie bodies: so no doubte we may iudge of some intelligencers or relators, that bestow only their time, in condemning the time, in accusing of their Bre­theren, abusing of their betters. But M^r Russell, whom you quote in your margent, is none such: and the lear­ned Doctor did desire him to certifie this to you, be­cause you might take notice he red against Bellarmin, not against you.

M^r LEECH.

This lecture I both heard, and noted in writing. But such an other lecture, so false, so Hereticall, with such vio­lent wresting of sacred write, such impudent reiecting of holy fathers, quite besides the drift of the one, & cleane cō ­trary to the resolution of the other, I seldome, or never heard in that famous, and renowned Academy.

ANSVVER.

Quous (que) tandem: how far shall the bounds of your froathy and foaming waues passe? Iob. God hath set land markes to the sea, and theArist. in Ethic. Philosopher hath set limits to that salt & sulphureous humour of raging: and will [Page 96] neither Divinity, Plut. nor humanity confine you? Plutarch setteth downe the difference betweene the sea, and those that be tēpestuous sailers ever in the storme of vnsavory winde of words. The sea raging in a Tempest casteth mire & dirt, sed mare tum purgatur, but the sea is then purged of the filth, and froath, & scumme: But the heart of such, when it rageth, casteth their sto­macke of bad and boiling virulent speeches: Ea dicen­tis animum conspurcant, the wordes that come from them, defile them, saithMath. 7.23. Christ; And they foame out their owne shame, saithIude. 13. Iude. Helvidius (saith S. Hier. cont. Helvidium. Ie­rome) thought his conscience then best discharged, when by reviling, his stomacke was most disgorged. But doe you not so: for God knoweth, I wish your good and salvation in Christ Iesus; and these kinde of actions will much impeach and impaire your spiritu­all good. Yet seeing you haue blowne out such a Tem­pest of disgrace, I will in the rugged sea of your last Paragraph cast Ancor for this worthy Doctor, and to vindicat him whom soundnes of iudgement in learning, sincere conscience in his actions, and singular mildnes in his deportment, doe immure and compasse from anie iust imputation: Know that his learned reading vpon the point now in hand, his lecture is extant, reade it, an­swere it, or acknowledge, that you haue vncharitably, and vnchristianly traduced him, who never injured you: he hath wrested no Scriptures, rejected no Fa­thers, falsified nothing in his lecture.

M^r LEECH.

The text by him treated vpon was; goe sell all that [Page 97] thou hast, and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heaven; and come, and follow me. A maine ground, & pregnant text (as I take it; & I take it aright, if all ancient Church mistake it not) to build vp rather thē to batter downe; to confirme rather, then to confute Evā ­gelicall Counsailes. The Fathers which he cited, and na­med to stand for Counsailes were divers: hee might haue vrged all, both of the Greeke, and Latine Church; all of them being resolute for Counsailes (and that vpon those words of our Saviour; go sell all, &c. As also vpon that di­stinction of the Apostle; Now cōcerning virgins I haue no precept from our Lord; but I giue my advise; or Counsaile) which is a weighty consideratiō, if their iointe consent and vniforme authority might haue borne anie sway with this noble Inceptour.

ANSVVER.

The text and interpretation therof by al Ancients, as is by him most amply proved, maketh against you. Some Friers he named, that mainetained the point, but no Fathers: professing then, neither to name, nor nūber those authorities, that Bellarmin vnsitly colle­cted out of the Fathers. How plainly, & yet profoūd­ly he hath delivered the opinion of al ancient, & mo­derne, Fathers, and Sonnes, both in his Text, and that place of S. Paul 1. Cor. 7. I desire every honest ingenu­ous reader to obserue; and your selfe to examine his Lecture, and Appendix.

M^r LEECH.

But this novitiate Doctor (if yet he deserue that title, who [Page 98] dealt thus rudely with the true Doctors of the Church) as he perverted the sacred writ of God (his revealed wil in his word) so reiected the Fathers, blasting them all with this one hereticall breath, that they were all bewitched, deceived, and carried away as men with the errors of the time wherein they lived. Thus Calvin, Luther, the fowre good fellow Germans (who composed their false, and fond Centuries in a stone of Magdeburge) taught their novice to blaspheme. O times, ô ages, wherein we now liue; when Calvin, Luther, fowre carowsing Almans (nay ra­ther Ale-men) and one puny Doctour, dare thus openly (in the eares of Christendome, and in the publike eie of so fa­mous an Vniversity) blaspheme God his holy spirit, pro­mised by Christ to lodge in the bosome of these venerable, and sober aged Fathers, chiefe pillars of the holy Catho­like Church.

ANSVVER.

Ambros. in Psal. 118.S. Ambrose observed of an adversary of the truth, Quē veritate non potest, laceret convitijs. It is your pra­ctise; whom you cannot taxe with vntruth, you tor­ment with slanderous reproaches. It was a base re­taliation of him in theTerent. in Andria. Comedy, ‘Si mihi pergit quae vult, dicere: ea quae non vult, audiet.’ It were vile, if you should heare againe such wordes as you spake.Eph. 4.29. S. Paule mentioneth [...] Epes. 4.29. corrupt speech, which is as a stinking breath, out­wardly breathed corruptiō, a signe as Phisitians hold of inward putrefaction. When you make your throate thus an open sepulchre, to belch out such vnsavory­nesse, it is an argument that like a graue, you are full of dead mens bones: and I feare that your inward [Page 99] parts are full of wickednes. D. Benefield vsed no such vncivill speeches of bewitched Fathers: vnlesse you were bewitched, you would not so accuse him. Concerning your scornfull speeches against Calvin, Lu­ther, and the Magdeburgenses, I say not as Zachary said to the Angell, The Lord rebuke thee, but from my hart I wish the Lord to forgiue it you. Of that rare and blessed instrument of God, Reverend Calvin, I may truly speake, as M^r Hooker in the pref. to Church Poli­ty. Hooker doth in the preface to his Polity, For my part, I thinke he was incomparably the wi­sest man, that ever the French Church did enioy, since the houre it enioyed him. And for Luther, letEras. lib. 11. Epist. ad Car. Eborac. Erasmus who was his familiar, giue testimony of him, that his life was approued with great consent of all men, and that the integrity of his manners was so great, that his verie eni­mies could find nothing which they could calūniate. And for his learning, letHosian. trist. cat. cent. 16. p. 837. Andreas Masius speake for him, whom you haue reason to beleeue: who reporteth of him, that there was more divinity in one page of Luther, then sometimes in a whole booke of some Father. The Magdeburgenses, though they seeme to be censorious, and Aristarchicall, were very speciall ser­vants of God: for liues, most honest; for knowledge, most learned: the eares that heard them, blest them; and the eies that saw them, gaue witnesse vnto them, and, as Iob speaketh of himselfe, so I of them, They brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the pray out of his mouth. Neither they, nor Doctor Benefield did blas­pheme Gods spirit, as you slaunder them. Neither was Gods spirit promised to lodge onely in the Fathers of the Church, but even iointly in all the members of the Church. And yet for the Fathers, wee doe reve­rence [Page 100] them, as much, or more then the Papists doe: as the KINGS most excellent Maiestie, In his Pre­mon. to his booke in his Premoni­tion, doth professe.

M^r LEECH.

This is right the Puritan cut: as D. Bancroft ob­serveth against the Presbyteri­an faction, in some whole Chapters of his Survay.And yet after he had thus censoriously handled the Fa­thers, vpon my private conference with him, in stead of the Fathers, which I called for, he offred vnto me two En­glish pamphlets; one whereof was entituled the Apolo­gie of the Church of England; whereat I could not but smile, in regard of his simplicity, though inwardly grie­ved much at the times misery, when a statizing Pamphle­ter (who would flie vpon the wing of his penne vnto the height of some ambitious designment) shall bee compared, nay preferred before the ancient Orthodox divines, that painefully laboured in the vineyard of the Church against the brunt of all heresies.

ANSVVER.

That you came to Doctor Benefield, to bee enfor­med about this doctrine, it is true: you came even then, when you knew the instant approach of the Act was at hand; the very next Saturday before the Vespers which time being vnseasonable did abridge him of any large or ample discourse with you. Otherwise, I assure my selfe, that, as no suiter came to that good Emperour Titus, that returned discontented: so none shall euer come to this worthy Doctor to aske coun­sell or conference, that shall returne vnsatisfied. The two bookes that you were offered, either of them [Page 101] might haue enformed you, that you held an opinion cōtrary to the Church of England, to whose Doctrine you subscribed. The one, which you call the Apologie of the Church of England (Oportet esse memorem) was a booke entituled, The Catholike doctrine of the Church of England, an exposition of the Articles of religion profes­sed here, published by authority: The other, Reverēd M^r Perkins reformed Catholique; such a booke, and such an Author, that your Bishop could wish hee had never beene Priest, it hath so entoiled him, & heIn the be­ginning of his answere. cō ­fesseth that he neuer saw any booke of like quantity pub­lished, by a Protestant, to containe either more matter, or to be delivered in better method. For M^r Rogers, hee li­ueth, worthy of much commendation for that neces­sary paine: and his learned labour will liue long after him. M. Perkins he is asleep in the Lord; his holynes of conversation, soundnes of learning, actions, labours, life, death, haue sealed him A blessed servant of God. I would others were as free from being flying wan­derers, as he, or M. Perkins from being statizing Pam­phleters. You smiled, you say, at the Doctors simplici­ty: but, vnlesse you repent, the world will laugh and hisse at your folly. Was it simplicity? indeed, as simplici­ty is taken for integrity, veritas est simplex, the grea­test attribute of truth is to be simple, and so he might well prefer the simple positiue truth, in one of those bookes, before all the iugling expunged, impostured Copies, which you vrge for the Fathers. The name of the Orthodoxall Fathers in matter of controversie, I hold to be nomen verendum & reverendum; and the current of the Fathers in the true Copies, for the first 500 yeeres, or thereabout, after Christ, is like Iordan [Page 102] which passeth sweetly and quietly through Canaan: but for their Current in some points, after that time, it is (I will not say, like to Iordan falling into mare mortu­um) but it is much hindered, corrupted, and abused.

I had here ended this point, but that your Marginal vrgeth a testimony from that most wise and learned observation of dangerous Positions, and proceedings, pub­lished and practised for the Presbyteriall discipline. First, you may please to vnderstande, that there was want of good manners in neglecting the reverence you owe to that rightly honourable AVTHOR whose emi­nent place in the State, My Lords Grace of Cā ­terbury. painefull Government in the Church, carefull authority over our Vniversity, and o­ther his honorable respects, do adorne him with the cō ­fluence of many Titles; & yet this sacred Prelat, graue Counsellour, our noble Chauncellor, must passe so vnre­garded by you. But what do you ground out of that note? His Grace wrote against the ambitiously factious, and Paradoxically furious Presbytery. Doctor Benefield, none such: his Profession, an honourable Bishops Chap­laine; his Positions, mainely against Presbytery, declare so much. Haec nota nihil notat, praeter notam malitiae.

CHAP. 7. M^r LEECH.

THis solemne lecture, reade in publicke schooles by an inceptor in divinity for so venerable a degree, en­forced me now (evē as I would not openly betray the truth of this doctrine) vnto a more plaine, ample, and per­sonall [Page 103] defence, inciting mee also, nay inflaming me with some extraordinary desire, for the reiection, and depulsion of his infirme reasons.

ANSVVER.

IT is observed,Plin. nat. hist. lib. 11. c. 37. that in the falling sicknesse, the eies though opē, see nothing, when the minde is dar­kened & dim-sighted: so seemeth it with you, when in your de­clining and falling away, you could not see; or, like the deafe adder, would not heare, charme the charmer never so wisely. You say, you were inflamed with an extraordinary desire, for the reiection of the infirme reasons of the lecture. I marvaile you should be in such a heat. It had beene wel, if with David you had cryed out; My heart is hot, and the fire is kindled within me: that was a heat that tooke fire from the altar; but yours was no such spirituall heat. Albert. in comp. Theol. Albertus observeth, that many sinnes are deciphered by many sicknesses; luxury by a feaver, envy by a leaprosie, Anger by a phrē ­sie, and pride by an inflammation: take head of prowde heat, such inflaming will breede flashing. I would be so­rie from my hart, to heare that you should turne Me­lancholy Dominican, or lowsie Franciscan, or lazy Capu­chine; but of all others, a Iesuiticall incendiary: for he is the wilde fire of the world: in mind, ravenous as a wolfe; in head, crafty as a Fox; in heart, fierce as a tyger; in tongue, poysenous as an aspe; in eie, deadly as a Cocka­trice; in hand, bloudy as a Lyon. O avoide the heate of [Page 104] a Iesuite: he is hell fire, heaping powder, breathing fire, writing blood. Reip. geren. praecept. Plutarchs speech is true, that fire be­ginneth not commonly in publike and sacred places, but often breeds first in a private house, by some snuff of a candle among straw, and after sets on fire Chur­ches and Temples: so the stinking snuffes of candles, that fall among quarrelling papers in the study of a male content, if they be not quenched, may fire Gods Church. Take care that you be not so inflamed.

M^r LEECH.

And though divers of my best friends (whose intreaty in any other matter, might haue prevailed with me) dis­suaded me from this enterprise (as being to full of perill) fearing the violence of the time, and the manifold dan­gers, that by this resolution I stood likely to expose my selfe vnto, yet ten thousand such like motiues of terrour could not detaine me, nor deterre my resolution. For a higher hand then humane (euen the hand of heauen) so ouerruled me (commanding, nay countermaunding all my affections that way) that partly the pure zeale, and entire affection (which I euer bare vnto the blessed Fathers; being wholy indebted vnto them for that little which I haue) and part­ly my devoted loue vnto many of that Vniversitie; whome I could not patiently suffer to be thus perverted in so main a doctrine, tending to all Religious piety; and lastly the perfit hatred, that from my innermost soule, I ever con­ceiued against Puritanisme (the very bane of ancient Christianity) these I say, and the like motiues (to recollect thē altogether) could not suffer me, without the shipwrack of all conscience, to fit still and to be silent, whilst God his [Page 105] eternall truth, Christ his holy direction, and the perpetuall tradition of the Catholike mother-Church were so pub­likely impugned, and so notoriously prophaned.

ANSVVER.

Importunity of friends could not withdraw you, ma­nifold insuing perills could not touch you: yet theBooke of Canons a­greed vpon with the Kings Maie­sties licens in the Synod at London 1603 Canon 53. Ca­non, provided against the publike contradiction of Preachers in the pulpit, should haue staid you. You at­tribute your act to the hand of heauen, very rashly. Howsoever,Senec. quicquid agimus, quicquid patimur, ve­nit ex alto, as the Poet well noteth: yet, that by the hand of heauen, you should be moued so much to magnify the arme of flesh, that, whereas God Iob. laieth fol­ly on his Angells, you will lay such perfection of glory on his mortall creatures, it may seeme strange. It was not the direction of the hand of heauen. Your mo­tiues commanding, and countermanding you, were, as you say, first your entire affection vnto the Fathers: 1. Mot. your mother the Church, should haue been dearer vn­to you then all your Fathers, her peace more thē their credit, her maintained religion, rather then out of thē your conceited opinion. But you would vncouer na­kednesse in the Fathers, where there is none: the Fa­thers disclaime your position, for illegitimate. I knowe you boast that you haue read all the Fathers, and I thinke you haue seene all the world: but the one in a mappe, the other in a modell. In this your tract when you bragge so much of reading the Fathers, it calleth to my memory the distinction ofGoron. Goronides concer­ning readers: some are spunges, which draw vp all with [Page 106] out distinguishing; others are houre-glasses, which re­ceiue, and powre out, as fast as they fill; others are bagges which retaine only the dregges of the spices, and let the purest escape; 2 Mot. others, like Sieues, only retaine the best. I reckon you in the first number. Your second motiue was your devoted loue to many of that Vniversity, whom you could not suffer patiently to be thus perver­ted in so maine a point of doctrine, tending to all religi­ous piety. Did ever any point that you preacht, gaine any such beleef, applause, acceptance, as that you should imagine that many would haue been perverted, but for the opening thereof by you? Or was that, so main a point, tending to all religious piety, which served for no other vse, but the induction of Monkery: when as Monkery it selfe, is but the privation of vertue, the life of vice, the habitation of darknesse, stoue and stews of filthines, 3 Mot. lethargie of drowsinesse, dormitory of pro­phanesse, and profession of idlenesse? Your third motiue, was the perfit hatred that from your innermost soul you conceiued against Puritanisme, which you call the very bane of ancient Christianity. For Puritanisme, if there be any sparke of conscience, or religious feare of God in you: confesse how idely you traduce those re­verend Fathers, that opposed your doctrine. These were no Motiues: Temptations were your motiues, which you obeyed; by the Tēpter you were drawn to runne from God, from the truth, from your Country from your selfe.

M^r LEECH.

1. Reg. 26.Therefore as Abishai, out of his loue to his annointed [Page 107] king, said vnto David, Benefield, with all his compeeres. when he ment by one blow (surely laid on) to end all quarrels betwixt Saule and him, let me strike him but once, yea naile him to the earth with a speare, seeing God hath thus closed him into thy hāds & I wil strike him no more; even so (to apply the wordes only; for I iustifie not the intēded fact of Abishai) my loue vnto the king of heaven (when I purposed by one other blow soundly given, to end this controversie) forced me to cry within any hart; let me strike him but once & I will strike him no more.

ANSVVER.

Your abuse of Scripture is so cōmon through out your booke, that I admire it not only here,1. Sam. 26.8. in your wresting of that place of Abishais speech, Let me strike him but once, and naile him to the ground. Impar congres­sus Achilli; it was a very vnequall match: Abishai, vn­worthie to strike a king; and Abishag, the fathers igno­rāce, as the word importeth, vnworthy to deale with a Doctor. First I marvaile you woulde offer to strike, seeing S. Paule hath bounde all clergie men to the peace, 1. Tim 3.2. 2. Tim. 4.10. and to the good behaviour. But Demas is fallen away, and forgetteth S. Paule. But if you would strike, think you that this Paper-gun can strike downe such a worthy of Israell? Caedars stir not at such blasts, strong martialists fall not at such blowes. Giue me leaue to catechise you in the intended fact of Abishay to kill Saule. Doe not you iustifie it? Take heede least you bee put out of cōmons againe. Are you one of those Israelits, that spake Ash­dod, and Hebrew? Do not you iustifie that horid fact of that tragike fury, who hath lately murthered that [Page 108] most illustrious, and Victorious Prince, the French King? which, howsoever, that blood shall ever cry for venge­ance, being an act,Seneca in Thyest. quod nulla posteritas taceat, sed nulla probet, exceeding any particular Scythian, Scillian, Ma­rian, Tartarian, Barbarian, Iewish, Turkish villany: yet it was plotted by Catholiques, Anticoton. conspired by Catholiques, acted,Ioh. Mariana. and to be acted by Catholiques, and maintained as a lawfull doctrinall position, by Catholiques. Here­tofore it was a Catholique doctrine, held tyrannous in a king, to kill a Priest: but now it is thought a merito­rious point, in a Priest, to kill a king: and you must iusti­fie it. If you iustifie not it, they will not iustifie you.

M^r LEECH.

And if this blowe haue not hit home to the finall deci­ding of this quarrel, depriving his heresie of al breathing, let him, or any, or all his complices (and especially those six well selected doctours, who haue so farre engaged their cre­dits by interessing themselues so deepely in the quarrell) warde, and answere the blow which they haue publikely re­ceived,Doctor Benefield. for all of them put togither haue not yet diverted the stroke. Or if the cause, which the principall Actor vn­dertooke, will abide so much as the least touchstone of tryal, let him, vpon what grounds, and confidence soever he stā ­deth (as I dare boldly chardge & challeng him he standeth vpon none, but hereticall) divulge his lecture vnto the cē ­sure of the world.

ANSVVER.

Your challēdge is received. But why were not those [Page 109] many challēages answered by you, which were offered by the ingenious and learned students of Christ-church, and by the ingemminated motions of the Reverend Deane, that you shoulde sit, to answere or oppose in the scholasticall forme of Disputations, about this point. The sixe Doctors need not to raise their forces to en­counter you: One of them, whom it most cōcerneth, hath opposed more then you and Rome will ever an­swer. His lecture is divulged to the worlds censure, & so it was desired, by the Rightly Honorable, and most reverend Bishop Ravis, whose great care before his death, was, that your ignorant & scandalous Pamphlet (they were his owne wordes) might receiue a rigid answere. The learned and painefull lecture is able to satisfie any, who giue 1. Tiim. 4.1. no heed vnto spirits of errour & doctrines of Divels: which speake not lies through hypocri­sie, having their consciences seared with a hot yron. With that lecture the places of Scripture be truely expoun­ded; the question, as in the sight of God, truely discus­sed: & in the Appendix, the ancient Fathers most suffi­ciently answered.

M^r LEECH.

Meane while, for the honor of God, & confusion of Sa­than, to preserue Christ his word (the word of verity) from the infectiō of Heresie; for the iust defence of this doctrine & the due reproofe of hereticall innovatiō, I haue thought good here to insert a true coppy of the Sermon preached by me in Oxford to iustifie Evangelicall Counsailes vpon the occasion aboue mentioned.Anno Dom. 1608. 27. die Iunij.

ANSVVERE.

Chem. in loc. Commun loc. de Cons. Evang.Luther, about to cōfute this very doctrine, vseth these words; In perpetuam rei memoriam, maximè verò in Redemptoris gloriam, ista sunt memori mente servan­da & exaggeranda, adversus impudentissimos rabulas, Papisticae abominationis defensores. I wil not bee so bit­ter: But to the glory of God, dischardge of my con­science, and satisfying of those great and honorable friends that did importune me to this businesse, I fol­low you line by line, to see whether your coppy bee right. You say you haue endevored to reproue here­ticall innovation; I say so much: dicit Scaurus, negat Va­rius, vtri creditis? you must put your selfe vpon God and the Country.

M^r LEECH.

Reade it (deare Christian brother) severely; iudge of it impartially; and God graunt it may effect in thee what I wish hartily: and that is (if thou feelest thy selfe called, and thy soule mooved effectually) to practise the same. Amen.

ANSVVER.

Wish faithfully, pray religiously; & then no doubt, God will giue you vnderstanding in al things: which you must haue in your selfe, before you cā wish it, or teach it to others. I lament you should so oppose your selfe to the doctrine of Christs holy Catholique Church, & in a mercenary respect, and discontented humour, burthen [Page 111] your soule with so fowle a sinne as this is truely iudged to be, even Apostasie. All such to the life S. Paule doth decipher, and giveth order against such.1. Tim. 6.3, 4.5 If any man teach otherwise, and consenteth not to the wholesome do­ctrine, which is according to Godlinesse: he is puft vp, and knoweth nothing, he doateth, or languisheth about questi­ons, and strife of words, whereof commeth envy, strife, ray­lings, evill surmises, vaine disputations of men of corrupt mindes, & destitute of the truth, which thinke that gaine is Godlinesse. Fly such, and feare such. So I wish you, so I counsell you, so I pray for you, and seale my counsell wishes and prayers with Amen.

CHAP. 8. M^r LEECH.

THus (gentle Reader) thou hast seene my maine de­fence of this doctrine, wherein I haue followed the mature advise of the Philosopher, and Oratour. For I thought it not sufficient to confirme truth in the former part of this sermon, vnlesse I confuted falshood al­so in the later. And this I did for establishing thee if thou be in the right: or reducing thee vnto it if thou hast been in the wrong.

ANSVVER.

THus (Gentle Reader) thou hast seen the meane defence of this doctrine, wherein whether the author (as he professeth) hath followed the advise of the Phi­losopher or Orator, iudge by the contradictions, misapplica­tions, falsifications in the sermon. Can Oratory or Philosophy be obtained without Grammar? or can­not a Grammarian distinguish between Concilium & Consilium, the one, comming originally à conci­endo, Calepin. id est, convocando; the other, derived from Con­sileo, eo quòd vno consulente, caeteri consileant? It was a most probable tryall of the Ephraimits in shib­boleth, Iudg. 12.6. and sibboleth; the mistaking, cost the death of [Page 203] the body. It was a laudable triall betweene the Coū ­sell of Nice, and Arius, in the difference of [...] and [...]; the mistaking was heresie, the death of the soule. The Hebrewes haue a Tradition in their Tal­mud, that they that could not discerne the pronoun­cing of [...] from [...], should not be made Priest,Meg. c. 3. p. 24 or rea­der in their Synagogue. And surely, vnfitte is hee to write of Counsells, that knoweth not the difference of letters in Concilium, and Consilium. I hold those titivillitious altercations of some Criticks, not altoge­ther so necessary: as whether Epistula, or Epistola; ic­circo, or idcireo; cotidie, or quotidie bee the better rea­ding. But, in a matter of moment, of maine differēce, a letter may much alter the sense. Caranza, Caranza in Epit. Concil. in Concil. Laodicens. Can. 35. in the Councell of Laodicaea, the 35 Canō, which was made against the worship of Angells, putteth in Angulos insteed of Angelos, hauing no other corner to runne into, to free his Church from the assertion of Idola­try; and in this there was wit ioined with knavery, so that it was pretty, though pestilent: but it was absurd to continue in your written Coppy, ever to write Concilia with the [...] in steed of s, as fearing to make longam literā, The great difference of the things, and the warning of Franciscus Sōnius should haue made you more criticall. For Sonnius very plainely, giueth a Caveat in this behalfe, as supposing some such as your selfe should hereafter need it. This is such a so­loecisme, in any learned iudgement, that it would haue cost a lashing in any free schoole in England. And howsoever, you hold that commō rude speech of the Popes true Fiatur, in cōtumeliam omniū Gram­maticorum, yet not Theologorum.

M^r LEECH.

And howsoever the truth of this doctrine hath not already (nor yet haply hereafter shall) escape the tongues, and penns of some malitious, or ignorant carping adver­saries (enimies of God, and his Church) yet can it never be suppressed; but it will prevaile in the ende, and florish like a greene palme tree; being iustifiable and glorious both before God, and man where reason swaieth, and not passion rageth.

ANSVVER.

Heresie hath beene gainsaid in all ages, and among the rest this, where, by the title of Evangelicall Coun­sells of perfection, vaine Imaginarists haue sought to proue merits, perfection, supererogation, and other strange and false positions. To the suppressing of which, the Fathers in all ages, haue concurred, as to the extinguishing of a generall devastation by fire. Account you the opposers of your doctrine, maliti­ous and ignorant carping adversaries: but God, whose cause they haue in hand, seeth and iudgeth, whether they that acknowledge their sinnes, or they that obiect their merit; whether they that confesse thēselues vnprofitable servants, or they that professe Angelicall perfection; Psal. 19.7. they, that with reverence doe beleeue the law of the Lord to be perfit, and an vndefiled law, or they that accuse it for want & imperfection; [Page 205] they that professe, it is impossible to fulfill the law, or they that vaunt of performing more then is required by the law: and, as he seeth and iudgeth, so he rewar­deth every man according to his worke; and hath pronounced that the wicked shall bee as the chaffe, that the wind scattereth to and fro. Psal. 1.4.

M^r LEECH.

Farther; I can for more full complement (if neede bee) produce all charters, roles, evidences, iudgements, cēsures, sentences, arrests of all Christian parliamens, the vmpi­ring determinations of the highest Ecclesiasticall tribu­nalls, and generall Councells notwitstanding all preten­ses, pleas, intrusions, surreptions, shifts, contentions of all Hereticall Iovinianists.

ANSVVER.

This Paragraph hath put you out of breath, & put truth out of you: It is like that congerious and multi­plicious numeration of Criticks Phrases in Meru­la, where he reckoneth vp, Commentarios, Adversaria, Merula. pag. 218. Annotationes, Scholia, observationes, Animadversa, Ca­stigationes, Disquisitiones, Miscellanea, Centurias, Syn­tagmata, Collectanea, Catalecta, Spicilegia &c. Such is your disfigured figure in conglomerating your char­ters, roles, evidences, sentences, arrests, &c. But what haue these to doe with Evangelicall Counsells, Quid ad Rhombum. any of sense, that readeth it, will afford no other allowance, [Page 206] but this of the Poet; ‘Hor. art. PoetQuid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu?’ If I should follow you in this kinde, I could vrge, to make vppe an army royall in encounter of yours, all Scriptures, Patriarkes, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Saints, Kings, Bishops, Fathers, Doctours, Professours, Schooles, Chaires, Vniversities, decrees of the Church, Ca­nons of Councels, Constitutions of Synods, Histories, acts and monuments of all times and of all places: Notwith­standing the Index expurgatorius of the Pope, the de­molishing of Antiquity by the Iesuits, the Corruption of the Fathers & all authorities by the Vatican impostors; and all the endeavors of Rome, and Hell, to violate the truth.

M^r LEECH.

Ad nihilum devenient tā ­quam aqua decurrens: which S. Au­stine doth fit­ly apply vn­to heresies.Such is the difference betwixt truth, and falsehood, that errour in time (as it is but the entertainement of time) will of it selfe fall away, when Truth will stand impregna­ble, how many soever impugne her; so true is that of the A­postle; we can do nothing against truth.

ANSVVER.

The difference betweene truth and falshoode is as much, as the height of heauen, and the depth of hel. But you never tooke paines to distinguish truth frō false­hood, never to enquire publikely, or to study serious­ly the arguments against your opinion. S. Augustine [Page 207] thought it fit to make knowne whereof he stoode in doubt, and also wherefore: your course was otherwise,Aug de Ge­nesi literam. you conceived in the eare, and brought foorth in the mouth; you read Coccius & Bellarmine, beleeved them, and preached them, and tooke vp from thē, vpon trust, but not vpō truth. You builded vpō the sands, & your building is fallen, because not founded on the corner stone, for other foundatiō can no mā lay, then that which is laid, even Iesus Christ.

M^r LEECH.

And therefore leaving thee (modest, and discreet Rea­der) to iudge of the matter, & doctrine now in difference, as reason, and Religion shall induce thee, and not as the in­stigation and humour of some factious persons will seek to mislead thee; I proceede to prosecute the remainder of this businesse; hoping that no man (of any apprehension) will suffer himselfe to be deceived by vaine, & vnlearned sug­gestions.

ANSVVER.

Reason must be submitted vnto Religion, but the tri­all of Religion only is submitted vnto Truth, the ancor of Christians in the Tempest of Controversie. Accoūt it no instigatiō by humor, or prosecutiō against you by favour. The Poet is my warrant,

Neither Fathers in di­vinity, nor Fathers by authority can satisfie you, but you presume to proceed. I feare that like a flie about [Page 208] the Candel, you will perish, in the gainesaying of Co­rah. None here will be worthily thought men decei­ved by vaine and vnlearned suggestions.

M^r LEECH.

And if some men will obstinately shut their eies, yet my trust is, that others will looke vp to Heavē, whence this doctrine descended, and whether it doth most readily con­duce; and that they will no longer take darknesse for light, night for day, poyson for medecine, Heresie for verity; since truth bringeth ever with it, certainety, peace, and securi­ty at the last.

ANSVVER.

Psal. 135.16.17.The legend giveth Scripture the lie. Scripture saith that Idols haue eies, and see not; eares haue they, and they heare not: Legend. Aurea. and yet the legend reporteth that manie of the Idols & Images haue spoken, seen, and hard. They open their eies and see not, we may shut our eies and yet see, that this Doctrine never proceeded frō hea­ven, or if it descended from thence, the descention was like to Lucifer that fell from thence into the bottom­lesse pit, and no doubt Lucifers sin was no other then this, so farre by elatiō to superlatiue man, that in pride he rebell against God. By respiratiō we send our prai­ers to heaven, by inspiration wee receiue instruction from heavē, but I finde not that Phrase in any appro­ved Author, that doctrine descended from heaven. And [Page 209] though the Priest in the law coulde only distinguish betweene a Leaper and a Leaper, yet in the Gospell the Lord hath so illuminated his servants, that they can easily discerne betweene the darknesse of the vnderstā ­ding which is falsum and the light thereof which is verum. Which truth is the daughter of Syon, and is at­tēded with Peace of Cōscience, ioy in the holy Ghost, remission of sinnes, communion of Saints and life ever­lasting.

A TRIVMPH OF TRVTH. OR DECLARATION OF THE DOC­TRINE CONCERNING EVANGELICAL COVNSAILES;
M^r LEECH. CHAP. I.

When I had ended my sermon, it seemed good vnto M^r Doctor Hutton (who was there present, & confronted me with ridiculous behaviour) to cite me before himselfe im­mediatly in his owne lodging; where I foūd him accompanied with two other Doctors; D. Kilby, and D. Benefield, who gaue speciall attention vnto my sermō, with great shew of discontent.

ANSVVER.

Chrysost. in 2. epist. ad Tim. 2. IT is S. Chrysostomes observation, that the cause of all evill, is the neglect of the authority of spiri­tuall governours, when no reve­rence or feare or honour is vsed towardes them. If this had not proved true in you, you had not presumed (when authority con­tradicted it to reiterate your former opinions. Or to [Page 213] accuse D. Hutton of ridiculous behaviour, whose gra­vity, and reverent deportment according to his place & age, founde not in the whole course of his life any accuser but you: his resolution in iudgement and office then in goverment, were the motiues causing him to send for you: you confesse that the Doctours accompanying him, attended, but much disliked your sermon so did not they only, but the whole Church, many standing amased to see you bring forth so publikely those two twins ignorance and impudence. Of these two Doctors in the former part you affirmed that one of them ap­proved your Doctrine, and Apologisd for your opinion, which is most vntrue for he ever abhord your assertiō, as formerly I haue answered you that his worthinesse protesteth, and as here plainely vnto all appeareth in that you say these two Doctors gaue attentiō to your ser­mon with great discontent.

M^r LEECH.

Before these men, D. Hutton began to charge me with scandalous, erroneous, and Popish doctrine, fitter to be preached in Rome, then in Oxford; and therefore in no case to bee suffered there to disturbe the peace of the Vni­versitie.

ANSVVER.

The Provice chancellor and these Doctors as Indices et iudices veritatis did discharge that true care of Gods glory, to charge you with the breach of the peace of the Church, by obtruding a doctrine scandalous for the [Page 214] occasion, erroneous for the opinion, vnsafe to bee read and vnsound to be preached.

M^r LEECH.

To this accusation, I framed my answer to the same te­nour, and effect, as you haue formerly seene in the kitchin-conference; adding farther, that the doctrine of the Tri­nity, consubstantialitie &c. might be branded with the imputation of Popery, as well as this doctrine of Evan­gelicall Counsells.

ANSVVER.

You preached this doctrine twise over (verbatim almost) as appeareth by the Coppies vnder your hād that now I haue in keeping, at least verbatim in your extorted producing of testimony: and now verbatim you haue the same Apology for your doctrine of the Trinity, consubstantiality, &c. which you rank with Evangelicall Counsells, and of which I shall haue occasion to reckon with you in your motiues.

M^r LEECH.

But such is the temerity of some men, that they will ra­ther disclaime a manifest truth, then they will concurre in opinion with the Church of Rome. And for my part, I see no reason, why you may not as well renounce that Popish doctrine of the Trinity, as this of Evangelicall Coun­sells, since both haue their evidence from the same ground (Canonicall Scripture and Ecclesiasticall Tradition) [Page 215] yea the later hath more cleere deduction, and testification out of the Scripture then the former.

ANSVVER.

Such is the miserie of some men, that they will in the corruption of their rotten hearts, vndertake the de­fence of some manifest vntruth, to get them a name; as Reverend D. Kilby protesteth he oftē warned you: and it is the basenesse of some, that in the fruitfull grounds of learning, they smell after some dunghill questions of Popery, to obtaine a title of singularity. Mistake not, slander not, we disclaime not positions, so much, because Rome maintaineth them, as because Antichrist and heresie invented them: and yet looke into her streets, marke well her Bullwarkes, and religi­ously cōsider, what fountaine hath she not poisoned, what part of Religion hath shee not corrupted? The doctrine of the Trinity, seeing you here againe vrge it as aboue, so I hence remoue it as aboue, to your Motiues.

M^r LEECH.

Secondly; his worship obiected vnto me that D. Bene­field had lately, and learnedly confuted the said Popish doctrine of Evangelicall Counsells, and that therevpon I ought to haue surceased; my reply was, that D. Bene­field his opinion was no canon of my faith, nor that his authority was of such value with mee, as to preponderate the iudgement of the Ancient Church, and testimonies of the venerable Fathers. And therefore since I began to pu­blish [Page 216] this doctrine vpon such grounds, I was bound in cō ­science to defend the same; and specially, since he made an opposition in schooles vnto my position in the pulpit; so that I could not be silent without treason vnto God, & his truth.

ANSVVER.

The argument consisted of reason and religion, in reason if the doctrine were answered, how could it be gainsaid? the learning, wisdome, degree, of Doc­tor Benefield by infinit degrees paramounting all that ever will be in M^r Leech. In religion, for if the Canons of the Church (grounded on Scripture) doe some­way obliege our consciences, & that among the rest, one especially provideth that there be no publick contra­dictiō of points in religion, how durst this to be infrin­ged, and opposition so peremptorily maintained by you in the Pulpit. But you say you did so, because that his opinion was no Canon of your faith &c. And yet you did make opinion the Canon of your faith and produced your conceit, distinction, grounds, te­stimonies, proofes, &c, all for the most part out of Bellarmine, and though you disclaime it, yet you vn­derwent that Babilonicall servitude, which by Alphon­sus de Castro is called Miserrima servitus iurare in ali­cuius verba Magistri: Alphons. de Castro. cont. haeres. lib. 1. cap. 7. so that opinion was your Canō. I haue already professed from the Protestation of D. Benefield that he read, no way with purpose, to touch you: but only in generall as this controversie was the occasion of much innovation, much corruption: so that yours was the contradiction, not his.

M^r LEECH.

Thirdly; whereas he laid vnto my charge, that he had inhibited me to intermeddle any farther with this point; I answered; that de facto, he had never done it, and that de iure, he could not doe it. For God must bee obeyed rather then man. Besides; though in discretion, & sub­mission vnto your authority, I would haue surceased from prosecution of this matter, yet this notorious, and intolle­rable impugnation did force me to breake my intended silence.

ANSVVER.

Deny it not, for you were charged vpon your se­cond sermon, not to intermeddle any further in this point: and therefore your distinction de facto and de iure, is fond. Your inhibition de facto, should haue restrained you; de iure, should haue feared you: for the Magistrat beareth not Gods sword in vaine. But you say, God must be obeyed rather then man. By what revelation or fained new found vision, had you com­mand from God to preach this sermon the second time? We must obey (say the Lawyers) Parents and Magistrats in licitis & honestis: but God in omnibus; because all things are not only lawful to vs, but fruit­full for vs, if enioined by him. But God,Stella in Luc. Glory, iudge­ment, ven­geance, pro­per to God only. Psal. 8.5. that (as Stella observeth) hath impropriated 3 things vnto himself, the first being his glory; never did send any warrant to you, so much to oppose his glory, as to place man, not as David speaketh, little lower, but equall, or some­what [Page 218] higher then the Angells, in Angelicall integrity, spi­rituall transcendency, &c: as if man should be beholdē to you, more then to his glorious maker. Besides, (say you) intolerable impugnation did breake your silence: you would make the world beleeue, you were iniu­red. S. Austin asketh in this case a question; libet hominem vindicare? Tom. 10. ser. 42. in Orat. Domin. and must you encourage your selfe in the vnlawfulnesse of revenge? But God, & mē, & Angells testifie, you doe iniury, to affirme you had iniury, by any notorious or intolerable impugnatiō. Were you imprisoned, censured, excommunicated? Deserving all these, you were punished by none of these.

M^r LEECH.

Fourthly; whereas he demanded a copy of my sermon (protesting vpon his faith and troth to God, that hee would send me presently vnto the Castle, vnlesse I then delivered it) I was content (vpō the perswasion of Doctor Kilby) to yeeld into his hands the originall, and only copy thereof. And so I was dismissed for this time.

ANSVVER.

The Copy was demanded. And, though you say you deliuered it vpon persuasion: yet it might haue beene enforced from you. This protestation you objected once before against the Provice chancelour, and now againe. If you could fasten any aspersion vp­on him, or any that the cause concerned. I knowe you would. Protestations are often iustifiable and [Page 219] commendable,Rom. 9.1. 2. Cor. 11.31. Gal. 1.20. as I haue giuen instance before in ma­ny of the Saints, but especially in Paul in divers Epi­stles: To the Romans, I say the truth, and lie not, my con­science bearing me witnesse; To the Corinthians, God, the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, knoweth that I lie not; To the Galathians, I witnesse before God that I lie not. And Espencaeus, in his owne practise sheweth, that a protestation may very religiously be vsed;Espenc. tract. 6. Epist dedic. ad Card. Cast. his wordes translated be these, I doe RELIGIOVSLY SWEARE, that as often, as I thought vpon the report of obtaining the Red hat freely, (which others hunted after for mony, who were repulsed) I giue immortall thankes vnto God, that he suffered not, I wil not say so much good, but so much evill to happen vnto me: Quid facerem Romae? men­tiri nescio. What should I doe at Rome? I cannot lie. Thus much, for your obiection against his protestation: and thus much, for the honesty of the place, where your habitation is now supposed.

M^r LEECH. CHAP. 2.

This storme being thus overblowne, a quiet calme en­sued, vntill M. Doctour King (deane of Christ-Church, and Vicechancellour of the Vniuersitie) was now returned frō London; vnto whō I made repaire partly to do my duty vnto him, and partly to preuēt that sinister impression, which D. Hutton, and others sought to worke in him to the preiudice of me and of the doctrine which I had preached. For which purpose, I had collected [Page 220] the testimonies of 24. Fathers; that thereby he might be well informed in the state of this present question.

ANSVVER.

A storme it was not: you felt nei­ther the thunderbolt of excōmu­nication, nor lightning of expul­sion. If in this storme, as you call it, you had shed a showre of re­pentant teares, then you might haue been happy,Aust. in that which S. Austin applyeth to such a pur­pose, Post pluuiam sequitur magna serenitas, post nubilū magna claritas, post tempestatem magna tranquillitas. Though you thought the storme calmed; yet it was no otherwise then that the expectation of our most worthy Vicechācellors cōming home staid it: to whō by preuention & anticipation, you made repaire, to re­paire your weather-beaten credit, and (you say) to do your duty, which you had neglected to his deputy. But why feared you sōe sinister impressiō in him, who like that noble Emperour, in all causes kept an eare as well for defendant, as plaintiffe? I coniecture the cause: cō ­science was the Notary, Register, & Remembrauncer of an offence; and will proue the sting and scourge for the offence. Conscience, at this your first appearing, made you inwardly cry guilty.

M^r LEECH.

Assone as he beheld me, he brake forth into this passi­onate [Page 221] declamation. Sir, would you haue a worde with me? In verie good time; I haue many words to speak with you: for the shamefull rumor of your doctrine hath filled my eares wheresoever I came, in London, in Lambeth, or else where: your doctrine was stil laid in my dish; yea I haue beene charged by divers to my face, for tolerating such scandalous, and erroneous doctrine freelie, and openly to be preached in this V­niversitie.

ANSVVER.

His passion was no other, then that which should be the proper passion of every true hearted Christian. He was (with Elias) iealous for the Lord of hoasts: 1. King. 19.14. 2. Cor. 11.2. and as S. Paul was iealous with a godly iealousie, so was hee passionate with a religious holy Passion. It concerned him in a double respect: as a provident Vicechancellour of the Vniversity, to see that the Lords ground receiue no tares; as the diligent Governour of that honourable Colledge, to see that the envious man liue not in his house, that would sow these tares. His burden of this double labour, requireth a double ardor, and without doubt it will receiue a double honour. The speech hee vsed to you, was the living representation of him­selfe, full of courage, wisdome, truth, and honourable spirit: and therefore I may returne Martiall his Apo­strophe vpon you, Sed malè dum recitas, incipit esse tuū; His sweet speech hath lost much, by running through your Channell. Occasion of much griefe it was to him, to heare that vnder his Collegiat regiment, any one should presume to teach that, which was scandalous [Page 222] & most erroneous doctrine. And what freedome the world vseth in taxing Governors, as guilty of conni­vency to some vnrulie Heretoclits vnder their autho­rity, Seperatists and Papists (like Herod & Pilat) in their daily invectiues do testifie.

M^r LEECH.

To whom returning my answere in dutifull sort, I pro­tested first, that I came not to insinuate with him, nor to divert any course of iustice. Secondly; I know the doctrine to be founded vpon such invincible proofes, and reasons, that it will stand impregnable against all assaults whatso­ever. For demonstration whereof I presented the aforesaid testimonies vnto him, and desired him to take a diligent review of the places alleaged in that schedule.

ANSVVER.

Your dutifull answere was vndutifull: in that, first, you came not to craue his favourable interpretation, and thereby in submission, to haue committed your selfe and cause vnto his worthy iudgement, as being in a double respect vnder his government; secondly, you might haue remembred to speake truth, in this your answer, for you presented no such Testimony of Fa­thers, as you report here, nor collected any authori­ties out of them at all. When you were Collector for the poore proofes, that you produce, it seemeth you were Collector for the high waies also: you gathered that rubbish out of Bellarmine and Coccius, Ierem. 6.16. not out of the old waie as the Prophet calleth them.

M^r LEECH.

Whervpon he contemptuously entwited me, saying: go, go; you are a foole, an asse, &c: whē you preach, here is nothing but Leo, Leech, and al the Fathers. A pro­verbe, which he had borrowed from some braynsicke Puri­tans, and prophane scoffers.

ANSVVER.

Reproofes be as necessary Purgations: & you knowe how lawful it is according to the proverb, to affirme, Schapha est Schapha, as also that it is helde true in Phy­sicke, Morality, and Diuinity, varium poscit remediū di­versa qualitas passionum. Ioh. 4.7. Acts. 7.51. Iohn Baptist to the Pharisies crieth out, O ye generations of vipers; Stephen to the Iewes, O yee stiffe necked, and of vncircumcised hearts & eares; Peter to Ananias, Why hath Sathā so filled thy hart, Acts. 5.3. Acts. 13.10. that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy Ghost; and Paul to E­lymas vseth no other language but this, O ful of al sub­tilty and of all mischiefe, the child of the divell and enemy of all righteousnesse, wilt thou not cease, to pervert the straight waies of the Lord? Such reproofes even to the dividing asunder the bones and the marrowe, haue beene vsed frequently and necessarily. But the wisdome of the reverend Vicechancellor forbare any such words as you impute here to him: & therefore in being the false relator, you are become the author of these titles you giue your selfe. The Title of Leo Leech, was so commonly growne to a Proverb of you, as that you grew prowd of it: but without reason, for you know, [Page 224] how the creature was dealt with, that strouted in the Lyons skin. But this title of Leo Leech, was not named then, but deferred till your finall Censure, [...] is your disease, your Title of brainsicke Puritanes is sple­neticall if not Phreneticall. Wee are all free from the note of that Schisme, we professe no transcendencie, every man hath subscribed, and willingly acknowled­ged, the most auspitious and gracious goverment by the Religion professed, and for ever to be avowed in our Church. Forbeare then this tongue murthering, and malignant slandering.

M^r LEECH.

Which contumely I repelled with few words, and dige­sted it with patience; assuring him, that Leech with one Leo woulde bee too hard for any man that impugned this doctrine.

ANSVVER.

Why should you boast of Leo, when you had nei­ther strength nor hony from this Lyon. Leo is none of your Iury, you haue no Counsaile from him. Looke o­ver your Catalogue, you finde him not there; and looke into your conscience, and you wil finde, that you made no mention of him here: though you be false in opini­on, yet continue not in everie paragraph to be false in relation.

M^r LEECH.

And truely I could not but marvaile, that hee, who in [Page 225] his lectures vpon Ionah, hath made a copious defence of the holy Fathers, and approved the vse of their testimo­nies in publique sermons, should now so vehemētly except against me, and so meanely esteeme of them. But such is the condition of these men, that they will accept, and reiect the Fathers at their owne pleasures; as winde, & weather go.

ANSVVER.

That our worthy Vicechancellor was no Antipater, may be plainely seene by his most exquisite apology for the vse of those great Fathers and Doctours of the Church, who derived their streames of divine knowe­ledge from the Scriptures, and from whose Lampes all Christendome haue received light. But in this, Art, & Grace so far aboue Art, haue so enriched his iudge­ment by study, that though he mainetaineth the rea­ding of the fathers and the frequent quotation of thē, and maketh vse of them in Sermons as much as anie whatsoever (in which kinde, as in all others his talent is most extraordinary) yet he farre disclaimeth, that e­ver he beleeved that you could produce anie true au­thorities either in generall from the fathers, or in par­ticular from Gregory, whom you make the Author, pillar and maintainer of your Doctrine. The ob­servation of Ludovicus Rabus is fit to bee remembred by you: In his 1. volume of Collection out of Austin, Lud. Rab. in 1. tom. to recōcile (by the meditatiō of that reverend father) divers places of Scriptures. There bee, saith he, two sorts of men which much wrong antiquity, Quorum alterum iniquum nimis & planè distortum, omnia à ve­teribus, & piâ antiquitate prodita magno supercilio fa­stidit [Page 226] at (que) contemnit. D. Kings 40. Lecture vpon Ionas. And these are most learnedly confuted by the 40. Lecture of Doctor King vpō Io­nas. Being worthy to be hissed at, and contemned, for contemning those blessed ornaments of learning and pillers of religion in their time, who spake, and wrote, & lived, and died in defence of Christs truth. Ambrose worthily stiled orbis terrarum oculus, Augu­stin haereticorum malleus, great Athanasius, eloquent Cyprian, golden mouthed Chrysostome, and the rest. Their names be memorable, and their monuments of indefategable paines, be honourable throughout all generations, and let it for ever bee a brand of the greatest ignorance, to contemne their learning and writing.Lud. Rab. ibid Alterum vero nimis cautum & circumspectū abs (que) iuditio aut discrimine vllo, omnia veterum dicta & scripta tanquam Praetoria amplectitur & mordicus defē ­sa cupit, such as suck only the gall of their inke, & stu­dy only the blotts of their papers, and if there be any [...] imposed and impostured into the Fathers writings, these they study to maintaine. That if Ter­tullian savor of Montanisme, or Cyprian of Rebaptisme or Origen of Millieranisme; if Nazianzen seem to be an Angelist, or Hierome a Monagamist, this they swal­low without distinction or discreatiō, never looking into the Interpretations or Retractations of those opi­nions. And this they will as resolutely teach as Canon of Scripture, whereas the most worthy Father that e­ver lived since Christ time, S. Austin, in his 2 Tome Epist. 19.Aust. 2. Tom. Ep. 19. Ep. 40. ad Vinc. Ep. 111. ad Fortun. ad Hieronymum, in his 48 Epistle ad Vincen­tium, in his 111 Epistle ad Fortunatianum, doth abso­lutly conclude, Ne (que) enim quorumlibet disputationes, quam vis catholicorum & laudatorum hominum, velut [Page 227] Scriptur as Canonicas habere debemus, vt nobis nō liceat, salva honorificentia, quae illis debetur hominibus, aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare, at (que) respuere, si forte inve­nerimus, quoad aliter senserint quàm veritas habet, di­vino adiutorio vel ab alijs intellecta, vel à nobis. Talis e­go sum in scriptis aliorū, tales volo esse intellectores meo­rum. This caveat may serue you, especially who re­lie more vpon reading, then vpon vnderstanding. Your clause of accusation is false, wherein you im­pute to that famous Doctor and others, the accepting and reiecting of the Fathers at their pleasure. It is the common practise of your owne, as I haue alrea­dy shewed.

M^r LEECH.

Now, whereas I added farther, that the best learned in Oxford concurred with me in this point; yea (said hee) there are many of you, that will play with Popery, as the fly doth with the candle: you hoouer, over and about it, as neere as you dare, but you will bee sure to keep your wings from sindging.

ANSVVER.

You that father opinions vpon the ancient Fa­thers, may as easily traduce moderne Doctors. Did e­ver any concurre with you in publike declaration of this doctrine. I speake it againe, and am assured of it, that you traduce some that favoured your person, ra­ther then your doctrine, and did much distast, that you should any way deale with controversie. Who [Page 228] interceeded for you? who offered to defend it? to dispute it? The speech of M^r Vicechancelour, con­cerning those that play with Popery &c. I beleeue was only and particularly appropriated to your selfe, though you desire to draw others into your reputa­tion & livery. If any doe confectionat their religi­on, and double in the true worship of God, I feare to iudge them, and as much feare to follow them.

M^r LEECH.

Though I made a friendly defence of those men (at whō he malitiously girded) as being mē of incomparable worth in that place, yet I disclaimed all assistance from them, or any others, protesting, that I depended not vpon men, nor Angells; but only vpon the sacred Scripture, interpreted by the ancient Church. Which rule of faith as it is most cer­taine, so my application thereof, in this particular, is free from all exception.

ANSVVER.

Your friendly defence, it doth offer offence, in cō ­tinuing the derivation of your owne folly vpon any of incomparable worth. Incomparable worth, is a title to be bestowed only, vpon men of Incomparable paines and studies, and so are our Publike Governors, and most learned Readers in divinity. Of these (as many as had occasion to discourse vpon your doctrine) haue all gainsaid it, and in solemne Lectures and Disputati­ons in our publike divinity Schoole it hath beene of­ten fanned, & confuted. You say you depend not vpō [Page 229] Angells, so thinke I also: for though the Angells be not ambitious, yet I am sure they would thinke it some iniury (if not to thē, yet) to the truth, that man should be equall to them in perfection, and Angelicall inte­grity, as you affirme. From Scriptures interpreted by the Church you received it not; the Church did never graunt it, the Scriptures doe no where ground it. What the rule of faith is, you haue already beene taught.

M^r LEECH.

Well (quoth he) whether I shall bee able to proue this doctrine, false, or not, I cannot tell but, as I think I shall. Howsoever; certaine I am, that I shall be able to condemne you of great indiscretiō, for preaching such doctrine in these revolting times, when there is such generall Apostasie from the gospel vnto Popery.

ANSVVER.

Qui semel verecundiae limites transilijt, gnaviter fit impudēs. Whether this your speech deserue not the blackest Character of falshood or no, I will not say I cā ­not tell, but I am bound by all the assurances of truth, to beleeue, that your report in this, will be an article a­gainst you in iudgement. O [...] impudens! Was there dif­fidēce, or distrust, or the least touch of doubt in him? was not his resolution so firme, and his protestation so faithfull, that he told you with much zeale and ear­nestnesse, he knew, and would proue your doctrine to bee false and shamefull, and your selfe ignorant and [Page 230] most vnskilfull in point of Controversie. Of revol­ting in these later times, he had reason to speake whē the misery of this age is such, that an asses head is sold at a shekle, and our Philistine adversaries will offer any preferment to him that will turne their Proselite, and yet when they receiue them, admit them into no or­der but of Mendicants, as the late proofe of some, & present experience of your selfe shew. [...]. Pet. 2.1. Apostasie was foretold, as by others, so prophetically by Peter, that there shalbe false teachers, which shall privily bring in damnable heresies. And who can ponderat this? but with much sense and sorrow he will lament that anie sonne of this Country, nay any son (in the outwarde appearance) of the church shoulde exenterat his na­turall, nay his spirituall mother, and do this in a sinister conceit either for some particular discontent, or for want of preferment, ever for want of iudgement? La­mentable is such Apostasie to Antichristian Popery.

M^r LEECH.

At which simple suggestion I coulde not but smile within my selfe; first to consider, that whereas he had abso­lutely charged this doctrine to be erroneous, yet nowe he could not tel whether it were true, or false. Secondly, to ob­serue, that the preaching of truth, contained in the gospell, should be a meanes to draw men from the gospell vnto Po­pery; as he was pleased to speake.

ANSVVER.

Simple suggestion. If the Cumane beast could speake, [Page 231] more modesty and duty would bee vttered. You smile like the Picture, that having two faces, hath his em­bleme over it, Nos tres, & so you by an enterchangeable view looking on them two, you smile as ill favored as they, and so make three. The first cause of your vn­seemely smile is, that which wil cause gnashing of teeth, vnlesse you repent. He whose wisdome and knowledge ioined togither faithfully and strongly to charge you with the error of your doctrine, did hee now doubte whether it were erroneous? It is a mint of forgeries and falshoode, and vnworthy the invention of anie that is called Christian. Your second smiling conside­ration was as fonde as the other was false, did you preach the truth out of the Gospell? Bern. sup. Cant. ser. 65. Evangelium apella­sti, ad Evāgelium ibis: Hast thou appealed to the Gos­pell (saith Bernard) vnto the Gospell thou shalt go. The Law is said to be the killing letter, but the Gospell will bee the killing letter at the arraignement of this supposititious erroneous position.

M^r LEECH.

But perceiving him to be enkindled with the flames of passion, I forboare to adde fuell vnto the fire; and therefore I pretermitted the mētioning of his folies at that time. Only I made this briefe answere: that if some truth bee not to be preached at all times, yet the Contrary vnto truth was to be preached at no time: and if it be lawfull for any man to impugne it, is it not lawful for me to defend it, and espe­cially, when it concerneth my selfe in particular? For so it did in this case: the eie of the whole Vniversity being cast vpon me in this behalfe.

ANSVVERE.

Rather say, But trembling and fearing to stay, much lesse to speake: that there is so black liuor in your paper, seeing you had so white a liver at your speech, I admire not much,Iam. 3. seeing your fictiōs be great, though your Poetry none at all. You say you forbeare to adde fuell vnto the fire. S. Iames saith the tongue is a fire, but I finde that your pen is a fire, and yet but ignis fatuus: I wonder that these poysonfull and filthy calumnies, fabricated in the forge of a froathy braine, eate not through your paper.Lubert. Re­plic. l. 1. c. 1. If you continue this railing, re­viling, slaundring, you will so envenom your booke, that none will buy it: as Gretzer (the devills agent in slaundring villany, and railing scurrility) was vsed in Frisia, where only one of his bookes were to bee sold: which none would buy, because that foule mouthed Cerberus doth so besmeare all mens reputations hee dealeth with. The conceited malice in you, whetted with a custome of slaunder, and edged with a conta­gion of error, hath made your tongue so keene, your stile so sharp, and your truth so short, that you woūd whom you can. What follies can the bottomlesse pit of your opē sepulchre, mētiō against this Paragon of men? In whose defence men and Angells stand a­gainst all clamorous railers. When you say, Only I made this breefe answere &c. that onely, is ONELY more, you neither did, nor could reply so. You never had that advantage given you, as the acknowledge­mēt of one sparke of truth in that doctrine, nor ever was there doubt made but truth is allowed to bee [Page 233] preached, and that you say the eie of the Vniversity was vpon you, it was only the eie of iudgement and condemnation, not the eie of respect or expectati­on: few lent you their eies, fewer their eares, none their beleefe.

M^r LEECH.

Thus I tooke my leaue of M. Vicechancellour, hee be­ing full of passion and I of resolution for this matter: a­gainst which he declamed with many words, and without any reason; consorting herein with those furious Dona­tists, of whom S. Augustin pronounceth truly:Contra lit. Petil. l. 2. c. 51. Quid hoc aliud est, quàm nescire quid dicere, & tamen non pos­se nisi maledicere?

ANSVVER.

He was full of resolution, you full of discontented turbulent passion, you were glad to be gon, being so beaten with the power of truth: for the wordes that stroke you, were full of reason, faith, and religion, as your consciēce knoweth, notwithstanding your pro­fusd dissembling, and professed railing. S. Austins speech to the Donatists retorteth it selfe vpon you so full of contradiction and malediction: Aust. and with it I returne another speech of S. Austin, Non est intuendū quàm amarum, sed quàm falsum. I stand not so much vpon your acerbity, as to shew to the worlde how you falsifie.

M^r LEECH. CHAP. 3.

THis Magistrate intending a preposterous course a­gainst me, and yet pretending a formality of iustice, convented me before him in iuridicall manner, vp­on the vigill of S. Peter, a practitioner of my doctrine. Lord (said he) what shall we haue, that haue forsaken all, and followed thee?

ANSVVER.

THis faithfull deputy of his maker and Master, entended no pre­posterous course against you. His brest like the hart of a good Magistrate, is the Ocean where­into all the cares of our Acade­micall causes empty themselues, which hee ever sendeth forth a­gaine in a wise conveyance by the streames of iustice; he hath in all the time of his goverment, beene the Pay-master of good deserts and Patron of Peace; it was not formality of iustice he pretended, but the satisfa­ction of the whole Vniversity, who importuned that you might be convented and censured. What vaine-glorious humor riseth vp in that froth of ostentation, to cause you cal S. Peter a practitioner of your doctrine? He was married, therefore practised no Counsell of Virginity; hee continued his fishing, therefore vnder­took [Page 235] no wilful Poverty; he carried his sword & stroke Malchus, and therefore professed no Monasticall obe­dience: you deal with S. Peter, as the Printers in Rome doe with Christ, for they in their Printed Tables of the Popes, first place Christ then Peter, &c. as if Christ had been Pope. But as Christ is contrary to the Pope Antichrist: so S. Peter is most opposit to this your do­ctrine, and giveth commande to put to silence the igno­rance of foolish men. 1. Pet. 2.15.

M^r LEECH.

Appearing now vpon my summons,Other Doc­tors (of better worth) who heard my ser­mons were not called vnto my triall; whereas two only of these six Iudges were my Au­ditors. I found M. Vice-chancellour assisted with 5. compeeres; D. Airay, D. Ag­lionbee, D. Hutton, D. Harding, D. Benefield; a sele­cted company for his owne humor. Who as they were gene­rally to be excepted against by me, as incompetent Iudges: so in speciall D. Hutton for his inveterate malice concei­ved against me long since vpon a base, and vnworthy re­spect. D. Benefield, as he was my principall opposite, so he, with the rest, being a doctrinall Calvinist could never af­ford me an equall triall in this issue,Quid mihi dabis &c. depending vpon the Fathers; which he, and they, do really disclaime.

ANSVVER.

These fiue Assistants are knowne to bee of much worth and sufficiency. Iust censures they deserue not, as living without the compasse of an adversary; vniust they contemn. Although you loade al of them plēti­fully, you should express some reasō why these were incōpetent Iudges in generall, seeing these were as e­minent [Page 236] for learning, honest for life, & haue beene oft chosen Delegates by our whole Vniversity in our Convocation for the greatest affaires that concerne our Academicall state. Or what inveterate hate Doc­tor Hutton had against you in particular. He was a spe­ciall meanes to obtaine your place, a continuall shel­ter for you against all stormes while you were in the house: when he might haue imprisoned you, hee for­bare: Is this the inveterat malice? Hee may say as our Saviour said, for which of these good deedes doe you perse­cute me? For any aspersion of base bribery in your Marginal Quid mihi dabis, he disclaimeth the thought, and abhorreth the fact: his free, and good disposition, course of life, abilitie, and integritie bee his compurga­tors, and his protestation shall more prevaile with all honest mē, then al your oathes. Your exceptiō against Doctor Benefield is as vnsufficient as the former Malig­nant. Though he were, as you in scorne entitle him, a Calvinist; yet hee doth not disclaime the Fathers, as in his practise, we all can testifie having red more in thē, then your head and your backe can carrie: & what his estimation of the fathers is, in his Appendix hee doth manifest, and for M^r Calvin his workes shew that he did read and vse the fathers, & not onlie approved thē, but even the citing of heathen authors as may bee seene,Cal. Com. in 1. Cor. 15.33. in his Comment vpon the Corinth. 1. Cor. 15.33. though he be maliciouslie traduced to the contrary.

M^r LEECH.

These petty Iudges being thus assembled; M. Vicechan­cellour inveighed against me with a bitter, and passionat [Page 237] speech, cōtaining in it these capitall accusations. First; that I had lately preached scandalous, & erroneous Doctrin. Secondly; that I was vehemently suspected of Popery, and that, by this doctrine, I had nowe iustified the suspition. Thirdly; that I had brought an infamy vpon the Vniver­sity, and in speciall vpon him, and his house. Wherefore I must expect a censure according to my demerit.

ANSVVER.

It is scornefull & shamefull in you so to tearme mē, of as Beaw-desert as our Church or kingdome hath a­nie. The Vicechancelour, in this your blast of wordes, is often falsely taxed for being passionate, whose passi­ons are as so many good servants, which stand in a di­ligent attendance ready onlie to bee commanded by reason, and religion, in no other sort is hee passionate. The accusation consisting of those three articles, was most true: your doctrine was scādalous, it offred much offence, being generally distasted; and was errone­ous, being detected to be the floodgate of Traitors staiers, loosing in some supposititious doctrines, and many blasphemous arrogating much to man, deroga­ting much from God. Secondly, it was suspected (by many of our most religious and observant Doctors and Students) that you were much tainted with Po­pish corruption, and it now grew manifest; by the breaking forth of the Impostume in your last sermō. Thirdly, that you drew publike infamy vpon Oxford, where Popery in former ages of blindnesse, had beene discovered, that now in the splēdor of the Gospell here Popery should be, by any maintained. And you deri­ved [Page 238] from the generall invndatiō, a streame of asper­sion vpon your Collegiate Gouernour, and his house; the worthy Deane and all his Society, who all pro­fesse thus, I and my house will serue the Lord: vpon these your errors, you were to expect the ensuing Censure.

M^r LEECH.

To the first I answered, that as vpon sufficient desco­very of the pretended errour, I would recant it (since I sought nothing but the advancement of truth) so I should consequently acknowledge that I haue giuen the scandall if I haue preached the errour. But my conscience telleth me that I haue offended neither in matter, nor manner; sub­stance, nor circumstance.

To the second; that men might suspect what they plea­sed, and that it lay not in me to hinder every suspition. As for the imputation of Popery in this point, it cleaueth vnto the Scripture, and all Antiquity from which (ioint­ly) I assumed this Popish doctrine.

To the third; that as he, and his house could receiue no infamy by such a truth, so much lesse the Vniversity; for­asmuch as the best in iudgement there, (if not the most in number also) concurred with me in this point.

ANSVVER.

I answere these three Paragraphs together, thus. First, the discovery was made of the falsenesse and faultinesse of the doctrine, by D. Huttons inhibition, and by D. Benefields Lecture: and therefore your cō ­science [Page 239] might haue beene informed that you offen­ded in MATTER, by condemning the law for being imperfit, and therefore requiring Counsells, in mad in­solence durst you controle? where you should won­der. In MANNER you offended, daring to say over the same lesson, which was by authority forbidden you. Thus you were guilty both in substance and cir­cumstance. Secondly, you ought to abstaine, as the Apostle speaketh, from all shew of evill, as well in opi­nion as in action, and therefore not to giue so iust occasiō of suspicion, or more; of detection of Popery in you. This point of Popery, like a high house built vpon small pillars, though you say it had countenance frō Scripture & Antiquity: yet it is most plaine, that both these authorities doe disclaime vtterly any mainte­nance of the point in controversie. Thirdly, that the best, or most, concurred with you is most vntrue. Saint Austin in one of his Epistles, mentioneth his confe­rence with one, that sought to ouercome him,Aust. ep. 174. non veritate, sed clamore. And such a one you seeme to be, bragging of Scriptures, and Antiquity, of the most and best to concurre with you: whereas no one ever shewed himself, in teaching or defending any such point. So that this bladder full of winde, and skin ful of words sheweth you to be your owne Broker, hauing no Au­thor, no Protector.

M^r LEECH.

Here D. Aglionbee suddainely interrupted me; de­maunding, who they were; and, making me the trumpet­ter only of other mens opinions, he said, that I was set on [Page 240] by some, who, though they affected this, and other such like points of Popery, yet they dare not broach them them­selues, but whosoever they are, they shall be met withall ei­ther in schooles, or pulpit.

ANSVVER.

His interrogation was no interruption: he might wel thinke you were set on by some, but sure his cha­rity exempted his thought, from any of our Vniver­sity. I dare be so bold to interpret his meaning, that he affirmed that some Papisticall alients to our Congre­gation incited you: noe Domesticall commorants in the Vniversity did instruct you. Which interpretation I haue the more reason to beleeue, because he professed they should be met with, either in Schooles, or Pul­pit; for with whom doe our Sermons and Disputati­ons contend, but with forraine persons & Positions, with Rome, and Antichrist, and Heresie? But this is the most grating ingratitude that cā be, whom you dare not openly backbite, or wound with a direct censure, those Pyonerlike, you would privatly blow vp, as smoake smatcht in opinion, and reputation.

M^r LEECH.

This is the Miles gloriosus, who challengeth his bet­ters for Popery; At Merton Coll. before a great assem­bly. but they are able, and will confidently appeach him, not only of Iovinian heresie (which he defen­ded expresly against S. Hierome) but of sundry other bla­sphemies, & heresies, which he preached publikely in S. Maries Church: the particulars whereof I haue seene in writing.

ANSVVERE.

Hee is indeed Miles gloriosus, not in the Comicall sense, but in the Evangelicall: he is one of those glori­ous and triumphant Martialists in the 19 of the Re­velation, that attend the Lamb, to the conquest of the beast. He is dead; ô dead I say: Quàm parva tellus no­men ingens occulit! Prosper de August. And this testimony I dare send after him; Acer erat ingenio, suavis eloquio, in seculari­bus literis peritus, in Ecclesiasticis laboribus studiosus, in quotidianis laboribus clarus, in omni sua actione com­positus, in quaestionibus solvendis acutus, in convin­cendis haereticis circumspectus, in expositione fidei nostrae Catholicus, in explanandis Scripturis Canonicis cautus: such an Austin for the pulpit, such a Aquinas for the Schooles; that it deserveth an Chrysostome to emblason this Babilas, or an Austin to praise this Cyprian. But to the purpose: what Iovinian heresie defended hee? S. Austin ad quod vult Deum in his tract de haeresibus the 82. heresie, mentioneth the positions of Iovinian, omnia peccata (sicut Stoici) dicebat esse paria, nec posse pec­care hominem, Lavacro regenerationis accepto, &c. and after reciteth his opinion, in equalling the state of marriage with virginity. I knowe that any man that ever read S. Austin will acknowledge, that in his workes he shall finde the same position defended, & therefore writers on both partes haue graunted that matrimony may be equallized with virginity. I could vrge many of your owne: the Confession of Witten­berge in expresse words doth deliver,Lindan. Pa­nopl. lib. 4. Nō est sentiendū quòd hoc genus vitae (speaking of virginity) per se sit co­ram [Page 242] tribunali Dei, excellentius, aut sanctius quàm coniu­gium: Episc. Espenc Iesuita in 1. Tim. 3. and Bishop Espencaeus, a Iesuit (as before I haue vrged) teacheth in his Comentary on Timothy, that marriage may so be vndertaken that it may no way hin­der a perfect life? And if this were heresie in that fa­mous Schooleman, and blessed Christian D. Aglionbe: what was it in Erasmus, Eras. Arg. in lib. 1. advers. Iovin. Rhen. Argum in Tertul. de extract ca­stitat. Salmer. tom. 4. in. 1. Cor. 7. Disput. 14. § ad dubium. Villavin. de stud. Theol. lib. 4. cap. 5. obser. 2. Espenc. de continentia. lib. 3. cap. 11. Acosta. libro 2. de Christo Revelato. cap 20. in Rhenanus, in Salmeron, in Villavincentius, in Espencaeus, in Acosta, in many others of your owne, who all taxed S. Ierome for over much contempt of marriage and excessiue praise of virgi­nity? What heresies did D. Aglionbe preach, what par­ticulars haue you in writing? Could ill will haue dis­persed any more spightfull narration? How vnhappy it is to be only witty, in devising suggestions? First you ac­cuse him for table talke, which if any place shoulde challenge immunity for freedome of speech it might. Each such solemne meeting at our Vniversity meales should be like to Augustus table, fraught as well with disputations as dishes: and cannot that liberty be enioi­ed, but you must gather vp the Crummes of contra­diction and calūny, and not only this, but taxe him with sundry other blasphemies & heresies, whose knowledge and life contained such sufficiency and sanctitie as was honored of all.

M^r LEECH.

These things I could haue then obiected vnto him. But being not willing nowe to exasperate him, or anie other there present, I returned him my answere in this manner. Sir; it may suffice you now to vnderstande, that there are such men in this Vniversity, that will constantly defende [Page 243] this doctrine: who they are, I leaue it vnto your inquiry; you may finde them out by getting a generall subscription here vnto your opinion, or by some other meanes. Onely, to giue you farther assurance of there resolutiō in this point, it pleased some of them freely (without my desire or knowledge) to draw a letter, wherein they recommended me, and my cause vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury; informing his Grace that the doctrine was most cleere on my side, and that they would stand in publicke iustification thereof.

ANSVVER.

This Paragraph wrappeth in it, a narration; which being begot by error, hath never yet beene carried in­to the world by rumor: and no marvaile: for even the worst of men and most subiect to credulity, wil never beleeue that any in this Vniversity did, or can defende this doctrine, either by open profession or private sub­scription. You are your owne Secretary and of your counsel, but few others (if any) did agree with you. To holde that there is a verball distinction of Precepts and Counsels, I know that some deny not & some whose abūdance of learning and worth I honour: but that any among vs, do maintaine the opinion, as you preacht it, by Counsels to induce men to Monkery, to accuse the law of insufficiencie, to invest man in Angelicall integrity, &c. I never will beleeue it, as knowing that this vntrue suggestion hath disiointed the affection of those that did most pitty you, and that you wil deeply answere this, vnlesse you staine your cheekes with the blushes of recantatiō, & sende over the forme of your penance without the secret glosses of double and reser­ved [Page 244] senses. Did some in over much charity petitionat for your pardon, from the heavy burden of censure: & do you traduce their innocency, so far as to accuse thē for connivency, nay for authorizing your doctrine? You shall pardon me for crediting this any more, thē that of Doctor Kilby, of whom in your first booke and 8. chapter you report, that hee contested with Doctor Hutton, for the truth of the Doctrine, and that you might answer it with credit: whose reverend protesta­tion against that speech, and against your opinion, & against this subscription, into which you entitled him, is forcible and suasible, and availeable with any honest hart to measure this speech by that, and to assure all that here you traduce others, as there him.

M^r LEECH.

But I pray you, Sir to be advertised by me; that I neuer made vse of their letters: one reason whereof meeteth with your obiection. For as I assumed this doctrine from the ho­ly Scriptures, and ancient Fathers, so I determined to maintaine it vpon these grounds, without any assistance: and much lesse was I set on by anie of them.

ANSVVER.

This is a firme confirmation of my former opinion. Would not you haue vsed those letters, and produced thē, if you had any such? You, that ransackt al the in­ventories, and catalogues you could, to muster vp testi­monies: & your modesty so to modifie your cause, as not to vrge vivum testimonium, the living witnesses [Page 245] of your assertiō? Absit, far be it, but that al here should hate falshoode more then death, and bee so faithfull Clients of truth, as not to yeeld an eare, much lesse a hand or hart to any startling opposer. Obiect as oft as you will, that you vsed not these letters because you relyed on Scriptures and Fathers: yet if you had had but the least manuall or oral assistance, you would haue produced it, and traduced the Authors whosoe­ver.

M^r LEECH.

And that you may know vpon what authority I first began, and do now proceede; here are the Doctours (24. in number 12. Greeke 12. Latine) who set me on; here are their testimonies; produce their bookes; conuince me if you can.

ANSVVER.

And that you may know that there bee ashes scat­tered to descry your footing: it is manifest that as in your sermon you gleaned frō Bellarmine very much, so in your proofes you haue borrowed from Coecius much more; the Quotations that you cite, in the same order found in him, as in you. But as Bellarmine in the point of Purgatory, professing to proue it by 10. pla­ces in the old Testamēt, & 9. in the New to make for it, is afterwards cōstrained to cōfesse that there is no direct place in Scripture. For being in the last Chap. 1. booke of Purgatory, vrged by the argument of Peter Martyr and others, that Purgatory is foūd in no place [Page 246] of Scripture therefore no matter of faith answereth Non est necesse vt Scriptura vbi (que) omnia dicat. Bellar. c. vlt. lib. 1. de Purg. And a­gaine, Talia enim ad Apostolicam traditionem sunt re­ferenda. So some of your Fathers haue not so much as the word Counsaile, others that vse it, doe ei­ther in the same wordes or in other places, as I haue shewed, distinguish the generall from the special pre­cept by the name of Counsell, that whereas some Challendge their Iury, your Iury doeth challendge you, of rash indiscretion and false information.

M^r LEECH.

Whereat his courage began to abate; and first he excep­ted against me for producing the Greeke, in whose lan­guage (said he) you haue but slender skill.

ANSVVER.

His purposes be so deliberate, and resolution so firme that your paper gun could not abate his courage, as you falsely enforme, your leane-heart-fretting envie, fatting it selfe with contumelious scornes. You were questioned with twise whether you vnderstoode the Greeke, first your answer was affirmatiue: being pres­sed againe, you confes, you vnderstood it only by the translation, It was replied by the Vicechancelour, that if the translation erred then you did partake in that er­ror, instance given in [...], so much mistaken in the vulgar: to this you did, nor could answer a word. You were not able to vnderstand the Greeke fathers, and in retaliation none of the Greeke fathers will afford you one word of Counsell.

M^r LEECH.

To which malitious, and impertinent exception, I an­swered first; that it was sufficient for me to rely vpon the translations approved commonly in the Church. Secondly that I had so much skil in Greek, as to compare the trans­lation with the originall, and that none there was so ex­act, as to vnderstand some Greeke fathers (and namely S. Gregory Nazianzen) in their natiue idiome. Thirdly; that if I had no Greeke Author on my side; yet here is a sufficient Iury of Latine Fathers; whose language I vn­derstand, and whose conspiring tenent, I hope, you dare not renounce.

ANSVVER.

A Scandalous and vnreuerent Phrase. Was it mali­tious and impertinent, to aske whether you vnder­stood the Greeke, whē you dosend vp the greek fathers as if they had been pickled herrings, & yet vnderstood them only by the vse of an interpreter. That you an­swer, (first it was sufficient for you to relie vpon tran­slations, I say in point of controversie it is not so: S. Hierome did practise and did Counsell the contrarie,Hier. Epist. ad Suniam & Fret. tom. 3. Aug. de Doc. Christ. lib. 2. c. 11. Theol. Lov. Praef. lib. var. lect in lat. Bib. edit. vulg. and S. Austin giveth the same rule in his booke de Do­ctrina Christiana. The Divines of Lovaine approue the same, & Villavincentius doth prescribe it, as most necessary. In differences or doubts, or cōtroversies to repaire to the Hebrew for the old Testament, and to the Greeke for the new. Secondly, in that you affirme that you haue so much knowledge in Greeke, as to [Page 248] compare the Translation with the originall, and that none there were so exact as to vnderstād some greek father &c. both parts be faulty. He that is able to cō ­pare the translation, must carry in his head a Lexicon: you haue the roome, but you lack this furniture. It is the labour of a wel read, & throughly grounded Gre­cian. And that any father should be so hard to bee in­terpreted, that it were difficulty to finde out in this choice company, one able to translate him: it is a ca­lumnie to the ancient Fathers, and to these reverend Doctors; the former writing elegantly, these able to translate thē faithfully. Your third, hath cut, off the third part, but halfe your army of Fathers: you are dri­ven out of Greece, and as the Greeke Fathers knew you not, so the Latine Fathers (as is plentifully proved) as­sist you not.

M^r LEECH.

Doctour Aglionbee being thus pressed by me & ha­ving nothing to answere in his defence; D. King inter­posed himselfe; obiecting that D. Hutton had inhibited me: that D. Benefield (whose bookes I was not worthy to carry) had publikely confuted my doctrine &c. with such like frivolous allegations.

ANSVVER.

Here to helpe your memory, which wandreth as much as your iudgement, you forget that vpō your bragge, that all the Latine Church held with you: D. Aglionbee asked you what was the Church, and you [Page 249] receiving a blow, where you had no ward, were dri­ven so farre out of the way, as to affirme, the last re­solution of the Church, to be, not in primam verita­tem, but in the iudgement of men: the absurdity of which position I haue dealt with in your Epistle. The Vicechancellour seeing such presumptuous insolence ioined with ignorance, herevpon remembred you, how the inhibition by authority, and the confutati­on of that controversie, might haue staid your pro­ceedings, and added the due worth of the Doctor who had determined that point in his solemne Lecture.

M^r LEECH.

As for D. Hutton his inhibition I answered as be­fore; adding farther that I respected not his iudgement in this matter. For I knew (indeed) that as his vnderstā ­ding is not very deepe, so his affection is not very good; who, in a certaine booke (or rather statizing pamphlet) concerning the crosse in baptisme; defendeth this lau­dable Christian ceremony by tradition of the Church, as it is witnessed by the holy Fathers: and yet now in a point of greater importance, expressed in Scripture, taught by Fathers, practised by the Saints, defined by the whole Church, he blushed not to accuse me, nay S. Gregory him­selfe of Popery in this doctrine. But singular is my com­fort to consider, by what Iudge, I am thus vsed, in what cause, and with what Patrone; from whom our Nation first receiued her first faith, & for whose faith I must now forsake my nation.

ANSVVERE.

You leaue the answer of your neglect of D. Hut­tons gouernement, and traduce his iudgement. Inhi­bition is matter of authority, not of learning: why disobeyed you that command, you answere (but not to the purpose) you respected not his iudgement. Let not malice be iudge, but cōsider how base, infamous, & malitious your reproaches be: his soūdnes of iudg­ment, is approved sufficiently by the consent of our whole Vniversity. And that booke which so scorn­fully you reproach, is esteemed deservingly, and is of reverend respect with the best Bishops of our Church. Where the Fathers agreeing to Scripture, are truly vrged, and vnderstandingly interpreted, both D. Hutton and all of our part, with all willingnesse, re­ceiue their assertions. But, when Fathers are misvr­ged, arrested, and impostured by Coccius, or Bellarmin and you receiue them at second hand, not from the foūtaine but from the ditches: we returne your party-coloured, blended sentences, as vnworthy of approba­tion, because they be vsed as the Tyrant entertained his guest, if to long for his bed to chop of; if to short, to racke them out: The doctrine which you call a point of great importance expressed in Scripture, taught by Fathers, practised by the Saints, and de­fined by the whole Church, is not so founded, as you presume to teach, Scriptures no where expresse it, Fathers teach it not, the Saints of God haue not pra­ctised it, the Church of Christ hath not defined it. Therefore he only accused you of Popery, but not [Page 251] Gregory. For as formerly hath beene said, D. Hutton, and all any way seene in Gregories Moralls, may per­ceiue how you foist into the Text, the words [Evan­gelicall Counsells] Your comfort, will proue your cor­rasiue; your Iudge in this was God, others were but his deputies; the cause was religiō, nay the very mar­row & pith of Religion, and the opposition of many absurd hereticall positions. Your Patron, was not Gregory, hee neither taught you this, nor from him our Church received their first faith. Neither for de­fending this were you cōstrained to leaue the Land; you forsooke your Religion, rather then your Nati­on. Vegetius tells that in the Roman Armies,Vegetius. Non fu­gere, was a speciall precept. The way for you to Tri­umph, had beene to recant, and to remaine in your station, not to fly. Bosquiers speech is true,Bonsq. cont. 7 the Devill is overcome by resisting; but the flesh and the world, by running away: but you fled because you would run into the world.

M^r LEECH.

As for D. Benefield with his lecture, & his bookes, I pas­sed them over: considering that M. Vicechancellour made excursions from the point, loading me only with contume­ly and disgrace.

ANSVVER.

You passed him ouer, because he doth so far over­passe you, but he is in your bosome, his Lecture lyeth heavy on your heart, it is such a pang, that you will [Page 252] not easily remoue. The Vicechancellour loading you (as you call it) with disgrace, knewe you had a back provided for a burthen. If his speech seeme harsh to you, you turned his tongue, being turned your selfe. Otherwise, his tongue is the hearauld of encouragement and comfort, himselfe the refuge of innocencie, a Tutor to his Colledge and a father to the Clergy, in his Accademicall governement.

M^r LEECH.

Wherefore, not suffering him to divert mee from the maine issue,Haeretici est praecepta Pa­trum declina­re; saith wor­thy Flavian in his first e­pist. to LEO the great. I desired him to deale punctually, that is to say, first to admit a triall by the Fathers, or to deny it: if he denied it, he should be thereby sufficiently convinced. Se­condly; if he admitted this triall, then either to disproue my authorities, or to approue my doctrine.

ANSVVER.

To deale punctually, is so proper vnto all his dis­courses, that all his Auditors will acknowledge this a speciall felicity, in the power of his speech. Your de­mands were preposterous: in your Epistle, you commit your selfe to the censure of the Church, now to the triall of the Fathers: no appeale at all to the Scrip­tures, without which, whatsoever is taught, is like Israells building in Aegypt, without stuffe, no warrant for the matter they build with.

M^r LEECH.

But he not daring to make a briefe, and punctuall an­swer [Page 253] to my reasonable demands, fell extravagantly into a mention of the reformed Churches; summoning me be­fore their tribunall, for the censuring of this doctrine.

ANSVVER.

Not daring? Why continueth this Bracchadochian humor? it hath long beene in the consumption, it will at length spend it selfe. What dareth not he, that vn­dertakes without rashnes, and performes without feare? did ever your experience finde him to be a read shaken with the winde, or to want the sinewes of courage and resolution? No you knowe hee is ballaced with wise­dome, and worth, able to vndertake the most resolute and vndauntedest of the contrary side in the worlde. Neither in this was there the least note of extravan­cie, as your exorbitancie of accusation doth impute: for by whom should a minister of the reformed Chur­ches bee censured, but by the power & iudgement of the reformed Churches?

M^r LEECH.

Which course of proceeding, I vtterly disclaimed, as vnequall; because the later Church is not to iudge the former, but contrarily the former is to iudge the later.

ANSVVER.

Who ever, that was a supposed member in our Ec­clesiasticall state, durst disclaime the iudgement, cen­sure, authority of our Church? But your reasonlesse [Page 254] reason is, the later Church is not to iudge the former. If by the former Church, you meane the ancient Catholike Church for the first 500. yeeres, we maintaine our refor­med Church to bee the same: but if by the former church you meane the now Roman Catholike faith, as Bristow and the Rhemists deliver,Bristow. mot. 12. in marg. Rhem in An­not. in Rom. 1 8. that the Romane and Catholike Church be all one; then we reiect and abhorre that Synagogue of Sathan, wherein Ziim and Iim, the Ostrich and Vulture and Schritchowle doe remaine. And by many more degrees then Papistes prefer the Pope before the Emperour, wee preferre the Reformed Churches, which doe mainetaine the ancient, Catho­like, Apostolike faith, reformed from errors, supersti­tions, and heresies, stealing in by the degrees of time, and occasion, into the window of the Church.

M^r LEECH.

And what did I herein (good Reader) but obserue the prescription of Antiquity in this behalfe,Contr. Iulian Pelag. lib. 2. and namely that of S. Augustine against the Pelagian hereticks; Patres oportet vt populi Christiani vestris novitatibus an­teponant, eis (que) potius eligant adhaerere, quàm vobis?

ANSVVER.

Nay what did you, but as Pelagian himselfe did, magnifie the nature of man, & so strengthen the arme of flesh, as if you would incite it, to rebell against hea­ven: and what did you otherwise then as hereticks of all ages, who haue stoode so much vpon authorities out of some authors falsely collected, that they will [Page 255] not be drawn, no not by Scriptures, to the acknowe­ledgemēt of their errors? Such S. Austin observed the Donatists to be.Aug. contra Donatist. Quis autem nesciat sanctam Scripturam Canonicam tam veteris quā novi Testamēti, &c. where in a large discourse, hee manifesteth that the Canon of Scripture, is only so sure, that there ought to bee no doubt or disputation thereof: but for Fathers and An­cient Bishops, much might be reprehended therein. The cause that S. Austin (in confuting the Pelagians) did appoint the reading of the fathers to the people, was this, because the fathers formerly had delivered by strength of scripture, the contrary doctrine to that heresie. And yet that holy father, speaking of himselfe and al the ancients before him: Ne (que) enim debeo negare (saith he ad Vincentiū) sicut in ipsis maioribus, Aug. ad Vin­centium. Vic­torem. ita multa esse in tam multis opusculis meis quae possunt iusto iudicio culpari, that in him, nor in any other this is a prescrip­tion of Antiquity, to rely only on fathers.

M^r LEECH.

Here D. Airay distasting my refusall to stand vnto the verdict of the reformed Churches, questioned with me about the rule of my faith; I answered him briefly;Contr. haeres. cap. 1. &c. See D. Field pag. 239. that I wholly followed Vincentius Lyrinensis his direction; to wit, Canonicall scripture, and Ecclesiasticall traditiō; the first being sensed by the second.

ANSVVER.

To refuse the iudgement of the ruler, and to fly to a stranger, is punishable in Policy: to condemne, and [Page 256] contemne your owne mother Church, and to stand to the iudgement of a strange Church, nay of a Synagogue a stranger from the Church, is culpable in divinity. It was a seasonable question, to aske the rule of your faith, whē it was manifest you had forsaken the faith: & your answer was vnsound, ioining with Canonicall Scripture, Ecclesiasticall tradition; these be two, & there­fore not the rule but rules, whereas Canon & regula must be but one, Aq. lect. 1. in 1. Tim. 6. Aquinas on Timothy affirming, that the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called Cano­nicall, because it is the rule. Traditions wee renounce as vnworthy to be ioyned with Scripture,Melch. Can. lib. 3. c. because Ca­nus in this doeth expresly teach that whatsoever the Church of Rome practiseth and hath not warrant from Scripture, the same things and the practise of them shee hath received by Tradition: which Popish traditions we abhorre to supply scripture with, as knowing that the Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: and also affirme that the most certaine rule of inter­pretation, is by comparing Scripture with Scripture. Vincentius Lerinensis is not for you: he alloweth no­thing barely vpon Tradition. For by all the passages of his booke he doth plainely teach, that no Traditiō is to be received, but that which is consonant vnto Scripture, such as S. Austin delivereth, Quod vniversa tenet Ecclesia, Lib. 4. contra Don. cap. 23. such as the whole Church hath, & doth hold, agreeing to the Canon of the revealed word. And from famous D. Field (that powerfull hammer of all Heretikes that claime tenure in the Church) you cā produce nothing to helpe your cause, either in that page, or in his whole booke. Neither is Tradition to sense or expound the Scripture, as you say. This is [Page 257] your third interpreter: first, you appealed to the Church; then, to the Fathers; now, to Traditions; the next appeale must bee to the Pope, or else you will be cashierd.

M^r LEECH.

This rule he called Popish, exclaiming against it as the very ground of Popery, and superstition. Wherevpon I desired him (for my better instruction) to giue a rule of faith more certaine, & infallible then this, which be brā ­ded with such disgracefull imputation.

ANSVVER.

Popish it is, without all gainsaying. For howsoe­ver, we reiect not all Traditions: as first,D. Field in his 4 booke of the Church. the number and names of the Authors of Canonicall Scripture; se­condly, the cheefe heades of Christian doctrine, as de­livered in the Creed of the Apostles; Thirdly, the religi­on purely collected out of Scripture, delivered to suc­ceeding ages; fourthly, the continuall practise of the Primitiue Church, though not expresly commaun­ded, but necessarily contained in Scripture; and lastly, Traditions of order, not of faith, such as are our Ca­nons and Constitutions agreeing to the ancient, and grounded on S. Paules speech, Let all things be done in order: I say, we reiect not these, though Waldensis in his time, complained,Waldens. tom 3. tit. 7. cap. 63. that the necessary Traditions of the Church were so confounded, that they could hardly be discerned from the rest. The points that we deny, bee these: first, Scripture needeth not the Adiectiue help [Page 258] of Traditions, it is a most sufficient rule, and contai­neth all things necessary to salvation; Secondly, wee abhorre the comparison of these two, and much more the preferring of tradition before Scripture, as Hosius, Baronius, Symancha, and others professe: some affirming,Hosius contr. Petric. c. 92. Baron. an. 33. nu. 11. Sym. instit. tit. 24. n. 40. that all Scripture came to vs by Tradition, therefore Tradition more worth; others, that Scrip­ture needeth help from Traditions, but Traditions neede no assistance from Scripture. And therefore, if you de­sire to be taught the rule of faith, out of an humble, and a religious meaning, here you may learne it: it was a question worth his asking, a point worthy your learning.

M^r LEECH.

Why (said he) what other ground of faith, then the pure word of God? I demaunded then; who shall in­terpret this word? Hee replied; the spirit. What spirit good Sir? The spirit of God only which privat men thinke they haue? Against which rule I except, for that it was the common plea of all condemned Heretiques. Where­fore I required a triall of this pretended spirit; for I can­not admit that to be God his spirit in any private man, which consenteth not with the spirit of the Catholique Church. And thus you see M.D. Airay that what you for­merly reiected out of my rule, as Popish, you must neces­sarily admit as true; that is: Ecclesiasticall Tradition annexed to the sacred Canon for the discerning of pri­vate spirits. Otherwaies each Heretique will sense Scrip­ture in the mould of his owne braine.

ANSVVER.

That the word of God, is the ground of beleefe in God, sacred Scripture it selfe proveth in mani­fold [Page 259] and pregnant places, as in the olde Testament, in the Proverbs, Prov. 2.9. They make a man vnderstand righte­ousnes, and iudgement, and equity, and every good path; Esay. 8.19.20. in Esay, should not a people enquire at their God? at the law, and at the Testimonie? they that speake not accor­ding to this word, there is no light in them; by Malachie, Mal. 4.4. Remember the law of Moses which I commanded all Israell with the statutes and iudgements: in the new Testa­ment, in S. Paul, 2. Tim. 3.15. The Scriptures are able to make a man wise vnto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Iesus; in S. Peter, 2. Pet. 1.19. We haue a most sure word of the Prophets wherevnto we must giue heed, as to a light that shineth in darknesse, till the day starre arise in our hearts; Luc. 1.4. in S. Luke, They containe the certainty of those things whereof we are instructed; and in S. Iohn, Ioh. 5.39. These things are writ­ten, that yee might beleeue, that Iesus is that Christ, the sonne of God, and in beleeuing yee might haue eternall life, and by Christ himselfe sealing this point, Search the Scriptures, for in them you haue eternall life, and they are they which testifie of mee: but to this al­so the Fathers with all reverence haue agreed.Basil. Ep. 80. ad Eust. Med. Let the Scriptures be arbitrators betweene vs, saith Basill, in his 80 Epistle, and whosoever holds consonant opiniōs to those heavenly oracles, let the truth bee adiudged on their side. We are to enquire for iudges, saith Optatus Contra Parmenianum; de coelo quaerendus est Iudex, Optat. cont. Parmen. l. 5. the Iudge must bee had from heaven: but, saith hee, where­fore need we to knock at heauen, when we haue a iudge, & wohm wee finde in the Gospell? The Scripture is the rule of faith, saith Tertullian, contra Hermogenem. Tertull. cont. Hermog. Chrysost. in 13. Homil. in 2. Corinth. It is a most exquisit rule, saith Chrysostome, in his 13 homi­ly vpon the second to the Corinths. It is an inflexible [Page 260] rule, Greg. Nyss. Grati. de ijs qui adeunt Hierosolymā. saith Gregorius Nyssenus. And S. Austin, ample for this, in many places in his booke de bono viduita­tis, testifieth, that the Scripture pitcheth downe the rule of our faith. And not only the Ancient Fathers, but the Schoole-men haue succeeded in the same resolution. Aquinas writeth expresly,Aq 1. qu. 1. art. 8. that our faith must rest vp­on the Canonicall bookes of Scripture. Durand agreeth with this, Durand. pref. in senten. that the maner of our knowledge exceed not the measure of faith, and the holy Scripture expresseth the measure of faith. Sum part 3. tit. 18. c. 3. Nay, Papists haue acknowledged this. Antoninus confesseth, that God hath spoken but once to vs, and that in Scripture, so plentifully, that, hee voucheth, Gregory in the 22 book of his Moralls, thus; God needeth to speake no more concerning any necessary matter, Al. 1. sent. quaest. 1. art. 3 1. Coroll. seeing all things are found in Scripture. Alliaco consenteth to this, The verities of Scripture bee the Principles of divinity, quoniam ad ipsas, saith he, fit vl­tima resolutio Theologici discursus. Bell de verbo Dei. lib. 1. c. 2. In one word, Bellar­min agreeth to all these Testimonies, in his first book de verbo Dei; Sacra Scriptura est regula credendi certis­sima, tutissima. This may serue to shew you, that there is no other ground of faith then the worde of God; Scriptures, Fathers, Schoolemen, nay even our Ad­versaries being witnesses,Deut. 32.31. as Moses speaketh. You de­maund, who shall interpret this word. It is replied, the spirit of God: which spirit the elect doe know certain­ly that they haue; not only thinke, as you traduce the speech of this reverēd Doctor, but they assure thēselus that they haue the spirit, and hee that knoweth not this, [...]. Cor. 3.16. is ignorant, as Paul teacheth by an interrogatiō, Knowe yee not that yee are the Temples of the holy Ghost, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? But against [Page 261] this rule you except: for this was, you say,Chrysos. pro­log. in Epist. ad Rohan. 3. de Lazar. the plea of al Heretiques. It is false. Heretiques and the devill did vrge Scripture: but these could never for wāt of Gods spirit, compare Scriptures together. The privat spirit, even every Priuat man, of himselfe (saith Chrysostom) only by reading, may vnderstand, yea need nothing else but to read, Chrysos. hom 13. in Gene [...]. by which he meaneth to confer one place of Scripture with another. And the same Father giveth the reason, Scriptura seipsam exponit & auditorem er­rare non sinit: The scripture expoundeth it selfe, and suffereth not the hearer to be deceived.Distinct. 37. Relatum. So speaketh Chrys. 13. hom. in Genes. The Canon Law is most plaine herein, Non enim sensum extrinsecus alienum & extra­neum, sed ex ipsis Scripturis, sensum capere veritatis o­portet: For we must not from without them, seeke a forraine and strange sense; but wee must out of the Scriptures themselues, receiue the meaning of the truth. And a clowde of witnesses do testifie the same. Wherefore it is no way necessary, that we aske helpe of Tradition: which is, as I formerly spake, the cittie of refuge for all runnagate points in your religion. Po­pish Tradition in the Church, soiourning only as the deuill doth, to deceiue; as a treacherous stranger, not to be acquainted with; or, as an Infidell, not to be con­versed with: and therefore D. Airay taught you the truth, when you heretically thought you might mould the sense of scripture in the brain of the brasen head Tradition.

M^r LEECH.

And now M. D. Airay being thus overthrowne in the [Page 262] rule of his faith, proposed vnto me a question of capitall danger; wishing M. Vicechancellor to question me vpon the point of the kings Supremacy; for surely (said he) you shall finde him vnsound therein.

ANSVVER.

The reverend, faithfull, and laborious Doctor, must possesse his soule in patience, and receiue his part of your improbable, and vncharitable interpretations, as wel as others. His vnderstanding, inlightened with the beames of diuine truth, suffer not (as you slander) him to be overthrowne in his rule of faith: his memo­rable free-will offrings in Sabaoth exercises to turne many to righteousnes, his worthy performance of all Vniuersity exercises, his indefatigable studies, so greate that a place of the most publike charge did sue to him, to draw him from his chosen retirednesse, his zeale, paine, faith, doctrine, manner of living, though hee hold his minde vnfainedly below his place: yet these testifie to the world, his worth to be farre aboue his state. The reason that he proposed the point of supre­macy to you, was this: in the course of the procee­dings, and speeches with you, he observed, that you had forsaken the reformed congregations of the church, the scriptures, the infallible rule of faith; and therfore, seeing your fidelity to God was so changed, it was fit time to obserue how you were affected to the Kings Maiesty, seeing the Apostle ioineth them togither, Feare God, honor the King; & you having neglected the first, the second was to be feared. The question of the supremacy in this kinde, was the only Touchstone, the [Page 263] Shibboleh, to try an Ephramit: Iud. 12.6. for in every true subiect there ought not to be more loue in his hart, thē liber­ty in his tongue; to professe the crowne, and dignitie, and supremacy, of that loadstone and gracious loadstar of hearts, the kings most royall Maiesty. This being not only an ancient Canon. and a point confessed by Bi­shops in this our land, in the raigne of the most anci­ent kings, who resisted the vsurpation of that man of blood, the Pope: but (as in the beginning of many Prin­ces raignes, so revived) in the inauguratiō of our most peaceable, most wise, most religious Salomon. Canons and Constitutiōs made 1603. Canon. 1. When in the Convocation, helde by all the Beaw-peeres of learning, the Bishops and Clergy, it was commaunded, that all Ecclesiasticall persons of what degree soever, should maintaine no obedience, or subiection, to be due, to any forraigne power: but that the Kings power within his Realmes of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and all o­ther his Dominions & Coūtries, is the highest power vn­der God, to whom all men as well inhabitants, as borne within the same, doe by Gods lawes owe most loyalty and o­bedience, afore and aboue all other Powers and Potentates in earth. If you giue not God, what is due to God: no marvaile you gaue not Cesar, what is due to Cesar. A disease in the head, is the head of diseases: and rebelliō against the head, doth manifest the infectious state of the whole body of your beliefe. And therfore it wise­ly was questioned concerning the supremacy. It was a question, guided by a religious intention, and groun­ded vpon wise observation.

M^r LEECH.

But M. Vicechancellours thoughts carried him so far [Page 264] away at that present, that he gaue no care vnto this imper­tinent, & bloudy question: but prosecuting the vindictiue designement (formerly concluded vpon betwixt D. Agli­onbee, and himselfe who held a secret cōference together) he resumed his old accusations of false, erroneous, scan­dalous, and Popish doctrine: for delivering, and reinfor­cing whereof, I deserued the seuerity of Iustice.

ANSVVER.

His vigilancy was not absent. Had he beene set on vengeance, as you shamefully accuse, nowe had beene the time to be avenged: but now you see, notwith­standing al your reproaches and slanders of passion; the worthy Vicechancellour limited his power, by his wil; and this was a noble revenge, that he might hurt, and did not. There was no such conference between Doctor Aglionbee and him, as you report. But he did truely and worthily ingeminate and often repeate those tearmes, of erroneous, scandalous, and Popish do­ctrine.

M^r LEECH.

Perceiving now their resolution to punish me without farther examination of my cause, or respect of my iust de­fence, I finally proposed vnto them these two demands.

First; that they would proceede against me iuridically, & by way of Articles; so I should know precisely what was the error, and falshood of my Doctrine; and they should re­ceiue my answer made in forme of law. For this hath ever beene the custome of proceeding in this Vniversity, and in [Page 265] God his Church.

ANSVVER.

It was time, when you held right neither in point of Scripture, of faith, of the Church; or of the point in controversie: reiected their censure, neglected their iudgement, and able to vphold your selfe by no means but negatiues. And therefore never continue this ob­stinate accusatiō, that they did not examine your cause or respect your defence. The cause was offred by dis­putation to be discussed, by Lecture it was already con­futed: defence you were able to make none, but what you brought in a schedule transcribed out of Coccius. Your first demand was senselesse. Was it not a Iuridi­call proceeding? to be called according to our Vniuer­sity statute in that behalfe: which is this, that for scan­dalous preaching the Vicechancellour require the assi­stance of the Doctor of the chaire, whose incompa­rable & indefatigable paines hindering him, he desi­red to be spared at that time by the present approach of the Act.D. Holland. Vpon the absence of the Reuerend Father of the chaire, some other Doctors of Divinity are to be called, and there were fiue more in Iuridicall manner appointed: here you were convented and censured, by the most absolute forme of Law.

M^r LEECH.

Herevnto M. Vicechancellour replyed. What? Arti­cles? you shall haue articles time enough: meane while, I say that all (meaning my Sermon) is false; scan­dalous, [Page 266] Popish, erroneous, &c.

ANSVVER.