the whole church was committed to blessed S. Peter prince of all the Apostles And a little beneath Behold he hath receaued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen power of binding and losing is giuen to him the care of the whole church and principality is committed to him S. Bede saith m homil in vigilla S. Andreâ— in illud intuitus eum c Ioan. 142. He saw the simplicitie of his hart he saw the courage of his mynd by whose merit he was to be placed ouer euery church And againe n And homil in sâ—â—â—o Petri Pauli anno 720. therfore saith he S. Peter who confessed Christ with true faith affected him with true loue and receaued especially the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and principallitie of iudiciall power that all belieuers in the world may vnderstand that whosoeuer doth separate himself after any manner from that vnitie of faith and societie of his he can neither be absolued from the bonds of his sinnes nor enter the gate of the kingdome of heauen S. Bernard saith o epist â—â—7 ad Eugenium The place wherin thou standest is holy ground it is Peters place the place of the prince of the Apostles where his feete stood it is his place whome our Lord coÌ„stituted master of his howse and prince of all his possession And againe p lib 2 de consideret speaking of Peter Ano. 1140. going like our Lord vpon the sea he did manifest himself the only vicar of Christ who ought not to be ouer one people but ouer all eueÌ„ as there are many waters many people These sower and twentie testimonies of the fathers as the sower and twentie voices of the elders in the Apocalypse do euidently demonstrate the consent of the primatiue Church as wel the Greeke as the Latine to which nothing certenly can be answeared other wise theÌ„ Luther and Caluin say of Leo Pope they suffered humane thinges were deceaued werfore to make it if possible yet more plaine seâ— heere the Aduersaire THE ADVERSARIE Caluin alledged in M. vvhitgiftes defence saith q pag. 173. The twelue Apostles had one amongst them to gouerne the rest Musculus saith r Ibid. 469. Peter is said in many places to haue bene chiefe a monge the rest which wee deny not M. vvhitgift saith Å¿ Ibid pag. 375. Amonge the Apostles them selues there was one chief c. that had chiefe authoritie ouer the rest c. that schismes might be composed t pag. 595. pag. 62. 63. 65. 68. 70. And againe In somuch as he doubteth not to answere certayne places of scripture obiected by our Aduersaries against Peters Primary M. Fulke speaking of Leo and Gregory Bishops of Rome the first about anno 450. the other about anno 600. saith v in his Retentiue against Bristowes motiues c. pag. 248. the mysterie of iniquitie hauing wrought in that seat of Rome neer fiue or six huÌ„dreth yeares before them so longe before them did the Romane Sea beginne to be Papall and then greatly encreased they were so deceaued with long continuance of errour that they thought the dignity of Peter was much moreouer the rest of his fellow Apostles then the holy scriptures of God do allow x Cent. 4. col 1215. l. 2 col 555 l â—0 col 558. l. 54 Cent. 3. col 84. l. 75 59. Col. 85. l. 3. The fathers for affirming the church to be built vpon Peter namely S. Hierome Hâ—â—ary Nazianzen Tertullian Cyprian OrigeÌ„ are repreheÌ„ded by the Centuristes Caluin saith y Instit l. 4. cap. 6. sect The church is founded in Peter because it is said vpon this Rocke c. as many of the Fathers expound it but the whole scripture is against it c. z Cent. 6. col 58. a line 2. The fathers doubted not publickly to celebrate a yearly festiuall day in honour of S. Peters Sea which respect no other Sea euer had whervnto Danaeus answearing affirmeth the Fathers assertions to be the iudgments and testimonies of the church then corrupted and bewitched or made blynd with this errour b in his exameÌ„ c. against the plea of the innocent printed â— bol pag. 10. b. and 107. M D. Couell hauing spoken of one aboue the a n resp ad Bellar. disp part 1. pag. 275. rest to suppresse the seedes of dissention saith to the Puritanes If this were the principall meanes to preuent schiâ—mes and dissentions in the primitiue church when the graces of God were farre more aboundant and eminent then they now are Nay if the twelue were not like to agree except there had bine one chiese among them for so saith Hierome amoÌ„ge the twelue one was therefore chosen that a chief or head being appoynted occasion of dissention might be preuented c how can they thinke that equallity would keepe all the pastours in the world in peace and vnitie c. for in all societies authoritie which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnitie and obedience Also he saith c pag. 10. b. that it was not to cease with the Apostles these hee Melanchthon saith from the opinion of him self and other his brethren d in the booke intituled Centuria epâ— Theolog c. epist 74. que est Melancthonis â— As certayne Bishops are president ouer many churches so the Bishop of Rome is president ouer all Bishops and this canonicall pollicy no wyse man as I think doth or ought to disallow c. for the monarchy of the Bishop of Rome is in my opinioÌ„ profitable to this end that consent of Doctrine may be retayned wherfore an agreement may easily be established in his article of the Popes Primacy if other pointes could be agreed vpon These hee Luther himself saith e in loc commun class 1. cap. 37. for as much as God would haue one true Catholicke church through the whole world it was necessarie there should be some one people yea some one father of that one people chosen vnto whome and his posteritie the whole world might haue recourse and become one sheepfold so that of all nations and of infinite diuers manners yet there might be made one church f Pag 470. 471. For the confessed gouerment of Bishops and Archbishops in all ages since the Apostles tymes see M. Whitgiftes defence M. Cartwryght saith g in his 2. reply part 1 p. 582. yf an Archbishop be necessarie for the calling of a prounciall councell when Bishops are deuided it is necessarie there be also a Pope which may call a generall councell when diuision is betweene Archbishops for when the churches of one prouince be deuided from others as you aske me so I aske you whoe shall assemble them together whoe shall admonish them of their duties when they are assembled yf you can find away how this may be done without a Pope the way is also found wherby the church may be disburdenned of the Archbishop Likewise the councell of
350. saith e in Thesauro vt D. thocitat in opusculo de erroribus Grec wee ougth to stick to our head the Pope of Rome it perteineth vnto all to aske of him what to belieue what to hold S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith f homil vlt. in Ioannem S. Peter is a master placed over the whole world by our Sauiour Tertullian anno 200 saith g lib de praescript haeret That wee ought not to dispute with heretiques out of the Scripture because the true vnderstanding of Scripture is froÌ„ the Catholicke church therefore it ought first to be manifest what is the true doctrine of the Catholick Church but this can by no means be better knowne then in the Churches of the Apostles the chiefest where of is the Roman Church S. Cyprian anno 240. saith h lib. 1. epist 1. that heresies and schismes spring from nother cause then because the priest of God is not obeyed nor one priest for the tyme in the church iudge in the place of Christ is thought on S Ambrose anno 380. i Epist 10 writing to the Eemperour ValeÌ„t ne the younger who being corrupted by the ArriaÌ„s would iudg of matters of faith saith But certenly if wee obserue either the order of devyne scripture or the course of auncient tymes who can deny but that Bishops in matters of faith I say in matters of faith were wont to iudge of Christian Emperours that is of their faith and not Emperours of Bishops that is of their faith thy Father a man of riper age said it be longeth not vnto me to iudge of Bishops now thy clemencie saith I ought to iudge Et infra if there be-any thing to be handled concerning faith that conference doth belong vnto priestes as it was done vnder ConstaÌ„tine a prince of famous memory heire of thy fathers dignitie but what hath bene well begunne is other wise coÌ„summated For Bisthops did first giue the true and syncere faith but when some would iudge of faith with in theire palaces they did effect by circumuensioÌ„ that the iudgmeÌ„t of Bishops might be chaÌ„ged S. Hierome anno 380. saith k in epist ad Damasum I beseech your holynes the Pope by Christ crucified the saluation of the world by the holy trinitie that there be authoritie giuen me by your letters either that I councell or affirme three Hypostases And in an other place he saith l lib. 1. coÌ„t Iouin out of Twelue one is chosen that a head being constituted occasion of Schisme might be taken away S. Augustine anno 400 saith m lib. 1. cont Crescouium cap. 23. whosoeuer doth feare to be deceaued through the obscuritie of this question let him aske councell of the Church which the holy scripture doth demonstrate with out any ambiguitie or doubting And againe n cont epist fundamenti cap. 5. But I saith he would not belieue the ghospell if the authority of the church did not compell me There be many moe of this kind which for breuities sake I omitt not doubting but these may suffice only receaue this testimonie from S. Austine that these fathers do not teach any new opinion or doctrine of their owne but what they haue receaued from the Apostles and primitiue Church it self o lib. 2. cont IulianuÌ„ Pelagianum The auncient Fathers saith he sought not frindship with vs or you nor yet were at enmity with either of vs with vs or you they were not offended neither did they pittie either of vs but what they found in the Church that they held what they had Learned that they taught what themselues had Learned of their forefathers the same they deliuered to their children For heretickes alleadging of authoritie or Scripture for the most parte the saying of S. Cyprian may suffice p de vnitate ecclesiae cap. 9. O corruptor of the Apostle and false interpreter the first wordes thou puttest downe but omittest that which followeth as thou thy self art cutt of from the church so thou cuttest away one sentence froÌ„ one little chapter THE 7. ARTICLE Scripture neuer called in Question amongst Catholickes a The fiue bookes of Moyses Iosue Ruth 4. bookes of kinges Paralapomenon 2. bookes of Esdras Nehemias sob the psalter of 150. psalmes prouerbes Ecclesiastes canticles 4. greater Prophets 12 lesser 4 Euangelistes the Actes of the Apostles 13. epistles of S. Paul besides that to the Hebrewes to other epistles one of S. Peter the other of S. Iohn THE 8. ARTICLE Scripture some tyme called in Question b Hester Baruch part of Daniel Toby Iudith wisdome Ecclesiasticus first secund of machabees certaine partes of S Marke Luke Iohn the epistle to the Hebrewes the epistle of S. Iames the last of S Peter the epistle of Iude part of the first of S. Iohn 2. 3. of S Iohn and the Apocalipse But now all proued to to cannonical THE 9. ARTICLE Scripture neuer admitted by the Catholicke church THe prayer of Manasses 3. 4. of Esdras 3. 4 of Machabees psalme 151 the appendix of the booke of Iob. the booke of Hermes called the pastor Now to omitt all out Aduersaries idle obiections without any proofe the Catholick thus proueth his scripture S. Austine saith a de Doctrâ—nâ— Christiana l. 2 c. 8. the whose cannon of Scripture is coÌ„teyned in these bookes The fiue bookes of Moyses c. Iob Toby Hester â—â—…h and the 2. bookes of Machabees twoe bookes of Esâ—â—…as c and these 2. bookes wherof the one is called wisdom the other Ecclesiasticus for a certaine similitude called the bookes of Salomon for it is most certenly affirmed that â—eâ—us the son of Syrach did write them which not withstanding because they are thought worthy of Authoritie they are to be numbred amongst the Prophets the rest are c. these S. Austine Also the third councell of Charthage at which S. Austine was present saith b Cinou 47. See the lyke accompt by InnoceÌ„t in epist ad Ex â—pâ—rum and Selasius tom 1 concil in decret with 7â— Bâ—sâ—â—â— by Ischâ— l â— â—â—â—â—olog c 1 by Rabâ—nus l. 2. instit clericorum by Cassiodâ—â— l 2. dâ—â—m lâ—ctâ—oneÌ„ See it is thought good that nothing be read in the Church vnder the name of deuyne Scripture besides the Canonicall Scriptures the Canonicall scriptures are Genesis Exodus Leuiticus c the fiue bookes of Salomon c. Toby Iudith Hester 2. bookes of Esdras 2 bookes of Machabees c. Wheras out Aduersaties obiect that c OrigeÌ„ in eo ad IuliuÌ„ ArticanuÌ„ Origen d hom 1. in leuiticum Epiphamus c S. Hierome affirme the Machabees Ecclesiasticus Toby and other bookes of the old Testament to be Apocryphall it is answered ther vnto first that the Fathers in those places do not speake of there owne opinion but do only repeat what was the opinion of the Hebrewes and what bookes they thought Canonicall these three Fathers do defend
these bookes to be canonicall CoÌ„cerning e Apol. 2. adu Ruffinum in Prolog S. Hierome lie answereth and explaineth himself saying truly I did not set downe what I thought but what the Hebrewes are accustomed to say against vs heerein calling there further Ruffinus e Apol. 2. adu Ruffinum in Prolog a foolish Sycophant for mistaking and charging him with the Hebrewes opinion Also in another place he most expresly placeth the f in Machab in praefat in bookes of Machabees reiected by the Hebrewes amonge the stories of Deuyne Scripture And in another place he saieth of g Iudith Iudith the booke of Iudith among the Hebrewes is read among holy writinge whole authoritie is not iudged so sit to confirme things that are in contention c. but because the councell of Nice is said to haue reckoned this booke in the number of holy Scripture I rest content c. Secondly it is euident that in the primitiue Church the canonicall Scriptures were not generally receaued all at once but in so great varietie of pretended Scriptures sundry bookes were for the tyme misdoubted or by some Fathers and Councels omitted or not receaued which yet afterwardes vpon better search and consideration they were generally acknowledged To conclude this point heare M. Bilson Lord Bishop of Wâ—nchester saying h in his Suruey of Châ—ists sufferings c. anno 1604. pag. 664. the Scriptures were not fully receaued in all places no not in Eusebius tyme. he saith that the epistles of Iames Iude the 2. Peter and 2. Iohn are contradicted as not writen by the Apostles the epistle to the Hebrewes was for a while contradicted c. the Churches of Syria did not receaue the 2 Peter nor 2. Iohn the epistle of Iude nor the Apocalypse c. the like might be said for the Churches of Arabia will you hence therefore conclude that these parts of scripture were not Apostolicall or that wee need not receaue them now because they were formerly doubted off c so fully doth M. Bilson answere our Aduersaries like vsuall obiections against the Machabees and the other bookes of the old testament now in question But the authoritie of the Church only as is by our Aduersaries confessed might satisfie vs at least in this poynt for M. Iewel saith defence 1. of his Apolog pag. 201. edition an 1571. pag. 241. the church of God had the spirit of wisdome wherby to discerne true scripture from false the protestant author of the scripture and the church whome Bullinger so greatly coÌ„mendeth in his preface thereof to the reader doth affirme k Cap. 15. fol. 71 71. cap. 16 fol. 74. 75. that wee could not belieue the ghospell were it not that the church taught vs and witnessed that this doctrine was deliuered by the Apostles THE X ARTICLE The protestantes pretence of only Scripture is friuolous and idle a In his Suruey c pag 219. It hath euer bene the coÌ„mon practice and deceipt of almost all Nouellistes to pretend only scripture vsinge it as theire laste and only refuge thereby to continue theire contentions and to exempt themselues from all other finall iudgmentes whatsoeuer In this sorte Beza himselfe is noted to euade witnes M. Bancroft Sayinge a How Beza discrediteth himselfe sayinge if any man shall oppose against my exposition the authoritie of certaine fathers I appeale to the word of God whereuppon M. Bancroft inferreth sayinge how cranke is Beza wth the auncient fathers The Brownists of Amsterdam saye to M. Balsons allegations from the fathers b Apologie print 1604. pag 103. Let M. Bilson wth these Doctors know that vnles they can proue by the word of God their Prelacie c. all the colour they bring oute of former times and writers is of no moment in this case M. Hooker saieth of the c Eccl policie in his preface page 38. Anabaptiste the booke of God they for the most part so admired that other disputation against their opinions then only by allegatioÌ„ of scripture they would not heare d â—b de Christe natura pag. 2. In this sort doth Socinus a protestant against volanus his protestant aduersarie giue the stipp in defence of his errour against the diuinitie of Christe saying To what purpose should I answere that wich thou borrowest from the Papistes c. especially where thou opposest to vs the perpetuall Consent of the Church very exellently doubtlese in this behalfe hath Hosius the Papist discoursed against you wounding you with your owne sword and therefore you are no lesse saf in vrging against me the Churches perpetuall consent then are the Papistes in their vrging thereof both against you and vs And alitle further he saith e Pag. 222. wee set before vs in this QuestioÌ„ concerning the diuinitie of Christ none for Master or interpreter but only the holy Ghost c. for wee do not thinke that wee are to stande to the iudgment of any man though neuer so learned of any CouÌ„cell though in shew neuer so holy lawfully assembled of any visible Church though neueuer so perfect and vniuersall Euen Volanus him selfe disputing against the Iesuites is forced to make vse of the examples sayinges and deedes of Athanasius Hierome Augustine Theodoret other fathers whose authoritie he now opposeth against vs as sacred Thus much haue I thought good to remember that Volanus may rereaue answere from him selfe wheÌ„ he so often inferreth against vs the authoritie of learned meÌ„ CoÌ„sent of the Churche Thus farr Socinus Insomuch that A certaine Englih protestaÌ„t author of the treatise entituled A briefe answere to certaine obiections against the descentioÌ„ of Christ into hell printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes where he saieth reproueth this other protestaÌ„t brother sayinge where you saywe must build our faith one the word of faith tyinge vs to the scripture only you giue iust occasioÌ„ to think that you neither haue the auntict fathers of Christes Churche not their sonnes succeding theÌ„ agreeing whith you in this point which implieth a defeÌ„ce of some strange Paradox these likewise he This kind of tergiuersation vnder pretense of only scripture is and hath bene so infinitly tedious to protestantes them selues so euidently the only meanes wherby to vpholde all theire dissentions yet daylie renewinge and vprisinge that M. Hooker faieth M. f preface of his Ec. po icie lect 6. pag. 28. 29. â—era in his laste booke but one professeth him selfe to be now wearie of such Combates and encounters whether by word or writing in so much that he findeth that Controuersies are therby made but braules therefore wisheth that in some comoÌ„ lawfull asseÌ„bly of Churches all these thyftes may be at once decreed Luther himselfe calleth the scripture g Hosias â—ib 3 coÌ„tra Râ—cutud see it also 〈◊〉 A booke for heretikes And others of his coÌ„federates h A Ianus Cope Dialog b. c. 19 1. A Nose of wax a phrase
ill beseeminge the scripture and word of the holy Ghost howsoeuer wrested and abused by wicked men Likewise Beza himselfe saith i Beza praeface to his booke intituled ad octi colioquâ—j moÌ„tis vel gaâ—biâ—esis respons pâ—rt 1. pag 2. Let all those thinges be submitted to the IudgmeÌ„t of all learned and orthodoxall deuines especially of a free holy and lawfull Synod yf God shall at any tyme graunt any M Hocker saith againe k Hooker vbi supra pag. 26. what successe God may giue to any such kinde of conference or disputation wee caÌ„not tell but wee are right sure of this that Nature scripture and experieÌ„ce haue all taught the world to seeke for the endinge of coÌ„tentions by submitting it selfe to some iudiciall and definitiue senteÌ„ce where vnto neither parte that contendeth may vnder any pretence refuse to stand And a little further l pag. 28. see also the title in M D. Concil exameÌ„ c. pag. 2. 3 4. 5 the also M. B. loâ— in his perpetuall gouerâ—ment c pag. 370. 372. 374. The will of God is to haue theÌ„ doe whatsoeuer the sentence of a iudiciall and finall decision shall determin yea though it seeme in theire priuate opinion to swarue vtterly from that which is right c and that without this it is impossible wee should auoide confusion or euer hope to attaine peace And certainly our aduersaries hearein doe but accordinge to the wholsome admonition of S. Austine sayinge The veritie of scripture is holden of vs when we doe that which pleaseth the vniuersall Church which the authoritie of the same scripture coÌ„mendeth and a little after he saieth m Austine tom 7. lib. 1. cap 33. whosoeuer feareth to be deceaued in the obscuritie of this question lett him aske councell concerninge it of the Church which the holy scripture pointeth vnto whout any ambiguitie M. Whitaker acknowledgeth that the question concerning canonicall scripture is to vs determined n Adu stap l. 2. c. 6 p. 270. 57. lib 2. c. 4. pag 300. 298 14. 15 against M. VVilliâ— Reignolds pag 44 See the same in M. Hooker ca. 3. â— 8. pag. 247. not by testimony of the spirit which saith he being priuate secret is vnsit to teach resell others But as he confesseth by ecclesiasticall tradition An argument saieth he whereby may be argued and coÌ„uinced what bookes are canonicall and what are not The ProtestaÌ„t author of the treatise of the authoritie of the scripture and the Church whome Bullinger in his preface before the same booke so highly coÌ„mendeth doubteth not to saie with S. Austine and Tertullian we o the protestant c. c. 15. pag 74 75. could not beleeue the Gospel were it not that the Church taught vs and witnessed that this doctrine was deliuered by â—he Apostles This treatise was translated out of latine into English by Iohn Tomkins and printed 1â—79 M Hooker saieth p In his first booke of Eccles polic c 5. 14 pag. 86. Ib d l 2. 5 4 pag. 102. of thinges necessarie the verie châ—â—fest is to know what bookâ—s we are bounde to esteeme holie which point saieth he is confessed impossibâ—e for the scripture it selfe to teach Againe it is not the word of God saieth he which doth or possible can assâ—re vs that we doe well to thinke it is h s word for if any one booke of the scripture dâ—d giue testimony of all yet still that scripture which giueth credit to the rest would requier an other scripture to giue credit vnto it neither could wee come vnto any pause where on to rest vnles besides scripture there were some thinge that might assure vs c. lib. 3. S. 8. pag. 146. lib 2 li 7. pag 1â—6 which also he acknowledgeth to be the authoritie of Gods Church THE 11. ARTICLE Protestantes disagreeing translations M. Bruges saith a Apologie sect 6 That the approued Protestant traÌ„slation hath many omissions many additions which some tyme obscure some tyme peruert the sense M. Carleâ—â— in his booke that Christ went not downe to hell hauing discouered many faultes in the English Bibles inferreth b pag 116. 241. That the English Protestantes in many places detorte the Scriptures froÌ„ their right sense and shew themselues to loue darknes more them light falshood more then truth they haue corrupted and depraued the sense obscured the trueth deceaued the ignorant and supplanted the simple M. Broughten also one of the chiefest linguistes in England in his epistle to the Lordes of the priuie Councell desireth them to procure speedily a new translation o because that saith he which is now in England is full of errours And in his Aduertisement of corruptions to the Protestant Bishops he saith That theire Publike translation of Scriptures into English is such as it peruerteth the text of the old testament in fouer hundred and forty eight places and that it causeth Millions of Millions to reiect the new testament and to runne to eternall flames c in his translation of the new testament parte 11. folio 110. Charles Molineus saith That Caluin in his harmonie maketh the text of the ghospell to leape vp and donne as the truth it selfe declareth he vseth violence to the letter of the ghospell in many places clean traÌ„sposeth it and besides this he addeth to the text These hee d tom 2. ad Luther lib. de Sacramento fol. 412. l. 413. Zuinglius after detection of many corruptions in Luther concludeth thus See how thy case standeth Luther that in the eies of all men thou arte seenne to be a manifest and common corrupter of holy Scripture which thing thou canst neuer deny before any creature how much are wee ashamed of thee who hitherto haue esteemed thee beyond all measure and now trie thee to be such a false fellow these hee Castalio saith That to note all the errours of Beza in traÌ„slating the new testament the worke would require to great a volume e In the fume of the confereÌ„ce before his maiestie pag. 46. The king thinketh the Geneua translation to be the worst of all other M. Parkes in his Apologie of three testimonies of Scripture coÌ„cerning Christes desceÌ„ding into hell in his defence of the first testamonie saith to M. D. Wâ—llet As for the Geneua Bibles it is to be wished that either they may be purged from those manifold errours which are both in the text and in the margent or else vtterly prâ—hibited In A Treatise intituled A petition Directed to her most excellent maiestie c the Puritans say Pag. 76. Our translation of the psalmes comprysed in our booke of common prayer doth in Addition Subtraction and Alteration differre from the truth of the Hebrew in Twoe hundred places Pag. 75. In so much as they doe therfore profess the rest to be doubtfull whether a man with a safe coÌ„science may subscribe therto The Ministers of Lincolne Diocesse tearme the
erred I proue manifestly by all that which followeth M. D. Couell saith p in his defence of the Hookers fiue bookes art 4 c. Pag. 31. It is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that wee do well to think it is the word of God the first outward motioÌ„ leading meÌ„ so to esteeme of the scripture is the authoritie of Gods Church which teacheth us to receaue Markes Ghospell who was not an Apostle to refell the ghospell of Thomas who was an Apostle and to retayne Lukes ghospell who saw not Christ reiect the glospell of Nicodemus that saw him M Fulk saith q in his answere to a CouÌ„terfayt Catholike Pag 5. The same saith M. VVâ—â—â—â— adu Stapl. l 1 c 5. p. 69 and M. Iuell in his def of Apolog. an 1571. p 242. That the church hath iudgment to discerne true wictinges from counterfayt the word of God from the writinges of men and that this iudgment she hath not of her self but of the holy Ghost Peter Martyr saith r Peter Martyr in his coÌ„mon places in English part 1. c. 6. sect 8. pag. 42. Matt. 28.20 Iohn 9416. wee acknowledge it to be the function of the Church that seeing it is endued with the holy Ghost it should discerne the true and proper bookes wee gruaÌ„t in verie deed that the auncient Church had such a boundance of the spirit as thereby they easly knew which of those that were presented vnto them were the true and proper wordes of God Now certenly if the Church had this true spirit of the holy Ghost as Peter Martyr confesseth our Sauiour promiseth that it shall remayne which her vnto the worldes end percoÌ„sequence caÌ„not nor hath not erred which yet further is made more euident by the sequell THE 13. ARTICLE The Church doth consist of good and badd a Matt. 3.12 HEe shall make cleane his flore and shall gather his wheat into his Barne but the chaffe he will burne with vnquenceable fier b Ibid. â— 13.30 Suffer both to growe vntill the haruest and in the tyme of haruest I will say to the mowers gather yee first the Cockell and bind them in bundles and burne them but the wheat gather yee into my barne c. c v. 39. The haruest is the end of the world c. d v. 49. soe shall it be in the consummation of the world the Angles shall goe forth and shall separat the good from the badd e Matth. 1. Reade but this whole Chapter and I doubt not but you wil be satisfied in this point THE 14. ARTICLE The Church is and ought to haue bene alwayes visible a Machabaeas cap. 4 IN the later dayes there shal be prepared the mountayne of the house of the Lord and placed on high vpon hils b Esaie 60. pag. 20. Thy sunne shall no more goe downe nor thy moone leese her light for our Lord shal be thy light which shall continue foreuer c Act. 20.28 Attend vnto your selues and vnto the whole flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to gouerne the church d Matth. 5.15 lib. de vnit eccl c. 14. A Cittie placed vpon a hill cannot be hidd This place and diuerse others S. Austine expoundeth to be meant of the church e Matt. 18.17 Tell it vnto the church c. now if the church be not visible how can wee tell the church which is not to be found f Ibid. 16.18 See also Rom. 10.14 And Esaie cap. 61.9 And vpon this Rocke will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not preuail against her But certenly the Duiell hath preuailed and that in a large measure if at any tyme according to you the Church hath bine so obscure that shee could not be found wherby poore soules might be receaued into it FATHERS g in psal 30. con 2. S. Austine saith The Prophetes haue spoken more obscurely of Christ then of the church I thinke it was because they did see in spirit that men would make diuisions or inuentions against the church and would not haue so great strife about Christ as be ready to rayse vp great contentions concerning the church therfore that from whence greatest contention would a ryse was more plainly fore told and manifestly prophecied of h homil 30. in Matthaeum Origen saith The church is full of light euen from the East to the west c. i hom 5. in 6. Esaie S. Chrysostome saith It is easier for the sunne to be extinguished then the church to be darkned or made obscure k lib. 3. coÌ„tra epist Permeniani c. 5. S. Austine saith There is no securitie of vnitie but out of the promises of God the church being made manifest and as is said placed vpon a mountaine cannot be hidd And againe l tract 1. in epist IoaÌ„nis my brethren doe wee shew the church with our finger is shee not manifest And againe m tract 2. what shall I say more how blinde are they that see not so great a mountaine that shutt their eies against the light put on a candlesticke Also againe n psal 47.9 vpon this place of the psalme God hath founded it foreuer he writeth thus But perhaps that cittie speaking of the church which hath held vp the world shal be some tyme ouer whelmed God for bid God hath fouÌ„ded it foreuer if therfore God hath founded it foreuer why fearest thou least the skie should fall And disputing against the Donatistes whoe said that the whole visible church was perished and remained only in Africa as you now say in England amongst certen iust persons only saith thus o in psal 101. concious 2. But that church which was ouer all nations is now no wheare shee hath vtterly perished this they say whoe are not in her Oh impudent voice shee is not because thou arte in her but beware least thou therefore be not for shee shall be although thou be not And afterwarde he bringeth in the church speaking thus How longe shall I be in this world tell me for their sake that say shee was but is not now the church hath played the Apostata and is perished from amonge all nations and he told me behold I am with you euen to the end of the world And againe p tom 6. cont Faustum Maniih l. 13. cap. 13. for these motiues or sauegarde of little children which may be seduced by meÌ„ from the manifest clearnes of the truth our Lord also prouiding said a cittie placed vpon a mountayne cannot be hid And againe let it be saith he that from hence the true Church is hidden to None wher vpon that is grounded which he saith in the Ghospell a Cittie placed vpon a hill cannot be hid and therfore he adioyneth in the psalme I haue put my tabernacle in the sunne that is in the open view These S. Augustine From the Aduersarie
the wildernes being produced he saithâ— this same wee ought to doe wherby saluation is brought to our soules yea wee ought to be hold Christ crucified in such manner of Images and belieue in him CALVINS DOCTRINE p lib. 1. c. 11. ¶ 5 de Imaginibus I know saith he that it is vsuall and more then common that Images are idiotes booke This Gregory said but the holy Ghost speaketh far otherwyse so that if he had bine taught in his schoole he would neuer haue spoken so q ¶ 7 wher for if Papistes haue any shame let them neuer hereafter vse any more this refuge Images are idiotes bookes and by and by he saith but these pictures and statues which they dedicate to Saintes what are they but the examples of most filthy luxurie and obscuritie so that if any maÌ„ would fashion himself to these he were worthy of a bastinado yea stewes afford whores more shamfast and modest then temples or churches do those which they call the Images of virgines they fayne also a habit to martyres no lesse vndecent let them frame therfore ther idols at least with a little shame that they may ly with a little more modestie then to say that they are bookes of some sanctitie but wee will also answere this is not the way to teach the faithfull people in holy writ And a little beneath to what end therfore were there so many woodden stone siluer and gold crosses erected in churches euery where r Ibid. ¶ 9. let them looke hither therfore whoe seeke miserable pretences to defend this execrable Idolatrie wherewith true religion hath bine drowned and ouerwhelmed this many ages Images say they are not taken for Gods Å¿ ¶ 13. but this being omitted let vs consider heere by the way whether any Images at all be necessarie in Christinian churches first therfore if the authoritie of the primitiue Church moue vs let vs remember for the first 500. yeares wherin religion and more sincere doctrine did as yet florish and spread it self that Christian Churches commonly were free from images But how impudent a lye this is may appeare by that which hath bine said before An old condemned Heresie Nic. eph lib 16. ca. 27. The Second Counsell of Nice anno 789. pronounced against Image breakers and spoylers of monasteries But Xenaius a Persian first of all taught that the images of Christ and his Apostles and Saintes were not to be worshipped THE 26. ARTICLE Of Purgatory and Lymbus Patrum THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Besides heauen and Hell there is Purgatory to witt a place or middle state after this life wherin the soules of many faith full for their veniall sines or negligence and intermission of due satisfaction for their mortall sins are purged more fully by suffering a temporall punishment before they passe from thence vnto Paradise and the possession of the ioyes of heauen SCRIPTVRE Lymbus Patrum a Osce 6.3 HE will reuiue vs after 2. dayes in the 3. daye he will rayse vs vp c. b Lath. 9.11 Thou also in the blood of thy testament hast let forth thy prisoners out of the lane where in is no water c Luke 16.22 And was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome d Hebr. 11.40 Ecclesiast 24 45. That they with out vs should not be consummate I will penetrate all the inferiour partes of the earth and wil behold all that sleep and will illuminat Purgatorie e Matt. 5.27 Amen I say to thee thou shalt not goe out from thence til thou repay the last farthing This place S. Cyprian takes for Purgatorie And he that shall speake against the holy ghost Epist 52. ad Anton. num 6. cap. 12.2 it shall not be for giuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come out of this place S. f de ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 1 and S. Greg Dâ—al l. 4. cap. 9. Austine proueth Purgatory also S. Gregory g Act. 2.24 Loosing the sorrowes of Hell out of this place S. h August lib. 12. c. 13. de Gent. ad lit Austine proueth purgatory for saith he Christ himself was not in paynes but to send other men of those doulours of Hel wherewith it was impossible himself should be touched i 1. Pet. 3.19 See Rhem test Annot. vpon this cap. and verse And he preached to them also that were in prison out of these words S. Cyprian Augustine and the fathers proue Christes descension into hell and Purgatorie k 1. Cor. 3.15 But himself shal be saued yet foe as by fier l Apoc. 5.13 And euery creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein all did I here saying c. benediction and honor and glorie and power for euer and euer m Phil. 2.10 That in the name of Iesus euery knee bowe of the celestials terrestrials and infernals n 2. Tim. 1. v. 18. Our lord graunt him to find mercie of our lord in that day See also a very forceable place 1. Iohn 5.16 FATHERS S. Cyprian anno 240. saith o lib 4 epist 2. It is one thing to be purged a longe tyme for sins by torment and clarified by a longe fier and an other thinge to purge all sins by passion and sufferinge Origen anno 230. saith p hom 6. in Exod. he that is saued is saued by fier so that if a man haue some thing mixed with lead that the fier doth purge and resolue that all may become pure gold S. Gregorie Nyssen anno 380. saith m Orat pro mortuit either being purged in this present life by prayers and the studier of wisdome or hauing made satisfaction after his death by the furnace of the purging fier he would returne to his former felicitie Et infra hauing left his body he cannot be made partakers of gods diuinitie vnlesse the purging fier take away the spots mixed in his minde And againe others after this life purge their spots by the fier of purgatorie S. Gregory Nazianzen anno 380. saith n Orat. In â—lumina they shal be Baptized in their other fier wich is the last baptisme neither is it only more crueller but also longer which doth feed on hard matter lyke iron and doth coÌ„sume the lightnes of vice S. Basil anno 380. saith o in cap 9. Esaiae if therefore wee haue made knowne our sinne by coÌ„fession wee haue already made the growing grasse to wither which certainly the fier of Purgatorie would haue oÌ„csumed deuoured Et infra he doth not theaten vtter ruen and destructioÌ„ but sheweth the purgation according to the Apostle p 1. Cor. 3 1â— But him self shal be saued yet so as by fier S. Eusebius anno 520. saith q Euseb Enis leatus hom de Epiphania This infernall payne doth exspect those whoe hauing omitted and not obserued their baptisme shall perish
resurrection of life euerlasting These S Athanasius Peter Martyr doth so triumph vpon this place that he saith lib. contra Gardiner obiect 1â—0 he doth think there is scarre any stronger argument then this or more inuincible amongst those that are taken out of the Fathers I answere the force of this argument consisteth in there poyntes so first in that he saith the eating of our Lords body ought not to be taken carnally because his flesh would not suffice so many as should eat of it if it were taken carnallie but this doth not make against our sentence but the Capharnaites whoe thought that the flesh of Christ ought to be diuided into little partes and so distributed to euery one that should eat of it and in this manner indeed it would not suffice so many without some miracle but wee say that the flesh of Christ is so to be taken that it be all receaued indiuisibly of euery one moreouer in that S. Athanasius saith that the flesh of Christ is spirituall food and to be distributed spiritually it doth not any way offend our opinion for the flesh of Christ is most truly called spirituall food because it is giuen for the meâ—t of the spirit and not of the body and is distributed spiritually not corporally because it is not diuided into partes but is giuen all whole together as wee haue said indiuisibly Sermo de S. Martino wher vpon S. Bernard saith That the flesh of Christ is giuen and eaten spiritually and yet in the same place he saith That the true substance of the flesh is present in the Sacrament in Actis eiusdem concilâ—â—â— vâ—ticâ—na Bibliotheca But to make â— Athanasius yet more plaine receaue this one sentence of the councell of Nice wherof himself was one of the chief the wordes are these Also heere vpon the diuine table let vs not simply attend or respect the bread and cuppe set before vs but lifting vp our mynds and vnderstanding by saith let vs acknowledg to be placed vpon that sacred table that lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world being offered vp vnbloodily by the priestes and truly taking his body and blood let vs belieue them to be the tokens of our resurrection for by this neither doe wee receaue much but little that wee may know it is taken not vnto fullnes but sanctification This testimonie also our aduersaries for the most parte doe acknowledge which together whith that which hath bine said I think sufficent to explicate a real receauing of the true body and blood of our Sauiour according to his owne wordes but for your better satisfaction and more full refutation of your errour especially in this poynt as also that you may see how all ages as well before our Sauiours coming as since and all the learned of Gods church both Iew and ChristiaÌ„ haue euer written against you heerin I haue collected the sayinges of some chief Iewes before our Sauiours tyme whoe then were the true church of God and interpreters of his word A Briefe demonstration from the auncient Ievves for the real presence Rabby Cahana saith aâ— cap. 4 Gâ—â—â—s v. 11. That the sacrifice which shall be offered of wine shall not only be chaunged into the substance of the bloud of the messias but 〈◊〉 into the substance of his body the sacrifice which shal be of bread notwithstanding that it be white is milke it shal be conuerted into the substance of the messias Rabby Iudas saith in 25. Exod. The bread shal be chaunged when it shal be sacrificed from the substance of bread into the substance of the body of the messias which shall descend from heauen and he himself shal be the sacrifice Rabby Simeon the son of Iohas saith lib qui in 〈◊〉 Reuelatio Secretorâ—m The sacrifice which priests shall make after the messias hath come c. they shall make it of bread and wine c. and that sacrifice which shal be so celebrated vpon euery aulter shal be turned into the body of the messias Rabby Barachias saith that food in Ecclesiast at the coming of the messias shall come from heauen lyke to a little Cake Rabby Moyses Hadarsan saith in psalmum 1 â— Taste yee and behold yee for God is good and the very bread which he giueth to all is his flesh and whilst the bread is tasted it is turned into his flesh c. See these aforesaid testimonies and sundry others like alledged from the Rabbynes by Perrus Galatinus de Ar◠〈…〉 10 cap â— 6 7 〈…〉 sect 3 〈◊〉 vâ— sion 2. fol. 80 Concerning all other circumstances about this poynt I referre you to the protestants Apologie for the Roman church THE 33. ARTICLE Of the Sacrifice of the Masse THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Christians haue in the church one only Sacrifice of the new testament wherin the vnspotted Lambe of God Christ is offered a Satisfaction for our sins wherof the Prophet Daniel and God himself speaketh in Malacthie and of which the Lambe of the Iewes and all other Sacrifices were types and figures SCRIPTVRE a Ieremie ca. 33.18 ANd of the priostes and leuites shall not fayle from before my face a man to offer holocaustes and to burne sacrifice and to kil victimes all dayes Hence the Fathers proue that there must be alwayes sacrifice in Gods church b Daniel 12. v. 11 When the continuall sacrifice shal be taken away to wit in the dayes of Antichrist who as most Fathers expound it shall raigne three yeeres and a halfe c Act. 13.3 And as they were ministring to our Lord and fasting the holy ghost said d 1. Cor. 10.16 The Chalice of benediction which wee doe blesse is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the body of our Lord e Luke 22 1â— And taking bread he gaue thankes and brake gaue vnto them saying c. f Hebr. 23.10 Wee haue an aulter wherof they haue not power to eat that serue the tabernacle FATHERS S. Iames the Apostle in his liturgie saith wee offer vnto thee the vnbloody sacrifice for our sins and for the ignorances of the people S. Andrew Apostle in the booke of his passion written by his disciples saith vnto the Tyrant I sacrifice dayly the immaculate lambe to almightie God Et infra who when he is indeed sacrificed and his flesh truly eaten by the people remaineth whole and aliue g Epist 3. as it is recited de consec dist 1. can hic ergo S. Clement writing vnto S. Iames brother to our Lord saith It is not lawfull to celebrate Masses in other places but in these wherin the proper Bishop shall appoynt these thinges the Apostles receiued from our Lord and deliuered vnto you S. Hippolytus Martyr anno 240. bringeth in Christ speaking thus h in orat de Antichristo cum you Bishops and priestes
saith of vs they indeed set forth their Churches very gloriously c. they report out of Irenaeus sect 3. Tertullian Origen Augustine and others how highly they esteemed this succession Considering saith he it was a matter out of all doubt that from the beginnig euen vntill that tyme nothing was changed in doctrine the foresaid holy Doctors tooke in argument that which was sufficient for the ouer throwing of all new errours to witt In his institutions in freÌ„ch printed at Geneua by Conradus â—adius anno 2562. that they viz. heretickes oppugned the doctrine which euen from the very Apostles theÌ„selues had bine inuiolable and with one coÌ„sent retayned Againe It was a thing notorious saith he with out doubt that after the Apostles age vntill those forsaid tymes no chaung was made â—n Doctrine neither in Rome nor many other citties So plainly do our learned aduersaries coÌ„fesse that no chaÌ„g of faith was made by the Roman church from the Apostles age vnto the tymes after S. Austine c. being as I said 400. yeeres after Christ To proue that to charge heretickes with the succession of Roman Bishops meintayning alwayes one and the same faith was the practise and custome of those auncient Fathers is a labour saued being already so liberally confessed but for better satisfaction receaue this one saying of S. Hierome in Apolog. 2 Adu Ruffinum demaunding of Ruffinus saying how doth he call his faith that which the Roman church teacheth if he answere the Roman then wee are Catholickes The church being thus acknowledged to haue continued the first 400. yeares after Christ in all purity it shal be easie to proue that from thence vnto the six hundreth yeere the tyme when the Roman church should fall the same doctrine was lykewise continued and so receaued by Gregory the first then Pope of Rome and by him brought and receaued by vs and vnto this day still retayned This I say is made euident by our learned aduersaries hauing already confessed that sundry euen of the chiefest articles of our faith as the Reale presence sacrifice freewill c. as is already in particuler handled so to conclude where as they say the church of Rome fell but they cannot tell when is very absurd when as yet ther was neuer any other heresie or memorable acte whatsoeuer either ecclesiasticall or temporall but they caÌ„ decypher all circumstances as the dissent of the Greeke church from the Roman but not the Roman from the primitiue Vincentius Lyrinensis saith l. Aduer haer cap. 34. certenly there was neuer yet any heresie but it was knowne to be gine vnder some certeyn name in a certeyn place and at a certeyn tyme in his consider of Papistes supplications pag 43. But for the Roman Catholicke religion now professed M. Powell saith he cannot tell by whome or at what tyme the enemy did sow it THE 46. ARTICLE The Catholicke or Roman faith novv taught is acknovvledged by protestantes for sufficient vnto saluation 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 â—â—7 〈…〉 in his epist printed ouer 〈…〉 5â— M. Baro in his 4. sermoÌ„s and 2. questions dâ—puted ad cloruÌ„ c. Ser 3 p. 44. M. Hooker l. 5 de eccles Pol. pag. 111. 130. M. Bunny in his treatise of pacification 〈◊〉 18. pag. 109. and 113. M D Some as he is cyted pag. 164 182. 17â— A Protestant preacher preaching at Peterborrovv at the funerall of one who dyed a professed Papist viz the Queene of Scotts he prayed that his soule and the soules of all there present might be with the soule of the Dead Papist M. D. Baro. saith I dare not deny the name of Christians to the Romanists sith the more learned wâ—yter do acknowledge the church of Rome to be the church of God M. Hooker saith The church of Rome is to be reputed a part of the hâ—wse of God a lymne of the visible church of Christ Yea wee gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ M Bunny lykewise saith of Catholickes and protestantes neither of vs saith he may iustly accompt the other to be none of the church of God yea wee are no seuerall church from them nor they from vs. M D. Some in his defence against M. Penâ—y the Puritan and refâ—tation of many absurdities c. in M Pâ—nâ— treatise saith The Papists are not altogether aliens from Gods couenant as I haue shewed before for in the iudgment of all learned men and all â—eâ—ormed churches there is in Popery a church a ministery a true Christ c. if you thinke saith he that all the Popish sort which died in the Popish church are damned you thinke absurdly and dissent from the iudgment of the learned protestantes M. D. Field saith wee doubt not but the church M. D Field de Eccles lib 3. cap. 46. line pag. 182. wherin the Bishop of Rome with more then Lucifer lyke pryde exalted himself was notwithstanding the true church of Christ that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ and by force or vertue thereof did conuert many from errour c. M. D. M. Morton in his treatise of the kingdome of Israel and of the church pagâ— 94. Peter Mar. in his epist annexed to his coÌ„m places in English pag. 153. M. D. Couell as he is cyâ—â—d pag 77 Thomas Morton affirmeth in expresse wordes that Papistes are to be accounted of the church of God because saith he they hold the foundation of ths ghospell which is faith in Christ Iesus the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world Peter Martyr desired at the conference had at Poysy betvvene the Catholickes and the protestantes that they should not for diuersity of opinion breake brotherly charity or call one the other heretickes Lastly M. D. Couell in his defence of M. Hookers fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policy published by authority dedicated to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury defendeth this opinion at large and concludeth saying wee affirme that they of the church of Rome are a part of the church of Christ and that such as liue and dye in that church may not withstaÌ„ding be saued pag. 61. In so much as he doubteth not to charge the Puritans with ignorance for their contrary opinion THE 47. ARTICLE A testimonie from the enemie is of greatest accompt FOr as much as our learned aduersaries do affirme that it is a great peece of worke to conuince the aduersary from himself for a more full satisfaction wee thinke it not a misse to make vse of this argument also de Eccles l. 3 c 47. initio pag. 182. M. D. Field therfore saith The next note wherby Bellarmine endeauoreth to proue the Romish sinagogue to be the true church of God is our owne confession Surely if he can proue that wee confesse it to be the church he needeth not vse any other argumentes de Eccles controu 2. quaest 5. cap 24. pag. 366. M. D. Whitaker saith the argument must
endeuour wholy to possesse this man c in respons ad Confess Lutheri Oecolampadius forewarneth Luther lest that being puffed vp with arrogancy and pryde he be seduced by the Diuell The deuynes of Tigur Zuinglians against Luther in Confess Germ impressa Tiguri anno 1544. in octaua fol. 3. In tyme past saith they Luther put forth a boke intituled breuis confessio de Sacramento in which he doth plead plainly for the hereticall Sacramentaries and most wicked men and condemneth Oecolampadius Zuinglius and all the Tigurius the booke say they is full of Diuells full of shamefull scoffinges and mockeries fol. 274. it a boundeth in anger and fury yea Luther forgeting God and his diuinity calleth vs a damnable and execrable Sect. But let him see whether by such manner of angers and wicked taunts he do not declare himselfe the Archhereticke seeing he will not nor cannot haue any Society with those that confesse Christ but how marueillously doth Luther heere bewray himself with his Diuells what filthy wordes say they doth he vse and such as are replenished with all the Diuells in Hell for he saith that the Diuell dwelleth both now and euer in the Zuinglians and that they haue a blasphemous breast insathanized and that they haue besides a most vayne mouth ouer which Sathan beareth rule being infused perfused and transfused into thesame did euer man say they heare such speeches palse from a superious Diuell himself These they Caluin against Luther The Lutherans saith he are a mad hare braind kind of people a prowde faction of Gyants Admonitione 3. ad Ioachinium westphal frantick beastes prodigiously blind desperatly impudent they are no other then falsifiers and wicked slaunderers froward more then blockish proud and also so ignorant that what is deliuered to Children in Catechisme their elder deuynes are altogegether ignorant of a brute kind of wen. who did neuer know or tast what valew the supper of the lord is of or to what end it doth tend who also haue not so much as a drope of shame in them who are as if all their whole life they had studied nothing but excommunications in all their writinges still threatning some thinge or other exceeding all the Pops scribes and Clarkes and thus rayling they hope to ouer throw the most iust cause of the ghospell Ioannes Campanus a Caluinist against Luther in Colloquijs Latinis Luth tom 2. cap. de aduersarijs fol. 154. As Certayn it is saith he there is a God so certayne is it that Luther is a Diuellish lyer The Deuynes of Heidelberg against Luther Theologi Palatini in ordinatione ecclesiastica in admonitione de lib. concordiae bergensis cap. 9. The Catechesmes say they of Luther and Brentius let them be cast out of the Church and their writinges let them haue no authority Againe Neither it is fit say they that Luther should be preferred or alledged against all auncient writers or later or according to his writing giue sentence vpon all thinges much lesse to condemne all those of heresie that doe not agree or consent with him for the whole vniuersall Church say they hath acknowledged as many of the auncient Doctours as haue liued in former ages neither doth the consent of the later giue authority to the elder but rather the elder to the later and therfore the auncient writers may be opposed against the aduersaries and not Luther or such lyke Ibid. Also for as much as Luther was not a Prophet or Elias or an Euangelist seing he hath erred in many thinges and in the Controuersie of the supper he had not the word of the lord for a rule but an old opynion of the Papacy and inuention of school men when as there are found many crafty sentences in his booke Eristicis spread abroad to inconsideratly slaunders reproches also many thinges idlely and very arrogantly spoken with out all piety and modesly scoffinge iestes in weighty matters players frumptes and vnpleasant iestes and also many thinges bitterly and iniuriously written not only against the Churches of Christ against learned holy and Innocent men but also contumelious against great princes and altogether vnworthy the person of a Christian deuyne for the causes say they Luthers bookes and sentences ought not ought not I say to be the rule of the Augustan Confession or of the Doctrine of the lords supper These they THE 51. ARTICLE The Deathes of Luther Zuinglius and Caluin Luther saith first of is owne writinges BEfore althinges saith he I do beseech the reader that these thinges he read with iudgment In praefat operum lat tom 1. In Genes cap. 19. fol. 243. yea with great commiseration and let him know that once I was a Monke yea I my self saith he doe hate my owne bookes and often tymes doe wish them to perish This he spake the yeare before his Death Again how often saith he hath my hart panted tom 2 Germ lentae fol 9. praefat lib. de abrog Missae and reprehended me and obiected against me what art thou only wyse can it be credible that all others do erre and haue erred so long a tyme haue all generations so often bene deceaued what if thou doest erre and bring so many into errour that shal be damned foreuer In Colloq mensal fol. 10. praefat supra Moreouer he saith of himself Art thou only he that hath the pure worde of God hath no man in the world thesame but thou that which the Church of God hath hither to defined and so many yeares obserued as good doest thou ouer throwe it as though it were euill ond so dissipate by thy doctrine all ecclesiasticall and Ciuil common weals I neuer put saith he these thoughtes and cogitations forth of my mynd that is that this work and businesse he meaneth his Apostacie had neuer beene begunne by me for what a great multitude of men haue I deceaued by my Doctrine I neuer had a greater and a more grieuous temptation therefor my preaching Because saith he I thought with my self thou hast stirred vp all this tumult in which temptation I haue beene drowed euen to hell it self agayn because I haue entred into this cause saith he now I must look vnto it and of necessity say it is iust if you ask a reason Doctour Luther will haue it so Sic volo sic tubeo sit pro ratione voluntas so I will so I commaund it let my will stand for a reason for wee will not be schollers but maisters and iudges of Papists yea wee will once proteruire insultare be malapert and insult ouer them I Doctour Martyn Luther saith he an vnworthy Euangelist of our Lord Iesus Christ doe say and affirme this article saith a lone vvith out vvarkes doth iustify before God the Roman Emperour shall suffer it to stand and remayne the Emperour of the Turkes the Emperour of the Tartares the Emperour of the Persians the Pope of Rome Cardinales Bishops
stay not grace c â— Machâ—b cap. 12. v 43.44 45.46 And making a gathering he sent twelue thousand drachmees of siluer to Hierusalem for a sacrifice to be offered for sin well and religiously thinking of the resurrection for vnlesse he hoped that they which were slayne should ryse agayne it should seeme superfluous and vayne to pray for the Dead and because he considered that they which had taken their sleepe with good liues had very good grace layd vp for them it is therfore a holy and healthâ—ull cogitation to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sinns FATHERS d lib â— constit cap 48. S. Clemens anno 68. did write a longe prayer accustomed to be said for the Dead S. Dionysius Areopagita anno 80. saith e lib de Eclesiast Hierar cap. 7. part â— after the venerable prelate approching he powreth forth his holy prayer vpon the Dead by that prayer he doth beseech the deuine clemencie to for giue all the sins of the Dead committed through humane infirmitie and to place him in light and in the region or king dome of the liueing f lib de corona nulâ—tis Tertullian anno 200. numbereth prayer for the dead amongst the traditions of the Apostles And speaking of one haueing buried her husband faith g lib de Monogenna Let her pray for his soule and also craue comfort for him and a fellowship in the first resurrection and make an offering vpon the yearly dayes of his death for vnlesse shee shall doe this shee hath truly refused him for as much as lyeth in her S. Cyprian anno 240. saith h lib. 1. epist 9. The Bishops our predecessours iudged it fit that no brother departing this world should nominat any clergie man to haue care or tutorship of any one and if any did foe that their should be no oblation made for such an one nor sacrifice celebrated for his departure and rest Et infra And therfore seeing Victor Geminius contrarie to a formale act lately set forth in a councell by priestes hath presumed to constitute Geminius Faustinus as tutor in such a businesse let ther be no oblation or prayer offered for his peace or rest S. Basil anno 380. in his liturgie ordayned prayer for the dead S. Gregory Nazianzen anno 380. saith i in oratione in Casarum propefinem let vs commend to god both ours and their souls they being as now more ready in the way hauing come first vnto their Inne or lodging S. Ephrem anno 380. saith k in suo testamento Make dayly memorie of me in your prayers for I haue ledd my life in vanitie and iniquitie S. Cyrill anno 350. Hieros saith l Cathechesi 5. wee pray for all that haue declared this life amongst vs belieueing the help of those soules to be chiefest for whome the oblation of that holy and fearfull sacrifice is offered Eusebius anno 330. saith m lib. 4 de vita constantin imperatoris that Constantine would be buried in a fane Church to the end he might be partaker of many prayers S. Epiphanius anno â—90 condemneth Aerius for an hereticke saying against him in defence of prayer and oblation for the dead n li 11. 75. The Church hath receaued thâ— through the wyde world it was agreed vpon before Aerius was the same saith S. Austine wher vpon M. Fulke saith o in his ansuer to a counterfayt Cathol pag. 44. Aerius taught prayer for the dead was vn profitable as witanes both Epiphanius and Austine which they esteeme for an errour S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith p homil 41. in 1. Cor. Let the dead be succored not by teares but by prayers supplications and almes deades Et infra Let vs not be weary of helping the dead offering vp our prayers for them Againe q homil 69. ad Populum Antiocheum These thinges saith he were not rashly ordayned by the Apostles that their should be commemoration made of the dead in these dreadfull mysteries for they know that therby much gayne and profiâ—t doth redound vnto them Againe r homil â—4 in Ioannem But let vs haue such care of the dead thâ—â— it may make bothe for vs and them vnto the glorius of God Let vs giue large almes for them let vs send them the best prouision Againe Å¿ homil 21. in act 2. Apost Therfore if wee make continuall prayer for him if wee giue almes and if wee be worthy God wil be the better pleased with vs moreuer saith he if he saued some by Paul and spared others for others why shall he not doe this for vs Againe t homil 2 In epist ad Philip in morali circa med let vs weepe for them let vs help them with all our power let vs procure theÌ„ some help not withstanding let vs help them how by what means by praying and exhorting others alsoe that they likewyse pray for theÌ„ and by giuing large almes for them to the poore for that bringeth great comfort Et Paulo post It was not in vayne ordayned by the Apostles that there should be memory made of such as haue departed this life in the celebration of the venerable mysteries They know well that from hence there would come much comfort and profitt vnto them all the people standing lifting theire handes vnto heaueÌ„ with the whole clergie and the venerable sacrifice being offered how should it be that wee praying for them in this sorte should not please God But wee speake this of them that haue departed in faith Et infra Therfore euen as wee pray for such as liue who nothing differre from the dead soe is it lawfull to pray for the Dead S. Ambrose anno 380. saith of the death of Faustinus his Sister v lib. 2. epist 9 ad Faustinum therfor I doe not thinke her so much to be deplored and lamented as to be prayed for neither to be sorrowed for by thy teares but rather I think her soule commended to God by thy offeringes x in epist ad Pammachium S. Hierome anno 380. speaking of the death of Paulina wâ—fe to Pammachius saith other husbandes sprinkle violts roses lilies and purple flowers vpon the sepulcher of their wifes But our Pammachius doth water the holy ashes and venerable bones with the balme of almes by these payntinges and smellinges doth he cherish the resting ashes knowing it is writeÌ„ that as water doth extinguish fier soe doth almes extinguish sinne S. Paulinus anno 420. commending the soul of his brother to Delphinus a Bishop saith y S. Paulinus Nolanus in epist 5. ad Delâ—h num Episcopâ—m endeuour to obteyne by thy prayers that his soule may receaue one drope of comfort or refreshing distilling from the least of thy sanctitie S. Austine anno 400. saith z S Austine de cura promortius cap 2 wee read in the booke of Machabees that there was sacrifice offered for the Dead but
if it were no where read in the old scripture the authoritie of the whole Church which is cleare in this custome is not small where also commendation of the Dead hath it place in the prayers of the priest which arre powred out vnto our lord God at his Aultor And againe a cap. 4. supplications for the spirits of the dead arre not to be omitted which the Churh hath prouided for to be made for all that dye in the Catholicke and Christian Societie although theire names be concealed so that such as want parentes sons kinsfolk or friends may notwithstanding receaue this benefit by their holy and common mother the church Againe b de Ciultâ— Dei l. 20. c. 25. It is not to be doubted saith he but that the dead are holpen by the prayers of the holy church and the healthfull sacrifice and almes that are imployed for their soules that God will deale with them more mercifull then their sins deserue Againe c Enchirid c. 110. It may not be denyed saith he but that the souls of the deceased are relieued by the piety of their liueing frindes when for them is offered the sacrifice of the mediatour c. S. Gregory anno 590. saith d lib 4. Dialog c. 55. The oblation of the wholosome hoste is wonte to help soules after death very much so that often tymes deceased soules theÌ„selues doe seeme to craue the same Againe e cap. 50. This doth profit the dead whome grieuous sins doe not depresse and charge to vvit if they be buried in the church because their neighbours as often as they come to the said holy places doe remember them whose Sepulchers they see and doe power out their prayers for them THE ADVERSARIE f in his playne demonstrat that our Browmist be full Donatistes c. pag. â—3 M. Gyssord affirmeth that euen in the churches publicke worship to pray for the soules of the dead to offer oblation for the dead was generally in the church long before the dayes of Austine as appeareth in Cyprian and Tertullian who were before him and neerer the tyme of the Apostles g Instit lib. c. 5. sec 10. Caluin acknowledgeth that one thousand three hundred yeares since it was a castome to pray for the dead And a little after he saith but I confesse they were drowned in errour h M Fulke terentâ—e c p. 106 confâ—t of Purgat p. 78. 20 326 34â— 30â— 3â—2 393 194. M. Fulke affirmeth that it preuayled with in the first three hundreth yeares after Christ and also saith that Ambrose allowed prayer for the dead and that it was the common errour of his tyme also that Austine blyndly defended it and Chrysostome and Hierome approued the same yea that Tertullian Cyprian Austine Hierome and a great many moe doe witnes that Sacrifice for the Dead is the tradition of the Apostles Bucer saith i in sacra quatuor Euang. printed Eâ—â—leae Anno 15 6 in Mat. cap. 12 pag. 311. Chem. Examen pag part â— pag. 93 94 107. M asch Aâ—olog pro caeâ—a Domini c. pag 1. Actes 17 â—4 M Fulk confut Purgat pag. 35 and against RheÌ„test in 2. Thessa 2 Sect. 19. fol. â—â—1 Chem exam Part. â— pag. 100.101.110 D Bridges in hiâ— defence of the Gouerned c pag. 917. Euseb l. 5. hist c. 26. Hier in Catul. M. Sut de presbyteris c. 1â— p. 91 M. Orin in his picture of apuritan printed 1605 fol. G. 2.3.6 Diony l. de Eccla Hierarch c. de Baptismo entit that prayer and almes were made for the dead almost from the very begining of the church Chemnitus likewyse confesseth as much yea generally this poynt of sacrifice for the dead is so confessedly auncient that our learned aduersarie M. Ascham is forced to say that no first begining thereof synce the Apostles tymes can be shewed likewyse prayer for the dead is acknowledged to be taught in the wrytinges now extant vnder the name of Dionysius Areopagita mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles witnes M. Fulke where he thinketh that Dionysius liued in the â—â—â—e of Origen Chemnitius affirmeth that Dionysius teacheth prayer to be made in the temple for the dead M. D. Bridges Lord Bishop of Oxford saith I take this Dionysius to haue bine before Basil sc anno 380. Wheras it is vsually obiected against this booke that if it had bine the writing of Dionysius then Eusebius or Hierome would haue mentioned it this confessed antiquitie therof before their tymes avoideth that obiection which is no lesse plainly discharged by Eusebius and Hierome themselues who signifie that the bookes of sundry writers were vnknowne to them M. Sutcliff saith that Dionysius is certeinly the best witnes of antiquitie for he seemeth to be most auncient c. M. Oliuer Ormerode saith I referre you to Tertullian Iustine Martyr Cyprian c. but what doe I cyte these Fathers Dionysius Areopagita who liued in the Apostles tyme maketh mention of the Crosse in Baptisme Also the protestant treatyse k consensus Orthodoxus Tiguri anno 1578. fol. 198. 198. Archbishop in his answer to the admonition pag. 105. sect vlt. entituled as in the margent alleageth and affirmeth Dionysius who writ de Eccle. Hierarch to haue liued anno 96. The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury alleageth Dionysius saying Dionysius Areopagita in his booke de calesti Hier. 7. chapter speaketh thus c. See also M Cooper late Bishop of winchester in his Dictionarium historicum c. annexed to his Thesaurus printed 1578. at the word Dionysius Arcopagita In like manner concerning Lymbus Patrum whereas l tom 1. l. 4. de Christi anima c. 14. Cardinall Bellarmine alleadgeth in proofe thereof the playne testimonies of the Greeke Fathers Iustine Irenaeus Clemens Origen Eusebius Basil Nazianzen Nissen Epiphanius Chrysostome c. And of the Latine Fathers Tertullian Hyppolitus Cyprian Hilarie Gaudentius Prudentius Ambrose Hierome Ruffinus Augustine Leo Vulgentius c. our aduersarie Danauâ— answereth to their testimonies sayinge m ad RobertiÌ„ Bellarm. disput part 1. pag. 176. Sâ—c M. Iac. in M. Bilsons book of the full redemption of manland pag 188. See also M. Bilson in his Suruey c. pag â—56 and M Iacob himselfe in his defence of the teâ—â—yse of Chr stes sufferinâ—e 199. 200. M whitaker Conâ—ra Duraeum 8. pag. 567. 773. As concerning them they were not instructed out of Gods worde neither doe they confirme their opinion by it but only by their owne coniectures c. In lyke plaine manner doth M. Iacob affirme saying All the Fathers with one consent affirme that Christ deliuered the soules of the Patriarches and Prophets out of Hell at his coming thither and so spoyled Sathan of those that were in his present possession M. Whitaker answereth to Duraeus testimonies froÌ„ the Fathers concerning this poynt of â—ymbus Patrum saying what thou canst not ouercome by scripture thou wilt without doubt effect