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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B22558	The Popish labyrinth wherein is made manifest, that the Papists are entangled in the fundamental article of their faith, that the church cannot erre / written in Dutch by ... Dr. Simon Episcopius, unto which is added, The life and death of the author ; as also, The life and death of James Arminius, both of them famous defenders of God	Episcopius, Simon, 1583-1643.; Bertius, Petrus, 1565-1629. Oratio in obitum reverendi & clarissimi viri D. Jacobi Arminii. English.; Chardon de Courcelles, Etienne, 1705-1775? Short and compendious history of Simon Episcopius.	1673 (1673)	Wing E3163	56,195	122

lawful if the succeeding Pope had approved of the same But now forsooth it shall be unlawful because the Pope that was made by this Council said not of himself and those like him that he was subject to the Council but on the contrary Lucifer-like maintained that he was above the Council Howbeit it is altogether credible that the Decree of the Council was approved of by Him before he was chosen for Pope Who here sees not a Circle of Absurdities However it be if the Authority of the Council be no more than the Popes it could not depose the Pope and therefore those ungodly Knaves Popes are to be reckoned among the Bishops that lawfully succeed by a continual Succession not interrupted by Reason of their Heresie Atheism Simony Force and Villanies or if there be granted an Interruption there will now forthwith be no Succession at all upon the same Account that Bellarmine denies that the Succession of the Greeks is to be accounted lawful He that seeth not that the Papists are wholly at a loss in all these Things as in an endless Labyrinth of Errours he truly seeing is blind For howsoever the Case stands touching Succession the Question concerning Truth will alwayes remain To what Purpose therefore do they enter into so intricate a Labyrinth and take so great Pains for to prove a Succession One of these must necessarily be concluded either that the Truth is sufficient to constitute a true Church or that it is not If the former be true To what End is Succession by these endless Windings to and fro proved If the latter What doth Truth avail if it do not constitute a true Church It is contrary to the Nature and Propertie of Truth not to constitute a true Church whether those who teach the Truth have it by Tradition from others or no or at least know not the List of their Names from whom they have it delivered to them Gold will be Gold although it have been hid and buried in the Earth a thousand Years But you will say it is requisite that there be some before I know Gold to teach me that that is Gold But say I shall the Church thorowly do this But then there is required some one besides by whom I may be sure that that this Church which doth affirm that this is Gold doth know it most exactly and cannot err therein Who shall that be Here the Papists make a Circle We assert that the Scripture is Truth which the Church of Rome granteth us But yet it is the Prerogative of the Church saith he to tell us that the Scripture is Truth But say I who shall tell me that the Church that affirms this saith true She hath not this Priviledge by Succession unless it clearly appear that she never defected from the Truth This cannot appear unless I know what is Truth If the Church herself assume this she then singeth to us the same Song and so the Church will be both Plantiff and Judge and that in her own proper Cause Here will be no End of contending And that is it which Tertullian meant in that most known Place and commonly in the mouth of all the Papists which they quote in all their Writings with a very perverse wresting of the Sense thereof in his Book of Proscript against Hereticks Chap. 32. Where he thus speaketh But if any Heresies dare insert themselves in the Times of the Apostles that so they may be thought to have been delivered by the Apostles because they were in the Apostles Dayes we may say that is we may in such Case demand of them the Succession of which they boast saying Let them produce the Originals of their Churches turn over the Order of their Bishops so running down by Succession from the Beginning as that first Bishop had some one of the Apostles or Apostolical men who yet continued with the Apostles for his Author and Predecessor c. And a little after Let the Hereticks feign any such Thing which is to be noted as serving our Purpose yet though they shall feign it they shall prevail nothing For their very Doctrine compared with that of the Apostles by its Diversity and Contrariety will aloud declare that it hath neither any Apostle nor Apostolical Man for its Authour For as the Apostles would not have taught Things differing among themselves so also the Apostolical Men would not have published Things contrary to the Apostles except it were those who revolted from the Apostles and taught otherwise According to this Form therefore or Manner note it well shall those Churches appeal which though they can produce none of the Apostles or Apostolick Men as their Authour as being long after and which lastly are daily instituted yet agreeing in the same Faith to wit with the Apostles or Apostolick Men they are not the less deemed Apostolical by Reason of the cousanguinity or nearness of kin of their Doctrine That is according to Tertullians style because they agree with the Apostles in Doctrine These words of Tertullian which the Papists so shamefully abuse and so violently wrest do not obscurely confirm what we have said For Tertullian says three Things First that those Churches which have the Truth agreeable with the Doctrine of the Apostles are no less Apostolical Churches then others although they cannot shew their Succession for that only Cause for that they have the Truth on their side Secondly that those Churches which glory of their Succession and Original derived from the Apostles and cannot demonstrate it are justly to be rejected as those who obtrude upon us that which is false And Thirdly that those Churches which demonstrate their Succession whether lawfully or unlawfully are not to be counted for true Churches unless it appear that their Doctrine is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Apostles What Churches agree therein the same are Apostolical although they be destitute of Succession This is more clear then the Noon-dayes Sun The same affirmeth Augustine in that Place which is also quoted as unfaithfully and contrary to the Meaning of Augustine by the Papists in his Book which he wrote against the fundamental Epistle of Manichee Chap. 4. For when he had said that he clave to the Catholick Church wherein from the See of Peter even to his Time the Succession of Bishops and Priests had been deduced he addes these words which are altogether agreeable with our Judgment With you he speaks of the Manichees where there is none of these to invite and detain me there is onely the noise of the Promise of Truth which indeed were it so manifestly shewed that it could not be questioned were to be preferred before all those Things by Reason whereof I am detained in the Catholick Church What could Augustine have spoken more clear to prove and shew that neither Antiquity nor Succession can avail so as that any one should be able to quit himself of the Labyrinth of Doubts touching the true Church but that the Truth

of the Word of God endeavour to instruct him and so we expect that Time wherein the Lord God and Jesus Christ the only Judge of the Quick and Dead will pass Award of Life and Death By this means Consciences will be free Christians all quiet and peaceble and the Word of God the only Rule and Square of all Mens Actions FINIS JAMES ARMINIUS For Learning Mildnesse and for Sanctitie Few ever had with him Equalitie The Life and Death OF JAMES ARMINIVS AND SIMON EPISCOPIVS Professors of Divinity in the University of Leyden in Holland Both of them famous Defenders of the Doctrine of Gods Universal Grace and Sufferers for it Now published in the English tongue The memory of the just is Blessed Pro. 10.7 LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliff and Nath. Thompson for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Bar 1672. THE PREFACE Courteous Reader THe Title-page of the Book presented here to thy view does sufficiently inform thee what in the general thou art to expect therein The book is so little and may be read over in so short a time that it is altogether needless to give a further account of its Contents A large Preface me thinks would be uncomely as being unproportionable to the Building And indeed thou hadst not at all been troubled with any Proem how short soever If I had not a few words to speak touching my work in this English Narrative Although I was much perswaded and well assured in my self that a Work of this kind might be of great advantage to those of my Countrey men who have ears for no other but their Mother tongue especially to them who have been abused by the Tongues or Pens of any that have exposed to obliquy and reproach the venerable names of these two reverend men which alas many have done especially as to Arminius for the other I mean Episcopius has not been so generally taken notice of and his name was not here so publickly known till the Doctrine which both of them contended and suffered for was more commonly known and received amongst us Yet was it far from me to undertake of meer choice this endeavour being not so well conceited of mine own abilities as to thrust my self into this Imployment nor so destitute of work as to need this for securing and keeping my self out of idleness but by the importunate solicitation of some good men I was prevailed with and drawn unto it The Historie of Dr. Arminius is nothing else but that Elegant Latin Oration here turned into plain English which learned Bertius delivered in such an Assembly where he could not deliver untruths and remain undetected I have indeed scarce pleased my self in translating so Grammatically and verbatim the Testimonies there produced Yet have so done that some might not be displeased who deem such a translation in such cases to be at least convenient That which thou hast here touching Episcopius is taken chiefly out of that excellent and large Preface prefixed to one of the Volumes of his Works and written by Stephen Curcellaeus of blessed memory In what I have done in the whole I am not conscious to my self of any unfaithfulness neither am I unwilling to constitute mine Enemies judges of the performance in case they be fit to examine and not resolved to be unrighteous in judgment Reader I shall no longer detain thee from the profitable exercise of reading the following Narrative which God almighty bless to thy use Farewell J. K. THE ORATION of Peter Bertius concerning the life and death of that Reverend and most Famous Man Mr. James Arminius which after his sad funeral was delivered in a Theological Auditory * the Divinity School in the Universi●y of Lyden Octob. 22. 1609. Magnificent Reverend Most noble Most learned Auditors AS heretofore I have oft experienc'd how hard and how difficult a thing it is to speak of Excellent persons in an assembly of Renouned men So now especially I have thereof a sensible knowledge it being my task at present to speak in this place concerning that Reverend man Mr. James Arminius Dr. of sacred Theologie and this after the sad solemnity of his Funeral For sith that a good man is the rule and measure of things he therefore that would describe to others such a person must be carefull to choose out and offer such things to their view by which humane life may receive advantage in the study of vertue Good things that lie in secret must be brought on the stage and made publick and those things which either Modesty hath concealed or Envy diminished or Calumny defamed or which others through want of skill have not observed those things I say when the curtain 's drawn back and a light brought in must be shown openly and declared by words that all may behold what in every one is most praise worthy and what is fit for their imitation Whence it comes to pass that the greater every ones vertue is the more difficult it is to act the Orotors part in speaking of him for the greatest Envy keeps company with the greatest Vertue And sith that a wife man doth nothing without Reason and it being difficult to explicate and unfold at every turn the principles and causes of particular actions on which the judgment to be made of every thing does depend it must needs be very difficult to judge of excellent persons all whose life is full of diverse examples for the well instructing of others how to judge how also to live And this also may be added that he who takes upon him this imployment must very frequently have recourse from the law to a mans life and from his life to the law for these need each the other and as the law gives notice what must be done so what may be done the life sheweth Now a wise man hath both these in himself just after the example of Christ our Lord and Saviour who first said Learn of me and of his Apostle who thus admonisheth Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ And as heretofore Polycletus not contenting himself that he had written a book wherein he had noted all things to be observ'd by him that would artificially make the image or statue of a man did himself afterwrrds make the statue of a man lest he should seem to prescribe that to others which himself hap not observed and this statue made publick he call'd the Canon or Rule commanding that the lineaments of art should be fetch'd thence as from a law of direction So a good man when he hath admonish'd others what they must doe does first himself perform what he prescribes to others Now it is hard either to bring all a wise mans actions to their proper rule and law or in one to find the Examples of all laws But as for me who am at this day to speak in this honourable assembly of learned men concerning the life and death of that Reverend and Incomparable man

of Antichrist Not because it is more dangerous for them to see Italy than neighbouring Antwerp or Brussel● or Brug● for in Italy there is much more liberty and in these places more superstition by far And it is safer to travel throughout all Italy than Brabant or Flanders but because it is expedient to take all occasions of evil speaking from the adversary and all occasions of evil-surmising from those that are unadvised and imprudent And it is better to prevent an occasion of offence than to excuse it Being come out of Italy he stayed at Geneva and some months after being called home he returned to Amsterdam to his Patrons and Masters furnished through the grace of Christ with a clear testimony from them of Geneva and with a mind very well fitted to do office if it might please the Lord God to use his ministry for his work in his Church For these are the very words of Mr. Beza's Epistle the original of which I have in remembrance At Amsterdam he did easily with grave and prudent men clear himself as to his Italian journey but indeed the weak brethren went on inveighing against it and in their assemblings blaming it till he himself began to be heard in the Church in which as soon as he was beheld it cannot be spoken with how much respect men of all ranks flocked together to hear him For there was in him as ye know a certain incredible gravity mixed with gracefull pleasantness His voice indeed was slender but sweet and loud and piercing but he had an admirable perswasive faculty If any thing were to be adorn'd he so did it as not to exceed the truth If he were to teach any thing he did it with clearness and perspicuity If he were to dispute any thing he manag'd the same distinctly Now the Melody and altering of his voice was so fitted to things that it seemed to flow from them And sith he did not use a Rhetorical dress and the Greeks boxes of pleasant ointment it was either because his nature did abhor them or because he judged it unworthy the majesty of Divine things to use curles and borrowed ornaments when as the naked truth is of its self sufficient for its own defence notwithstanding he so efficaciously perswaded by force and weight of arguments and by the pithiness of his sentences and by the authority of Scripture it self that no man ever heard him but confess'd that his discourses much affected him Some therefore at that time called him the polishing life of truth others the whetstone and sharpner of wits others called him the razor shaving off growing errors and nothing in Religion and sacred Theology was thought to savour well that did not relish with Arminius Also the Pastors and Preachers themselves of that City men both learned and eloquent did reverence him for his learning and ingeniously acknowledge themselves to have been daily very much advantaged by his Sermons And thus our Arminius with spread out sayles prosperous gales a full company of rowers and the good wishes of all that knew him was carried towards fame and glory when it pleased God to excrcise his servant even with adversity and to make a tryal of his patience and humbleness by the cross and afflictions Now 't is a thing worth the knowing to understand the beginnings and success hereof There was carried about as it chanced in the hands of some pious men a little Book written by some of the brethren of the Church of Delf against Mr. Beza with this Title An answer to some arguments of Beza and Calvin out of a Treatise concerning predestination on the 9. Chap to the Romans This little book was sent over to our Arminius by Mr. Martin Lidyus of blessed memory who had been formerly a Pastor in the Church of Amsterdam but then was professor in the Friezlanders new Academy and by him Arminius was requested to undertake the defence of Mr. Beza against the brethren of Delf For Arminius was verily thought a man very fit for this business by Mr. Lidyus who partly by report partly by experience knew the quickness of his wit the sharpness of his judgment and what a wonderful force and power he had both in preaching and in disputing Neither was Arminius altogether strange from this design being one that newly coming out of the School of Geneva carryed about with him in his ears the sound of Mr. Beza's lectures and arguments He therefore betakes himself to the work But whilst he endeavours a refutation whilst he weighs the arguments on each side whilst he confers the Scriptures whilst he torments and wearys himself he was overcome by the truth At first indeed he followed that same opinion which he undertook to oppose but he afterwards by the guidance of the holy Ghost was carried over to that doctrin which he constantly asserted even to the end of his life Which was this That Gods eternal Decree in predestination was not to elect or chuse precisely and absolutely some to salvation whom as yet he had not purposed to create which Mr. Beza would have neither was it precisely and absolutely to elect some to salvation after the decree of their creation and the foresight of their fall but without an antecedent consideration of Jesus Christ which the Delfian brethren held Bus it was To elect to salvation them of the created and fallen who in time to come would by true obedience of faith answer to God calling them thereunto Which by learned Melancthon and Nicholaus Hemingius and many more divines besides hath been asserted And although such in times past hath been the liberty of our Churches and even now is in very many places that in this Argument in which no ancient Synod hath ever determined any thing any one of the multitude and a Teacher might always without offence to any one choose this or that for to omit others Dr. Jo. Holmannus Secundus who by the very grave advice of excellent Divines and especially of the Lords Curators was called forth after Mr. Pezelius and Mollenius and others were sollicited in vain taught it out of this very place He imbraced as we know the opinion of Hemingius and sharply defended it Not withstanding there were not those wanting at Amsterdam that in this matter were troublesome to Arminius and that accused him for departing from the common and received opinion in our Churches but their vehemency and fiercness was suddenly repress'd and appeas'd by the authority of the Senate and the equanimity and moderation of the brethren so that he always lived with his Collegues at Amsterdam quietly yea friendly and brotherly without any cloud of displeasure or hatred or envy And also this man of God was not only naturally dispos'd to candor and gentleness but also was moreover so formed and fashioned thereto by the holy precepts and Spirit of Christ that he did quietly bear with him that dissented from him and did not easily despair of any one that