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
Church is still the true Church of Christ it contayneth and continueth all thinges necessary to saluation they which liue and die therein may be saued and being the true Church by the z Articul 19. 1562. Couell defen of Hooker pag. 67. ninetenth Article of Protestant religion it must needes be as before is cited a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christes ordinance in all those thinges that of necessity are requisite to the same Then seing according to his Majesties sentence a King-speach in Parliam I acknowledge the Roman Church to be our mother Church And in the publike conference his regall resolution being this b Conference at Hampton pag. 75. That no Church ought further to seperate it selfe from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremony then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her flourishing and best estate and from Christ her Lord and head vvhich by the testimonies before is nothing at al in any necessary question but stil it joyneth vs to Christ both by doctrine and Sacraments in this life and with glory in heauen therefore we may not forsake it in earth Chapter 3. Wherein these Protestants teach the necessity of one supreame spirituall head and commander in the Church of Christ howe S. Peter was this chiefe among the Apostles and after him his successors the Popes of Rome IF vve examine a little further the testimonies of these men whereas some vnchristian sermons and bookes haue heretofore tearmed the Bishop of Rome to be the great Antichrist and seducer of the vvorld vve shall nowe receiue a better doctrine and more religious answere That there euer was and must be one chiefe and supreame spirituall head and commander of the Church of Christ in earth That in the time of the Apostles and among them it vvas S. Peter the first Bishop of Rome And after him the Bishops and Popes of that same Apostolike See therein succeeding in that supreame binding and commanding authority D. Field citeth and approueth this a Field pag. 138. as a generall and infallible rule Ecclesiae salus in summi Sacerdotis dignitate pendet c. The health of the Church dependeth on the dignity of the high Priest whose eminent authority if it be denyed then will be so many Schismes in the Church as there be Priests then of necessity one chief supreame high Priest must be assigned in his judgement And D. Couell entreating of this spirituall and highest Monarchicall regiment and necessity thereof writeth thus b Couell against the plea of the Innocent pag. 106. We easily see that equality doth breede factions and therefore wisemen to suppresse the seedes of dissentions haue made one aboue the rest And that no man should esteeme this as an humane ordinance either prouided by Councels as some Protestants vvould perswade or giuen or graunted by Phocas the Emperor about the yeare of our Lord 607. for Boniface then Pope his successors to vse D. Downames wordes c Downame lib. 1. pag. 4. to be head of the Catholike or vniuersall Church This Protestant authour both testifieth and proueth it to be the institution of Christ himselfe and first among his Apostles of whome he speaketh thus d Couell supr pag. 106. Because in the execution of holy thinges where the persons put in trust are but men discord and disorder vsually doe breake in the wisdome of God thought it necessary that amongst them who for their ministery were equall an inequality for order and superiority to command should be graunted that by this meanes order and vnion should both be preserued in Christes Church Which if it concerne all persons and ages in the Church of Christ as surely it doth the gouernement must not cease with the Apostles And againe hee proueth this spirituall supreamacy to bee perpetuall because novve there is more neede in these times of sinne and dissentions And yet saith he e Couell supr pag. 107. It was the principall meanes to preuent Schismes and dissentions in the primatiue Church when the graces of God were farre more aboundant and eminent then nowe they are nay if the twelue were not like to agree except there had beene one chiefe amongst them for saith Saint Hierome amongst the twelue one was therefore chosen that a chiefe being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented c. And he disputeth thus against the Puritans f Supr pag. 107. Howe can they thinke that equality would keepe all the Pastors of the world in vnity And adjudgeth this supreame spirituall power so necessary in the Church of God that he addeth Seing that all men may easily erre and that no errours are so dangerous as those which concerne religion the Church should be in a farre worse case then the meanest common-wealth nay almost then a denne of Theeues if it were destitute of meanes either to conuince heresies or to suppresse them Novve it is no great labour to define vvho vvas this chiefe and commander among the Apostles and vvho after that time vvas novve is and must continue Among the twelue Apostles I doe not remember that any Protestant preferreth any other before Saint Peter then Saint Hierome and D. Couell assuring vs that among them one was chiefe vve may conclude it of Saint Peter And this the rather because D. Sutcliffe vvriteth thus g Sutcl subuers pag. 40. Tertullian giueth the keyes only to Peter saying that the Church is built vpon him And thus D. Sutcliffe testifieth for himselfe h Supr pag. 3. Peter preached in no place but he there ordayned Bishoppes and teachers and founded Churches vvhich in his booke against D. Kellison he i Sutcliffe against Kellison pag. 105. maketh an argument of supreamacy D. Field telleth vs from Scripture k Field p. 196 That Christ promised to build his Church vpon Saint Peter Then no Christian vvill doubt except hee vvill doubt of Christes truth and promises but it vvas so performed Concerning the supreamacie of the Church of Rome his Majesty before acknowledgeth it to be our mother Church and it was a rule Kings speach confer sup to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her flourishing and best estate D. Couell writeth thus l Couell def of Hooker The Church of Rome was the chiefe and only Church M. Ormerod m Ormer pict pap pag. 184. calleth it the eye of the West in vvhich diuision England is and the anker of piety M. Downame graunteth n Downame l. 2. Antich pag. 105. it was a note of a good Christian to cleane vnto the Roman Apostolicall Church And thus both they D. Sutcliffe o Sutcl epist dedicat of subuers and pag. 89. D. Field p Field of the Church c. and the rest doe ordinarily yeeld that it continued vntill the yeare of Christ six hundred and