The vvarn-vvord to Sir Francis Hastinges wast-word conteyning the issue of three former treateses, the Watch-word, the Ward-word and the Wast-word (intituled by Sir Francis, an Apologie or defence of his Watch-word) togeather with certaine admonitions & warnings to thesaid [sic] knight and his followers. Wherunto is adioyned a breif reiection of an insolent, and vaunting minister masked with the letters O.E. who hath taken vpon him to wryte of thesame [sic] argument in supply of the knight. There go also foure seueral tables, one of the chapters, another of the controuersies, the third of the cheif shiftes, and deceits, the fourth of the parricular [sic] matters conteyned in the whole book. By N.D. author of the Ward-word.

VVHAT O. E. ANSVVE∣reth to the former chapter about diuision, and vncertainty in religion. CAP. XV.

[] I HAVE signifyed vnto thee (gentle rea∣der) before, that where the knight fyn∣ding matters somwhat hard, or vneasie to an∣swere, seeketh now and then with some re∣gard of honor, and reputation; to step ouer without stumbling, and to salue some mat∣ters by smothe sylence, there bold bayard the

minister, rushing in with more resolution, & masking himselfe with the vizard of two vo∣wels. O. E. (which may stand perhaps in his cypher for Owles Eyes to looke thorough and to see, and not be seene agayne) layeth on load both in babling, and scoulding, saying somwhat to euery thing, though nothing in deed to all, and folowing the threed of my speach, and narration, he picketh quarrels to whatsoeuer seemeth most capable of cauilla∣tion, and this appeareth to be his cheifely en∣tended exployt in this his enterprise of an∣swering, the proofe shalbe seene by expe∣rience.

And first of all wheras the warder obiec∣teth [ 2] diuision disvnion and disagreement to him and his (as you haue heard) and this not onlie from Catholikes, but also from their owne ghospellers,* 1.1 as from the Lutheranes in Germany, and Denmarke (to vse the warders owne wordes) from Zwinglians in Zuitzer∣land, from Caluinists in Geneua, France, Hol∣land, and Scotland, & from Puritanes, Brow∣nists and other sects at home, that impugne Protestants daylie of the parlament religion. This fellow denyeth first verie flatlie,* 1.2 that there is any diuision among them at all, And heere he wynneth the first garland of impudencie as yow see, but look vpon an other more cleare then this.* 1.3 Secondly (sayth he) the Churches of Zwitzerland, Germany, France, & England, do ney∣ther hold of Zuinglius, Caluyn, nor Luther, but of Christ Iesus, and of his Apostles and Prophets.

[ 3] Lo (reader) how quicklie this matter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dispatched, and how soone disagreement 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made betweene them, see the 4.5. and 6. for∣mer chapters for tryal of this poynt: and note by the way, that of purpose he leaueth out heere the Puritanes espetialie mentyoned by the warder, for that he hauing written so ear∣nestlie against them a litle before cānot with his honour now make attonemēt with them, as he doth with the Lutheranes of Germany, Zuinglians of Switzerland, and Caluinists of France, vniting them all in one Churche, and in the true doctryne of Iesus Christ, and con∣sequentlie also with himselfe and his Chur∣che of England according to the rule & prin∣ciple. Quae conueniunt in aliquo tertio, inter se et••an conueniunt, those things that agree in a third•• agree also betweene themselues, which he ex∣poundeth also presentlie after by the worde•• next folowing. As ••or our selues (sayth he) al of vs professe the doctryne of Christ Iesus,* 1.4 according to that rule that was established by common cons•••••• of the Churche of England, from which if any di∣gresse, he is no more to be accounted of our society th•••• the Papists, &c. Marke heere (good reader) the guyddy head of this gagling goose, first he ioyneth together in the true doctryne of Ie∣sus Christ,* 1.5 and of his Apostles and prophets as wel all Lutherans, and Zuinglians, as also all kynde of Caluinists and consequently Pu∣ritanes whome yet presentlie he cutteth o•• agayne,* 1.6 no less then Papists and those of the Popes retinue (whom before he said to be no

Christians, nor to hold any one article a right of christian fayth) if they do digresse in any thing from the rule of fayth established by common consent of the Churche of England, which all doe, and consequentlie he doth as much as if with one hand he should embrace, & lul and coople together both Lutherans, Zuinglians and Puritanes, acknowledging them for his deare and tender brethren, and with the other should beat them of, & detest them as enemyes and publike heretikes, for so he doth in effect, seing it is euident, that ney∣ther the sectaryes of Lutherās, Zuinglians, or Puritan-Caluinists of Geneua, France, Scot∣lād, Hollād or England do agree which O. E. his rule of fayth here mentioned to wit, the rule established by common consent at this day in the Churche of England, And this is euidentlie, and aboundantly proued by their owne books and sayings before recyted in the 4.5.6. and sequēt chapters of this Encounter.

But for that our Minister maketh mention heere of a certayne rule of fayth, wherby he and his are directed, and others that digresse from the same are to be reiected from their communion and societie, I meane to examine ••he same brieflie in this place, and to see what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is.

And first of all that there is and must be [ 4] ••ome certayne rule among Christians,* 1.7 wherby ••o know and stay their fayth, and to discerne ••ew Catholykes from heretykes, is most ••••ident both by reason it selfe, and by the au∣thoritie

of the verie first founders of our re∣ligion, who often do make mention, and ad∣monish vs therof as S. Paul to the Corinthians se∣cundum regulam nostram,* 1.8 according to our rul•• and to the Philippenses, in eadē permaneamus re∣gula let vs persist in the same rule. And to the Gallatians,* 1.9 quicúnque hanc regulam secu•••• fuer••••t, pax super illos, whosoeuer shal follow this rule of fayth,* 1.10 peace vpon them, and other such places,* 1.11 as namely to the Romanes, Prophetia se∣cundum rationem fidei, prophesy (by which i•• vnderstood heere principallie, interpretatio•• of scriptures) according to the rule or analogie o•• fayth, for so is the greek word.

[ 5] By all which places is manifest, that there i•• a certayne publike rule of fayth, and was eue•• among the Apostles them-selues, and thesam•• continued afterward by all the Fathers o•• euery age wherby it was easye to distingui•••• betweene such as were Orthodoxi or Catho∣lykes, and others that were new fangled o•• wrangling people, that would follow no rul•• but their owne head, and fancyes, of whi•••• rule make mention also in the primiti•••• Churche Ignatius after the Apostles epist. ad••••••gnetianos, Iustinus Apol 2. pro Christianis, Irenaeus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1. cap. 1. & 2. Clemens lib. 4. stromatum aduersus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reses, Tertullianus lib. de velandis virginibus, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Alexandrinus as S. Basil cyteth him lib. de spiri•••• cap. 29. and many other Fathers commendi•••• highlie, and inculcating often the obseruati•••• of this rule as wel for beliefe, as also for inte••••pretation of Scriptures, but especiallie to c••••••cerne

heretikes, who (to vse these Fathers owne words) do no sooner begin to pratle, but that by digressing from this rule do bewray them-selues, and shew what they are, and thus far that there is a rule, which our enemies cannot deny.

But now what that rule is it may be that [ 6] our Minister and I shal not so soone agree,* 1.12 but yet first of all that it cannot be onlie Scripture is euident by his owne speach and confession in this place,* 1.13 where he sayth, that his people of England do professe the Doctrine of Christ Iesus accor∣ding to that rule, that was established by common consent of the Churche of England, from which rule (sayth he) if any digresse, they are none of our societie, ••o more then Papists. By which words is euident that his rule consisteth of the consent and esta∣blishment of certayne men in England, what to belieue, which is a different matter from scriptures, though they wil say perhaps that in this establishment, they folowed Scriptures as wil also the Puritanes and others, that heere are excluded by this established rule.

And besyds this confession of O. E. him∣selfe, [ 7] there are many other conuincing reasons that this rule named by the Apostles was not ••cripture, and among other this that eyther ••one or very litle of the newe Testament was written, when this rule of fayth was published, ••or no vse, and practise among Christians, as ••ppeareth by the often repetition therof made ••y the same Apostles afterward, when they ••ame to write. Wel then not to be longer, for

so much as this rule could not be onlie scri∣pture the best way perhaps to vnderstād what it was and is at this day wil be to heare some of the anciēt Fathers, describe the same. Holy Ignatius writing to the same Churche that S. Paul did (a litle before cyted) to wit,* 1.14 to the Philippenses, sayth, id ipsum dicatis omnes idem sentientes, in hoc ipso fidei regulas praeceptáque seruaui,

sicut & Paulus erud••ens n••s dicit. Do yow say and teach the selfe same and be of one iudgment, for by this haue I obserued the rules of fayth, as Paul instructing vs, sayd.

Lo heere the iudg∣ment of Ignatius, who affirmeth him-selfe to haue obserued the rule of fayth, for that he said and taught that which all said and taught, and thought that which all thought, and fo∣lowed no singularitie eyther of his owne or others.

[ 8] Irenaeus calleth this rule the order of traditio•• from the Apostles tyme to his,* 1.15 by which he sayth, that all heretikes are conuinced in such sorte that Catholykes shut vp their eares, as soone as they heare them speake contrarie to the said rule of vniuersal fayth, deliuered by tradition from age to age.* 1.16 Traditionem Apostolorum (fayth he) in toto mundo manifestatam in omni Ecclesia ade•••• perspicere omnibus qui vera velint audire, &c.

We may see the tradition of the Apostles in euery Churche if we wil heare the truth and we can number those Bishops that were instituted by the Apostles, and their successors vnto our dayes, who taught not that which these he∣retikes dreame, &c.

Thus said he, accompting this rule to be [ 9] the whole tradition of our Ancestors cōming downe by succession of Bishops and Pastors.* 1.17

To whom agreeth Tertullian presentlie after him calling this rule, the fulnesse of the Apostles preaching, si ergo incredibile est, (sayth he) ignorasse Apostolos plenitudinem praedicationis, vel omnem ordinem regulae omnibus non edidisse, &c. if it be incredible that the Apostles did not know the fulnes of the preaching of the ghospel or that they did not deliuer vnto all Christians all the order of the rule of beliefe, &c. And the same man in an other place,* 1.18 Fides in regulae posita est, cedat curiositas fides, certè aut non obstrepant, aut quiescant aduersus regulam, &c.

Fayth con∣sisteth in rule, let curiositie yeild to fayth, and let heretikes eyther not prate, or be silent against this rule. So saith he, and in an other place, if saith he we wil doubt or aske questions in matters of religion, let vs inquyre o•• our owne men to wit Catholykes,* 1.19 and in such matters, as Salua regula fidei possit in quaesti••nem deuenire, which without breach of the rule of fayth may be called into controuersie.

By all which sayings we see of what ac∣compte [ 10] this rule of fayth was in the Primitiue Churche, and that it conteyned in deed the verie summe and corps of Christian doctrine deliuered at the beginning by the miracles & preachings of the Apostles,* 1.20 wherof S. Paul said to the Corinthians sic praedicauimus sic credi∣distis, so we haue preached, and so yow haue beleeued. And afterward partly by writing,

and partly by tradition continued, and con∣serued to posteritie by the general consent and succession of the Catholyke Churche, and her gouernors, and among other things this rule conteyned the Symbo••um or Creed of the Apostles,* 1.21 Tertullian expresly testifieth, and besydes this it comprehended many things more in particular, as explication of diuers hydden mysteries with direction how to vnderstand scriptures, as is playne by S. Paul before alleadged where he would haue pro∣phesying or exposition of Scriptures to be according to the anologie & proportiō of this rule of fayth, to wit, that no exposition should be made according to the priuate spirit of any man, but accor∣ding to that fayth and beliefe which before was generally receyued,* 1.22 as S. Peter expresly aduiseth vs, wherby it came to passe as sayth Epiphanius, that no heretyke could euer put vp his head, and begin any thing against this rule, but that presentlie by the force therof he was discouered, and discomfyted, euen as now O.E. in this place as yow see goeth about to reiect Puritanes, and exclude them from his societie, for that they dissent from his parti∣cular new rule established by a fewe in the Churche & Parliament of Englād, & this rule of his made but yesterday, and by a fewe, and not yet throughly agreed vpon among them∣selues is thought of such force as it can ex∣clude & reiect so many learned of their owne syde, how much more, the ancient rule made by the Apostles, and continued euer since by

all the Catholyke world is sufficient to con∣demne all new sectaries of our tyme that dare iangle against it.

And this might be sufficient for declaration [ 11] of this rule, the antiquitie, force & vse therof, but that I can not wel omit a peece of one example out of old Tertulian aboue 14. hundred yeares agone, who after the words before cyted, where he sayth this rule is the fulnesse of the Apostles preaching (and note that he sayth preaching and not wryring) come downe in the Churche by dissent and tradition, he not onlie teacheth but vseth also the same rule & the eminent force therof against all heretikes of his tyme, who (as ours do now) pretended that this rule & corpes of fayth deliuered by the Apostles might perchance be corrupted, altered, misunderstood, or changed by their successors, and that the later Churches were not so pure, as the former, and consequentlie this rule so much vrged of tradition, and vni∣uersal cōsent might not be infallible, to which absurditie after many other reasons & repre∣hensiōs, Tertulian sayth as foloweth;* 1.23 Age nunc omnes errauerint, &c.

Go to now, let vs grant that all Churches (or the most of them) after the Apostles haue erred, & that the holy ghost sent for this cause by Christ,* 1.24 and for this cause demanded of his Father, to be the teacher of truth, vnto them, hath not respected them and that this steward of God and vicar of Christ hath neglected his office vpon earth permit∣ting the Churches of Christianitie to beleeue

otherwise, and to vnderstand matters diffe∣rently from that which the selfe same holy ghost did preach by the Apostles. But tel m•• ys it likely that so many & so great Churches ouer Christēdome haue all erred, and yet haue agreed in one faith? Error of doctrine by all liklihood would haue brought in (as it hath done among Protestants) varietie also of do∣ctrine among those Churches, but that which it found to be one,* 1.25 and the selfe same among many is not to be thought to come by error but by tradition, and can any mā dare to say that they did erre who lefte, behind them those Traditions? but how∣soeuer yow shal cal yt error, yet this Error ray∣gned for truth vntil heresies rose vp to im∣pugne yt, belike truth beeing oppressed ex∣pected the comming of Marc••onithes, and Val••n∣tinians to deliuer her out of captiuity, and in the meane space all preaching was in error,* 1.26 all beleeuing in error, so many thowsands of thowsands baptised in error, so many good, workes of fayth done in error so many vertues, so many graces & miracles wrought in error, so many priesthoods and mysteries exercised in error, and finallie so many martyrdomes crowned by error, &c.

[ 12] Thus farre and much farther passeth on Tertullian to vrge and conuince the heretikes of his age by force of this rule deliuered by tradition of the Apostles, receyued by Chri∣stendome, and conserued by the Apostles suc∣cessors vnto his tyme: and the same rule of ge∣neral consent deliuered by succession of

Bishops do vrge all old auncient Fathers in like sorte each one in his age after Tertullian,* 1.27 but in steed of all let S. Augustine be red vrging this rule against all sortes of heretikes, but especially, and more largely against the Donatests and Pelagians, and after him againe the very next age, Vincentius Lirenensis who after a longe discourse to this purpose vrgeth the words of S. Paul to Timothy,* 1.28 o Timothee depositum custod•• &c. o Tymothy keepe wel thy pleadge or pawne lefte with thee; which pawne as wel this father as the reste do interpret to be the forsayd rule of tradition of fayth? Quid est de∣positū (sayth he) what ys the pleadge or pawne lefte by the Apostles with Timothy and other Bishops of the Churche, and he answe∣reth presently. Id est quod tibi creditum est, non quod a te inuentum, quod accepists, non quod excogitasti: rem non ingenij sed doctrine, non vsurp••tionis priuatae sed publicae traditionis; rem ad te perductam, non a te prolatam: in qua non author esse debes sed custos: non institutor, sed sectator; non ducens, sed sequens, &c.

This pawne or pledge is a thing geuen yow in credit, and not inuented by yow, a thing which yow haue receyued, and not deuised: a matter not of wit, but of doctrine: not of pryuate vsurpation, but of publyke tra∣dition: a thing brought downe vnto yow, & not brought forth first by yow a thing wher∣of yow must not be author, but keep only; not the fownder but a follower, not a leader, but one that is led.

Thus sayth he of the rule of faith in his

tyme, which rule also serueth vs no lesse at this day against all sorte of protestants then it did them at that tyme against their aduer∣saryes: but rather much more, for that our prescription of this rule is by many hundred yeares elder then theirs was, and so this shal suffise about this matter of the Ecclesiastical rule of fayth, what yt was, and what the aun∣cient Fathers did thinke and esteeme, therof, and now we wil examine a litle what styrre the minister maketh about his goodly rule of the present particular Churche of England.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pag. 4.
• * 1.2

  Pag. 19.
• * 1.3

  Great impu∣dency of O. E.
• * 1.4

  Pag 19.
• * 1.5

  Most foolish inconstancy and contra∣diction to himselfe.
• * 1.6

  Pag. 17.
• * 1.7

  That their is some cer∣tayne rule of fayth as vvel hovv to beleeue as also vvherby to interpret scriptures.
• * 1.8

  2. Cor. 10.
• * 1.9

  Phil. 3.
• * 1.10

  Gal. 6.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 12.
• * 1.12

  VVhat the rule of faith is or vvas in old tyme.
• * 1.13

  Pag 19.
• * 1.14

  Phil. 3. Ig••. ••. epist. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Philip∣penses.
• * 1.15

  Iren. aduers. haeres lib. 2. cap 3 & 4. The great estimation of ••he old rule of faith
• * 1.16

  Iren. ibid.
• * 1.17

  Ter••. lib. de praescript. contr. haeret. cap. 27.
• * 1.18

  Tert. lib de praescrip cōtr. h••r. cap. 1••.
• * 1.19

  Ibid.
• * 1.20

  1. Cor. 1••.
• * 1.21

  VVhat the old rule of fayth con∣teyned. Tert. lib. cōt. heres. cap. 13. Rom. 12.
• * 1.22

  2. Pet. 1.
• * 1.23

  Tertul lib. de p••es•• contr. haeret. cap. 26.
• * 1.24

  A notable discourse of old. Tertul. against all heretiks.
• * 1.25

  Quod apud multos vn••̄ inuenitu•• no est erratu•••• sed tradit••.
• * 1.26

  A scorne of Tertullian falling iustly vpon prote∣stan••••.
• * 1.27

  August. Vine. ly••. lib. contr. heres. cap. 27.
• * 1.28

  1. Tim. 6.