The safegarde from ship-wracke, or Heauens hauen compiled by I.P. priest.

Imprimis, Luther.

MArtin Luther hauing a scholler to dispute a∣gainst his aduersaries, in this manner did encourage him: The argument (saith he) of the Papists me thinks is very probable and strong: that is, the church did thus thinke and teach it, so many yeares: all the Doctours of the primitiue church, most holy men, did also iudge it to be thus and so taught it, what art thou (saith he) that dare disagree from all these?

But afterward heare Luther himself against these: when Sathan (saith he) doth vrge this matter, confi∣dently say; whether Cyprian, Augustine, Ambrose, or S. Peter, Paul, Iohn, yea an Angel from heauen teach otherwyse, not withstanding this I know for certayn that I do not persuade humane, but deuyne thinkes, for this I may speake with confidence, let therbe the church with Austine and other Doctours, also S. Pe∣ter, Paul, Iohn, yea an Angel from heauen which doth teach a contrary, not withstanding my doctri∣ne

is such that it doth illustrate the glory of God on∣ly, Peter was chief of the Apostles, and taught with out the word of God. These Luther.

Againe: where he bids adew to all fathers, coun∣cells, deuines, Schools, Bishops, the consent of all ages, and Christian people, saith in this man∣ner: wee receaue all scripture (saith he) but so that the authority of interpreting it be in our power, what wee interpret, the holy ghost doth teach, what others do bring, although they be great, although they be many, it coms from the spirit of the Diuell and a wicked mynd.

Againe: Luther perceauing that place of S. Paul: vvee thinke a man to be iustified by faith, and not by the vvorkes of the lavv; not sufficient to proue iustifica∣tion by faith, did add this particle [only] and when he was admonished of it, thus he answered: so I will, so I commaund it, let my will stand for a rea∣son &c. Luther will haue it so, and saith he is a Do∣ctour aboue all Doctours.

And a little after he concludeth: moreouer [saith he] this word [only] ought to remaine in my testa∣ment, although all Papists runne made at it, and it greeueth me [saith he] that I haue not added, these twoe wordes [without all workes and lawes]

Againe: in his booke against king Henry 8. he speaketh thus: The word of God [saith he] is aboue althinges; the deuyne maiestie maketh for me, so that I nothing care if there be a thousand Austines, a thousand Cyprians and a thousand Henries against me: If I am no Prophet [saith he] yet I am sure the word of God doth stand for me, I haue scripture for me, and they haue only their owne autho∣ritie.

Againe: since the Apostles tymes [saith he] no Doctour, or wryter hath so excellentlie and clearlie confirmed, instructed, and conforted the consciences of the secular states as I haue done, by the singuler grace of God, this certeynlie I know that neither Austine, nor Ambrose, who are yet in this manner the best, are equall to me herein.

Againe: I would you should know [saith he] that hereafter I will vouchsaue you this honour no mo∣re, as that either you, or the Angels themselues from heauen, should iudge of my doctrine &c. neither will I haue my doctrine iudged by any, no not by the Angels, because for as much as I am certeyn of it, I will iudge by it, both you and the Angels.

Acher his Scholler blusheth not to say; I doubt not [saith he] but that if Austine were now liuing, he would not be ashamed to professe himself Martine Luthers Scholler.

Andraeas Musculus saith: since the Apostles tymes there liued not in the world agreater thē Luther. And it may welbe said [saith he] that God hath powred out all his giftes vpon this only man, and that there is as great difference betweene the aunciēt Doctors and Luther, as betweene the light of the sunne and the moone, neither is it to be doubted [saith he] but that the auncient Fathers, euen those that were chief and best among them as Hilary and Austine, if they had liued, and taught in the same tyme with Luther, they would without blushing haue carried [as his ministers] the lanthorne before him.

The examples that might be further giuen of this kind are almost infinite, in so much as sundry Cal∣uinists blushing there at in Luthers behalfe, haue not for borne to taxe him with excessiue pryde, asa Con∣radus Reis saith of him: God [saith he] hath for the sin of pride, where with Luther extolled himself [as many of his writings shew] taken from him his true spirit &c. & in place thereof, hath giuen him an angry, proud, and lying spirit.

The deuines of Tigurt say:b Luther boasteth him∣self to be the Apostle, and Prophet of the Germans, & that he learned of none, and of whome all others ha∣ue learned, no man hath knowne any thinge, but all haue learned of Luther, no man hath done any thing, Luther hath done all &c.

cTo conclude with Luthers ciuilitie to wardes king Hēry the eight, he calleth him: an enuious madd foo∣le, babling with much spittle in his mouth, more fu∣rious then madnes it self, more doltish then folly it

self, indued with an impudent and whorish face, wi∣thout any one veyne of princely bloud in his body, a lying sophist a damnable rotten worme, a basiliste and progenie of an adder, a lying scurrill couered with the title of a kinge, a clownish witt, a doltish head, most wicked, foolish and impudent Henry, he doth not only lye lyke a most vayne scurie, but sur∣passeth a most wicked knaue: thou lyest in thy throat most foolish and sacrilegious king. These are his ve∣ry wordes, with much more which modesty, will not repeat.

Notes

• tom 5. ad Gal. cap. 1. fol 299.
• lib. de f•••• 1•• arbitrio.
• Rom. ••.
• tom. 5. fol 141. & 144.
• lib. ad Du∣cem Geor∣gium.
• Aduersus ••also nomi∣••atum Ec∣clesiasticum statutum.
• Aduer. Caro lostadianos lib. 7.
• in praefat. in libellū Ger de Diaboli tyrannide.
• a

  lib. Germa¦nico contra Hosium de coena Do∣mini p. 82.
• b

  in confess. Germanica prinred. Ti∣guri 1544. in octauo.
• c

  in Praefat. in libro con∣tra Regem Angl. extant
• In tom 2. wittemberg. fol. 333. 334. 335. &c.
• fol. 338 fol. 240. & 333. &c.