per Prophetas sonuit verbum deindè per seipsum deindè per Apostolos In his igitur omnibus quaerenda est Ecclesia Hoc etiam praedico atque propono uti quae aperta manifesta deligamus quae si in sanctis Scripturis non invenirentur nullo modo esset vndè aperirentur clausa illustrarentur obscura Seponenda sunt quae obscurè sunt posita figurarum velaminibus involuta In talibus figuris nolo quaeramus Ecclesiam non quia falsae sunt sed quia interpretem quaerunt Cap. 6. O Donatistae Genesin legite Benedicentur in semine tuo omnes Gentes terrae Genes 22. Quid dicat Apostolus audiamus Gal. 3. In semine tuo quod est Christus Ecce Testamentum Dei quare vos irritum facitis Testamentum Dei dicendo nec in omnibus Gentibus esse completum periisse jam de Gentibus in quibus erat semen Abrahae Quare superordinatis dicendo in nullis terris haeredem permanere Christum nisi ubi poterit cohaeredem habere Donatum Non invidemus alicui Legite nobis hoc de lege de Prophetis de Psalmis de ipso Evangelio Apostolicis literis legite credimus sicut nos vobis legimus de Genes de Apostolo benedicentur in te omnes tribus terrae in semine tuo Date mihi hanc Ecclesiam si apud vos est ostendite vos communicare omnibus Gentibus quas jam videmus in hoc semine benedici Cap. 7. Quid in Prophetis quam multa quam manifesta sunt testamonia Ecclesiae per omnes Gentes toto orbe terrarum diffusae Isa 11. Repleta est vniversa terra ut cognoscat Dominum Isa 27. Germinabit florescet Israel replebitur Orbis terrarum fructu ejus Psal 27. Posui te in lucem Gentium ut sis salus usque ad fines terrae Laetare sterilis quia non paris erumpe exclama quoniam multi filii desertae magis quam ejus quae habet virum Comparent isti multitudinem suam in Aphrica constitutam cum multitudine Iudaeorum per omnes terras quacunque dispersi sunt et videant quam sint in illorum comparatione paucissimi Quomodo ergò de se dictum assignabunt multi filij desertae quam ejus quae habet virum Rursus comparent multitudinem Christianorum per omnes Gentes quibus non communicant videant quam pauci sint in comparatione omnes Iudei tandem aliquandò intelligant in Ecclesia Catholica toto orbe diffusa istam prophetiam esse completam Iam pauca de Psalmis audiamus Cap. 8. Dabo tibi Gentes haereditatem tuam possessionem tuam fines terrae Nonne Apostolus de Praedicatoribus Novi Testamenti dictum exposuit quod scriptum est in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum Psal 18. in fines orbis terrae verba eorum Psal 56. Et super omnem terram gloria tua undè gloria ejus super omnem terram nisi quia Ecclesia ejus per omnem terram replebitur gloria ejus omnis terra Psal 71. fiat fiat Ite nunc vos Donatist clamate non fiat non fiat Vicit vos Verbum Dei dicens fiat fiat Quid ad haec dicturi sint quae commemoravi ex Lege ex Trophetis ex Psalmis Audiamus ipsius verbi vocem ore propriae carnis expressam Sic scriptum ect sic oportebat Christum pati resurgere à mortuis tertio die Hic ipsum caput ostenditur quod ipsum se manibus discipulorum prebuit contrectandum Vide quemadmodum de corpore adjungat quod est Ecclesia ut nos nec in Sponso nec in Sponsa errare permittat Et predicari inquit in nomine ejus poenitentiam remissionem peccatorum per omnes Gentes incipientibus ab Hierusalem Quid hac voce veratiùs quid diviniùs quid manifestiùs Me piget commendare verbis meis haereticos non pudet oppugnare verbis suis Dicant ea testimonia quae posui de Lege Prophetis Psalmis obscura esse figuratè dicta etiam aliter posse intelligi quanquam in eis egerim quantum potui ut nec audeant dicere Sed ecce dicant nunquid obscure dictum aut aenigmatis velamento adumbratum est quod ipse Christus dixit quia sic scriptum est sic opportebat Christum pati resurgere tertio die predicari in nomine ejus poenitentiam remissionem peccatorum per omnes Gentes Epist 48. Audi dicit Dominus non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit Dominus Quomodo ex divinis literis confidimus accipisse nos Christū manifestum si non indè accepimus Ecclesiam manifestam Necesse est incerti sint qui pro sua societate testimonio utuntur non divino sed suo Nisi cognoveris teipsum non in verbis calumniosorū sed in testimoniis librorum meorum In Scripturis didicimus Christū Epist 116. in Scripturis didicimus ecclesiam Has Scripturas communiter habemus quare nō in eis et Christum Ecclesiam cōmuniter retinemus Ecce Scripturae communes ecce ubi novimus Christum ecce ubi novimus Ecclesiam Those words of St. Augustine I apply to our present purpose concluding in the same manner against the Romanists as this Father did against the Donatists changing onely Donatist for Romanist Cap 2. The Question betweene us and the Romanists is where is the Church What then shall we doe shall we seeke for the Church in our owne words or in the words of her Head and our Lord Christ Iesus I think we ought rather to seeke her in his words who is the Truth and best knoweth his owne body For the Lord knoweth who are his Cap. 3. But as I began to say let us not heare these words I say this thou saist that but let us heare this thus saith the Lord Our master hath left books unto us to the authority of which Bookes wee both consent wee both beleeve we both submit there let us seeke the Church there let us examine our cause Away with those words from amongst us which we cite not out of the Canonicall Books of God but elswhere Some man peradventure wil say unto me why wil you have those things taken away seeing your cause though those things were alleaged will stand invincible Because I would have the Church demōstrated not by human reason but by divine oracles For if the holy Scriptures haue designed the Church to be in Italy alone in those few which concur with Rome whatsoever may be brought out of other Bookes none but the Romanists do possesse the Church If the holy Scripture doe limit the Church to a few more of the Province of Caesarea we must passe unto the Rogatists If it be amongst those
few of the Provinces of Tripolis and Byzacene the Maximinianists are come unto it If onely amongst the Easterlings vvee must seeke for the Church amongst the Arrians Macedonians and Eunomians and others if there be any more there for who is able to recount the severall Haeresies of every Nation But if the Church be assigned to all Nations by divine and most certaine testimonies of Canonicall Scripture whatsoever they shall bring or whatsoever they shall recite who say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ let us rather heare if we be his sheepe the voice of our Shepherd saying Believe them not For those severall Sects are not found in many Nations where the Church is But this church which is every where is found also vvhere those severall Sects are Therefore let us search for the Church in Holy Canonicall Scriptures Cap. 4. Christ is wholly a Head and a Body whosoever have a right opinion of Christ but doe so dissent that they communicate not with the whole Church wheresoever dispersed but with some part thereof severed from the rest it is cleare that they are not in the Catholike Church Wherefore seeing the question betweene us and the Romanists is not concerning the Head but the Body that is not concerning our Saviour Iesus Christ but concerning his Church let the Head concerning whom we doe agree shew unto us his Body about which wee doe differ that so by his words wee may end the difference In former times this word was delivered by the Prophets then by himselfe then by his Apostles In all these the Church is to be sought for This also I warne aforehand that wee chuse such places of Scripture as are cleare and manifest for unlesse there were such to bee found in the holy Scripture there were no means how those things might be laid open which are shut or those things made cleare which are obscure Wee must lay aside those things which are there obscurely set down or wrapped in the vaile of figurative speeches not because they are false but because they require an Expositor O you Donatists O you Romanists reade Genesis there you shall find written In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed Let us heare what the Apostle saith of this seed In thy seed that is Christ Behold this is the wil Testament of God why doe you cancell the Testament of God in saying that this is not fulfilled in all nations and that the seed of Abraham is perished from amongst the Nations why doe you adde unto his Testamēt saying that Christ hath no inheritance in the earth but where the Pope of Rome is his Copartner Wee envie no man Reade us this out of the Law out of the Prophets out of the Psalmes out of the Gospell out of the writings of the Apostles reade it there and we will beleeve it as we doe reade unto you out of Genesis and out of the Apostle In thee and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth bee blessed Give me this Church if it be amongst you and shew me that you hold Communion with all those nations which now we see blessed in this seed Let us passe from the Law to the Prophets how many and how manifest testimonies are there found of the Church spread through all Nations of the world The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Israel shall blossome and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit I have put thee for a light unto the Gentiles a Saviour unto the ends of the world Rejoice thou barrē that didst not beare break forth into singing cry aloud thou that didst not travell with child for more are the children of the desolate then the children of the married wife saith the Lord. Let these Romanists compare their multitude in Italie and Spaine and their scattered Proselytes elsewhere with the multitude of Iews wheresoever dispersed through all lands and they shall see how fewe they are in comparison of them How then can they thinke the words of the Prophet were spoken of them which saith Many more are the children of her that was forsaken then of her that hath an husband Againe let them compare the multitude of Christians through all Nations with whom they hold no Communion denying them to be of the Church as the Greeke Church more large then the Latine the Southerne Churches not inferiour to the Latine the Easterne Churches more by farre then the Greek and the Latine put together and they shall see how fewe the Iewes are in comparison of them and they may understād that this prophesie was fulfilled in that Catholike Church which is diffused through the world Now let us heare something out of the Psalms I wil give thee the heathen for thine inheritance the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Their sound is gone out into all lands and their words unto th' end of the world which the Apostle expounded to be spoken of the Preachers of the new Testament His glory is over all the earth because his Church is in all the world let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen Let it be let it be Goe now ye Romanists and cry not so not so let it not be let it not be The word of God hath overcome you saying Let it be let it be What will they answer to these words of the Law the Prophets the Psalmes Let us heare the words of Christ himselfe saying so it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Here the head it selfe is shewed unto us which gave himselfe to bee handled by his disciples See what hee addeth cōcerning his body which is the church that so we may erre neither in the Bridegrome nor in his Bride And saith he that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name through all nations beginning at Hierusalem What can be spoken more truly more divinely more clearly I hold my words unworthy to commend it and yet these Heretikes are not ashamed to oppugne it They may say that those words which I have cited out of the Law and the Prophets the Psalmes are darkly figuratively spoken may be otherwise understood although I have laboured herein to stop their mouthes But say they should say so I aske again whether that be darkly spoken or shadowed with a vaile as if it were a riddle which was spoken by Christ himselfe that so it is written and so Christ ought to suffer and to rise again the third day that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached amongst all nations in his name Hear what the Lord saith not what Donatus or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hillarius or Ambrose or Austine doe say How doe we trust that we may clearly find Christ in the Scripture if we cannot find there clearly his Church They must needs be doubfull who use in defence of
Romane Church may give testimonie against you and for me Caiphas even then when he persecuted Christ might prophesie truly of Christ Pilate who did crucifie Christ did write that of Christ which was true viz. that hee was King of the Iewes Matthew Paris was a member of the Romane Church who said that your Church did never reject any that came unto her if they brought white or red with them Silver or Gold This member of the Roman Church said that a principall member viz. That Pope Gregorie the seventh did confesse on his death-bed that by the instigation of the devill hee had troubled the world yet this was such a member as that Innocentius the fourth Matthew Paris the then Pope vvrote of him that hee vvas vir probatae vitae Religioris expertae Such a Writer as that Baronius giveth this testimony of him Take away from his Booke his calumnies Anno 996. n. 63 64. invectives taunts and blasphemies against the Apostolick See often repeated and you vvill say it is a golden Commentarie taken vvord by vvord out of the publike Records and very vvell compiled together Thus farre Baronius As if a man should except against a vvitnesse and say you must not believe him in this vvhich he sayes against me but in all things else you may believe him hee speakes nothing but vvhat is upon publike Record Cajetane was a learned member of your Church and yet he held the Canon of Scripture as vvee doe contrarie to that vvhich the Councell of Trent hath defined Sixtus Senensis vvas a member of the Roman Church and yet hee did denie some part of the Scripture to be Canonicall which the Councell of Trent defined for Canonicall and that after the Councell Bellarm. de Verbo Dei l. 1. c. 7. I will fit you with many such members in my Catalogue Fisher Neither can I see any reason why hee did not with like audacitie goe on in naming other famous Romane Catholickes in every Age but that as it seemeth hee was not resolved whether hee were better to put in his Catalogue the names of damned Haeretickes which disagree in divers points of Faith from all ancient and present Pastors and Doctors of the Church even from the Protestants themselves Rogers Who you meane by these Haeretickes I know not and therfore I need not reply unto you herein if you had laid that imputation upon us I would have enlarged my selfe in the defence but you say they differ in points of Faith from the Protestants Fisher Or else to put in names of Popes Cardinals Bishops Priests Monkes and other religious men whose Writings and profession of life palpably shew that they held the present Roman Doctrine and communicated with the Roman Church Rogers I have answered you already that I will name Popes Cardinals Bishops Priests Monkes and others of your Church and why but such as neither their Writings nor profession of life doe palpably shew that they held the present Roman Faith If their Writings expresse what you say I will yeeld but that their Roman profession of life should include the now present Roman Faith I deny and besides what I formerly spake concerning your Writers I will adde some few instances now Gratian. Can Comp. de consecr dist 2. Gelasius was a Pope and yet hee held your present halfe Communion to be Sacriledge and decreed thus Aut integra suscipiant aut ab integris arceantur Let them receive the Communion in both formes or in neitheâ— Nich Lyranus was a Catholick and yet hee held the Canon of Scripture contrary to that of the Councell of Trent as Bellarmine confesseth So did Hugo and Thomas de Vio two Cardinals Irenaeus Basil Chrysostome Augustine and others whom I cited before cap. 4. were Bishops and yet they held the fulnesse and perfection of Scripture without the supply of unwritten Traditions contrary to the Councell of Trent Ierome was a Priest and a Monke yet denied those Books to be Canonicall which we deny contrary to that the Councell of Trent hath taught and decreed As the hand of a man may smite himselfe and yet continue a member of his body so these might be members of the Roman Church and yet give testimonie in something against your Church The Embassador De Ferrias of France was a member of the Roman Church and a French man Histor Concil Trid when in the Councell of Trent speaking of the miseries of France hee said If they should demand why France is not in peace hee could answer nothing but that which Iehu said to Ioram How can there be peace there remaining and concealed the words following but added You know the Text. The Cardinall of Loraine was a principall member of the Roman Church and the second Clergie man in the Latine Church yet hee speaking of the miseries of France said in the Councell of Trent If you would demand who hath caused this tempest and fortune I can say nothing but this That this fortune is come by our meanes cast us into the Sea By Vs hee must understand the Roman Clergie Iudas that betrayed Christ gave a true testimonie against himselfe when hee said J have sinned in betraying innocent blood And the limbs of Antichrist may give a true testimonie against Antichrist Now whereas you say that they communicated with the Roman Church I grant they did in some things or else they had not beene members of that Church but not in all for not in those things they did disavow reprove condemn and that this may the better be understood I will enlarge my discourse herein CHAP. VIII What it is to communicate with others How farre wee yet communicate with the Roman Church and wherein wee refuse to communicate COmmunio est multorum unio Communio quid Communion is the union of many They that agree in one opinion are so farre united they are one They that enjoy any thing in common are so farre united Rom. 12. The Church is one body 1 Cor. 12. Christians are severall members of this one body as therefore the members being many are united in one body and doe communicate in divers of the selfe same things from that one body and communicate one unto another the service of those things that are proper unto them as they are severall members So in the Church all Christians make but one body collective which are united together by many things some outward some inward some both outward and inward because it is corpus vivum a living body wherein there is saith Saint Augustine a soule Augustin Breviculo Collat. 3. Collat. 9. and a body The soule are the inward gifts of the holy Ghost faith hope and charity c. The body are the outward profession of faith and receiving of Sacraments Whence it comes to passe that some are of the soule and of the body of the Church and therefore united to Christ their Head both inwardly and outwardly these are most
perfectly of the Church for they are as living members in the body Againe some are of the soule but not of the body as those which are instructed to beleeve the principles of Christian Religion but are not yet baptized or those who are excommunicated if they retaine faith and love which may bee done Lastly some are of the body but not of the soule as those who have no inward vertue but for some temporall ends do professe the faith and partake of the Sacraments under the government of Pastors and such are as the haire or nailes or ill humors in mans body Thus farre Saint Augustine This last doth make a man to bee a part of the visible Church Bellar. de Eccl. l. 3 c 2. As then in man there is the inner and the outward man the soule and the body the one is visible the other is not visible So in the Church there is a mysticall Church which is not seene to bodily eyes and an outward profession of Christ and receiving of Sacraments which makes the visible Church we can see the men we can see them baptized comming to the Temple receiving the Sacraments we can heare them make confession of the Christian faith call upon God the Father by Christ all these things are sensible and most of them visible as the men their meeting their receiving of the Sacraments the lifting up of their hands in prayer the opening of their lips in confession of their faith in prayer and thankesgiving Where there is a society of men thus professing the faith of Christ and partaking of his Sacraments under the government of Pastors there is a visible Christian Church These doe communicate in the same Sacraments in the same confession of faith and that maketh them to be of one Church of the visible Church though they be never so far remote one from another and unknowne one to another in the same essence of faith the principall and necessary articles whereof are contained in the Apostles Creed in the same essentiall forme of baptisme whereby men are admitted into the visible Church we communicate with the Roman Church and so doe all Christian Churches in the world that is in all that which must necessarily be professed and done to make a Church Now whereas my adversarie saith that those Popes Cardinalls Bishops others named by Gualterus and the Author of the Appendix to the Antidote did communicate with the Church of Rome that will not serve his turne for so doe we communicate with them in many things in the Apostles Creed in the principall Sacraments in the Iewish Canon of the old Testament and in all the new This doth make them and us a Church in these we have not left them but in their new Creed in their bookes added to the ancient Canon of the Bible in their unwritten Traditions in other their new false hereticall doctrines in their superstitious practise of Religion and Monarchicall discipline tyrannizing over the families of Christ These we hold to be the corruption sicknesse leprosie of their Church there we have left viz their Papacie not their Church we left them as an unsound Church not as a Church Thus the Primitive Church did deale with the Heathens Iewes and Hereticks as Saint Augustine writeth to the Donatists they retained what was good amongst them These Donatists held their owne society alone to bee the Church and excluded all others their owne baptisme to be true effectuall and no other so that they rebaptized those which were baptized by others in defence of their allegation objected thus Vsqueadeo meum est quod à me unicum datum est nec ab ipsis sacrilegis iteretur Sacrilegus non est qui unicum baptismum non quod tuum est sed quod Christi iterare non audet Etenim Christi est unica in baptismate consecratio Tua est unici baptismatis iteratio Corrigo in te quod tuum est agnosco quod Christi est hoc enim justum est ut cum mala hominum reprobamus quaecunque in illis bona Dei reperimus approbamus Hoc inquam justum est ut etiam in sacrilego non violem quod verum invenio Sacramentum nec sic emendem Sacrilegum ut in eo perpetrem sacrilegium Nam sic sunt isti mali in baptismo bono quemadmodum sunt Iudaei mali in lege bona Itaque ut illi per ipsam legem judicabuntur quam malitia sua malā fecerunt Ita isti per ipsum baptismum judicabuntur quod bonum mali tenuerunt Ergo quemadmodum Iudaeus cū ad nos venerit ut Christianus fiat non in eo destruimus bona Dei sed mala ipsius Nam quod errat non credendo quod Christus jam venerit natusque passus sit resurrexerit hoc emendamus eaque infidelitate destituta fidem qua haec creduntur instruimus Item quod errant umbris veterum Sacramentorum inhaerendo dissuademus jamque venisse tempus quo haec auferenda atque mutanda Propheta praedixerunt demonstramus Quod verò unum Deum colendum credit qui fecit Caelum terram quod omnia Idola Sacrilegia Gentium detestatur quod futurum expectat judicium quod vitam sperat aeternam quod de carnis resurrectione non dubitat laudamus approbamus agnoscimus sicut credebat credenda sicut tenebat tenenda firmamus Ita etiam cum ad nos venerit Schismaticus vel haereticus ut Catholicus fiat schisma ejus haeresim dissuadendo destruendo rescindimus Sacramenta verò Christiana si eadē in illo invenimus quicquid aliud veri tenet absit ut violemus absit ut si simel danda norimus iteremus ne dum vitia humana curamus divina medicamenta damnemus aut quaerendo sanare vulneratum quod non est hominem saucium ubi sanus est vulneremus August Tom 7. l. de un baptis cont Petil. cap. 2. 3. Possunt esse populi boni ubi fuerint Episcopi mali sicut potuit esse populus malus ubi fuit Moses Princeps Rector bonus li. 2. c. E. Parmen c. 4. In bonis quibus talia displicent semper manet mansit manebit Ecclesia l. 3. Nihl aliud est consentire male facientibus nisi mala facta eorum approbare atque laudare l. 1. Nemo conjungitur cum infidelibus nisi qui facit peccatum Paganorum vel talia facientibus favet nec quisquam fit particeps iniquitatis nisi qui iniqua vel agit vel approbat l. 2. c. 17. Vbi Moses Aaron ibi murmuratores sacrilegi ubi Caiphas caeteri tales ibi Zacharias Simeon caeteri boni ubi Saul ibi David ubi Ieremias ubi Isaias ubi Daniel ubi Ezechiel ibi Sacerdotes mali populi mali cap. 7. Et sicut grana inter paleas non videntur ita pie viventes inter iniquorum turbas non facile apparent My Baptisme is such and so
Question aforesaid For say you with a bold audacitie hee nameth for Protestants famously knowne Roman Catholicks to wit the chiefe Writers of the first 700 yeares As for Audacitie I hope to cleare my selfe by performing all that I have undertaken herein And the grounds I layed doe manifest to the learned indifferent Reader that I did so intrench my selfe so fortifie my cause as that I feare not any open force of a stronger enemie then you are I named for Protestants knowne Romane Catholicks say you distinguish Romane Catholicks whether you meane the present Romane Church or that which was in the first seven hundred yeares these two are as different as Christian and Antichristian as Orthodox Non Apostolici sed Apostatici Such as were fallen from all Christianity Baron an 908. n. 4. speaking of the Popes of that age and Haereticall as Apostolike and Apostaticall I oppose the present Romane Church not the Primitive and therefore I oppose this because shee is so different from that and no more like unto those former Romane Catholicks then those Indian Apes were unto the valiant Porus and his Indian Souldiers They of those first seven hundred yeares did not equall unwritten Traditions unto the Word of God they did not worship Images nor was your new Creed any part of their Faith and this is the reason why we oppose the present Roman Church because she hath so far declined from what she was Returne you to that Primitive Romane Church and wee will returne to you these Writers of the first seven hundred yeares are ours and not yours insomuch that I doe require you to shew me any one Father of those seven hundred yeares that held your now Romane Creed and I will be of your mind And whereas you make choice of Saint Bede for your instance I will pitch upon that very man and deny him to be of your now Romane Faith I meane as farre as your now Romane Church doth differ from other Christian Churches herein I am in the Negative so that it doth belong to you to prove the Affirmative Whereas you say Saint Bedes Writings and profession of life being a professed Romane Catholicke Monke shewes him to be no Protestant first for his Writings shew mee out of his Writings what part of the Apostles Creed hee did denie I have no other Articles of Faith if hee held these as I know hee did and his Writings doe manifest it hee is of my Faith hee is of my Church I of his both of one Church both of that one Faith which the Protestants doe professe Secondly I beleeve all the revealed written Word of God as it was received in the Primitive Church doth Saint Bede deny any of these shew mee where But say you his profession of life proves him to be no Protestant for hee was a Roman Catholicke Monke First as for Roman I have already answered that your present Romane Church differs from that which then was in all those Doctrines wherein we differ from you although it then began in matters of Discipline to swerve from what it had beene I say in matters of Discipline not of Doctrine if in any Doctrine not in Doctrines of Faith they enacted enjoyned necessitated no new Articles as now you have done in your Councell of Trent whereas you adde Catholick to Roman Hoc est Pugnantia secum frontibus adversis componere like that of dividing all the world into Kent and Christendome or rather to say that Kent is all Christendome Roman is but a part of the Catholick Church and to say as you doe that the Roman is the Catholick Church is as if one should say that one particular man were all men and that one limbe of a man were the man as the Poet said of Tongilianus Tongilianus habet nasum scio nec nego nasum Nil praeter nasum Tongilianus habet The man had a great nose and therefore the Poet said hee was all nose as if he had no other parts neither eyes nor mouth nor hand nor arme nor legge nor foote So you because your Roman Church is somewhat large you say that the Church is all Roman whereas it is not much larger in proportion to the Catholike Church then Tongilianus his nose in respect of the rest of the body I know you will say that the Roman Church is extended to the East and West Indies and there acknowledged Alas that is but by a few of your owne Emissaries cooped up in some small Ilands and Forts in the East Indies and as for your West India Converts Bartholo Casas in his Spanish colonies p. 1â— they are such as being forced by the Spanish tyranny doe professe a poore faith being taught to say there is one God one Pope one Catholike King This is all their Creed these are the Christians you there make this is the converting of Nations you bragge of your imposture and cousenage in suborning a couple of unknowne fellowes to come and submit themselves to the Roman Church a Historia Concilij Trident. l. 5. as if they had beene the Patriarches of Alexandria and Mozall is long since discovered so that by these poore shifts to vaunt unto the world or thinke with your selves that the Roman is as large as the Catholick is as if Tongilianus sniting his nose upon his garments and there seeing it sprinkled here and there upon his leggs upon his feet should therefore thinke that his nose did reach unto his feet that which you deliver in this kind being but vaunting of falshoods and grosse lyes I may well call the excrements of a divellish braine seeing the divell is the father of lyes and yet this must make your silly simple hudwinckt followers thinke that the Roman Church is the Catholick Church and as you afterwards say that none can be saved out of the Roman Church Aug. ep 86. Rabanus Maurus 400. yeeres after divided the Church into East Greek and Latin l. 2. c. 34. Saint Augustine in his time did distinguish betweene the East and West Churches and then did subdivide the West making the Roman but a part of the West yea and distinguishing betweene some neighbour places and the Church of Rome In those times and even to this day the Easterne Churches doe differ from the Roman Church in that they fast not upon the Saturday as also a great part of the Westerne Churches even in Italy it selfe then did Whereupon one Vrbicus wrote against those that did not fast upon Saturday which caused one Cassalanus a Presbyter to write unto Saint Austin requesting his resolution herein who replying unto him saith In those things concerning the which the word of God doth not lay downe any certaine rule the custome of Gods people the ordinances of their Ancestors are to be held for a law He did not say heere the decrees or custome of Rome must stand for a law to all other Churches He bids him observe the words of Vrbicus and you shall see him saith
which is denounced against those who adde unto the Word of God And will you say that wee professe any Faith besides that which is contained in Scriptures This is your easie answering Master Fisher to denie that wee professe that which we doe professe in all our Bookes in all our Schooles in all our Pulpits in all our Discourses of this subject viz. What wee ought to believe You will as easily answer the other Argument let us see the Argument and your answer 2. Arg. A Signis thus The Faith which hath testimonies of Antiquitie Universalitie and consent of Fathers and other Writers in all ages had visible Professors in all ages But the Faith of Protestants hath these testimonies Ergo The Faith of Protestants had visible Professors in all Ages To this you answer by denying the Minor or second Proposition thus The Protestant Faith hath not testimonies of Antiquitie Universalitie and consent Ad partes Master Fisher which Article of the Apostles Creed doth want the testimonie of Antiquitie Universalitie and consent which of those Bookes received for Canonical of the Church of England and named of mee a little before want these testimonies of Antiquitie Universalitie and consent Is it Genesis or Exodus or any other Booke of Moses Is it the Psalmes or Proverbs or Histories that want this testimony Or is it Esay or Ieremie or Ezekiel or Daniel or any other of the Prophets Is it Matthew or any other of the Evangelists or Apostles name the man name the Church name the time if you cannot then say your easie answering is no answer 3. Arg. Ab Exemplis thus Names of such as professed the Protestants faith in all ages Christ and his Apostles St. Iohn Ignatius Polycarpus Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alex Origen Cyprian Lactantius Athanasius Cyrill Hierosol Ambrozius Nyssenus Hieronimus Ruffinus Chrysostomus Augustinus Cyrillus Alex Theodoretus Socrates Sozomenus Fulgentius Evagrius Gregorius primus Beda Damascenus Alcuinus Thus having gone halfe way I conclude with this Argument The Protestant faith being that which is contained in Scriptures was received and taught by all the Orthodox Fathers But the Fathers above named be all Orthodox Ergo Now what answer doe you Master Fisher give to this Argument of mine not a word unlesse to denie the conclusion be to answer an Argument I hope you will not acknowledge your selfe to be so ignorant in Logicke you know the Rule Ex veris possit nil nisi vera sequi If my Premises be true my Argument in forme as you neither deny my Premises nor except against the forme of my Argument the conclusion must follow must be true for out of true Premises can follow no conclusion but what is true Arist De Sophist Elench c. 17 18 c. this is not easie answering but not answering Looke into Aristotle concerning the duty of a Respondent and the divers kinds of answering You not being able to answer this Argument say I must bring out some or other good Authors who doe clearly shew these before named to hold all or some principall points of Protestant Faith differing from the Catholicke Roman Faith I have proved what I undertooke and what is sufficient by such Arguments as you cannot answer you dare not examine but flye from them knowing their strength and your weaknesse But you will have me prove them by Authors is any humane authoritie of a private man better then reason And what Authors would you have will not their owne profession and their owne workes together with the esteeme and reputation of Orthodox Writers which they have had in all Ages serve the turne to shew what their Faith was doe any men know what they did believe or what they did professe better then themselves As for your Roman Catholicke Faith I have alreadie shewed how fond how vaine how simple a conjunction you make of them that no child ordinarily of seven yeares of age understanding the termes but will wonder with what face you can say That a part of a Church is a whole Church that a part of a Kingdome is a whole Kingdome that a part of mans Body is the whole Body You say also that I must prove out of good Authors that they doe not condemne any of the 39 Protestant Articles Here you not being able to answer as I thinke doe dissemble conceale and passe by what I did put downe in answer to this demand of yours viz. 1. It is no prejudice to our Faith if the same Authors doe differ from us in other opinions not concerning Faith as long as they maintaine our Faith 2. The Church of Rome cannot produce Fathers in all Ages who doe not contradict the Councell of Trent in some Doctrines established in the said Councell This you can conceale and passe over knowing that you are not able to performe it for your Councell of Trent I undertooke for matters of Faith not for secondarie Doctrines to produce Authors in all Ages professing our Faith though they might dissent from us in other Doctrines of an inferior nature not revealed in Scripture nor belonging to the foundation and Principles of Christian Religion As for the sufficiencie of my Arguments I have already made it good for any thing that you have yet spoken against them Let us now see what you say further against them CHAP. XVI Fisher WHo doth not also see that the same Arguments may be more strongly retorted against Protestants by onely altering the word Protestant into Catholick in regard our Catholick Doctrine may be and is ordinarily proved by plaine testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers A most bold falshood even by the confession of divers learned Protestants themselves Rogers All the proofe that this man will bring is for ought I can see or thus Who doth not see I doe not see If it be granted c. as I have observed before for if these Arguments might be retorted against the Protestants by changing of one word why did hee not performe the same I must doe it for him Major The Faith contained in the Scriptures had visible Professors in all Ages Minor But the Catholicke Faith is contained in the Scriptures Conclusion Ergo The Catholicke Faith had visible Professors in all Ages Here I have onely changed the word Protestant into Catholicke and what one word is here against Protestants who doe hold and professe no other Faith then what is contained in Scriptures as I have already shewed out of our sixt Article wee grant this whole Argument Major Minor and Conclusion which if you doe grant I will take the Minor and inferre a dangerous Conclusion against the Church of Rome thus The Catholicke Faith is contained in the Scriptures The Roman Faith is not contained in the Scriptures Ergo The Roman Faith is not the Catholicke Faith If you denie this Minor as it seemes by those words of yours before alleadged you will denie viz. Our Catholick Doctrine may be and is ordinarily proved by plaine testimonies
Definitum the most demonstrative substantiall proofe that reason can find The Assumption appeareth by the profession of the Grecians at Ferrara whereof I have cited a part above in the beginning of this Catalogue and it may be seene more fully in their owne Surius Tom. 4. Conciliorum loco supra citato None of those who denie the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie Transubstantiation and Communion in one kind are of the Roman Faith and Church But all these aforenamed being of the Greeke Church denie the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie Transubstantiation and Communion in one kind Ergo They are not of the Roman Faith and Church A Catalogue of Councels Generall or Provinciall in all Ages which did professe our Faith TO name particular men in all Ages who did professe our Faith receive our Scriptures and Sacraments is not to prove our Church extant in all Ages for one man is not a Church no more then one member as hand or foot is the body or one Citizen is a Citie or one subject is a Kingdome I have therefore thought it fit out of my many yeares reading observation and collection to prove that not onely some particular men but also whole Churches that is a societie of many men professing our Faith Scripture and Sacraments have beene in all Ages to this end I have put downe a Catalogue of Councels in all Ages which Councels are justly termed The Church representative who professe our Faith Scriptures and Sacraments although the maine proofe is in that of Faith which includeth the rest for this Faith hath no other object then the Scriptures Canonicall and receiveth no Sacraments but what are contained in the Scriptures and instituted by God And because all Councels did not record nor publish all those things which were done of course and observed at the opening and in the beginning of every Councell I thought it would prove satisfactorie to the Reader that he should be acquainted how they never began Councels without solemn Prayers or Masse as the Romanists call it and that in every Masse our Creed is repeated as appeareth by their Missals and those Authors in the Margin which are Expositors of the Masse so that seeing our Creed is professed in every Masse and all Councels begin with a solemne Masse it followeth that all Councels did professe our Faith Yea over and besides this I will adde other proofes as 1 an Injunction that it should be so 2. Historicall testimonie that it was so First Ordo Romanus published by Hiltorpius at Paris anno 1610. col 171. in the order for the first day of holding a Councell after some Prayers which are there set downe concludeth thus Then all men keeping silence Tunc tacentibus cunctis ex Niceno Concilio fides Catholica à Diâ—cono legatur let the Catholicke Faith be read by the Deacon out of the Nicene Councell I believe in one God the Father Almightie maker of all things visible and invisible Then the Deacon shall bring forth the Book of the Canons and reade the Chapters concerning the manner of holding Councels out of the fourth Councell of Toledo Thus you see it was commanded that the Creed which wee professe should be professed in the beginning and opening of every Councell since the time of that Ordo Romanus which whether it were as ancient as Charles the Great in which time it was brought to France Hitorpius in praefatione or more ancient in Rome as being for the substance made by Gregorie the first it will serue my turne for succeeding Ages But in my Historicall observation I will ascend higher and to the Apostles times This Creed saith Baronius An. 44. n. 18. Act. Conc. Calce Eph. Constin 2. et aliorum speaking of the Apostles Creed the Catholicke Church hath alwaies had in such esteeme as that in all sacred Generall Councels it was the custome to repeate it as a grround-worke or foundation of the whole Ecclesiasticall building All men thought it fit Prayers being solemnly performed and finished to make confession of their Faith after the manner of Generall Councels Conc. Tol. 6. apud Surium Tom. 2. pag. 741. col 1 2. The ancient Decrees of the Fathers were reverently confirmed in Consilio Romano more solito after the usuall manner Vrspergensis cited also by Baronius anno 102. n. 1. It was required by the Graecians in the Councell of Florence begun at Ferrara Sess 3. apud Surium That the Councell might begin with reciting the Definitions and Decrees of the seven precedent Generall Councels not onely say they that it may appeare wee dissent not from them but also that wee may imitate them for wee firmly believe c. And Sess 5 they cited the Decree of the fifth Councell saying thus All men should preserve the foundation of Faith and observe that Creed wherin they were baptized which the Nicene Councell commended to posteritie received by the Councell of Constantinople approved by the Councell of Ephesus and sealed up by the Councell of Chalcedon all which wee also receive Thus far the words of the fifth Councell then and there urged by the Graecians together with the 6th and 7th Councell to the same effect Having laid this ground-work that all lawfull Councels and orthodox recieved and published by the Romanists themselves for such did professe our Faith it were sufficient for mee to name approved Councels in every Age without any further observation in particular yet for the greater benefit of the Reader I will doe more beginning even with the Apostles themselves A Catalogue of Councels which did professe our Faith in every Age beginning with the Apostles the first Age from the Nativitie of our blessed Saviour Seculum 1. to the 100th yeare Act. 1. 1. Councell of the Apostles Act. 6. 2. Councell of the Apostles Act. 15. 3. Councell of the Apostles Act. 21. 4. Councell of the Apostles IN the yeare 34 saith Baronius n. 237. for to chuse an Apostle into the place of Iudas Surius Tom. 1. Conc. p. 17. Wherein the seven Deacons were ordained the first yeare after the death of Christ saith Surius Tom. 1. Conc. pag. 18. Anno 34. saith Baron Concerning Circumcision and the Ceremoniall Law of Moses This was 14 yeares after the death of Christ saith Surius in the place above cited An. 51. saith Baronius Wherein Paul was advised to purifie foure persons after the Law of Moses for to pacifie the Jewes who were incensed against him as an enemie to Moses The ordinary Glosse and Surius observe only these foure some adde two more one Acts 4. another Acts 11. I will adde one more not mentioned in the Scripture but mentioned by many Fathers as Ruffinus Ierome Augustine Leo Venantius Albinus Flaccus alii 5. Councell of the Apostles Wherein they composed the Apostles Creed being now ready to depart one from another as a Rule of preaching whereby it might be discerned who did preach Christ according to the Rules of the Apostles