and dignity ouer all Churches in all parts of the world and neither by Councell Emperor or such Donation but by old custome and the institution of Christ And the same Church as before still continueth the true Church of Christ I hope it is no offence to agree with it in this as in other questions Chapter 4. All bookes receiued for Scripture by the Roman Church are Canonicall THus hauing by the directions sentence of Protestant writers of so late memory as this present is found out that the Roman Church is the spouse of Christ his true Church and piller of truth whose communion we must embrace followe her directions rest in her judgement liuing dying therein to haue eternal life the only and chiefest happynes which we can seeke or find And that the authority of the chiefe Bishops of that holy Apostolike See hath euer bin so soueraigne chiefe commanding and supreame as these men haue taught vs in the former Chapters we might here by D. Fields censure and aduise confine our selues and vvade no further in so many intricate controuersies of religion But to giue a finall contentment to all curiosities let vs briefly enter into a particuler-like examination of all principall Articles in question And first of Scriptures vvhose authority is either only or chiefest with Protestants D. Couell writeth in these wordes a Couell def of Hook p. 31 The Church of Rome teacheth no bad opinion to affirme that the Scriptures are holy diuine in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority of the Church And againe That the Scriptures are true we haue it from the Church And further thus b pag. 32. 33. supr The Church hath foure singuler offices towardes the Scripture First to be of them as it were a faithfull register Secondly to discerue and judge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect The third to publish and diuulge to proclayme as a cryer the true edict of our Lord him selfe The last is to be an Interpreter and in that following the safest rule to make an vndiuided vnity of the truth vncapable of contradiction to be a most faithfull expositor of his owne meaning And concludeth thus c page 34. supr We say that we are taught to receiue the word of God from the authority of the Church we see her judgement we heare her voice in humility subscribe vnto all this Hitherto be D. Couels wordes for the major proposition of my Syllogisme But the minor or second position that the Roman Church is the true Church of Christ is allowed and proued by Protestants before Therefore this Protestant argument must be thus concluded All bookes which the Church of Rome proposeth for Scriptures the expositions which shee deliuereth c. In humility we must subscribe vnto them receiue them as the word of God from her authority D. Doue referreth the question what bookes be Canonicall Scripture to the two Doctors S. Augustine and S. Hierome His vvordes be these d Doue perswas pag. 15. Catholikes proue them to be Canonicall out of S. Augustine We that they be Apocrypha out of S. Hierome both which Doctors are of no small authority with the Church of Rome and therefore in this we differ no more from them then S. Hierome did from S. Augustine Therefore I hope for many causes Protestants will giue place vnto vs in this question It is knowne S. Augustine in calling was aboue S. Hierome In learning D. Couell telleth you e Cou. against Burg. pag. 3. he was farre the most learned Doctor that euer was or shall be in all likely-hood Thirdly your publike Conference f Conference infr to be after cited hath answered S. Hieromes authority for Catholikes Fourthly S. Augustine speaketh in the name of the whole Church for these bookes his wordes be these g August tom 10. ser 191. We receiue the old and newe Testament in that number of bookes which the authority of the holy Catholike Church hath deliuered And in the place where he deliuereth the Canon of Scriptures as Catholikes nowe doe hee giueth these rules to him that vvould knowe vvhich bee true Scriptures his vvordes bee these h Tom. 3. lib. 2. doct Christ cap. 8. In Canonicall Scriptures let him followe the authority of the most Catholike Churches among which those be which haue deserued to haue Apostolike Sees and to receiue their Epistles And so proceeding too long to be cited concludeth by all his rules that all those bookes vvhich the Roman Church nowe receiueth there remembred by S. Augustine are Canonicall But to be briefe The Protestant Surueyor of the communion booke affirmeth plainely i Suruey of the booke of common prayer pag. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. that the Protestants of England must approue for Canonicall these bookes with the Roman Church So likewise doe the 22. Preachers of London in their Petition k Petit. of 22. preachers except against homilies and except 4. against the com booke And D. Field is of the same opinion or must be for thus he vvriteth l Field lib. 4. c. 23. pa. 245. The ancient and true beleeuing Iewes before the comming of Christ especially such as liued in Greece and nations out of Iury commonly called Hellenists receiued those bookes for Canonicall Scripture And to vse his vvordes Hence it came to passe that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Churches And speaking againe of that volume of the Hellenists he addeth m page 246. These bookes joyned in one volume were translated out of Greeke into Latin and read by them of the Latin Church in that translation And entreating of S. Augustine and the Latin Fathers especially in Africke and the third Carthaginian Councell vvhere this Canon is receiued he vvriteth thus They reckon the bookes of Scripture according as they found them in vse in the Latin Church Then D. Field hath absolutely graunted that in the Latin Church vnder vvhich England is these Scriptures vvere euer esteemed for Canonicall And being translated as he acknowledgeth out of Greeke into Latin this Gretian vvill not easily persvvade but the Greeke Church also first embraced them for he saith thus n page 245. supr The Greeke Iewes or Hellenists deliuered this Canon to the Christian Churches then first to the Greeke Church being in Greece among them and best vnderstanding those Greeke Scriptures before they vvere translated into Latin The Protestant Conference at Hampton-Court entreating of the Protestant exceptions against these Scriptures vseth these wordes o Conference pag. 60. Most of the objections made against those bookes were the old cauils of the Iewes renewed by S. Hierome in his time who was the first that gaue them the name of Apocrypha which opinion vpon Ruffinus his challendge he after a sort disclaimed the rather because a generall offence was taken at his speaches in that kinde Hitherto the censure of that publike
is a Sacrament by Tradition With the ancient Father S. Basil M. Wotton d Wotton def of Perkins p. 465. 466. so assuring vs of his opinion that the very profession of our faith by which we beleeue in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is a Tradition With D. Ceuell e Cou. against the plea of the Innoc. p. 104. That it was an Apostolicall Tradition or Ordination to ordayne Archbishops in their Prouinces as Bishops also in their Diocesse to rule the Church With the Bishop of Winchester f B. Bilsons Suruey of Christs sufferings p. 664. against the Puritans that the Article of Christes discent to hell and the Creede wherein it is contayned is an Apostolicall Tradition deliuered to the Church by the direction and agreement of the Apostles And to conclude briefly why may not we say with the Councell of Florence cited by M. Willet g Willet Synop controuers 1. q. 7. for generall and the Patriarkes of the Apostolike Sees there present with the Councell of Constance not of vnequal authority and the Councel of Trent to passe others with six Cardinals foure Legates three Patriarkes two and thirty Archbishops two hundred twenty eight Bishops and fiue Abbots there assembled as D. Doue telleth vs that Protestancy in all points is false and Catholike religion true when no Protestant Church can shewe any one such like authority for their cause And this of necessity D. Field with his Protestants must acknowledge or freely by their recited doctrine confesse that there neither is nor can be hereafter by his rules true and certayne Scripture Tradition or Religion in the world For if we neither haue Scripture exposition of the difficulties in it or Tradition but by Tradition as he hath graunted and those only three rules to knowe them if those rules may propose vnto vs false Scriptures false expositions of their obscurities and false Traditions in matters of faith faith cannot be certayne and religion grounded vpon it is ouerthrowne Chapter 8. Of the authority and commanding highest power of generall Councels prouing the doctrine of the Roman Church IT may sufficiently be gathered by that which hath beene entreated before both that generall Councels are of highest authority in the Church of Christ and their testimony for Catholike religion Therefore to be briefe in this question concerning their chiefest judgement and preeminence first the Bishop of Winchester writeth thus a B. Bils Suruey of Christs suffer pa. 83. The authority of generall Councels is most holsome in the Church and citeth S. Augustine to that purpose D. Morton writeth b Mortō part 2. Apol. pag. 340. l. 4. c. 18 That concilium publicum est summus judex a generall Councell is highest judge The Protestant Relator of religion is of the same opinion c Relation of the state of relig cap. 47. and calleth it the only remedie in such times of controuersies about religion D. Sutcliffe hath these wordes d Sutcl subu pag. 119. Generall Councels haue souer aigne authority in externall gouernement And againe e Sutc. against D. Kellison p. 41. 42. 102. False it is that we will admit no judge but Scriptures for we appeale still to a lawfull generall Councell f Sutcl subu epist dedicat We hold all the Christian faith explaned in the six generall Councels D. Field is so cleare in this question that he telleth vs first g Field pag. 226. cap. 16. Priuate interpretations doe not binde vs nor are proposed to that purpose secondly he teacheth h Field p. 228 that only Bishops assembled in a generall Councell haue authority to interpret Scriptures and by their authority to suppresse all them that gaine-say such interpretation and subject euery man that shall disobey such determinations as they consent vpon to excommunication and censures of like nature Hitherto of the highest dignity of generall Councels Nowe let vs examine by these Protestants whether they be for them or Catholikes That they be not nor can be for Protestants thus I demonstrate from themselues The wordes of the Protestant Relator of religion are these i Relation of religion c. 47 The Protestants are seuered bandes or rather scattered troopes each drawing a diuers way without any meanes to pacifie their quarrels to take vp their controuersies No Prince with any preeminence of jurisdiction aboue the rest no Patriarke one or more to haue a common superintendance or care of their Churches for correspondency and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councell of their part the only hope remayning euer to asswage their contentions Hitherto the Relator Where vve see that first the Protestants are diuided secondly they are without any meanes of vnion in controuersies there is no jurisdiction among them no way for that which is the only hope to end contentions in religion therefore this only and highest remedie by generall Councels cannot possibly be for them except they will haue an Vnion Church Faith Truth and Religion vnpossible The same is sufficiently also proued before from D. Couell in my Chapter k Cap. 3. supr Couell against the plea of the Innoc. pag. 103. 104 105. 106 107 108. 109. of the Popes authority where he alloweth of necessity one highest chiefe spirituall commander in the Church to such purposes And shewing how before the time of Constantine there could be no pretence of any Councell to be assembled but by the spiritual authority he addeth thus l Couell supr pag. 110. The Synode of Rome in the yeare 225 called by Cornelius Pope of Rome against Nouatus consisted of threescore Bishops many others of the Clergie And further in these wordes m page 109. And after when Princes came to embrace the faith the best meanes they could deuise to procure peace and aduance religion was by their lawes to referre Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall judges Nowe concerning the Roman Church first the Protestant Relator of religion which hath excluded Protestants from al hope of any generall Councell writeth of the Roman Church in the same place and in these wordes n Relation of relig supr cap. 47. The other Catholikes haue the Pope as a common father aduiser and conductor to them al to reconcile their jarres to appease their displeasures to decide their difference aboue all thinges to drawe their religion by consent of Councels to vnity And this is so cleare in the judgement of al these Protestants that when they denie the authority of generall Councels they haue no pretence of excuse but because they were called by the Popes authority so D. Field o Field booke of the church D. Sutcliffe p Sutcl subu against Kellison c. M. Willet q Will. Antil and the rest And yet D. Fields argument or rule of the Pastour of an Apostolike Church the primatiue Church and holy Fathers consenting doth warrant vs that priuiledge euer belonged to the See of Rome that without
Sacrament There be as many as we teach and this shall not breede any such jarre betweene vs that therefore we should refuse to communicate together And transubstantiation it selfe shall be no barre z page 29. But if we vvill receiue at their handes they will not examine howe we doe expound the vvordes hoc est corpus meum And of discipline the third note he noteth In that Councell of Trent they set forth such holesome Canons concerning discipline as were fit for a reformed Church The Protestant Relator of religion affirmeth a Relation of relig cap. 48 That the Roman Church still keepeth inuiolable the foundation of religion And I thinke no man vvill denie the Church of Rome to be the same it vvas at the comming of Luther and long before and yet D. Field vvriteth b Field p. 72. The Roman and Latin Church continued the true Church of God euen till our time And againe c page 182. We doubt not but the Church in which the Bishop of Rome exalted himselfe he addeth with more then Lucifer-like pride was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ and by force thereof conuerted many countries from errour to the way of truth And he further acknowledgeth d page 72. with D. Couell and others e Couel defen of Hook p. 73 That Luther and the rest of his religion were baptised receiued their Christianity ordination and power of Ministery in that Church as the true visible and apparant Church of Christ He telleth vs further f Field p. 182. That diuers of the Roman Church not only of the ignorant but of the best learned be saued and Saints in heauen M. Willets vvordes be these g Willet Antilog pa. 144. It is not denyed by any Protestant but many renowmed Kings and Queenes which might not pleade ignorance of the Roman faith are Saints in heauen And speaking of his Majesties Mother hee attributeth such holynesse and truth to her religion and her that it preuailed vvith God not only for her selfe but her Sonne our Soueraigne also his vvordes be h Willet Antilog Engl. pref to the K. The child of such prayers and teares cannot possibly fall away Who are accompted the greatest Schollers but the schoolemen chiefe in schooles And yet both D. Sutcliffe tearmeth these i Sutcl answ to the lay petition pa. 34. namely Innocent the third Thomas Aquihas Scotus Albert Durand particuler agents of the Roman Church and joyneth them in that sence vvith Harding Allen Bellarmine Baronius And D. Couell speaking of the high praises of such men writeth of Alexander Hales S. Bonauenture and S. Thomas before recited for the Popes agent in these vvordes k Couell def of Hooker pag. 241. Alexander Hales who made his summe that excellent worke by commandement of Pope Innocentius the fourth was called the fountayne of life because of that liuely knowledge that flowed from him he was Master to Bonauenture a Scholler not inferior to himselfe of whome he was wont to say that in Bonauenture he thought Adam sinned not meaning of that illumination which was in him and doubtlesse there was much in him as though he had not beene darkened by the fall of Adam and therefore the Church called him the Seraphicall Doctor To these Aquinas was not inferior who came so neare vnto S. Augustine vvhome in his booke against Burges he esteemeth l Co. against Burges the chiefest Doctor that euer was or shall be excepting the Apostles c. that some thought he had all his workes by hart and by a common prouerbe it was spoken that the soule of S. Augustine dwelt in Aquinas in whome aboue all the rest foure contrarieties were said to excell aboundance breuity facility security in respect whereof he gayned the title to be called Angelicall Then if these men were the Popes agents and yet so renowmed and glorious and their doctrine so secure and excellent vve may securely followe them in the same steps of agency of such businesse And to passe Princes Doctors and Popes agents and come to the Popes themselues The Protestant Relator of religion m Relation of religion cap. 43. 42. hath found much vertue deuotion and piety of those vvhich haue beene in these times and of the last Pope Clement the eight he writeth thus He did often weepe vpon piety and Godly compassion at his Masses Processions c. His eyes were still watering some-times streaming with teares in so much that for weeping be seemed an other Heraclitus he was a good Pope a good Man a good Prince a good Prelate And to exclude ignorance the same Relator witnesseth thus n Ca. 29. supr The Papists cry mainely in all places for triall by disputation D. Couell againe vvitnesseth thus of Catholikes o Couel def of Hook pa. 68. Touching the maine points of Christian truth they constantly persist in them Protestants doe gladly acknowledge them to be the family of Iesus Christ. And againe p pa. 68. supr They of Rome were and are still in the Church a part of the house of God a limme of the visible Church which he addeth also to haue beene M. Hookers q Hooker l. 5. pag. 188. sentence telling vs that vvhat he vvriteth of the Church of Rome is but to giue her her due and we acknowledge them to be of the family of Iesus Christ. And concludeth thus r Couell supr pag. 73. It is strange for any man to denie them of Rome to be of the Church And againe Å¿ page 76. We affirme them of the Roman Church to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and die in that Church may be saued And all kindes of Protestants when they combate among themselues rather preferre the Roman Church to be chosen and followed then their opposite Protestants The Protestant Relator witnesseth t Relation of relig cap. 45. The Lutherans in Germany both the Clergie and Laytie openly protest they will rather returne to the Church of Rome then joyne with the Sacramentary Protestants such as be in England The Puritans of this nation u Offer of conference in their late offer of Conference preferre the Roman Church farre before their country Protestants Of the Protestants there vvill be as little question by this Treatise And in particuler M. Iacob writeth thus x Iacob p. 73. The Bishops of England when they deale with Puritans must joyne plainely with the Catholikes in their answers if they will maintayne themselues So much and more is testified in two seuerall Protestant letters y The first copy Iannar 15 1603. the 2. copy in the end of the conference printed in the end of D. Barlowes booke of the conference at Hampton which for respect I passe ouer without particuler citation Wherefore by all agreement both of Catholikes affirming this and more and Protestants acknowledging this The Roman
conference vvhereby the ground of Protestants denying these bookes by S. Hieromes opinion as D. Doue hath witnessed is vtterly ouerthrowne D. Couell answereth p Couell against Burges pag. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. the objections against Burges the Puritan in particuler as Catholikes doe and sheweth that these bookes haue vvithout cause beene accused of faults by Protestants only to denie them to be Canonicall as Catholikes hold He addeth further thus They are most true and might haue there concilement of other Scriptures And againe in these vvordes q Couell supr pag. 87. If Ruffinus be not deceiued they were approued as parts of the old Testament by the Apostles For when S. Hierome write so scornefully of the history of Susanna and the song of the three children he chargeth him therein to haue robbed the treasure of the holy Ghost and diuine instrument which the Apostles deliuered to the Churches And S. Hierome who is not vsually slowe to defend himselfe leaueth that point vnanswered pretending that what he had spoken was not as his owne opinion but what the Iewes objected And for his paines in translating the booke of Iudith vvhich the Protestants denie he giueth this reason because we reade that the Councell of Nice did reckon it in the number of holy Scriptures Hitherto D. Couels vvordes And much like vnto this of Ruffinus he citeth r pag. 76. 77. from S. Augustine S. Cyprian and others temporibus Apostolorum proximis in the next age to the Apostles Objection And if any man shall object against me that ſ Art 6. Syn. Lond. 1562. the sixt Article of the English Protestant religion excepteth against these bookes and leaueth them forth of the Canon of Scriptures t Answere I answere this proueth nothing but to proue their religion to be contradictory and vnpossible to be true For the bookes of Communion and Homilies as before authorized aswell by those Articles as the statute of Queene Elizabeth and the late Protestant Canons receiue cite and practise them for Canonicall Againe that sixt Article is contradictory to it selfe in this point and so of no authority by Protestants themselues for it only approueth for Canonicall Scriptures to vse the wordes of the Article u Articul 6. supr Those Canonicall bookes of the old and newe Testament of whose authority was neuer any doubt in the Church in the name of holy Scriptures these we vnderstand And yet these Protestants doe tell vs x Willet Synops q. 1. of Script pag. 2. 3. edit anno 1594. that all Scriptures haue beene doubted off by one Church or other But to contaynemy selfe vvithin my time of limitation I vvill only cite the Bishop of Winchester he writeth thus y B. Bilson suruey of Christs sufferings pag. 664. The Scriptures themselues were not fully receiued in all places no not in Eusebius time He saith the Epistle of Iames of Iude the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn are contradicted Thè Epistle to the Hebrewes was contradicted the Churches of Syria did not receiue the second Epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalipse the like might be said for the Churches of Arabia Will you hence conclude that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolike or that we neede not receiue them nowe because they were formerly doubted off Hitherto B. Bilsons vvordes By which it both appeareth by Protestants howe their Article doth contradict it selfe And I may conclude vvith the Protestants before that all bookes which the Roman Church receiueth for Scripture be Canonicall and most holy Whereby it is too manifest what a grounded religion that Protestancy is which hath excluded so long time so many bookes of Scripture and so many Articles of faith prayer for the dead patronage of Saints and Angels prayers vnto them and the like And yet would pretend that their religion is only founded vpon the word of God in Scripture Chapter 5. The vulgar Latin translation of Scriptures vsed by the Roman Church is best the English Protestant translations are erroneous NEXT to the Canon and Text of Scriptures let vs entreate of their translations both as they are vsed in the Roman Church and the English Protestants And first concerning the vulgar Latin allowed among Catholikes D. Doue writeth thus a Doue perswasion p. 16 We Protestants graunt it fit that for vniformity in quotations of places in schooles and pulpits one Latin text should be vsed and we can be contented for the antiquity thereof to preferre the old vulgar translation before all other Latin bookes so much we doe yeeld to the Councell of Trent And D. Couell entreating of translations of Scripture against Burges the Puritan answereth in these wordes b Couell against Burges pag. 94. We are ready to confesse whether you vnderstand the Italian or that which goeth vnder the name of S. Hierome that they were vsed anciently in the Church a thousand and three hundred yeares agoe one of them by S. Augustine preferred before all the rest the other highly commended by Beza and that of the vulgar though with Pagnin and Driëdo we thinke it was not S. Hieromes but mixt yet we can be content to say as Isodore doth of it interpretatio eius this translation is to be preferred before others Hitherto his owne wordes And if M. Couell Doue and other Protestants well consider the judgement of the Councell of Trent in this question and the preface to the Bible of Xistus quintus they shall perceiue the intent of the holy Councell being only to approue that Latin translation vsed a thousand and three hundred yeares since in the Church as D. Couell telleth vs when it was in the flourishing and best estate and so to be reuerenced by Protestants judgement before and not to reject either the Greeke in the newe or Hebrewe Text of the old Testament Touching other translations D. Couell writeth c Couel supr pag. 94. No translation whatsoeuer is authenticall Scripture And D. Doue addeth d Doue persw pag. 16. All translations haue many faultes M. Burges in his Apologie writeth thus of the approued English Protestant translation e Burges Apolog pa. 93. in D. Couels answere It is a translation which hath many omissions many additions which some-times obscureth some-times peruerteth the sence being some-time senselesse some-times contrary And D. Couell in his answere acknowledgeth so farre faults in their translation that he requireth a better to be established The 22. Preachers of London write of the translation only in the communion booke in this manner f Petit. of 22. preachers except 11. against the com booke It contayneth in it diuers corrupt translations of Scriptures by leauing out of wordes putting too of wordes peruerting the meaning of the holy Ghost The Suruey of the booke of common prayer addeth g Suruey of the booke of com prayer pag. 160. There be many grosse
Synopsis and Antilogie he reproueth d Parkes sup pag. 7. 10. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. def of the 3. test sect 16. c. and disalloweth telling vs that in them he deceiueth the world belyeth Bellarmine and Catholike writers And he is as bold with his Majesty calling his sentence e Parkes sup pag. 28. that the Roman Church is our mother Church a foolish conceite and imagination And no meruaile vvhen he is as familiar vvith the holy Scriptures themselues as this Protestant writeth thus f Parkes sup defence of the 1. 2. 3. test He strangely peruerteth belyeth depraueth abuseth much abuseth falsifyeth holy Scriptures M. Ormerod hath vvritten a booke expresly against the Puritans intituling the same the picture of a Puritan condemning them of Idolatry Heresies Schisme And yet to shewe vvhat credit there is in these men and vvhat trust to their doctrine himselfe is so farre a Puritan in judgement and in the maine article vvhich cost the Bishoppe of Winchester such paines that he is not only at defiance with all Fathers g Ormero paganopapist pag. 44. but compareth the Article and beleefe of Christes descending into hell to the fable of Hercules fayned to goe thither and featch from thence Theseus Pyrithous and Cerberus the great Dogge of hell with three heades Next let vs come to M. Middleton in this manner he vvriteth h Middleton Papistomast pag. 40. The credit of men is but a sandy foundation to build vpon And hauing told S. Epiphanius i page 27. that he lost the booke of the Apostles constitutions out of his bosome which he cited haeres 45. He addeth k page 45. I must craue leaue to say of Epiphanius many assertions he counted for heresies which were not heresies many assertions he counted not heresies which are heresies And al this because he condemneth diuers Protestant points of heresie and justifieth the contrary for Catholike doctrine Againe thus of Dionisius the Arëopagite l page 49. Denis his answere is short-heeld ready to fall backe because he teacheth prayer for the dead And where S. Ambrose teacheth the doctrine of transubstantiation M. Middleton telleth vs m page 61. He is guilty of presumptuous and desporate blasphemy He scoffeth n page 64. at S. Chrysostome and teacheth him howe to speake for teaching the doctrine of prayer for the dead And againe he vseth this mocke against him for calling it an Apostolicall Tradition o page 66. Well might Chrysostome say the Apostles knewe what profite redounded to the dead by prayer for them for himselfe knewe not And thus in generall p page 133. The Fathers sometime went beyond the bondes of sobriety in the doctrine of chastity q page 134. The Fathers are not fit judges to determine either of Priests marriage or vowes of chastity And for this doctrine thus he writeth of S. Ambrose r page 135. That man hath the Apostaticall Dragon the Diuell dwelling in him And so he will send Ambrose away with his Quietus est Å¿ page 137 Chrysostome is so hotte in his amplifications that he forgets himselfe t page 138. Chrysostome in his vehemency goeth beyond measure in reprehending and the Christians of his time in their lightnesse went beyond measure in vowing u page 141. The Canons which Epiphanius citeth against Priests marriage are Apocryphall x page 143. He was to partiall affected in this matter y page 144. The ancient Fathers did erre and we dissent from them in some points of doctrine z page 156. Augustine was a most subtile disputer yet a quicke wit soonest falleth into contradiction a page 161. Neither is Hilary howesoeuer the Romish Church hath made him a Saint ouer hastily to be receiued b p. 179. 180. Ireneus Hilary and Epiphanius for defending free will are Pelagian Heretikes It is written against the Bishop of Winchester who in the beginning of this Chapter gaue such reuerence to the Fathers in these wordes by his Puritan opposite c B. Bilsons Suruey p. 84. Al this great shewe of cleauing to the Fathers judgement is but coloured in you For in other points againe we see when they speake not to your liking the case is altered You forsake the ancient and learned Fathers you contemne and dispise them d page 85. You affirme against all the Fathers e 98. You little regard the second doctrine of the Fathers Hitherto the Puritant against the Protestants nowe let vs heare the Protestants against the Puritans This Protestant Bishoppe intituleth one Treatise thus f pa. 98. supr The defendors disdaine of the Fathers Others g p. 274. 275. wrested and leudly falsifyed And againe h Prefa to the King supr They condemns all the Fathers Greeke and Latin 〈◊〉 conspiring against the truth and peruerting the Scriptures This is too much of this distasting matter they vvhich would see more particulers may finde them applyed in my particuler questions hereafter The 10. Chapter or Conclusion of the generall questions or rules in religion WHEREFORE seing vve Catholikes of England are only or principally vrged moued and sollicited by the present Protestant Doctors Diuines and Teachers of this Kingdome to forsake that religion and Church wherein we liue a thing not to be desired by them or effected by vs without instruction of the truth if we were in errour as the Bishop of Durham sufficiently preached a Serm. of the B. of Durbam 19. Mart. 1603. cit K. speach in parl before his Majesty the first day of his first Parliament we earnestly and humbly desire that those miseries vvhich we haue so long hitherto suffered as they be forgiuen by vs so they may be sufficient vnto them which nowe doe teach direct and instruct vs rather to continue our faith and religion as the most certaine secure and ready way of saluation For they haue instructed vs in their latest vvritings that the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ where saluation is to be had wherein so many Princes Prelates Doctors and of all degrees haue beene glorious Saints The greatest agents for the Pope The crownes and fore-tops of all Popery as M. Middleton b Middleton Papistomass pag. 127. pleaseth to name S. Thomas Aquinas were most renowmed their doctrine excellent and secure That the Catholikes opinion generally receiued of the Popes spirituall preeminence was euer claymed euen from Scripture â—nd practised by the Apostolike Roman See ouer the whole Christian world from the time of S. Peter to these our dayes That all bookes vvhich that Church receiueth for Canonicall Scriptures are most true deliuered for such by the Apostles reuerenced for such in the Church and Protestants objections against them be friuoulous and confuted That the true and best translation of these holy Scriptures with the lawfull supreame and binding exposition of them together vvith Apostolicall Traditions equall in authority to those holy writings the generall Councels and Ancient Holy Learned primatiue Fathers giue absolute testimony that the present Roman Church is that company of holy ones that house-hold of faith that spouse of Christ and Church of the liuing God which is the piller and ground of truth which is so diligently take searched for whose communion we must embrace followe her directions and rest in her judgement And thus much of the first part of Protestants proofes for Catholike religion A PARIS Chez François Gueffier demeurant deuanâ— la College de Cambray M. D. C. VII THE TABLE OF THE FIRST PART OF PROTESTANT PROOFES FOR CATHOlike religion The first part entreating of the generall groundes and authorities for true religion CHAP. 1. The first Chapter teacheth by Protestants the necessity of seeking finding and following the true Church Page 7. Chap. 2. The Roman Church euer was and nowe is this true Church page 8. Chap. 3. The Bishoppe of Rome by Protestants euer was and is supreame head of the true Church page 13. Chap. 4. All those bookes which the Roman Church receiueth for Scripture and Protestants heretofore denyed for such are proued by them to be Canonicall Scriptures page 17. Chap. 5. The vulgar Latin translation of Scriptures vsed of the Roman Church is the best the English Protestant translations are erroneous page 21. Chap. 6. The truest highest authorised interpretation of Scriptures is in the Roman Church and not with Protestants page 23. Chap. 7. Traditions are of equall authority with the Scriptures and proue Catholike religion page 25. Chap. 8. The authority of generall Councels aboue all Protestant rules make for the Catholike Church page 28. Chap. 9. Likewise of the authority of Fathers page 31. Chap. 10. The conclusion of the first part page 37. THE TABLE OR ARGVMENT OF THE second part of Protestant proofes for Catholikes religion and recusancy THE particuler articles of Predestination Iustification Inherent grace Merit and reward of good deedes of keeping the Commandements Free will distinction of Precepts and Counsailes of Veniall and Mortall sinnes of Indulgences reuerence to holy Images reuerence to holy Reliques prayer to Saints and Angels publike Seruice not in the vulgar tongues Church Ceremonies Christes reall presence in the blessed Sacrament Transubstantiation Sacrifice of the Masse single life of Priests vowes of Chastity Purgatory and prayer for the Dead The number of seauen Sacraments their grace ex opere operato and an indâ—lible Character in some Sacraments All which Catholike articles are proued by the testimonies of such English Protestant Doctors and Diuines as haue written since the beginning of his Majesties raigne in England
declared for the present it is expected by all Protestants that deale sincerely that their religion should be agreeable to the doctrine of the ancient and primatiue Fathers Therefore his Majesty esteeming them with due regard hath pleased to sentence these in Parliament k K. speach Parlia 1603 I will euer yeeld all reuerence to Antiquity And in the publike conference in these wordes l Conference pag. 73. For my part I knowe not howe to answere the objection of Papists when they charge vs with nouelties but to tell them that their abuses are newe And approueth the dayes and time of Constantine in the primatiue Church a rule of religion saying m Conference supr pag. 69. Constantine is not to be appeached of superstition but thinges then vsed may still be continued Also in his first speach in Parliament he would haue all nouelties renounced And of the same minde no doubt be all sincerely meaning Protestants which trust vnto and are directed by the sermons citations and bookes of these Doctors teachers among them But it will nowe appeare that they are so farre from justifying their former oathes protestations and assertions that they acknowledge those primatiue Fathers to be for Catholikes and both vvrite and censure those most holy and learned men for that cause with vnciuill contemptuous barbarous and irreligious speaches First M. Wotton expresly controleth the recited sentence of his Majesty concerning the time of Constantine and antiquity for a Catholike Authour citing n The Catholike Authour against Perkins in prefat and humbly accepting it for a rule of triall M. Wotton writeth thus o Wot def of Per. p. 15. 16. The triall of doctrine is not to be featched from the opinions and examples of men And againe p page 16. It may not seeme strange if superstition were crept into the Church before Constantines time Let vs proceede D. Couell a man not of the rashest judgement hath honoured S. Augustine before vvith the greatest commendation of learning yet M. Wotton writeth q W. sup p. 8. We neede not feare S. Augustine though against vs. r page 17. Eusebius is to be reprehended ſ page 9. There was want of modesty and truth also in the treatise of Hierome against Vigilantius t page 88. The ancient Fathers spake more like Philosophers then Diuines u page 118. It is more then I knowe that Gregory is a Saint x page 224. The Authour of the Epistle to the Philippians attributed to S. Ignatius is an vnfit judge in controuersies of diuinity y page 422. Tertullians witnesse is of small authority z page 440. Damascene is not greatly to be respected a page 462. Origen is generally condemned b page 340. Ignatius Epistle to the Romans approued by S. Hierome and Protestants is a counterfeit Ignatius for teaching merit of good workes c page 387. Cyprian is too farre carryed away since he ascribeth to almesdeedes the purging of sinne d page 467. Ireneus judgement is little to be respected e page 494. Tertullians testimony is not worth answering Tertullian and Origen may be joyned together f page 495. Chrysostomes Rhethoricke is better then his Logicke g page 495. Hieromes authority in the case of single life is not much worth h page 500. Those Christian Fathers which condemned Iouinian as S. Augustine Ambrose Hierome c. delt vnchristianly with him i p. 519. 520. The authority of the ancient writers Athanasius Augustine Hierome concluding a worke of perfection from those wordes of Christ goe and sell all c. is not to be admitted k page 543. The authority of Clement of Alexandria and Augustine with the schoole Doctors is inferior to the Iewes l p. 545 546. Origen and Theodoret vvhome before he preferreth m page 484. aboue S. Augustine ouerthrowe their owne distinction n page 594. Lactantius though he were an ancient Christian yet in his verses of vvorshipping the Crosse he sheweth himselfe liker a light Poët then a graue writer And no meruaile though this Protestant be so angry with the ancient Fathers for teaching and maintayning that doctrine vvhich the Roman Church nowe holdeth as appeareth before For he exclaymeth most barbarously and vvithout respect euen against all the Kings of this and other nations for the same cause his wordes be these o page 53. The Kings of England and Scotland c. were Sathans souldiers when they were of the Popes religion Hitherto M. Wotten next let vs come to M. Perkins whome he defendeth M. Perkins writeth thus p Perkin problem pag. 4. The Fathers haue spoken many thinges incommodiously of holy thinges q pag. 93. 94. The ancient Fathers did sinne in the inuocation of Saints yea were guilty of sacrilege such were Paulinus Fortunatus S. Leo S. Ephrem S. Flugentius Petrus Domianus Prosper r page 105. The ancient Fathers sometimes speake inconueniently of the article of justification ſ page 184. Some of the ancient Fathers as Tertullian and Cyprian are Montanists or at the least doe erre filthily for making Confirmation a Sacrament D. Sutcliffe vvho so much before reuerenced the Fathers in vvordes nowe writeth in this manner t Sutcl subuers pag. 5. Metaphrastes is a lying pedant writing more lyes then leaues u page 8. 9. Bede reporteth too many thinges by heare-say Ado is a fabulous writer x page 9. The history of King Lucius his conuersion testified by so many hystories may well be paragoned with the tales of King Arthure Sir Tristram and Lancelot Dulacke y page 19. The Brittaines haue cause to detest the memory of Augustine Let vs next come to M. Willet the great professor of Diuinity who hath taken so solemne an oath before that the Fathers be for his cause To shewe his just dealings I will only vse the testimony of a Protestant against him M. Parkes vvriteth of him in these wordes z Parkes against Limbomastix p. 170 He condemneth all the ancient Fathers for dreamers a page 151. Condemneth all the Fathers b Defen of the third testimony sect kkk He condemneth all learned and Godly Diuines for enemies of Christes Crosse and blasphemers of his passion He justifieth most wicked Heretikes and condemneth most holy Fathers c Defen of the first second testimony p. 2 5. sect 18. 21. pag. 181. 166 101. 100. defenc of the 2. place sect 10. 11. 20. defenc of the 3. testimony sect 7. 12. 15. 16. c. He falsly translateth corrupteth indignely handleth clippeth shamefully corrupteth injuriously handleth greatly abuseth vntruly alleageth misquoteth maymeth mistranslateth much abuseth notably corrupteth c. S. Augustine Origen S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome S. Leo S. Hierome Tertullian S. Bernard c. fathereth false-boodes vpon them peruerteth their true arguments corrupteth their wordes And further in particuler for those bookes which he hath written against Catholikes as his