An ansvvere to VVilliam Alablaster [sic] his motiues. By Roger Fenton preacher of Grayes Inne

THE SEVENTH MOTIVE.

THe diuine prouidence, which as a center indifferently extendeth it selfe to the vniuersalitie of things, hath allowed euerie creature common strength to preserue his being, such is in liuelesse bodies their place, or motion, or qualities; in vegetable their instinct of distin∣guishing their proper aliment; in beastes, the iudgement of sense, and priuiledge of nature; and in man an apprehension, censure, and proiect from the intelligence of sensible occurrents, both in naturall and ci∣uill bodies.

The same wisedome and bountie, which hath been so enlarged to his seruants, cannot be straightned to his children: and therefore it is a∣boue all doubt, that he hath set some plaine and certaine direction in his Church, both of discerning of heresies when they arise, and of auoiding the infection of them: neither hath the holy Ghost failed herein, for because all the dangers of the Church were chiefly to come from heretikes, hee hath drawne in the scripture, as in a table, the picture of heretikes, their apparrell, fa∣shion, speech, and cariage whereby they might be noted vpon the first apparance, But among all other Items, none is oftener giuen for a

marke to discerne them, then their difference of doctrine, from the former tradition and custome. There shall be false teachers which shall bring in heresies. 2. Peter. 2. 1. If any man come to you and bring not this doctrine Iohn. 2. 10. And the contradiction of Co∣rah. 1. Tim. 8. If any man teach other wise then that which you haue heard from the beginning. Let it abide in you, fight for the faith once deliuered: keepe the traditions you are taught. And if any man would fashion in his wishes a plaine and sensible rule, whereby the thickest conceits, that are not able to goe betweene truth and errour in the loosest controuersies, might determine any question; there can∣not bee a better fancied then this difference of teaching, and inno∣uation of doctrine, which he that vnderstandeth not the sense may perceiue by the words, the soundes, and contradiction of former opinion, as men that are skilfull in musicall proportions, and being acquainted through vse of song, can easily iudge if any chaunge be made therein. By this were all heresies apprehended at the first, and also arraigned. So that Stephanus Bishop of Rome ouerthrew the decree of the councell of Carthage, for rebaptising, wherein Saint Cyprian was president, with his owne rule, Ecclesia Dei non habet talem consuetudinem. So Luther and Zwin∣glius and the rest of that crewe, were at the first appearing branded by this note for heretikes.

ANSVVERE.

THis is the same fallacie with the former applyed another way: for as in the last motiue, you haue assured the Church of an infallible meanes to define all truth: so in this you secure her members likewise of a power with facilitie to discerne heretikes, by argument drawen from the gene∣rall prouidence of God extending it selfe to all creatures, but most of all to his children. In which ground there is some truth, but entwined with some errours. For as in other crea∣tures the diuine prouidence is verie bountifull, for the pre∣seruation of their seuerall beings against iniurie and daun∣gers: yet for all the power of nature in senceles things, or the iudgment of sense in the vnreasonable, or the benefit of reason in men, they be notwithstanding oftentimes subiect aswell to the pray and violence, as to the crafte and deceit

of others: so is it in the professours of christian faith: vnto whom God hath reuealed a meanes to preserue their spiri∣tuall being in this state militant, more certaine, and far more sufficient for them, then he hath giuen to any other: yet not with such ease & facilitie to be enioyed, as in this motiue you indeuour to perswade. For albeit the Scripture hath not been wanting in describing heretikes so plainly, as by way of pro∣phecie could possibly be expressed: yet are they not there∣by presently knowne vpon the first appearance, nor can the thickest conceites so easily iudge of them.

If you take your markes (as you say) from their apparell, * 1.1 fashion, or outward carriage: then a sheeps skin drawen ouer a woolfe will easily deceaue you: their outward appa∣rance will in euery respect seeme holy and innocent as the sheepe of Christ. Therefore is there neede of a serpents wise∣dome to discerne them; and not that onely, but also of dili∣gence and watchfulnesse to espie them. For as they come in sheeps skins so come they priuily, as Saint Peter noteth in * 1.2 the place by you first mencioned, There shalbe false teachers who (priuilie) shall bring in damnable heresies. Which word, though it carie the emphasis of the sentence, yet is it by you wisely o∣mitted: happily because you thought it a note of an here∣tike, not so well beseeming Martin Luther, who came not so priuily I wis, but open inough, and in his owne liknes, con∣trarie to the common fashion of heretikes, who first put on a sheepes skin, and then creepe into the flock, the easier to de∣ceiue. Wherefore when that prophecie is fufilled, which you haue so fitted vnto these times, concerning the doctrine of many false Christs: where the bodie is thither will the Eagles resort, not owles, or bussards, but such as haue a quicke eye of * 1.3 faith to discerne the Lord, and the swift wing of deuotiō to fly vnto him. Nay y^e delusions of heresies shal thē grow so strong, as nothing shall be able to withstand them, but only the eter∣nall election of God. For if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued. A small number (God knowes) in compare of that * 1.4 glorious multitude, you so boast of in your fifth motiue: yet it seemes these fewe must stand, when many great troupes are caried with the doctrine of false Christs. Ecce hic, & ecce

illic. But these difficulties seeme nothing vnto you, who can imagine a direction so plaine against heretikes, as the thick∣est and most grosse conceit may thereby with facilitie dis∣cerne them. The most notorious marke you haue chosen, is their difference of doctrine from the former tradition, and custome.

All ancient customes, & traditions receiued from our fore∣fathers, being venerable for age, haue receiued such force from time, as they become equiualent with lawes, and binde posterities to yeelde perfit obedience. So that euery alterati∣on, as of ciuil constitutions, so especially of religion, is not on∣ly dangerous, but therein also preiudiciall to it selfe, that it gainsayeth antiquitie. For of whatsoeuer it may be iustly af∣firmed, Dictum fuit antiquis, that is to stand inuiolable against * 1.5 all innouation whatsoeuer: neither is it by any meanes to be ouerruled, but onely by a rule more ancient, Non fuit sic ab * 1.6 initio. By which our Sauiour controuled the ancient traditi∣ons of the Iewes: examining them by the first institution of the lawe. For the first in euery kinde is the rule and square of all the rest. Therefore euery custome in the Church of God is with all dutie, and reuerence to be embraced, except onely in case, where it doth crosse the doctrine of Christ and the A∣postles, whereupon the Church it selfe is built. And therein, adificium coedat solo, so much onely doe the places by you al∣ledged inferre, that we should not varie from the doctrine of the Apostles, which we willingly subscribe vnto.

But in these dayes I would not wish euery thicke conceit to put himselfe vpon the triall of former times for true anti∣quitie, least he be deceiued therein, as Israel was by the Gibe∣onites with olde ragges and clouted shooes, Ioshua. 9. But * 1.7 the safest triall will be, Quid fuit ab initio? as we learne out of Vincentius in his worthie worke (as D. Bristow cals it) for put case (saith he) that heresie be once so rooted in the Church, that it begins to plead antiquity, that it spread so far, and haue got such strength as the fauorers thereof haue power and oportunitie to alter and corrupt the ancient writers: then is it onely safe to make triall by the written word. How iustly these things haue been obiected to the Church of Rome, I

will not dispute: onely let this suffice, that an author so anci∣ent, * 1.8 so renowned by your selues, doth not onely thinke it pos∣sible to befall in the visible Church, but also hath set downe this aduise against the same. I come to the strength of this motiue, which is the conclusion of this whole discourse.

MOTIVE.

Neither are they able to proue that either catholike or heretique did challenge the Church of Rome for any of the controuerted questions, when first they began to arise. For Arius, Actius, Vi∣gilantius, Berengarius, and the rest spake against those poynts of doctrine, which we haue proofe by the aduersaries consent to haue been practised many ages before in the Church. But if they cannot shew nei∣ther in all, nor in one question betweene vs, that the repugnance and reiecting of it by any is ancient, as the allowance thereof, it is mani∣fest that the latter, not the former, were heretiques which brought in alteration.

ANSVVERE.

WE are able in some questions to satisfie your demand, and for the rest to giue sufficient reason, why it can∣not be: which two poynts will easily and fully dissolue the force of this obiection. For matters in question, whereof the Church of Rome is now challenged, be of two sorts. Some be like blemishes in the face, so conspicuous, as they may ea∣sily be discerned at the first: others fester more inwardly. To the former kinde doe belong especially those poynts, which concerne the gouernment of the Church. Loth I am to enter particulars in this generall discourse, but onely because you vrge me to shew in any one question betweene vs, that the repug∣nance and reiecting of it, is ancient, as the allowance thereof. I no∣minate the title and right of vniuersall Byshop, with the priuiledges thereunto belonging: which, as they were clai∣med by the Popes, so were they at the same times euermore disclaimed by others. For the Primacie of honour & dignitie, which at the first was generally giuen to the Church of Rome, aswell in regard of her large dominions, of the wisedome and vertues of the commaunders of that Sea: as also of the weake∣nesse

and leuitie of the Easterne Churches, togither with o∣ther occurrents and consequences of the Empyre: This I say was by the more ambitious Popes and their Parasites vsed for a styrrop to mount them higher, from a primacie to a supre∣macie, from honor & dignitie to a soueraigne power and au∣thoritie. Which was no sooner vpon occasiō practised by any, but presently was it checked and controlled, not by particu∣lar men, but whole Synodes. Pope Iulius presuming vpon this title did attempt to restore Athanasius, & Paulinus, vpon their appeale to Rome, who by the Bishopes of Asia and their Me∣tropolitan had bin depriued. Whereupon they of Alexandria assembled a synod at Antioch: dispatched letters to the Pope both vehement and bitter: and therein declared it to be most vnequal for him to impose lawes vpon them for the depri∣uing of any, since they did not intermedle with his busines, when he had expelled Nouatus out of the Church of Rome. Thus much is fully expressed by Socrates in the 11. of his ec∣cle siasticall storie. If you require instance of the Bishops of Afrike likewise, witnes Saint Syprian writing to Pope Corne∣lius, vnto whom hee affirmes their ioynt decree against Rome appealers to be both equal & right. For (saith he) since euery pastor hath a portion of the flocke committed to him, which hee is to gouerne and rule as one that must giue account thereof vnto the Lord: it behoueth them vnder our custody to pleade their cause at home, where accusers and witnesses may be had, vnlesse happily some few desperat lewd fellowes * 1.9 thinke the authoritie of the African Bishops to be lesse, by whom they are iudged. Thus did Cyprian write occasioned by one Faelicissimus, who, depriued in Africa, ranne to Rome. But this repugnance you cannot deny to be ancient. A little after at the counsell of Sardice this question of iurisdiction grew so hot twixt the fathers of the East and West Churches, that the Easterne Bishops, before any thing determined, rety∣red themselues home to their places, the remnant of the La∣tine Church established a law concerning appeales to Rome, thereby to extoll the famous memorie of the Apostle Peter. But at the verie next counsel all this was quite dasht againe, at the counsell of Carthage assembled of aboue 200 fathers

amongst whom Saint Augustine was one; where it was pe∣remtorilie decreed, not in one or two, but foure intire chap∣ters: * 1.10 that none should make any appeale beyond the Sea, in paine of excommunicatiō. Notwithstanding vnto this coun∣sell did the Pope send three Legates, with straight command * 1.11 to maintaine his right, which hee pretended to be grounded vpon a decree of the Nicen Counsell: that decree was proued forged: the Nicen Counsell sought into: the auncient copies thereof sent for from Constantinople, Alexandria and Rome: the next yeare conferred, examined, nothing found. Where∣upon the Bishops of that Counsell writ to the Pope, that in the Nicen Counsell nothing was decreed tending that way, but rather the contrarie, to wit, that he should keepe himselfe within his bounds, as other Metropolitans did: and therefore aduised him to content himselfe with his owne charge. To this subscribed 230. fathers. If you come to latter times, when his ful and most complet supremacie was defined at the Lateran Counsell, vnder Leo the tenth: presently vpon it the Vniuersitie of Paris appealed to another Counsell, and condemned that former. So may ye finde other Vniuersities to haue done in the like cause, as Louan, Colen, Uienna, and the * 1.12 rest. So in these and the like poynts concerning the externall face of the Church, more conspicuous, & consequently more subiect to gain sayings, the repugnance and reiecting of them might easily bee shewen to be ancient, as the allowance of them is. But there be other questions concerning faith and opinion, which be of a far different kinde from the former. Much like vnto those tares in the parable, scattered by the e∣nemie in the seede time of the Church, the better to plead antiquite, yet are they not at the first espyed though, till they haue sprung vp, and laid claime to the ground, as well as the most pure wheate. Whereof there be many causes concur∣ring: one is because they be little seedes at the first, and there∣fore lesse regarded of men, De minimis non curat lex aut ratio. And not onely from little euils, but euen from indifferent be∣ginnings, as the deuotions and naturall affections of men, doth the enemie take occasion to bring in grosse superstition. Whereof the wise man giueth instance in that grat sin of ido∣latrie

among the heathen. For when a father mourned grie∣uously for his sonne that was taken away suddenly, he made an image for him that was once dead, endeuouring after a sort to preserue him aliue in the eye and memorie of man. Which affection in the father (had it proceeded no further) * 1.13 were not greatly to be misliked: but after, he worshipped it as a God, ordained ceremonies, and commaunded his ser∣uants to sacrifice vnto it. Thus (sayth the text) by pro∣cesse of time this wicked custome preuailed, and was kept as a lawe. Secondly, as the beginnings be small, and there∣fore lesse conspicuous: so doe they breed inwardly, and take deepe roote, first in the minds of men, before they bee published in the Church, as the seed is first couered with earth before it spring vp. To this purpose doth our Sauiour compare the false doctrine of the Pharisies vnto leuen, which a woman takes and hides in a barrell of meale. So by this meanes, a little leuen in time, will sower the lumpe. Thirdly, as the beginnings of errors, so likewise their growthes and proceedings are vnsensible, because they doe not sprout vp like Ionas Gourd, in a moment, but like ordinarie plants, by little and little: Non crescere cernis frutices, sed crenisse: The same reason which is of the growth of error, is likewise to bee applied to the decay of pure re∣ligion: which being not put downe at once, but moulder∣ing away in time, is not so easily perceiued. For had the Figge-tree which the Disciples saw suddenly withered, and flourishing ouer night, dryed vp in longer space, it had not been so subiect to their obseruation. Besides these impedi∣ments, we must presume, that the enemie being wise, will take all fit oportunitie y^t may be: then since all ages haue not been alike furnished with able and vigilant pastors, that also addeth some aduātage to this purpose. For it is obserued, that when men slept, the enemie sowed tares, so the darke nights of ignorance and times of securitie, bee fittest to entertaine heresies without resistance. But in other ages againe, when it pleased almightie God to raise most glorious lights in his Church, such as were most of the ancient Fathers, they were presently set a worke with some graund heretike or other,

which so possessed them, as they could not so wel intend those lesser enormities, which by that meanes gathered strength more and more. For they were to gather all their forces, and encounter with such heresies, as did aime at the soule of reli∣gion, and maine pillars of christian faith: some taking away the diuinitie of Christ; some mangling his humanitie; some confounding his natures; some renting his person: thus the Dragon setting vpon the Lorde of life, and ready to teare in peeces the very person of our blessed Sauiour: it was then no time to stand brushing his garment: hauing such huge beames to remoue, it was vnseasonable to pecke moates, though they also hinder the eye sight, and become dange∣rous in time, to the very apple of Gods eye, as the Church is called. So then, to conclude, as in diuers questions contro∣uersed, the repugnances may be shewed to haue been aunci∣ent: so there is good reason you should pardon vs for some others.

Thus haue I briefelie examined these few motiues; not a∣ny waies extenuating (so farre as I can conceiue) but rather vrging them with the aduantage: which if I haue in any rea∣sonable sort satisfied, my next endeuour is humble prayer to almightie God, so to moue your heart, as this your resolution be no more peremptorie and strong, then the Motiues whereupon it buildeth, are in reason, able to enforce.

Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 7. 15.
• * 1.2

  2. Pet. 2. 1.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 24. 28.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 24.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 5.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 19. 8.
• * 1.7

  Motiue 14. Cap. 39. Dilatae & in∣ueteratae haereses nequaquam hac via aggrediedae sunt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quod pro•• tempo∣rum tractu lon∣ga 〈◊〉〈◊〉 furandae veritatis patue∣rit occasio.
• * 1.8

  Sola scripturunt authoritate.
• * 1.9

  Nisi paeucis de∣speratis, & per∣ditis minor vi∣detur esse au∣thoritas Episco∣porum in Afri∣ca, &c.
• * 1.10

  Cap. 28. 98. 116. 123.
• * 1.11

  Faustinus. Philippus. Asellus.
• * 1.12

  In fascicul. re∣rum expetend. & fugiend. Apeliat vni∣uers. Parisiens. à Leone decimo ad futurum consilium.
• * 1.13

  Wisd. 14. 14.