they desire to be tryed AN APPENDIX WHEREIN IT IS CLEARELY PROVED THAT THE LATINE OR WEST CHVRCH IN WHICH THE POPE TYRANNIZED VV AS AND CONTINVED A TRVEORTHODOXE AND PROTESTANT CHVRCH AND THAT THE DEVISERS AND MAINTAINERS OF ROMISH ERROVRS and superstitious abuses were onely a faction in the same at the time when Luther not without the applause of all good men published his propositions against the prophane abuse of Papall indulgences To the Reader THis Appendix when first published by the Author contained only some briefe quotations vpon seuerall points of difference betweene us and the Papistes showing that the nowe Romish faith was neuer generally receiued in the VVesterne or Latine Church in the dayes of our Fathers no not then when the darke mist of Poperie seemed to haue ouershadowed all things The Author not long before he died intended an inlargment of it in the seuerall particulars but being preuented by death liued not to finish what hee had begun So much as was finished of it comming to my hands I thought my selfe bound in duty not to depriue the world of I haue therefore so farre aduentured to hazard the credit of the Author as to make it publique though something imperfect and wanting that lustre and beauty which it might haue receiued from the last hand of the Author if God had lent him longer life As it is it may serue if for no other vse yet for this as a platforme to shew what might be done in this kind and what the Author intended I make no question but a fauourable Reader will looke on it as wee vse to looke on the foundations of stately buildings the finishing whereof hath beene hindred by some fatall accident the very ruines whereof breede in us astonishment and amazement while we consider not what they are but what they might haue beene The twelue first chapters of this Appendix are enlarged the rest remaine as they were formerly set forth The quotations contained in that part which hath beene added I haue compared and amended if any where they differed from the Originalls whence they were taken and the truth of them I am able to iustifie If the world shall reape any benifit by the worke or if I may be thought by my paines bestowed on it to haue performed that duty wich I owe vnto the memorie of a deare father I haue my desire and so I rest Yours in all due respect NATHANIEL FIELD AN ANSWER TO Mr Brerelyes obiection concerning the Masse publiquelie vsed in all Churches at LVTHERS appearing WHereas to silence our adversaries who neuer cease challenging vs for departing from the faith of our Fathers and the doctrine of the Church wherein they liued and died I affirmed in my 3◠Booke that none of those erroneous positions which at this day they of the Romish faction doe defend and wee impugne were euer constantly receiued in the dayes of our Fathers as the doctrine of that Church wherein they liued and died but onely doubtfully disputed of as things not clearely resolued or broached onely as the priuate fancies and conceipts of particular men and for proofe heereof heeretofore added an Appendix wherein I produced the testimonies of sundry worthy Pastours and guides of the Church in euery age teaching as we doe touching the points now controversed It hath pleased some of the adverse faction to take exceptions to the same my assertion I will first therefore set downe such objections as they haue made and answere the same and then enlarge my former proofes that all that will not be wilfully blinde may see the trueth of that which I affirmed The principall man that shewed himselfe in this kinde is M ◠Brerelie the Author of the booke entitled the Protestant Apologie And after him the author of the answer to Mr D Whites way to the Church M Brerelie in the first tract pag. 139 hath these words It is beyond beleefe and very wonderment that D Field a man otherwise graue and learned should not be abashed by his publique writing so confidently to averre of our so many Christian Catholique Churches dispersed thorough the world at Luthers first appearing that they were all of them the true Protestant Churches of God And that they which then beleeued those damnable errours which the Romanists now defend were a particular faction onely contrary to the confession of so many learned Protestants And in his 2 tract cap. 2. sect 2 pag. 329. hee hath these words In this vndue sort doth Illyricus place in his catalogue of Protestant witnesses Gerson Aquinas and sundry of our Schoolemen all of them vndoubtedly knowne Catholiques and we could giue like farther example of S. Bernard Erasmus Mirandula and sundry other knowne Catholique Writers whom our adversaries in like manner doe vnjustly claime to bee of their Church D Field a prime adversarie and for such was together with the Bishops and Deanes summoned to the conference before his Majestie in Ianuarie 1603 as appeareth by the said conference forbeareth not in these straits to inforce the like vndue and intollerable bold claime to the many Catholiques a particular faction of them onely excepted dispersed thorough the world at and next before Luthers first appearing And in his third Booke of the Church cap. 12. pag. 85 saith nothing is done in the Protestant reformation which Camaracensis Picus Savanarola Gerson and innumerable other worthy guides of Gods Church long before thought 〈◊〉 fit to bee done And pag. 330 Mr Brerelie addeth these wordes D. Feild of the Church l. 3. c. 6. sayth it is most fond friuolous that some demaund where our Church was before Luther began For we say it was where now it is and that it was the knowne apparant Church in the world where all our Fathers liued died And most exceeding boldly hee there farther sayth none of the poynts of false doctrine errour which the Romanists now maintaine we condemne were the doctrines of that Church constantly deliuered or generally receiued but doubtfully broached and factiously defended by some certaine only And booke the third cap. 8. pag. 76 he proceedeth yet farther with like incredible boldnesse saying we must farther beleeue that all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued died were the true Churches of God that they that taught the errours the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction only as they that denied the resurrection vrged circumcision despised the Apostles of Christ were in the Churches of Corinth Galatia Who can without amazement and wonder behold this incredible boldnesse For was not the Masse wherein are comprehended so many cheife points of our Religion the publique liturgie solemnly celebrated in all Churches at Luthers first appearing Was then the externall face of religion any other then our now professed Catholique faith Was Protestancie then so much as in beeing No marvaile then if our aduersaries doubt not to make vndue and pretended claime to the auncient Fathers seeing they blush
and in the new there are eight Hugo cardinalis repeateth certaine verses expressing which bookes are Canonicall and which Apocryphall the verses are these Quinque libros Moisi Iosue Iudicum Samuelem Et Melachim tres praecipuos bis sexque Prophetas Hebraeus reliquis censet praecellere libris Quinque vocat legem reliquos vult esse Prophetas Post hagiographasunt Daniel Dauid Hester Esdras Iob Paralipomenon tres libri Solomonis Restant Apocrypha Iesus Sapientia Pastor Et Machabaeorum libri Iudith atque Tobias Hi quia sunt dubii sub canone non numerantur Sed quia vera canunt Ecclesia suscipit illos Here he numbreth the bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall as wee do And the same Hugo in prologū galeatum speaking of the bookes reiected by vs saith that these bookes are not receiued by the Church for proofe of doctrine but for information of manners And in another place he saith they are not counted amongst the Canonicall Cardinall Caietan sayth those bookes only are to be accounted Canonicall which Hierome so accounted and admitteth none of those that are now questioned this he wrote at Rome as himselfe telleth vs in the yeare 1532. From the Church of Rome which was the principall amongst these of the West let vs proceed to see what other Churches thought of this matter Thomas Aquinas proposing the question whether the soules of them that are departed doe know what things are done here it being obiected that the dead do often appeare vnto the liuing as Samuel appeared vnto Saul concerning Samuel he answereth that it may be sayd that he appeared by diuine reuelation according to that in Eccle siasticus 46. or else if the authority of that booke be not admitted because it is not in the Canon of the Hebrewes it may be sayd that that apparition was procured by the diuel Antoninus Archbishop of Florence affirmeth that the authority of the sixe bookes questioned is not sufficient to proue any thing that is in controuersie and that Thomas secunda secundae and Lyranus in his prologue before the booke of Tobias do say that those bookes are not ofsoe greate authority that any sufficient proofes may be drawne from them in matters of faith as from the other bookes And therefore pronounceth he thinketh they haue such authority as the writings of the Fathers approued by the Church And he mentioneth a certaine worke intitled Catholicon the authors name is not knowne but the same author as hee telleth vs pronounceth that none of these books were receiued for proofe of matters of faith but only for information of manners By this of Antoninus who was present at the councell of Florence it will easily appeare to be meerely supposititious that we find in the abridgment of that councell by Caranza that these bookes were pronounced to be canonicall for had they bin so neither would hee nor others haue reiected them after the holding of this councell neither would such a decree haue bin omitted by all others that put out the councells at large and abridged Radulphus Flaviacensis in his commentaries vpon Leuiticus speaking of bookes pertaining to the sacred history hath these words The books of Tobias Iudith and of the Macchabees though they be read for the edification of the Church yet haue no perfect authority Beda after the history of Ezra addeth thus farre the diuine scripture containeth the course of times what things afterwards wee found digested among the Iewes they are taken out of the booke of Macchabees Iosephus the writings of Africanus It appeareth by the Epistle of Hilarie B. of Arles that in Massilia in some other places of France there were that tooke exception to Augustine alleaging a place out of the booke of Wisdome cap. 4. Raptus est ne malitia mutaret intellectam eius and affirmed that this testimonie as not beeing canonicall should haue beene omitted Hugo de sancto victore hauing reckoned the 22 bookes of the old Testament sayth there are besides certaine other bookes as the Wisdome of Solomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach Iudith Tobias and the booke of Macchabees which are read but are not written in the canon these hee matcheth in authority with the writings of the Fathers Richardus de sancto victore deliuereth his opinion of the same bookes in the same sort and maketh them to be of no greater authority then the writings of the Fathers Petrus Cluniacensis abbas after an enumeration of all the bookes that are canonicall sayth there are yet besides these authenticall bookes 6 other books not to be rejected Iudith Tobias Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Macchabees which though they attaine not to the high dignitie of the former yet they are receiued of the Church as containing profitable and necessarie doctrine Ockam to the same purpose saith that according to Hierome in his Prologue before the booke of Proverbes and Gregory in his Moralls the booke of Iudith Tobias and the Macchabees Ecclesiasticus and the booke of Wisdome are not to be receiued for confirmation of any matter of faith For Hierome saith as Gregory also doth that the Church readeth the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Macchabees but accounteth them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures So also it readeth those 2 volumes of Ecclesiasticus and Wisdome for the edification of the people but not for confirmation of points of faith and Religion Richardus Radulphus Archbishop of Armach and Primate of Ireland saith it is defined in generall Councels that there are 22 authenticall bookes of the Olde Testament Thomas Waldensis Provinciall of the Carmelites heere in England an enemy to Wickliff whose workes were greatly approued by Pope Martin and the Cardinals at that time hath these wordes The length breadth and depth of the city are equall for as in breadth it can enlarge it selfe no farther then to the loue of GOD and our neighbour nor in heigth nor depth then to GOD the rewarder of all so in length which is the Catholique Faith it cannot growe beyond the 12 Articles contained in the Symbole and found scattered in some of the 22 bookes especially seeing the Holy Ghost sayth in the conclusion of all Canonicall Scripture Let him that will take of the water of life freely I professe vnto euery one that heareth the words of this prophesie if any man shall adde GOD shall adde to his plague Lyra writeth thus Now that I haue by Gods helpe written vpon the Canonicall bookes of holy Scripture beginning at Genesis and so going on to the end trusting to the helpe of the same GOD I intend to write vpon those other bookes that are not Canonicall such as are the book of Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Iudith Tobias and the bookes of Macchabees and addeth that it is to bee considered that these bookes which are not Canonicall are receiued by the Church and read in the same for the
of the Church by the Ministery whereof they were appointed and not from the words of forme as the other doe Hence also it commeth that they are variable both in their matter and forme The Apostles sayth Alexander of Hales confirmed with the onely imposition of their hands without any certain forme of wordes or outward matter or Element but afterward it was otherwise ordayned both in respect of the one and the other the formes of Baptisme and the Eucharist being appoynted by Christ are kept inviolably without all change but touching the wordes of forme to be vsed in any other of the supposed Sacraments there is no certainty but they are diversly and doubtfully desiuered The reason whereof is because they are of humane devising By this which hath beene sayd it may appeare that the other pretended Sacraments are not of the same nature with Baptisme and the Eucharist as euen Bellarmin himselfe is forced to confesse the sacred or holy things sayth he which the Sacraments of the new Law signifie are threefold the grace of Iustification the Passion of Christ and eternall life as Thomas teacheth touching Baptisme and the Eucharist the thing is most evident concerning the other it is not so certaine CHAP. 16. Of the being of one body in many places at the same time THE possibility of the being of one body in many places at the same time was euer denyed by many worthy members of the Church and consequently the locall presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament whether definitiue or circumscriptiue was likewise reiected as a thing impossible To affirme sayth Aquinas that one body may be locally in this place and yet also in another at the same time implyeth a contradiction and therefore the power of God extendeth not to the effecting of any such thing Scotus confesseth that Egidius Godfredus de font Alanus and Henricus are of the same opinion with Thomas Durandus sayth that which is present in one place definitiuely or circumscriptiuely cannot in any such sort be in many places at the same time Whervpon he pronounceth that the body of Christ is no otherwise in the Sacrament but by reason of a certaine habitudinary vnion betweene it and the sacramentall elements whence it was wont to be sayd that Christs body is personaliter in verbo localiter in coelo sacramentaliter in Eucharistia Personally in the eternall word locally in heauen sacramentally in the Eucharist The first that taught otherwise and brought in the locall presence was Scotus whom Occam followed though he deny not but the former opinion had great fauourers CHAP 17. Of Transubstantiation THe conuersion of the bread and wine into Christs body and blood all of us sayth Caietane do teach in words but in deede many deny it thinking nothing lesse These are diuersly diuided one from another for some by the Conuersion that is in the sacrament vnderstand nothing but Indentity of place that is that the bread is therefore sayd to be made the body of Christ because where the bread is the body of Christ becomes present also others vnderstand by the word Conuersion nothing else but the order of succession that is that the body succeedeth and is vnder the vailes of those accidents vnder which the bread which they thinke to be annihilated was before This opinion in substance Scotus followeth though in the maner of his speech he seemeth to decline it Some admit both the word and thing but yet not wholy but only in part as Durandus Bonauentura sayth that some seeing the accidents to remaine both in their being and operation thinke the matter of the sacramentall element still remaineth Other the forme but that the more Catholike or generall opinion is that the whole substance of the elements is turned into Christs body and blood We see he maketh the doctrine of Transubstantiation to be but an opinion Occam sayth there are three opinions of Transubstantiation of which the first supposeth a couersion of the sacramentall elements the second an annihilation the third affirmeth the bread to be in such sort transubstantiated into the body of Christ that it is no way changed in substance or substantially cōuerted into Christs body or doth cease to bee but onely that the body of Christ in euery part of it becomes present in euery part of the bread This opinion he sayth the Master of sentences mentioneth not much disliking it yet is it not commonly holden Cameracensis sayth that the more common opinion is that the substance of bread doth not remaine but wholly ceaseth and that though this opinion be not euidently deduced from the scriptures nor concluded out of any determination of the vniuersall Church for ought he can see yet he is resolued to follow it Waldensis sayth hee found in a certaine old booke of decrees that in the yeare 1049. there was a meeting of Archbishops Bishoppes and other religious persons in a Synode and that when they were come together they beganne to speake of the body and bloud of Christ some saying one thing some another but that before the third day of meeting they that denyed the substantiall conuersion of the sacramentall elements were silent But in the same booke he reporteth out of Christopolitanus Zacharias his booke intituled Quatuor vnum that there were some perhaps many but hardly to be discerned and noted that thought still as Berengarius did whom they then condemned and yet condemned him with the rest in this respect onely disliking him for that refusing the forme of wordes the Church vsed with the nakednesse of his maner of speaking hee gaue offence not following the vse of the Scriptures which every where call things that are signes by the names of things signifyed especially in the matter of Sacraments the more liuely to expresse their vertue and efficacie these men ceased not to charge others secretly that they knew not the nature of figuratiue speaches therefore not without grosse errour killing the soule tooke signes for the things whereof they are signes scorning not a little the folly of them that say the appearing accidents of bread and wine after the conuersion doe hang in the ayre or that the senses are deceiued In the same place he sayth that Guitmundus reporteth some other that were not of the faction of Berengarius but with great vehementie contrary and opposite vnto him to haue beene of opinion that the bread and wine in part are changed and in part remaine these supposed so much onely to bee changed as is to serue for the communicating of the worthy receiuers others thought the whole to be changed but that when vnworthy men come to communicate the body and blood of Christ cease to bee present and the substances of bread and wine returne and are there present to be receiued by them But that it may yet more clearely appeare that the opinion of Transubstantiation neuer passed currantly in the Church let vs adde another testimony
manner of hauing the truth is inferiour vnto it neither are we bound to receiue her doctrines as the sacred Scriptures Besides though the Church taken in this sort be free from errour yet not from ignorance of many things wherein we may be instructed by the scripture So that it is possible for a man to vnderstand the naturall literall sense of some parts of Scripture and from thence some things that were not in such sort knowne and deliuered by any that went before as Andradius and Caietanus do proue at large If the comparison be made betweene the Church consisting of all the belieuers that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles and their blessed assistants the Euangelists we deny not but that the Church is of greater authority antiquity and excellencie than the Scripture of the new Testament as the witnesse is better then his testimonie and the Lawgiuer greater then the Lawes made by him as Stapleton alleageth But he is to proue the present Church greater in authority than the Scripture which hee vndertaketh but performeth not His reason that the Scripture was giuen for the good of the Church and that therefore the Church is better than the Scripture proueth not the thing intended For as the people are more excellent in degree of being and nature of things than the lawes that be made for their good yet are the lawes of more authority and must ouer-rule and direct the people so though the Scriptures being but significations declarations and manifestations of diuine truth be not better in degree of things than the Church yet in power of prescribing directing and ouer-ruling our faith they are incomparably greater That which the Rhemists adde to shew the greatnesse of the Church aboue the Scripture because the Church hath judiciall power to determine doubts and controuersies whereof as they suppose the Scripture is not capable I will examine in the next part when I come to speake of the power of judging which the Church hath This errour of the Romanists imagining the authority of the Church to bee greater than the Scripture all the best learned in the Church of Rome euer resisted as Waldensis Occam Gerson and sundry others CHAP. 12. Of their errour who thinke the Church may make new articles of faith VNto this errour is joyned and out of this hath growne another not vnlike that the Church may make new articles of faith which though Stapleton and some other of our time seeme to disclaime yet do they indeede fall into it For the better vnderstanding whereof we must obserue as Occam fitly noteth that an Article of faith is sometimes strictly taken onely for one of those diuine verities which are contained in the creede of the Apostles sometimes generally for any Catholike verity This question is not meant of articles of faith in the first sense but in the second and so the meaning of the question is whether the Church that now is may by her approbation make those assertions and propositions to be Catholike verities that were not before or those hereticall that were not A Catholike vetity is a diuine truth which euery Christian is bound to beleeue The things which Christian men are bound to beleeue are of two sorts and consequently there are two sorts of Catholike verities to wit some so neerely touching the matter of eternall saluation that a man cannot be saued vnlesse hee expressely knowe and beleeue them others farther remooued which if a man beleeue implicitè and in praeparatione animi it sufficeth These must bee beleeued expressely and distinctly if their coherence with or dependance on the former do appeare vnto vs so that the manifest deduction of them from the former will make them such as must be expressely beleeued Our aduersaries confesse that the approbation and determination of the Church cannot make that a truth which was not nor that a Diuine or Catholike truth that was not so before but they thinke that the Church by her bare and sole determination may make that verity to be in such sort Catholike that euery one vnderstanding of such determination must expressely beleeue it that was not so and in such degree Catholike before But wee thinke that it is not the authority of the Church but the cleare deduction from the things which we are bound expressely to beleeue that maketh things of that sort that they must be particularly and distinctly known beleeued that were not necessarily so to bee beleeued before and therefore before and without such determination men seeing cleerely the deduction of things of this nature from the former and refusing to beleeue them are condemned of hereticall pertinacy and men not seeing that deduction after the decree of a Councell hath passed vpon them may still doubt and refuse to beleeue without hereticall pertinacy We cannot therefore condemne the Grecians as heretickes as the Romanists doe because wee cannot perswade our selues of them generally that they see that which they deny touching the proceeding of the holy Ghost deduced from the indubitate principles of our Christian faith or that they impiously neglect the search of the trueth What is it then will some men say that the decree of a Councell doth effect Surely nothing else but the rejecting of such as are otherwise minded from the societies of those men and Churches with whom the decree of the Councell doth prevaile and with all wise men the more wary and fearefull pronouncing any thing of those matters concerning which so graue authority hath passed her sentence The Papists proceed further and thinke it hereticall pertinacie to gainsay the decrees of a Councell though they finde the reasons by which they of the Councell were mooued so to thinke and determine to bee too weake and not to conclude the thing intended as in the matter of Transubstantiation they thinke it heresie to gainesay the decrees of those Councels that haue defined it and yet many of them judge all the reasons alleaged to proue it too weake to proue it In deed if it were certaine as they suppose that a generall Councell could not erre this were a sufficient deduction These things are decreede in a generall Councell Therefore ture because it is consequent that that is true which is affirmed by him that cannot erre Thus wee see what it is to bee thought touching this question whether the Church may make new Articles of faith onely one thing must be added for the further clearing hereof The Papistes thinke that the Church may adde to the Canon of the Scripture bookes not yet admitted as the bookes of Hermas the Scholler of Paul intituled Pastor and the constitutions of Clement which if it should doe we were to receiue them with no lesse respect then the Epistle of Iames and other bookes of the New Testament This we thinke to be a most grosse heresie and contrrry to their owne principles who making the number
truth whose communion we must embrace follow her directions rest in her iudgement liuing and dying therein to haue eternall life men might here by my censure and advice confine themselues and wade no further in so many intricate controversies of religion the second that I am or must bee of opinion that all those bookes which the church of Rome receiued for canonicall are indeede canonicall For answere to the former of these allegations First I professe before God men and Angels that I neither do nor euer did thinke the present Romane church to be the true church whose communion wee are bound to embrace but an hereticall church with which we may not communicate Secondly I professe in like sort that though I did and doe acknowledge the church wherein our Fathers liued before Luthers time to haue beene the true church of God in respect of the best and indeede the principall parts thereof which held a sauing profession of the truth in Christ howsoeuer many and they greatly prevailing erred damnably yet I neuer thought it to be that church in whose iudgement we are to rest without any farther doubt or question nor that it was safe to follow the greater part of the guides and rulers of it but the church in whose iudgement wee must absolutely and finally rest is that whole and entire societie of Holy ones which beginning at Hierusalem and filling the world continueth vnto this day To refuse the iudgement of this church or to resist against any thing deliuered ab omnibus ubique semper in all places at all times by all Christian pastors and people not noted for heresie or singularitie were extreame folly and madnesse so that as I noted in answer to the first chapter out of Waldensis it is not any particular church as the church of Africa nor the particular Romane church but the vniuersall church not gathered together in a generall councell which hath sometimes erred but the whole catholique church dispersed through the world from the baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doth vndoubtedly holde the true faith and faithfull testimony of IESVS and in whose iudgement we must absolutely rest without any farther question oâ—… doubting and hereunto agreeth t Vincentius Lirinensis prescribing this course to bee followed in matters questioned touching faith and religion If errour creepe into one part of the Church we must looke vnto other that still are sound and pure if into almost the whole present church we must looke vp higher into former times and the resolutions of them that haue beene since the Apostles times Thus I hope the Reader will easily perceiue that this first allegation is friuolous For I doe not thinke the present Church of Rome to be the true church of God whose communion we must embrace nor that the particular Romane church when it was at the best was that church in the judgement whereof we are absolutely to rest and therefore let no man confine himselfe here without farther wading into particular controuersies but let euery man as he tendreth the saluation of his owne soule looke to the judgement of other churches also and to the resolutions of former times Now let vs proceede to his second allegation concerning canonicall and apocryphall bookes of Scripture His words are The Protestant surueyor of the Communion-booke affirmeth plainely that the Protestants of England must approue for Canonicall all those bookes which the Romane Church doth and Doctour Field is of the same opinion or must be for thus he writeth 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 It is well hee saith not absolutely that I am of that opinion but that I am or must be for he is well assured I am not but he knoweth how to force me to bee whether I will or not by falsly reporting my wordes and making me say that I neuer thought nor said For doe I any where say the ancient and true â—…euing Iewes before the comming of Christ receiued those bookes for canonicall especially such as were dispersed among the Gentiles No surely but the contrary namely that the ancient church of the Iewes did receiue those only as diuine and canonicall which we doe and not those other in question I am verily perswaded these men thinke lying to be no sinne for otherwise it were not likely that bragging so much of their good workes and trusting to the merit thereof they would wittingly runne so often into such a sinne as we silly men thinke it to be and as the spirit of God assureth vs it is being of the number of those that shut men out of the kingdome of God and Christ according to that in the Reuelation Without shall be dogges and inchanters and whore-mongers and murtherers idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies But let vs see if hee deale not better in that which followeth Surely no hee is constant and euer like himselfe for hee saith Doctour Field writeth thus 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 owne wordes Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double canon of Scripture to the Christian Churches Surely this is not to vse but to abuse my words For I was not so senselesse as to say the auncient and true-beleeuing Iewes receiued the bookes in question for Canonicall and that thence it came that they deliuered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Churches For if the Iewes generally had receiued all these bookes for canonicall but especially the Hellenists then they could not haue deliuered a double canon of Scripture but one onely Wherefore my words are not as hee reporteth them but hauing spoken of the 22 bookes of the old Testament I adde These onely did the auncient Church of the Iewes receiue as diuine Canonicall and that other bookes were added vnto these whose authoritie not being certaine and knowne are named Apocryphall fèll out in this sort The Iewes in their latter times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly named Hebrewes commorant at Hierusalem in the holy land other named Hellenists Iewes of the dispersion mingled with the Grecians these had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made vse of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had of the translation of the Septuagint but the Hebrewes receiued onely the 22 bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of the Scripture to the Christian Church the one pure indubitate diuine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke inriched with or rather adulterated by the addition of certaine other bookes written in those dayes when God raised vp no more Prophets among his people So that the
Iewes being of two sorts Hebrewes and Hellenistes The Hebrewes deliuered to the Christian church onely the 22 bookes of the old Testament whereof there is no question to bee the absolute rule and Canon of our faith and tooke no notice of the bookes now in question But the Hellenists deliuered with them these also that are questioned if not to be the canon of our faith yet to be a canon and rule of direction for matters of conuersation and manners and to bee read at least ad aedificationem plebis for the edification of the people though not for confirmation of matters of doctrine And truely I am perswaded it cannot bee proued that the Hellenists euer receiued these bookes in question as any part of the canon of faith or absolutely canonicall but in a sort only in that they containe a good direction of mens manners But saith hee D. Field speaking of this volume of the Hellenists addeth These bookes which are doubted of ioyned in one volume with those 22 whereof there is no question were translated out of Greeke into Latine and read by the Latine Church in that translation and intreating of Saint Augustine and the Latine Fathers especially in Africa and the third Carthaginian Councell writeth thus They reckon the bookes of Scripture according as they found them in vse in the Latine Church then Doctour Field hath absolutely granted that in the Latine Church vnder which England is these Scriptures were euer esteemed as Canonicall They seeme greatly to desire to end the controuersies betweene them and vs by publicke disputation and challenge vs in such sort as if we durst not shew our selues where they should appeare but surely if they performe no more when they come to disputing then they doe when they write nor bring no better arguments when they oppose in our schooles then they publish in their bookes the very boyes in our Vniuersities will hisse them out For how will this consequence euer be made good Augustine and the Africanes in the third Councell of Carthage reckon the bookes of Scripture as they found them joyned in one volume translated out of Greeke into Latine not exactly noting the difference that is betweene them and so seeme to admitte into the canon those bookes which wee reiect therefore the bookes which wee reiect were euer esteemed to bee canonicall in the Latine church seeing Hierome at the same time translating the Scriptures out of Hebrew exactly learning which bookes pertained to the Hebrew canon reiected all besides the 22 Hebrew bookes as the Grecians did before him and as after him almost all men of note in the Latine church did But hee will say Augustine and the Africanes found the bookes reiected by vs in vse in the Latine church as well as the other which wee admit to be canonicall therefore they were euer esteemed to be canonicall in the Latine Church vnder which England is This proofe is too weake for as I haue noted in the place cited by him the prayer of Manasses confessed by our Aduersaries to bee Apocryphall the third and fourth of Esdras and the booke called Pastor were likewise in vse in the Latine Church that is read by them of the Latine church cited by them in their writings and many things translated out of them into the publicke prayers liturgie of the church yet will it not follow that these bookes were euer esteemed as canonicall in the Latine church vnder which England was It is true indeede that Augustine when hee was blamed for citing some testimonies out of the bookes reiected by vs defended his so doing by the practise of the church which had anciently read the same in her publicke assemblies but not much pressing the authoritie of them saith hee can proue the things for proofe whereof he alleaged those bookes out of other that are not doubted of So that Caietanes opinion is not improbable that Augustine did not thinke these bookes to be absolutely canonicall but in a sort onely in that they containe many godly instructions and a good direction for mens manners That which hee addeth in the last place that these controuersed bookes being translated out of Greeke into Latine with the other originally written in Hebrew were in likelihood first deliuered by the Hellenists or Iewes of the dispersion to the Greeke Churches as being in Greeke amongst them is to no purpose For though we should graunt they were so deliuered all together yet they of the Greeke Church hauing an eye to the Canon of the Hebrewes put a difference betweene the one and the other and neuer accounted these to bee canonicall as I haue largely proued out of the testimonies of Melito Origen Athanasius Nazianzen Cyrill Epiphanius and Damascene Thus haue we examined the allegations of this chapter and found them very weake and frivolous CHAP. 5. IN the fifth chapter hee vndertaketh to proue that Protestants confesse the vulgar translation to bee the best and their own the worst But because he alleageth nothing to this purpose out of any thing that I haue written I will passe from this to the next not doubting but they who are wronged by him will make him know that he vndertaketh much and proueth little CHAP. 6. IN the sixth chapter wherein he vndertaketh to proue by the confession of Protestants that the true lawfull and iuridicall exposition of Scriptures is in the Romane Church not with the Protestants he endeauoureth to shew that I confesse so much His words are these D. Field confesseth that neither conference of places nor consideration of the Antecedentia Consequentia nor looking into the originals are of any force vnlesse we finde the things which we conceiue to be vnderstood meant in the places interpreted to be consonant to the rule of faith therefore hee confesseth that the warranted exposition of Scripture belongeth to the Romane church This consequence I deny as strange absurd wherefore let vs see if he make any shew of prouing it He addeth that I teach the rule of faith must be tryed either by the generall practise of the Church the renowned of all ages or the Pastors of an Apostolicall Church which as the world can witnesse no Protestant can make claime vnto as if from hence it would follow which is the thing he goeth about to proue or else he doth nothing that all warranted exposition of Scripture belongeth to the Romane Church Whatsoeuer become of the consequence of this argument there are many exceptions to be taken to the antecedent of it For first I doe not giue these three rules whereof he speaketh whereby to know the rule of faith but to know true traditions from false Secondly I do not say the generall practise of the Church the renowned of all ages the Pastors of an Apostolicall church are the rules whereby true traditions may be knowne from false but the generall practise of the church frō the beginning the report testimony of the most renowned
Church Chap. 10. 11. m Lib. 1. de Baptis cap. 18. n De potest eccl consid 10. o Consid. 15 19 p Conc. cath l. 〈◊〉 c. 13 p Pag 4. r Cassand in praef ord Rom. s Gers. de direc cordis consid 16 sequ t In tract de indulgentiis u Tract de communione sub vtraque specie x Pag. 4. y Consid. 8. z Consid. 3. a Pag. 5. b In libro contra Papatum c Concil Florenum Sess. vlt. d Consult de Pont. Romano e De vnitate Graecor consid 6. f In Sent. prologâ—… qu 10. art 2. g De vnitate Graec. consid 3. h Pag. 3. c Pag. 〈◊〉 d Ibid. e Pag. 33. f De 〈◊〉 Christi Eccl. g Pag. 〈◊〉 g Iudg. 7. 22. h Pag. 9. i Part. 1. Serm. coram Alex. Papa 5. k Part. 3. Dialog Apologet de Concilio Constantiensi l De vnitatâ—… Graecorum consid 6 m Serm. in Paschate part 4. n Concil Constant Sess. 8. o 〈◊〉 letter of a Catholique to his Protestant friend or certaine Articles or sorcible reasors printed at Antwerpe p Pag. 19. q De potestate Ecclesiast Consider 12. r In an Epistle to the Earle of Passun prefixed before his booke against Henry the Eighth s In Dialog Apologet de Concilio Constantiensi t Pag. 11. u Serm. 33. in Cantica x Lib. de consideratione ad Eugenium y Lib. 3. de consideratione z Ibid. a Bern. serm 5. de verb. Esaiae b Serm 1. de annunc Dom. c Trac de gratiâ lib. arb in fine d Ep. 175. ad Canon Lugd. e Pag. 12 a Pag. 12. b Dial. Apolog. c Part. 1. serm pro viagio Regis Roman 2. part principali direct 3. d Pag. 14. e Part. 4. decem considerat contra adulatores Principum f Pag. 14. g Pag. 8 Hee alleageth two sayings of Gerson found in two seuerall places as if they were in one without specifying whence the latter of them is taken h Third booke of the Church chap. 11. i Pag. 28. 29. k De potest Eccl. consid 1â—… l Pag. 30. a Pag. 32 b Pag. 33. c De Praedestinatione d Pag. 34. e Pag. 3â—… f Math. Paris in Henrico 3. g Pag. 4 h Lib. 1. pag. 84 i See the plaâ—…es cited in the 4. booke of the Church chap. 23. k De causa Dei contra Pelagianos l 〈◊〉 2. Sentent Dict. 26. quest 1. art 1. dist 30. quest 3. m In lib. de praedestinatione n Consultat art 18. o Epistola 190. p serm 61. in Cantica q Lib. 4. de consolatione Theologiae prosa 1. r De iustific s Consult art 4. t De iustific u Contro 2. de fide iustif catione x In appendice cap. 12. y Citatus a Cassandro in Consult art 6. z Citat à Cassandro Ibid. a Serm. 1. in festo omnium Sanctorum b Epist. ad Cardinalem Farne sium de actis Ratisbon c Cit. à Cassan consult art 4 d Ibid. e De duplicl fiducia f Serm. 1. de annunc Dom. g Hi omnes citantur à Stapletono Relect. contro 〈◊〉 q 4 Bel. l. 4 de Pont. c. 2. h Bell. ibid. c. 7. i Vbi suprà k De concord cath l. 2. c. 13 l Dial. l. 4. primi tract tertiae part c. 2. m Ib. c. 3 n Sup. sent prolog q. 10 art 2. o De sac eccl minist benef l. 3 c. 2. p In Chron. an 1088. q De concord cath l. 3. c. 41. r De corrupto Eccles. statu s De Concilio vnius Obedientiae t Consultat art 22. u Annot. in lib. de Corona militis x De officio missae cap. 19. y Lyndan Panopliae Euangelicae lib. 4. cap. 56. z Doctrinal Fidei tom 2. de Sacramento Eucharistiae cap. 94. a Consultat art 22. b In prefat Oâ—…d Romani c De officio Missae cap. 19. d Citat à Cas. in praefat ord Romani e Defens fid Trid. l. 2. fol. 239. f Cit. á Cassandro ubi supra g Damian â Coes de morib AEthiopum h Cit. à Cassandro cons. art 24. De solitariis Missis h In rational Divinorum l. 4 rubâ—…ic a dâ—… pacis osculo p. 70 i Defens fid Trid. l. 2. fol. 239 k Consul art 22 l De directione cordis consid 16. seqq m In consut art Lutheri n De Cura pro mortuis o In Esaiae 63. p Erud Theol. de sacr fid l. 2. part 16. c. 11 q In 4. sent l. 3. â—…ract 8. c. 5. q. 6. r In Consult artic 21. de Imaginibus s 5. Booke of the Church Chap. 57. t In 1. ad Corinth 14. u In Respons ad articulos Parisienses x Pag. 84. y Pag. 507. z Pag. 36. a Booke 3. cap. 4â—… b Ibid. c. 35. c Ecclesiasticall policy booke 5. d Pag. 37. e In Apologia quast 9. de accidentib in Sacramento f Apologia quest 5. g Apolog. quaest 9. h Pag. 37. i In 3. part summae quaest 2. art 6. i De incarn l. 3. c. 8 k Pag. 38. l De incarn l. 3. c. 56. m ' Iudicium de dissidio Caenae Dominicae in fine Miscellan a Pag. 43. b Booke 3. chap. 52. c Pag. 34. 35. d See these things at large in the 5. booke of the Church chap. 35. e Vide Apolog. Hier contra Ruffin f Vide Acta Conc. Ephes. g Actione 1. 8. h Tomo 2. operum Hieronymi * See touching this report of Melanchthon the Admonition of the Diuines of the County Palatine concerning the booke intituled Liber Concordiae i Pag. 45. k Pag. 46. l In vitâ Gregorij primi m D. Bilson of the perpetuall government of the Church Pag. 307 n Bezade Ministrorum Evangelij gradibus o Pag. 47. p Disputatio Nichol. ClemaÌ„gis habita per scriptum super materia concilii generalis cum quodam Scholastico Parisierisi q Pag. 48. r Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 1. s Concil Car thag inter opera Cypriani t Lib. 1. Epist. 3. u Pag. 48. x Pag. 49. a Bellat de Notis Ecclesiae lib. 4 cap. 10. b Booke 3. chap. 41. c Pag. 52. d 3. Booke chap. 41. e Pag. 53. f Pag. 54. g Rhegino Chron. l. 2. h Sigebert in chro anni 766. i Damas. l. 1. de fide orthod c. 11. 〈◊〉 Dâ—… moribus A Ethiopum l In addit ad Platinam l Lib 4. de notis Ecclesiae c 9. m Ibid. n Ibid. o Ibid. p De notis Ecclesiae li 4. c. 11. q Ibid. ca 9. r De corrupto Eccles. statu * See that which Bellarmine hath lately written to this purpose s Cap. 2. t Cap. 11. u Pag. 57. x Cap 2. y Cap. 11. a Pag. 6â—… 64. b Art 16. c Hugo de Sa. Victore de Sacrament sidei l 2. part 13. c. 12. d In quartum Sen. dist 22. qu 1. art 2. a Pag. 〈◊〉 b Pag.
OF THE CHURCH FIVE BOOKES BY RICHARD FIELD DOCTOR OF DIVINITY AND SOMETIMES DEANE OF GLOCESTER THE SECOND EDITION VERY MVCH AVGmented in the third booke and the Appendix to the same ·PECCATA·TOLLE·QVI·EMISTI·O·AGNE·DEI·IESV·CHRISTE ECCE·AGN DEI AT OXFORD Imprinted by WILLIAM TVRNER Printer to the famous Vniuersity 1628. TO THE ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE THE DVKE OF BVCKINGAM HIS GRACE LORD HIGH ADMIRALL OF ENGLAND c. RIGHT HONOURABLE THat especiall fauour which your Grace was pleased to shew vnto the Author of this worke while he liued hath imboldned me to commend the worke it selfe as it is now inlarged vnto your Gracious protection And though the Authors particular obligement had not directed me in my choyce I know not vnto whom I might more fitly haue presented it then vnto your Grace who in a more peculiar manner then others haue vndertaken the protection of Schollers One example amongst many this Author might haue beene had hee liued but a little longer of your honourable care for the aduancement of learning and encouragement of Schollers The volume which I present vnto your Grace for the bulke and bignesse is not great especially if it be compared with the writings of our Aduersaries whose voluminous workes would make the ignorant beleeue that they had ingrossed all learning vnto themselues But asmany times wee may find in little men that strength of body and vigour of mind which is wanting in those of greater stature so experience telleth vs that amongst bookes the greatest are not alwaies the best Saepius in libro memoratur Persius vno Quam leuis in tota Marsus Amazonide And those that are acquainted with the writings of our Aduersaries are not ignorant how for the most part their great volumes are stuffed If a man will take the paines to reade them like those that digge in mines for gold he must expect to finde paruum in magno but a little gold in a great deale of vnprofitable earth Of this worke I thinke I might safely say thus much that it compriseth much in a little but I intend not a Panegyrique in the praise thereof If I giue it not that praise which it deserues my neare relation vnto the Author may be my excuse seeing whatsoeuer I should say would seeme rather to proceede from affection then judgment VVhat my opinion of it is I thinke I haue sufficiently expressed in that I haue thought it not vnworthy your Graces patronage And thus praying for the continuance of your Graces prosperous and happy estate I remaine Your Graces most humbly obliged seruant NATHANIEL FIELD TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD MY VERY GOOD LORD THE LORD Arch-bishop of CANTERBVRY his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all England MOst Reuerend in Christ the consideration of the vnhappie diuisions of the Christian world and the infinite distractions of mens mindes not knowing in soe great variety of opinions what to thinke or to whom to joyne themselues euery faction boasting of the pure sincere profession of heauenly truth challenging to it selfe alone the name of the Church and fastning vpon all that dissent or are otherwise minded the hatefull note of Schisme and Heresie hath made me euer thinke that there is no part of heauenly knowledge more necessary than that which concerneth the Church For seeing the controuersies of Religion in our time are growne in number so many and in nature so intricate that few haue time and leasure fewer strength of vnderstanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous of satisfaction in things of such consequence but diligently to search out which amongst all the societies of men in the world is that blessed company of holy ones that houshold of faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the liuing God which is the Pillar and ground of truth that so they may embrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her iudgement Hence it commeth that all wise and iudicious men do more esteeme bookes of doctrinall principles than those that are written of any other argument and that there was neuer any treasure holden more rich and precious by all them that knew how to prize and value things aright than bookes of prescription against the profane nouelties of Heretiques for that thereby men that are not willing or not able to examine the infinite differences that arise amongst men concerning the faith haue generall directions what to follow and what to avoid Wee admitte no man sayth Tertullian in his booke of prescriptions to any disputation concerning sacred and diuine things or to the scanning and examining of particular questions of Religion vnlesse hee first shew vs of whom he receiued the faith by whose meanes he became a Christian and whether hee admitte and hold the generall principles wherein all Christians do and euer did agree otherwise prescribing against him as a stranger from the common-wealth of the Israel of God and hauing no part nor fellowship in this businesse But as in the daies of the Fathers the Donatists and other Heretickes including the Church within the compasse of Africa and such other parts of the world where they their consorts found best entertainment reiected all other from the vnity of the Church excluded them from hope of saluation and appropriated all the glorious things that are spoken of it to themselues alone soe in our time there are some found so much in loue with the pompe and glory of the Church of Rome that they feare not to condemne all the inhabitants of the world and to pronounce them to be Anathema from the Lord Iesus if they dissent from that Church and the doctrine profession and obseruations of it So casting into hell all the Christians of Graecia Russia Armenia Syria and Aethiopia because they refuse to be subiect to the tyranny of the Pope and the Court of Rome besides the heauie sentence which they haue passed against all the famous States and Kingdomes of Europe which haue freed themselues from the Aegyptiacall bondage they were formerly holden in These men abuse many with the glorious pretences of antiquity Vnity Vniuersality Succession and the like making the simple beleeue that all is ancient which they professe that the consent of all ages is for them and that the Bishops succeeding one another in all the famous Churches of the world neuer taught nor beleeued any other thing than they now doe whereas it is easie to proue that all the things wherein they dissent from vs are nothing else but nouelties and vncertaineties that the greatest part of the Christian world hath beene diuided from them for certaine hundreds of yeares that none of the most famous and greatest Churches euer knew or admitted any of their heresies and that the things they now publish as Articles of faith to be beleeued by all that will bee saued are so farre from being Catholike that they were not the doctrines of that Church wherein they and wee sometimes liued together in one communion but the opinions onely of
some men in that Church adulterating the doctrine of heauenly trueth bringing in and defending superstitious abuses disliked by others and seruing as vile instruments to aduance the tyraÌ„ny of the Bishop of Rome Wherefore for the discouery of the vanity of their insolent boastings for the coÌ„firming of the weake the satisfying of them that are doubtfull and that all men may know that wee haue not departed from the auncient faith or forsaken the fellowship of the Catholicke Church but that wee haue forsaken a part to hold communion with the whole led so to doe by the most preuailing reasons that euer perswaded men and the greatest authority on earth I resolued to communicate to others what I had long since in priuate for mine owne satisfactien obserued touching the nature of the Church the notes whereby it may bee knowen and the priuiledges that pertaine to it These my simple labours most Reuerend in Christ I thought it my dutie to offer to your Graces censure before they should present themselues to the view of the world that so either finding approbation they might the more confidently make themselues publike or otherwise be suppressed like the vntimely fruit that neuer saw the Sunne The condition of the times wherein wee liue is such that manie are discouraged from medling with the controuersies of Religion because they are sure besides the vile slanders wicked calumniations and bitter reproches of the common aduersaries to passe the censures of those men who though they will doe nothing themselues yet in the height of a proud and disdainefull spirit with many a scornefull looke smile at the follies of other mens writings as they esteeme them The sinister iudgements of either of these sortes of men I shall the lesse regard for that it pleased your Grace so louingly to accept and soe fauourably to approue these my poore paines bestowed for the clearing of sundry questions concerning tâ—…â—…rch which by your direction and appointment I first entred into It hath biâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…he vaunt of the aduersaries of the Religion established amongst vs that 〈◊〉 written many bookes against vs and none haue beene found to oppose any â—…g against them that they desire nothing more then by writing or disputing to â—…ic the goodnes of their cause But I doubt not but this Nationall Church the gouernment whereof vnder our most gracious Soueraigne is principally committed to your fatherly care shall yeeld men more than matchable with the proudest of the aduerse faction who being animated and hartned by your fauour guided by your directions shall no longer suffer these proud Philistims to defie the armies of the Lord of Hosts For though they proclaime their owne praises with loude sounding trumpets that might haue beene piped with an oaten straw and though they magnifie themselues as if they were the only Paragons of the world and as if all wit learning had bin borne with them should die with them yet whosoeuer knoweth them will little regard the froath of their swelling words of pride and scorne seeing when they haue done vaunting they haue done their best and that which remaineth is little worth their allegations being for the most part nothing but falsifications their testimonies of antiquity the markes notes of their ancient forgeries their reasons sophismes their reports slanders and wicked calumniations their threats the venting of their malice and powring out of their impotent desires their predictions onely manifesting what they wish might be but no way shewing what shall be In the later daies of our late dread Soueraigne Elizabeth of famous blessed memory all their books were nothing but fearefull threatnings of bloody confusions and horrible dissipations of Church and common-wealth which they hoped for and looked after soe soone as it should please God to cut off the thread of her blessed life But he that sitteth in heaueÌ„ hath laughed them to scorne and branded them with the marke of false Prophets For Elizabeth is gathered to her fathers in peace full of daies and full of honour yet they haue not bathed their swords in blood as they desired but God hath disappointed all their purposes frustrated their hopes and continued our happinesse Iosua hath succeeded Moyses and Salomon Dauid and he that disposeth the kingdomes of men giueth them to whom he will hath set vpon the Throne of Maiesty amongst vs a King of a Religious Vertuous and peaceable disposition to whom he hath giuen a wise and vnderstanding heart large as the sands of the sea shore whose delight is in the Law of the Lord who hath chosen his testimonies to be his Counsellers whose constant resolution in matters of faith and Religion daunteth the enemies of it whose admirable vnderstanding in things Diuine more then for many ages the world hath found in any of his ranke giueth vs good assurance that no frauds of any deceiuers shall euer be able to seduce or misse-lead him whose blessed Progenie and Royall issue maketh vs hope that the felicity of these vnited kingdomes shall continue as longe as the Sunne and Moone endure which whosoeuer desireth and seeketh to procure Peace be vpon him vpon the Israel of God Thus crauing pardon for this my boldnesse and humbly beseeching Almighty God long to continue your Graces happie and prosperous estate and to make you a glorious instrument of much good to his Church I rest Your Graces in all dutie RICHARD FIELD WHAT THINGS ARE HANDLED IN THE BOOKES FOLLOWING The first Booke is concerning the Name Nature and Definition of the Church and the different sorts of them that do pertaine vnto it CHAP. 1. OF the Church consisting of men and Angels in the day of their creation pag. 1. Chap. 2. Of the calling of grace whereby God called out both men and Angels from the rest of his creatures to bee vnto him a holy Church and of their Apostasie 4. Chap. 3. Of the Church consisting of those Angels that continued in their first estate by force of grace vpholding them and men redeemed 5. Chap. 4. Of the Church of the redeemed 7. Chap. 5. Of the Christian Church 9. Chap. 6. Of the definition of the Church 11. Chap. 7. Of the diuers sorts of them that pertaine to the Church ibid. Chap. 8. Of their meaning who say that the Elect only are of the Church 13. Chap. 9. Of the difference of them that are in and of the Church 14. Chap. 10. Of the visible and inuisible Church ibid. Chap. 11. Of the diuerse titles of the Church how they are verified of it 17. Chap. 12. Of the diuerse sorts of them that haue not yet entred into the Church 18. Chap. 13. Of the first sâ—…rt of them that after their admission into the Church of God do voluntarily depart and goe from the same 19. Chap. 14. Of the second sort of them that voluntarily goe out from the people of God 20. Chap. 15. Of them whom the Church casteth out by excommunication 22. Chap.
16. Of the errors that are and haue beene touching the vse of the discipline of the Church in punishing offenders 24. Chap. 17. Of the considerations moouing the Church to vse indulgence towards offenders 25. Chap. 18. Of their damnable pride who condemne all those Churches wherein want of due execution of discipline and imperfections of men are found 26. The second Booke is of the notes of the Châ—…h CHAP. 1. OF the nature of notes of difference and their seuerall kindes 29. Chap. 2. Of the diuers kindes of notes whereby the true Church is discerned from other societies of men in the world 30. Chap. 3. Of Bellarmines reasons against the notes of the Church assigned by vs. 32. Chap. 4. Of Stapletons reasons against our notes of the Church 34. Chap. 5. Of their notes of the Church and first of Antiquity 37. Chap. 6. Of succession 39. Chap. 7. Of the third note assigned by them which is Vnity 40. Chap. 8. Of Vniuersality 41. Chap. 9. Of the name and title of Catholike 42. The third Booke sheweth which is the true Church demonstrated by those notes CHAP. 1. OF the diuision of the Christian World into the Westerne or Latine Church and the Orientall or East Church 47. Chap. 2. Of the harsh and vnaduised censure of the Romanists condemning all the Orientall Churches as Schismatic all and hereticall 75. Chap. 3. Of the nature of heresie of the diuerse kindes of things wherein men erre and what pertinacie it is that maketh an hereticke 76. Chap. 4. Of those things which euery one is bound expresly to know and beleeue and wherein no man canne erre without note of heresie 77. Chap. 5. Of the nature of Schisme and the kindes of it and that it no way appeareth that the Churches of Greece c. are hereticall or in damnable Schisme 80. Chap. 6. Of the Latine Church that it continued the true Church of God euen till our time and that the errours we condemne were not the doctrines of that Church 81. Chap. 7. Of the seuerall points of difference betweene vs and our aduersaries wherein some in the Church erred but not the whole Church 83. Chap. 8. Of the true Church which and where it was befâ—… Luthers time 84. Chap. 9. Of an Apostasie of some in the Church 86. Chap. 10. Of their errour who say nothing can be amisse in the Church either in respect of doctrine or discipline 89. Chap. 11. Of the causes of the manifold confusions and euils formerly found in the Church ibid. Chap. 12. Of the desire and expectation of a reformation of the corrupt state of the Church and that the alteration which hath beene is a reformation 91. Chap. 13. Of the first reason brought to prooue that the Church of Rome holdeth the faith first deliuered because the precise time wherein errors began in it cannot be noted 93. Chap. 14. Of diuers particular errours which haue beene in the Church whose first author cannot be named 94. Chap. 15. Of the second reason brought to prooue that they hold the auncient faith because our men dissenting from them confesse they dissent from the Fathers where sundry instances are examined 96. Chap. 16. Of Limbus Patrum concupiscence and satisfaction touching which Caluin is falsely charged to confesse that he dissenteth from the Fathers 99. Chap. 17. Of Prayer for the dead and Merit 101. Chap. 18. Of the Fathers strictnesse in admitting men into the Ministery of single life and of their seuerity in the discipline of repentance 103. Chap. 19. Of the Lent Fast of Lay-mens Baptisme and of the sacrifice of the Masse 106. Chap. 20. Of the inuocation and adoration of Saints touching which the Century writers are wrongfully charged to dissent from the Fathers 109. Chap. 21. Of Martyrdome and the excessiue praises thereof found in the Fathers 114. Chap. 22. Wherein is examined their proofe of the antiquity of their Doctrine taken from a false supposall that our doctrine is nothing else but heresie long since condemned 115. Chap. 23. Of the heresie of Florinus making God the author of sinne falsely imputed to Caluine and others 117. Chap. 24. Of the heresies of Origen touching the Image of God and touching hell falsely imputed to Caluin 133. Chap. 25. Of the heresie of the Peputians making women Priests 134. Chap. 26. Of the supposed heresie of Proclus and the Messalians touching concupiscence in the regenerate 135. Chap. 27. Of the heresies of Nouatus Sabellius and the Manichees 139. Chap. 28. Of the heresies of the Donatists 141. Chap. 29. Of the heresies of Arrius and Aerius 142. Chap. 30. Of the heresies of Iouinian 143. Chap. 31. Of the heresies of Vigilantius 146. Chap. 32. Of the heresie of Pelagius touching originall sinne and the difference of veniall and mortall sinnes 147. Chap. 33. Of the heresie of Nestorius falsely imputed to Beza and others 149. Chap. 34. Of the heresies of certaine touching the Sacrament and how our men deny that to be the body of Christ that is carried about to bee gazed on 150. Chap. 35. Of the heresie of Eutiches falsely imputed to the Diuines of Germany 151. Chap. 36. Of the supposed heresie of Zenaias Persa impugning the adoration of Images 152. Chap. 37. Of the error of the Lampetians touching vowes 153. Chap. 38. Of the heresie of certaine touching the verity of the body and blood of Christ communicated to vs in the Sacrament ibid. Chap. 39. Of succession and the exceptions of the aduersaries against vs in respect of the supposed want of it 154. Chap. 40. Of succession and the proofe of the trueth of their doctrine by it 159. Chap. 41. Of vnity the kinds of it and that communion with the Romane Bishoppe is not alwaies a note of true and Catholike profession 160. Chap. 42. That nothing can be concluded for them or against vs from the note of Vnity or diuision opposite vnto it 164. Chap. 43. Of Vniuersality 169. Chap. 44. Of the Sanctity of doctrine and the supposed absurdities of our profession 170. Chap. 45. Of the Paradoxes and grosse absurdities of Romish religion 172. Chap. 46. Of the efficacie of the Churches doctrine 174. Chap. 47. Of the Protestants pretended confession that the Romane Church is the true Church of God ibid. Chap. 48. Of Miracles confirming the Romane faith 175. Chap. 49. Of Propheticall prediction 177. Chap. 50. Of the felicity of them that professe the trueth 178. Chap. 51. Of the miserable ends of the enemies of the truth ibid. Chap. 52. Of the Sanctitie of the liues of them that are of the Church 179. An Appendix to the third booke wherein it is proued that the Latine Church was and continued a true orthodoxe and protestant Church and that the maintainers of Romish errors were onely a faction in the same at the time of Luthers appearing AN answere to M. Brerelyes obiection concerning the masse publiquely vsed in all Churches at Luthers appearing pag. 185. Chap. 1. Of the canon of the Scriptures 224.
nature that by violence and the vniust courses holden by wicked men wee may be hindred from it without any fault of ours If the sentence of excommunication be iust yet it doth not cut the excommunicate off from the mysticall body of Christ but doth presuppose that they haue already cut off themselues or that if this sentence being duely and aduisedly pronounced make th◅ not relent but that still they hold out against it they will cut off themselues and depriue themselues of all inward grace and vertue From the visible Church of Christ it doth not wholly cut them off for they may and often doe retaine the entire profession of sauing trueth together with the Character of Baptisme which is the marke of Christianitie and so farre forth notwithstanding their disobedience still acknowledge them to be their lawfull pastours and guides by whose sentence they are excommunicate that they would rather endure and suffer any thing thē schismatically ioyne themselues to any other communion It doth therefore onely cut them off from communicating with the Church in the performance of holy duties and depriue them of those comforts which by communicating in the sacraments c. they might haue enioyed This excōmunicatiō is of two sorts the greater and the lesser The greater putteth the excōmunicate frō the sacrament of the Lords body blood depriueth them of all that cōfort and strength of grace which from it they might receiue it denieth to thē the benefit of the Churches publick prayers so leaueth thē to thēselues as forelorn miserable wretches without that assistāce presence protection which frō God she obtaineth for her obedient children Whence it is that they are said to be deliuered vnto Sathan because they are left naked void of all meanes to make resistance vnto his will pleasure as if this were not enough they are denied that solace which they might finde in the company and conversation of the people of God who now doe no lesse flye from them than in olde time they did from the Lepers who cryed I am vncleane I am vncleane The lesser excommunication excludeth onely from the Sacramentall pledges and assurances of Gods loue which when it is pronounced against them that stubbornely stand out and will not yeeld themselues to the Churches direction disposition is properly named excommunication but when it is pronounced against them that yeeld when they haue offended and seeke the blessed remedies of the euils they haue committed it is not so properly named excommunication but it is an act of the discipline of repentance and of that power and authority which Christ left vnto his Church whereby shee imposeth and prescribeth to her obedient children when they haue offended such courses of penitency whereby they may obtaine remission of their sinnes and recouer the former estate from which they are fallen CHAP. 16. Of the errours that are and haue beene touching the vse of the discipline of the Church in punishing offenders TOuching this discipline of repentance and power of the Church in ordering offenders and the vse thereof there are and haue beene sundry both errours and heresies The first of the Pelagians in former times the Anabaptists in our times who for euery the least imperfectiō cast men out of their societies denying that any are or can be in or of the Church in whom the least imperfection is found Which if it were true there should be no Church in the world all men being subject to sinne and sinfull imperfection that either are or haue beene For it is a vaine dispute of the Pelagians whether a man may be without sinne or not whereof see that which Augustine and Hierom haue written against the madnesse and folly of those men For confirmation of their errour touching absolute perfection they alleage that of the Canticles Thou art all faire my Loue and there is no spot in thee And that of the Apostle to the Ephesians that Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that he might make it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle but that it should be holy and without blame For answere wherevnto first we must remember that which formerly was obserued to wit that sundry glorious titles are giuen to the Church which agree not to the whole totally considered but to some parts onely so it is said to be faire glorious and without spot or wrinkle not for that all or the most part of them that are of the Church are so but because the best and principall parts are so and for that the end intent and purpose of the gift of grace giuen to the Church is to make all to be so if the fault be not in themselues Secondly we must obserue that there is a double perfection purity and beauty of the Church without spot or wrinkle to wit absolute and according to the state of this life The first is not found in any among the sonnes of men while they are clothed with the body of death And therefore if we speake of that absolute purity and perfection the Church is said to be pure all faire and to haue no spot or wrinkle not for that actually and presently it is so but for that it is prepared to be so hereafter as Augustine fitly ◅teth The second kinde of purity which is not absolute but according to the state of this life consisteth herein that all sinnes are avoyded or repented of and in Christ forgiuen and his righteousnesse imputed In this sense the Church is now presently pure and vndefiled and yet not free from all sinfull imperfection as the Pelagians and Anabaptists vainely and fondly imagine contrary to all experience and the wordes of the Apostle If wee say wee haue no sin we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. The second errour touching the power of the Church in the ordering of sinners and the vse thereof was that of the Novatians who refused to reconcile and restore to the Churches peace such as grievously offended but left them to the iudgment of God without all that comfort which the sacraments of grace might yeeld vnto them and if any fell in time of persecution and denied the faith how great and vnfained soever their repentance seemed to bee they suffered them not to haue any place in the Church of God The third of certaine of whom Cyprian speaketh that would not reconcile nor restore to the Churches peace such as foradultery were cast out The fourth of the Donatistes who would not receiue into the lap bosome of the Church such as hauing in time of persecution to saue their owne liues deliuered the bookes and other holy things into the hands of the persecutors did afterwards repent of that they had done and with teares of repentant greefe seeke to recouer their former standing in the Church of God againe yea they proceeded so farre in this their violent and
of these men and the milde affection of the Apostle of Christ who writing to the Corinthians and well knowing to how many evils and faults they were subiect yet doth not thunder out against them the dreadfull sentence of Anathema exclude them from the kingdome of Christ or make a diuision separation froÌ„ them but calleth them the Church of Christ and society of Saints What would these men haue done if they had liued amongst the Galathians who so far adulterated the Gospell of Christ that the Apostle pronounceth that they were bewitched and if they still persisted to ioyne circumcision and the workes of the law with Christ they were fallen from grace and Christ could profite them nothing whom yet the Apostle acknowledgeth to be the Church of God writing to the Church which is at Galathia Excellent to this purpose is the counsaile of Augustine in his third book against Parmenian second chapter which he giueth to all that are of a godly peaceable disposition vt misericorditer corripiant quod possunt quod non possunt patienter ferant cum dilectione gemant lugeant donec aut emendet Deus ac corrigat aut in messe eradicet zizania paleas ventilet That with mercifull affection they should dislike reproue correct asmuch as in them lyeth what they find to bee amisse what they cannot amend that they should patiently endure suffer and in louing sort bewaile lament till either God doe here in this world correct and amend it or otherwise in that great harvest in the end of the world plucke vp all tares and comming with his fanne in his hand purge the wheate from the chaffe Thus then we haue hitherto shewed who are of the Church the definition of it the meaning of such sayings of our Diuines as haue bin by our adversaries mistaken or perverted together with all such errours heresies as are or haue bin concerning the nature being of the Church THE SECOND BOOKE CONCERNING THE NOTES OF THE CHVRCH CHAP. 1. Of the nature of notes of difference and their severall kindes NOw it remaineth that wee come to the second part of our principall and generall division to find out the notes wherby the true Church may be knowen and discerned from all other companies and societies of men in the world A note marke or character is that whereby one thing may be knowen and differenced from another The Philosophers obserue that of things not the same there are two sorts some wholly diverse which haue no common condition of nature wherein they agree 〈◊〉 are the same These cannot be apprehendâ—… 〈◊〉 vs but the diuersitie of nature and condition found in them must of necessity be conceiued and knowen likewise so that no man hauing any apprehension of the nature of a voice or sound enquireth wherein it differeth from a circle or line not finding any thing wherein they are the same These need not any notes or markes of difference whereby to be knowen one from another Other things there are which haue many things in common wherein they agree and are the same and some other which are so found in one of them that not in another These are not properly said to be wholy diverse as the former hauing many things in common wherein they agree and are the same but to differ one from another in that some thing is so found in one of them that it is not in another The distinction of these things thus differing cannot be known by any other meanes but by observing what is peculiarly found in each of them neither is there any thing proper or peculiar to any ofthem which may not serue for a note or marke of distinction to discerne one of them from another That which is proper to a thing and peculiarly found in it alone is of two sortes For either it is saide to be proper and peculiar respectiuely and at some one time onely or absolutely and euer Respectiuely that is proper to a thing which though it be not found in it alone but in sundry other yet if we take view of it and onely some certaine and definite things besides is so in it that in none of them and serueth for a sufficient note of distinction to know it from any of them So if wee seeke to difference and discerne the nature of man onely from those things that are voide of life sense and motion serue for notes of difference and distinction and are proper to man for that they are not found in any thing voide of life But if wee seeke to difference the nature of man from all other things whatsoeuer we must finde out that which is in man and in 〈◊〉 thing else in which sort also a thing may bee proper and peculiar at some oâ—… time that is not perpetually and euer so as weeâ—…ng laughing and the like which though not alwayes found in a man for sometimes he neither weepeth nor laugheth yet when they are they be notes of difference distinguing man from all other things for that nothing else is at any time capable of any of these Perpetually and absolutely that is proper to a thing which is inseparable and incommunicable as neuer being not found in that to which it is proper nor euer being found in any thing else Those things which are thus and in this sort proper to a thing either are of the effence of that to which they are proper or that is of the essence of them by both these a thing may be knowen from all other whatsoeuer but more specially by them that are of the essence of that which we desire to know These things thus generally obserued touching the nature of the notes of difference whereby one thing may bee discerned and knowen from another if we apply particularly to the Church wee shall easily know which are the true certaine and infallible notes thereof about which our adversaries so tediously contend and iangle deliuering them confusedly without order and doubtfully without all certainty Wherefore seeing by that wee haue already obserued it is euident that there is nothing not proper that may nor proper that may not serue as a note of difference to distinguish one thing from another Seeing likewise of things proper and peculiar there are two sorts some respectiuely and some absolutely and of these againe some not perpetually but at some one time only and some perpetually and euer and these either essentiall to that to which they are peculâ—…ar or essentially depending of it and flowing from it Let vs first see what things are proper to the Church respectiuely considered and secondly what without such respectiue consideration absolutely generally and perpetually which onely are perfect notes of difference whereby the true Church may bee perpetually and infallibly knâ—…en from all other societies of men professions of religion and diversities oâ—…ine worship that are in the world and thirdly suchas are generally and absolutely but not
of the whole vniversall Church and so in our times amongst the schoole Diuines some following Thomas and others Scotus in many and sundry maine contradictory opinions some were named Thomists others Scotists sometimes of such men whose new strange and private opinions contrary to the Churches faith they pertinaciously imbraced and followed as Arrians of Arrius Eutichians of Eutiches yea sometimes of some arch-hereticke whose opinions heresies they hold not as at this day the greater part of Christians that are in Assyria Persia and the rest of the Easterne provinces are called Nestorians by all other Christians in those parts as the Iacobites Maronites Cophti the like yet doe they hold nothing that sauoureth of Nestorius heresie as Onuphrius reporteth in the life of Iulius the third in whose time sundry of them came to Rome These in likelyhood are called Nestorians for that in former times the heresie of Nestorius prevailed much in those parts of the world which now being clearely banished the right beleeuing Christians of those parts are still notwithstanding called by that odious and hatefull name or else it is by wrong and vniust imputation as the Armenians are iudged by many to bee Eutichians for that they receiue not the councell of Chalcedon which they refused to subscribe vnto vpon a false suggestion and apprehension that in it the heresie of Nestorius condemned in the Councell of Ephesus was reviued againe sometimes of such as collected gathered and brought into a certaine Order for the better direction of Gods people in his service the prayers of the Church and formes of administring the sacraments and other holy things or else augmented altered or reformed those that were before So when there grew a division among the Churches of this part of the world some following the forme of Diuine administration left by Ambrose others imbracing that prescribed by Gregory some were called Ambrosian and some Gregorian Churches as likewise in our times when Luther Caluine and other worthy seruants of God had perswaded some states of Christendome to reforme correct and alter some things that were amisse and to remooue and take away sundry barbarismes errours and superstitions crept into the prayers of the Church with many grosse abuses and grievous abominations formerly tolerated in the middest of the Church of God those States people and Churches which reformed themselues abandoning superstition and errour were by some called reformed Churches by other Lutherane Churches Neither was it possible that so great an alteration as the corrupt state of the Church required should be effected not carry some remembrance of them by whom it was procured Wee see the sincerity of our Christian profession concerning the Sonne of God whom we acknowledge coessentiall coequall and coeternall with the Father cleered published in the Nicen Councell was ever after for distinction from the manifold turnings and windings of Heretickes endevouring to obscure corrupt alter adulterate the same called the Nicene faith That the Church needed reformation when Luther began and that it was not necessary nor behoouefull to expect the consent of the whole Christian world in a generall Councell I will make it euident when I come to the third part of my first generall division In the meane while it is most cleare and euident that the naming after the names of men is now no certaine note of Heresie or Schisme For if the naming after the names of men were a certaine note of Heresie or Schisme then should all orders of Monkes and Friers that are named after the names of their first authours be prooued Heretickes yea the followers of Thomas and Scotus should be convinced of Heresie and all the Christians that are named Nestorians should be found Heretickes which they which know them best doe denie yea then all the Ambrosian and Gregorian Churches must bee charged with Heresie and Schisme THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE TRVE CHVRCH DEMONSTRATED BY THE NOTES BEFORE AGREED VPON CHAP. 1. Of the division of the Christian world into the Westerne or Latine Church and the Orientall or East Church THus then having sufficiently examined those things which concerne the notes of the Church so that it is evidēt to all not wilfully contentious which are the true notes whereby the Church may be knowne it remaineth that by application of them we seeke out which among so many diversities and contrarieties in matters of religion as are at this day found in the World is the true and Orthodox Church of God And because our controuersies are not with Iewes nor Pagan Infidels as in the times of the fathers but with such as together with vs professe themselues Christians letting passe all those notes which serue to proue the trueth of Christian profession in generall against heathenish and Iewish errours let vs come to take view of the diuersities that are found among Christians and by the direction of the notes agreed vpon see which is the true Church of God The Christian Church is divided at this day into the Westerne or Latine Church and the Orientall or East Church The Orientall or East Church is divided into the Greeke Church the Nestorian or Assyrian Churches and the Churches of the supposed Monophysits as the Iacobites Armenians Cophti or Christians of Aegypt the Aethiopians or Abissens and the Maronites who are thought to be Monothelites The Christians that are of the Greeke religion are of two sorts First such as presently are or lately were subiect to the iurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople Secondly such as neuer were vnder that iurisdiction and yet are of the same Communion as the Melchites of Syria and the Georgians Of the first sort are all the Christians of Natolia except Armenia the lesser and Cilicia the Christians of Circassia and Mengrellia and Russia in Europe the Christians of Greece Macedon Epirus Thrace Bulgaria Rascia Servia Bosina Walachia Moldavia Podolia and Moscovia together with all the Ilands of the Aegean sea as farre as Corfu besides a great part of the king of Polonia his dominions and those parts of Dalmatia and Croatia that are vnder the Turke The reason of this large extent of the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople was First the decree of the Councell of Chalcedon subjecting vnto him all Thracia and Anatolia except Isauria and Cilicia belonging to Antioch 28 Roman Provinces Secondly the voluntary submission of the Grecians vpon the separation of the Churches For thereby not only Greece Macedon Epirus Candie and the Iles about Greece in all about 7 Provinces came vnder him but Sicily also and Calabria fell from Rome and for a long time were subject to the iurisdiction of Constantinople Wherevpon in Curopalates the Metropolitans of Syracusa and Catana in Sicilia of Rhegium Severiana Rosia and Hydruntum in Calabria are registred amongst the Metropolitans of that jurisdiction Thirdly the conversion of sundry nations and people to the Christian faith by his suffragans and ministers wrought a great
the yeare 17 From Easter till Whitsontide they fast not any Friday but freely eate flesh 18 They know not the ember fasts 19 They solemnize not Christmas day on the 25th of December but fast that day and in steede of it keepe the day of the Epiphany as Christ birth day according to an auncient Custome as we may read in Epiphanius and Chrysostom 20 On Saturday before Easter they eate egges and cheese in the euening saying that Christ rose in the euening 21 They eate not of such beasts as are iudged vncleane in the Law 22 They admitt not the Sacrament of auricular confession as it is in the Roman Church neither of confirmation or extreame vnction 23 They deny the supremacy of the Pope Lastly they are charged to deny originall sinne but vniustly as it seemeth seing they teach that the children of infidells not baptized goe to hell with their vnbeleeuing parents Hauing spoken of the Iacobites and Armenians it remayneth that wee come to take a view of the religion and rites of the Cophti and Abyssens or Aethiopians The word Cophti is not a name of sect but of countrie importing no more then an Aegyptian Christian. The particulars of the religion of the Cophti are these First they reject the Councell of Chalcedon they condemne Leo Bishop of Rome they accurse Eutyches and honour Dioscorus and Iacobus Syrus as holy men and touching the incarnation teach as the Iacobites Armenians doe refusing to acknowledge two natures in Christ and yet confessing him to be truely God and truely man and accursing them that spoile him of either nature or deny that they remaine in him distinct and vnconfounded in being and property in sort before expressed Secondly they adde to the Trisagium as the former but in the same sense and without all touch of heresie Thirdly they permit none to baptize but a Priest in what necessity soeuer nor any where else but in the Church nor before the fortieth day Fourthly they dip the baptized into the water after the manner of the Greekes but pronouncing the words as the Latines doe Fiftly they presently anoynt the baptized and minister the Eucharist to them in both kinds They sometimes vsed Circumcision but now haue abrogated that custome at least in Alexandria and Cair happily since the Synod there holden whereof I spake before Sixtly they minister the Sacrament of the Eucharist in both kindes the Priests neuer celebrate without the assistance of the deacons and the subdeacons and these alwayes communicate with the Priest but the saypeople seldome but onely at Easter Seaventhly they consecrate in leavened bread Eightly they neither minister extreame vnction nor the Eucharist to the sicke Ninthly they giue the inferiour holy orders euen to children so soone as they are baptized 10 They acknowledge that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne yet leaue out those words and from the Sonne in the creed 11 They contract marriage in the presence of the Priest and in the face of the Church after the manner of the Roman Church but with more ceremonies 12 They sometimes dissolue marriage and permit a second marriage 13 They admit married Priests 14 They admit not purgatory nor prayer for the dead 15 They reade in the Churches certaine fabulous things as the booke called secreta Petri and the gospell of Nicodemus 16 They deny the supremacy of the Pope and thinke him no lesse subject to errour than other Bishops They condemne the Latine Church as erring in sundry poynts of religion and therevpon refuse to communicate with the Christians of these parts And though Baronius haue a large narration of an embassage sent from the Church of Alexandria to Clement the eight wherein is reported that Marke the Patriarch and with him all the Bishops and people subject to that jurisdiction submitted themselues to the Bishop of Rome as to the head of the Church yet afterwards it was found to be a meere imposture and cousenage as Thomas à Iesu reporteth But Casaubone telleth vs that the Patriarch of Alexandria wrote a most pious letter to the now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury desiring to joyne in communion with the Churches of England c. Which letter vnder his Patriarchicall seale is to bee seene besides another letter to the same purpose from a Bishop of Asia To this Patriarch are subject all the Christians of Aegypt the Christians of Habassia that small remainder of Christians that are found about the Bay of Arabia and in mount Sina Eastward or in Afrique as farre as the greater Syrtes Westward And vnder this jurisdiction the Nubians also were as some thinke before their defection from Christianity Nubia being a part of Habassia which was put vnder the Bishop of Alexandria by the Nicen Councell The number of Christians in Aegypt is greatly diminished For whereas Burchardus reporteth that in his time about 320 yeares since there were found in Cair alone aboue fortie Christian temples now there are but three in Cair and no more in Alexandria And the number of Christians is esteemed to bee about fiftie thousand in that great and populous Countrie But in Habassia almost innumerable For the kingdome of Habassia subject to that great Monarch whom wee by errour call Praester Iohn they Iohn Encoe or Belul is as large in circuit and compasse of ground as Italy Germany France and Spaine but nothing so populous nor without mixture of Mahumetans and Pagans in some parts of it The Habassines haue a Patriarch of their owne whom in their Language they call Abuna that is our father This Patriarch was to haue the seuenth place in sitting in generall Councels next after the Bishop of Seleucia as appeareth by the Arabique Booke of the Nicene Councell translated by Pisanus but hee is subject to the Patriarch of Alexandria and being elected by the Habassine Monkes of S. Antonies order residing at Hierusalem he is consecrated confirmed by him and so sent to Habassia And answereably hereunto in their Liturgie they pray for the Patriarch of Alexandria before their owne Patriarch terming him the Prince of their Archbishops Wherefore let vs descend to take a view of their Religion First touching the Holy Trinity they are orthodoxe professing as we doe Concerning the Incarnation of the Sonne of God they thinke as the Iacobites Armenians and Aegyptians before-mentioned teaching that two natures were vnited in Christ but that after the vnion they are become one not by mixtion conversion confusion or such a composition as that a third should arise and result out of them but by coadvnation only in sort before expressed So that they may be said to be one nature not in the being of essence or propertie which cannot be conceiued without confusion but in respect of the being of subsistence the mutuall inexistence of one of them in another and the Communion of action or operation one of them doing nothing without the other Thirdly they reject the Councell
excellent sort Either then the Fathers condemned these without cause for worshipping creatures or they meant to restraine more than that adoration which ascribeth infinite greatnesse to him that is adored which vndoubtedly they did euen the least and lowest degree of spirituall worship or worship in spirit and truth This most clearely appeareth to bee so by that of the seuenth generall Councell which though it did not onely confirme the placing of pictures in the Church but prescribed that they should be worshipped yet the Fathers of that Councell expounded themselues that they meant nothing else thereby but a reuerent vsage of them approaching to them embracing and kissing of them in such sort as men vse to doe to the bookes of holy Scriptures and all sacred vessels and things consecrated to the vse of Gods seruice but permit not any the least part of spirituall worshippe or worshippe in spirit and trueth the Scripture speaketh of to be giuen vnto them for if it be they judge it Idolatrie But the Romanists at this day giue spirituall worshippe to creatures and thinke they sinne not if it be not in so high a degree as to ascribe vnto them infinite greatnesse Adoration implieth in it three actes First an apprehension of the excellencie of that which is adored Secondly an acte of the will desiring to doe some thing to testifie our acknowledgement of this greatnes and our subjection and inferioritie Thirdly an outward acte expressing the same Wee say therefore that Adoration proceeding out of the apprehension of the excellencie of that is worshipped and the desire to testifie our acknowledgement of it is of two sortes or kinds For either it is limited to certaine times places and things when where and wherein the excellencie of that wee worship presents it selfe vnto vs and requireth our acknowledgement of it as is the worshippe of Kings Princes Prelates and Prophets in their kingdomes Courts Churches and Schooles ruling guiding teaching and instructing or else it is spirituall which in all places at all times and in all things causeth him that worshippeth to bow himself before that hee worshippeth and thereby to testifie his acknowledgement of the excellency of it which he findeth in euery time place and thing to present it selfe vnto him This kinde of Adoration subiecteth not only the body but the spirit and minde also to him whose greatnesse it thus acknowledgeth This worship we say is proper to God For he onely at all times and in all places and things seeth beholdeth guideth and taketh care of vs and ruling disposing and commaunding vs inwardly and outwardly worketh our good But the Romanists say the Saints doe so likewise though not in so excellent sort as God doth for they suppose that they know all things that concerne vs that they watch ouer vs with a carefull and vigilant eye that they carry vs in their hands and by their mediation procure our good from God the fountaine of all good and therefore they worship them with spirituall worship The miracles that God wrought in times past by them made many to attribute more to them than was fitte as if they had a generalitie of presence knowledge and working but the wisest and best aduised neuer durst attribute any such thing vnto them Whether saith Augustine the Saints be present euery where or at least wheresoeuer their memorialls are kept or whether they remaine in one place only and praying onely in generall for the Militant Church God doe worke by himselfe or his Angels that which is fit for the confirmation of the faith they professed and the good of such as remember them I dare not pronounce And who knoweth not that hee inclineth to that opinion that they doe not particularly see know and entermeddle with humane things and confirmeth this his iudgement with sundry excellent reasons and authorities This opinion did the Authour of the glosse follow and Hugo de sancto victore and the Church of God neuer defined otherwise howsoeuer Ierome in his passion against Vigilantius seeme to say the contrary and Gregorie endeauour to confirme it saying hee that seeth God who seeth all things cannot but see all things in him But Occam and sundry other excellent Schoolemen reiect this saying of Gregorie and Gregorius Ariminensis resolueth peremptorily that neither Saints nor Angels know the secrets of our hearts but that this is reserued as peculiar to God alone If then the Saints for ought wee know do not see know and intermeddle with our particular affaires but pray only in generall there remaineth nothing else safely to bee donne by vs but to seeke vnto GOD and then all these both Saints and Angells shall loue vs in him and what in them lyeth procure our good Behold sayth Augustine I worship one God one beginning of all things that fountaine of wisdome and happinesse whence all things that are wise and happie haue their wisdome and happinesse whichsoeuer of the Angels loueth thâ—… GOD I am sure hee loueth mee whosoeuer abideth in him and can heare the prayers and take notice of the wants of mortall men I am well assured hee doth heare mee when I pray to God and endeauoureth to giue mee the best furtherance hee can Let therefore those Adoratores partium mundi worshippers of parts and portions of the world tell mee what good Saint or Angel hee doth not assure vnto himselfe which worshipeth that one God whom euery one that is good doth loue and desire to please Hence it came that though some particular men did aunciently at sometimes when they had occasion to speake of them doubtfully sollicite the Saints and desire them if they had any apprehension of these inferiour things to bee remembrancers for them vnto God yet no man prayed vnto them with bowed knees in set courses of deuotion and prayer Neither was there any forme of inuocation of Saints brought into the seruice of the Church for a long time as appeareth by that of Augustine who sayth they are named by the Minister in the time of the holy mysteries but not innocated For how could there be any inuocation of them generally receiued and allowed or constantly resolued on and vsed in the set courses of the prayers of those primitiue Christians when they knew not nor were not certainely resolued whether the Saints do know or intermeddle with the particular affaires of men in this world seeing the Romanists themselues confesse it were not fit nor safe to pray to Saints if they did not heare vs Now it is no way likely that any generall opinion was holden in those times of the vniuersall presence knowledge and habilitie of Saints to steade them that seeke unto them seeing it was a long time doubtfull in the Church whether the faithfull departing out of this world bee immediatly receiued into heauen and enioy the happie presence of God or whether they remaine or stay in Abrahams bosome or some place
thing and to bee but verball vpon mistaking through the hasty and inconsiderate humours of some men than any thing else Yea I dare confidently pronounce that after due and full examination of each others meaning there shall be no difference foūd touching the matter of the Sacrament the vbiquitary presence or the like between the Churches reformed by Luthers ministery in Germany and other places and those whome some mens malice called Sacramentaries that none of the differences betweene Melancthon and Illyricus except about certaine ceremonies were reall that Hosiander held no private opinion of Iustification howsoeuer his strange manner of speaking gaue occasion to many so to thinke and conceiue And this shall be iustified against the proudest Papist of them all But sayth Bellarmine your Churches are so torne and rent with dangerous diuisions that not onely one of you dissenteth from another but the same man often times from himselfe and herein giueth instance in Luther whose judgement varied in divers things of great consequence Touching Luther we answere that he was a most worthy Diuine as the world had any in those times wherein he liued or in many ages before that for the clearing of sundry poynts of greatest moment in our Christian profession much obscured intangled before with the intricate disputes of the Schoolemen and Romish Sophisters as of the power of nature of free will grace iustification the difference of the Law and the Gospell faith and workes Christian libertie and the like all succeeding ages shall euer be bound to honour his happie memory In all these things hee was euer constant yea all these things he perfectly apprehended and to the great joy of many mens hearts deliuered both by word and writing before he departed from the Romish Synagogue and out of these and more diligent search of the Scripture and Fathers then was vsuall in those times by degrees saw and descried those Popish errours which at first hee discerned not That herein he proceeded by degrees and in his later writings disliked that which in his former he did approoue is not so strange a thing as our aduersaries would make it seeme to be Did not Augustine the greatest of all the Fathers and worthiest Diuine the Church of God euer had since the Apostles times write a whole booke of Retractations Doe we not carefully obserue what things he wrote when he was but a Presbyter and what when hee was made a Bishop what before he entred into conflict with the Pelagians and what afterwards Did hee not formerly attribute the election of those that were chosen to eternall life to the foresight of faith which afterward he disclaimed as a meere Pelagian conceit So that his aduersaries as appeareth by the Epistles of Prosper and Hillarius did not only charge him to be contrary to the Fathers but to himselfe also Did not Ambrose in his time complaine that he was forced to teach before he had learned and so to deliuer many things that should neede and require a second review Doth not their Angelicall Doctor in his Summe of Theologie correct and alter many things that he had written before Let not our aduersaries therefore insult vpon Luther for that he saw not all the abominations of Popery at the first but let them rather consider of and yeeld to the reasonablenesse of the ◠request which in the preface of his workes hee maketh to all Christian and well minded readers to wit that they would reade his bookes and writings with iudgment and with much commisseration and remember that he was sometimes a Frier nourished in the errors of the Romish Church so that it was more painefull to him to forget those things hee had formerly ill learned than to learne anew that which is good But say they Luther himselfe witnesseth that contrariety and cotradiction is a note of falshood and therefore his writings being contradictory the later to the former his whole doctrine must needes be false euen in his owne iudgement Let them that thus reason against Luther know that his meaning is not that whosoeuer retracteth and correcteth that he formerly taught is thereby conuinced of falshood and his whole doctrine prooued to bee erroneous but that those assertions that doe implie contradicton and contrarietie that stand wholly vpon doubtfull vncertaine perplexed disputes and so ouerthrow themselues doe thereby appeare to be false Of which nature are all the principall parts of the Romish doctrine For example Transubstantiation is one of the greatest mysteries of Popish religion and all Papists at this day do firmely hold and beleeue it yet it is demonstratiuely prooued by their owne best Diuines that such a totall conuersion or transubstantiation of the Sacramentall elements into the body bloud of Christ is impossible implieth in it sundry contradictions consequences of horrible impieties For is it not implyed in the nature of the transubstantiation or totall conuersion of one substance into another that the one must succeed the other in being and that the former must cease to be the later therevpon begin to be whence it will followe that the later of the two substances into which the conuersion is made was not nor had no being before Now vvhat greater blasphemie can there be than to thinke Christs body had no beeing till the Massing Priests had wrought this miraculous Transubstantiation It is true that one substance may be changed into another as was Lots wife into a pillar of salt but that one substance should passe and be totally transubstantiated into another hauing the same beeing without all difference before the supposed Transubstantiation that after it hath and nothing beeing new in it in respect of substance or beeing implieth a contradiction and therefore the sacramentall elements cannot be transubstantiated into Christs body bloud That which Bellarmine hath out of Scotus of Transubstantiatio productiua and adductiua is the most childish folly that euer was For this is that he saith The substance of the sacramentall elements is annihilated and they returne into that nothing out of vvhich they vvere formerly taken and then Christs body commeth into the place where they vvere before Therefore the one substance may be sayd to be changed into the other If this reason be good when one man remooueth out of his place into which another vpon his remooue doth enter the former may be sayd to be transubstantiated into the later For as the former of the two supposed men goeth out of his place into some other vvhereupon the other succeedeth him not in being but in place so the sacramentall elements goe out of their place and returne to that nothing out of vvhich they vvere created and the body of Christ succeedeth them not in being vvhich it had the very same vvhile they vvere but in place ◠Neither can this supposed conuersion of the elements into the body of Christ be the cause of Christs being in the Sacrament but rather of
worthy Scofferius whose true report wee oppose against the wicked and vile slaunders of that base and branded runnagate Bolsecus That Zuinglius died in the field with his Countrey-men in defence of their liues liberties and Religion is no certaine note as I take it that his Religion was false but rather an excellent proofe and demonstration of the Christian magnanimitie and resolution that rested in him How infortunate they haue beene in their attempts how vnhappy in their endes that haue most opposed themselues against the trueth of that Religion which wee professe we are able to produce many examples CHAP. 52. Of the Sanctity of the liues of them that are of the true Church THe last note of the Church assigned by them is the sanctitie holinesse and good conversation of such as are of it In assigning of this note as in some of the former they shew how sweetly they conspire and agree together For Cardinall Allen in his preface before his booke of Purgatory confesseth that by the guile and craftie conveyance of our common enemie the diuell falsehood is often so cloaked in shadow and shape of truth and the masters thereof make such shew of vertue and godly life that you would thinke it had no affinitie with vice nor origine of mans misbehauiour at all So did hee couer the wicked heresies of Manicheus Marcion Tatianus and the like with a fained flourish of continency and chastitie So did hee ouer-cast the enemie of Gods grace Pelagius with the apparance of all grauitie constancie and humility And so hath he alwayes where craft was requisite to his intent made shew of a simple sheepe in the cruell carcasse of a wily wolfe transfiguring himselfe into an Angell of light And that his schollers play the like parts our Maister Christ of his singular loue gaue his flock this watch-word for a speciall provizo Take heede of false Prophets that come in sheepes vesture but within are ravening Wolues So that in all cloaked heresies men must haue an eye to the fruit of the doctrines preached and not onely or principally to the liues of such as teach them by the outward appearance whereof it is not alwayes safe to judge This the Rhemists doe more fully expresse in their annotations vpon this place saying the fruits that heretiques are knowne by are division from the whole Church division amongst themselues inconstancie in doctrine and such like and that these are lightly common to all heretiques but that there are some other more peculiar to certaine as wickednesse of life and doctrine directly tending to corruption of good life in all states of men Thus then wee see that appearing sanctity grauity and godlynesse are no sure certaine infallible and perpetuall notes to knowe the true professors by from such as erre and are deceiued But passing by this their ouersight in that they make such things to be notes of the Church as are not proper vnto it nor doe not clearely distinguish it from heretickes let vs see what they indeauour to proue against vs or for themselues by the force and euidence of this note Thus therefore they reason The chiefe guides of the reformed Churches and professours of the reformed religion are apparently wicked and godlesse men of vile and scandalous conuersation and the people wicked yea much worse then they were in the Papacy but their Pristes Prelates Monkes Friers and people are holy and religious therefore the truth of religion is theirs This imputation of wickednesse Bellarmine fastneth vpon Wickliffe and Luther and from them descendeth to the people Touching Wickliffe it is a most impudent and shamelesse challenge for Waldensis sheweth that his conuersation was such and his manner of life soe shadowed with shewes of vertue that he thereby preuailed much thereupon sheweth at large that it is not safe to discerne the truth of religion by the appearance of sanctity and good conuersation of them that professe it and that heretickes haue and often do cloth themselues with the robes and garments of seeming vertue and piety But hath he no proofe that Wickliffe was a wicked and godlesse man Doubtlesse hee hath and that very pregnant For Waldensis reporteth vpon an vncertaine rumour that a Bishoppe of Salisburie in a very great and solemne assembly of the Clergie of the Prouence of Canterbury affirmed that Wickliffe affected the Bishopricke of Worcester which when he obtained not hee grewe discontented and so became an enimy to the Catholike Church impugned the different degrees of Ministerie and the dignity of Bishops If this kind of proofe bee good innocencie it selfe will not be able to abide the triall Wherefore passing from Wickliffe against whom it seemeth our aduersaries are able to say little let vs see what are those greeuous crimes wherewith they charge Luther First they say he beganne to impugne the sale and marchandise of indulgences not led by any iust reason mouing him to dislike them but because the publishing of them was not committed to the Friers of his order but to the Friers predicant This vile slaunder hath no better ground then the former against Wickliffe For who will regard the malitious report of Coclaeus his sworne enimie against the whole course of things that passed in those times and the cleare euidence of the trueth it selfe Guicciardine reporteth that the abuses in the marchandise of those pardons were so intolerable that the pardon sellers set the price of redemption and deliuerance of soules out of Purgatorie as a stake at dice to be played for in euery Inne and Ta◅erne where they came that all good men disliked much this impious and irreligious abusing the people of God and that thereupon Luther began his opposition against them not without the great applause of the Christian world But to make it most cleare to all not wilfully blinded that noe such sinister respect mooued Luther to impugne the Kingdome of the Roman Antichrist It is certaine hee had before this occasion was offered vnto him cleared the doctrine of Originall sinne of Nature and Grace of the difference betweene the spirit and the letter the Law and grace of freewill and the like which are the maine grounds of all that doctrine wherein hee dissenteth from the Romish Synagogue But saith Bellarmine Coclaeus reporteth that Luther in the disputatiō at Lipsia between him Eckius said his opposition against the Pope Poperie was never begun out of any desire of Gods glory nor would euer haue any good end This is is a diuellish slaunder for Luther said no such thing but that this disputation was not begunne on his aduersaries part out of any desire of the glory of God or the good of his Church and that therefore it would neuer haue any good end That which hee writeth to them of Strawesborough that hee would willingly be of their opinion and denie the reall presence of the body of Christ in the Sacrament if the euidence of truth did
devout as to desire to communicate euery Sunday and some other dayes also So that there wanted not of the people in former times that desired to communicate aswell as to be present nor of the guides that encouraged them so to doe and therefore hitherto nothing can be proued against my assertion Wherefore let vs come to the Masse it selfe Amongst all the Sacraments of the Church that is the principall saith Durandus that is celebrated vpon the table of the most holy Altar representing that Feast banquet of the Church wherein the father vpon the returne of his lost sonne caused the fatlings to be slaine setteth out the bread of life the wine which wisedome hath mixed for her friends louers These mysteries this holy Sacrament Christ then instituted when he made his new and last testament disposing to his heires a kingdome as his father had disposed to him that vpon his Table they might eat drinke in his kingdome that which the Church hath consecrated for as they were at supper Iesus tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks blessed it brake it gaue it to his Disciples saying take eat this is my body which shal be giuen for you doe this in the remembrance of me The Apostles following this institution began to celebrate these mysteries for the same end that Christ had expressed keeping the same forme in words and vsing the same matter of bread wine that he did as the Apostle witnesseth to the Corinthians where he saith what I haue receiued of the Lord I haue deliuered vnto you who the same night that hee was betrayed tooke bread c. and added to the forme of wordes vsed by Christ the Lords prayer And S. Peter is said in this sort to haue celebrated first of all in the East parts Wherefore in the beginnings of the Church these mysteries were celebrated in another sort then since they haue bin Afterwards the reading of some parts of sacred scripture particularly of the Epist. Gospell was added Pope Celestinus instituted the introitus other things were added at other times by others Howsoeuer this is certain there were are at this day diuers formes of celebrating this mystery For the formes of the East Churches are different from those of the West it appeareth that aunciently in France Spain sundry parts of Italy they had other formes then now are vsed more like to those of the East which being in some things enlarged and perfitted by S. Ambrose were called the Ambrosian forms of divine seruice These cōtinued till the time of Charles the great For thogh Gregory as Io. Diaconus tels vs taking the forms of celebrating masse which Gelasius had cōposed adding somethings detracting others changing others brought in a new forme which the Church of Rome followed yet the other churches of the west retained the old forms which they had receiued frō their ancesters And to this purpose it is that Berno Augiensis testifieth that amongst the monuments of his Abbey there was found an olde ◅all much different from those of Rome But Charles the great sought to bring the Provinces subiect to his Empire to receiue the Romane forme by threats punishment We read saith Durandus in the life of blessed Eugenius that while the forme of divine seruice which was named the Ambrosian forme was more followed obserued by the Church then that of Gregory Adrian the Pope called a councell in which it was ordered that the Gregorian forme should euerywhere be obserued To the obseruation whereof Charles the Emperour by threats and punishments forced the Cleargie in sundry Provinces burning the olde Ambrosian bookes And further hee addeth that Saint Eugenius comming to a certaine councell called about this businesse finding that the Bishoppes were gone and the councell ended three dayes before his comming induced the Pop◅ to call the Bishoppes backe againe which hee did and the councell being againe renued it was agreed on by common consent that both the missals both that of Saint Ambrose and the other of Saint Gregorie should be layed on the altar of Saint Peter the Apostle that the doores of the Church should be fast locked and sealed with the seale of sundry Bishops and that then they should spend the whole night in prayer beseeching God that he would shew by some signe which of these hee would haue to be obserued in his Church and in the morning entering they found that of Gregory torne in peeces and scattered all ouer the Church the other opened but yet still lying entire and whole on the altar of which accident they made this construction that that of Gregorie was to be vsed euery where thorough the world the other only at Millain in S. Ambroses owne Church and so saith Durand it is vsed vnto this day For by the helpe of Charles the great that of Ambrose was disused in many Churches that other brought in place Onely the Christians of Spaine admitted not this alteration notwithstanding all these endeauours till the time of Gregorie the seauenth what time they were constrained by Alphonsus the sixt to giue way which they did most vnwillingly and not without teares Rodericus reporteth that when this alteration was vrged by the Popes legate and the king there being an assembly of all the states the Clergie Nobilitie and people resisted mainely against it whereupon in the end it was resolued that that matter should be tried by cumbate and one being chosen for the newe and another for defense of the old he that vndertooke the defense of the old preuailed which caused a great reioycing among the people But the king not regarding this triall nor thinking it to bee any sufficient clearing of the matter questioned it was agreed that both the bookes should be cast into the fire that that which should bee preserued in the fire might bee allowed as best which accordingly being done the booke of the old forme came forth vntouched and the other was consumed yet would not the king be perswaded to desist but threatning death and vtter confusion to all gainesayers made this innouation in his Church and kingdome all his subiects weeping and sorrowing and then began the prouerbe Quo volunt reges vadunt leges So that wee see howsoeuer our aduersaries would make the simple beleeue that things were euer as now they are yet there haue beene great alterations in the forme of diuine seruice and it is not to be doubted but that the auncient formes as different from the latter were more pure and sincere then they that are now vsed They that haue diligently looked into the monuments of antiquity sayth Rhenanus vpon Tertullians booke de corona militis do thinke that aunciently the masse began when the priest did say The lord be with you immediately after Lift vp your harts and Let vs giue thankes to our Lord God and againe It is very meete right and our
that so many of vs as shall receiue the sacred body and bloud of thy Sonne by partaking of this Altar may be filled with all benediction and grace thorough the same Christ our Lord Amen And after the communion they pray againe in this sort graunt Lord that we may receiue with a pure minde what we haue receiued with the mouth And againe Let this communion O Lord purge vs from sinne and make vs partakers of the heauenly remedie Whereupon Micrologus inferreth that they must not neglect to communicate that thinke to haue any benefit by these prayers These prayers remaine as witnesses of the olde obseruation Durandus saith that in the Primitiue Church all that were present at the celebration of the Masse were wont to communicate euery day and that to this purpose they did offer a great loafe that might suffice for the communicating of them all which custome saith he the Grecians are said to keepe still Afterwards when the multitude of beleeuers encreased and devotion decreased it was ordained that at least euery Sunday they should communicate In processe of time when this could not be kept there was a third constitution that at least thrice euery yeare each Christian man should communicate if not oftener In the end it was ordered that at the least at Easter euery one should come to the Sacrament and insteed of the daylie communicating the Priest gaue daylie the kisse of peace to the minister saying in some places take you the bond of peace and loue that you may be fit for these sacred mysteries which were words that were wont to be vsed when they vsed to salute one another before the cōmunion did import an ensuing cōmunion The antheme which is named post cōmunio is so named because it is sung after the cōmunicating or in signe that the cōmunion is past For in the Primitiue Church all the Faithfull did daylie communicate and presently after their cōmunicating this song was sung that it might appeare the people did giue thanks to God for the body blood of Christ which they had receiued Odo Cameracensis saith that in old times there was no masse celebrated without some assembly of such as might offer together with him that celebrateth partake with him of the sacrament Generally we may say saith Durandus that that is a lawfull masse at which are present the Priest such as answere vnto him such as offer communicat And Walafridus Strabo agreeth with him saying that the very forme of the prayers vsed in the masse shew so much where there is mention expresly made of such as offer communicate And the booke of Ecclesiasticall obseruations intituled Micrologus written 500 yeares since saith it is to bee knowne that according to the auncient Fathers onely the communicants were wont to bee present at the celebration of the sacred mysteries and that the catechumens penitents were all sent out as not being fit to cōmunicate Which the very forme of celebrating importeth in which the priest prayeth not for his own oblation cōmuniō alone but that of others also especially in the praier after the cōmunion he seemeth to pray only for the cōmunicants Neither can it properly be said to be a communion vnlesse diuerse doe partake of the same sacrifice Chrysostome writing vpon the Ephesians sayth that hee that standeth by and communicateth not is impudent and shamelesse And that not only they that sit downe at table but they that are present at this feast without their wedding garment are subiect to a fearefull iudgment For the master of the feast will not aske friend how durst thou sit downe but how durst thou come in not hauing thy wedding garment thou abidest thou singest the himme with the rest thou professest thy selfe worthy in that thou goest not out with the vnworthy how darest thou abide and not communicate They that are in the state of penitencie are commanded out if thou bee in thy sinnes how continuest thou if thou be vnworthy of the sacramentall participation thou art so also of the communion in the praiers For the spirit descendeth and commeth by them aswell as by the mysteries there proposed And surely how any can be present that are not fit at least in desire and in as much as in them is to communicate I know not In old time they communicated every day or so often that they might seeme to communicate every day and the holy canons debarre all such as did not communicate from hearing of the masse as it apeareth De consecr dist 2. can peract Caietan in 3am Aquinat q 80. art 12. Yet so did deuotion decay and abuses grow that in many places the whole people stayed and were present yet none but the Clergie alone communicated and afterwards none but the Deacon and subdeacon Whence it came that whereas the mysticall breade was wont to be broken into 3 parts whereof the first was for him that celebrated the 2◠for the Clergy and the 3◠for the people in time it was so ordered that a diuisiō being made into 3 parts he took the one to himselfe gaue the other two to the deacon and subdeacon and in some places did eate all himselfe Whatsoeuer the neglect or abuses were it is evident by the composition of the canon that the mysticall action in which the canon is vsed was publique that there were alwaies some present that offered the sacrifice of praise together with the priest participated of the sacrament as these words do clearely shew Quotquot ex hac altaris participatione sacrosanctum corpus sanguinem filii tui sumpserimus Item prosint nobis domini sacramenta quae sumpsimus And therefore Iohn Hofmeister a learned man expounding the prayers of the masse hath these words Res ipsa inquit clamat tam in Graecâ quà m in Latinâ Ecclesia non solum sacerdotē sacrificantem sed reliquos presbyteros diaconos nec non reliquam plebem aut saltem plebis aliquam partem communicasse quod quomodo cessauerit mirandum est vt bonus ille vsus in Ecclesiam revocetur laborandum that is The thing it selfe proclaimeth it that aswell in the Greeke as Latin Church not only the priest which sacrificeth but the other priests and deacons also yea and the people or at least some part of them did communicate which good custome how it grew out of vse I know not but surely we should labour to bring it in againe That it was not lawfull for the priest to celebrate without the Deacon who was to receiue the sacrament at his hand Cusanus sheweth by that which is in the missal Sumpsimus domini sacramēta we haue receiued the Sacraments of the Lord c. In the ◠Interim published by the Emperor Charles the fift in the assembly at Augusta in the 15 of May 1548 we find these words Atque hic expedierit cum verissimum
due consideration of the feare of spilling and shedding the blood of Christ. But this attempt was disliked and resisted for the authour of the booke intituled Micrologus saith It is not authenticall that certaine doe dippe the body of the Lord and hauing so dipped it giue it to the people thinking thereby to make vp vnto them the whole communion But the Roman order is against this and doth prescribe that vpon Good friday when they consecrate not but vse the bread consecrated the day before they shall take wine that is not consecrated and consecrate it with the Lords player and dipping of the Lords body into it that so the people may receiue the whole Sacrament which prescription were superfluous if it were enough to dippe the body of Christ the day before so to keep it to giue it so dipped to the people to cōmunicate in Pope Iulius in order of Popes the 36th writing to the Bishops of Egypt doth altogether forbid any such dipping commandeth the bread cup to be receiued apart What the credit of this Epistle is which the authour of this book citeth as the Epistle of Pope Iulius I know not neither do I thinke that any such custome of giuing the Sacrament to the people in the Church in such sort was so ancient as to be reprehended by Pope Iulius But it appeareth that such dipping when it began to be vsed in the Church found great opposition therfore this supposed constitution of Iulius is renewed cōfirmed in the 3d councel of Bracar Micrologus addes that blessed Gelasius in order of Popes the 51th writing to certaine Bishoppes commandeth them to excommunicate all those that receiuing the Lords body abstained from the participation of the cuppe pronouncing in the same decree that such diuision of the Sacrament cannot bee without horrible sacriledge By this of Micrologus it is evident that they thought in those times that not onely the communicating in one kind alone out of such erroneous conceipts as those of the Manichees and other like but all communicating in one kind alone is sacrilegious And that they could not endure the dipping of the sacramentall bread whereby yet the people did in a sort partake of both kindes Neither doth Micrologus alone shew the dislike that then was of such dipping but the like wee may finde in the writings of sundry worthy men Hildebertus Cenomanensis Hoec ideo tibi frater exaravi vt excitatus evigiles vt videas quoniam traditioni sacramentorum altaris quae in vestro celebris est monasterio nec Evangelica traditio consonat nec decreta concordant In eo enim consuetudinis est eucharistiam nulli nisi intinctam dare quod nec ex dominica institutione nec ex sanctionibus authenticis reperitur assumptum si Mathaeum si Marcum si Lucam consulas seorsim panem traditum invenies seorsim vinum c nam intinctum panem aliis praebuisse Christum non legimus excepto tantummodo illo discipulo quem intincta buccella proditorem ostenderit non quod huius sacramenti institutionem fignaret sic Papa Iulius ait c. That is Brother I haue therefore written these things vnto thee that being stirred by me thou mightest bee awakened to see that the manner of deliuering of the sacrament of the altar which is growne into vse in your monasterie is neither consonant to the evangelicall tradition nor agreeing with the decrees For in your monasterie it is become a custome to giue the mysticall bread to none but dipped which will never be found to haue taken beginning from the Lords institution or authenticall constitutions For if thou consult Mathew or Marke or Luke thou shalt finde that the bread was deliuered apart and the wine apart c. for wee reade not that Christ gaue dipped bread to any other but onely to that disciple whom by the dipped soppe he meant to shew to be the traitour and not that he would haue the sacrament so ministred and so Pope Iulius sayth c. From the custome of dipping the mysticall bread into the blood giving it so dipped vnto the people for feare of shedding the blood of Christ if it should haue beene ministred apart some proceeded farther and began to teach the people that seeing the body blood of Christ cannot be separated in that they partake of the one they partake of the other also and that therefore it is sufficient to receiue in one kinde alone But herein they gaue no satisfaction either to themselues or others For though it be true sayth Durandus that they are not separated and that he that receiueth the one receiueth the other also yet neither part of the sacrament is superfluous but both are to bee receiued For whereas wine breedeth blood wherein the soule life is seated according to that in Leviticus The soule of all flesh is in the blood of it and whereas in the offerings that were of old the flesh of those beasts that were sacrificed was offered for the body and the blood of them for the soule if wee should receiue Christs body and together with it the blood vnder the forme of bread signifying and exhibiting the flesh of Christ and not vnder the forme of wine signifying exhibiting vnto vs the blood of Christ wee might bee thought to neglect the saluation and good of our soules And els-where hee saith that hee that receiueth onely the consecrated bread receiueth not the whole entire Sacrament For howsoeuer it be true that the blood of Christ is in the host or consecrated bread yet is it not there sacramentally seeing bread doth not signifie the blood but the body of Christ neither the wine the body but the blood of Christ. And in the former place hee addeth out of Innocentius tertius that though the blood of Christ be receiued with the body vnder the forme of bread and the body with the blood vnder the forme of wine yet neither can wee drinke the blood of Christ vnder the forme of bread which wee eat nor eat the body of Christ vnder the forme of wine which wee drinke And sundry of the Schoolemen agree with him in this poynt resoluing that though Christ bee whole and entire in either part of the sacrament yet both parts are necessary First because the exhibiting of the body blood of Christ distinctly representeth his passion in which his blood was separated from his body And secondly because in this sorte Christs body is more fitly and significantly exhibited vnto vs in the nature of food and his blood of drinke If this sacrament bee worthily receiued vnder both kinds sayth Alexander of Hales there is a greater efficacy and working of grace causing an vnity betweene the mysticall body Christ the head then when it is receiued in one kinde onely And therefore he sayth though the receiuing vnder one kinde bee sufficient yet that which is vnder both is of more
rightly noteth that there is no merit properly so named to bee attributed to mortall miserable men and that though the ecclesiasticall writers vse the word merit and when they speake of holy mens workes call them merits yet they thinke them not to bee properly so but doe so name the good actions of holy men that proceed from faith and the working of the holy Ghost because Almighty God though they bee his gifts and joyned in them by whom they are wrought with defect imperfection yet is so pleased to accept of them out of his goodnesse that he not onely rewardeth the doers of them with ample great rewards in their owne persons but so as to doe good to others for their sakes So God sayd to Abraham if there were but fifty righteous in the city hee would spare the whole city for their sakes Neither onely doth hee good for their sakes whose workes hee thus rewardeth while they liue but euen after they à re dead also And therefore God promiseth that hee will protect Hierusalem for his owne sake and for Dauid his seruant which he must be vnderstood to doe not onely in respect of the promise made vnto him but with respect had to his vertue according to the which we read 1 Reg. 15. 3. that God left a little light in Hierusalem to Abiam the sonne of Roboam King of Iudah for Dauids sake who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. This Dauid saith Chrysostome did not only please God while he was in the body but he is found to haue yeelded great comfort after his death to such as he left behinde him aliue The Prophet Esay commeth to Hezekiah and saith vnto him I will defend this city for mine own sake and for Dauid my seruants sake David is dead but his vertues that pleased God do still liue O strange thing O ineffable clemencie a man long since dead patronizeth him that liueth In this sense then it is that the Church desireth God to be gratious vnto her in graunting her petitions for the merit of those his holiest Ones that she remembreth no way derogating from the merites of Christ but putting a great difference betweene them and those of the Saints for Christs merite is the onely price of our redemption by which onely we are redeemed from sinne eternall death and being reconciled to God are adopted to bee sonnes and heires of eternall life but the merites of the Saints here mentioned are nothing but those imperfect good workes which they did while they liued here which God was pleased so to accept that hee promised not onely to reward them with great and ample rewards in their owne persons but to doe good for their sakes that did them to others also Bucer speaking of the publique prayers of the Church which wee call Collects in which the intercession and merites of Saints are commemorated hath these words Seeing in these prayers whatsoeuer is attributed to the intercession and merites of Saints all that is asked not of the Saints but of our mercifull God through Iesus Christ they that so pray doe thereby professe and testifie that they acknowledge that those things which they aske of God by the intercession and for the merites of the Saints are the free gifts of God c And a little after Wee willingly acknowledge and publiquely professe that GOD doth reward the workes of his Saints not onely in their owne persons but in those also that pertaine vnto them and for whom they intercede for hee hath promised to doe good to a thousand generations to them that loue him and study to keepe his Commaundements hence it was that hee would not heale those of the house of Abimelech till Abraham interceded and intreated for them and hence it was that God graunted and gaue the deliuerance and saluation of all the people to Moses when he intreated for the same These are the wordes of Bucer which not being contradicted by any of our profession it is evident that no part of Romish Religion disliked by vs can bee prooued out of this part of the Canon of the Masse Thus hauing cleared that great objection of Mr Brerelie touching the publique Liturgie vsed in the Church in the dayes of our Fathers and made it appeare that the vsing thereof is no proofe that the Church that then was was not a Protestant Church and hauing made it cleare and evident that both the Liturgie it selfe and the profession of such as vsed it shew plainely that the Church that then was neuer allowed any Romish errour howsoeuer some did in the midst of her it remaineth that I now proceed to shew in the particulars that the outward face of Religion at and before Luthers appearing was not as M ◠Brerelie telleth vs the now professed Romane Religion and that whatsoeuer wee haue done in the reformation of the Church was long before wished for and desired by the best men amongst the guides of the Church CHAP. 1. Of the Canon of the Scriptures THat the Church did not admit the Canon of Scripture which the Romanists now doe nor euer accounted those bookes Canonicall which we thinke to be Apocryphall it will easily appeare in that all the most famous Divines from the beginning of the Christian World euen till the time of Luther did reject those bookes as Apocryphall that wee doe The Church of the Iewes to whom as S. Paul saith the oracles of God were committed admitted but onely 22 Bookes as deliuered to them from God to be the Canon of their faith as Iosephus witnesseth Neither did the Christian Church euer admit any more Melito Bishop of Sardis being desired by Onesimus to send him a catalogue of the bookes of the old and new Testament writeth thus vnto him Hauing diligently sought out the bookes of the old Testament and put them in order I haue sent them vnto you the names whereof are these the 5 bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie then Iesus the sonne of Naue Iudges Ruth the 4 bookes of Kings two bookes of Chronicles the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbes which is also called the Wisdome of Salomon Ecclesiastes the Canticles Iob the Prophets Esay Hieremie one booke of the twelue Prophets Daniel Ezechiel Esdras Some soe translate the words of Melito as if hee reckoned the wisdome of Salomon as a seperate booke and so meant the booke that is commonly called the Wisdome of Salomon and is by vs accounted to be apocryphall but Ruffinus translateth as wee doe and that wee haue rightly expressed the meaning of this worthy Bishoppe and that hee onely added this as a glorious title to the booke of Salomons Prouerbs which as Eusebius saith the auncients vsually called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reader will soone be satisfied if he peruse that which D. Raynolds hath touching this point in his prelections Eusebius she weth that Iosephus according to the auncient
tradition of the Iewes numbred only 22 Canonicall bookes of the old Testament as we do and in his Chronicle he sayth expressely that the bookes of the Macchabees are not in the canon Reade saith Cyrill of Hierusalem in his Catechisme the diuine Scriptures that is the 22 bookes of the old Testament and a litle after Reade therefore these 22 bookes but with the apocrypha haue nothing to doe meditate vpon the diuine Scriptures which wee confidently reade in the Church the holy Apostles the guides of truth who deliuered vnto vs these bookes were more wise and religious then thou art Seing therefore thou art but a sonne transgresse not the precepts of the Fathers Now these are the bookes which thou must reade and then numbreth all the bookes of the old Testament and omitteth all those that are controuersed sauing that hee addeth that of Baruch thinking it a part of Hieremies prophesies Of the same opinion is Epiphanius making no mention of any of the bookes reiected by vs as apocryphall but onely the booke of Wisdome and Iesus the sonne of Sirach which hee saith are profitable but not to be esteemed as the 22 bookes or 27 as some count them that were kept in the arke of the couenant which are the bookes by vs acknowledged to bee canonicall Amphilochius Bishoppe of Iconium writing to Seleucus hath these words I will reckon vnto thee all the bookes that proceeded from the holy Ghost and that thou mayest cleerely conceiue that which concernes this matter I wil first number vnto thee the bookes of the old Testament then he nameth the 5 bookes of Moses Iosua and the Iudges Ruth 4 bookes of the Kings 2 of the Chronicles 2 of Esdras Iob the Psalmes 3 of Solomon the proverbes Ecclesiastes Canticles 12 Prophets Hose Amos Micheas Ioel Abdias Ionas Naum Abacuch Sophonie Haâ—…ge Zacharias Malachias the 4 Prophets Esai Hieremie Ezekiel Daniel and concludeth that to these some adde Hester The reason why some doubted of Hester I haue elsewhere shewed out of Sixtus Senensis to haue been the Apocryphall additions to the booke I haue some where cited this booke as a part of Gregorie Nazianzens workes because some thinke it so to be and put it amongst his workes But Gregory hath deliuered his opinion clearely touching this matter though that booke happily be not his Bee conuersant saith hee day and night in the diuine oracles but least such bookes as are not of this sort deceiue thee for many erroneous bookes are inserted receiue the true and iust number of bookes that are diuine and then nameth all the bookes that wee admitte saue that hee omitteth the booke of Hester vpon the same reason that I noted out of Sixtus Senensis and when he hath named these he addeth those of the new testament and then pronounceth that whatsoeuer is not within this number is to bee accounted amongst bastard counterfeit bookes Origen expounding the first Psalme putteth downe a catalogue of the holy Scriptures of the old Testament writing thus in precise words as Eusebius telleth vs Wee must not be ignorant that the bookes of the old Testament as the Hebrewes doe deliuer are 22 which is the number of their letters and then nameth all the bookes admitted by vs and addeth that the bookes of Macchabees are without this number Athanasius agreeth with Origen writing in this sort All our Scripture that are Christians was giuen by divine inspiration neither hath this Scripture infinite bookes but a definite number and contayned in a certaine canon and these are the bookes of the old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomie Iosuáh Iudges Ruth the first and second of Kings accounted one booke the third fourth of Kings accounted one booke Chronicles first second accounted one booke Esdras the first second one booke the Psalmes of David 151. Proverbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes Canticles Iob 12 Prophets contayned in one volume Osee Amos Micheas Ioell Abdias Ionas Naum Ambacum Sophonias Aggaeus Zacharias Malachias 4 other Prophets Esai Hieremie Ezechiel Daniel the bookes therefore of the old Testament are 22 in number answerable to the Hebrew letters Beside these there are certaine other bookes of the old Testament that are not in the canon and these are read onely to the Catechumens or Novices Amongst these hee numbreth the Wisedome of Solomon the Wisedome of Iesus the sonne of Sirach Iudith Tobit but mentioneth not the bookes of Macchabees at all to these he addeth the booke of Hester accounting it Apocryphall being misperswaded of the whole by reason of those Apocryphall additions as before I noted out of Sixtus Senensis In the conclusion of his Synopsis he mentioneth together with the former foure bookes of Macchabees and the story of Susanna but sayth they are in the number of them that are contradicted The councell of Laodicea decreeth in this sort Let no bookes be read in the Church but the bookes of the old new Testament and then addeth these are the bookes of the old Testament that are to bee read Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomie Iosuah Iudges Ruth foure bookes of Kings 2 of Chronicles Esdras the booke of the Psalmes 150. the Proverbs of Solomon Ecclesiastes Canticles Iob Hester 12 Prophets Osee c Esay Hieremie Ezekiel Daniel The canons of this councell are confirmed by the sixt generall councell holden in Trullo To these we may adde Damascene who hauing numbred all those bookes and those onely as canonicall that wee doe addeth that the booke of Wisedome and of Iesus the son of Sirach are good bookes and containe good lessons of vertue but that they are not numbred in this account neither were layd vp in the arke Leontius advocatus Byzantinus sayth there are onely 22 bookes of the old Testament reckoneth all those and those onely that wee doe All these worthies that wee haue hitherto produced to testifie in this case are of the Greeke Church wherefore let vs passe to them of the Latine Hilary Bishop of Poictiers saith the law of the old testament is contained in 22 bookes according to the number of the Hebrew letters which are so disposed and put in order according to the tradition of the auncient that there are fiue bookes of Moses that Iosuah is the sixt the Iudges and Ruth the seaventh the first and second of Kings the eigth the third and fourth the ninth 2 of Chronicles the tenth Esdras the eleventh Psalmes 12 Solomons Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles 13 14 15 the 12 Prophets 16 Esay Hieremie with the Lamentations and epistle Daniell Ezechiel Iob Hester doe make vp the number of 22 bookes some haue thought good to adde Tobie and Iudith and so to make the bookes to bee 24 in number according to the number of the Greeke letters Ruffinus in the explanation of the Creed which is found amongst the works of Cyprian and so attributed to him setteth downe a Catalogue of those bookes
which according to the tradition of the ancient are beleeued to haue beene inspired by the Holy Ghost and deliuered to the Churches of Christ containing all those bookes which we admit secluding all those that are now in question It must be knowne saith he that there are other bookes which are not called Canonicall but Ecclesiasticall by the ancient as the Wisedome of Solomon and that of the sonne of Sirach And in the same ranke we must put the booke of Tobias and Iudith and the bookes of the Machabees and in the New Testament the booke of Pastor all which truly they would haue to be read in the Church but not to be alleadged for proofe of any matter of faith that was questioned or doubted of and then concludeth that hee held it very fit to put downe these things which were deliuered by tradition from the Fathers that they that are to learne the first elements and rudiments of Christian Religion may know out of what fountaines to draw Hierome in his prologue which he prefixed before the bookes of the Old Testament by him translated out of Hebrew into Latine saith There are 22 bookes of the Olde Testament and that as there are but 22 Hebrew Letters by which wee write whatsoeuer wee speake so there are 22 bookes by which as by Letters and beginnings in the doctrine of God the tender infancie of the just man that yet is like a childe hanging on the breast is informed and instructed and then nameth all the bookes which we admit and after addeth Whatsoeuer is beside these is to bee put amongst the Apocrypha and that therefore the book of Wisdome of Iesus the sonne of Sirach of Iudith Tobias and Pastor are not in the Canon And the same Hierome in his Preface before the Bookes of Solomon hauing made mention of the booke of Wisdome and Ecclesiasticus and deliuered his opinion that it is vntruely called the Wisdome of Solomon and attributed to him then addeth that as the Church readeth the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Macchabees but doth not account them amongst the Canonicall Scriptures so these 2 Bookes may bee read for the edification of the people but not for the confirmation of any doubtfull point of doctrine Sixtus Senensis confesseth that Philastrius rejecteth the Bookes of Macchabees And the same Philastrius in the he heresie of the Prodianitae taxeth them amongst other things that they vsed the booke of Wisdome which Iesus the sonne of Sirach wrote long after Solomons time The Authour of the Booke De mirabilibus Scripturae that goeth vnder the name of Augustine hath these wordes De lacu verò Abacuck translato in Belis Draconisque fabula idcirco in hoc ordine non ponitur quod in authoritate divinae Scripturae non habentur It is true that Augustine and the African Bishoppes of his time and some other in that age finding these bookes which Hierome and the rest before cited reject as Apocryphall to bee joyned with the other and together read with them in the Church seeme to account them to bee Canonicall Caietan and others answere that those Fathers speake of the Canon of manners not of faith and of Bookes not simply hut in a sort canonicall so that they differ not from the other Fathers before alleadged that deny them to bee Canonicall as not being simply and absolutely so How fit and true this answer is I will not stand to examine but this is most certaine that Augustine himselfe seemeth something to lessen the authority of this Booke for whereas the example of Razias killing himselfe is pressed against him to prooue that it is lawfull for a man to kill himselfe after other aunswers he saith the Iewes doe not esteeme this Scripture called the history of Macâ—…bees in such sort as the law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which Christ giueth testimonie as to them that beare witnesse of him saying it behoued that all those things should bee fullfilled that are written of mee in the Lawe the prophets and the Psalmes but it is receaued of the Church not vnprofitably if it be soberly read and heard especially in respect of those Macchabees that as true martyres indured grieuous and horrible things of the persecutors for the law of God And the councell of Carthage whereat Augustine was present prescribing that noe bookes should be reade in the Church as canonicall but such as indeede are canonicall leaueth out the bookes of Macchabees as it appeareth by the Greeke edition though they haue foysted them into the Latine But howsoeuer these did not soe exactly looke into these things as they of the Greeke Church and many of the Latine Church before named but admitted those bookes as in a sort canonicall that they found ioyned together with the other indubitate scriptures which they had of the translation of the Septuagint yet after Hierome had translated them out of the Hebrew and prefixed his prologues and prefaces before the bookes translated by him almost all the Bishoppes and men of account in the Latine or West Church so approued the same that they admitted no other bookes as Canonicall but those that hee did Pope Gregorie the first citing a certaine testimonie out of the first booke of Macchabees hath these words wee offend not if touching this thing we alleage and produce a testimonie out of books though not canonicall yet published for the edification of the people This was the opinion of Pope Gregory Gregorie the first Gregory the greate our Apostle as they of the Romish faction tell vs and therefore it will not be safe for vs to leaue the faith first deliuered vnto vs. To the Pope I will adde certaine Cardinalls Bonauentura in his preface before his exposition of the Psalter vndertaketh to shew which are the bookes of Scripture Scripture sayth hee consisteth of the old and new Testament and the whole body of canonicall Scripture is contained in these 2 then passing by the bookes of the new Testament hee reckoneth all those and those only that Hierome doth sorting them into their seuerall rankes and orders as the Hebrewes do And in another place he sayth there are 4 sorts of writings in which a student must bee conuersant the bookes of holy Scripture the writings of the Fathers such sayings as haue bin gathered out of them and the writings of Philosophers And because in the bookes of Philosophers there is no knowledge to giue remission of sinnes nor originally in the summes because they haue bin extracted out of the originalls of the Fathers nor in them because they haue been taken out of the Scripture therefore that is principally and in the first place to be studied and there wee must seeke that knowledge as in the fountaine and then that all may know which and how many these bookes of Scripture are that hee will haue to bee thus studied hee sayth according to Hierome there are 22 in the old Testament
information of manners yet is their authority thought to bee too weake to proue things that are in controversie And writing vpon the first of Esdras 1. c. he saith that though the bookes of Tobias Iudith and the Macchabees bee historicall bookes yet he intendeth to pasle them ouer because they are not in the Canon neither with the Iewes nor with the Christians Tostatus Bishop of Abulen approueth the judgment of Lyra. Ximenius that was made a Cardinall in the time of Leo the 10â— put forth the Bibles called Biblia Complutensia and in the Preface before the same treating of the bookes by vs thought to bee Apocryphall hee sayth they are not in the Canon and that the Church readeth them rather for edification of the people then to confirme any doubtfull points of doctrine and that therefore they are not Canonicall Dionysius Carthusianus in his Prologues before the bookes of Ecclesiasticus and Tobias denyeth them to bee Canonicall as also the booke of Iudith and writing vpon the first Chapter of Macchabees hee denieth it to bee Canonicall Ludovicus Vives treating of History sacred and prophane now come in sayth hee the bookes of Kings and the Chronicles the Apocryphall bookes of Hester Tobias and Iudith Esdras which being divided into foure bookes the two first are accounted Canonicall by the Hebrewes the two latter are Apocryphall And in another place speaking of the History of Susanna and Bell he putteth them amongst the Apocrypha With these accordeth Driedo To these may bee added the Glosses The ordinary Glosse was begun by Alcuinus as Antoninus Florentinus Gaguinus doe thinke or by Strabus Fuldensis as Trithemius Sixtus Senensis thinke but it was afterwards inlarged by diuerse which gathered sundry sentences and sayings out of the writings of the Fathers and put them into it This Glosse grew to bee in great request and vsed in all Churches of the West In the preface thereof are these words There are some bookes canonicall some not canonicall betweene which there is as great difference as there is betweene that which is certaine and that which is doubtfull For the canonicall bookes were composed by the immediate direction and suggestion of the holy spirit they that are not canonicall are very good and profitable but their authoritie is not reputed sufficient to proue the things that are questionable This the authour thinketh so cleere that hee fastneth the note of ignorance vpon all such as thinke otherwise and professeth that therefore he held it necessarie to prefixe this preface because there are many who not giuing themselues much to the study of holy Scripture suppose that all those bookes that are bound vp together in the Bible are to bee in like sorte honoured and esteemed not knowing how to put a difference betweene bookes canonicall and not canonicall which the Hebrewes separate from the canon and the Greekes account apocryphall and so oftentimes make themselues ridiculous to them that are learned Hee citeth the authority of Origen Hierome and Ruffinus rejecting the six bookes questioned and though hee knew the opinion of Augustine yet doth hee not follow it onely hee sayth that amongst the bookes not canonicall they that are reiected by Augustine as Baruch and the third and fourth of Esdras are lesse to bee esteemed then those that hee alloweth And immediately after this preface followeth Hieromes epistle to Paulinus and afterwards his prologus galeatus and his prologue before the bookes of Solomon And the glosse every where inculcateth when it commeth to these six bookes that they are not canonicall Incipit liber Tobiae c. Heere beginnes the booke of Tobias which is not canonicall c. In the edition of the Bibles with the Glosses there is found an exposition of the prologues of Hierome written and composed by Brito more auncient then Lyra for hee is cited by him and honoured with the title of a famous and worthy man who professeth that the bookes questioned are not canonicall Gratian in the decree maketh no mention of the opinion of Gelasius touching the canonicall Scriptures disliking as it seemeth his opinion and yet not willing to oppose against it But the Glosse vpon the next distinction saith there are certaine apocryphall bookes that is without authour as the Wisedome of Solomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach called Ecclesiasticus the booke of Iudith the booke of Tobias and the bookes of the Macchabees these bookes are sayd to bee apocryphall and yet they are read but happily not generally Driedo citeth this place of the glosse and reprehendeth the authour of it as not giving the true reason why these bookes are called apocryphall but yet thinketh as hee doth that they are apocryphall Sanctes Pagninus in his epitome of historicall bookes that are canonicall prefixed before the Bible translated by him into Latine accounteth all those that Hierome doth to be canonicall the rest hagiographall Bruciolus in the preface of his commentaries vpon the Bible translated by him into Italian saith he hath commented vpon all the bookes of the old testament yet hee hath not commented vpon the six bookes that are questioned In the Bibles put out at Antwerpe by Arias Montanus with the interlineall translation all those bookes are omitted In the edition of the Bible printed at Antwerpe by Birkmannus that very yeare that the councell of Trent was holden to determine this point touching the Canonicall and Apocryphall Scriptures and the like the author suppressing his name prefixeth a preface before the same his edition and in it reiecteth all the bookes now questioned in more peremptory sort then many of the former did Here wee see a cloud of witnesses in all ages and in all parts of the world witnessing to the truth of that wee affirme touching the canon of the Scripture and reiecting those bookes as Apocryphall or not Canonicall which wee reiect euen till and after the time of Luther soe that the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died is found as I sayd to bee in this point a Protestant Church wherefore let vs proceed to other particular points of controversie CHAP. 2. Of the sufficiencie of the Scripture THat the Church formerly did not deny the sufficiencie of the Scripture for the direction of Christian men in matters of faith and religion as the Romanists now doe but acknowledged and taught that it containeth all things necessary to salvation accordingly as wee now professe it appeareth by the testimonies of these diuines Gregorius Ariminensis sometimes Prior generall of the friars Heremites of the order of Saint Augustine writing vpon the sentences hath these words That is properly a theologicall discourse that consisteth of sayings or propositions contained in the holy scripture or of such as are deduced thence or at the least of such as are consequent and to bee deduced from one of these this sayth hee is proued ex communi omnium conceptione nam omnes arbitrantur
tunc solum theologicè aliquid probari cum ex dictis probatur sacrae scripturae out of the common conceipt and apprehension of all men for all men doe thinke that then onely a thing is proued theologically when it is proued out of the sayings of holy Scripture and if wee distinguish theologicall conclusions from principles theologicall I affirme that all those verities that are not formally and in precise words contained in holy scripture but are necessarily deduced from things soe contained in it are conclusions theologicall whether they bee determined by the Church or not for the Church determineth that a proposition is to bee beleeued precisely because it seeth it is necessarily deduced from the words of holy Scripture but no other that is not so deduced is to be accounted a theologicall conclusion which is proued out of the sayings of Saint Augustine in his fourteenth booke de Trinitate cap. 1. where hee sayth hee doth not conceiue that all that that may bee knowne by man in humane things pertaineth to this science but those things onely whereby the most wholesome faith that leadeth to true happinesse is begotten nourished defended and strengthened but it is euident that euery such thing is either expressely and in precise tearmes contained in holie scripture or is deduced from things soe contained in it for otherwise the Scripture should not bee sufficient to our saluation and the defense of our faith which is contrary to Saint August 2 de doctrinâ Christianâ where hee sayth Quicquid homo extra didicerit si noxium est ibi damnatur si vtile ibi inuenitur that is whatsoeuer a man shall learne without and beside the scripture if it bee hurtfull it is there condemned if profitable it is there found Here wee haue a pregnant testimonie of a man of eminent place and great worth peremptorily resoluing for the sufficiencie of the Scripture and assuring vs that this was not his priuate conceipt but the generall opinion of all men in his time and be fore Scotus agreeth with Ariminensis his words are these Whatsoeuer pertaineth to the heauenly and supernaturall knowledge and is necessary to bee knowne of man in this life is sufficiently deliuered in the sacred Scriptures and in another place Sicut theologia beatorum habet terminum ita nostra ex voluntate Dei revelantis terminus autem praefixus â voluntate divinâ quantum ad revelationem generalem est eorum quae sunt in sacrâ scripturâ quia sicut habetur Apocalyp ultimo Qui apposuerit ad haec apponet ei Deus plagas quae apponuntur in libro isto igitur theologia nostra de facto non est nisi de his quae continentur in scripturâ de his quae possunt elici ex ipsis that is As the Theologie of those blessed ones that are in heauen hath a certaine bound without and beyond which it extendeth not it selfe so also that theologicall knowledge that wee haue hath bounds set vnto it by the will of God that revealeth divine and heauenly trueth vnto vs and the bound prefixed by the will of God who generally will reveale no more is within the compasse of such things as are found in the holy Scripture because as it is in the last of the Revelation whosoeuer shall adde vnto these things GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are added in this booke Ockam in his Dialogues saith There is one opinion that onely those verities are to bee esteemed Catholique and such as are necessarily to bee beleeued for the attaining of saluation which either expressely are deliuered in Scripture or by necessary consequence may bee inferred from things so expressed and that they that follow this opinion alleadge sundry authorities for proofe of the same as that of Augustine Ego solis scripturarum libris didici hunc timorem honoremque deferre ut earum nullum authorem in aliquo errasse firmissimè credam c. alios autem ita lego ut quantalibet sanctitate quantave doctrinâ polleant non ideo verum putem quia ita ipsi senserint sed quia per alios authores canonicos vel probabiles rationes quod à vero non aberrent mihi persuadere potuerunt I haue learned to giue this honour and reverence onely to the bookes of Scripture as that I should beleeue that none of the authors of them in ought haue erred c But others I so reade that how great soeuer their sanctitie and learning bee I doe not therefore thinke that to bee true which they haue written because it was their opinion but because they are able to perswade mee either by some other canonicall Authours or by probable reasons that they haue not erred from the trueth And in another place Quis nesciat sanctam scripturam canonicam tam veteris quà m noui testamenti certis terminis suis contineri eamque posterioribus omnibus Episcoporum libris praeponi ut de illâ omninò dubitari disceptari non possit vtrum verum vel utrum rectum sit quicquid in eâ scriptum esse constiterit Episcoporum autem literas quae post confirmatum canonem vel scriptae sunt vel scribuntur per sermonem fortè sapientiorem cuiuslibet in eà re peritioris per aliorum Episcoporum graviorem auctoritatem doctioremque prudentiam per concilia reprehendi licere si quid in iis forté à veritate est deviatum Who knowes not that the holy Canonicall Scripture as well of the Olde as the New Testament is contained within it's certaine bounds and that it is preferred before all the Bookes of Bishoppes that haue beene written since so that there may bee no doubt made nor dispute raised concerning it whether whatsoeuer is certainely knowne to bee registred in it bee true or right But that the letters of Bishoppes which either haue beene or are written since the confirmation of the Canon may bee reprehended if in any thing they haue strayed from the trueth both by the speech perchaunce wiser of some one better skilled in that matter and by the more graue authority more learned wisedome of other Bishops and by generall councells And Hierom Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur That which hath not authority and confirmation from the Scriptures is with like facility rejected as it is vrged Others hee sheweth to bee of a contrary opinion but being pressed to giue instance of things necessarily beleeued and yet not contayned in the Scripture they giue no other but certaine matters of fact as that the Apostles composed the Symbol called the Apostles creed that Peter was at Rome things of that nature Ockam in this place deliuereth not his owne opinion but only reciteth the contrary opinions of other men but in another place inveighing against the Canonists going about to proue that it principally pertayneth to diuines to define determine what is catholicke
saith Cassander 3 sorts of traditions for some concerne the doctrine of faith others rites and ceremonies and a third sort things done They that concerne rites and ceremonies are variable according to the different circumstances of times they that are historicall are for the most part vncertaine and are not necessarie to saluation they that are dogmaticall are certaine and perpetuall but by dogmaticall traditions wee vnderstand not any diuine verity not written or any point of doctrine not contained in the Scripture but such points of doctrine as though they are not found in precise termes in holy scripture yet are deduced from the same rightly vnderstood and interpreted as the Apostles did vnderstand and expound them to their hearers and they to such as came after them So that this tradition is nothing else but the explication and interpretation of the Scripture and therefore it may be sayd not vnfitly Scripturam esse implicatam quandam obsignatam traditionem traditionem vero esse Scripturam explicatam resignatam that the Scripture is a kind of tradition inuolued and sealed vp and that tradition is Scripture vnfolded explained and opened This is that which Vincentius Lyrinensis long since deliuered to wit that the Scripture is sufficient and containeth all things necessary to be known of a Christian man for the attaining of saluation but that for the auoiding of the manifold turnings of heretickes peruerting the same to their owne perdition wee must carefully looke to the tradition of the Church deliuering vnto vs the true sense and meaning of it By this which hath beene sayd it appeareth that the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died was in this poynt touching the sufficiencie of the Scripture an orthodoxe and true Protestant Church as it was in the former touching the canon of the Scripture CHAP. 3. Of the originall text of Scripture of the certainety and trueth of the originalls and of the authoritie of the vulgar translation I haue discoursed at large in my fourth booke and the 27. 28. chapters of the same and made it appeare that the principall and best learned divines at since Luthers time taught no otherwise touching these poynts then wee now doe so that I need not insist vpon the proofe hereof CHAP. 4. Of the translating of the Scripture into vulgar languages and of the necessity of hauing the publique liturgie and prayers of the Church in a tongue vnderstood TOuching the translating of the Scriptures it is evident that both aunciently and of late time they haue beene translated into the severall languages of almost all the countries and kingdomes of the whole world where euer Christianity prevailed There is extant a translation of the old new testament in the Armenian tongue which the Armenians now vse put forth as they suppose by Chrysostome of this George the patriarch of Alexandria maketh mention in the life of Chrysostome reporting that when by the Emperours decree hee was sent in banishment into Armenia and stayed at Cucusum hee brought the inhabitants of that region to the faith of Christ and caused the Psalmes of David together with the holy gospells and other histories of the old Testament to bee translated into the Armenian tongue that so the people of that countrey might the sooner and more easily attaine the knowledge of holy Scripture And Theodoret testifieth that the holy Scriptures were translated into the Armenian tongue before his time though hee name not the authour The Slavonians affirme that they haue the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue turned by Saint Hierome and Hierome himselfe in his epistle to Sophronius seemeth to some learned men to intimate so much But yet there is another translation also of the Scriptures into the Slavonian tongue later then that of Hieromes as Scaliger hath obserued written in the Servian character vsed in Rascia Bosina Bulgaria Moldavia Russia Moscovia and other nations of the Slavonian language that celebrate their liturgies after the Greeke ceremonie of which later Methodius the companion of Cyrill is reported to haue beene the authour The former imputed to Hierome is written in the Dalmatian character and is vsed amongst the Liburnians and Dalmatians Istrians Moravians Silesians Bohemians Polonians c. Vulphilas the Goth of whom Socrates maketh mention in his ecclesiasticall historie who liued in the yeare 370 first found out the Gothicke alphabet and first of all deliuered to the Gothes all the diuine Scriptures translated by him out of Greeke into the Gothicke tongue and catholiquely expounded them striving much against the Arrians yet in the end as Theodoret reporteth he declined to the part of Valens the Arrian Emperour moued so to doe by the threates and promises of Eudoxus the Arrian Neither were the Scriptures translated onely into these languages but into the languages of many other nations as Chrysostome and Hierome affirme and in particular into the Aegyptian Persian Indian Scythian and Sarmatian tongues and into the languages of all other nations that receiued the Christian faith as Theodoret telleth vs. As likewise in the times following we read of the like translations of the Scripture into sundry languages of such Nations as were afterwards converted to the Faith or whose languages after altered So Iohn Archbishop of Sivill about the yeare 717 translated it into the Arabique which then was the vulgar speech of that part of Spaine And Beda about the same time some part of it into the Saxon or English Methodius about the yeare 860 into the Slavonique Iacobus de Voragine Archbishop of Genua about the yeare 1290 translated the whole diuine Scripture into the Italian tongue and so did Bruciolus in our age About 200 yeares since the whole Bible was translated into French in the time of Charles the 5th and as the Rhemists tell vs in their preface before the New Testament by them translated into English since Luthers time diuerse learned Catholiques haue published the Bible in the seuerall Languages of almost all the principall provinces of the Latine Church so that the Papists themselues doe not simply condemne the translating of the Scripture into the vulgar tongues But there are some amongst them as Stapleton telleth vs who out of zeale rather then knowledge doe thinke the Lay people should bee wholly restrained from reading the Scriptures in vulgar tongues others more moderate and discreete then these as they would bee thought are of opinion that all are not to bee restrained nor all permitted to reade them but some certaine onely And therefore the Rhemists tell vs that order was taken by the Deputies of the Councell of Trent in this behalfe and confirmed by supreame authority that the holy Scriptures though truely and Catholiquely translated into vulgar tongues yet may not be indifferently readde of all men nor of any other then such as haue expresse licence thereunto by their lawfull ordinaries with good
testimony from their Curates or Confessours that they are humble discreet and devout persons and like to take much good no harme thereby This was the decree of Pius 4 but Clement the 8th in a later edition of the same Index with new additions saith that this power of permitting Lay-men to haue the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue was taken away by the mandate and practise of the Roman Church and of the generall inquisition so that they may not permit any to haue the whole Bible in the vulgar tongue or any parts of the Olde or New Testament or any summaries or epitomies though historicall of the same Bibles and this hee prescribeth to be inviolably kept Thus doth he condemne the practise of all the Churches of God which had the Scriptures translated into vulgar Languages for to what end should they be translated if no man might vse them and together with them his Predecessour Pius the 4th and all the learned Prelates that concurred with him and falleth into the folly or indiscretion which Stapleton condemneth as wee heard before Thus variable and vncertaine are these Romane Bishoppes who yet would bee taken not onely to bee built vpon the Rocke but to be that Rocke vpon which the Church is builded against which the gates of hell cannot prevaile But as Stapleton telleth vs in the place aboue cited There were certaine Catholique and great men and in the margent hee nameth Sir Thomas More who thought it fit as tending to the honour of God and saluation of the people to deliuer vnto them the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue without any restraint leauing it free to all to read them that will for that so many good and godly Christians who would receiue great comfort and be much edified thereby are not to be depriued of that most excellent benefite which they may haue by reading them in respect of few or many vnlearned or vnstable men who depraue the scripture to the perdition of themselues and others as S. Peter saith in his 2 Epistle cap. 32. No more then it had beene fit that Christ the Lord should haue forborne to come and saue others in respect of such wicked ones to whom his comming is a rock of offence a stone to stūble at or that he that is the true light that lighteneth euery man that cōmeth into the world should therefore haue kept him selfe away or not appeared to the world because men loued darkenes more then light And surely if the vulgar free and ordinary reading of the scripture were to be denied and restrained in respect of the wicked who abuse it the scripture must neuer haue bin in the Hebrew Greeke or Latine tongues for all these tongues were vulgar to the Iewes Grecians and Romans This opinion Stapleton confesseth to be probable and godly and yet he disliketh it And yet it is confirmed by the authority of the Fathers who earnestly exhort the people to the reading of the scripture as a thing necessary to saluation Soe doth Chrysostome in sundry places 2 Homily vpon Mathew 3. Homily vppon Lazarus 3. Homily vpon the second to the Thessalonians 28. Homilie vpon Genesis 9. Homilie vpon the Epistle to the Colossians where he sayth the Apostle commandeth secular men that are married to reade the scripture and whereas St Paul to the Colossians 3. hath these words Let the word of Christ dwell plentifully in you in all wisdome teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes hymmes and spirituall songs Chrysostome in his ninth Homily and Hierome in his commentaries vpon the same place collect and inferre that the Scriptures are to be reade of Lay men and that by the precept of the Apostle It is therefore vntrue that Stapleion hath that Chrysostome doth not exhort the people to the reading of the scripture as a thing necessary but as fitte and profitable for them that liued idlely in a rich citty thus to occupy them selues as if it had beene onely to keepe them from doing nothing that they were to reade the booke of God Neither is it any better that he hath in answere hereunto that Chrysostome spake not exactly but as a preacher or oratour as if in the pulpit a Preacher might exhort the people with all earnestnesse to that which is not fitte to be done or as if there were not many now adayes that liue idlely in rich cities From the translating of the Scriptures into vulgar tongues and the peoples priuate reading of the same let vs come to speake of the publike liturgy of the Church and the common praiers in the vulgar tongue Here I will first shew what the practice of the Church hath beene and secondly what the opinion of Iudicious men is and hath beene touching this point That in the Primitiue Church they had the seruice in the vulgar tongue it is euident by the testimonies of the auncient For first Origen writing against Celsus and answering that calumniation of them that said Christians vsed certaine barbarous words and names of God in their prayers supposing vertue to be in them more then in Greeke or Latine words or names telleth them there is no such thing but that they that are true and right Christians in their prayers vse not the names of God found in the Scripture written in Hebrew but the Grecians vse greeke words the Latines latine and all pray and praise God in their own tongue he that is the Lord of all tongues heareth thē in what tongue soeuer they pray and vnderstandeth them speaking in so different languages no lesse then if they all vsed one language Bellarmine saith in the time of the Apostles the whole people was wont to answere Amen in the celebration of diuine seruice and not as now by one appointed in their steed For Iustin Martyr testifieth expressely in his 2 apology that the whole people was wont to answere amen when the Priest ended his prayer or thankesgiuing and it is euident that the same vse was continued a long time after both in the East and West as it appeareth by the liturgy of Chrysostome where the things that were to be sayd by the priest deacon and people are distinctly set downe And by Cyprian in his sermon vpon the Lords prayer where he saith the people doe answere we lift them vp vnto the Lord when the priest willeth them to lift vp their harts and by Hierome praefat lib. 2. in epist. ad Galatas who writeth that in the Churches of the city of Rome the people are heard with so loud a voyce sounding out amen as if it were a thundring from heauen Thus farre Bellarmine in his 2 booke de verbo Dei chap. 16 which argueth that they had their seruice in a knowne tongue for otherwise how could they thus haue answered to the seuerall parts of the diuine seruice as they were appointed to do surely the long answeres of the people to the priest in their praiers
songs concerning the creation of the world and the beginning of mankinde the whole historie of Genesis Israels going out of Aegypt and entring into the land of promise and sundry other histories of holy Scripture of the incarnation passion resurrection and ascension of Christ into heaven of the comming of the holy Ghost the doctrine of the Apostles the terrour of the future iudgement the feare of hell punishment and the happinesse of the kingdome of heauen and sundry other benefits and iudgments of God In all which hee sought to draw men from delighting in things that are euill to the loue and practise of that which is good Which poems no doubt were written if they knew how to write at that time Thus were they willing in those dayes to take all occasion to make the Scripture knowen to the people as farre forth as possibly they might And therefore it is not to bee doubted but that when they had the Scripture onely in Latine yet it was interpreted to the people that they might vnderstand it according to that of Iohn Billet in summâ de diuinis officijs In the primitiue Church no man was permitted to speake in a tongue not vnderstood vnlesse there were one to interpret for to what purpose were it for a man to speake not to be vnderstood truely to none at all Hence grew that laudable custome in some parts of the Church that so soone as the gospell should bee read in the Latine it should presently be expounded to the people in the vulgar And this which hee sayth is confirmed by the authoritie and testimony of Epiphanius who describing all the severall orders in the Church amongst others hee reckoneth them that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Interpreters that expressed in one tongue that which was vttered in another aswell when the lessons were read as when the preacher spake to the people By all that which hath beene said it appeareth that the desire of Gods Church was ever to communicate the Scriptures and bookes of God to all people in the tongue they vnderstood That the most part of the Christian Churches had the booke of God in their owne tongue And that if any had not it was either because they could not tell how to write any thing in their barbarous tongues or because the tongue wherein they first receiued them altering they were not vnderstood then as formerly they had been of their ancestours to whom they were first deliuered in the same So in Italy France Spaine aunciently they generally vnderstood and spake Latine and therefore had the Scriptures deliuered vnto them in that tongue but in time the Latine which they spake was so corrupted and so degenerated into barbarisme that the people of those parts vnderstood very little of that which was written in the purer Latine formerly vnderstood and therefore in processe of time they were forced to haue the Scriptures newly translated into this new dialect or rather corruption of the Latine So had they the Bible translated into Italian French and Spanish as before I shewed Their prayers and liturgies indeede were not altered yet was there never any iudicious man that thought it fittest to haue the service of God performed without vnderstanding but all the best most pious in every age thought it necessary by all good and possible meanes to prouide that the people might haue their seruice of God in a tongue they vnderstood Wee haue heard already Iohn Billet peremptorily affirming that in the primitiue Church no man was permitted to speake in a tongue not vnderstood vnlesse there were one to interpret and that it was the custome of some Churches so soone as the gospell was read in the Latine to expound the same in the vulgar tongue but saith he What shall wee say of our times wherein scarce or not at all either he that readeth or heareth vnderstandeth what hee heareth or readeth So that wee may say truely as the Prophet sometime complayned The priest shall bee as one of the people Videtur ergo tacendum potius esse quam psallendum it seemeth therefore it were better to keepe silence then to sing Haymo a worthy and learned Bishop writing vpon the 1 Epist. to the Cor. hath these wordes If hee that vnderstandeth onely that tongue wherein he was borne and bred stand by thee when thou solemnly celebratest the mysterie of the masse or makest a sermon or powrest forth the wordes of blessing how shall hee answere amen to thy blessing not knowing what thou sayest that is how shall he answere that confirmatory word amen when he vnderstanding onely his owne tongue knoweth not what thou sayest in that barbarous tongue And least any man should take advantage and vrge as the Papists are wont to doe that because he speaketh of a barbarous tongue his words are not to bee vnderstood of him that speaketh in one of the three learned tongues hee sheweth that he that speaketh in the Hebrew tongue to him that vnderstandeth nothing but Greeke or in the Greeke to him that vnderstandeth nothing but Latine or in Latine to him that vnderstandeth nothing but Greeke is a barbarian Yea if a Roman and such a one as is not a Grecian pronounce the symbol or creed in Greeke hee is a barbarian to him that vnderstandeth nothing but Latine though hee bee of the same nation and people Thomas Aquinas mentioneth this but giueth another interpretation of the word but not so fit making them to bee barbarians that excell in strength of body but are defectiue in strength of reason which how farre wide it is from the scope of the Apostle a blinde man may see But in the same place proposing the question how hee that vnderstandeth no other tongue but that of the country wherein he was borne can conforme himselfe and say amen to the prayers he vnderstandeth not his answere is that hee may comforme himselfe in a generality but not in particular seeing hee knoweth not in particular what it is that the minister sayeth though in generall hee know that hee prayeth or blesseth And farther asking why the prayers and blessings are not in the vulgar that more fully particularly the ignorant might conforme themselues vnto the same his answere is that happily it was so in the primitiue Church but now that the faithfull are instructed and knowe what it is they heare in the service of the Church the blessings are in Latin How weake an answere this is to proceed from such a man who seeth not for when hee sayth they know what they heare either hee meaneth in particular and then hee contrarieth his former wordes or onely in generall and then they can giue no consent but in generall and so the question is not answered why the prayers and blessings are not in the vulgar that so being distinctly vnderstood there might bee a distinct conforming to the same Lyra writing vpon the same place hath these
the virgin in the councell of Lateran But Cardinall Caietan writeth a learned discourse touching the same matter and offereth it to Leo praying him to be well aduised and in this tract for proofe of her conception in sin he produceth the testimonies of 15 canonized Saints For first S. Augustine writing vppon the 34 Psalme sayth that Adam died for sin that Mary who came out of the loynes of Adam died for sinne but that the flesh of the Lord which hee tooke of the virgin Mary died for to take away sin And in his 2d booke de baptismo parvulorum Hee only who ceasing not to be God became man neuer had sinne neither did he take the flesh of sin or sinfull flesh though hee tooke of the flesh of his mother that was sinfull And in his tenth booke de Genesi ad litteram he sayth Though the body of Christ were taken of the flesh of a woman that was conceiued out of the propagation of sinnefull flesh yet because hee was not soe conceiued of her as shee was conceiued therefore it was not sinnefull flesh but the similitude of sinnefull flesh And Saint Ambrose vppon those words Blessed are the vndefiled hath these words The Lord Iesus came and that flesh that was subiect to sinne in his mother performed the warrefare of vertue And Crhysostome vpon Mathew sayth Though Christ was no sinner yet hee tooke the nature of man of a woman that was a sinner And Eusebius Emissenus in his second sermon vpon the natiuity which beginneth Yee know beloued c. hath these words There is none free from the tie and bond of originall sinne no not the mother of the redeemer Saint Remigius vppon those words of the Psalme O God my God looke vpon mee sayth The blessed virgin Mary was made cleane from all staine of sinne that the man Christ Iesus might bee conceiued of her without sinne Saint Maximus in his sermon of the assumption of the blessed virgin sayth The blessed and glorious virgin was sanctified in her mothers wombe from all contagion of originall sinne before shee came to the birth and was made pure and vndefiled by the holy Ghost Saint Beda in his sermon vppon missus est and the same is in the ordinary glosse sayth that The holy spirit comming vpon the virgin freed her minde from all defiling of sinnefull vice and made it chast and purified her from the heate of carnall concupiscence tempering and cleansing her hart Saint Bernard in his epistle to them of Lyons sayth It is beleeued that the blessed virgin after her conception receiued sanctification while shee was yet in the wombe which excluding sinne made her birth holy but not her conception Saint Erardus a Bishoppe and a martyr in his sermon vpon the natiuity of the virgin crieth out O happie damsell which being conceiued in sinne is purged from all sinne and conceiueth a sonne without sinne Saint Anthony of Padua in his sermon of the natiuity of the blessed virgin sayth The blessed virgin was sanctified from sinne by grace in her mothers wombe and borne without sinne Saint Thomas Aquinas for he also was a canonized Saint in the third part of his summe quaest 27. art 2. sayth that the blessed virgin because shee was conceaued out of the commixtion of her parents contracted originall sinne Saint Bonauenture vppon the third of the sentences distinct 3. p. 1. artic 1. quaest 1. sayth Wee must say the blessed virgin was conceiued in originall sinne and that her sanctification followed her contracting of originall sinne this opinion is the more common the more reasonable and more secure More common for almost all hold it The more reasonable because the being of nature precedeth the being of grace The more secure because it better agreeth with the piety of faith and the authority of the Saints then the other Saint Bernardine in sermonum suorum opere tertio in his tract of the blessed virgin sermon the fourth sayth There was a third sanctification which was that of the mother of God and this taketh away originall sinne conferreth grace and remoueth the pronenesse to sinne mortally or venially Saint Vincentius the Confessor in sermone de conceptione virginis sayth The blessed virgin was conceaued in originall sinne but that the same day and houre she was purged by sanctification from sinne contracted so soone as euer shee had receiued the spirit of life And besides all these holden to bee Saints in the Church of Rome hee sayth there were a great multitude of auncient doctors who speaking particularly and distinctly of the virgin say shee was conceiued in originall sinne whose sayings who pleaseth may find in the originalls or may find them in the bookes of Iohannes de Turrecremata and Vincentius de Castro Nouo writing vpon the conception of the virgin whence they are taken Thus farre Caietan Bonauentura professeth that the opinion of the blessed virgins spotlesse conception was so new in his time that he had neuer read it in any author neither did he finde it to be holden by any one that he had euer seene or heard speak And Adam Angelicus sayth If the sayings of the Saints be to be beleeued wee must hold that the blessed virgin was conceiued in originall sin and none of the Saints is found to haue sayd the contrary Yet in time some beganne to bring in this opinion and to make it publike as Scotus and Franciscus de Maironis but very doubtfully and fearefully for Scotus hauing spoken of both opinions touching the conception of the virgin sayth in the conclusion that God onely knoweth which of them is the truer but if it be not contrary to the authority of the Church or of holy Scripture it seemeth probable to attribute that to the virgin that is more excellent And that indeede hee had reason to feare least hee should contrary the Fathers and holy men that went before it will easily appeare by that of the master of Sentences It may truely bee said and wee must beleeue according to the consenting testimonies of the Saints that the flesh which CHRIST tooke was formerly subiect to sinne as the rest of the flesh of the virgin but that it was soe sanctified and made pure and undefiled by the operation of the holy Ghost that free from all contagion of sinne it was vnited to the word But see how strangely things were carried this opinion which was vnknowne to the Church for more then a thousand yeares and at the first broaching of it had fewe patrons yet in time grewe to be so generally approued that almost all they of the Latine Church thought they did God good seruice in following this opinionâ—… many visions reuelations and miracles were pretended in fauour of it and the Councell of Basil decreed for it Bridget canonized for a Saint professed it had beene particularly revealed to her but Catharina Senensis a Prophetesse also and more authentically canonized then the former professed that the contrary
this body they would all crye out with a loud voice If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. Gregorius Ariminensis noteth that Augustine speaketh not of originall sin but actuall and that this ample grace to ouercome sinne was not giuen her till the spirit ouer-shadowed her and the power of the most High came vpon her that shee might conceiue and beare him that neuer knew sinne so that before shee might commit sinne which yet hee will not affirme because the moderne Doctours for the most part thinke otherwise so intimating that all did not And surely the wordes of Augustin doe not import that shee had no sinne but that shee ouercame it which argueth a conflict neither doth hee say he will acknowledge shee was without sinne but that hee will not moue any question touching her in this dispute of sinnes and sinners So passing by the point and not willing to enter into this dispute with the Pelagian who conceiued it would be plausible for him to pleade for the puritie of the Mother of our Lord and disgracefull for any one to except against her By that which hath beene said it appeareth that the Church of God neuer resolued any thing touching the birth of the blessed Virgin without sinne nor whether shee were free from all actuall sinne or not If happily it bee alleadged that the Church celebrated the Feast of her nativitie and therefore beleeued that shee was borne without sinne First touching the celebration of this Feast it is evident that it was not auncient That it was not in the dayes of Saint Augustine as some imagine because on that day there is read in the Church a Sermon of Saint Augustines touching the solemnitie of that day it is proued out of Saint Augustine himselfe for in his 21 Sermon de sanctis he hath these wordes Wee celebrate this day the birth-day of Iohn the Baptist which honour wee neuer read to haue beene giuen to any of the Saints Solius enim Domini beati Ioannis dies nativitatis in universo mundo celebratur colitur That is For the birth-day of our Lord onely and of Iohn the Baptist is celelebrated kept holy throughout the whole world illum enim sterilis peperit illum virgo concepit in Elizabetha sterilitas vincitur in beatâ Mariâ conceptionis consuetudo mutatur That is A woman that was barren bare the one and a virgin the other in Elizabeth barrennes is ouercome in blessed Mary the ordinary course of conceiuing is changed And in his 20 â—h sermon hee hath these words Post illum sacrosanctum Domini natalis diem nullius hominum nativitatem legimus celebrari nisi solius beati Ioannis Baptistae In aliis sanctis electis Dei novimus illum diem coli quo illos post consummationem laborum devictum triumphatumque mundum in perpetuas aeternitates praesens haec vita parturit In aliis consummata vltimi diei merita celebrantur in hoc etiam prima dies ipsa etiam hominis initia consecrantur pro hac absque dubio causà quia per hunc Dominus adventum suum ne subito homines insperatum non agnoscerent voluit esse testatum That is After that most sacred day of the birth of our Lord wee reade not that the nativity of any one amongst men is celebrated but of Iohn the Baptist onely touching other Saints and other the chosen of God wee know that that day is celebrated in which after the consummation of their labours after their victories and triumphs ouer the world this present life bringeth them forth to begin to liue for euer In others the consummate vertues of the last day are celebrated in this the first day and the beginnings of the man are consecrated for this cause no doubt because the Lord would haue his comming made knowen to the world by him least if his comming had not beene expected and looked for it might happily not haue beene acknowledged Neither doth the reading of the sermon of Saint Augustine on that day pertayning to the solemnity of the day proue that this day was kept holy before his time for as Baronius sheweth the sermon was fitted originally to the solemnity of the feast of the Annunciation the words were these Let our land reioyce illustrated with the solemne day of so great a virgine which are altered and read in the breviarie in this sorte Let our land rejoyce illustrated by the birth day of so great a virgin And it is evident by the councell of Mentz holden in the time of Charles the great in the yeare 813 that this feast was not celebrated in the Church of Germany and France in those times As likewise it appeareth by the constitutions of Charles and Ludovicus Pius Secondly the celebrating of the birth-day of the blessed virgine will no more proue that shee was borne without all sinne then that Iohn the Baptist was so borne concerning whom Bernard sayth hee knoweth he was sanctified before he came out of the wombe but how farre this sanctification freed him from sinne hee dareth not say or define any thing Thus wee see that the Church wherein our Fathers liued and died was a Protestant Church in these poynts touching the conception birth of the blessed virgine aswell as in the former CHAP. 7. Of the punishment of originall sinne and of Limbus puerorum BEllarmine sheweth that there are foure opinions in the Roman Church touching the punishment of originall sinne and the state of infants dying vnregenerate for Ambrosius Catharinus in his booke of the state of children dying vnbaptized Albertus Pighius in his first controversie and Savanarola in hâ—…s booke of the triumph of the crosse doe teach that infants dying without baptisme shall after the iudgement enioy a kinde of naturall happinesse and liue happily for euer as it were in a certaine earthly paradise howsoeuer for the present they goe downe into those lower parts of the earth which are called Limbus puerorum These men suppose that infants incurre no staine or infection by Adams sinne but that for his offence being denyed the benefit of supernaturall grace which would haue made them capable of heauen happines they are found in a state of meere nature in which as they cannot come to heauen so they are subiect to no euili that may cause them to sorrow For though they see that happines in heaven whereof they had a possibility yet they no more greiue that they haue not attained it then innumerable men doe that they are not Kings and Emperours as well as others of which honours they were capable as well as they in that they were men The second opinion is that infants dying in the state of originall sinne not remitted are excluded from the sight of God and condemned to the prison house of the infernall dwellings for euer so that they suffer the punishment of losse but
Domine Iesu sancti sanguinis tui aspersione mundum me facias Et in Ps. 142. Ad meum cum respicio nihil aliud in me nisi peccatum invenio tota liberatio mea tua est iustitia item Dei miseratione in nomine salvatoris non nostris meritis vivificati sumus Radulphus Ardens homil super Evangelium Dominicae quartae Adventus Quid ergo dicemus fratres nisi vel quantumcunque bonum fecerimus semper nos indignos dicamus Nec hoc dicamus solo ore quasi mentiendo ex humilitate sed mente credamus ore confiteamur Iuxta quod ipsa veritas admonet dicens Cum omnia feceritis quae praecepta sunt vobis dicite servi invtiles sumus quod debuimus facere non fecimus Et Homil super Evang. Dominicae Septuagesimae Sicut Deus est liber ad promittendum ita est liber ad reddendum praesertim cum tam merita quà m praemia sint gratia sua Nihil enim aliud quà m gratiam suam coronat in nobis Deus qui si vellet in nobis agere districtè non iustificaretur in conspectu eius omnis viuens Vnde Apostolus qui plus omnibus laboravit dicit Existimo quod non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis c. Gerson de consolat theolog l. 4. pros 1. Quis gloriabitur se mundum cor habere c Quis non constitutus sub iudicijs Dei terribilis in consilijs suis super filios hominum trepidaverit Hinc afflictus Iob verebar omnia opera mea c. Et iterum Si voluerit mecum contendere non potero vnum respondere pro mille cui conformis est oratio prophetica Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Domine quia non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens rursus Si iniquitates observaveris Domine Domine quis sustinebit Porro quid Esaias se cum caeteris involuens sibique vilescens protulerit legimus Omnes iustitiae nostrae tanquam pannus menstruatae Quis igitur iustitias suas velut gloriabundus ostentaverit Deo plus quam pannum confusionis suae mulier viro Gabriel Biel writing vpon the Canon of the Masse fol. 209. lect 82. Alleadgeth and approveth this saying of Bernard serm 5. de dedicatione ecclesiae Nonnunquam de animâ meâ cogitans videor mihi in eâ fateor velut duo contraria invenire si ipsam prout in se est ex se intueor nihil de eá verius sentire possum quam ad nihilum esse redactam cum sit onerata peccatis obfusa tenebris irretita illecebris pruriens concupiscentiis obnoxia passionibus impleta illusionibus prona semper ad malum in vitium omne proclivis c nimirum si ipsae quoque iusticiae nostrae omnes ad lumen veritatis inspectae velut pannus menstruatae inveniuntur iniustitiae quales deinceps reputabuntur si lumen quod in nobis est tenebrae sunt ipsae tenebrae qnantae erunt Facile cuique est si sua plenius vniversa sine dissimulatione vestiget judicet sine acceptione personae attestari per omnia apostolicae veritati libere proclamare qui se putat aliquid esse cum nihil sit ipse se seducit Quid est homo quia magnificas eum ait fidelis devota confessio aut quid apponis erga eum cor tuum Quid sine dubio vanitati similis factus est homo ad nihilum redactus est homo nihil est homo Quomodo tamen penitus nihil est quem magnificat Deus Quomodo nihil erga quem appositum est cor divinum Tanquam nihil reputatur homo in judicio veritatis tuae sed non sic in affectu pietatis tuae nimirum vocas ea quae non sunt sicut ea quae sunt non sunt ergo quia vocas ea quae non sunt sunt quia vocas licet enim non sunt quantum apud se apud te sunt vtique juxta Apostolum non ex operibus sed ex vocante Sic nimirum consolaris in tuâ pitate quem in veritate tuâ humiliasti vt magnificè dilatetur in tuis qui merito angustiatur in suis siquidem vniversae viae domini misericordia veritas requirentibus testamentum tuum testimonia tua Pupperus Gocchianus de libertate Christ. part 3. c. 12 Christus sic operatur iustificationem in sanctis suis quamdiu sunt in hâc vitâ vt tamen semper in ijs sit aliquid adijciendum quod petentibus benignè adijciat confitentibus misericorditèr ignoscat And the same Gocchianus hath many things against the merit of workes as I will farther shew when I come to speake of merite But to leaue particular men it is evident that the Church of God taught so as we now doe by those questions whereof I spake before which were wont to be proposed to men that were ready to dye Casper Vlenbergius saith our Fathers thoroughout the Christian world euen till our time by those questions by them vsed and the answeres which they taught men to make to them lead as it were by the hand the simpler sort to the knowledge of Christ and the attaining of eternall saluation And because those questions and answeres containe and comprise in a briefe sort the whole summe of the doctrine of saluation and the very marrow and kernell of Christianitie as the same Vlenbergius rightly noteth I will set them downe together as they are founde in the booke intitled De arte benè moriendi Primo quaeratur sic frater laetaris quod in fide Christi morieris respondeat etiam Frater poenitet te non tam benè vixisse sicut debuisses respondeat etiam Frater habes emendandi animum si spatium vivendi haberes respondeat etiam Frater credis te non posse nisi per mortem Christi salvari respondeat etiam Agis ei gratias ex toto corde de hoc respondeat etiam Age ergo dum est in te anima tua ei semper gratias in hâc ejus morte te totum contege in hâc solâ morte fiduciam tuam constitue in nullâ aliâ re fiduciam habe huic morti te totum committe hâc solà te totum contege totum immisce te in hâc morte totum confige in hâc morte te totum involve si Dominus Deus te voluerit judicare dic Domine mortem Domini mei IESV CHRISTI objicio inter te me judicium tuum aliter tecum non contendo si dixerit quod mereris damnationem dic mortem Domini mei IESV CHRISTI objicio inter te me mala merita mea ipsumque dignissimae passionis meritum offero pro merito quod ego habere debuissem heu non habeo dicatur iterum Domine mortem Domini mei IESV CHRISTI pono inter me iram tuam deinde dicat ter In manus tuas
corporis tui quod cum de nostro sit nostra sunt illius merita proferimus tibi meritum passionis tuae ineritum crucis tuae meritum mortis tuae haec sunt merita nostra quae tu clementissime Domine nobiscum pro immensâ benignitate tuâ communicare dignatus es Secundum haec merita abs te iudicari postulamus his meritis freti coram tribunali tuo nos intrepidisistimus nostra sunt quia nostri sunt capitis nostra sunt quia nostri sunt corporis á quo nos nefario schismate nunquam praecidimus haec merita interponimus inter nos iudicium tuum aliter tecum iudicio contendere nolumus de quo solenniter protestamur These wordes of Hosius Eisengreinius saith are worthy to bee written in letters of gold Albertus Pighius writeth thus In hominibus duplex considerari potest iustitia sicut duplex invenitur regula cui conformari debeant altera quâ iusti sunt coram hominibus aut inter homines nempe respondentes legibus quibus constat iustum inter homines vt neminem afficientes iniuriâ imo benevolentiâ humilitatis charitatisque officijs prosequentes proximos omnibus in omni ordine reddentes quod suum est Altera est iustitia quâ iusti sunt coram Deo Quod tamen trifariam ferè intelligere possumus Vel quod nostra iustitia cum divinâ conferatur Sic non iustificatur in conspectu eius vlla creatura vt cuius puritate merito inquinantur omnia Velintelligitur homo iustificari coram Deo hoc est coram tribunali diuini iudicij dum regulae divinae iustitiae quâ parte ipsum respicit exactè respondet Regula est lex illaÌ„ dupliciter intelligere possumus vel in suâ illâ absolutâ perfectione Vt cum praecipitur vt diligamus Deum ex totâ animâ totâ mente totis viribus Vel prout illa ipsa divinae iustitiae lex regula nos respiciens nostrae infirmitati aptata condescendit convenit Si hoc modo intelligas ex voluntatis humanae inconstantiâ inclinatione quâdam ad carnis sui hospitis amica desideria quae ab illâ lege diuinae iustitiae nos deflectere ad se attrahere ac sollicitare nunquam cessat adhuc invenire non est iustum quenquam coram Deo inter filios Adae sed verum reperietur etiam de hâc ipsâ quamvis imperfectâ iustitiâ quod non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis vivens Siquidem iustitia haec est ad suam regulam etiam nostrae infirmitati attemperatam exacta correspondentia commensuratio in actionibus nostris omnibus Totum enim vniuersumque hominem denominans iustitia haec secundum omnes eius partes omnes singularum partium actiones vt illi regulae suae correspondeat in officio suo constet necesse est cuicunque haec iustitia convenit Neque enim qui partem vnam aliquam legis seruauerit praevaricator in caeteris hic iustus est Imo Quicunque inquit Iacobus totam legem servauerit offendit autem in vno factus est omnium reus Si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus c. Christus omnes nos neminem quantumvis iustum excipiens docuit orare Diâ—… nobis debita c. Aversatur Deus omnem iniustitiam Constat ergo quae de nobis omnibus foret sententia si Deus voluisset districto nobiscum judicio agere si non misericordissimè nobis succurrisset in filio nostrâ justitiâ vacuos ejus involuisset justitiâ Quod verissime intellexit ille qui ait Si iniquitates observaveris Domine Domine quis sustinebit Ne intres in judicium c. In Christi autem obedientiâ quòd nostra collocatur justitia inde est quòd nobis illi incorporatis ac si nostra esset accepta ea fertur ita ut eâ ipsâ etiam nos justi habeamur Et velut ille quondam Iacob cùm nativitate primogenitus non esset sub habitu fratris occultatus atque eius veste indutus quae odorem optimum spirabat seipsum insinuavit Patri ut sub aliena persona benedictioneÌ„ primogeniturae acciperet Ita nos sub Christi primogeniti fratris nostri preciosâ puritate delitescere bono eius odore fragrare eius perfectione vitia nostra sepeliri obtegi atque ita nos piissimo patri ingerere ut iustitiae benedictionem ab eodem assequamur necesse est This of Pighius is acknowledged by our adversaries and they are wont to alleadge his example to shew how dangerous it is to reade the writings of Protestants seeing a man so well grounded as he was was drawne into this opinion by reading of Calvin The most reverend Canons of the Metropoliticall Church of Colein in their antididagma opposed against the booke of reformation of Religion intended by their Archbishop Hermannus follow the same opinion that Pighius doeth their wordes are these Iustificamur à Deo justitiâ duplici tanquam per causas formales essentiales Quarum una prior est consummata Christi justitia non quidem quomodo extra nos in ipso est sed sicut quando eadem nobis dum tamen fide apprehenditur ad iustitiam imputatur Aliter verò iustificamur formaliter per iustitiam inhaerentem Cuâ—… tamen inhaerenti iustitiae quod sit imperfecta non innitimur principaliter sed eâ tanquam interiori quodam experimento certificamur nobis qui talem renovationem spiritus nostri in nobis sentimus experimur remissionem peccatorum factam Christi consummatam iustitiam nobis imputari atque ita Christum per fidem in nobis habitare Non ignoramus nos nulli alii merito praeterquam solius Christi neque item ulli alii iustitiae quà m iustitiae Christi sine qua omninò nulla est iustitia tanquam fundamento fidei nostrae inniti debere Quanquam oporteat nos interim internae illius renovationis quae fit per charitatem quam spiritus sanctus in corda nostra diffundit tanquam arrabonis aut certè experientiae impetratae remissionis peccatorum imputationis justitiae Christi rationem habere The booke commended to Charles the fifth as opening a way for the composing of the controversies in Religion then moued and by him offered and recommended to the Diuines appointed of both sides in the assembly at Ratisbon for to conferre about the composing of the differences in Religion clearely contayneth the same doctrine that the most reverend Canons of Colein deliuered before For in the 5 Article of the same booke the Authors and composers of it amongst other good things communicated to vs in our Iustification reckon the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and say that we are said to bee justified by faith that is accepted and reconciled vnto God in that it apprehendeth mercy and the righteousnesse that is imputed to vs for Christs sake and
into grieuous sin such as is in some sort regnant as Dauid did hee looseth not the right title hee formerly had but the actuall claime to that whereto he hath title is suspended So that he falleth not totally from justification but so only as for the present to haue no actuall claime to any thing by vertue o◅ it The remission of his originall sin the right to heauen obtained in baptisme the force and vertue of repentance of former sins and the right to the rewards of actions of vertue formerly done remaine still neither needeth he newly to seeke remission of sins formerly remitted but of this only the remission of the other will be reuiued again he may make claime to all those things he had formerly right vnto by vertue of the former right This is cleerely deliuered by Alexander of Ales p. 4. q. 12. memb 4. art 6. Scotus Durandus the rest of the Schoole-men So that the elect chosē of God once justified neuer falling totally from justification are neuer to be newly justified againe but the dayly lighter sins they run into stand with the right they haue to the fauours of God eternall happines the actuall claime to the same by that right The more grieuous depriue thē of the claime only not of the right when they are justified acquitted from these by particular repentance they are restored to their former claime only hauing neuer lost their right so that they cannot properly be sayd to be newly justified but only to be justified from such particular sins as they newly run into Hauing spoken of justification and the nature of it as it is considered in it selfe it remaineth that wee come to speake of the things required in men for the disposing and fitting of them that they may be capable of this grace There were amongst the Schoole-men as Stapleton telleth vs and after them in the beginning of these controuersies in religion who extenuating the corruption of nature taught vnaduisedly that men without and before the motions of grace may doe certaine morall good workes in such sort as thereby to fitte themselues for the receipt of the grace of justification and to merit it ex congruo Who to expresse this their false conceipt were wont to say facienti quod in se est Deum non denegare gratiam that is that God will not faile to giue grace to such as doe the vttermost that lyeth in them But the same Stapleton telleth vs that the more sound and judicious euer taught that there is no power nor will in man to dispose and fit himselfe for the receipt of this grace vnlesse hee bee moued by preventing grace stirring inciting and inclining him to turne to God and that the merite of congruence hath beene long since hissed out of all Schooles Touching these preparations wrought in men by preventing grace First it is agreed betweene those of the Church of Rome and those of the reformed Religion that faith to beleeue in generall the truth of things revealed and contained in Scripture is necessarie in the first place and before all other things Secondly that in particular there must be a viewing of the things there found that the consideration of mans originall state there described the fall corruption of nature and manifold sinfull euils into which each man is plunged together with the apprehension of Gods displeasure against the same is necessarily required Thirdly a feare sorrow growing out of the discerning of this vnhappy condition wherein we are Fourthly an enquirie by what meanes wee may escape out of these euils Fiftly faith to beleeue that God most inclinable to releeue vs rather then man should vtterly perish sent his owne Sonne into the world to suffer the punishment of sin to satisfie his justice to bring grace dissolue the workes of the diuell that so all that in sense of former euils flye to him for mercy and deliuerance may escape be saued Sixtly hauing found so happy meanes of escape a flying vnto God in earnest desire to bee receiued to mercy for Christs sake to be freed from the guilt of sinne to bee reconciled to God and to haue grace to decline euill and doe good in the time to come All these things in the judgement of the Diuines of both sides are necessarily required in them that are to be justified The most reverend Canons of the Metropoliticall Church of Colen in the booke called Antididagma Coloniense make the things required in them on whom the benefite of justification is bestowed to be of two sorts For there are some that onely dispose prepare vs other by which we receiue the same Of the former sort is the generall perswasion of faith touching the trueth of things in Scripture the particular consideration of things concerning the knowledge of God and our selues sorrow feare dislike of our present estate desire to be deliuered out of it to be reconciled to God to haue grace to decline euill and doe good Of the latter sort is the perswasion of faith whereby we assure our selues without doubting that God will not impute our sins vnto vs that thus penitently turne vnto him but that the course of his mercies now and euer shall be turned towards vs for his Sonne Christs sake This is that speciall faith they of the reformed Religion speake of and the Romanists seeme so much to dislike whereas yet the best and most judicious amongst them euer did and still doe admit the same Andraeas Vega l. 9. c. 7. saith that there hath beene a great controversie about this matter not onely betweene Catholiques and such as they esteeme heretickes but euen amongst the most learned Catholiques of this age at Rome at Trent at Ratisbone and in sundry other places many affirming that a man without speciall revelation may vndoubtedly beleeue and certainely assure himselfe that he is in grace and hath obtayned remission of all his sinnes This perswasion rising as a conclusion out of two propositions the one of faith the other euident vnto vs in our owne experience is a perswasion of faith because whensoeuer a conclusion is consequent vpon two propositions the one of faith the other euident in the light of reason and experience it is to bee beleeued by faith or as Iohn Bacon certitudine consequente fidem This opinion as Vega telleth vs Claudius Belliiocensis followed in his Commentaries vpon Timothy And the most reverend Canons of the Metropoliticall Church of Colen together with the Authors of the Enchiridion of Christian Religion published in the Provinciall Councell of Colen vnder Hermannus so much esteemed as Cassander telleth vs in Italy France The Authors of the booke offered by Charles the 5 to the Diuines of both sides And as some say Hieron Angestus But for the better clearing of this point First I will produce the testimonies of such as liued before Luthers time Secondly I will
that are already wise and exercised in things that are diuine and therfore they must begin with authority Hugo de Sancto Victore maketh three sorts of beleeuers for there are sayth he qui solâ pietate credere eligunt qui vtrùm credendum sit vel non credendum ratione non comprehendunt alii ratione approbant quod fide credunt alii puritate cordis mundâ conscientiâ interius iam gustare incipiunt quod fide crediderunt The first are moued to beleeue out of piety finding the Maiesty of God to present it selfe vnto them in the word of truth and happy communion of the people professing the same challenging their attention and readinesse to bee taught by him In the second the light of diuine reason causeth approbation of that they belieue In the third sort the purity of diuine vnderstanding apprehendeth most certainely the things belieued and causeth a foretasting of those things that hereafter more fully shall be enjoied They that are thus established in the faith do now already begin to foretast that which they long in heaueÌ„ distinctly to know and enjoy and begin already to haue God present with them by force of diuine contemplation so that if all the world should be turned into miracles they could not remoue them from the certainety of their perswasion Hence it is that Pycus sayth in his Conclusions that as faith which is but a bare credulity is in degree of perfection lesse then Science soe true faith is greater and more certaine then any science gotten by demonstration Thus then we may easily discerue what is the formall reason of our faith or inducing vs to beleeue In things that are therefore belieued because knowne as in the principles conclusions of naturall knowledge the euidence of things appearing to vs is the formall reason of our beleefe and perswasion In things first belieued and afterwards known the euidence of the things appearing vnto vs being inlightned by the light of grace In things only belieued and not knowne the authority of God himselfe whom wee do most certainly discerne to speake in the worde of Faith which is preached vnto vs. Si puros oculos integros sensus illuc afferamus sayth Caluin statim occurret Dei majestas quae subactâ reclamandi audaciâ nos sibi parere cogat If we bring pure eyes and perfect senses the Majesty of God presently presenteth it selfe vnto us in the diuine Scripture and beating down al thoughts of contradicting or doubting of things so heauenly forceth vs to obey For Non dubium vim numinis illic vigere spirare sentimus quâ ad parendum scientes quidem ac volentes viuidiùs tamen efficaciùs quà m pro humana aut voluntate aut scientia trahimur ac accendimur We find a greater light of vnderstanding shining vnto vs in this doctrine of faith then is found within the compasse of nature a satisfaction touching many things in which humane reason could not satisfie vs in a joy exultation of the heart such and so great as groweth not out of nature This maketh vs assure our selues the doctrine which thus affecteth vs is reuealed from God that they are the only people of God and haue the meanes of happinesse where this treasure of heauenly wisdome is found that those bookes are the richest jewell that the world possesseth and ought to be the Canon of our faith which this people deliuereth unto vs as receiued from them to whom these things were first of all made knowne and reuealed So then that God speaketh in the Scripture and is the Author of it we know more certainely than any thing that is knowne by naturall light of reason and thereupon wee beleeue all things therein contained though many of them are such as can neuer be knowne of vs as those that are historicall and other such as are not knowne at first though after we haue belieued we begin to vnderstand and know them Herevnto agree the best learned and most deuout and religious amongst the Schoole-men For the greater part of them were giuen to curious disputes but voyd of all deuotion as Gerson complaineth Alexander of Hales sayth there is a certainty of speculation and a certainetie of experience a certainty in respect of the vnderstanding and a certainetie in respect of the affection a certainty in respect of the spirituall man and a certainety in respect of the naturall man and pronounceth that the things apprehended by vs in diuine knowledge are more certainely discerned by such as are spirituall in the certainty of experience in the certainety which is in respect of affection and by way of spirituall taste and feeling than anie thing is discerned in the light of naturall vnderstanding Quà m dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua sayth the Prophet Dauid How sweete are thy wordes O Lord vnto my mouth They are sweeter than the hony and the hony combe And again I haue knowne long since that thou hast established them for euer Thus then it is true that the authority of Gods Church prepareth vs vnto the faith and serueth as an introduction to bring vs to the discerning and perfect apprehension of diuine things but is not the ground of our faith and reason of beleeuing And that doubtlesse is the meaning of those wordes of Augustine that hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him thereunto CHAP. 9. Of the meaning of those wordes of Augustine that he would not beleeue thâ—… Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him THe Diuines giue two explications of these wordes of Augustine For Occam and some others say the Church whereof hee speaketh is not the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the World but the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles in which sense they confesse the Church comprehending in it the Apostles and writers of the whole Scripture of the new Testament is of greater authority then the bookes of the Gospell written by them and deliuered to posterities Others taking the name of the Church to signifie onely the beleeuers that now presently are in the world say the meaning of Augustine is that he had neuer beleeued the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church had not beene an introduction vnto him Not that his faith rested vpon it as a finall stay but that it caused him so farre to respect the word of the Gospell to listen vnto it and with a kinde of acquisite and humane faith to beleeue it that hee was thereby fitted to a better illumination by force whereof hee might more certainely know and beleeue it to be of God To which purpose Waldensis out of Thomas Aquinas obserueth that as the Samaritans beleeued that Christ was the promised Sauiour vpon the report of the woman that talked with him made vnto them but afterwardes hauing
pollution of originall sin and if perhaps any did sometimes vse any forme or rite it was rather a matter of priuate voluntary deuotion than of necessitie For whereas parents stand bound by the generall law of God and nature with all thankefull acknowledgment to receiue their children as a great and speciall benefit from God this their faith pietie and thankefullnesse joyned with desire of and prayer for their Good prosperous and happy estate was accepted and found fauour with God on the behalfe of their children Whereupon Gregory pronounceth that the faith of the parents was of the same force with them of the old time that the Baptisme of water is with vs. And whereas Augustine sayth it is not likely that the people of God before the institution of Circumcision had noe Sacrament wherewith to present their children to GOD though the Scripture haue not expressed it it is not to bee vnderstood sayth Andradius of any outward ceremonies necessary for the sanctification of those Infants but of any rite offering them to GOD whether mentall onely or outwardly object to the eye and sense That which Andradius addeth that it could not be knowne but by tradition onely that the faith of the parents was in stead of circumcision before circumcision was instituted and after the institution of it to them that might not lawfully or could not possibly be circumcised is frivolous for men knew it concluded it out of the generall and common rules of reason and equity Touching the state of the people of God since the comming of Christ our adversaries make no doubt but they can easily proue that the writings which the Church that now is hath are defectiue and imperfect This they endeauour to proue First because the Scriptures of the New Testament were written vpon particular occasions offered and not of purpose to containe a perfect rule of faith Secondly because they were written by the Apostles and other Apostolique men out of their owne motions and not by commandement from Christ the Sonne of GOD. But vnto both these Arguments alleadged by our Adversaries we answere that they containe matter of very grosse errour For first who seeth not plainly that the Evangelistes writing the historie of Christs life and death Saint Luke in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles describing the comming of the Holy Ghost the admirable gifts of grace powred vpon the Apostles and the Churches established and ordered by them and the blessed Apostle Saint Iohn writing the Revelations which hee saw concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine and direction of Christian faith It is true indeed that the Epistles of the Apostles directed to the Christian Churches that then were were occasionally written yet so as by the providence of God all such things as the Church beleeueth not being found in the other parts of Scripture purposely writtē are most clearely at large deliuered in these Epistles Secondly touching the other part of their Argument which they bring to convince the Scripture of imperfection because they that wrote it had no commaundement to write wee thinke it needeth no refutation for the absurditie of it is evident and cleare of it selfe For who knoweth not that the Scriptures are not of any priuate motion but that the holy men of God were moued impelled and carried by the spirit of truth to the performance of this worke doing nothing without the instinct of the Spirit which was vnto them a Commandement The imperfection defect supposed to be foundin the Scripture our adversaries endeavour to supply by addition of traditions The name of Tradition sometimes signifieth euery Christian doctrine deliuered frō one to another either by liuely voyce only or by writing as Exod. 17. Scribe hoc ob monumentum in libro trade in auribus Iosuae Write this for a remembrance in a Booke and deliuer it in the eares of Iosuah Act. 6. 14. The written Law of Moses is called a Tradition Audivimus eum dicentem quoniam Iesus destruet locum istum mutabit traditiones quas tradidit nobis Moses We heard him say that Iesus shall destroy this place and change the traditions which Moses deliuered vnto vs. Sometimes the name of tradition signifieth that which is deliuered by liuely voyce onely and not written That which I receiued of the Lord saith the Apostle that I deliuered vnto you In this question by tradition we vnderstand such parts of Christian doctrine or discipline as were not written by them by whom they were first deliuered For thus our Adversaries vnderstand Traditions which they diuide into divers kindes First in respect of the Authors so making them of three sorts Divine Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall Secondly in respect of the matter they concerne in which respect they make them to be of tvvo sorts for either they cōcerne matters of faith or matters of manners and these latter againe either temporall or perpetuall vniuersall or particular All these in their seuerall kindes they make equall with the wordes precepts and doctrines of Christ the Apostles Pastors of the Church left vnto vs in writing Neither is there any reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten verities For it is not the writing that giueth things their authoritie but the worth credite of him that deliuereth them though but by word and liuely voyce onely The only doubt is whether there be any such vnwritten traditions or not Much contention there hath beene about Traditions some vrging the necessity of them and other rejecting them For the clearing whereof we must obserue that though we reiect the vncertaine and vaine traditions of the Papists yet wee reiect not all For first wee receiue the number and names of the authors of bookes Diuine Canonicall as deliuered by tradition This tradition we admitte for that though the bookes of Scripture haue not their authority from the Approbation of the Church but winne credite of themselues and yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their Diuine truth whence wee judge the Church that receiueth them to bee led by the spirit of God yet the number Authors and integrity of the parts of these bookes wee receiue as deliuered by tradition The second kinde of tradition which wee admitte is that summarie comprehension of the cheefe heads of Christian doctrine contayned in the Creed of the Apostles which was deliuered to the Church as a rule of her faith For though euery part thereof be contayned in the Scripture yet the orderly connexion distinct explication of these principall articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implyed and whence are inferred all conclusions theologicall is rightly named a tradition The 3d is that forme of Christian doctrine and explication of the seuerall parts thereof which the first Christians receiuing of the same Apostles that deliuered to them the Scriptures commended
Sauiour Christ which though they were neuer written by the Evangelists the Apostles and others conversant with him in the dayes of his flesh knew and faithfully preserued and kept as Mary did all things which she heard him speake and saw him doe of which sort was that alleadged by the Apostle It is more blessed to giue then to receiue wee make no question but that there are any of those vnwritten speeches or Actions necessary to bee knowne for our salvation or containing any other matter of diuine knowledge then is written or that are certainely knowne vnto the Church now we vtterly deny All the historicall things saith Bishop Lindan which are reported concerning Christ not contained in Scripture are fabulous or vncertaine Which doubtlesse was the reason why more errours were found in the writings of the first Fathers of the Primitiue Church then in those that were further remoued from those first beginnings because they were abused by the false and vncertaine reports of traditions which in those times men greedily hearkened after as liuing with thē which had beene conversant with the Apostles or their Schollers as wee shall finde by that is reported of Papias and it appeareth by the writings of others Thus hauing made it cleare and evident that it is not safe to relye vpon traditions in things concerning the faith let vs come to those traditions which concerne the manners and conversation of men That the Apostles deliuered many things of this nature to the Churches some by way of precept some by way of Councell and advice onely some to particular Churches and some to all some to continue but for a time and some to continue for euer we make no doubt Of this sort is the observation of the Lords day the precept whereof is not found in Scripture though the practice be and so may be named a tradition And sundry other things there are which doubtlesse the Apostles deliuered by tradition but they are confounded with Ecclesiasticall traditions as Waldensis aptly noteth that wee might the more reuerence the constitutions of the Church and are dispensable by the guides of the Church because the Apostles and Apostolike men that deliuered them did not deliuer them as reporting the immediate precepts of Christ himselfe but by vertue of their Pastorall power and office and so it little concerneth vs exactly to know whether they were deliuered by the Apostles themselues or their next after-commers For if they were deliuered by the Apostles yet are they dispensable by the authority of the Church and if not by them but by others they may not be dispensed with nor altered but by the same authority CHAP. 21. Of the rules whereby true Traditions may be knowen from counterfaite THus hauing set downe the kindes and sorts of traditions it remaineth to examine by what meanes wee may come to discerne and by what rules wee may judge which are true and indubitate traditions The first rule is deliuered by Augustine Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi auctoritate Apostolicâ traditum rectissimè creditur Whatsoeuer the whole Church holdeth not being decreed by the authority of Councelles but hauing been euer holden may rightly be thought to haue proceeded from Apostolike authority The second rule is whatsoeuer all or the most famous and renowmed in all ages or at the least in diuerse ages haue constantly deliuered as receiued from them that went before them no man contradicting or doubting of it may bee thought to be an Apostolicall tradition The third rule is the constant Testimony of the Pastors of an Apostolike Church successiuely deliuered to which some adde the present testimony of any Apostolike Church whose declinings when they beganne we cannot precisely tell But none of the Fathers admitte this rule For when they vrge the authority and testimony of Apostolike Churches for the proofe or reproofe of true or pretended traditions they stand vpon the consenting voyce or silence of the Pastors of such Churches successiuely in diverse ages concerning such things Some adde the testimony of the present Church but we enquire after the rule whereby the present Church may know true traditions from false and besides though the whole multitude of beleeuers at one time in the world cannot erre pertinaciously and damnably in embracing false traditions in stead of true yet they that most sway things in the Church may yea euen the greater part of a generall councell so that this can be no sure rule for men to iudge of traditions by And therefore Canus reasoneth foolishly that whatsoeuer the Church of Rome practiceth which shee may not doe without speciall warrant from God and yet hath no warrant in Scripture so to doe the same things and the practise of them shee hath receiued by tradition Hee giueth example in the present practice of the Romish Church in dispensing with remitting vowes and oathes and in dissoluing marriages not consummate by carnall knowledge by admitting men into orders of Religion But this practice of the Romish Church wee condemne as wicked and Antichristian CHAP. 22. Of the difference of bookes Canonicall and Apocriphall THus hauing answered our aduersaries obiections touching the obscuritie and imperfections of the scripture which wee affirme to be the rule of our faith it remayneth that in particular wee consider which are the bookes of this Scripture contayning the rule of our faith and where the indubitate and certaine verity of them is to be found whether in the originals or in the Translations The bookes which Moses the Prophets and Apostles deliuered to the world containe the Canon that is the rule of piety faith and religion which the sonnes of men receiued by Reuelation from heauen and therefore are rightly named Canonicall The matter of these bookes wee beleeue to haue beene inspired from the holy Ghost for our instruction whose authoritie is so great that no man may doubt of them The writers of these bookes were in such sort guided and directed by the spirit of trueth in composing of them that not to beleeue them were impious Wherevpon Augustine writing to Hierome saith Ego solis eis scriptoribus qui Canonici appellantur didici hunc timorem honoremque deferre vt nullum eorum scribendo errasse firmissimè teneam at si quod in iis invenero quod videatur contrarium veritati nihil aliud existimem quà m mendosum esse codicem vel non esse assecutum interpretem quod dictum est vel me minimè intellexisse non ambigam alios autem ita lego vt quantalibet sanctitate doctrinâve polleant non ideo verum putem quia ita senserunt sed quia mihi per illos auctores canonicos vel probabiles rationes quod à vero non abhorreat persuadere potuerunt That is I haue learned to yeelde that reuerence and honour to those writers onely that are called Canonicall to thinke that
none of them could erre in writing but if in them I find any thing that may seeme contrary to the trueth I perswade my selfe that either the Copie is corrupt or the interpreter defectiue and faultie or that the fault is in my not vnderstanding of it but other authors I so read that how great soeuer their learning sanctitie bee I doe not therefore thinke any thing to bee true because they haue so thought but because they perswade me that it is true by the authority of the Canonicall authors or the probability of Reason Besides the indubitate writings of those Canonicall Authours there are other bookes written of the same argument which because the credite and authority of the authors of them is not knowen are named Apocryphall Bookes are named Apocryphall first because the authour of them is not knowen and in this sense some of the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture as the bookes of Chronicles of Hester and a great part of the Psalmes may be named Apocryphall though vnproperly and vnfitly The authority of the authors of them not being doubted of though their names and other personall conditions be not knowen And therefore Andradius reprehendeth the Glosse which defineth those things to be Apocryphall quae incerto authore prodita sunt the author and publisher whereof is not knowen Secondly bookes are therefore named Apocryphall because the authority and credite of them is called in question it being doubted whether they proceeded from the inspiration of the holy spirit so that they cannot serue for the confirmation of any thing that is called in question In this seuse Hierome calleth the bookes of the Macchabees and the rest of that kinde Apocryphall though they were read privately and publikely for the edification of the people and the information of manners Thirdly such bookes are named Apocryphall as are meerely fabulous and full of impiety and therefore interdicted and forbidden to bee read or regarded at all The auncientest of the Fathers name these onely Apocryphall and so doth Hierome sometimes calling those of the second ranke Hagiographall though this name be sometimes giuen to those Canonicall bookes which pertaine not to the Lawe nor the Prophets as the booke of Iob the Psalmes the bookes of Salomon Esdras the Chronicles c. so diuiding the whole Canon of the Scripture of the old Testament into the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographall bookes that is those which not hauing any proper name of difference retaine and are knowen by the common name of holy writ CHAP. 23. Of the Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes of Scripture THe bookes of the old Testament were committed to the Church of the Iewes wherevpon that is one of the things in respect whereof the Apostle preferreth them before the Gentiles that to them were committed the Oracles of God This Church of the Iewes admitted but onely 22 bookes as deliuered vnto them from God to bee the Canon of their faith according to the nūber of the letters of their Alphabet as Iosephus sheweth For though they sometimes reckon foure and twenty and somtimes seuen and twenty yet they adde no more in one of these accounts than in the other For repeating Iod thrice for honour of the Name of GOD and so the number of the letters rising to foure and twenty they number the bookes of Canonicall Scripture to be foure and twenty dividing the booke of Ruth from the Iudges and the Lamentations from the Prophecies of Ieremy and reckoning them by themselues which in the former account they joyned with them These bookes thus numbred Hierome fitly compareth to the foure and twenty Elders mentioned in the Revelation Qui adorabant prostratis vultibus offerebant coronas suas Which prostrating themselues adored and worshipped the Lambe acknowledging that they receiued their Crownes of him Stantibus coram quatuor animalibus oculatis antè retrò in praeteritum futurum respicientibus Those foure admirable liuing creatures hauing eyes before and behind looking to things past and to come standing before him And because fiue of the Hebrew letters are double they sometimes reckon the bookes of the holy Canon so as that they make them rise to the number of seuen and twenty reckoning the first and second of Samuel of Kings of Chronicles and of Esdras by themselues seuerally which in the first accompt were numbred together two of euery of these being accompted but as one booke and dividing Ruth from the Iudges These onely did the auncient Church of the Iewes receiue as Divine and Canonicall That other bookes were added vnto these whose authority not being certain and knowne are named Apocryphall fell out on this sort The Iewes in their latter times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinctions sake named Hebrewes commorant at Hierusalem and in the holy Land others named Helenists that is Iewes of the dispersion mingled with the Grecians These had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made vse of together with other parts of the Old Testament which they had of the Translation of the Septuagint but the Hebrewes receiued onely the two and twenty bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Iewes deliuered a double Canon of the Scripture to the Christian Churches the one pure indubitate and divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke enriched with or rather adulterated by the addition of certain bookes written in those times when God raised vp no more Prophets among his people This volume thus mixed of diuers sorts of bookes the Christians receiued of the Iewes These bookes joyned in one volume were translated out of Greeke into Latine and read by them of the Latine Church in that Translation for there was no Catholique Christian that euer translated the Scriptures of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Latine before Hieromes time nor none after him till our age Hence it came that the Fathers of the Greeke Church hauing Origen and sundry other learned in the Hebrew tongue and making search into the antiquities and originals of the Iewes receiued as Canonicall onely the two and twenty bookes written in the Hebrew and did account all those books which were added in the Greeke to bee Apocryphall The Latines receiuing them both in one Translation and bound vp in one volume vsed sundry parts of the Apocryphall bookes in their prayers and readings together with the other and cited them in their writings yet did none of them make any Catalogue of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes and number them amongst the Canonicall before the third Councell of Carthage wherein Augustine was present at which time also Innocentius liued which Fathers seeme to adde to the Canon diuers bookes which the Hebrewes receiue not Hierome translating the Scriptures out of the Hebrew and most exactly learning what was the Hebrew Canon rejected all besides the two and twenty Hebrew bookes as the Grecians did before
and as after him all men of note in the Latine Church did There was great exception taken to Hierome for aduenturing to translate the scripture out of Hebrew and among others Augustine and the Africans seemed not much to like it They therefore reckon the bookes of Scripture according as they found them in vse in the Latine Church not exactly noting the difference of the one from the other yet not denying but that the Hebrew Canon consisted only of two and twenty bookes and that many tooke exceptions to them when they alleaged any testimonies out of those bookes the Hebrewes admit not Against which exceptions Augustine no otherwise iustifieth himselfe but by the vse of the Church in reading them Which proofe is too weake to proue them Canonicall seeing the prayer of Manasses confessed by our aduersaries to be Apocryphall the third and fourth of Esdras the booke called Pastor and some other were likewise read by them of the Church cited by them in their writings and many things translated out of them into the publike prayers and Liturgies of the Church Thus then these Father 's not looking carefully into the originals name all those bookes Canonicall which the vse of Gods Church approoued as profitable and containing matter of good instruction and so numbred the bookes of Wisdome the rest with the Canonicall Whose opinion yet as Caietane thinketh was not that they were absolutely Canonicall but in a sort in that they containe a good direction of mens manners These the Greeke Fathers rejected from the Canon admitting only those which the reformed Churches at this day admitte as also almost all the diuines of the Latine Church after Hierome doe That some of the Greeke Fathers rejected the booke of Hester it was as Sixtus Senensis rightly noteth by reason of those Apocryphall additions which they not being skilfull in the Hebrew tongue did not discerne from the true parts of it which errour made them to reject the whole booke as Apocryphall This was also the reason why they admitted those Apochryphall additaments joyned to the booke of Daniel Howsoeuer it appeareth that all they which diligently looked into these things did admit all those bookes which we admitte and reject all those which we reject Neither is there any one amongst all the auncient before the third Councell of Carthage that clearely and of set purpose numbreth the bookes controuersed betweene vs and our aduersaries with the bookes of the Canon Melito then Bishop of Sardis going purposely into the East parts of the world that he might diligently search out the monuments and sacred bookes of diuine knowledge reckoneth those only Canonicall which we do saue that he addeth the booke of Wisdome Origen admitteth and acknowledgeth onely two and twenty bookes of the old Testament Athanasius likewise numbreth the books of the Canon in the same sort and addeth There are also certaine other bookes which are read only to the Catechumens and nouices Hilarius sayth the law of the old Couenant is contained in two and twenty bookes answerable to the number of the Hebrew letters Nazianzene also is of the same opinion and Cyrillus Bishop of Hierusalem onely he addeth the booke of Baruch thinking it to be a part of Ieremies Prophecies but suffereth not any others to be added saying The Apostles and first Bishops which deliuered these only were wiser and much more to be esteemed than such as now goe about to adde others Of the same judgment are Epiphanius Ruffinus Hierome and Gregory And Iosephus confirmeth the opinion of these Fathers saying that from the time of Artaxerxes till the age wherein he liued all things were cōmitted to writing which concerned the state of Gods people and Religion but that they were not of equall authority with those which were formerly written because after that time the indubitate succession of the Prophets ceased Vnto these authorities of the Fathers some of our aduersaries as Andradius and others doe answere that they speake of the Canon of the Hebrewes and not of the Canon of the Church so not denying absolutely these bookes to bee canonicall but that they are not so esteemed by the Iewes but this aunswere the wordes of Hierome doe most clearely refute As sayth hee the Church not the Synagogue of the Iewes readeth the bookes of Iudeth Tobias and the Maccabees but receiueth them not as Canonicall Scriptures so likewise it may reade these two bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasticus for the edification of the people but not for confirmation of doubtfull poynts of doctrine And therefore Bellarmine Sixtus Senensis and others clearely confesse that this answere of Andradius is insufficient They therefore adde another to wit that the Canon was not perfectly knowen and confirmed in the time of those Fathers Wee aske them when it was confirmed If they say in the Councell of Nice which as Hierome sayth some report receiued the booke of Iudeth as Canonicall though Lindan say it is not likely it did and that Hierome did not say it did so but that some reported so wee aske how it came to passe that so many Catholike Diuines after the Nicene Councell reiected these bookes as they did before If they say they were confirmed in the Councell of Cartharge that was but a prouinciall Councell as was that of Laodicea in which they are not mentioned If they say the Councell of Carthage was confirmed in the sixt generall Councell holden at Trullo wee answere first that it was no more confirmed there than that of Laodicea and as Canus noteth the sixt Councell doeth not expressely name the third Councell of Carthage but onely speaketh of Canons agreed vpon in new Carthage Secondly wee say that those Canons of the sixt Councell wherein this pretended confirmation is found are of no credit with the Romanists so that it is cleare that neither the Nicene Councell nor this other did confirme the authoritie of the bookes questioned as appeareth by the consent of almost all the worthiest Diuines in the Church after those Councells till our age as Gregory Damascenus Hugo de Sancto Victore Ricardus de sancto Victore Petrus Cluniacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Occam Picus Mirandula Waldensis Armacanus Driedo Caietane and others CHAP. 24. Of the vncertainty and contrariety found amongst Papists touching bookes Canonicall and Apocryphall now controversed BVt let vs come particularly to the bookes controversed and see how sweetely our aduersaries agree with themselues in admitting or reiecting them First touching the booke of Baruch though the Councell of Florence and Trent haue confirmed it to be Canonicall yet Melchior Canus sayth it is doubtfull whether it be or not and yet sayth if it bee not Canonicall the Councels of Florence Trent haue erred and the people
of God beene long abused and the Church in greevous errour And elswhere againe he sayth the Church hath not certainely resolued that it is Canonicall and that it yeeldeth no certaine cleare and indubitate proofe in matters of faith Driedo denyeth it to be canonicall saith Cyprian Ambrose and others of the Fathers cited the Booke of Baruch as also the third and fourth of Esdras not as Canonicall but as containing matter of good instruction not contrary but consonant to the faith The additions of the booke of Hester Sixtus absolutely rejecteth as vaine and foolish contrary to the judgements of the Papists yet admitteth the additions to Daniel These also Driedo rejecteth notwithstanding the decree of the Tridentine Councell as the author of the booke De mirabilibus Scripturae did long before calling the story of Bell and the Dragon a fable Melchior Canus professeth he dareth not pronounce it hereticall to deny any or all of the controversed bookes of the Old Testament and yet confidently pronounceth it hereticall to deny any of the bookes of the New Testament which were sometimes doubted of so that it seemeth a man may dissent from a generall Councell and not be an Hereticke and that the Councell of Trent proceeded not vpon so good grounds of reason in approouing the one as the other contrary to their judgment who say we may as well doubt of the Bookes of the New Testament whereof some doubted in former times as of these of the Olde But it is easie to shew their errour who so thinke and to confirme the opinion of Canus that there is not so great reason why we should doubt of the one as the other For first the Bookes of the New Testament were neuer doubted of but by some few in comparison of them that receiued and approued them the most and most renowned for piety learning and right judgement euer receiuing them For to begin with those of which there hath beene most doubt The Epistle to the Hebrewes and the booke of the Revelation of S Iohn Hierome witnesseth that they neuer wanted the approbation of the worthiest and greatest parts of Gods Church Illud sayth he nostris dicendum est hanc epistolam quae inscribitur ad Hebraeos non solum ab Ecclesiis Orientis sed ab omnibus retrò Ecclesiasticis scriptoribus quasi Pauli Epistolam suscipi licèt eam plerique vel Barnabae vel Clementis arbitrentur esse c. Let our men know that the Epistle to the Hebrewes is not onely receiued and approued by all the Churches of the East that now presently are but by all Ecclesiasticall writers of the Greeke Churches that haue beene heretofore as the Epistle of Paul though many thinke it rather to haue beene written by Barnabas or Clemens and that it skilleth not who wrote it seeing it was written by an Authour approued in the Church ofGod and is dayly read in the same If the custome of the Latines receiue it not among the Canonicall Scriptures no more doe the Greeke Churches admit the Revelation of Saint Iohn and yet we following the authority of the Auncient receiue them both Secondly the Churches of the Gentiles to which the Bookes of the New Testament were deliuered were in parts of the world farre remote one from another and did not immediatly all of them receiue all the parts of these diuine bookes from the Authors of them but from those particular Churches to which they were specially directed or in the middest whereof the writers of them remained at the time of the writing of them And therefore it is not to bee marvailed at if being deliuered and transmitted from one to another some receiued them sooner and some later But the Bookes of the Olde Testament were deliuered to one nationall Church only and yet these now controversed were neuer receiued by it Thirdly these Bookes of the New Testament whereof some informer times did doubt were written in the Apostles times whom GOD honoured with the first immediate and vndoubted revelation of Divine trueth these after the succession of the Prophets were ceased Fourthly the bookes of the Olde Testament now controversed were not written in the Hebrew but in Greeke by such of the Iewes as were of the dispersion and therefore neuer receiued by the Hebrewes nor counted amongst the sacred Bookes of the Canon which they diuided into the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which Christ giueth testimony in the Gospell Lastly the reason mouing some to doubt of the bookes of the new Testament was the vncertainty of the names of the authors or something mistaken misconstrued or not understood in the bookes which in time was cleared and they afterward generally receiued But the Apochryphall bookes of the old Testament were rejected as being written when there was no more vndoubted succession of Prophets by the whole Church of the Hebrewes and euer after by the best and worthiest guides of the Christian Churches That the bookes of the newe Testament called in question by some were doubted of vpon such weake reasons as hath beene sayd will easily appeare The Epistle to the Hebrewes was therefore doubted of by some because the difference and diuersity of the style made them thinke it not to be Pauls whose name it carried and by others because the author of it seemed to them to fauour the errour of the Nouatians in denying the reconciliation of such as fall after baptisme The second Epistle of Peter some doubted of because of the diuersity of the style which Hierome rejecteth The Epistle of Iames because of the vncertainty of the author it being doubtfull which Iames was the author of it The Epistle of Iude because the author of it alleageth the authoritie of an Apochryphall booke of Enoch as they imagined The second and third of Iohn because they are sayd to haue beene written by Iohn the elder some denyed to bee the Epistles of Iohn the Apostle ascribing them to another Iohn The Reuelation was doubted of first because of the doubtfullnesse of the Title of Iohn the Diuine secondly because of the difficultie and obscuritie of the words of this Prophecie or Reuelation and lastly because the author of this booke seemeth to fauour the heresie of the Millenaries But the Latine Church receiued this booke as Canonicall as also the best and most learned of the Greekes as Dionysius Alexandrinus though hee deny it to haue beene written by Iohn the Euangelist Epiphanius condemneth the Alogi as heretickes because they denie the Gospell and Reuelation of Saint Iohn Tertullian reckoneth it among the errours of Cerdon that hee rejected the bookes of the Actes and the Reuelation and writing against Marcion hee sheweth that hee also did denie the same booke Irenaeus sayth this Reuelation was manifested vnto Iohn and seene of him but a little before his time Iustinus Martyr doth attribute this booke to Iohn and doth account it a
Diuine Reuelation Origen in his Preface before the Gospell of Iohn sayth that Iohn the sonne of Zebedee saw in the Reuelation an Angell flying thorow the middest of heauen hauing the eternall Gospell The Councell of Ancyra pronounceth it to bee sacred and that Iohn was the author of it Thus then I hope it doth appeare that there is not so much reason to doubt of the bookes of the newe Testament called sometimes in question as of those of the old seeing the former were neuer doubted of but by some fewe vpon reasons friuolous the weakenesse whereof being discouered all Catholike Christians with one consent receiued them accounting them no better than Heretickes which either doubted of them or denied them whereas the later were rejected by the whole Church of the Iewes by all antiquity and the whole current of Gods Church some fewe onely excepted being ignorant of the tongues and not exactly looking into the monuments of antiquity and diuided amongst themselues some admitting more and some not all those which our aduersaries now receiue Wherefore as wee cannot but condemne the inconsiderate rashnesse of such either of the Romish or reformed Churches as in our time make question of any of the bookes of the newe Testament that are and haue beene long read in the Churches of GOD as Canonicall throughout the whole world so likewise wee thinke their boldnesse inexcusable who in these last ages make those bookes Canonicall which neuer were so esteemed by Gods Church before and goe about to binde all mens consciences soe to receiue them against the current of antiquity and the iudgement of the best learned in euery age euen to our times CHAP 25. Of the diuers editions of the Scripture and in what tongue it was originally written THus hauing shewed that the Scripture containeth a perfect rule of our faith and hauing likewise made it appeare what bookes they are which are canonicall and containe this rule of our Christian faith and Religion it remaineth that wee search out what editions there are of these Scriptures and which are authenticall and of indubitate authority and credit The whole Scripture of the old Testament was written in Hebrewe saue that some fewe things were translated into the bookes of Esdras and Daniel out of the publike recordes and monuments of the Chaldees in that tongue as the copies of letters and publike actes and proceedings all things which the spirit of God did absolutely deliuer being expressed vnto vs in the same bookes in Hebrewe The opinion of some hath beene that the whole Scripture of the old Testament perished and was lost in the time of the captiuity of Babylon and that it was newly composed by Esdras To which purpose they alleage the authority of Basil who seemeth to say some such thing and likewise the testimony of the author of the fourth booke of Esdras where it is sayd that the bookes of the lawe being burnt God sent the holy Ghost into Esdras separated him from the people for the space of fortie daies caused him to prouide boxe tables and men writing swiftly and that in forty dayes they wrote twoe hundred and foure bookes but this booke being Apochryphall full of Cabalisticall vanity doth rather weaken then strengthen this opinion That which is alledged out of the second of Esdras and the eight doth not proue that Esdras did newely compose the bookes of Scripture but only that he brought them forth which implyeth that they were not vtterly lost nor did wholly perish Neither indeed is it likely though that Scripture which was kept in the Temple was burnt that Ezechiell Daniell Ieremie Haggai Zacharie Mardocheus and Esdras himselfe were so negligent as not to preserue the bookes of the Scripture So that all that Esdras did was nothing else but the bringing together and putting into order the scattered partes of this scripture and the correcting of such faults as in time by the negligence of the writers were crept into the seuerall Copies of it This point is handled at large by Bellarmine and excellently cleared by him and therefore it is needlesse to insist vpon it longer So then the same scripture which Moses and the Prophets deliuered Esdras sought out and religiously commended vnto the people Onely Hierome is of opinion that hee found out newe Hebrewe letters and left the old to the Samaritans which Bellarmine out of Hierome confirmeth because the last letter of the Hebrewe Alphabet was like the Greeke T and had a similitude of the Crosse as that of the Samaritanes now hath but that now hath no similitude with it Picus Mirandula professeth that hauing conferred with sundry Iewes about this matter they all constantly denyed this alteration of letters And to what purpose should Esdras alter the forme of letters which MOSES and the Prophets had vsed Neither doth Hierome in the place cited by Bellarmine speake of the Greeke T but sayth onely that the last of the auncient Hebrew letters had a similitude of the Crosse as now that of the Samaritans hath But this being a matter of no great moment let euery man judge as he thinketh best This then we constantly hold that as the whole Scripture of the Olde Testament was written in Hebrew so the same neuer perished wholly in any of the captiuities of the Iewes but was religiously preserued euen the same which Moses and the Prophets deliuered to the people of God After the returne of the people from Babylon their tongue language was mixed of the Hebrew Chaldee and named the Syriacke tongue from the Region or Countrey vvhere it was vsed in which Christ made all his Sermons to the people as being best vnderstood of them Yet were not the bookes of the New Testament written in this Language but in Greeke because they were to be made common to the Churches of the Gentiles among which the Greeke tongue was most generally vnderstood There are three tongues most famous in the world as Hugo de Sancto Victore noteth the Latine Greeke and Hebrew propter regnum sapientiam legem the first because of the Monarchy of the Romanes who as they subjected the people which they did conquere to their lawes customes so they did force them to learne their language the second because in it the great Philosophers and Wise men of the world left the monuments of their wisedome learning to posterities the third because in it God deliuered his Law the interpretation of it by Moses and the Prophets to the people of Israell his chosen Amongst all these the Greeke was most generally vnderstood by the learned of all Nations because in it all the renowned wise men of the world had written all that were studious learned it that they might vnderstand their writings Hence it came that the books of the New testament were written in Greek because God would not honour one Nation of the world more then another nor
force his people to borrow the bookes of Scripture one from another Onely some doubt there is touching the Gospel of Mathew the Epistle to the Hebrewes which are supposed to haue been written in Hebrew and the Gospell of Marke written as some say in Latine That the Gospell of Mathew was written in Hebrew Hierome others affirme Guido Fabritius sayth it was written in Hebrew but in vulgar Hebrew which is the Syriacke that they of Hierusalem did speake which opinion others seeme to incline vnto the Gospell in Hebrew which some bring forth being of no credit The Epistle to the Hebrewes some say was written in Hebrew translated by Luke or Barnab as into Greeke The Syrians say the Gospell of Marke was first written in Latine that afterward hee translated both it and the whole New Testament beside into Syriacke which they say they haue preserued to this day This Syriacke Translation of the New Testament was not knowne in these parts of the world till our age as Fabritius Boderianus noteth who thereupon breaketh out into the praises of our times if the men of this generation either knew the happinesse thereof or how to vse it Howbeit that Marke was Authour of this Syriacke translation which the Syrians in this age haue deliuered vnto vs wee cannot perswade our selues because none of the Fathers that liued in Syria and Egypt as Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Eusebius Athanasius Theophilus Epiphanius Hierome Cyrill Theodoret and Damascen make any mention of it besides it is apparantly defectiue in diuerse things as the learned note So then the indubitate originals of these parts of the New Testament in Hebrew or Syriacke if they were written at first in these tongues being lost and the Church depriued of them the Greeke is holden to bee Originall in respect of all the bookes of the New Testament For that either they were all written in it or translated into it by the Apostles or Apostolike men CHAP. 26. Of the translations of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke THus hauing deliuered in what tongues the Scriptures and bookes of God were written it remayneth that we enquire what the principall translations of them haue beene and whether the indubitate verity of them be in the originals or in the translations There was as some suppose a translation of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke before the time of Alexander the great but the first that was in note and remayned long in esteeme in the world was that of the Septuagint in the time of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus Who intending to furnish a Librarie at Alexandria with all the choisest bookes the world would affoord amongst other places sent to Hierusalem to the rulers guides of the people there who sent vnto him the bookes of Moses and the Prophets written in Hebrewe in letters of gold Which hee not vnderstanding sent the second time for interpreters and they sent vnto him 72 in imitation of Moses who when hee went vp to the Mount to receiue the Law being commaunded to take with him 70 of the Elders of Israell added two to the number prescribed lest taking six out of some Tribes and but fiue out of other some dislike might haue grown amongst them These in 70 dayes translated the whole old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke For though Iosephus and the Iewes say they translated onely the bookes of Moses yet the consenting voyce of all the Fathers affirming that they translated the whole mooueth vs rather to thinke the whole was translated by them then onely the bookes of Moses vnlesse wee say with Iunius for the reconciling of this difference that onely the bookes of Moses were translated by the first 72. sent to Ptolomee and the rest afterwards by 72 also though not the same That which some report that they were shutte vp in severall celles which long after were to be seene at Alexandria Hierome rejecteth as a fable shewing that no such thing is reported by Aristaeus that was present at the businesse and that no remaynder of any such celles was to bee found at Alexandria but that they met in one place and conferring together euery day till the ninth houre in 70 dayes perfected the whole worke and Augustine leaueth it doubtfull This fable is vrged by some to proue that these translatours were guided by a propheticall spirite and so could not erre which false and absurd conceite Hierome condemneth likewise The second translation of the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke was that of Aquila in the time of Adrian the Emperour the 3. of Theodotion in the time of Commodus The fourth of Symachus in the time of Seuerus The fift without name of author was found in the City of Hiericho in the time of Antonius Caracalla The sixt in Nicopolis in the dayes of Alexander the son of Mammca The seaventh of Origen who translated not but corrected the translation of the Septuagint adding some things out of Theodotions translation which additions he noted with the marke of a shining starre detracting other thinges which he pearced through with a spitte The eight of Lucian the Martyr was not a translation but a correction only of such faults as were crept into the translation of the Septuagint This was found at Nicomedia in the time of Constantine Lucian being martyred long before in the dayes of Dioclesian the Emperour The ninth of Hesichius was likewise but a correction of such things as were amisse in the vulgar editions of the Septuagint It appeareth by Hierome in his preface before the bookes of Chronicles that they of Alexandria Egypt vsed that edition of the Septuagint which Hesichius corrected they of Constantinople that of Lucian the Martyr and they of the Prouinces and Countries lying betweene these that which Origen corrected The Greeke translation found to neede correction and corrected by these as it seemeth was called by the name of the common edition not as being a different translation from that of the Septuagint but as being that which was common in all mens hands and much altered and corrupted from the originall purity which these worthy men endeauoured to restore it to againe And was so named because there was another preserued in greater purity in that worthy worke of Origen that filled all the famous libraries in the world in those times in which first diuiding euery page into sixe columnes or pillars in the first he put the Hebrewe in the Hebrewe Characters in the second in Greeke in the third the interpretation of Aquila in the fourth of Symmachus in the fift of the Septuagint in the sixt of Theodotion and named the volumes thus disposed in respect of the foure translations Tetrapla a foure fould worke in respect of these translations and the Hebrewe in two kind of Characters placed in two seuerall pillars or Columnes Hexapla a
sixefould worke to which afterwards adding in two other pillars or columnes the fift and sixt translations before mentioned found in Hiericho and Nicopolis he named the whole Octapla an eightfould worke CHAP. 27. Of the Latine Translations and of the authority of the vulgar Latine THus hauing deliuered what translations there are and haue beene of the old testament out of Hebrewe into Greeke let vs see what translations there are and haue beene of the old and newe Testament into Latine They sayth Augustine that translated the old Testament out of Hebrewe into Greeke may easily be numbred but they that translated the old and newe Testament out of Greeke into Latine cannot be numbred Yet amongst soe many and diuerse translations it seemeth there was one more common then the rest called by Gregory the old translation and by Hierome vpon Esay the vulgar who disliketh it preferreth the translation of Symmachus and Theodotion before it in the interpretation of the place of the Prophet he there expoundeth The first that translated the old Testament out of Hebrewe into Latine was Hierome and the last till our age whereupon great exception was taken to him for it as appeareth by his seuerall Epistles wherein he excuseth and defendeth himselfe Yet notwithstanding all these dislikes and exceptions it appeareth by Gregory that a newe translation beganne to be in vse in the Church not long after Hieromes time which is thought to be that we now call the vulgar Whether this translation be Hieromes or not there is great variety of iudgment Some as Pagnine and Paule Bishop of Forosempronium deny it to be Hieromes others as Augustinus Eugubinus and Picus Mirandula affirme it to be his Other as Driedo and Sixtus Senensis thinke it to be mixed of the old and newe Bellarmine deliuereth his opinion in certaine propositions whereof the first is that we haue the Latine text of the newe Testament not of Hieromes translation but of his correction only the second that we haue the Psalmes of the old trāslatiō formerly in vse the reasō whereof is thought to be because the Church fearfull to giue any offence to the weake would not admitte any alteration in them being dayly read and sung in the assemblies of the faithfull the third that wee haue the bookes of Ecclesiasticus Wisdome and the Maccabees of the old translation the author whereof is not knowne the fourth that we haue all the rest of Hieromes translation This translation some thinke so perfect as that it is not to bee corrected according to the Originals if in any thing it dissent from them but that rather they are to be holden corrupt in all such places of difference Now because this Translation in many places and sundry things is found to dissent from the Originals therefore they inferre a great corruption of the originalls This is the erroneous conceit of Lindan Canus and others of that sort against whom in the just defence of the trueth of the originals the best learned in the Church of Rome oppose themselues as Iohn Isaacke Arrias Montanus Driedo Andradius Sixtus Senensis and many moe The chiefest argument of the adverse part is for that if this translation be not pure and faultlesse the Church had not the word of God so long as it vsed this translation onely For answere hereunto Andradius demaundeth if the Church were not as perfect and as assuredly possessed of the truth before this translation of Hierome as since if it were he demandeth if they that liued in those times did not as much admire the Translation of the Septuagint and the Latine translations out of it as they doe the vulgar Now that they did he proueth at large out of sundry of the auncient who held that the Septuagint were ledde in translating with a propheticall spirit freeing them from danger of errour so far forth that Hierome was greatly disliked for adventuring to translate after them as if he could correct any thing that they had done Yea so great opposition did he find that he was forced to giue way to the clamours and out-cryes of his adversaries to attribute much vnto them and to make shew that he would neuer haue begun this worke of a new translation if that of the Septuagint had remained been preserued in originall purity though sometimes hee feare not to pronounce that they passed by many things of purpose mistook many things of ignorance and suppressed other because they would not make knowne the dishonour of their nation to strangers Now saith Andradius I would know whether in all the places wherein the translations then in vse differed frō the originals the originals were corrupted If they were then our translation which cōmeth neerer to the originals leaueth the former translatiō sis corrupt so while these men endeavour to defend they ouerthrow the authority of the vulgar translation But some perhaps will demand whether the Church of God in those times had not the true Scriptures of God whether the Church of God at any time haue beene without an approued translation Hereunto Andradius answereth that the Church doth approue translations not pronouncing that there is nothing amisse in them or that they depart not from the true sense and right meaning of any particular place but that the Diuine Mysteries are therein truely deliuered and nothing that concerneth faith religion or good manners ignorantly or fraudulently suppressed The Councell of Trent defined that the vulgar Latine translation shall bee holden as authenticall but hee sayth Andreas Vega who was present at the Councell reported that the Fathers of the Councell meant not to determine that it is not defectiue or faulty but that it is not erroneous and faulty in such sort as that any hurtfull or pernicious opinion in matters of faith or manners may necessarily be deduced from it And that this was the meaning of the Councell he saith Andreas Vega alleadged the authority of the Cardinall of Saint Crosse afterwards Pope who deliuered so much vnto him So that the Church of God doth not receiue any translation as free from all errour and in that sense authenticall but thinketh that to bee the peculiar excellencie of the originals which are by some vnjustly disgraced and called in question as if they were so corrupted that translations should be preferred before them CHAP. 28. Of the trueth of the Hebrew text of Scripture FOr first touching the Hebrew text which some suppose hath beene corrupted by the Iewes it is not likely that of purpose they would corrupt it for then they would specially haue corrupted those places which make most clearely against them and for the Christians but those places are not corrupted as Andradius sheweth and proueth by the testimony of Iohn Isaake who was wonne to Christianity by the pregnancy of a Chapter of Esayes prophecie in Hebrew Neither is it likely dum aliis inuiderent authoritatem
the time of his innocencie had but one commaundement which yet vnhappily he brake and that therefore they seeme to haue no sense of mans miserable wretched condition nor any way to compassionate his infirmitie that charge him with so many precepts besides those of God and Nature Whereupon he grauely and wisely concludeth that he supposeth that the wisest and best amongst the guides of Gods Church had not so ill a meaning as to haue all their constitutions ordinances taken for lawes properly so named much lesse strictly binding the conscience but for threatnings admonitions counsailes and directions onely And that when there groweth a generall neglect they seeme to consent to the abolishing of them againe For seeing lex instituitur cùm promulgatur vigorem habet cum moribus vtentium approbatur Lawes are made when they are published by such as haue authoritie but haue life force and vigour when the manners of men receiuing and obeying them giue them allowance Generall long continued disuse is and justly may be thought an abolishing and abrogating of humane lawes Whereas contrarywise against the Lawes of God and Nature no prescription or contrary vse doth euer prevaile but euery such contrary custome or practise is rightly judged a corruption and fault THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE CHVRCH TOGETHER WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING A DEFENCE OF SVCH PARTES AND PASSAGES OF THE FORMER BOOKES AS HAVE BEENE EITHER EXCEPTED AGAINST OR WRESTED TO THE MAINtenance of Romish errours By RICHARD FIELD Doctour of Diuinity OXFORD Printed by WILLIAM TVRNER Printer to the famous Vniuersitie Ann. Dom. 1628. The Epistle to the Reader AS in the dayes of Noe they all perished in the waters that entred not into the Arke prepared by Gods owne appointment for the preseruation of such as should escape that fearefull and almost vniversall destruction So is it a most certaine and vndoubted truth good Christian Reader that none can flie from the wrath to come and attaine desired happinesse but such as enter into that society of men which we call the Church which is the chosen multitude of them whom God hath seperated from the rest of the world and to whom he hath in more speciall sort manifested himselfe by the knowledge of reuealed truth then to any other So that nothing is more necessary to be sought out and knowne then which and where this happy society of holy ones is that so wee may joyne our selues to the same and inherit the promises made vnto it according to that of the holy Patriarch Noe Blessed be the God of Sem and let Chanaan be his seruant the Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem. The consideration whereof moued me when I was to enter into the controuersies of these times first and before all other things carefully to seeke out the nature and being of this Church the notes whereby it may be knowne which it is amongst all the societies of men in the world and what the priuiledges are that doe belong vnto it of all which things I haue treated in those foure Bookes of that argument which not long since I offered to thy viewe and censure Now it remaineth that in this insueing Booke then promised I shew in what sort almighty God who sitteth betweene the Cherubins in this his holy Temple reuealeth himselfe from off the mercy seate to such as by the calling of grace he hath caused to approach draw neare vnto himselfe and how he guideth and directeth them to the attaining of eternall felicity Many sundry waies did God reueale himselfe in ancient times as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For sometimes he manifested himselfe to men waking by visions sometimes to men sleeping by dreames sometimes he appeared in a piller of a cloud sometimes in flaming fire sometimes he came walking a soft pace among the trees of the garden in the coole of the day sometimes he rent the rockes and claue the mountaines in sunder sometimes he spake with a still and soft voyce sometimes his thunders shooke the pillars of heauen and made the earth to tremble as in the giuing of the lawe when he came downe vpon Mount Sinai what time the people by Moses direction went forth to meete him but when they heard the thunders and the sound of the trumpet and saw the lightnings and the mountaine smoaking they fled stood a farre off sayd vnto Moses Talke thou with vs and we will heare thee but let not God talke with us lest we die This their petition Almighty God mercifully granted and knowing whereof they were made resolued no more to speake vnto them in soe terrible and fearefull manner but rather to put heauenly treasures into earthen vessels that is to enlighten the vnderstandings and to sanctifie the mouthes tongues of some amongst themselues and by them to make knowen his will pleasure to the rest In this sort after the giuing of the law he imployed the Priests Levites in a set and ordinary course appoynting that the people should seeke the knowledge of the same at their mouthes and in case of great confusion and generall defects of these ordinary guides raised vp Prophets as well to denounce his judgements against offenders and to reforme abuses as also to foreshew the future state of things and more more to raise in men a desire hope and expectation of the comming of the promised Messias whom in the fulnesse of time he sent into the world as the happiest Messenger of glad tidings that euer came vnto the sonnes of men and the Angell of the great couenant of peace causing this proclamation to be made before him This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him In him were hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge so that as it was sayd of him Hee hath done all things well so likewise that Neuer man spake as he spake But because he came not into this lower world to make his abode here perpetually but to cary vp with him into heaven our desires first and then our selues after he had wrought all righteousnesse and performed the worke for which hee came he returned backe to God that sent him Choosing out some of them that had been conuersant with him in the dayes of his flesh that had heard the words of his diuine wisedom were eye-witnesses of all the things he did suffered sending them as his father sent him who were therefore named Apostles These had many excellent preeminences proper to those beginnings and fit for the founding of Christian Churches as immediate calling infallibility of judgement generall commission the vnderstanding and knowledge of all tongues power to confirme their doctrine by signes and wonders and to conferre the miraculous gifts of the spirit vpon other also by the imposition of their hands In which things when they had finished their course they left none to succeede them yet out of their more large ample and immediate
as they are in themselues euill without the consideration of any good to follow so caused a desire to decline them expressed in the prayer he made But Superiour reason considering them with all circumstances knowing Gods resolution to be such that the World should thereby be saued by no other meanes perswaded to a willing acceptance of them Betweene these desires and resolutions there was a diversity but no contrariety a subordination but no repugnance or resistance There was no contrariety because they were not in respect of the same circumstances for Death as Death is to be avoided neither did Superiour reason euer dislike this judgement of the Inferiour Faculties but shewed farther and higher considerations wherein it was to be accepted embraced There was no repugnance or resistance because the one yeelded to the other For euen as a man that is sicke considering the potion prescribed to him by the Physitian to be bitter vnpleasant declineth it while he stayeth within the bounds confines of that consideration but when casting his eyes farther he is shewed by the Physitian the happy operation of good that is in it he willingly accepteth it in that it is beneficiall and good So Christ considering death as in it selfe euill contrary to nature while hee stayed within the bounds and confines of that consideration shunned and declined it and yet as the meanes of mans saluation joyfully embraced it accepting that he refused and refusing that he accepted There is a thing saith Hugo de Sancto Victore that is Bonum in se good in it selfe the good of euery other thing There is a thing good in it selfe yet good but to certaine purposes onely And there is a thing euill in it selfe yet good to some purposes The two former sorts of things may be desired simply and absolutely the third cannot but onely respectiuely to certaine ends of this kinde was the death of the Crosse with all the wofull tormentings concurring with the same which simply Christ shunned and declined but respectiuely to the ends aboue specified willingly embraced The Papistes impute I know not what impiety to Caluine for that he saith Christ corrected the desire wish that suddenly came from him But they might easily vnderstand if they pleased that hee is farre from thinking that any desire or expressing of desire was sudden in Christ as rising in him without consent of reason or that he was inconsiderate in any thing hee did or spake but his meaning is that some desires which he expressed proceeded from Inferiour reason that considereth not all circumstances that hee corrected revoked the same not as euill but as not proceeding from the full perfect consideration of all things fit to be thought vpon before a full resolution be passed Thus hauing spoken of Christs feare agony before his passion it remaineth that we proceede to speake of the sorrowes that afflicted distressed him in his passion These sorrowes were such so great that being beset compassed about with them on euery side he professed his soule was heauy euen vnto the death Yea. such was the bitternesse of his Soule that pressed with the weight burthen of grieuous and insupportable euils he was forced to cry out aloud My God my God why hast thou forsaken me These words of sorrowfull passion the Papists say Caluine thought to bee words of despaire and that Christ despaired when he vttered them Surely this shamelesse slander sheweth that they that thus speake they care not what are desperately malitious and maintaine a desperate cause that cannot be vpholden but by falshood lying But Caluine is farre frō any such execrable hellish blasphemie For hauing by occasiō of these words amplified the sorrowes distresses of Christ in the time of his passion hee sayth there were some that charged him that hee sayd these words were words of desperation and that Christ despaired when he vttered them but hee accurseth such hellish blasphemie and pronounceth that howsoeuer the flesh apprehended destroying euils inferiour reason shewed no issue out of the same yet there was euer a most sure resolued perswasion resting in his heart that hee should vndoubtedly preuaile against them and ouercome them wherefore passing ouer this wicked calumniation of our aduersaries let vs see in what sense Christ the Sonne of God complained of dereliction and cried aloud vnto his Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For the clearing hereof the Diuines do note that there are sixe kindes of dereliction or forsaking whereof Christ may be thought to haue complained The first whereof is by disunion of Person the second by losse of Grace the third by diminution or weakning of grace the fourth by want of assurance of future deliuerance and present support the fift by deniall of protection the sixt by withdrawing of solace and destituting the forsaken of all comfort It is impious once to thinke that Christ was forsaken any of the foure first wayes For the vnity of his person was neuer dissolued his graces were neuer either taken away or diminished neither was it possible he should want assurance of future deliuerance and present support that was eternall God and Lord of life But the two last waies he may rightly be sayd to haue beene forsaken in that his Father denied to protect and keepe him out of the hands of his cruell bloudy and mercilesse enemies no way restrayning them but suffering them to doe the vttermost of that their wicked hearts could imagine and left him to endure the extremity of their furie and malice and that nothing might be wanting to make his sorrowes beyond measure sorrowfull withdrew from him that solace he was wont to finde in God and remoued farre from him all things that might any way lessen and asswage the extremity of his paine So that Christ might rightly complaine that he was forsaken though he were farre from despaire and words of despaire CHAP. 19. Of the descending of Christ into Hell WITH the sufferings of Christ his Descension into Hell is connexed both in the order of things and in the Articles of the creede and therefore it remaineth that in the next place we speake of that Bellarmine obserueth that the Article of Christs descending into Hell was not in the Creede with all Churches from the beginning for that Irenoens Origen and Tertullian haue it not and Augustine in his booke de Fide Symbolo and in his foure bookes de Symbolo ad Catechumenos mentioneth it not expounding the Creede fiue times though elsewhere he say that none but an Infidell will deny the descension of Christ into Hell Ruffinus expoundeth it amongst the articles of the Creede but noteth that it is not in the Symbole of the Romane Church nor those of the East The Nicene Creede hath it not but that of Athanasius hath and other of the Fathers reade it also And
downe the reasons brought on both sides and first that it was the true Samuel hee sheweth that these reasons are commonly brought First because the Scripture speaketh of him as of his very person not of any counterfeit likenes of him calling him not once but often by the name of Samuel Secondly for that it had bin a great dishonour irreuerence offered to Samuel if so often the Diuell should haue beene called by his name in holy Scripture Lastly for that it is said in Ecclesiasticus in the praise of Samuel the Prophet of God that he prophesied after his death that he afterwards slept againe and that he made known to King Saul his end the ouerthrow of his armies which prediction is not to bee imputed to a lying Spirit seeing hee so certainely foretold what was to come to passe On the other side he produceth these proofes First the Glosse vpon the 29 of Esay sayth the Pythonisse did not raise Samuel but euocated called out the Diuell in his likenesse Secondly it is not likely that God who would not answere Saul by liuing Prophets would send any from the dead to aduise or direct him Thirdly he that appeared vnto Saul sayd vnto him To morrow thou shalt be with me but Saul as a wicked man was to be in Hell the place of torments therefore he that appeared was so Fourthly he that appeared suffered Saul to worship him which true Samuel would not haue done seeing God onely is to be worshipped Fiftly if it were true Samuel that appeared either hee was raised by diuine power or by the power of magicall incantations if by diuine power God should very much haue fauoured magicall arts if at the inuocation of this Pythonisse hee had wrought such a miracle if by the power of Magicke then was he raised by the Diuell and that either with his consent and then he had done euill which he could not doe or without his consent which could not be seeing the Diuell hath no power to force the Saints of God after their death and departure hence Lastly he alleageth the authority of Augustine who bringing the reasons on both sides in the end inclineth rather to this later opinion and that in the Decrees Cap. Nec mirum c. adding that if that decree taken out of Augustine bee the decree of the Church noe man may thinke otherwise but if it be not as he thinketh it is not because Augustine out of whom it was taken disputeth the matter doubtfully and many of the Diuines since the compiling of that decree are of another opinion which they ought not to be if it were the decree of the Church he rather thinketh it was true Samuel that appeared then any counterfeit in his likenesse If any man desire to see the different opinions of the Fathers touching this point let him reade Tertullian in his booke de Animâ the 33 Chapter the annotations vpon the same place of Tertullian But howsoeuer whether it were true Samuel that appeared vnto Saul or a counterfeit in his likenesse I hope it is cleare and euident out of that which hath beene sayd that this apparition no way proueth the imagined Limbus of the Papistes There remaine yet two other places of Scripture to be examined that are brought for confirmation of the same but yealding as litle proofe as this The one is in the prophesies of Zacharie the other in the Epistle of S. Peter The words in the former place according to the Vulgar translation are these Thou in the blood of thy testament hast deliuered thy prisoners out of the Lake wherein there is no water But in the Originall the words are otherwise and Arias Montanus translateth the place otherwise in this sort And thou to wit Ierusalem in the blood of thy testament that is sprinkled with the blood â—…f thy testament reioyce and be glad I haue dismissed thy prisoners out of the lake wherein there is no water So that these words Thou in the blood of thy testament are not appliable vnto Christ but to Hierusalem and the other touching the dismissing of the prisoners out of the lake wherein is no water vnto God the Father who speaketh in this place to HierusaleÌ„ coÌ„cerning Christ her King coÌ„forteth her saying Rejoyce o Daughter of Sion be glad ô Daughter of Hierusalem for behold thy King commeth vnto thee meeke riding on an Asse vsed to the yoke and the fole of an Asse I will destroy the Charriot froÌ„ Ephraim and the Horse from Hierusalem He shall destroy the bowes of the fighters and the multitude and publish peace to the nations He shall rule from Sea to Sea and from the riuer to the end of the Land And thou to wit Hierusalem in the blood of thy testament that is sprinkled with the blood of thy testament reioyce and be glad I haue dismissed thy Prisoners out of the lake wherein there is no water Thus wee see this place according to the Originall verity and the translation of Arias Montanus maketh nothing for the confirmation of that for proofe whereof it is brought Yea though we should follow the Vulgar Translation and take the words to be spoken by Almighty God to Christ his Sonne yet could not our aduersaries proue Limbus out of this place For the Author of the Glosse and many other following the Vulgar Translation vnderstand these words of the deliuerance of the people of God out of the captiuity of Babylon which was as a deepe pit hauing in it no water but mire wherein their feete stucke fast And Hierome himselfe though he vnderstand the words of Christs descending into hel yet mentioneth the other interpretation also in the same place not much disliking it Neither doth his interpretation of Christs descending into Hell proue Limbus For hee speaketh of the prison of Hell where is no mercie calleth it a cruell or fearefull Hell not of Limbus patrum or Abrahams bosome Bellarmine cunningly after his manner to discredite our interpretation of deliuerance out of Babylonicall captivitie maketh as if Caluine onely had expounded the wordes of the holy Prophet in that sort whereas yet many excellent Diuines long before Caluine was borne interpreted them in the very same sort as we doe But if the challenge of novelty faile he betaketh himselfe to another of absurditie improbabilitie pronouncing that our Interpretation hath no probabilitie first because in the wordes immediatly going before there is a prophesie concerning Christ vttered vnto Hierusalem in these words Reioyce O daughter of Sion for behold thy King commeth c. Which the Evangelists expound of Christs comming into Hierusalem and then secondly an Apostrophe to Christ in the words questioned But first heerein he is deceiued for the speech of Almighty God to his Church begun in the former words is still continued in these shewing what fauours for Christs fake he had still meant to bestow on her whereas
confessed the Lord then to giue a sound in the Church in reading the diuine Scriptures of the Lord. The Exorcists were such as tooke care of the Energumenes or men vexed with the Diuell who in ancient times came to the Churches in great companies and were there prouided for and kept vnder rules and disciplinary gouernment These Exorcists receiued of the hands of the Bishop the booke wherein the Exorcismes were written which they were to commit to memory that so by earnest inuocation of the name of CHRIST who is to returne to judge the quicke and the dead and to judge the world in fire they might obtaine of him the repressing of Sathans furies and the ease and deliuerance of such as were disquieted and vexed by him These had power to impose hands on them that were disquieted with Diuels whether baptised or not and in solemne manner to commend them vnto God who onely hath power to rebuke Sathan Acoluthes were so named for that they were to follow and attend the Bishop whithersoeuer he went that so they might not onely be witnesses of his blamelesse conuersation but do vnto him such seruice as he should require stand in need of whereupon in later times for that they were to go before the Bishop in the Churches bearing wax lights in the night watches and other meetings for diuine seruice in the night time they were named Ceroferarij that is Taper-bearers Subdeacons were to assist the Deacons in all things pertaining to them The order of Subdeacons in ancient time was not accounted a sacred order so that they might not touch the sacred vessels nor none might be chosen a Bishop out of their ranke but the later Bishops of Rome decreed that the order of Subdeacons should be reputed a sacred order These were the inferiour orders of ministery in the Church in ancieÌ„t times to which were added Widowes or holy women which being aged and destitute of friends were maintained by the Church and being of good report were chosen and appointed to minister to the women that were baptized to teach and direct them how to answere the Baptizer and how to liue afterwards as also to take care of them that were sicke All these as well Ostiaries Lectors Exorcists and Acoluthes as Subdeacons in ancient times serued for a certaine space in these degrees and therefore the solemne designing of them thereunto was not to be disliked but now when they execute the office of Ostiaries who are no Ostiaries of Lectors who are no Lectors of Psalmists who are worthy to bee driuen not onely out of the Quire but out of the Church also as Bishoppe Lindan rightly noteth when none of these performe the duties their names import and euery man almost is made a Presbyter the first day as if none might bee made the next it is but for shew and fashion onely that men are ordained to the performance of these offices and in truth and in deede nothing else but a meere mockery as the same Bishop Lindan ingenuously confesseth With whom Duarenus agreeth His words are Hodie nec Diaconis nec alijs inferioribus Clericis vllus locus est in Ecclesia vllumue ministerium aut munus quòd exequantur sed quia priscis canonibus statutum est vt nemo Presbyter ordinetur â—…isi per omnes gradus inferiores ascenderit ideo dicis causa vt ita dicam gradatim ordinari solent idque certo quodam solenniqueritu vt ad honorem Presbyterij aut quemuis aliâ—… sublimiorem capessendum idonei reddantur potest que dici imaginaria haec ordinatio that is At this day neither is there any place for Deacons nor other inferiour Clergimen in the Church nor any ministery or function for them to execute but because it is ordained in the ancient Canons that no man be ordained a Presbyter vnlesse hee ascend and climbe vp by all inferiour degrees therefore for names sake they are wont to bee ordained to euery of these degrees in order and that with a certaine solemne rite that they may be made capable of Priestly honour or any other higher dignity And this ordination may rightly be tearmed an Imaginarie ordination or in imagination onely And therefore our Aduersaries cannot justly blame vs who omitting the other inferiour ordinations giue no lower order then that of a Deacon All these both Ostiaries Lectors Acoluthes and Subdeacons in former times were sanctified and set apart to serue God in these meaner employments that they might bee trained vp thereby to performe the duties of higher orders For in those times men were not promoted to the highest roomes but by degrees being found to haue demeaned themselues well in the lower and therefore they were vnder a stricter kinde of gouernment then they of the Laity and both in their conuersation habite and all things beseeming modesty and grauity they were more precisely tyed to the keeping of order then other men Hereupon they were not suffered to weare their haire long like wantons vnciuill men or men of warre but were commanded to polle their whole heads leauing onely a circular crowne in the lower parts thereof And here truly we cannot but condemne the absurd custome of the Romane Church violating old Canons degenerating from auncient vse and exposing her Priests and Leuites to the scorne and contempt of the world by those triobolar shauen crownes which daily shee setteth before our eyes For first whereas the Councell of Toledo in Spaine prouideth that all Cleargie men Lectors Deacons and Priests polling the whole head aboue shall leaue onely a circular crowne below and not as the Lectors hitherto had done in the parts of Galicia who wearing their haire long as Lay-men were polled in a little round compasse in the tops of their heads onely for that this had beene the custome of certaine Heretiques in Spaine the Church of Rome abandoneth the forme of polling prescribed by the Councell and alloweth the obseruation of those auncient Heretiques the Councell condemned Here we see saith Bishop Lindan whence these triobolar crowns in the tops of cleargy mens heads did come namely from certaine auncient Heretiques in Spaine But these lesser things might easily be reformed if the vnspeakable scandals shames dishonours of the Church were first remoued and taken away This is the censure of that learned Bishop Secondly whereas rasure was not vsed in auncient times but condemned by the Fathers as most vnseemely they of the Church of Rome haue left tonsure and brought in rasure in steed thereof That rasure was not vsed in auncient times it appeareth by Clemens Alexandrinus where he saith that the haires are to bee cut off not with the rasoure but with the Barbours sheares and by Optatus Bishop of Mileuis where hee reprehendeth the Donatists that tooke certaine Catholike Priests and by force did shaue their heads Shew vs saith hee where you are commanded to shaue the heads of Priests when as on the
quicquid ego de vobis boni audio mihi imputo that is Whereas there were many Apostles yet in respect of the chiefty that Peter had as being Prince of the Apostles his Sea only grew to be in chiefe authority which in three places is yet the See but of one and the same Apostle For he exalted that Sea in which he pleased to rest and end this present life Hee beautified that Sea in which he placed Marke his Scholer and he firmly and strongly setled that Sea in which hee sate seauen yeares though with purpose in the end to leaue it When as therefore there is one See of one Apostle in which by diuine authority three sit as presidents whatsoeuer good I heare of you I impute it to my selfe And againe in the same place to Eulogius hauing spoken to him of the dignitie of Peters chaire in which he sate he saith He hath spoken to me of Peters chaire who himselfe sitteth on Peters chaire This is the opinion of these Romane Bishops touching the reason of the exaltation of the Seas of Rome Alexandria and Antioche aboue other Episcopall Seas who how partially soeuer they may be thought to be affected to the chaire of Peter yet herein do they mainly crosse the conceipt of the Romanists at this day in that they teach that other Bishops succeede Peter in the chaire and that chiefty and primacy he had as well as the Bishop of Rome The dignity of these 3 Apostolicall Churches was cōfirmed in the Nicene Councell and each of them confined within the ancient bounds and limits thereof Let the ancient custome say the Nicene Fathers continue in Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria may haue power ouer all these seeing the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome In like sort in Antioche and other prouinces let euery Church retaine and keepe her owne degree and honour Bellarmine much troubleth himselfe about this limitation and bounding of these Patriarches as preiudiciall to the illimited iurisdiction of the Romane Bishop and therefore though it be most cleare that there was a particular assignation of Churches to euery of these Patriarches yet hee seeketh to auoyd the euidence of these words For whereas Ruffinus sayth it was decreede by the Councell of Nice that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue care and charge ouer Aegypt as the Bishop of Rome hath of the Churches neere that city and Theodorus Balsamon in the explication of the Nicene canons with Nilus in his booke against the primacie interpreteth the words of the Nicene decree in this sense that the Bishoppe of Alexandria should haue the charge of Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis and the confirming of the Metropolitanes in those parts because the Bishop of Rome who hath a care of the West confirmeth the Metropolitanes of the West hee maketh this construction of the words of the councell Let the Bishop of Alexandria haue the charge of Aegypt seeing the Bishoppe of Rome was wont to permitte him soe to haue before any Councell had decreed it And soe hee sayth Nicolas the Pope in his Epistle to Michael the Emperour vnderstandeth the words which yet is most vntrue for Nicolas sayth no such thing but onely that the Councell maketh the custome of the Romane Church the patterne for others to follow But the eight generall Councell which no doubt vnderstood the words of the Nicene Fathers farre better then Bellarmine sheweth plainely that the meaning of the Nicene Canon was that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue power ouer Aegypt and the prouinces pertaining to it to confirme the Metropolitanes in the same seeing the like custome preuaileth in the Romane Church And this Councell confirmeth the same distinction of the bounds of iurisdiction within which euery Patriarch is to containe himselfe both for old Rome and new and for the other Churches of Alexandria and Antioche The Canons of the Nicene Councell translated out of the Arabian tongue and published by Turrian Pisanus and Binnius will fully cleare this point if our Aduersaries giue any credit vnto them For in the eighth of those Canons the decree about the meaning whereof wee contend is thus set downe Constitutum est vt Episcopus Aegypti id est Patriarcha Alexandrinus praesideat habeat potestatem totius Aegypti that is It is ordained that the Bishop of Aegypt that is the Patriarch of Alexandria shall sit as President and haue power ouer all Aegypt and ouer all places Citties and Townes which are round about it because soe it is fit and because likewise the Bishop of Rome that is the Successour of Peter the Apostle hath power ouer all the Citties and places which are about Rome And in like sort let the Bishop of ANTIOCH haue power ouer that whole prouince c. But because perhaps these Canons though published by themselues as rare secrets of Antiquity lately brought to light will be of litle credit with them I will adde one reason more which to me seemeth very forcible to confirme our interpretation of the words of the Nicene Fathers There was aunciently a great contention betweene the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople about the Churches of Bulgaria either of these Churches making claime thereunto and seeking to bring them within the compasse of their owne Iurisdiction which contention could not haue beene if the one of these two Churches had had an illimited extent of Iurisdiction But that neither of them had any such illimited Iurisdiction it is euident in that neither Constantinople nor Rome vrge any such thing for iustification of their claime but stand vpon their conuerting of the people of Bulgaria to the Christian faith and the planting of religion amongst them Which either of these pretending rather then other sought thereby to iustifie a title of iurisdiction and authority ouer them Wherefore resoluing that we haue the true meaning of the Nicene canon let vs returne thither whence we haue a litle digressed namely to the discourse of Patriarchical Churches and Bishops set in order and honour before all other These as I haue already shewed were at first but three to which afterwards two other were added First Constantinople and afterwards Hierusalem Touching the Church and Bishop of Constantinople after that city was by Constantine made the seate of the Empire and thereby as much or more honoured then any city in the world the Bishop thereof before little esteemed grew exceeding great and in the second Councell which was the first of Constantinople was made a Patriarch in degree of honour next the Bishop of Rome and before the other two And againe in the Councell of Chalcedon confirmed in the same And though Leo resisted against this act of the Councell of Chalcedon and peremptorily protested that he would not suffer the Church of Alexandria to loose the dignity of the second See and the Church of Antioch of the third and his successours many of them persisted in the
Cornelius The fourth in the eighth Epistle of the first booke ad plebem vniversam Out of the first of these places they will proue that hee maketh Peter Head of the whole Church Out of the second that there is one High Priest one supreme Iudge in the Church whom all men are bound to obey Out of the third that Cornelius was Head of all Catholiques Out of the fourth that there is one singular Chaire in the Church wherein he sitteth that must teach all To euery of these allegations I will answere in order and make it most cleare and evident that none of the things imagined by the Cardinall can possibly bee concluded out of any of the fore-named places For to beginne with the first whosoeuer will but reade ouer Cyprians booke of the vnity of the Church shall most certainely and vndoubtedly finde that hee speaketh not in that book of Peters headship of the vniuersall Church as the Iesuite fansieth but of the head originall and first beginning of Pastorall commission Which that it may the better appeare I will as briefely as possibly I can lay downe the most principall and materiall circumstances of the whole discourse of that booke written vpon occasion of the Schisme of the Nouatians The first thing that occurreth in the whole discourse of the booke is the authors obseruation of the endlesse malice of Satan who when he found the Idols of the Gentiles wherein he was wont to be worshipped to be forsaken his Seates Temples deserted almost all professing to belieue in Christ Haereses inuenit Schismata quibus subuerteret fidem veritatem corrumperet scinderet vnitatem that is Found out Heresies and Schismes by which he might subvert the Faith corrupt the verity and cut in sunder the vnity so that Quos detinere non potest in viae veteris coecitate circumscribit decipit noui itineris errore that is Whom he cannot hold in the blindnesse and darkenes of the old way those he circumuenteth and beguileth by making them erre goe aside and not hold on the right course of their journey in the new way that leadeth to life In the second place he sheweth that this so falleth out and that men are soe beguiled and misse-led into Schismes Heresies because they returne not backe to the first origine of truth because they seeke not the head nor keepe the doctrine of the heauenly Maister which if a man would consider and thinke of he should not neede to seeke out many arguments nor fetch any great compasse about but the truth would easily without any great search offer it selfe vnto him For therefore did Christ when hee was to lay the foundations of the Christian Church say specially to Peter Thou art Peter vpon this Rocke will I build my Church I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and againe after his resurrection Feede my sheepe because though rising againe from the dead he gaue like power to all the Apostles when he sayd As my Father sent me so send I you whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained yet he would by speaking specially to one by appointing one chaire shew what vnity should be in the Church The rest of the Apostles sayth Cypriā were vndoubtedly the same that Peter was equall in honour power but therefore did Christ in the first place giue or at least promise to giue specially particularly to one that Apostolique cōmissiō which he meant also to giueto the rest that hee might thereby shew that the Church must be one and that there must be but one Episcopall chaire in the world All the Apostles say the Cyprian are Pastours but the flock of Christ is but one which they are to feed with vnanimous cōsent There is but one body of the Church one spirit one hope of our calling one Lord one Faith one baptisme one God This vnity all men must endeauour to keepe especially Bishops that they may make it appeare that there is but one Bishoply commission in the Christian Church Cuius a singulis in solidum pars tenetur that is Whereof euery one indifferently and in equall sort hath his part Here is nothing that proueth the vniuersality of the Papall power or that Peter was by Christ made head of the whole Church But this place most mainely ouerthroweth that supposed Headship For Cyprian teacheth that Christ meant to giue equall power and authority to all his Apostles and that the reason why intending no more to one then to the rest yet he more specially directed his speech to one then to the rest was onely to shew that there must be an vnity in the Church which he settled in that beginning with one from him he proceeded to the rest not meaning that the rest should receiue any thing from him but that from himselfe immediately they should receiue that in the second place which he had first and that they should receiue the same commission together with him into which he was first put that they might know him to be the first of their company In this sense Innocentius sayth A Petro ipse Episcopatus tota authoritas nominis huius emersit that is The Bishoply office and the whole authority of this name and title tooke beginning from Peter whom he sayth all Bishops must respect as Sui nominis honoris authorem that is as the first and originall of their name and honour And Leo in like sort Huius muner is sacramentum ita Dominus ad omnium Apostolorum officium voluit pertinere vt in beatissimo Petro Apostolorū omnium summo principaliter collocaret v◅ ab ipso quasi quodam capite dona sua velut in corpus omne diffunderet that is The Lords will was that the mystery of this heauenly gift commission and imployment should so pertaine to the ministery office of all the Apostles that yet he would first and principally place it in most blessed Peter the greatest of all the Apostles that soe beginning with him as the head and first hee might proceede from him to poure forth his gifts into all the body But sayth Bellarmine Cyprian speaketh of another head of the Church besides Christ and maketh the Church that so enlargeth it selfe and hath so many parts yet to be one in this roote and head as the beames are many but the light is one as the boughes are many but the tree is one the riuers are many but the fountaine is one It is strange that a man of his learning and judgement should so mis-conceiue things as he seemeth to doe For it is most euident to any one that will but take the paines to peruse the place that Cyprian speaketh not of a distinct head of the Church different from Christ and appointed by him to gouerne the Church but of the originall first beginning and head of the commission the Pastours of the Church haue
Which commission Christ so gaue to all the Apostles that yet first hee gaue it or at least first promised to giue it to one and directed his speech specially to him to shew that none can be Pastors of the Church but such as without intrusion are consented on by them that hauing this power in vnity amongst themselues may communicate it to others Neither doth he say as the Iesuite fansieth that the many parts of the Church are one in subjection to one head distinct from Christ as the beames of the sunne are one in the same light but in the vnity of the same maine body For euen as sayth Cyprian the beames of the sunne are one in the same light and the boughes of the tree are one in the same tree so all Churches must deriue thēselues frō the first Church all Pastors their cōmission from the first cōmission which Christ gaue to all his Apostles yet so that he put one first into it directed his speeches specially vnto one thereby to setle thē in an orderly vnity amongst thēselues This is vndoubtedly the meaning of Cyprian For it can no way stād either with truth with the opinion of Cyprian or with the opinion of our Aduersaries themselues that rest of the Apostles receiued their Ministeriall power from Peter and were subject to him as to an head and absolute commander ouer them seing hee sayth expressely that they were the same that Peter was equall to him both in honour and power and besides both in this booke and in many other places hee is wont to deriue the originall of schismes and heresies frō the intrusion of men into places already full ar at least into void places without due admittance and allowance of them that in a kind of coherent concord rule and gouerne the Church neuer frō the resistance against one supreme cōmander set ouer all So in his Epistle to Antonianus he proueth Cornelius Bishop of Rome to be a true and lawfull Bishop because hauing the testimony of the Clergie and voyces of the people the place of Fabianus being voyd he was ordained to succeede him by many Bishops then at Rome who sent their letters abroad making honourable report of his due and right comming to the place and the whole number of Bishops throughout the world with great vnanimity consented and by the want of these things proueth his factious opposites to be schismatiques In the second allegation the Cardinall bewrayeth very grosse ignorance For it was not a difference betweene Cornelius and the Nouatians refusing to acknowledge him to be Bishop that gaue occasion of writing that Epistle as he vntruely saith but the calumniations of Faelicissimus and Fortunatus against Cyprian himselfe Which factious companions being put from the communion by Cyprian and many of his colleagues flying to Rome were there rejected and thereupon fell to threatning These threatnings Cyprian despiseth pronounceth them to be murtherers sheweth that they shall not escape the judgment of God and that nothing is to be remitted of the seuerity of Church-discipline for feare of these wicked ones that are enemies of Priests and rebels against Gods Church whom God will vndoubtedly much more seuerely punish then they were who in the time of the law of Moses despised the high Priest and other Priests and rulers of the people who yet answered such their contempts with their bloud and then addeth the words cited by Bellarmine that hence all heresies and schismes doe arise for that the Priest of God is not obeyed nor one Priest in the Church for the time one Iudge in Christs stead for the time acknowledged whom if men would obey according to the divine instructions no man would attempt any thing against the Colledge of Priests no man after the judgement of God the voices of the people the consent of fellow-Bishops would make himselfe a Iudge not so much of the Bishops as of God himself no man pleasing himself would bring in any new heresie or schisme to the renting dividing of the Church as if when a sparrow falleth not to the ground without the will of our Father it were possible that hee who is ordained a Bishop in the Church should bee ordained without the will of God Surely saith he I speake it provoked I speake it grieued constrained when a Bishop is placed in the roome of one that is dead chosen in peace by all the people protected by diuine helpe in the time of persecution faithfully conjoined with all his colleagues approued to his people foure years in his Bishoply office in the time of peace keeping the rules of discipline proscribed in the times of trouble so often euen with addition of the title of Bishop called for to bee cast to the Lyon euen in these very dayes wherein I write vnto thee called for again to the Lyon if such a one be impugned by a few desperate wicked ones it will easily appeare who they are that so impugne him All these things are spoken by Cyprian of his own case as most clearly appeareth by his 69 epistle therfore the words are strangely wrested by Bellarmine to proue the Papacie when Cyprian speaketh of the respect that is due to the B. of euery particular Church by application thereof to himself sheweth Cornel. how little he had bin respected how grievously he hath bin wronged But the Cardinall will proue that he speaketh of the Pope when he speaketh of one Pastour of one Iudge in the Church for the time not of euery Bishop or Pastour in his own particular Church First because in the book De vnitate Ecclesiae he maketh Peter Head Commander of all the Church and saith heresies spring from the not seeking to this Head then which nothing is more vntrue For Cyprian doth not make Peter Head commander ouer the whole Church as I haue alreadie shewed in answer to the former allegation Secondly for that when he speaketh of one Iudge in the Church in stead of Christ he must of necessitie by the name of the Church vnderstand the vniversall Church and not each particular Church because in his Epistle he speaketh of Cornelius A strange kinde of proofe such as I thinke can neuer be made good For first the consequence doth not hold seeing he might speak of Cornelius yet vnderstand by the name of the Church the diocese of Rome and not the vniversall Church and secondly it is vntrue that hee saith hee speaketh of Cornelius For it is as cleare as the Sun at noone day that throughout the whole Epistle hee complaineth of contempts indignities wrongs offered to himselfe by Faelicissimus and Fortunatus not to Cornelius But that Cyprian neuer acknowledged the supremacie of power which the Roman Bishops at this day claime no better proof can be desired then this Epistle will yeeld For these miscreants Faelicissimus Fortunatus their adherents fled to Cornelius complaining
the Kings Iustices for murther vsed vile and contemptuous speeches against them which though it were proued against him before the Arch-bishoppe yet hee was only depriued of the benefit of his Prebend and driuen out of the Realme for the space of two yeares for so horrible and bloudy a crime This was one of those sixteene Articles concerning the ancient customes of the Realme whereunto Becket and the rest of the Bishoppes did sweare and whereof hee so soone repented againe namely that Cleargy-men accused of any crime should at the summons of the Kings Iustices appeare in the Kings Court to answere to such things as to that Court should be thought to appertaine and in the Ecclesiasticall what pertained thereunto and that the Kings Iustices should send to see what was there done and that if they should bee conuicted of any enormous cryme or confesse the same the Bishoppe should not protect thē then which course nothing could be deuised more reasonable Neyther is it absurd for sheepe to judge their Pastors in these cases as Bellarmine fondly affirmeth That the Councell of Chalcedon and Toledo forbid Cleargy-men to leaue the Eccesiasticall Iudges and to prosecute their quarrels one against another before Temporall Magistrates and the Councells of Carthage and Agatha condemne them that chuse rather to bee tryed in Ciuill Courts then Ecclesiasticall when they haue power to chuse or that begin suites there without the permission of their Bishoppe no way contrarieth any thing that I haue sayd for howsoeuer some things are to bee handled in the Ecclesiasticall Courts as properly pertaining to them either naturally and originally or by graunt of Princes and other thinges concerning Church-men not to bee brought into Ciuill Courts but in due sort and with respect had to their places and rankes yet neuer had they any such absolute exemption and immunity but that in criminall causes such as theft murther and the like and in tryall of the title oflands and inheritances and the right of aduocation of Churches they were to bee tryed in ciuill Courtes and no other whether the differences grewe betweene Lay-men and Cleargy-men or Cleargy-men among themselues As likewise they were to do homage and sweare fealty for such lands honours and Baronryes as they held of Princes Thus wee see how fauorable Princes haue beene in graunting priuiledges concerning the persons of such as attend the seruice of God Neyther were they lesse carefull to free such lands and possessions as they indowed the Church with from such burdens taxes and impositions as other temporall possessions are subject to So that howsoeuer in the Apostles times and long after euen till the time of Ambrose as it appeareth by his writtings the Church-lands payd tribute yet afterward by Iustinian and other Christian Emperours they were freed from those impositions Neither is it to be maruailed at that Christian Princes out of their deuout and religious dispositions were thus fauourable to the Church seing euen the Heathen Princes did as much for the Idolatrous Priestes of their false-Gods for we read in the booke of Genesis that in the time of that great famine that was in the dayes of Ioseph when the people of Egypt were constrained after all their money and cattell were spent to sell their land to Ioseph the Steward of Pharaoh in whose hands all the prouision of Corne was to buy them bread so that all the land of Egypt became Pharaohs yet the Priests were not forced to sell their lands for they had an ordinary from Pharaoh and they did eate their ordinary which Pharaoh gaue them And when as afterwardes Ioseph let the people enjoy their land again which he had bought for Pharaoh yet so that onely foure parts of the increase thereof should bee to themselues for the seed of their fieldes for their meate and for them of their householdes and their children to eate and the fifth part should be Pharaohs whose now the land was the land of the Priests was free from this rent and charge as not being Pharaohs Yet were not the priuiledges and immunities which Christian Princes gran◅ed to Ecclesiasticall persons to prejudice other men nor to lay too heauy a burden on them and therefore it was lawfull for Princes when they saw any inconveniences in that too much of their land by passing into the right and possession of Church-men was freed from seruices and charges to stop the passing of any more into such dead hands as would yeeld them no helpe and cleargy-men were bound in conscience voluntarily to contribute to all publike necessities when need required though the Temporall Magistrates might not impose any thing vpon them as we find it ordered in the third councell of Lateran and in the fourth vnder Innocentius the third yea if they should contemptuously and presumptuously refuse to beare part of the common burdens notwithstanding any pretended priviledges the supreame Prince might force them to put too their helping hand rather then the whole state of the cōmon-wealth should bee shaken and indangered or other parts and members of it too heauily burdened as Duarenus learnedly and excellently sheweth This may suffice touching the exemption of Cleargy-men either in respect of their persons or goods the right by which they inioy the same And thus haue we runne through all the different Degrees Orders of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and shewed what their power office and authority is both seuerally and assembled in councels and what power Princes haue to commaund ouer them or to intermeddle with the businesses and affaires more specially belonging to them CHAP. 54. Of the calling of Ministers the persons to whom it pertaineth to elect ordaine them NOw it remaineth that we first treate of the calling of Ministers for No man taketh this honour vpon him but he that is called as was Aaron◅ Secondly of the things required in them and thirdly of their maintenance Touching the first which is the calling of Ecclesiasticall Ministers Saint Hierome noteth that there are 4 sorts of such men as are imployed in the businesses affaires of Almighty God The first are such as are sent neither of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ as the Prophets in olde time and since the comming of Christ those Twelue designed immediatly to the Worke of the Ministery by Christs owne voyce specially called Apostles The second such as are sent of God but by man as Bishops and Ministers which succeede the Apostles and deriue their commission from them The third are such as are sent of men and not of GOD who are they that are ordained by fauour of men not judging rightly of the quality of them that are to serue in this calling who yet are not simply denyed to bee sent of God as if they had no commission from him but therefore onely because if the Ordainers had done their duties they should haue made a better choyce and sent other
and prouisions Touching the first Matthew Paris noteth that about the yeare of our Lord 1246 the Preaching Fryers obtained great priuiledges from the Pope to preach to heare confessions and to do other ministeriall acts euery where disgracing the ordinary Pastors as ignorant and insufficient to gouerne the people of God This new found order of Fryers he sayth seemed to many discreet and wise men to tend to the ouerthrow of the order of Pastors and Bishops setled by the blessed Apostles and holy Doctors and that not hauing beene aboue thirty yeares in England they were growne more out of order then the Monkes of S. Austine and Benedictes order were in many ages For such was their impudent and shameles boldnesse that they came to the Synodes of Bishops Prelates Arch-deacons sitting as Presidents in the middest of their Deanes Rectors and other worthy men requiring their letters of commission and priuiledge to be read and themselues to be admitted and commended to preach in their Synodes and Parish Churches as Embassadors and Angels of God with all honour In this insolent sort went they vp and downe from place to place and asked of euery man though of a religious profession to whom he confessed himselfe and if any one answered that hee made his confession to his owne Priest they asked againe what Ideot that was they told him hee was neuer hearer of Diuinity that hee neuer studied the Decrees and that he was not able to discusse any one cōtrouersy adding that such Priests wereblind guides of the blind willed all men to come vnto thē as to men knowing to discern betweene Leprosie and Leprosie to whom the hard and obscure things were knowne and the secrets of God reuealed whereupon many especially Noble-men and Noblewomen betooke themselues to these contemning their owne Pastors soe that the ordinary Ministers grew into great contempt which grieued them not a little nor without cause But of these Fryerly people no man hath written better then Armachanus who excellently deciphereth their intollerable hypocrisie iniustice and couetousnesse joyned with all cunning and coozening practises and deuises Their hypocrisie he discouereth in that though they pretended pouerty yet they had houses like the stately pallaces of Princes Churches more costly then any Cathedrall Churches more and richer Ornaments then all the Prelates of the world more and better bookes then all the Doctors and great learned men of the world cloysters and walking places so sumptuous stately and large that men of armes might fight on horsebacke and encounter one another with their speares in them and their apparell richer then the greatest and most reuerend prelates Their iniustice he sheweth in their iniurious intruding into other mens Churches charges depriuing thē of their authority honor maintenāce their couetousnes in that they sought only to do those things that might bring gaine and insinuated themselues into the fauour and liking of the great ones of the world little regarding those of meane condition Whereupon hee warneth all men to take heede of them as wicked seducers that enter into houses and lead captiue simple women laden with sinnes bringing in sectes of perdition and in couetousnesse making merchandise of men by crafty and fained words of flattery This is that vnprofitable and most dangerous and damnable generation of disguised and masked hypocrites which like Locusts are come out of the bottomlesse pitte in these last ages of the world eating vp and deuouring whatsoeuer is greene and flourishing vpon the earth The Monkes in their beginning were a people of a farre other sort For they tooke not on them to preach or minister Sacraments but were a kind of voluntary penitents according to that of Saint Hierome Monachus Plangentis non Docentis officium habet that is a Monke is a mourner hee is no teacher And againe Alia Monachorum est causa alia Clericorum Clerici pascunt ones Ego pascor Illi de Altari viuunt mihi quasi infructuosae arbor◅ securis ponitur ad radicem si munus ad Altare non defere that is The condition of Monkes and of Clearkes is very different Clearkes feede the sheepe but I am fedde they liue by the Altar but if I bring not my gift to the Altar the Axe is lifted vp against mee and layd as to the roote of an vnfruitfull tree And therefore as Duarenus noteth in ancient times Monkes were meere Lay-men neyther were there any Priestes or Clearkes found in Monasteries but they came all as other of the people did to the common Temples and Churches to bee taught to pray and to receiue the Sacraments Which thing hee sayth Iustinian the Emperour plainely enough expresseth and with him agreeth Bishoppe Lindan who sayth that in ancient time all Monkes were Lay-men and that they were all excluded and shut out of the Quire when they came into the Temple and house of God sometimes they did send for a Priest to do Ministeriall actes among them and in the end some of them were ordained Priests that soe they might haue the Ministration of Sacraments among them and make as it were a certaine Church among themselues and so neither be forced to go to other Churches nor to borrow Priests from other And to the same purpose Hugo de Sancto Victore sayth that by speciall fauour and indulgence the diuine orders of Ministery are granted to Monkes that they might liue more quietly within themselues not that they should exercise Prelacie in the people of God but that they might celebrate the communion of God within their owne priuate retiring places which yet they say in the beginning was not so For Monkes and men dwelling in the wildernesse are sayd to haue had Priests assigned vnto them But as Duarenus noteth hereby the passage was opened and all Monkes began to bee ordained Priestes though they had no gouernement of the Church that they might procure the more dignity to themselues the order and degree of Cleargy-men being more high and honourable then that of Monkes Neyther did they long containe themselues within these bounds after they had attained to be Priestes but gotte authority and iurisdiction ouer Churches abroad eyther because they were founded within their lands or for that it pleased the Pope to take them from Bishops and subiect them to these Monkes At the first as the same Duarenus noteth they liued apart in certaine abiding places which they had in the mountaines and deserts whence they were called not onely Monkes but Heremites and Anchorites though at certaine houres and sette times they mette Afterwards they beganne to liue together and the places where they liued were called Caenobia of the communion of life And when certaine Ecclesiasticall persons remaining in cities and places of resort and teaching the people tyed themselues to like obseruations though haply not altogether so strict as these had done they were called Canonici that is
contenting themselues with their owne Church left the administration of other Churches free to their owne Bishoppes as rather thinking themselues Bishoppes of that one cittie then of the whole world which thing haply moued a certaine Bishoppe of whom Paulus Aemylius maketh mention to answere somewhat peremptorily to Gregory the Eleuenth asking him why hee went not to his Church for whereas Gregory satte at Auinion and not at Rome hee said vnto him If one should aske thee why thou goest not to Rome that hath beene so long forsaken of her Bishoppes thou wouldest haue much lesse to answere then I haue But the latter Bishoppes of Rome contented not themselues herewith neither did they thinke it enough to bee Bishoppes of Rome and prime Bishoppes amongst before the rest but they would needes bee vniuersall Bishoppes and therefore thought it no robbery to concurre with all other Bishoppes and to preuent them if they could in giuing voyde Benefices before them And because it was not easie to preuent the Bishoppes in this sort in Prouinces and Kingdomes farre remote therefore they found out a more certaine and ready way whereby to take from them their right and power for a custome grew in and preuayled vnknowne to former times of certaine Papall graunts wherein Benefices not voyde were commaunded to bee bestowed and conferred when they should be voyd vpon such as the Pope should thinke fit and specially vpon strangers These were called Gratiae expectatiuae and Mandata de prouidendo and hereof the whole state of England complayned to Innocentius the Fourth affirning that by vertue of these Prouisions there were so many Italians beneficed in England that the reuenues which they had from hence was 60000 markes which was more then the bare reuenue of the Kings and yet as if this had not beene enough there came one Martine with Commission from the Pope to wrong the poore Church of England a little more This man conferred certaine Benefices actually voyd of the value of thirty markes by the yeare vpon strangers and when they dyed hee put in others without the priuity of the Patrons and went about to assure to such as hee pleased the like Benefices not yet voyde whensoeuer they should bee voyde besides many other most vniust exactions wherewith hee vexed the poore English putting all such as resisted against him vnder the sentence of excommunication and interdiction taking more on him then euer any Legate did though he came not as a Legate to the great preiudice of the Crowne of England seeing no Legate was to come hither vnlesse he were desired by the King The Messengers that the State of England sent to the Pope to make knowne their greiuances and complaintes were greatly disliked by the Pope and their message no way acceptable to him and therefore though dissembling the matter hee gaue them some good words as if there should be no more such Prouisions made but onely for some particular persons and they not aboue twelue in number yet such was the good nature of the man as Matthew Paris noteth that he would not suffer the poore English though sore beaten with many stripes once to cry or complaine But because they published these their complaints in the Councell of Lyons which was holden at the time of their comming hee was exceeding angry and dealt with the French King to make warre against the King of England and eyther to depriue him of his Kingdome or to make him wholy to stoope to the pleasure of the pope and the Court of Rome which the French King vtterly refused to do After these things thus past betweene the Pope and the English he did worse then euer before Whereupon there was a new meeting of the States of England wherein these grieuances were made manifest and complained of First that the Pope was not content with his ordinary reuenew of Peter-pence but exacted other contributions without the Kings knowledge Secondly that the Patrons of Churches were not permitted to present Clearkes but Romanes were put into them who neyther vnderstood the Language nor euer meant to liue here but carried away the money out of the Realme So that neyther was the people instructed hospitality kept the Churches repaired nor any good done and beside the Originall Patrons were depriued of their right one Italian succeeding another in the Churches founded by them without their knowledge and that vnwelcome Messenger Non obstante too often sent vnto them These their complaints the King the Bishops Abbots Lords and Commons made knowne by their letters and messengers to the Pope with earnest desire of reformation and redresse but could receiue none other answere from him but that the King of England had his Counsell and so had he that the king began to kicke against him and to play the Fredericke And such was his displeasure that all English were repelled and driuen away as Schismatickes After this new letters were againe written to the Pope and in the end a priuiledge was graunted that noe Prouisions should be made for Italians Cardinalls or the Popes Nephewes before the King were first earnestly intreated to be content with thē only to abuse such as would be abused For the Pope went forward still in his prouisions as formerly hee had done as appeareth by his letters to the Abbot of Saint Albons and by the worthy letters of the Bishoppe of Lincolne written to the pope about these matters and his speeches against the Pope a little before his death And here by the way it is worth the noting that Matthew Paris hath that in the time of Gregory the Ninth vppon complaint of onde Robert Tewing Patron of the Church of Lathune the popes Graunt made in preiudice of his right was reuersed because it was not knowne that the Patrone of that Benefice was a Lay-man when it was giuen by the pope Soe that if it had beene in the gift of a Cleargy-mam it must haue stood so ready was the head of the Church to oppresse Church-men and their possessions of all other were most fitte for spoyle So little respect was there had to religion in those dayes and soe were all things returned to their old Chaos againe Whence it came that the heartes of all men went away from the pope and the Church of Rome whereof the one sought to bee esteemed a Father and the other a Mother to all Churches but the one of them proued a step-father and the other a step-mother Neyther did the pope like a wilde Bore make hauocke only in the Vine-yard of the Lord of Hosts planted in this Island which lay open to be spoyled by all passengers but he playd his part also in all other Kingdomes of the West though some resisted more against his intrusions then others Touching France wee read in the booke intituled Pro libertate Ecclesiae Gallicae aduersus Romanam aulam defensio Parisiensis Curiae Ludouico vndecimo Gallorum Regi
or consent to them that so doe the care of the church is devolued to the Presbyters remaining Catholicke and as in the case of necessity they may doe all other things regularly reserued to Bishops only as Ambrose sheweth that the Presbyters of Egypt were permitted in some cases to confirme the baptized which thing also Gregory after him durst not condemne So in case of Generall defect of the Bishops of a whole countrey refusing to ordaine any but such as shall consent to their Heresies when there appeareth no hope of remedy or helpe from other parts of the Church the Presbyters may chuse out one among themselues to be chiefe and so adde other to their numbers by the imposition of his and their hands This I haue proued in my third booke out of the authorities of Armachanus and sundry other of whom Alexander of Hales speaketh To which wee may adde that which Durandus hath where he saith That Hierome seemeth to haue beene of opinion that the highest power of consecration or order is the power of a Priest or Elder So that euery Priest in respect of his Priestly power may minister all Sacraments confirme the baptized and giue all Orders howsoeuer for the avoydiug of the perill of Schisme it was ordained that one should bee chosen to haue a preheminence aboue the rest who was named a Bishop and to whom it was peculiarly reserued to giue Orders and to doe some such other things And afterwards he saith that Hierome is clearely of this opinion Neither can the Romanists deny this justifie their owne practise For their Chorepiscopi or Titular Bishops are no Bishops as I haue proued at large out of Damasus not disputing or giuing his private opiniō but resoluing the point and prescribing to other what they must beleeue practise yet doe they of the Church of Rome permit these to ordaine not onely Sub-deacons and other inferiour Cleargy-men but Priests and Deacons also and holde their Ordinations to be good and of force If any man haply say that 〈◊〉 Bishop when he is old and weake or otherwise imployed may haue a Coadiutor and consequently that it is no such absurdity to admit these Suffragan and Titular Bishops and that therefore they may haue power to ordaine as being truely Bishops and yet Presbyters in no case bee permitted so to doe for answer herevnto let him reade what I haue written in the 29. chapter of this booke concerning this matter CHAP. 57. Of the things required in such as are to be ordained Ministers and of the lawfulnesse of their Marriage FRom the election and ordination of Ministers we are to proceede to the things required in them that are to be chosen and ordayned If any man saith the Apostle desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthy worke A Bishop therefore must be vnreproueable the husband of one wife watching sober modest harberous apt to teach not giuen to wine no striker not giuen to filthy lucre but gentle no fighter not couetous no young scholler but well reported of euen of those that are without The canons of the church require the same things and adde some other as that no man may be chosen and ordained a Minister of the Word and Sacraments till he be thirty yeares of age nor none that was baptized in his bed and the like The Papists proceed further and not contenting themselues with the moderation of the Apostle and the Primitiue Fathers admit none into the holy Ministery but those that are vnmarried or being married promise to liue frō their wiues yet not so neither if either they haue beene twice married or if they married with a widow Wherefore letting passe the things the Apostle prescribeth and those other which the Canons adde of which there is no question let vs come to the marriage of them that are to bee admitted into the holy Ministery of the Church It is clearely confessed by the best learned in the Romane Church that Bishops Presbyters and other Cleargy-men are not forbidden to marry or being married before they enter into the Ministery to continue in matrimoniall society with their wiues by any law of God and therefore there is little feare of offending against God eyther by admitting such into the Ministery as will not liue single or by entring into it with purpose of marriage Non est essentialiter annexum debitum continentiae ordini sacro sayth Aquinas sed ex statuto Ecclesiae vnde uidetur quod per Ecclesiam possit dispensari in voto continentiae solemnizato per susceptionem sacri ordinis that is It is not essentially annexed vnto holy order that men should containe and liue single that enter into the Ministry but by the Decree of the Church onely So that it seemeth that the Church may dispence in the vow of continency though made solemne by taking holy orders And in another place hee sayth that it is from the Churches constitution that they who are entred into the holy orders of the Church may not marry which yet is not the same among the Graecians that it is among the Latines For the Graecians make no vow and do liue with their wiues that they married before they entred into orders of the same opinion is Bonauentura who acknowledgeth that in the Primitiue Church it was otherwise touching this matter then now it is in the Church of Rome and endeauoureth to giue reasons of the difference Scotus and Occam are of the same iudgement and all the rest of the Schoole men of note agree with them And Caietane a great learned Diuine and a Cardinall in our time pronounceth confidently that it cannot be proued either by reason or authority setting aside the Lawes that are positiue and vowes which men make to the contrary that a Priest doth sinne in contracting marriage And that therefore the Pope with good conscience may dispense with such a one and giue him leaue to marry though there be no inducement of publike profit or benefit leading him so to do And addeth that reason seemeth to bee strong on the contrary side for the lawfulnesse of such dispensation because as it appeareth by Peter Lombard in the fourth of the Sentences neyther Order in that it is Order nor holy Order in that it is holy crosseth or hindereth marriage And as it is in the Decrees Deacons in auncient times might marry euen in the West Church and as it is in the same Decrees they of the East Church are ioyned in marriage euen after they are entered into holy Orders Neither is that glosse to bee admitted which expoundeth their coupling or ioyning in marriage of the liuing in marriage formerly contracted Seeing the whole course coherence of the Text speaketh of the Contract of Marriage as by the opposition of the practise of the West Church the Priests whereof are saide not to marry it may bee confirmed These are the wordes of
Epaunine Councell agreeth and the second Councell of Bracar saying If any widdow of a Bishop Presbyter or Deacon take an husband let no Cleargy-man nor no religious woman banquet with them neither let her euer communicate onely at the time of her death let the Sacraments of the Church bee administred vnto her Likewise the Councel of Antisiodorum decreeth to the same effect Neither can it be answered that these Councels forbid the widdows of Presbyters Deacōs Subdeacons to marry because during the life of their husbands vpon some voluntary parting they bound themselues by promise to liue continently For the Councell of Matiscon decreeth that if the wiues of Subdeacons Exorcistes or Acoluthes shall after their death ioyne themselues in marriage the second time they shall bee separated and thrust into the houses of Nunnes And yet these might lawfully liue with their husbands euen in the judgement of them that made this decree Neither were they any way induced necessarily to promise to containe Thus hauing seene where when and by whom the forbidding of the lawfull marriage of Presbyters entred into the Church in what sort it was vrged at the first how afterwards what contradiction it found how farre forth in the end it preuailed it remaineth that wee proceed to see what good followed vpon it Where first Aventinus telleth vs that after the restraint of Hildebrand vnder the honest name of Chastity the greatest part euery where without checke of punishment committed whoredomes incests and adulteries and that the Lawe of single life which offended the good was exceeding pleasing to impure companions who now for one wife might haue sixe hundred Harlots Neither is this the priuate conceit of Auentinus alone but all good wise men beare witnes with him that hee speaketh the truth say as much as he Bern speaking of the state of the Cleargie in his time saith Many not all truely but yet many vndoubtedly who neither canne bee hid they are so many nor care to bee hid they are so shamelesse many surely seeme to haue made the liberty in which they are called to serue as a fitte occasion to satisfie the flesh abstayning from the remedy of Mariage and powring forth themselues into all manner of sinfull wickednesses And in the same Chapter he saith That if wee digge downe the wall according to the wordes of the Prophet Ezechiell wee shall see horrible things in the house of God For after whoredomes adulteries and incests there are found the passions of ignominy and the workes of impurity and filthinesse Would to GOD saith hee those thinges that are most vnnaturall were not committed that neither the Apostles needed to write of them nor wee to speake and that no man would beleeue that so abominable lust did euer possesse the minde of man Were not those Citties which were the Mothers of this impure filthinesse long since condemned by the iudgement of God himselfe and consumed with fire Did not the fire of hell impatient of delay preuent the time and in a sort before the time consume that cursed Nation Did not fire brimestone and the sto◅mie tempest consume the very earth and ground it selfe as priuie to such confusions as should neuer so much as once bee thought of Was not all the whole land and ground it selfe turned into an horrible Lake Surely fiue heads of the Monster Hydra are cut off but woe is vnto vs innumerable moe are risen vp Who hath reedified those Cities of villany who hath inlarged the walles of impuritie and who hath spread out those venimous branches Woe woe the enemy of man-kinde hath scattered euery where round about the vnhappy reliques of that sulphureous burning and hath sprinckled the body of the Church with those execrable ashes hath filled some of the Ministers of the Church with that filthy stinking and impure running sore Saluianus in like sort in his booke of diuine Prouidence hath these wordes It is surely altogether a new and strange kinde of conuersion that some men talke of lawfull thinges they doe not and vnlawfull thinges they committe They refraine from mariage but refraine not from Rape What doest thou O foolish perswasion God forbad sinne not mariage your deedes agree not with your profession You should not bee the friends of enormous crimes who professe to doe the workes of vertue It is a preposterous thing that you doe it is not conuersion but auersion You that haue long since as the same is forsaken the worke of honest mariage cease at the last from sinfull wickednesse With these agree the Historians generally reporting that innumerable euills followed the prohibition of the mariage of Cleargie-men published by Pope Hildebrand that few liued continently though some counterfaited so to doe for filthie lucres sake and for ostentation and that many ioyned both periurie and adultery together and not contenting them-selues with an ordinary degree of wickednesse multiplyed their whoredomes and adulteries exceedingly Whereupon wee shall finde that many of the best learned most judicious worthiest men the Church had in latter times wished the Law of single life to be taken away euen as many resisted it when it was first made Durandus in his booke De modo celebrandi Concilii proueth by many reasons that it were fit that the libertie of mariage were againe restored to Priests in a Generall councell In the councell of Basill when exception was taken against the choice of Amedeus Duke of Savoy whō many thought fit to be Pope for that he had beene a maried man and had children it was answered by some of good esteeme that that was no exception and that haply it were much better that Priests were permitted to liue in mariage then restrained For that many of them might be saued in chaste mariage which now perish in their filthie and impure single life Aeneas Sylvius a great man in that councell who was afterwards Pope and named Pius the second in an Epistle to a friend of his who was in the holy orders of the ministery of the church yet desirous for the avoiding of fornicatiō to marry a wife writeth thus We suppose that you are not ill advised if when you cannot containe you seeke a wife though that should haue been thought on before you had entred into holy Orders But wee are not Gods neither can wee fore-see things to come Wherefore seeing things are come to this passe that you cannot resist the law of the flesh it is better to marry then to burne Yet cannot the Pope be perswaded to dispense with you but he standeth resolued to holde his seuere course still and thinketh it not fit to grant that to one which may be hurtfull vnto many If therefore you desire safely to marry you must expect some other Pope who may be more inclineable and yeelding And of this Aeneas Sylvius afterwards named Pius the second Platina and Sabellicus report that hee was wont
These men therefore make 2. sorts of vowes naming some simple and other solemne and affirme that the latter do debarre men from mariage and voyd their mariages if they do marry but that the former do so debarre them from marrying that they cannot marry without some offence and yet if they do their mariage is good and not to be voyded The Diuines of the Church of Rome as Caietane rightly noteth differ much in opinion about the difference of these vowes For some of them thinke that they differ in such sort as that one of them is a promise onely and the other a reall and actuall exhibition that the solemnity of a mans vow consisteth in a reall and actuall exhibition of himselfe and putting himselfe into such an estate as cannot stand with marriage But this opinion as hee rightly noteth cannot bee true seeing there is no such repugnance simply and in the nature of the thinges betweene the Order of the holy Ministery and Marriage as appeareth in that the Ministers of the Greeke Church as tyed by noe vowe are judged by all to liue in lawfull Mariage notwithstanding their Ministery and also in that the entering into noe religious Order voydeth mariage vnlesse it be approued by the Church There is therefore as he sheweth another opinion that it is not from different nature of the vowes that the one voydeth mariage contracted and the other doth not but from the authority of the Church that will haue mariage after a vowe made in one sort to bee voyd and not in another The latter of these two opinions Bellarmine sayth Scotus Paludanus and Caietane follow and as Panormitan reporteth the whole schoole of Canonistes And these do answere to the authorities of the Fathers denying mariages to bee voyde after a solemne vowe that they are to bee vnderstood to deny them to be voyde by Gods Law and that there was no Law of man then passed to make them voyde when they liued that they knew of and that therefore they might rightly bee of opinion in those times that no vowes made insuing marriages to be voyde seeing no vowes doe voyde marriages by GODS Law and there was no law of man in their time making marriage voyde in respect of a vowe made to the contrary Soe that euen in the judgment of many of the best learned of our Aduersaries themselues Mariage after a vow is not voyd by Gods law but only by the positiue Constitution of the Church which will haue it so to bee But against this positiue Constitution two things may be alleaged first that it began from that erroneous conceipt which Anstine refuteth in his booke do bono viduitatis as it appeareth by the Epistle of Innocentius grounding his resolution for voyding of mariages in this kinde vpon that verie reason of their beeing espoused to Christ which haue vowed vnto GOD that they will liue continently Secondly that the Church hath no power simply to forbidde any man to marry whom Gods Law leaueth free seeing single life is one of the things that men may be counselled and advised vnto but cannot be prescribed and imposed by commandement that the Church may keepe men from mariage if they will inioy some fauours as wee see in Colledges and Societies or that She may by her Censures punish such as vnaduisedly and without just cause shall breake their vow and promise wee make no question but that She may simply forbid any one to marry how faulty and punishable soeuer otherwise wee vtterly deny Neyther is the reason that is brought to proue this power to bee in the Church of any force For though it were graunted that the Church by her authority for respectes best knowne to her selfe may forbid a man to marry with some of those with whom God permitteth him to marry yet wil it not follow that she may absolutely forbid any one to cōtract mariage seeing parents to whom it pertaineth to direct the choyce of their children may forbid them to marry with such as they iustly dislike and yet they may not simplie restraine them from marying So that though it were yeelded that the Church for causes best known to her selfe may forbid mariage with moe then the Law of God doth and that in such sort as to void it hauing greater power in this behalfe then naturall parents yet would it not follow that shee may simplie forbid any one to marry and voide his mariage if he do whereas the Law of God voideth it not And so vvee see that as mariage after a solemne vow is not void by the Lavv of God so the Church hath no power to make any law to make it voyd But because though it be so yet it may seeme that no man that had vowed the cōtrary can marry without sinne it remaineth that wee proceede to consider and see whether there be any cases wherein a man that vowed the contrary may marry without offence to God First touching this poynt the Schoole-men generally resolue that the Pope may dispence with a Priest Deacon or Sub-deacon to marry though he haue sollemnely vowed the contrary by entring into holy Orders because the duty and bond of containing is not essentially annexed vnto holy Orders but by the Canon of the Church onely Aquinas and they of that time thought hee might not dispense with a Monke to marry For that single life is essentially implyed in the profession of a Monke and cannot be seperated from the same as it may from the office and calling of a Priest But since that time the generall opinion is that he may because though single life cannot be separated from the profession of a Monke yet he that is a Monke may be freed from that profession that he hath made and cease to be a Monke Neither is this onely the opinion of the Schooles but the practise of Popes hath concurred with the same For as Petrus Paludanus reporteth a Pope reviued a Monke who was next in blood and to succeed in the Kingdome of Arragon and dispensed with him to marry a wife for the good of that Kingdome Caietan sayth the like is reported in the stories of Constantia daughter and heire of Roger King of Sicily who was a religious woman and of fifty yeares of age and yet by the dispensation of Caelestinus was called out of the Cloyster and permitted to marry with the Emperour Henry the Sixth who begatte of her Fredericke the Second And Andreas Frisius reporteth out of the Histories of Polonia that Casimirus sonne of Mersistaus King of Polonia was a Monke and ordayned a Deacon and yet when after the death of Mersistaus his father there was none to sway the Scepter of that Kingdome whence many mischiefes followed Benedict the Ninth gaue him leaue to marry a wife making him to leaue his Cloyster his Vowes and Deaconship that so there might bee a succession in that Kingdome So that there is no question but that for a
prescribed in the old Law nor in the new saith hee therefore they are not due by Gods Law That they are not prescribed in the new he saith it is cleare but proueth it not But that tithes are to be paid may bee proued by necessary consequence out of that which is prescribed in the new Testament That they are not prescribed in the old he cannot say all the bookes of the old Testament being full of Mandates Threats Promises and Encouragements to moue men to pay Tithes But he saith the precepts that are founde in the old Testament requiring and vrging men to pay Tithes were Iudiciall not Morall and Perpetuall That they were not moral hee endeauoureth to proue because there was no Lawe concerning the paying Tithes before the time of Moses If hee speake of a written Law it is true there was no such before Moses neither touching Tithes nor any thing else but if he speake of a Law simply wee say there was a Law before Moses which moued Abraham to pay Tithe and that as presupposing the knowledge of the Creation of the world in sixe dayes and Gods rest in the seuenth Reason conuinceth vs that one day in seauen must bee a day of Rest from our owne workes affaires and businesses that we may spend it in diuine thoughts meditations prayers and prayses of God So in like sort the number of Tenne being the vttermost extent limit and bound of all numbers it being presupposed that something is to bee giuen to God out of that wee possesse the very light of Reason will make vs knowe that we ought not to passe the number of Tenne but that one of tenne at the least is to be yeelded vnto God out of all that wee possesse and that not the worst for wee doe not so deale with mortall Princes but the best the first and principall Which is confirmed vnto vs in that the Gentiles and people that knew not God but by the light of Nature and such Traditions as they had receiued from the Patriarches did pay tithes as well as the Iewes did and the Christians doe The proofe hereof the Reader may finde at large out of diuers Authors in a Treatise of Tithes written not long since and in Iansenius But some man perhaps will say that this confirmation is too weake for that many among the Gentiles were Circumcised as well as the Iewes and that yet it followeth not from thence that Circumcision was prescribed imposed by the Law of Nature so that the custome practise and obseruation of the Gentiles paying Tithes will not proue that it is a naturall duty to pay Tithes But they who bring this Obiection should know that there is a great difference between these two Observations of the Gentiles For the one was but in some certaine parts of the world onely and among such people as were descended of Abraham or by Leagues Compacts and Perswasions were induced by them to be Circumcised But the paying vowing and offering of Tithes to their supposed gods was generall amongst all the Gentiles Romans Grecians and Barbarians Wherefore we may resolue that the prescription of Tithe was not meerely Iudiciall and fitted to the State of the people of the Iewes as Bellarmine out of Aquinas would haue it but that it was Naturall and from the beginning And surely it is worth the noting how strangely he forgetteth himselfe and so runneth into grosse contradictions in this point For first to make it seeme probable that this prescription was but meerely Iudiciall hee saith The intendment of God in prescribing Tithe was that there should be a certaine equalitie amongst the parts and Tribes of his people and that therefore he allotted the Tenth to the Leuites who were almost the tenth part of his people and yet after hee saith The Leuites were not the sixtieth part of the people and proueth the same out of the first and third of Numbers So that it cannot bee imagined that the reason of allowing this proportion to the Leuites was for that they were little lesse than the tenth part of the people that so they might haue at least as much as the rest if not a little more especially seeing it may easily be proued that the Cities and Suburbs that were allowed vnto them by God himselfe besides the First-fruits that part of the Sacrifices which they had was as much as the possessions of any Tribe though they had had no Tithes at all So that the possessions of the Leuites and Priestes beeing more than the thirteenth part of the whole land whereas they were not the sixtieth part and all the Tithes First-fruits and a part of the Sacrifices being assigned vnto them besides it is most cleare euident the Intendement of God in allowing Tithes vnto the Leuites was not the equalling of them and the rest But to conclude this point if we had neither the fact of Abraham the vow of Iacob the custome of the Gentiles before CHRIST nor any other reason to perswade vs that Tithes are due by Gods Law yet this very prescription in the time of Moses Law would proue sufficiently that Christians must yeeld the Tenth at the least of all their increase towards the maintenance of the Ministers For seeing the Ministerie of the Gospel is much more glorious then that of the Law and the Obligation of the people vnto them stronger there can bee no doubt made but that Christians are bound to giue the Tenthe of their increase at the least towards the maintenance of them that attend the seruice of God and consequently that God hath not left it to men to determine what is a competent allowance for his servants as some thinke which thing may easily be proued if any man shall make any question of it For seeing they of Levies Tribe had so large an allowance whereas yet the most part of them were but ordinary Levites and imployed in meane seruices the Priests being in comparison but a few and attending but by courses once in 24 weekes there is farre greater reason that the Ministers of the Church that attend more holy things and that continually whose Education out of their owne Patrimonie hath beene chargeable vnto them and whose profession of Learning and Knowledge is such that the very furnishing of them with Bookes is a matter of great expence should haue a more plentifull allowance made vnto them than the Levites Neither is there any kinde of Provision for Ministers fitter than this by Tithes For if they haue their allowance in money the prices of things often rising it may bee too short neither will they haue so sensible a fellow-feeling of the blessings of God or his punishments the people taste of if they haue their allowance certaine no way subiect to those different courses of Times that others haue And therefore we shall finde that howsoeuer in the very first Times Christians were forced to supply the necessities of their Ministers by other
there either paine or ease and refreshing that there the rich man is in paine and the poore in a comfortable estate for sayth hee why should wee not thinke that the soules are tormented or refreshed in this invisible place appoynted for them in expectation of the future Iudgement In quadam vsurpatione candida eius The Iudgement doubtlesse is begunne there So that neither is good altogether wanting to the innocent nor the sence and freling of euill to the nocent Heere wee see Tertullian maketh but two sorts of men departing hence and that hee thinketh that presently after their departure hence the good are in a kinde of imperfect possession or enioying of that good they looke for hereafter and the euill and wicked in a kinde of state wherein they already beginne to taste of those euerlasting miseries that shall swallowe them vppe in the daie of judgement So that according to his opinion there is no Purgatorie nor state of temporall paine and affliction after this life out of which there is hope of escape or deliuerance Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration made in the praise of Caesarius after many comforts against the sorrowes conceiued for the losse of so worthy a man addeth this as the chiefest of all other Verbis sapientum adducor vt credam generosam omnem Deoque charam animam posteaquam corporis vinculis soluta hinc excesserit protinus bonum quod eam manet persentientem contemplantem vtpote eo quod mentem caligine obducebat vel purgato vel abiecto vel quo verbo eares appellanda sit nescio mirabili quadam voluptate affici exultare atque hac vita veluti gra◅issimo quodam ergastulo relicta excussisque compedibus quibus animi penna deprimi solebat hilarem ad Dominum suum conuolare beatitudinem recondita Imaginatione quadam iam percipere That is I am induced and inoued by the sayings of the wise to beleeue that euery generous soule and such as is beloued of GOD presently after the loosing from the bonds of the body and departure hence that which darkened the minde beeing either purged out or cast from it or done away in what sort I cannot well expresse beginneth sensibly to discerne and behold that good which remaineth for it to bee filled with wonderfull delights and to leape for ioy and that leauing this life as a most grieuous prison and hauing cast off those fetters that depressed and held her downe desiring to mount vpon high with her siluer wings shee flieth ioy fully to her Lord and presently in a certaine apprehension beginneth to tast of that hidden happinesse that shall be reuealed Epiphanius speaking of the Godly departed remembred in the praiers of the Church sayth they are and liue with God Ambrose is more full to this purpose then any of the former for in his booke de bono mortis first he sayth all soules remaine in certaine habitations till the day of Iudgment whence they shall be called forth in that great day of resurrection Secondly that till the fulnesse of time appointed they all are holden in an expectation of the reward due vnto them are not in full possession of it Thirdly that in the meane time neither the soules of the wicked are without some present sence of euill nor the other without some enioying of good The ioy of the good and righteous he sheweth to bee in respect of the victory which they haue obtained ouer the flesh the deuine testimony which they haue in their consciences of their former walking in the waies of God making them not to feare the future iudgment their escape out of the prison of the body of death the liberty they are come to and the possessing of the promised inheritance c. Heare we see plainely that Ambrose maketh but two sorts of men two sorts of soules separated from the body and two estates assuring vs that all good faithfull-ones ordained to eternall life are presently after their seperation in a state of happinesse boldly hastening to the view and and sight of that God whom they haue so carefully serued to which purpose he alleageth that of the Prophet to the Angell shall there be giuen a time to soules after they are seperated that they may see the thing thou hast spoken of and the Angells answer Seauen daies shall their liberty endure that in those seauen daies they may see the things that haue beene spoken and after they shall bee gathered into their dwelling places out of which as I noted before he thinketh they shall not bee called till the resurrection so that according to the opinion of Saint Ambrose there is no place of temporall paine and punishment after this life appointed for the soules of men dying in state of Grace Neither was this the opinion of Dionysius Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Tertullian Nazianzen Epiphanius and Ambrose only but all the auncient were of the same judgment touching the state of the faithfull departed and therefore neuer any of them made any praiers for the deliuering of them out of temporall paine and punishment but as it hath beene before obserued they made prayers for them respectiuely to their passage out of this world and the entrance into the other as also for their resurrection publike acquitall in the day of judgment and perfit consummation This the Masse-booke and all the prayers that are found in any auncient bookes of Ecclesiasticall prayers doe clearely shew George Cassander hath published a booke of Ecclesiasticall prayers gathered out of the old Liturgies and Bookes of diuine seruice that hee could meete with amongst which there are many pro commendatione animae some few of them I will produce for example The first We beseech thy clemency O God mercifully to receiue the soule of thy seruant returning vnto thee Let Michaell the Angell of thy couenant be present with it and vouchsafe to place it amongst thy Saints and holy ones in the bosome of Abraham Isaacke and Iacob that beeing freed and deliuered from the Princes of darkenesse and the places of punishment he may be confounded with no errors of his first birth of ignorance or of his owne iniquity frailty but that rather he may bee acknowledged of thine and enioy the rest of holy blessednesse and that when the day of the great Iudgment shall come being raised vp amongst thy Saints and chosen ones hee may be satisfied with the glory of the cleere beholding of thee The 2d Vouchsafe O Lord to giue to thy seruant a lightsome place a place of refreshing and quiet Let him passe by the gates of hel the punishments of darkenesse let him remaine in the mansions of the Saints and in holy light which of old thou promisedst to Abrahā to his seede let his spirit sustaine no hurt but when the great day of resurrectiō reward shal come vouchsafe to raise him together with thy Saints chosen ones blot out doe away his sins euen to the
touching the condition of such as dyed in an imperfect state of grace contrary to any thing holden by vs at this day These premisses considered and euery of these things being confessed by Master Higgons or proued abundantly by Mee it seemeth the poore man is beside himselfe and that his discontentments haue made him madde For otherwise what should moue him like a madde man to crye out in such sort as hee doth That I haue disabled my booke and ouerthrowne the Protestanticall Church that Papistes may triumph in the victory which their chiefest enemies haue wrought in their behalfe and ioyfully applaud the excellencie of their cause which enforceth her greatest aduersaries to prostitute themselues to such base and dishonest courses Let the base Runnagate looke to himselfe and his conscience will tell him that his courses haue beene base dishonest perfidious vnnaturall that I say not monstrous but our cause is such as shall euer be able to vpholde it selfe against all opposers without any such shifting devices as they of the adverse faction are forced to vse for the staying of that from falling for a little while that must fall and come to nothing in despight of all that Diuels or diuellish men by lying slaundering murdering and all hellish practises can doe to sustaine it §. 8. THus haue I breefely runne thorough his two bookes answered whatsoeuer concerneth my selfe in the same and so might passe presently to his Appendix but that towards the end of the 2d part ofhis second booke he once againe wrongeth that renowned Diuine Dr Humphrey in such sort as is not to be endured For he chargeth him with vnfaithfulnesse in his relations digressions from the matter a generall imbecillity of his whole discourse obscuritie vncertainty notorious deprauing of Saint Augustine and other vnfaithfull practises against the same Father and sayth the detection of his falshood ministred the first occasion of his chaunge If Master Higgons were not better knowne then trusted some man happily would bee mooued to thinke that some very grosse and vnexcusable ouer-sights are found in Doctour Humphrey against whom hee so clamorously inveigheth but seeing all the world taketh notice what manner of man hee is by that description of him which is found in a letter of a worthy Knight lately written to him another of his own father written to the same Knight I think there is no man of any sence that will regard his words any more then the braying of an Asse or the bellowing of an Oxe when he lacketh fodder yet to make it appeare that he hath calumniated and wronged a worthy person without all cause or shew of cause I will breefely set downe the summe of D. Humphrey his discourse Whereas Campian obiecteth to vs that we haue begged certaine fragments of opinions from Aerius and others condemned as heretickes first hee answereth that we haue not receiued our faith from Heretickes but from the Apostles and their successours Secondly he sayth that we condemne all the hereticall positions of Aerius yet admit whatsoeuer he held rightly and agreably to the holy Scripture in which saying Maister Higgons telleth vs the Papists will concurre with him Thirdly he alloweth a commemoration of the Saints and holy ones departed and consequently disliketh Aerius for condemning the same Fourthly hee condemneth that abuse in praying for the dead which Aerius condemned Fifthly he sayth the commemoration of the departed is not commanded in Scripture but holden by custome of the Church Sixtly that if wee dye not in a true and liuely faith all the prayers in the world cannot helpe vs contrary to the error of those men who thought that not onely a suspension or mitigation but a totall release of the punishments of men dying in mortall sinnes may be procured which error Augustine refuteth by the euidence of the words of the Apostle that vnlesse we here sowe vnto the spirit we cannot reape immortality And againe that we must all stand before the Tribunall seate of Christ that euery one may receiue according to the thinges hee did in this body whether good or ill Whence hee sayth is inferred that vnlesse men depart hence in state of grace all the world cannot releeue them afterwardes These being the principall and most materiall partes and circumstances of D. Humphrey his discourse touching Aerius let vs see what are the exceptions that Maister Higgons take against him The first is that he sayth there is no Scripture for that prayer for the dead that was ancienily vsed in the Church and that Augustine seemeth to confesse as much which hee goeth about to improue because Augustine alleageth the booke of Machabees for the practise of praying for the dead But for answere here-vnto 1. wee say that D. Humphrey denyeth that there is any precept requiring vs to pray for the dead found in Scripture speaketh nothing of exāples And therefore the allegation of the book of Machabees is impertinent 2. that the praier of Iudas Machabaeus mentioned in that booke was not for the reliefe of the dead but for the remission or not imputing of their sins to the liuing least God should haue smitten them for the trespasse committed by those wicked ones that displeased God and perished in their sin though the author of that book make another construction of it 3. that the booke of Machabees is not Canonical and though Augustine seeme to incline to an opinion that it is yet hee is not resolued that it is so yea some are of opinion that he thought it Canonicall only in respect of the Canon of manners and not of faith but Mr Higgons will proue that in the iudgement of Augustine prayer for the dead is plainely expressed or sufficiently deduced from the Scriptures of the new Testament in that S. Augustine hauing alleadged the bookes of Machabees to proue that prayer was made for the dead sayth if this were no where read in the old Scriptures the authority of the Church were greatly to be regarded which shineth in this custome which is a very silly inferēce For neither doth it follow that if it be not in the old it must be in the new neither would Augustine haue presently vrged the authority of the Church vpon the supposition of not finding it in the old Scriptures but the bookes of the new Testament if hee had thought it to be found in the new seeing he seeketh first and principally to proue it by Scripture His second exception is that Augustine vrgeth the custome of the Vniuersall Church for the commendation of the dead and pronounceth that without intollerable insolency and madnesse this authority cannot be reiected whence he inferreth that both these must ineuitably fall vppon D. Humphrey and his Church but the poore fellow that chargeth other men with madnesse if hee were in his right wittes might easily haue found that Doctor Humphrey doth not condemne the commemoration and commendation of the dead for he saith
Pope sought to ouerthrow the order of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie to encroach vpon all Bishoppes and guides of the Church and to vsurpe such an illimited vniversall and absolute authority as no way pertained to him feared not to call him Antichrist to compare him and his Courtiers to that Behemoth that putteth his mouth to the Riuer of Iordan thinking he can drinke it vp to pronounce that it is most true that before his time was said of him and his execrable Court Eius avaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuria meretrix non sufficit omnis That the Church was holden in Babylonicall captivity by this Antichrist and that her deliuerance would neuer be wrought but by the edge of the sword that must be bathed in blood This is the true report concerning Grosthead in all which there are neither fictions nor exaggerations as Higgons pretendeth by which it is evident that there was as little Communion between the Pope challenging as he did then and doth now infallibility of judgement vniversality of illimited and vncontrouleable power right to dispose the Kingdomes of the World as there is betweene light and darknesse the Temple of God and Idols CHRIST and Antichrist So that he was no Papist seeing he ouer-threw the Papacie and if in any thing he erred as liuing in corrupttimes it is not to be marvayled at neither did his errour in some particular thing so much prejudice his piety and sanctity as that he may not bee called a worthy and renowned Bishop seeing hee held the foundation and stroue for the truth as farre as hee knew it euen to death And therefore the exceptions of the Author of the booke of the Three Conversions against Master Foxe touching this Bishoppe and some other mentioned by him and recorded in the number of Martyrs and Confessors are little to be regarded for that men might be members of that true Church whereof we are holding the foundation and carefully seeking out and maintaining the truth as farre as they knew it though they were otherwise perswaded in some things then either Master Foxe or we are which need not to seeme strange to Master Higgons nor any other of that side seeing they thinke many to haue beene members of their Church and Catholiques that dissented from them in all the questions concerning the Pope to which all other as Master Higgons telleth vs are subordinate and besides in the questions of originall sin free-will justification merite satisfaction the number of the Sacraments and sundry other like things Thus wee see how zealously Grosthead the worthy renowned Bishop of Lincolne opposed himselfe against the tyrannicall vsurpations and incroachments of the Pope and feared not to call him Antichrist for the same Neither was he alone in this opposition but we shall finde that the whole state of England after many complaints against the Popes incroachments vsurpations and tyrannicall intermedling in things no way pertaining to him to the ouerthrow of the Hierarchy of the Church told him in the end that if these courses were continued they should bee forced to doe that which would make his heart to ake Thus faith Mathew Paris at last the poore Church of England that had bin long vsed as an Asse to carry the Popes burdens in the end grew weary opened her mouth as Balaams Asse did to reproue the folly of the Prophet that not without just cause in the judgement of all the world for howsoeuer the church of Rome challenged to be the Mother of all churches and the Popeto be the Father of all Christians yet the one proued a cruell stepmother the other an vnkind vnnaturall Father so that they both lost the hearts of all men But what did the Pope vpon the complaints of so great a church nation as this of England did he ease her burthens or any way listen to her most reasonable suits no verily but was so vnmercifull as the same Paris testifieth that hauing so sore beaten vs he beate vs againe in more cruel sort then euer before onely because we cryed therefore let him not be angry with vs because we haue kept our word with him that neuer kept any with vs haue indeed done that which maketh his heart to ake as our fore-fathers threatned him long before these groanes of our wrōged Mother her often renewed bitter complaints before any was found to worke her deliuerance doe iustifie that which we haue done to be no more then in duty we stood bound to do neither is there any better proofe of the goodnes of our cause then that that which we haue done in the reformation of the church was long before wished for expected fore-tolde by the best men that liued in former times in the corrupt state of the church But because Mr Higgons is pleased to tell vs that if there be no better proofe the cause is bad the patrons worse because these best men we speak of will not speake for vs I will take a litle paines to shevv the goodnes of this proof vvhich I doubt not but the Reader vvill find to be better then that Mr Higgons or any other of his Romanists shall euer be able to vveaken it All that vvhich vve haue done in the reformation of the church cōsisteth in 3 things the first is the condemning of certain erronious opiniōs in matters of doctrine the 2d the shaking off of the yoake of Papall tyranny the 3 the remouing of abuses superstitious observatiōs Novv then if it be proued that the best best learned in former times thought as vvee doe in matters doctrinall that they complained of the heauie yoake vvhich the Pope laide on them and desired the remoouing of such abuses as vvee haue remooued I thinke this proofe vvill bee found very strong and good I vvill therefore first beg◅ vvith matters of doctrine and so proceede to the other points not intending to run through all the controversed points of doctrine but some onely for example and because the question is onely of the judgment of men liuing in latter times in the corrupt state of the Church vnder the Papacie I will passe by the Fathers and speake of such as liued since their time Touching the Canon of Scripture which is the rule of our faith wee deny the bookes of Tobit Iudith Ecelesiasticus Wisdome Machabees the song of the three Children and the story of Bell and the Dragon to bee Canonicall Scriptures So did Hugo de Sancto Victore Richardus de Sancto Victore Petrus Cluniacensis Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Thomas Aquinas Waldensis Richardus Armachanus Picus Mirandula Ockam Caietan and Driedo to say nothing of Melito Bishop of Sardis Origen Athanasius Hilarius Nazianzen Cyrill of Ierusalem Epiphanius Ruffinus Hierome Gregory and Damascen Here wee see a cloud of witnesses deposing for vs. And what better proofe of the goodnesse of our cause canne there be then that so
stayeth on it and our righteousnesse is as the ragges of a menstruous woman c Clicthouaeus vpon the Canon of the Masse vpon these wordes not waying our merits but pardoning our offences asketh what merit we can plead with God to whom wee owe all thinges according to that When yee haue done all say that yee are vnprofitable seruants and how wee can applaud our selues in our good workes whereas all our righteousnesse is as the polluted ragges of a menstruous woman before the Lord Whereunto Bernard agreeth There is extant an excellent Epistle of Cardinall Contarenus wherein hee sheweth what reasons moued him and the other of his side to yeelde so farre to the Protestants as to leaue out the name of merit and to acknowledge that there is no meritte of workes properly so named And as these Catholicke Diuines thought thus of iustification by imputation of Christs righteousnesse the imperfection of our inherent righteousnesse and our not meriting any thing with the merit of condignity so they taught likewise that Christs righteousnesse is to bee apprehended by a liuely faith and defined a liuely faith to bee that motion of the spirit whereby men truely repenting of their former life are raised and lifted vp to God and doe truely apprehend the mercy of God promised in Christ so that they doe indeede feele in themselues that they haue receiued remission of sinnes and reconciliation by Gods goodnesse and by the merit of CHRIST and doe cry Abba Father Thus much was expresly deliuered in the booke exhibited by the Emperour Charles to the Diuines of both sides whom he appointed to conferre together for the composing of the controversies of Religion and the Diuines agreed vnto it Likewise in the Enchiridion of Christian Religion so much approued by all the more learned Diuines of Italy France thus wee read We confesse that it is true that it is altogether required to the justification of a man that hee certainly beleeue not onely in a generalitie that for CHRISTS sake sinnes are remitted to such as truly repent but that particularly they are remitted to himselfe by faith for Christs sake With whom Contarenus agreeth in his Tract of Iustification the most reverend Canons of the Metropoliticall Church of Colein Authors of the booke called Antididagma sundry other And before them all Bernard deliuered the very same his words are these If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot be done away but by him against whom only thou hast sinned who cannot sin thou doest well but adde this moreouer to beleeue that thy sinnes are remitted thee this is the testimony which the holy Spirit giueth in our hearts saying Thy sinnes are remitted thee For so the Apostle supposeth that a man is iustified freely by faith That the Pope may erre not personally onely but iudicially also wee haue the opinion of Ockam Michael Caesenas Cameracensis Cusanus Almain Gerson Waldensis Picus Mirandula Pope Adriaâ—…the 6. almost all the Parisians all them that thinke the Councel to be aboue the Pope the Fathers in the Councels of Constance Basil Alphonsus à Castro and as some thinke Durandus Cyprian and his colleagues who resisted against the determination of the Bishop of Rome and all the Christians of the East at this day This might seeme to be a good proofe yet Stapleton is so farre from yeelding to it that he condemneth them all that thus thought as ignorant and rash especially the latter of them That the Pope is onely first amongst Bishops equall with him in power not of order onely but of iurisdiction also Cusanus proueth at large as Ockam Michael Caesenas and their consorts did before and with these in effect though they expresse not the same so well Cameracensis Gerson Almaine all the rest agree who thinke the Councell to be greater in authoritie and in the power of iurisdiction then the Pope and make him to be amongst Bishops as the Duke of Venice is amongst the great Senators of that state greater then each one but inferiour to the whole company of Bishops Iohn Bacon our Countrey-man noteth that many in his time were of the same opinion who thought the Pope as Head or President of the Colledge and company of Bishops and with them to haue an illimited authority reaching to all persons and causes Ecclesiasticall but not as in of and by himselfe This opinion Duarenus followeth and sheweth that anciently the Pope tooke no more on him The same opinion doe all the Christians of the East hold the practise resolution of antiquity confirmeth the same Touching the vnlawfulnes of the Popes medling with Princes their affaires we haue the testimonies of Sigebertus Cusanus many more whom I would produce but that M Blackwell the Arch-priest in his examination hath already produced a world of witnesses deposing against the Pope in this behalfe to whom I referre the Reader The like might be shewed in other points but because I will not be tedious I will leaue these points of doctrine and come to shew what complaints were euery-where heard in the Christian world before wee were borne against the pope and court of Rome Of Bishop Grosthead and our English I haue spoken already and haue sufficiently shewed how they multiplyed complaints against the pope let vs therefore come to other The popes saith Nicholaus Clemangis as they saw themselues to bee greater then other prelates so they lifted vp themselues aboue other in desire of ruling and ouer-ruling all and finding that Peters patrimonie though exceeding any one Kingdome of the world would not suffice to maintaine their state which they would haue to be greater then that of Emperors Kings and Princes they entred into those sheepfolds of other men which they found to abound vvith milke vvooll for they took to theÌ„ the povver to confer benefices church-liuings vvhich â—…ould fal void in any part of the christian vvorld ouerthrovving al those electioÌ„s vvhich the ancient by so many Canons carefully sought to vphold and hereby drew to them an infinite masse of money neither did they soe stay but tooke away from Bishops and patrons all right of collation presentation forbidding them to place any till such should bee prouided for as they had giuen the expectatiue hope of benefices not voyd Of these men there was an infinite number not comming from the Vniuersities and schooles of learning but from the plough or base trades not knowing Alpha from Beta who liued most wickedly and dissolutely and brought the holy Ministery into so great contempt that whereas anciently nothing was more honourable now nothing is more abiect and contemptible Besides these grieuances vppon euery vacancy they exacted the benefit of a whole yeare out of euery liuing according to a taxation set by them which sometimes three yeares profit would not answere and yet not content herewith they oftentimes imposed
it is to bee maruailed at that I distill the religion and profession of Protestants out of Catholickes is to bee laughed at as most ridiculous for out of whom else should I distill it but if hee thinke they were all Papists whom I cite for proofe of our cause because they liued vnder the Papacie hee is deceiued for a great difference is to be put betweene the Church and faction in the Church wee deriuing our selues from the one and they from the other The second Chapter §. 1. WHerefore now let vs returne to see what Master Higgons hath further to say hee will conuince Mee he saith of singular vanity in that I say there is no materiall difference betweene those whom hee and his consorts call Lutherans and Zuinglians That the reader may the better bee able to discerne how ignorantly Higgons excepteth against Mee I will set downe at large what I haue written touching this matter Answering the calumniation of Papists traducing vs for our diuisions my wordes are these I dare confidently pronounce that after due and full examination of each others meaning there shall be no difference found touching the matter of the Sacrament the Vbiquitary presence or the like between the Churches reformed by Luthers Ministery in Germany and other places and those whom some mens malice called Sacramentaries And in my third booke answering the obiection of Bellarmine charging the Germane Diuines with the heresie of Eutiches in that they say the humanity of Christ is euery where Vbiquity being an incommunicable property of the Deity that cannot bee communicated to the humane nature of Christ without confusion of the Diuine and Humane natures I haue these wordes he should remember that they whom he thus odiously traduceth are not so ignorant as to thinke that the body of Christ which is a finite limited nature is euery where by actuall position or locall extension but personally onely in respect of the conjunction and vnion it hath with God by reason whereof it is no where seuered from God who is euery where This is it then which they teach that the body of Christ doth remaine in nature and essence finite limited and bounded and is locally but in one place but that there is no place where it is not vnited personally to that God that is euery where In which sence they thinke it may truely be said to be euery where This construction of their sayings who defend the Vbiquitary presence is no priuate or singular device of mine as Master Higgons would make men beleeue but Master Hooker a man so farre excelling Theophilus Higgons in learning iudgment that hee is not worthy to bee named the same day hath the same precisely in the very same wordes and alloweth it as Catholicke and good and indeed who but an ignorant Nouice that hath not learned the principles of the Catechisme would impugne it Yet Maister Higgons sayth I haue fayled exceedingly in two poyntes the first in saying there is no place where the body of Christ is not vnited personally vnto that God that is euery where and that it doth subsist euery where the second in saying the humane nature of Christ may rightly be sayd to be euery where in as much as it is vnited personally to that which is euery where This second saying is none of mine for I haue no such words as the reader will soone perceiue if he peruse the place but my words are these The body of Christ is not euery where by locall extension but personally only in respect of the vnion it hath with God by reason whereof it is no way seuered from God who is euery where and againe there is noe place where it is not vnited personally to that God that is euery where in which sence the Germane Diuines thinke it may be sayd to be euery where Wherefore let vs see what Maister Higgons can say against any thing deliuered by Mee touching this point he sayth I haue fayled for that though the Diuine person wherein the humane nature subsisteth bee euery where yet the humane nature subsisteth therein finitely and in one determinate place the Vnion it selfe being a created thing For the better clearing of this point and the vnderstanding of the Doctrine of the Church resolued on by the best learned in the Schooles wee must obserue that there is a beeing of essence and a beeing of existence or subsistence the beeing of essence which the humane nature of Christ hath is finite and limited as is the essence of all other men but beeing of existence it hath none of it owne but that of the Sonne of God communicated to it which is infinite and Diuine Deus in incarnatione verbi sayth Picus Mirandula fecit essentiam humanitatis sine suo esse vt dicitur á multis Doctoribus That is Almighty God in the incarnation of the eternall word produced the essence of the humanity without that finite and created actuall existence which left to it selfe it would haue had as many Doctours doe affirme and the person of the Sonne of God hauing in it the fulnesse of all beeing drew the nature of man to the vnity of that infinite beeing it had in it selfe and communicated the same vnto it so that the humanity of Christ neuer had any other beeing of actuall existence or subsistence but that of the Sonne of God communicated to it And farther the same Picus sayth Esse corporis Christi substantiale est increatum Diuinum quod est suppositi Diuini cum in Christo non sit nisi vnum esse actualis existentiae substantialis That is the substantiall actuall beeing of the body of CHRIST is the increated beeing of the Sonne of GOD seeing in CHRIST there is but one beeing of actuall existence This which Picus Mirandula hath deliuered is the resolution of Thomas Aquinas Caietan and all the best learned in the Romane Schooles whence it followeth ineuitably that the humanity of Christ in the being of actuall existence and subsistence which it hath is not limited or contained within any bounds of place but is euery where howsoeuer in respect of the being of essence which is created finite it be shut vp within the straites of one place at one time and therefore it is noe better then Heresie that Higgons hath that the humanity of Christ subsisteth finitely in the person of the Sonne of God for if it subsist finitely the subsistence it hath is finite and if it haue a finite subsistence then are there two subsistences in Christ the one finite the other infinite and consequently two persons which is flat Nestorianisme But sayth Higgons the vnion it selfe in Christ is a created thing therefore the beeing of actuall existence or subsistence which the humanity hath is finite Truely it had beene fitte the poore Nouice had beene set to Schoole for a time before hee had beene permitted to write for he bewrayeth grosse ignorance in
three Hypostases wee aske them what they meane by the Hypostases they speake of and they tell vs three persons subsisting wee answere that wee beleeue so but the sense satisfieth them not they vrge vs to vse the word it selfe some poyson lying hid in the very syllables c. Let it bee sufficient for vs to say there is one substance in God and three subsisting Persons perfit equall and coeternall if it seeme good vnto you let vs speake no more of three Hypostases but let vs acknowledge one only there is some ill to be suspected whē in one sense diuersity of words is found let it suffice vs to beleeue as I haue sayd or if you thinke it right that wee admitte three Hypostases with their interpretation we will not refuse soe to doe but beleeue mee there lyeth some poyson hid vnder their wordes the Angell of Sathan hath transfigured himselfe into an Angell of light By this which hath been said it is euident that there haue bin as great and hot contentions in former times amongst right beleeuers as are now between the professors of the reformed religion and that those diuisions were not about matters of circumstance or personall onely as Higgons falsely pretendeth but of whole Churches disliking condemning and refusing to communicate one with another vppon supposed differences in mattersof faith and religion Wherefore to draw to a conclusion we deny not but that Luther and some other adhering to him vpon some misconstruction of the opinion of Zuinglius and the rest were carried too farre with the violence of their ill-guided zeale but we say also that there were as fiery conflicts in former times betweene Cyrill and Theodoret betweene Cyrill and Iohn of Antioch betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius who yet were Catholicke Christians all of them as I take it notwithstanding the vnkindnesses that passed betweene them and as Iohn of Antioch and Theodoret were reconciled to Cyrill and those of that side vpon a more ful explication of their positiōs formerly disliked so it is reported by Melanchthon that Luther a litle before his death cōfessed vnto him that he had exceeded gone too far in the cōtrouersies between him his opposits about the Sacramēt that thereupon being wished to publish some qualification of his former writings that were too violēt and bitter he said hee had thought vpon that matter and would so doe but that hee feared the scandall that might grow vpon such his retractation and that therefore he was resolued to referre all to God and to leaue the matter to Melanchthon who might doe something in it after his death This conference betweene Luther and him Melanchthon made knowne to many and euer constantly shewed himselfe a most godly peaceable and religious man carefull to hold the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace howsoeuer it pleaseth pratling Higgons to wrong him and to compare him to the Moone in mutability Wherefore leauing my first allegation let vs come to the second which is that there are more and more materiall differences amongst Papists then amongst vs which Higgons saith is a poore recrimination For that the eye being iudge there is a comfortable Harmony in the Roman Church the same Doctrine preached the same Sacraments ministered and the same Gouernment established whereas Protestants are diuided in iudgement touching matters of faith and haue a distinct gouernment in England Scotland Heluetia and Saxony This exception consisteth of two parts the first clearing the Papistes from the differences and diuisions they are charged with The second charging Protestants with diuisions and differences both in matters of faith and gouernment For answere to the former part of this exception first I say if there be no contradiction betweene these assertions the Pope is aboue Generall Councels the Pope is not aboue Generall Councels the Pope hath the vniuersality of all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in himselfe the Pope is but onely prime Bishoppe in order and honour before other equall in commission with him and at the most but as the Duke of Venice amongst the senators of that state the Pope may erre iudicially the Pope cannot erre iudicially the Pope is temporall Lord of all the world the Pope is not temporall Lord of all the world the Pope if not as temporall Lord of the world yet in ordine ad spiritualia may dispose the Kingdomes of the world the Pope may not meddle with Princes states in any case men are iustified by imputed righteousnesse men are not iustified by imputed righteousnesse men are iustified by speciall faith men are not iustified by speciall faith men may be certaine by the certainety of faith that they are in state of grace men cannot bee so certaine there is merit of condignity properly so named there is no merit of condignity the blessed Virgine was conceiued in sinne the blessed Virgine was not conceiued in sinne then doubtlesse all the Pastours and Bishoppes of the Roman Church preach the same Doctrine otherwise let the reader assure himselfe Master Higgons hath stretched his stile to vse his owne wordes till hee forced it to breake into a vast and notable vntrueth Secondly I say the forme of ministring the Sacraments hath not beene alwayes the same in the Romane Church For as Cassander noteth in his preface before the booke called Ordo Romanus published by him the auncient formes of diuine service were abolished new imposed and prescribed violently so that all that resisted were sent into banishment and since that first alteration as Platina noteth a number of Tautologies and Barbarismes are crept in making ingenuous men abhorre from the celebration of the holy mysteries Thirdly I thinke it will easily appeare there was no such sweet harmony in the Romane Church touching matters of gouernment as Master Higgons speaketh of when the Pope was not onely resisted but called Antichrist in respect of his infinite reseruations admittances of appeales his prouisions and graunting of expectatiue graces and the like vsurpations preiudiciall to the right of all other Bishoppes and the liberty of the Church For answere to the second part of his exception first I confidently affirme and the proudest Papist vnder heauen shall neuer proue the contrary that Protestants haue no reall and essentiall differences in matters of faith and doctrine Secondly I say that their differences in the forme of gouernment are not such as our Aduersaries pretend For they that admitte gouernment by Bishoppes make their authority to bee fatherly not princely directing the rest not excluding their aduise and assistance subordinate to Prouinciall Synodes wherein no one hath a negatiue voyce but the maior part of the voyces of the Bishoppes and Presbyters determineth all doubtes questions and controuersies and they that retaine not the name of Bishops yet haue a president in each company of Presbyters and thinke it a part of Gods ordinance that there should bee such a one to goe before the rest and to be
of actions of vertue formerly done remaine still in the elect and chosen called according to purpose when they fall into grieuous sinnes tyrannizing ouer them though during the time of their being in such grieuous sins the actuall claime to the benefit of these things and the enioying of them be suspended which vpon their repentance for those particular sinnes that caused such suspension is reuiued and set afoote againe in such sort that the repentance past sufficeth for remission of former sinnes and the good actions past shall haue their rewards So that a man elect and chosen of God and called according to purpose that hath done good vertuous actions though they be deaded in him for the present by some grieuous Sinne yet still they remaine in diuine acceptation and he still retaineth the right title he had to the reward of eternall life promised to those workes of vertue done by him though he can make no actuall claime to the same while he remaineth in such an estate of sinne but after that such sinne shall cease and bee repented of hee recouereth not a nâ—…w right or title but a new claime by vertue of the old title Wherefore if it bee demaunded whether Dauid and 〈◊〉 â—…hen they fell into those grieuous sinnes of vncleanesse and abnegation of Christ continued in a state of iustification We answer that they did in respect of the remission of their sinnes and the title they goâ—… to eternall life in their first conuersion which they lost not by those their sinnes committed afterwardes For the remission of all their former sinnes whereof before they had repented remained still and Gods acceptation of them to eternall life notwithstanding these sinnes vpon the condition of leauing them together with his purpose of rewarding their well-doings but in respect of the actuall claime to eternall good things they were not as men once iustified are notwithstanding lesser sinnes wâ—…h though they cause a dislike yet neither extinguish the right nor suspend the claime to eternall life Thus hauing runne through all those passages of Master Higgons his booke that any way concerne Mee I leaue him to be-thinke himsâ—…fe whether hee had any reason to traducâ—… Mee in such sort as hee hath done and remitte the wrongs he hath done Mee without cause to the righteous iudgement of God to whom hee must stand or fall The end of the first part THE SECOND PART Concerning the Authour of the Treatise of the grounds of the Olde and Nevv Religion and such exceptions as haue beene taken by him against the former Bookes HAuing answered the frivolous objections of Master Higgons I will leaue him and passe from him to his friend and collegue the Author of the Treatise of the grounds of the Olde and New Religion who also is pleased in his idle discourses to take some exceptioÌ„s against that which I haue writteÌ„ But because hee is a very obscure Author such a one as the world taketh little notice of I will not much trouble my selfe about him nor take so much pains in discouering his weaknesse as I haue done in dismasking the new convert a man as it seemeth of more esteeme Yet that the world may see what goodly stuffe it is that these namelesse and Apocryphall Booke-makers dayly vent amongst our seduced countrymen I will briefly and cursorily take a view of all such passages ofhis Treatise as any way concerne me Amongâ—… which the first that offereth it selfe to our view is in his Preface to the Reader where hee citeth with great allowance and approbation that which I haue in my Epistle Dedicatory That all men must carefully seeke out which is the true Church that so they may embrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her judgement but presently chargeth Mee that in my fourth Booke following I bereaue her of almost all such prerogatiues as I formerly yeelded vnto her so that men may not safely follow her directions nor rest in her judgement in that I say that Generall Councels may erre in matters of greatest consequence and free the Church her selfe from errour onely in certaine principall points and Articles of Christian Religion and not generally in all This is a bad beginning being a most shamelesse vntruth For in the places cited by him I lay downe these propositions First that the Church including in it all faithfull ones since CHRIST appeared in the flesh is absolutely free from all errour and ignorance of diuine things Secondly that the Church including all those beleeuers that are hauebeene since the Apostles times is simply free from all errour though happily not from all ignorance Thirdly that the Church including onely the beleeuers liuing at one time in the world is free not onely froÌ„ error in such things as men are precisely bound expressely to know beleeue but froÌ„ pertinaciously erring in any thing that any way pertaineth to Christian faith and religion Fourthly that wee must simply and absolutely without all doubt or question follow the directions and rest in the iudgment of the Church in eyther of the two former senses Fifthly that we must listen to the determinations of the present Church as to the instructions of our Elders and fatherly admonitions and directions but not so as to the things contained in Scripture or beleeued by the whole Vniuersal Church that hath bin euer since the Apostles times Because as Waldensis noteth the Church whose faith neuer faileth is not any particular Church as that of Africa or Rome but the Vniuersall Church neyther that Vniuersall Church which may bee gathered together in a generall Councell which is found sometimes to haue erred but that which dispersed through the world from the Baptisme of Iohn continueth to our times Sixtly that in the iudgment of Waldensis the fathers successiuely are more certaine iudges in matters of faith then a generall Councell of Bishops though it be in a sort the highest Court of the Church as the Treatiser sayth All these propositions are fouÌ„d in Waldensis who wrote with good allowance of Pope Martin the Fift and the whole consistory of Cardinals so that the Treatiser cannot charge Me with any wrong offered to the Church in bereauing her of her due prerogatiues but he must condemn him also and blame the Pope and his Cardinals for commending the writings of such a man to the world as good profitable and containing nothing contrary to the Catholike verity that forgotte himselfe so farre as to bereaue the Church of almost all her prerogatiues which he cannot doe but he must condemne Vincentius Lyrinensts likewise a man beyond all exception who absolutely concurreth in iudgement with Waldensis touching these points assuring vs that the state of the present Church at sometimes may be such as that we must be forced to flye to the iudgment of Antiquity if we desire to find any certaiue direction A iudgement of right discerning sayth OckaÌ„ there is euer fouÌ„d in the Church
parts of this Church and Catholiques that thinke the Pope may iudicially erre vnlesse a generall Councell concurre with him which in their opinion is an error and neare to heresie Yea the same Bellarmine sayth that the particular Romane Church that is the cleargy and people of Rome subiect to the Pope cannot erre because though some of them may yet all cannot It is true therefore which I haue deliuered not withstanding any thinge the Treatiser can say to the contrary that the Church including all the faithfull that are and haue beene since the Apostles may be sayd to bee free from error because in respect of her totall vniuersality she is so it being impossible that any errour should bee found in all her parts at all times though in respect of her seuerall parts shee be not For sometimes and in some parts she hath erred and in this sense can no more be sayd to be free from error then a man may be sayd to bee free from sicknesse that in some parts is ill affected But as a man that hath not beene alwaies nor in all parts ill may bee said to be free from perpetuall and vniuersall sicknesse so the Church is free from perpetuall and vniuersall error This the Treatiser saith is a weake priuiledge and not answerable to the great and ample promises made by Christ whereas the Fathers knew no other whatsoeuer this good man imagineth For Vincentius Lyrinensis confesseth that error may infect some parts of the Church yea that it may sometimes infect almost the whole Church so that he freeth it only from vniuersall perpetuall error But sayth the Treatiser what are poore Christians the nearer for this priuiledge how shall such a Church be the director of their faith and how shall they know what faith was preached by the Apostles what parts taught true doctrine and when and which erred in subsequent ages Surely this question is easily answered For they may know what the Apostles taught by their writings and they may know what parts of the Church teach true doctrine by comparing the doctrine each part teacheth with the written word of God and by obseruing who they are that bring in priuate and strange opinions contrary to the resolution of the rest But if happily some new contagion endeauour to commaculate the whole Church together they must looke vp into Antiquity and if in Antiquity they finde that some followed priuate and strange opinions they must carefully obserue what all not noted for singularity or heresie in diuerse places and times constantly deliuered as vndoubtedly true and receiued from such as went before them This course Vincentius Lyrinensis prescribeth But the Treatiser disclaimeth it not liking that all should be brought to the letter of holy Scripture and the workes of Antiquity which setting aside the authority of the present Church he thinketh yeeld no certaine and diuine argument So that according to his conceipt wee must rest on the bare censure and iudgement of the Pope for he is the present Church Antiquity is to be contēued as little or nothing worth Hauing iustified the distinctiō of the diuerse cōsiderations of the Church impugned by the Treatiser that which he hath touching the two assertions annexed to it will easily bee answered For the one of them is most true his addition of not erring being taken away and the other is but his idle imagination for wee neuer deliuered any such thing §. 3. IN the third place he excepteth against Mee because I say the words of the Apostle in the Epistle to Timothy touching the house and Church of God are originally vnderstood of the Church of Ephesus wherein Paul directeth Tymothy how to demeane and behaue himselfe but because I haue cleared this exception in my answere to Higgons I will say nothing to him in this place but referre him thither §. 4. FRom the Apostle the Treatiser passeth to Saint Augustine and chargeth Me th I wrest his words when he sayth he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him to a sense neuer meant by him These words of S. Augustin are vsually alleadged by the Papists to proue that the authority of the Church is the ground of our faith reason of beleeuing in answere whereunto I shew that the Diuines giue two explications of them For Ockam and some other vnderstand them not of the multitude of beleeuers that now are in the world but of the whole number of them that are and haue beene since Christ appeared in the flesh so including the Apostles and in this sense they confesse that the Church because it includeth the writers of the bookes of the new Testament is of greater authority then the books themselues Other vnderstand by the name of the Church onely the multitude of beleeuers liuing in the world at one time and thinke the meaning of Augustine is that the authority of this Church was an introduction vnto him but not the ground of his faith and principall or sole reason of beleeuing The former of these explications this graue censurer pronounceth to be friuolous First because if wee may beleeue him Saint Augustine neuer vsed these words Catholique Church after this sort in that sense Secondly because he speaketh of that Church which commanded him not to beleeue Manicheus which vndoubtedly was the present Church Thirdly because as he supposeth I can alleadge no Diuine that so interpreted the words of Augustine that which I cite out of Ockam being impertinent To euery of these reasons I will briefly answere And first that Augustine doth vse the words Catholique Church in the sense specified by Me it is euident For writing against Manicheus he hath these words Palám est quantū in re dubia ad fidem certitudinem valent Catholicae Ecclesiae authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis sedibus Apostolorū vsque ad hodiernū diem succedētibus sibimet Episcopis tot populorū cōsensione firmatur that is it is apparant what great force the authority of that Church hath to settle the perswasion of faith cause certainty in things doubtfull that from the most surely established seats of the Apostles by succession of Bishops euen till this present cōsent of people is most firmely setled To the second reason wee answere that the Church including the Apostles and all faithfull ones that haue beene since comprehendeth in it the present Church and so might commaund Augustine not to listen to Manicheus So that this commaunding proueth not that he speaketh precisely of the present Church To the third I say that the Treatiser is either strangely ignorant or strangely impudent when hee affirmeth that I can alledge no Diuine that vnderstandeth the words of Augustine of the Church including in it the Apostles such as liued in their times For first Durandus vnderstandeth them of the Primitiue Church including the Apostles Secondly Gerson will tell him that when
Augustine saith he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him hee vnderstandeth by the name of the Church the Primitiue congregation of those Faithful ones which saw heard Christ and were his witnesses Thirdly Driedo writeth thus when Augustine saith hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him hee vnderstandeth that Church which hath beene euer since the beginning of the Christian Faith hauing her Bishops in orderly sort succeeding one another and growing and increasing till our times which Church truly comprehendeth in it the blessed company of the Holy Apostles who hauing seene Christ his miracles and learned from his mouth the Doctrine of Faith deliuered vnto vs the Evangelicall Scriptures And againe the same ◠Driedo saith that the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authoritie of the Church that now is in the world in it selfe considered But if wee speake of the vniversal Church including all Faithfull ones that are and haue beene the authority of the Church is in a sort greater then the Scripture and in a sort equall For explication whereof he addeth that as touching things that cannot bee seené nor knowne by vs we beleeue the sayings writings of men not as if they had in them in themselues considered a sufficient force to moue vs to beleeue but because by some reasons we are perswaded of them who deliuer such things vnto vs thinke them worthie to be beleeued So S. Augustine might rightly say hee would not beleeue the bookes of the Gospel if the authority of the Church did not moue him vnderstanding the vniuersal Church of which he speaketh against Manicheus which including the Apostles hath had in it an orderly course of succession of Bishops till our time For the faithfulnes trueth credit of this Church was more evident then the Trueth of the books of the New Testament which are therefore receiued as sacred true because written by those Apostles to whō Christ so many waies gaue testimony both by word and worke and the Scriptures are to be proued by the authority of that Church which included the Apostles but in the Church that now is or that includeth only such as are now liuing God doth not so manifest himselfe as hee formerly did so that this Church must demōstrat herself to be Orthodox by prouing her faith out of the Scripture With Driedo Ockam cōcurreth his words are these sometimes the name of the Church cōprehendeth not only the whole cōgregation of Catholiques liuing but the Faithful departed also in this sense blessed Augustine vseth the name of the Church in his book against the Manichees cited in the Decrees 2. dist c. palà m where the Catholique Church importeth the Bishops that haue succeeded one another frō the Apostles times the people subiect to thē And in the same sense Augustine vseth the name of the Church when he saith he would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not moue him for this Church comprehendeth in it the Writers of the bookes of the Gospell and all the Apostles so that from the authoritie of Augustine rightly vnderstood it cannot be inferred that the Pope the maker of the Canons is rather more to be beleeued then the Gospel yet it may be granted that wee must more rather beleeue the Church which hath beene from the times of the Prophets Apostles till now then the Gospel not for that men may any way doubt of the Gospell but because the whole is greater then the part So that the Church which is of greater authoritie then the Gospel is that whereof the Writer of the Gospel is a part Neither is it strange that the whole should bee of more authority then the parts These are the words of Ockam in the place cited by me Wherfore let the Reader judge whether that I cite out of Ockam be impertinent as the Treatiser saith or not To Durandus Gerson Driedo Ockam we may adde Waldensis who fully agrees with thē shewing at large that it pertayned to the Church onely in her first best and primitiue state age to deliuer a perfect direction touching the Canon of the Scripture so that shee hath no power or authority now to adde any more bookes to the Canon already receiued as out of her owne immediate knowledge But it sufficeth to the magnifying of her authority in her present estate that euen now no other bookes may bee receiued but such only as in her first and best estate shee proposed Farther adding that the saying of Augustine that hee would not beleeue the Gospell if the authority of the Church did not moue him is to bee vnderstood of the Church including the primitiue Fathers and Pastors the Apostles Scholers By this which hath bin sayd it is euident as I thinke that the former of those two constructions which I make of Augustines words hath bin approued by far better men then this Treatiser And that therefore he sheweth himself more bold then wise when he pronounceth it to be frivolous And surely if we consider well the discourse of S. Augustine I thinke it may be proued vnanswerably out of the circumstances of the fame that hee speaketh not precisely of the present Church For it is that authority of the catholicke church hee vrgeth that was begun by miracles nourished by hope increased by charity confirmed strengthned by long continuance And of that Church he speaketh wherin there had bin a succession of Bishops from Peter till that present time So that he must needs meane the Church including not onely such faythfull ones as were then liuing when hee wrote but all that either then were or had bin from the Apostles times Wherefore let vs passe to the other construction of Augustines words which is that the authority of the present church was the ground reason of an acquisit fayth an introduction leading him to a more sure stay but not the reason or ground of that faith whereby principally he did beleeue This constructiō the Treatiser sayth cannot stand because Aug saith if the authority he speaketh of be weakned hee will beleeue no longer Whence it seemeth to be consequent that it was the cause of all thē perswasion of fayth that he had then when he wrote not only of an acquisit fayth preparing fitting him to a stronger more excellent farther degree or kind of faith For the clearing of this poynt we must note that there are 3. sorts of such mē as beleeue for there are some that beleeue out of piety onely not discerning by reason whether the things they beleeue be to be beleeued as true or not the 2d. haue a light of diuine reason shining in them causing an approbation of that they beleeue the 3d. sort hauing a pure heart conscience begin already inwardly to taste that which hereafter
which he had concerning the future state of things to the end of the world meant to deliuer a perfect summe of Christian doctrine if the proof contained in these words be not sufficiēt for my part I know not what may be for what can be necessary to bee knowne of Christians ouer and aboue that which is found in the olde Testament besides the Incarnation of Christ his words actions sufferings the manner of the establishment of churches in the faith of Christ and the ordaining and appointing of fit guides to take care of the government of the same and the future state of things to the end of the world But he saith no one of the Evangelists intended to set downe all that Christ did and suffered as it appeareth in that no one of them hath so done that it cannot be said that all jointly haue so done seeing that could not proceed but from some common deliberation or the disposition and inspiration of the holy Ghost mouing them to write neither of which can be said For that there was no such deliberation he saith it is evident in that no man mentioneth any such thing in that it is knowne they wrote in diuers countries at diuers times vpon diuers occasions that the inspiration of the holy spirit did not direct them to the writing of all things necessary hee saith it is likewise most cleare in that I confesse there are some things wanting in their bookes which the church beleeueth which could not be if the spirit had moued them to write all This obiection will soone be answered For first it is certain that some one of the Evangelists intended to write all things which Christ did and spake S. Luke professing that he had so done Which yet is not to be vnderstood of all things simply but such onely as he did spake in that time within the compasse whereof he confined his narration Neither doth this prejudice the fulnesse of the Evangelicall history For as Baronius noteth the later Evangelists taking a view of that the former had written for the most part added what things they found omitted by them So Marke Luke write of the ascension of Christ not mentioned by S. Mathew because he ended his story before he came to it And Iohn finding as Hierome saith that the other three had written onely the history of one yeare after Iohn the Baptist was cast into prison wherein Christ suffered approued that which they had written as true omitting that yeare because the things that fell out in it were reported by thē recorded such things as fell out before the imprisonment of the Baptist which they had not written as not fetching the beginning of their narration so farre off If it be said by this Treatiser that many things that Christ did are so omitted that they are found in none of the Evangelists for that Iohn who wrote last of all knew well what the rest had written hath these words Many other signes also Iesus wrought in the sight of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these things are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeuing you may haue euerlasting life through his Name And againe there are also many other things which Iesus did which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world would not be able to containe the Bookes which should be written Baronius will tell him that the Evangelists when they tooke in hand the writing of the sacred stories intended not to write all the things generally that Christ did but such so many only as might serue to confirme the Faith and to demonstrate that IESVS is the Son of GOD that the things which they haue written are sufficient to saluation that men beleeuing may haue eternall life So that though there were no commō deliberation or consultation amongst the Evangelists though they wrote at diuers times in diuers places yet by the sweet disposition of the holy Spirit that moued them to write it might and did so fall out in that one saw what another had written that the later added such things as they foūd omitted by the former so left vnto vs a perfect full narration concerning Christ his incarnation life death resurrectiō ascension as also the things he did and spake during the time of his conversing amōgst men So that the Treatiser is not able to proue that the Evangelicall historie is imperfect but there is one thing wherein hee gloryeth as if hee had gotten some great aduantage which is that I confesse that there are somethings found in the Epistles of the Apostles occasionally writtē beleeued by the Church that are not found in the history of the Euangelists the book of all the Acts of the Apostles nor the Reuelation of Saint Iohn whence hee thinketh hee may inferre that eyther the Authors of th◅se books meant not to deliuer a perfect summe directiō of Christian faith as I affirme or that they missed of their purpose which may not bee graunted But lette him know that there is no consequence of any such absurdity as hee imagineth from any thing I haue written For the things beleeued by the Church and not found in the former bookes but in the Epistles of the Apostles are nothing else but distinct and cleare determinations of doubts arising touching matters of faith or manners out of and according to the summe of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes or historicall narrations of such thinges as passed betweene the Apostles themselues or between them and the Churches founded by them or some particular persons in them not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles or lastly Apostolicall prescriptions of things pertaining to decencie order and comelinesse in the performance of the acts of Gods worship and seruice Now I thinke it will not follow that if there be found in the Apostolicall Epistles some more distinct cleere resolutiōs determinations of doubtes out of the forme and direction of Christian Doctrine found in the former bookes then are there found or a prescription of some outward obseruations that the former bookes containe not a perfect summe and direction of Christian faith much lesse will it be consequent that these bookes containe not a perfect direction of Christian faith because some historicall narrations not found in them are beleeued in the Church as that Paul left his cloake at Troas that hee mediated for Onesimus and sought to reconcile him to his Maister and the like The Treatiser therefore passeth from this exception and asketh how I will proue that all thinges beleeued by the Church not contained in the former books are found in the Epistles of the Apostles to whom I answere that when hee shall giue any instance of things beleeued by the Church not foūd in the former books either it shal be proued
that they are not beleiued by the Church or they shal be shewed him in those Epistles Wherfore let vs see what he hath more to say One of the Apostolicall Epistles he saith is lost namely that which Paul wrote to the Laodiceans in which there might be something necessarily to be beleeued that is not fouÌ„d in any other book of the New Testament Therefore it may be thought that there is some want imperfection in the books of the New Testament This truly is a very idle and and silly obiection for though there was a certaine Epistle to the Laodiceans carried about and read by some in auncient times yet as Hierome testifieth it was exploded by all and Chrysostome and Theodoret are of opinion that Paul neuer wrote any Epistle to the Laodiceans but that the Epistle hee speaketh of was written from Laodicea or by the Laodiceans to informe him of the state of things amongst themselues or amongst the Colossians by whom hee would haue it read And Cardinall Baronius himselfe approueth their opinion rather then the other That which he hath of my admitting traditions I will answere when I come to examine his next section §. 8. IN his next section he hath these words Barlow and Field two famous English Protestants admitte certaine Apostolicall traditions And farther hee addeth that I allow of certaine rules for the discerning of Apostolicke traditions from such as are not such Whereunto wee answere that wee admit sundry kindes of tradition and yet deny that any thing concerning fayth or the necessary direction and information of mens manners is to bee beleeued and receiued that is not written For we say nothing was deliuered by tradition but the bookes of Scripture thinges in some sort therein contayned and thence deduced and certaine dispensable obseruations not at all or hardly to be discerned from Ecclesiasticall constitutions Neither is it new or strange that wee should admit some kinds of traditions For Kemnitiuâ—… acknowledgeth all those kinds that I meÌ„tion which will no way help the Papists For the question between theÌ„ vs is not whether there be any traditions or not For it is most certaine that the bookes of Scripture are deliuered by tradition But it beeing â—…upposed that the holy men of God taught immediately by Christ his Sonne â—…ded certaine bookes to posterities and agreed on which those bookes are whâ—…her they containe all thinges necessary to bee knowne and practised by Christian â—…en for the attayning of euerlasting life and saluation Wee say they doe they deny it Yet will the Treatiser proue from hence contrary to my assertions that according to my owne grounds tradition is the very foundation of my faith For if Protestantes receiue the number names of the Authours and integrity of the parts of bookes divine and canonicall as deliuered by tradition as I say they doe and if without tradition wee cannot know such diuine bookes hee thinketh it consequent that tradition is the ground of our faith But indeede there is no such consequence as hee imagineth For it is one thing to require the tradition of the church as a necessary meaâ—…s whereby the bookes of Scripture may be deliuered vnto vs and made known another to make the same tradition the ground of our faith seeing in the judgment of the Treatiser himselfe euery thing is not the ground of our saith builded vpon Scripture without which we cannot know the Canonicall bookes of Scripture from such as are not of that ranke As it is euident in that he distinguisheth the groâ—…d of our faith reason of our beleeuing from the condition required to the producing of such an act of fayth denying the churches proposing of things to bee beleeued to be the ground of our faith and yet requiring it as a necessary condition without which ordinarily men cannot beleeue So that though we know the names of the writers of the books of holy Scripture by tradition and that there were no more bookes nor no more partes of bookes of this kinde left to posterities by the Apostles but such as the church deliuereth to vs yet it is not consequent that wee haue no other ground of our perswasion that the bookes deliuered to vs and the parts thereof are canonicall but tradition for the euidence of diuine power and majesty shewing it selfe in them more then in all humane compoÌ„sitions whatsoeuer proueth them to haue proceeded from the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost breathing in them nothing but heauenly grace The words of holy Scripture sayth Picus Mirandula are rude and plaine but full of life and soule they haue their sting they pierce and enter in euen to the most secret spirit and strangely transforme him that with due respect readeth them and meditateth on them And besides there are sundry diuine and conuincing reasons that the summe of Christian doctrine contayned in these bookes is nothing else but heauenly truth and being without the compasse of that wee naturally vnderstand reuealed trueth So that the Treatiser doth greatly forget himselfe when hee pronounceth it to bee false that I say that the Scriptures winne credit of themselues and yeelde sufficient satisfaction to all men of their diuine truth This is the summe of all that hee hath of traditions For where hee saith I affirme that without the Creed of the Apostles wee cannot know the Scriptures to bee of God hee sheweth himselfe to care little whether that hee writeth bee true or false For I no where haue any such thing but where hee saith I affirme that Papists make traditions Ecclesiasticall equall with the written word of God and that this is one of my ordinary vntruths hee deserueth a sharper censure For if the Reader be pleased to peruse the place cited by him hee shall finde that I say no such thing nor any thing that the Pope himselfe can possibly dislike For deliuering the opinion of Papists touching traditions their diuerse kindes and the credit that is to bee giuen vnto them I shew that they make diuine traditions equall with the words precepts and doctrines of Christ left vnto vs in writing apostolicall with the written precepts of the Apostles and ecclesiasticall with the written precepts of the Pastours of the Church confessing that there is no reason why they should not so doe if they could proue any such vnwritten traditions Is this to say that Papists make Ecclesiasticall traditions equall with the written Word of God Is this one of my ordinary vntruthes or rather is not this a bewraying of an extraordinary impudency in him that so saith Surely I feare the Reader will haue a very ill conceipt of him vpon the discerning of this his bad dealing Yet hee goeth forward charging Mee that I make the baptisme of Infants to be an vnwritten tradition whereas yet he knoweth right well that howsoeuer I grant it may be named a tradition in that there is no expresse precept or
example of it in Scripture yet I affirme that it is no vnwritten tradition in that the grounds reasons and causes of the necessity of it are there contained the benefites that follow it Neither doth the place alledged by him out of Augustine proue the contrary the words of Augustine as commonly we reade them are these the custome of the Church in baptizing infants which is not to be despised or lightly regarded were not to be beleeued were it not an Apostolique tradition But whosoeuer shall consider the place will soone perceiue that Augustines meaning is that the custome of the Church in baptizing Infants which he saith is not to be despised or lightly regarded is to be beleeued to be no other but an Apostolical tradition not that it were not to be beleeued if it were not an Apostolicall tradition howsoeuer as it seemeth esset in stead of esse is crept into the text For it is something harsh to say the custome of the Church in baptizing infants is not to be beleeued vnlesse it were an Apostolicall Tradition Seeing such a custome might be beleeued though it were not an Apostolicall Tradition And besides the drift of Augustine in that place is to vrge the necessitie of this custome and to haue it beleeued to be Apostolicall and not to weaken it as if it had no support but bare tradition which can neither stand with the opinion of Augustine the truth of the thing it selfe nor the iudgement and resolution of our Adversaries themselues who thinke that the Baptisme of Infants may be proued vnanswerably out of Scripture in that CHRIST saith the Kingdome of Heauen belongeth to litle children and yet pronounceth that except a man bee borne a new of water of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Wherein yet they contradict themselues as they doe likewise in some other things which they produce as instances of vnwritten traditions and yet goe about to proue them by Scripture Neither will the Treatisers evasion serue the turne that they goe not about to proue any thing necessarily out of Scripture that they pretend to be holden by vnwritten tradition but probably only for we know they bring Paedobaptisme as an instance of vnwritten traditions and yet say it may bee vnavoydably proued out of Scripture as they propose the testimonies of it The like may be said of the consubstantiality of the Sonne of God with the Father and the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from them both brought by them as instances of vnwritten verities and yet prooued as strongly by them out of Scripture as any other point of Faith For if they shall say an Heretique will not yeeld himselfe convinced by such proofes it will bee answered that no more he will by any other in any other point nor by the tradition of the Church neither which yet I suppose they will not make to be a weake proofe in that respect §. 9. THe next exception taken against Me is that I haue not well said that a man may still doubt and refuse to beleeue a thing defined in a Generall Councell without Hereticall pertinacie and that Generall Councels may erre in matters of greatest consequence What I haue written I will make good against the Treatiser For it is not so strange a thing as he would make vs beleeue to thinke that Generall Councels may erre that a man may doubt of things defined in thē without heretical pertinacie seeing not onely our Diuines generally so thinke but sundry of the best learned in the Romane Church informer times were of the same opinion as I haue else-where shewed at large Neither were it hard to answere the authorities hee bringeth to prooue that Generall Councels cannot erre if a man would insist vpon the particular examination of them But this may suffice in a generalitie that the Fathers produced by him blame and condemne in particular the calling of things in question that had beene determined in the Councell of Nice and some other of that sort and not generallie the doubting of any thing determined in any Councell how disorderly soeuer it proceeded In the second Councell of Ephesus there wanted not a sufficient number of worthy Bishops yet because hee that tooke on him the Presidentship vsed not accustomed moderation neither permitted each man freely to deliuer his opinion it was not accepted nor the Decrees of it receiued From the not erring of Councels the Treatiser passeth to the question concerning the Churches authority in making new Articles of faith and seeketh to cleare the Romane Church from the imputation of challēging any such authority by my confession my words alleadged by him to this purpose are these Our aduersaries confesse that the approbation and determination of the Church cannot make that a truth which was not nor that a Diuine or Catholique truth that was not so before But the good man hath vsed this poore sentence of mine as Hanun vsed the messengers of Dauid whose garments he cut off in the middle a wrong afterwards seuerely and yet most iustly reuenged by Dauid For it followeth in the same sentence that Papists do thinke that the Church by her sole and bare determination may make that veritie to be in such sort Catholique that euery one must expressely beleeue it that was not soe and in such degree Catholique before Whereby it appeareth that they attribute a power to the Church in a sort to make new Articles of faith in that shee may make things formerly beleeued onely implicite to bee necessary to bee expressely beleeued not by euidence of proofe or apparant deduction from thinges expressely beleeued but by her bare and sole authority which not onely wee but sundry right learned godly and wise in the middest of the Church of Rome euer denied Wherefore let vs passe from this imagined aduantage to consider the rest of his exceptions §. 10. IN my third booke and first Chapter speaking of the Patriarche of Constantinople I haue these words In the second generall Councell holden at Constantinople he was preferred before the other Patriarches of Alexandria and Antioch and set in degree of honour next vnto the Bishoppe of Rome in the great Councell of Chalcedon hee was made equall with him and to haue all equall rights priuiledges and prerogatiues because hee was Bishoppe of new Rome as the other was of old Hereupon the Treatiser breaketh out into these wordes I cannot doe otherwise but maruaile that a man of his place and learning doth not blush to committe such a notorious vntrueth to the Print and view of the world For not to speake of the falshood of the first part of his affirmation because it is in some sort impertinent that which hee saith of the Councell of Chalcedon is most vntrue repugnant to all antiquity and not onely contrary to all proceedings and the history of the sayd Councell but also to the wordes of the Canon by him alleaged
Caluine doth expressely condemne these reseruations which I confessed before but no way goeth about to make good the consequence which I denied to wit that therefore hee thought the sanctified elements so reserued not to bee Sacramentally the Body of Christ. For that which hee hath that Caluine Bucer Melanchthon and almost all Protestants holde the Eucharist to bee no permanent thing but to bee the Sacrament onely when it is receiued hath no more force of proofe then the rest of his frivolous discourses seeing it is most evident that the Protestants named by him haue no such meaning that the sanctified elements in the Holy Eucharist are no Sacrament but precisely in the very receiuing of them for then they should bee no Sacrament in the hand of the Minister and on the Holy Table but onely in the hand or mouth of the communicant but that they are no Sacrament but in reference to the vse to which they were appointed by Almightie God as I haue shewed at large in the place against which this Treatiser quarrelleth §. 5. LEt vs therefore proceed to see what hee hath more to say In my Fourth booke writing of the things required for the attaining of the right vnderstanding of the Scripture I say some things are required as making vs capable of such vnderstanding and other as meanes whereby we attaine vnto it Amongst the things required as making vs capable of the right vnderstanding of Scripture I reckon the illumination of the vnderstanding and a minde free from the thought of other things depending on God as the Fountaine of illumination desirous to finde out the Truth with resolution to embrace it although contrary to the conceipts of naturall men The meanes whereby we attaine to the right vnderstanding of Holy Scripture I make to be of two sorts some disposing and preparing onely as often reading meditating and praying some guiding vs in the search it selfe and these I make to bee fiâ—…e Whereof the first is the knowledge of the rule of faith and the practise of the Saints according to the same The second a due consideration what will follow vpon our interpretation agreeing with or contrary to the things receiued amongst Christians In which consideration the conference of other places of Scripture is necessary The third the consideration of the circumstances of the places interpreted the occasion of the words the things going before and following after The fourth the knowledge of all those histories arts and sciences which may helpe vs. The fifth the knowledge of the originall tongues and the phrases and idiotismes of the same In all these passages as I thinke there is nothing that the Diuell himselfe dareth gaine-say yet as if I had vttered some strange paradoxes and things neuer heard of before the Treatiser sayth my doctrine is commonly singular in so much that hee professeth hee thinketh hee may very well in some sort liken the platforme or order and Faith of a Church sette downe in my bookes of that argument to Sir Thomas Moores Vtopia and that there neither is nor euer was any such Church in the world as I describe and therevpon maketh shew as if hee would confute euery word that I haue in the place cited by him Verily I thinke it will not bee safe for mee to write or say that there is a GOD that GOD made heauen and earth or that hee sent his sonne into the world for he impugneth thinges as cleare as any of these as that an illumination of the mind is necessary to the vnderstanding of the Scripture inspired of God the thinges contained in it seeing the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of GOD which are spiritually discerned whereas yet wee shall finde that hee canne say nothing against the necessity of such diuine illumination for the vnderstanding of the Scripture but hee might say as much against the necessity of the light of naturall reason for the vnderstanding of things naturally discernable For hee might aske as now hee doth touching this illumination how a man knoweth hee hath reason or the vse of reason and is not mad or drunke seeing such men as are soe distempered thinke they haue the vse of reason as well as any other and one kinde of answere will serue for both these doubtes For as men know they haue reason by the discerning of such things as are not discernable by the senses or sensitiue faculties which are organicall soe faithfull and beleeuing men that haue their mindes enlightned knowe they haue receiued such a new illumination in that they discerne thinges which before by the dimme sight of nature they could not and as men that are sober and in their right wittes doe certainely know they are soe though such as are madde or drunke thinke they are when they are not and soe deceiue themselues Soe men that haue true illumination of grace may certainely knowe they haue it though some franticke and braine-sicke men thinke they haue it when they haue it not The weaknesse of this assault it seemeth the Treatiser did perceiue and therefore hee assayleth vs another way and vndertaketh to proue that it is not necessary a man should be spirituall before hee vnderstandeth the Scriptures because then it would be consequent that our faith could not be builded vpon Scriptures as we thinke it is But I doubt hee will haue as bad successe as before For as there must bee a naturall light of reason shining in men before any thing naturally discernable canne euidently appeare vnto them to bee that it is and yet the perswasion men haue touching the beeing of such things buildeth it selfe vppon such euidence soe likewise there must be a light of grace shining in the vnderstanding of men before they can vnderstand the Scripture and yet the perswasion they haue of the trueth of diuine thinges may and doth build it selfe vppon the Scriptures vnderstood through such light Wherefore let vs see what hee hath yet more to say Whereas besides an illumination I require in him that will vnderstand the Scriptures a minde free from the thought of other things depending vpon God as the fountaine of illumination and desirous of trueth with resolution to embrace it though contrary to the conceipt of naturall men besides his former exception already answered he addeth these words I dislike these wordes desirous of truth with resolution to embrace it The like wherevnto I protest I neuer read nor heard to come from any man For is it possible there should any such man be found that should dislike it in vs that wee require in him that will vnderstand the Scripture a minde desirous of trueth with resolution to embrace it Surely it is for we haue met with such an one but he hath taken order by concealing his name that noe man shall make him blush by looking on him This doubtlesse is one of the sons of Belial that haue cast off the yoake that neither feare God nor reuerence men But what
I may be as good as my word iustifie it against the proudest Papist liuing that none of the differences between Melancthon Illyricus except about certaine ceremonies were reall Wherefore the Treatiser leaueth Illyricus commeth to Hosiander whom hee will proue to haue holden a priuate opinion touching iustification because Calvine in his Institutions spendeth almost one whole Chapter in the confutation of his conceipt touching the same Article which in the very entrance hee calleth hee wores not what monster of essentiall righteousnesse Conradus Schlusselburge placeth him and his followers in the Catalogue of heretickes But this obiection will easily be answered For it is not to be doubted but Caluine the rest iustly disliked that which they apprehended to bee his opinion and condemned it as a monster For they conceiued that heâ—… made Iustification to bee nothing else but a transfusion of the essentiall righteousnesse of Christ into vs and a mixture and confusion of it with vs. But Smidelinus sheweth at large that he neuer had any such conceipt but that distinguishing three kinds of righteousnesse in Christ whereof we are made partakers to wit actiue passiue and essentiall in that hee was the Sonne of God he taught that justification is not onely an acceptation and receiuing of vs to fauour vpon the imputation of the actiue and passiue righteousnesse of Christ but an admission of vs also to the right of the participation of the diuine nature as Peter speaketh and of that essentiall righteousnesse that was in him in that he was the sonne of God that so receiuing of his fulnesse we may be filled with all diuine qualities and graces The reason why hee thus vrged the implying of the communication of the essentiall righteousnesse of Christ in our iustification was not as the same Smidelinus telleth vs for that he thought iustification to consist wholy therein or for that hee meant to exclude the imputation of the merit and satisfaction of Christ from being causes of our iustification or receiuing fauour with God but because he saw many mistooke and abused the doctrine of free justification by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to the carelesse neglecting of al righteousnesse in themselues therefore he taught there is no remission of sin no receiuing of any man to fauour by vertue of the imputation of the actiue and passiue righteousnes of Christ vnlesse out of dislike of sin desire of grace to auoid it he be admitted to the right of the participation of that essentiall righteousnes that dwelt in him in all fulnesse that so it may dwell in him that is to be iustified also in some degree sort Neither is this construction of Hosianders words made by Smidelinus onely but by sundry other For Stapleton sayth the followers of Brentius defended the opinion of Hosiander whereas yet neither Brentius nor any of his followers euer dreamed of any transfusion of the essentiall righteousnesse of Christ into vs any mixture or confusion of it with vs or any other communication of it to vs or in any other sort then is before expressed So that the Treatiser had no reason to write as he doth that my proceedings are rare and singular and that I feare not to affirme things apparantly false and confessed vntrue by all my brethren much lesse to say that euery man may easily perceiue by these my proceedinges that I had a good opinion of mine owne wit and learning For what haue I done that sauoureth of pride or wherein haue I bewrayed such vanitie as he speaketh of Is it a matter of pride not to condemne hastily other opinions to make the fairest and best construction of other mens words especially such as are of the same profession with vs Wherefore if the Treatiser be able to say any thing against this my defence of Illyricus and Hosiander I will heare him otherwise let him not tell me of my schoole distinctions for I am not ashamed of them Neither doe I vse them as the Romane sophisters do to auoid the euidence of that truth that is too mighty for them to encounter but to cleare that which the Romanistes desire to haue wrapped vp in perplexed and intricate disputes But it seemeth the Treatiser will not accept of this condition and therefore hee passeth from the supposed diuisions of our Churches and differences of our Diuines proceedeth to shew their inconstancie instancing particularly in Luther And wheras in my former books I haue answered the obiections of Papistes touching this supposed inconstancie he goeth about to refute that my answer which consisteth of two parts Whereof the first is that in sundry points of greatest moment as of the power of nature of free-will iustification the difference of the Law and the Gospell faith and workes Christian liberty and the like Luther was euer constant The second that it is not so strange as our Aduersaries would make it that Luther proceeded by degrees in discerning sundry Popish errours seeing Augustine and their Angelicall Doctour altered their iudgment in diuerse things and vpon better consideration disliked what they had formerly approued The former part of this my answere he pronounceth to containe a manifest vntruth for that amongst other things mentioned by me Luther was not euer constant of one iudgment touching freewil hee endeauoureth to proue because in the defence of his Articles condemned by the Pope he saith Freewil is a forged or fained thing a title without a substance it being in no mans power to think any thing good or euill but all things falling out of absolute necessity and else-where hee saith men of their owne proper strength haue free-will to doe or not to doe externall workes so that they may attaine to secular and ciuill honesty But M. Treatiser should know that between these sayings of Luther there is no contradiction in truth and in deed but in his fancy onely for in the former place two things are deliuered by Luther The first that no man by nature hath power to turne himselfe to God without grace or so much as to prepare himself to the receipt of grace which in the latter place speaking onely of externall workes and ciuill or secular honesty hee doth not contradict The second that though men in outward things and things that are below haue a kinde of freedome of will and choyce and power to doe or not to doe them yet not so free but that they are subject to the providence disposition of Almighty God bowing bending turning them whither he pleaseth and hauing them in such sort in his hand as that they can will nothing vnlesse he permit them which no way preiudiceth that liberty which else-where he attributeth to the will For the will of man is sayd to be free because it doth nothing but on liking and choice and because God permitting it hath power to doe what pleaseth it best and not because it is free and not subiect to diuine disposition and
Faith and Religion His meaning it seemeth is that all Protestantes acknowledging Puritanes to bee of one Church with them are Puritanes and therefore hee would haue all to know that howsoeuer hee make shew of blaming Puritanes onely or principally yet in truth hee equally condemneth all and that therefore hee doth but dissemble or say hee knoweth not what But do all these Protestant writers named by him teach that there is no materiall difference betweene protestants and Puritanes Surely no. For touching my selfe I neuer wrote any such thing neither in the place cited by him nor any where else so that hee beginneth with a manifest and shamelesse vntruth But I doe the more willingly pardon him this fault for that it seemeth hee doth not consider what he writeth For in the title of his booke hee professeth that hee will take the proofes of his Catholique religion and Recusancy onely from the writings of such Protestant Diuines as haue beene published since the raigne of his Maiesty ouer this kingdome for that as hee sayth they often change their opinions at the least at the comming of euery new Prince And yet page 30. hee citeth the Bishop of Winchesters booke written many yeares agoe and Doctor Couell his booke in defence of Master Hooker as often as any other which yet was written in her late Maiesties time But what if I had written that howsoeuer there are some materiall differences betweene Protestants and Puritanes as it pleaseth him to stile them yet not so essentiall or substantiall but that they may bee of one Church faith and religion What absurdity would haue followed Would it be consequent from hence as he inferreth that it is not materiall with vs whether men be of a true or false religion of any or none at all Haue there not beene nay are there not greater differences betwixt Papists who yet will be angry if they be not esteemed to be all of one Church faith and religion Did not Pope Iohn the two and twentith thinke that the soules of the just shall not see God till the generall resurrection and did not the French King that then was with the whole vniuersity of Paris condemne the same opinion as hereticall with sound of trumpet Did not Ambrosius Catharinus teach that a man may be certaine with the certainty of faith that he is in state of grace and Soto the contrary Did not Pighius Contarenus and the Authors of the booke called Antididagma Coloniense defend imputatiue justice and other Papists reiect it Did not some amongst them teach the merit of condignity doe not others moued with a sober moderation thinke there is no such merit Doe not some thinke the Pope is vniuersall Bishop others that he is not but prime Bishop onely Doe not some teach that all Bishops receiue their jurisdiction from the Pope others the contrary Doe not some thinke the Pope may papally erre and others that he cannot Doe not some of them thinke he is temporall Lord of all the world and others the contrary Doe not so 〈◊〉 them thinke he may depose Princes and others that he may not is there not a very materiall point of difference amongst Papists touching predestination Let them shew vs if they can so many and materiall differences betweene Protestants and Puritanes And yet these were all of one Church in their judgement yea Pope Stephen who reuersed all the actes of Formosus his predecessour pronounced the ordinations of all those to bee voide whom he had ordained brought his dead body out of the graue into the Councell stript it out of the Papall vesture put vpon it a lay habit and cutting off two fingers of his right hand cast it into Tyber Pope Iohn his successour who called a Councell of 74. Bishops to confirme the ordinations of Formosus the Arch-bishoppes of France and the King being present at Rauenna burned the acts of the Synod which Stephen had called to condemne Formosus and Sergius who againe condemned Formosus and pronounced all his ordinations to be voide reuersing the acts of Pope Iohn and his Synode were all of one Church of one communion faith and religion Nay which is more strange when there were three Anti-popes sitting in diuerse places accursing one another with all their Adherents and that for many yeares yet still they were of one Church of one communion faith and religion Yet may not wee inferre from hence against them as they doe against vs that it is not materiall with them whether men be of a true or false religion of any or none at all Surely they are more priuiledged then other men for some of them may take the Oath of Allegeance disclaime the Popes power and right to intermeddle with Princes states and other refuse it and yet still be Catholicke brethren in the communion of the same Church Yea a Priest may like of this Oath and perswade others to take it and afterwards goe ouer the Sea and alter his iudgement and returning choose rather to suffer death then to take it againe yet no man must take notice of it But if a Minister subscribe and afterwards vpon ill aduice refuse to doe the same againe then all the courses of our Religion are such that by no outward signes communion profession protestation or subscription a man can tell who is of what religion amongst vs. But let vs passe from the Epistle to the booke it selfe CHAP. I. IN the first chapter which is of the supreame and most preeminent authority of the true church and how necessary it is to finde it follow the directions and rest in the iudgement of it he hath these words Doctor Field a late Protestant writer beginneth his Dedicatory Epistle to the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie before his Bookes of the church in this manner There is no part of heauenly doctrine more necessary in these dayes of so many intricate controversies of Religion then diligently to search out which amongst all the societies of men in the world is that blessed company of holy ones that household of Faith that spouse of Christ and church of the liuing God which is the pillar and ground of truth that so we may embrace her communion follow her directions and rest in her iudgement And after some other things cited out of others he addeth the ioyning with the true church is so needfull a thing that D. Field concludeth There is no saluation remission of sinnes or hope of eternall life out of the church To what purpose this allegation serueth I cannot conceiue for there is nothing in any of these speeches of mine that euer any protestant doubted of or from which any thing may bee concluded against vs or for the papists The church of God saith Master Caluine is named the Mother of the Faithfull neither is there any entrance into eternall life vnlesse shee conceiue vs in her wombe vnlesse shee
bring vs forth vnlesse her pappes doe giue vs sucke and vnlesse shee keepe vs vnder her custodie and gouernement till hauing put off this morâ—… flesh we become like the Angels in Heauen Adde hereunto saith he that ouâ—…â—…r lappe and bosome there is no remission of sinnes nor saluation to be looked for as both Esaias and Ioel testifie to whom Ezekiel subscribeth when hee denounceth they shall not bee reckoned amongst the people of God whom he excludeth from eternall life The onely thing that is any way doubtfull is how far we are bound to rest in the iudgment of the church For the clearing whereof the Author of these proofes hauing taken so much paines to reade ouer my bookes of the church to take some advantage by them against the truth of Religion professed amongst vs might haue beene pleased to remember those different degrees of obedience which wee are to yeeld to them that commaund teach vs in the church of God Which I haue noted in the Fourth Booke and fifth chapter out of Waldensis excellently described and set down by him in this sort We must saith he reuerence and respect the authority of all Catholique Doctors whose doctrine and writings the church alloweth We must more regard the authority of Catholique Bishops more then these the authority of Apostolique churches amongst them more specially the church of Rome of a generall councell more then all these yet must wee not so listen to the determinations of any of these nor so certainely assent vnto them as to the things contained in Scripture or beleeued and taught by the whole vniuersall church that hath beene euer since the Apostles times but as to the instructions of our elders and fatherly admonitions and directions wee must obey without scrupulous questioning with all modesty of minde with all good allowance acceptation and repose in the words of them that teach vs vnlesse they teach any thing which the higher and superiour controlleth And yet if they doe the humble and obedient children of the church must not insolently insult vpon them from whom they are forced to dissent but they must dissent with a reverent child-like and respectfull shamefastnesse And else-where hee saith The church whose Faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter who bare the figure of the church when CHRIST saide vnto him I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not is not any particular church as the church of Africa within the bounds whereof Donatus did include the whole nor the particular Romane church but the vniuersall church not gathered together in a generall councell which hath sometimes erred as that at Ariminum vnder Taurus the gouernour and that at Constantinople vnder Iustinian the yonger but it is the catholique church dispersed through the whole world from the baptisme of CHRIST vnto our times which doeth vndoubtedly holde the true faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Yea the same authour is of opinion that though it argue great contumacy for a man to dissent from a generall Councell without conuincing reason yet not perfidious impiety vnlesse he know or might know if the fault were not in himselfe that in so dissenting hee dissenteth from the Scripture or the determination of the vniuersall Church that hath beene since the Apostles times which onely is absolutely priuiledged from erring Thus then I hope the indifferent Reader will easily discerne that hitherto the authour of Protestant proofes hath found no proofe for Romish religion in any thing that I haue written let vs come therefore to the second chapter CHAP. 2. IN the second chapter wherein he endeauoureth to proue by the testimonies of Protestants that the Romane Church euer was and still is the true Church of Christ he citeth foure things as written by mee The first is touching the supreme binding commanding authority that is in the Church His words are these Doctour Field writeth that the supreame binding commanding authority is onely in Bishops in a generall Councell The second is touching the definition of the church set downe in the Articles of religion Art 19. that it is the congregation of faithfull ones in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments duely administred according to Christs institution in all those thinges that of necessity are requisite to the same whereunto he saith I agree The third is that the true Church of God is subiect vnto errours of doctrine which are not fundamentall The fourth that the Romane Church is the true Church of God His words are these I thinke no man will deny the Church of Rome to be the same it was at the comming of Luther and long before and Doctor Field writeth that the Romane and Latine Church continued the true Church of God euen till our time And again We doubt not but the Church in which the Bishop of Rome exalted himselfe with more then Lucifer like pride was notwithstanding the true Church of God that it held a sauing profession of the trueth in Christ and by force thereof conuerted many countries from error to the way of truth and he farther acknowledgeth with Doctor Couel others that Luther and the rest of his religion were baptized receiued their Christianity ordination and power of ministery in that Church as the true visible and apparant Church of Christ. Hee telleth farther that divers of the Romane Church not only of the ignorant but of the best learned were saued and are Saints in heauen These are his allegations Now let vs see what is to be said vnto them Touching the first it is most vndoubtedly true that the supreame and highest externall binding commanding authority is onely in Bishops and others assembled in a generall Councell but what will he inferre from hence All men saith he doe know Doctor Sutcliffe with others acknowledge that the Protestants haue had no such councell and what then therefore they are not the Churches of God O impious and wicked conclusion For hereby all the churches of the world 300. yeares after Christ are proued not to haue beene the true churches of Christ seeing as it is euident there was no generall Councell all that while so that Christianity was rent into factions for want of this remedy as Isidorus testifieth But saith hee the Protestant Relatour of religion teacheth that this preheminence meanes and remedy is onely in the Church of Rome This is most false for howsoeuer he thinketh it not impossible for the Romanists to haue a generall Councel of those of their own faction yet he knoweth it lieth not in them to procure a Councell absolutely generall or Oecumenicall Nay we see that for many hundred yeares there hath not beene any generall Councell of all Christians wherin a perfect consent and agreement might be setled but the greatest parts of the Christian world haue remained diuided from the Romane Church for the space of 6. or 7. hundred yeares If the Author of these proofes shall say they
began Here first that wee be not deceiued wee must obserue that by the name of the Romane Church sometimes we vnderstand the Pope his Cleargy and other Christians of the Romane Diocesse sometimes all Churches subiect to the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome In this latter sense we speake of the Romane Church at this time will make it most cleare and evident that it is not the same now that it was when Luther began For first the Romane Church that then was was the whole number of Christians subiect to Papal tyranny whereof a great part desired nothing more then to shake off that yoake which as soone as he began to oppose himselfe they presently did accounting those that attributed that to the Pope which is now attributed vnto him to bee but flatterers but the Romane Church that now is is the multitude of such onely as thus magnifie admire and adore the plenitude of Papall power or at least are contented to bee vnder the yoake of it still Secondly the Church of Rome that then was consisted of men not hauing meanes of instruction and information like vnto those which haue beene since and therefore not erring pertiuaciously in things wherein they were deceiued But the Church that now is consisteth of such onely as pertinaciously resist against the cleare manifestation of the truth and with all fury and madnesse pursue vnto death those that defend and maintaine the same or at least of such as consent in outward communion with them that so doe So that they that liued heeretofore might in their simplicitie be saued and yet these that now are perish in their contradiction wilfull resistance against the truth Neither need this to seeme strange seeing Vincentius Lirinensis saith speaking of the errour of rebaptization that the authors devisers and beginners of it are crowned in Heauen that is Cyprian and the African Bishops of his time for that notwithanding this errour they held the vnity of the Church and condemned not but communicated with them that were otherwise minded and the followers of the same errour that is the Donatists for their schisme pertinacy were condemned into hell Thirdly the Romane Church that then was had in it all the abuses and superstitious obseruations it now hath and such as erred in all the points of doctrine wherein they of the Romane church now erre in which respect it may seeme to haue beene the same as the Author of these pretended proofes vrgeth but it had also others that disliked and desired the remouing of all those abuses superstitious obseruations which we haue remoued thought right in al those points of doctrin wherin the rest erred in which respect it was not the same but very different from that faction of Romanists that resisteth that reformation of religion which so many famous states of Christendome haue willingly embraced So that the Romane Church that then was consisted of two sorts of men of the one as true liuing members of the other as pertayning to her vnity in respect of Baptisme power of Ministery and profession of some parts of heauenly trueth though not partaking in that degree of vnity which the principall parts thereof had amongst themselues but diuided from them being a dangerous faction in the midst of her seeking her destruction which shee could neither flie from nor driue from her as Bernard somewhere speaketh Omnes amici omnes inimici omnes domestici nulli pacifici serui Christi seruiunt Antichristo All these were in some generall sort the Church in respect of Baptisme the profession of some parts of heauenly trueth and the power of ministery but principally and in speciall sort they only that beleeued rightly touching the most materiall poynts of Christian religion and wished for the reformation of superstitious abuses In respect of the former of these the Romane Church was verè Ecclesia truely a Church that is a multitude of men professing Christ and baptized but not vera Ecclesia a true Church that is a multitude of men holding a sauing profession of the truth in Christ as Mornay fitly noteth for which Stapleton vnjustly reprehendeth him but in respect of the latter it was vera Ecclesia a true Church that is a multitude of men holding a sauing profession of the trueth in Christ. The Church of the Iewes at the comming of Christ had in it the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces as well as Zachary Elizabeth Simeon and Anna in respect of the former it was verè Ecclesia but not vera Ecclesia in respect of the later it was vera Ecclesia Neither should this seeme strange to any man that the same society of Christian men should in respect of some parts whereof it consisteth bee the true Church of Christ and in respect of some other not so seeing all men confesse that the same visible church and society of Christians may bee named a garden inclosed an orchard of pome granates a well sealed vp a fountaine of liuing waters a paradise with all precious and desireable fruite a holy nation a peculiar people a roy all Priest-hood the spouse of Christ and wife of the Lambe the loue of Christ all faire vndefiled and without spot in respect of herbest and principall parts though not in respect of other The former ofthese two sorts of men that were found in the Romane Church wee name a faction First because they had no part in that degree of vnity which the best parts thereof had amongst themselues but wandred into by-paths of errour to their owne destruction and sought the ruine of that mother which by baptisme had sacramentally regenerated them to bee the sonnes of God Secondly for that they brought in new and strange errours and a new kinde of tyrannicall gouernment preiudiciall to the purity of the faith once deliuered and the ancient liberty of the people of God For hereby we are to judge who are of the faction in the Church and who not and not by multitude or paucity as some fondly imagine The disguised Arrians and others mis-led by them to the condemning of Athanasius were but a faction in the Church at that time yet were they many so that Hierome sayth the whole world was become an Arrian and they that adhered to Athanasius were few in number and contemptible in respect of the rest And all they that hold and defend errours in matters of doctrine and obseruations in matters of practise and lawes prejudiciall to the ancient liberties in the society of the Christian Church are rightly said to be a faction in the same whether they bee many or few they that retaine the fayth once deliuered are most properly the Church Lastly the errours that wee condemne were taught in the Romane Church that was when Luther began but they were not the doctrines of that Church but these errours are of the doctrines of the present Romane Church For the clearing of the former part to wit
that the errours condemned by vs were not the doctrines of that auncient Roman church wherein our Fathers liued died we must obserue that the doctrines taught in that Church were of three sorts The first such as were deliuered with so full consent of all that liued in the same that whosoeuer offered to teach otherwise was rejected as a damnable hereticke such was the doctrine of the Triuity the creation fall originall sinne incarnation of the Sonne of God the vnity of his person diuersity of the natures subsisting in the same The second such errours as were taught by many in the midst of the same Church as that the Pope cannot erre and the like The third such contrary true assertions as were by other opposed against those errours The first were absolutely the doctrines of that Church The third may bee sayd to haue beene the doctrines of the Church though al receiued them not because they were the doctrines of such as were so in the church that they were the Church according to that of Augustine Some are in such sort in the house of God that they also are the house of GOD and some are so in the house that they pertaine not to the frame and fabricke of it nor to the society and fellowship of fruitfull and peaceable righteousnesse The second kinde of doctrines were not at all the doctrines of that church because they neither were taught with full consent of all that liued in it nor by them that were so in the church and house of God that they were the church and house of God but by such as though they pertained to the church in respect of the profession of some parts of heauenly truth yet in respect of many other wherein they were departed from the same seeking to subuert the faith once deliuered were but a faction in it Hence it followeth which is the third thing I promised to shew that howsoeuer wee haue forsaken the communion of the Romane Diocesse yet wee haue not departed from the Romane Church in the later sense before expressed wherein our Fathers liued died but onely from the faction that was in it First because wee haue brought in no doctrine then generally and constantly condemned nor reiected any thing then generally and constantly consented on Secondly because wee haue done nothing in that alteration of thinges that now appeareth but remoued abuses then disliked and shaken off the yoake of tyranny which that Church in her best parts did euer desire to bee freed from howsoeuer shee had brought forth and nourished other children that conspired against her that taught otherwise then we now doe would willingly for their aduantage haue retayned many things which wee haue remoued Thus then I hope it doth appeare that howsoeuer I confesse that the Latine or West Churches oppressed with Romish tyrāny cōtinued the true Churches of God held a sauing profession of heauenly truth turned many to God and had many Saints that died in their communion euen till the time that Luther began yet I neither dissent from Luther Caluine Beza or any other Protestant of iudgement nor any way acknowledge the present Romish Church to be that true Church of God whose communion wee must embrace whose directions wee must follow and in whose judgement we must rest But will some man say is the Romane Church at this day no part of the Church of God Surely as Augustine noteth that the societies of heretickes in that they retaine the profession of many parts of heauenly truth and the ministration of the Sacrament of Baptisme are so farre forth still conjoyned with the Catholicke Church of God and the Catholick Church in and by them bringeth forth children vnto God so the present Romane church is still in some sort a part of the visible Church of God but no otherwise then other societies of heretickes are in that it retayneth the profession of some parts of heauenly trueth and ministreth the true Sacrament of Baptisme to the saluation of the soules of many thousand infants that die after they are baptized before shee haue poysoned them with her errours Thus having spoken sufficiently for the cleering of my selfe touching this point I will passe from this chapter to the next CHAP. 3. IN the third chapter he endeauoureth to shew that the Protestants doe now teach the necessity of one supreame Spirituall head and commaunder in the Church of Christ. His words are these Whereas heretofore some vnchristian Sermons and Bookes haue termed the Bishop of Rome to bee the great Antichrist wee shall now receiue a better doctrine and more religious answere That there euer was and must bee one chiefe and supreame spirituall Head and Commander of the Church of Christ on earth c. D Field citeth and approueth this 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 there will be as many schismes in the Church as there be Priests Then of necessity one chiefe supreme and high Priest must be assigned in his iudgement These are his words The place he meaneth is not page one hundred thirty eight as he quoteth it but page 80. Let the Reader how partiall soeuer peruse it and if he finde that I haue written any thing whence it may be concluded that I acknowledge there euer was and must bee one chiefe and supreme spirituall Head and Commaunder of the whole Church of Christ in earth I will fall prostrate at the Popes feete and be of the Romish religion for euer But if it appeare vnto him that the author of these pretended proofes hath cited this place to proue that which in his conscience he knew it did not let him beware of such false cozening companions My words are The vnity of each particvlar Church depends on the vnity of the Pastor who is one to whom an eminent and particular power is giuen and whom all must obey Heere is no word of one chiefe Pastor of the whole vniuersall church of Christ vpon earth but of one chiefe Pastor in each particular Church VVho would not detest the impudencie false dealing of these Romish writers But he saith I approue the saying of Hierome before mentioned therefore I must assigne one chiefe Pastour of the whole Church of Christ on earth How will he make good this consequence Doth Hierome speake in that place cited approued by mee of one supreame Pastor of the whole Church of Christ on earth Surely this Pamphletter knoweth he doth not but of the Bishop of each particular Church or Diocesse If saith Hierome thou shalt aske why he that is baptized in the church doth not receiue the Holy Ghost but by the hands of the Bishop which we say is giuen in baptisme know that this obseruation commeth from that authority that the Spirit descended vpon the
Apostles and in many places we finde the same to haue beene done rather for the honour of Priest-hood then the necessity of any Law otherwise if the Spirit descend not but onely at the prayer of the Bishop they are to be lamented who in villages castles and remote places baptized by Priests or Deacons dye before they are visited by the Bishop and then follovve these words The safety of the Church depends on the dignity of the chiefe Priest to whom if an eminent power be not giuen there will bee as many schismes in the Church as there are Priests So that this is that which he saith that it is rather for the honour of the Bishop or chiefe Priest of each Church that the imposition of hands vpon the baptized is reserued vnto him alone then the necessity of any law because if he had no such preeminences things peculiarly reserued vnto him in respect whereof he might be greater then the rest of the Priests Ministers in the Church there would be as many schismes as Priests and hence he saith it commeth that without the command of the Bishop or chiefe Priest neither Priest nor Deacon haue right to baptize So that it is manifest the chiefe Priest he speaketh of whose power is eminent peerelesse is so named in respect of other Priests in the same church that may not so much as baptize without his mandate not in respect of the pastors of the whole vniuersall church Wherefore if this pamphleter would haue dealt truly honestly he should haue said VVhereas heretofore some vnchristian Sermons books termed the Bishop of Rome the great Antichrist we shal now receiue a better doctrine more religious answer that there must be one chiefe Priest or Bishop in euery Diocesse hauing a more eminent authority then the rest then whereas men now detest his falshood they would but onely haue laughed at his folly But let vs come to his second allegation and see if there be any more truth in that then in this His wordes are these Doctor Field telleth vs from Scripture that Christ promised to build his Church vpon Saint Peter then no Christian will doubt vnlesse he will doubt of Christs truth and promises but it was so performed Let the reader peruse the place and hee shal find that I doe not tell them from Scripture that CHRIST promised to builde his Church vpon Peter as this man adding one falshood to another most vntruely sayth I doe but onely cite a place of Tertullian to proue that nothing was hid from the Apostles that was to be reuealed to after-commers where hee hath these words What was hidden and concealed from Peter vpon whom Christ promised to build his Church from Iohn the Disciple hee so dearely loued that leaned on his breast at the mysticall supper and the rest of that blessed company that should be after manifested to succeeding generations But he will say that I approue the saying of Tertullian and therefore thinke the Church was built vpon Peter Truly so I doe but I thinke also as Hierome doth that it was built no more vpon him then vpon all the rest and therefore the supremacy of Peters pretended successour will not bee concluded from thence Dicis saith Hierome super Petrum fundatur Ecclesia licet idipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat Super omnes ex aequo Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur that is Thou wilt say the Church was built vpon Peter It is true it was so but we shall find in another place that it was builded vpon all the Apostles Surely the firmenesse of the Church doth equally stay and settle it selfe vpon them all This is so cleare and evident that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that all the Apostles may be said to haue beene foundations of the Church and that the Church may bee truely said to haue beene built vpon them all First because they preached Christ to such as had not heard of him before and were the first that founded Christian Churches Secondly in respect of their doctrine which they learned by immediate reuelation from the Sonne of God in which the Church is to rest as in the ground and rule of her faith Thirdly in respect of gouernmēt in that they were all heads rulers of the vniuersal Church Thus wee see if I had told them out of Scripture that Christ promised to build his Church on Peter our Aduersaries could not from thence haue inferred the supremacie of the Pope his pretended Successour Wherefore let vs come to his next allegation His words are Doctor Field and the rest doe ordinarily yeelde that the Romane Church continued the true Church of God till the yeare of Christ sixe hundreth and seauen when Bonifacius the Pope there claimed as they say supremacie first in the Church This is a meere imagination of his own for I no where speake of the Churchcōtinuing till the time of Bonifacius the Pope or till the yeare sixe hundred and seauen as if it had then ceased and therefore hee doth not here cite any page of my booke as in other places but citeth it at large But saith hee Doctor Field plainly acknowledgeth that the supremacy belonged to the Popes of Rome before the first Nicene Councell and then by the rules which hee giueth to knowe true traditions custome of the Church consent of Fathers or an Apostolicall Churches testimony this must needes bee of that first kinde and then of equall authority with Scripture as hee acknowledgeth of such traditions Such is the intollerable impudency of this man that I protest I canne scarce beleeue mine owne eyes or perswade my selfe that hee writeth that which I see hee doth For doe I any where acknowledge the supremacy belonged to the Popes of Rome before the Nicene Councell Nay doe I not in the place cited by him say that before the Nicene Councell there were three principall Bishoppes or Patriarches of the Christian Church to witte the Bishoppes of Rome Alexandria and Antioche as appeareth by the actes of the Councell limiting their bounds Had these their bounds limited and set vnto them and was there one of them an vniuersall commander If hee say I acknowledge the Bishop of Rome was in order and honour the first amongst the Patriarches before the Nicene Councell and thereupon inferre that I acknowledge his supremacie and commaunding power ouer the rest hee may as well inferre that I giue to the Bishop of Alexandria a commanding authority ouer the Bishoppe of Antioche because before the Nicene Councell he was before him in order and honour That which hee addeth as a Corollary that by the rules I giue to know true traditions this must bee of that kinde and cōsequently of equall authority with Scripture argueth in him a greater desire of saying something then care what he saith For first it no way appeareth out of any thing that I haue said touching the primacy of the Pope before the
time of the Nicene Coūcell that either custome of the Church consent of Fathers or the testimony of an Apostolical Church giue the supremacie to the Popes 2ly It is false that hee saith that I make custome of the Church or the testimony of an Apostolicall Church rules whereby to finde out which are true traditions and which are not For first I doe not say that custome of the church obseruing a thing is a proofe that that thing which is so obserued was deliuered frō the Apostles but such a custome whereby a thing hath beene obserued from the beginning So that though the Popes had beene supreame in power and commaund before the Nicene Councell which all the Papists and diuells in hell shall neuer proue yet would it not follow that this their supremacy were by tradition from the Apostles Secondly I doe not make the testimony of an Apostolicall church to be a rule whereby to know true traditions from false as hee is pleased to bely me but I disclaime it in the very place cited by him My words are these The third rule whereby true traditions may bee knowne from false is the constant testimony of the Pastours of an Apostolicall church successiuely deliuered to which some adde the present testimonie of any Apostolicall Church but this none of the Fathers admit neither doe I The Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Rome are Apostolicall Churches whatsoeuer their Pastors haue successiuely deliuered as receiued from the Apostles is vndoubtedly Apostolicall but not euery thing that the Pastours of those Churches that now presently are shall so deliuer seeing they are contrary the one to the other in things of great importance Thirdly whereas he saith I acknowledge vnwritten traditions to bee of equall authority with the Scriptures he is like himselfe For I neuer acknowledge that there is any matter of faith of which nature the Popes supremacy is supposed to be deliuered by bare tradition and not written but say onely if any thing may be proued to haue beene deliuered by liuely voyce by them that wrot the Scriptures there is no reason but it should be of as great authority as if it had beene written Two more allegations there are yet behind in this chapter that concerne mee The first that I say and Protestants generally agree with mee that the Regiment of the West Churches among which this nation is belonged to the Pope of Rome It seemeth this man hath a great desire I should say so and some hope I will say so But I protest as yet I neuer wrote any such thing and therefore here againe hee referreth his Reader to no page of my Booke as in other places but citeth it at large wherein he sheweth more wit then honesty for it is good to put a man to seeke farre for that which can no where be found But what if I had said the Bishop of Rome was Patriarch of the West would that proue an vniuersall power ouer the whole Church or such a kind of absolute authority ouer the Churches of the West as in latter times by vsurpation hee exercised ouer them Surely I thinke not But saith hee Doctour Downame saith before the grant of Phocas the Church of Rome had the superioritie and preeminence ouer all other Churches excepting that of Constantinople and Doctour Field telleth him absolutely that the title of Constantinople was but intruded and vsurped and when the first Nicene Councell gaue such honour to the Romane Church there was not so much as the name of Constantinople This is the last allegation that concerneth mee in this chapter The place that hee citeth is neither to bee found in the first booke of the Church quoted by him nor any where else For I no where euer say that the councell of Nice gaue supreame commaunding authority ouer all the Churches to the Bishop of Rome but only that it confirmed the distinct iurisdictions of the three Patriarches of Rome Alexandria and Antioche And touching the title of Constantinople where of he speaketh if hee meane the title of being vniuersall Bishop it is most true that it was intruded and vsurped as also the like is at this day by the Bishops of Rome which Gregorie their predecessour disclaimed thinking it intollerable that one man should subiect to himselfe all the members of the body of Christ which is his Church But if hee meane the title of being a Patriarch in order the second hauing equall priuiledges with the Bishop of Rome farre be it from me to thinke it was intruded or vsurped or to condemne the acts of the Councels of Constantinople and Chalcedon two of those foure which Saint Gregorie receiued as the foure Gospels as the Romanists doe because they gaue priuiledges to the Bishop of Constantinople equall to those of the Bishop of Rome Nay hereby it appeareth to be true that S. Hierome was wont to say Orbis maior est vrbe For after that Constantinople before named Byzantium was enlarged by Constantine named after his name and made the seate of the Emperours though the very name of it was not at all heard of in the time of the Nicene Councell yet in the second generall Councell holden at Constantinople the Bishop thereof was made a Patriarch and set in order and degree of honour before the other two of Alexandria and Antioche and in the great Councell of Chalcedon where there were more then 600 Bishops assembled he was again confirmed in the dignity of a Patriarch and to haue equall priviledges with the Bishop of Rome Against this decree they that supplyed the place of Leo in the councell resisted and Leo himselfe would by no meanes admit that the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioche claiming from Peter the one because Marke was there placed by him the other for that in person he abode there for a time should be put lower and the Bishop of Constantinople who had not like pretence to sit aboue them Yet the Fathers of the councell not so much respecting the claime from Peter as the greatnesse of the city and thinking it was the greatnesse of the city of Rome during the Emperours presence there that caused the Fathers formerly to giue honour to the Bishop of that city supposed they might now for the same cause giue like honour to the Bishop of Constantinople being become equall in state and magnificence to olde Rome and named new Rome as euery way matching it and howsoeuer the succeeding Bishops of Rome stroue a long while about this matter yet in the end they were forced to yeeld and to take the Bishops of Constantinople for Patriarches in degree of honour set before the other two CHAP. 4. IN this chapter hee endeavoureth to proue by testimonies of Protestants that all bookes receiued for Scripture by the Romane church are canonicall and herein are two things that concerne me The first that the Romane church being the spouse of Christ his true church and pillar of
the Bishop of Rome without any breach of the Canon alleaged I haue shewed my opinion in the fifth Booke of the Church And therefore seeing the Authour of these proofes proceedeth no farther in alleaging any thing out of that which I haue written I will here leaue him not doubting but others whom he hath wronged will make him know hee hath dealt no better with them then he hath with me and that therefore the plausible conclusion hee maketh in the end of it selfe falleth to the ground the premises vpon which it should stay it selfe being taken away For we neither acknowledge thrt Papists holding the infallibility of the popes iudgement the vniversalitie of his iurisdiction and power to dispose the kingdomes of the world beleeuing free-will to performe do the actions of vertue without assistance of speciall grace perfection of inherent righteousnesse satisfactions merit of condignitie propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse and the like can euer be saued so liuing dying nor that the present Roman Church is the true church of Christ nor that the preeminence they now giue to the Pope was either claimed or practised ouer the whole church from S. Peter to these our dayes as this namelesse and shamelesse Author saith we doe nor that all the bookes which the Romane church now receiueth for canonicall Scriptures were deliuered for such by the Apostles or receiued for such by the church nor that the true and best translations of holy Scripture with the lawfull supreme binding exposition of them together with Apostolicall traditions generall Councels or primitiue Fathers giue any testimony that the present Romane church is that company of holy ones that houshold of faith that Spouse of Christ and church of the liuing God which is so diligently to be sought after whose communion wee must embrace whose directions we must follow and in whose judgement wee must rest but contrariwise we are well assured all these doe witnesse against her that shee is an erring hereticall and apostaticall church that shee hath forsaken her first faith departed from her primitiue sincerity plunged those that adhere vnto her into many grosse and damnable errours and defiled her selfe with intolerable superstition and idolatrie so that as well in respect of her errours in faith superstition and idolatry in diuine worship as of her slanderous treacherous bloudy and most horrible hellish practises to ouerthrow and destrow all that doe but open their mouthes against her abominations wee may justly account her to bee the Synagogue of Sathan the faction of Antichrist and that Babylon out of which wee must flie vnlesse wee will be partakers of her plagues FINIS a Exod. 3. 14. and 6. 3. b Reve. 1. 8. c Revel 5. 1â—… 4. 11. d Gasper Contarenus lib. 7. primae Philosophiae e Quis fecisti nos â—…d te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te Aug. lib. 1. Confess in â—…tio f Contarenus lib. de libero Arbitrio a Virtus naturae ordinat actâ—…â—…um in bonum per naturam quia non est supra naturam ideo potest in illum ordinem sine dispositione nova ferre adâ—…ocum Actus rationaliâ—… creaturae meritorius oportet quòd oâ—…dmetur ad bonum quod est suprâ—… ipsam quod est summum bonum infinitum Quia ergo non 〈◊〉 possibilis extensio rationals creaturae supra seipsam ideo non est ei possibile per naturam vt ordinet suum actum siue perveniat in suum finem ideo necesse est vt invetur gratia Et post Duplex est cognitio de Deo Vna per effectus suâ—… haec est fine gratia alia per praesentiam sui apud animam haec est peâ—… gâ—…atiam Praesenâ—… autem est in quantum pâ—…sentat seu pâ—…sentemfacit beatitudinem quae est in ipso in habitu tantum vt in parâ—…ulis in affectu tantum vt in adultis in habitu affectu intellectu vt in beatis Alex. de Hâ—…es part 3. â—…61 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. b Oftendam tibi oâ—…e bonâ—… Exo. 33. 19. c Ioan Picus Heptapli l. 7. in proâ—…mio d Iohn 6. 44. d August de Civitate Dei lib. 12. c. 8. e August de libero Arbitrio lib. 3. cap. 15. a Ierem. 8. 4. b Alex. de Hales part 3. q. 1. memb 2. c Damasc. lib. 2. Orthodoxae fidei cap. 4. d 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 21. et Iude verse 6. e Maior libertas est necessaria adversus tot tantas tentationes quae in Paradiso non fuerunt dono perseverantiae munita et firmata vt cuÌ„ omnibus amoribus terroribus erroribus suis vincatur hic mundus Hoc Sanctorum martyria docuerunt denique ille Adam terrente nullo insuper contra Dei terrentis imperium libero vsus arbitrio non stetit in tanta felicitate in tanta non peccandi facilitate Isti autem non dico terrente mundo sed saeuiente ne starent steterunt in fide cum videret ille bona praesentia quae erat relicturus isti futuâ—…a quae acceptuti fuerunt non viderent vnde illud Nisi donante illo c. Aug. de Correp gratia Cap. 12. a Wisd. 10. 1. b Gen. 3. 9. c Gen. 3. 1 5. d Gen. 4. 4. e Gen. 4. 8. f Gen. 4. 25. g Gen. 6. h Gen. 7. i Gen. 10. 21. k Hieron in Epist ad Evagrium 1. Gen. 9. 26. l Gen 12. 1. m Gen 15. 5. n Gen. 12. 3. o Gen. 17. 9. p Gen. 15. 4. 17. 21. 2. 3. q Gen. 25. 23. r Malac. 1. 2. 3. s Gen. 32. 28. 〈◊〉 Gen. 49. 8. 10 u Rom. 3. 2. x Rom. 9. 4. 5. y Luke 2. 32. a Philip. 2. 9. 10 b Nazianz. Orat 4. de filio 〈◊〉 c Iohn 4. 23. a Mat. 28. 19. 20. b Luke 24. 45. 46. 47. 48. c Acts 1. 4. d Acts 2. 1. e Catech. Trident in explicatione Symboli f Quimvâ—… proprie dicatur synâ—…ga Iudâ—…corum Ecclesia verò Christianorum quia Congregatio magis pecâ—…um Convocatio magis hominum intelligi solet taâ—…en illam dictam invenimus Ecclesiam nobis fortassis magis convenit dicere Salva noâ—… Domine noster congrega noâ—… de Gentibus ut consiteâ—…mur nomini sancto tuoâ—…neque dedignari noâ—… oportet imo gratias incffabiles agere quia famous oves 〈◊〉 eius quas praevidebat cum dicereâ—… Habeo alias over Aug. in Psal. 77. g Synagoga dicitur populus Israel cum vtique quamvis vero Deo mancipâ—…us viderâ—…tur pro magnis tamen sumâ—…is bonis ab illo carâ—…lia 〈◊〉 temporalia requirâ—…bat Aug. in Psal. 8â—… Sed in Psal. 72. ostendit vtâ—…que multi animadertentes quae promiserit Deus populo sito â—…empe 〈◊〉 â—…sum terrenâ—… patriam pâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…errenam non considerantes in his omnibus figurâ—… esse 〈◊〉 intelligentes quid ibi laterer paâ—…rent non habere Deum melius quod
5. q Sub. Alexand. 3. cap. 4. r Doctr. fideili 4. art 3. cap. 42. s De Clericis lib. 1. cap. 7. t 1. Tim. 3. 4. u Can. 40. x Can. 48. y Canon 15. z Canon 1. a In cap. Clericos 1. qu. 2. b Math. 10. 10. c 1. Cor. 9. 7. a Pag. 4 a Pag. 12. 13 Contra profanas haeâ—…corum nouitatâ—…s a Pag. 14. 15. a Pag. 17. 18. b Ecclesiast Hierarch c. 7. patt 1. c Eodem cap. part 3. d In fide lib. 5. e In argumento lib. 〈◊〉 f In respons ad quaest Orthod quaest 7. g De Trinit in initio h Lib. de 〈◊〉 cap. 33. 34. i Haeres 75. k De bono mortis cap. 10. 11. Esdr. 4. l Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. m Vbi suprà n Tomo 3. in orat de obitu Valentiniani o Bellarm. de Purgatoâ—…io lib 2. cap. 5. p Offic. pro defunctis in Anni-uersarijs q Vbi suprá r Aug. in Ench. ad Laur. c. 111. s De dormientibus t Vbi supra u Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 67. x Vbi supra y Sixtus Senâ—…sis Bilioth Sanctae lib. 6. annotat 47. z Ibid. a Ibld. b Booke 1. part 1. Chap. 4. Sect. 3. c Pag. 59. d De Purgato rio lib. 2. c. 8. e Pag. 31. f Pag. 32. g Biblioth Sanct. lib. 6. annot 47. h Par. 33. i Part. 1. lect 2. super Marcum k In lib. Sacrament citat 〈◊〉 Sixto Senens l 6. Biblioth Sanctae annotat 47. f Bibliothec. sanctae lib. 6. annot 345. g Pag. 33. a Pag. 34. b Pag. 3. c Catechesâ—… d August Enchir ad Laur. cap. 110. e Pag. 113. f Enchrid ad Laurent c. 69. g Confess liâ—… 9. cap 13. h Cap. 24. i Cap. 20. k Enchâ—…id ad Lauâ—…entium cap. 112. l Ibid. cap. 110. m Higgons pag. 29. n Pag. 30. o Pag. 36. p Pag. 37. q Ibid. r Pag. 38 s Pag. 39 a Pag. 44. b Pag. 45. c In the fifth booke of the Church Chap. 51 d Part. 4. de Vnitate Graeeorum Consid. 6. e 1. Tim 3. 15. f Pag. 46. g Pag. 47. h Pag. 46 13. Booke of the Church cap. 1. k Part. 4. de vnitâ—…te Graeco rum l De fide Orthodox lib. 1. cap. 11. m De peccato originis Controuers 1. n In lib. de Originali peccato o De fide iustificatione Controu 2. p Apolog. contra Dominicum à Soto q Pag. 48. r Pag. 50. s Pag. 53. t Pag. 54 u In 4. Sentent dist 21. qu. 〈◊〉 x In orat de Paschate y Serm. de plaga grandin z Orat. 7. dc compositâ—… disserendi ratione pag. 210. a Quaest. Armenioâ—…um lib. 13. cap. 1. * Pag. 5â—… b Cap. 13. c Cap. 21. in Epilogo de abusibus d Ibid. e Ibid. f Cap. 21. g In â—…2 Lucae h Cap. 21. i Ibid. k Cap. 12. l Pag. 5â—… m Pag. 62. n De bono viduitatis cap. 11. o De corrupto Eccles. â—…atu p Pag. 62. q Fift booke of the Church chap. 57. r Booke 3. chap. 39. s Bonauent in 4 Sentent dist 25. quaest 2. t Pag. 70. u Epist. 24â—… x Pag. 72. y Vitae Bernardi lib. 1. cap. 5. z Pag. 82. a Pag. 83. b Pag. 85. c Part. 4. serm in festo corp Christi d Cassand in consult art 10. de transubst e In 3 part sum quaest 75. aâ—… 1. f Centil concluâ—… 39 g In 4. sent q. 6. h Pag. 83. i Pag. 86 k Opusc. tomo 2. tract 1. De conceptione virginis cap. 1. l Lib. 4. dist 11. m In 1. ad Corint 11. n Excitationum lib. 6. pag. â—…25 a Pag. 101. b pag. 102. c Ibid. d Ibid. e Summ. lib. 4. qu. 25. memb 〈◊〉 art 3. f In 4. sent d. 24 q. 1. g Part 3. de effectu peccati venialis h Caiet opus tom l. tract 23. q. 1. i Pag. 103. k Dialog li 4. cap 46. l Summae lib. 4. q. 1â—… memb 3. â—…t 3. m Pag. 103. n Bern in Psal. qui habitat Serm. 10. o Pag. 108. p Contra prof Hae â—…t novit c. 9 q Pag. 105. r Pag. 107 s Pag. 108. b Enchirid. ad Laurentium cap. 67. c Vbi supr d Pag. 113. e Pag. 110. f Basil. in Esaiae 9. g Nazianz. Orat. 40. in sanctum Baptisma h Hom. 3. de Epiph. i Sixtus Senensiâ—… Bibl. sanct l. 4. Baron tom 3. 341. 11. 〈◊〉 Serm. de defunctis l Pag. 11â—… m De Purgaâ—… l. 1. c. 4. n Lib. 4. cap. 21. inst Chr. o Biblioth Sanct. lib. 5. annot 17 1. p In 4. Esaiae q pag. 109 r Ibid. a De purgatorio lib. 2. cap. 1. b In ultima verba Esaiae c In cap. 4. Hos. d In cap. 25 Math. e In 5 ad Gal. f Pag. 123. g Pag. 121 122. 12â—… a Pag. 125. b Third booke of the Church cap. 17. c Pag 1â—… d Lib. 3. aduersus Haereses * Soluitur corpore anima post finem vitae huius adhuc tamen futuâ—… judicijambiguo sulpenditur e Cap. 10. f Vbi supâ—… g Ep. l. 7. ep 55. h Lib. 10. ep vl i Cap. 11. k In festo omnium Sanctorum Serm 3. l In Psal. 36. m Lib. 9. cap. 3. n Li 12 ca 34. o Retract l. 1. c. 14. p Lib. 6. Annotat 345. q De SanctoruÌ„ beatitud lib. 1. cap. 5. r Pag. 121. s Aduersu heâ—… 5. in fine t Lib. quaest 〈◊〉 Gentib propositarum quaest 76. u Aduersus Marcionem l. 4 x Ibid. y Diuinar Instit li. 7. ca. 21. z Li. 3. Aduersu Hereses a Vbi suprà a Pag. 134. b Pag. 130. c Third booke of the Church chap. 17. d Pag. 130. e Lib. 4. de notis eccles c. 9 f Pag. 133 a pag. 134. b Haeres 75. c Enchirid. ad Laurentium cap. 67. d Pag. 138. 140. a Pag. 153. b Exod. 32. â—…8 c De purgatorio li 2 cap 9. d In Appendice cap. 20. e Pag. 155. f Pag. 158. g Pag. 154 h Pag. 15â—… a Pag. 167. 168 169. 170. 171. 172. b Rat. 3. * De cura promortuis c Pag. 169. d Contra Gaudentij Epist. li. 2 cap. 23. e Caietan f Gal. 6. 8. g 2. Cor. 5. 10. a Pag. 2 b In consult artic 7. d In consult artic Lutheri d Third booke of the Church c. 42. e Gers. 3. part apologet de Conc. Const. f Idem de Concilio vnius obedientiae a De consolat Theologiae l. 4. prosa 1. b Ibid. lib. 1. prosa 3. c Part. 3. tract de vita spiritual anim lect 1. d Tract de indulgentijs e De potest Ecclesiast considerat 12. f De auferibilitate Pap. g De consilijs Statu perfectionis h Ibid. i De vita Spiritual anim Lect. 4. Part. 1. tract contra sectam flagellantium se. l See the places cited in the third booke of the
5. a Doctrinal fid lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. b Contra Hâ—… nouat cap. 6. c Dialog lib. 5. part 1. cap. 28. d Athanas. in Epist. ad solitar vit agent Hier. in Catal. script Ecclesiast in Fortunatiano e Act. 25. 1â—… f De captiuit Bab. cap. de baptismo g Chem in exam Conc Trident de Baptis can 13 h Form concord inter Theolog Sax superior German i Instit li 4 cap 16 sect 17 19 Pag 22 23 Pag 50 51 Pag 52. a Bell. Tom. 〈◊〉 contro 4. l. 4 c. 7. b Relect. contro 1. de Eccl. in se q. 4. art 5. Pag. 53. 54. Pag. 54. 55. c Aduersus Prophanas here seon nouationâ—… cap. 6. d Epist ad solitariam vitam agentes e Catal. script Eccles. in Fortunatiano f Relect. con 3. quaest 4. g De Roman Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 4. h Contr. haeres cap. 6. Part 1. 56. Pag. â—…6 Pag. 6â—… Pag. 66. a Contra Faustum Maâ—…chaeum lib. 11. ca. 2. b Part. 3. lect 〈◊〉 de vita spirituali animae corol 7. c De dogmatibus extra canonem Scripturae constit l. 4. c. 4. d De via investigandae verae intelligentiae sacrae scripturae l. 2. c. 7. e Dial. l. 1. part 2. c. 4. f Doctrin fid l. 2. art 2. c. 21 g Contra epist. Manichei ca 4. h Hugo de sancto victore in sententiis i Vbi supra Pag. 78. Pag. 81. a Triplication pag. 188. b Pag. 179. Pag. 88. 89. a Act. 1. Luke 2. b Annal. tom 1. 34. 223. c Catal. scriptor in Iohanne Baron Annal. tom 〈◊〉 99. 5. d Cap. 20. 30. 31. e Cap. 24. 25 f Annal. tom 1. 34. 223. Pag. 89. h In Epist. ad Colos. Homil. 12. i In Epist. ad Colos. in princ citat à Baroâ—… Annal. Tom. 1. 60. 13. g Catal. script Ecclesiast in Paulo k Ibid. Pag. 94. a In examin Conciliâ—… Tridentini decrer priâ—… seâ—… 4. Part. 1. pag. 83. seqq b Epist ad Nepotem Pag. 96. Booke 4 cap. 20. Pag. 96. c De Genesi ad literam l. 10. c. 23. d Bell. de sacr bapt l. 1. c. 8. Pag. 9â—… a Leo ep 2â—… pag. 106. b 2. Sam. 10. 4. Pag. 73â—… a Synodus Chalcedon actio 16. b De primatu Papae lib. 2. Pag. 123. c In notis in conc Chalced. d Novella 100. Pag. 1â—…9 Pag 1â—…9 a De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 2. b Relect. contr 〈◊〉 q. 4. Part. 1. 56. Pag. 35. a De vera religione cap 6. Pag. 40. b Contra prophanas haereseon nouationes cap. 39. c In Genes lib. 7. quaest 7. d Cap. 6. Pag. 54. Pag. 5 a In sententiiâ—… b Summae theol memb 4. art 2. c Psalm 11â—… d Erudit theolog de sacramentis fidei li 1. part 3. ca. 1. 2. Pag. 55. Pag. 56. Pag. 56. Pag. 61. Pag. 65. Pag. 66 Pag. 66. Pag. 67 Luth. praefat in dissert art a Leone 10. damnatorum Pag. 82. pag. 109. Pag. 110. a Consultâ—…i art 6. Vide Antididag Colâ—…n de iustificatione causis per quas iustificamur Pag. 113. Pag. 8â—… Pag. 114. Chap. 19 Pag. 149. Pag. 151. Ibidem Pag. 152. Pag. 152. Contra proph haeres novationes c. 6. Pag. 152. Lib. 4. desens rid 1 〈◊〉 theol l 2 Pag. 153 Pag. 153. 154. Pag. 155. Pag. 156. Pag. 166. Pag. 181 Pag. 182 a Instir. l. 4. c. 17 16. 17 b Vide disput Vinaraehabitam inter Illyricum Victorinum c Illyricus de voce re fidei part 3. pag. 61. 62. d Decr. synod Isnatensis anno 1556. celebrat Epist. Menii ad Melancthonem de absurditate Maiorismi e Treatis part 2. cap. 1. pag. 10. f Quarundam impiarum sententiarum resutatio pag. 133. De essentia imaginis Dei diaboli pag. 313. 318. g Quorundam thematum originalem iustitiam iniustitiam simul beneficia Christi extenuantium refutatio p. 99 Article 36. Luther in visit Saxon. Pag. 186. 187. Pag. 22â—… * In that Watson Clerke and the hellish contriuers of the powder treason with some few of their adherents haue suffered death and others haue not beene permitted to warme themselues at the fires in Smithfield as they were wont to doe * The difference c. edit anno 1â—…86 a Gerson Serm. in festo Paschae b Soto contra Ambros. c Pighius de iustificat d Contaren de iustificatione e Answer to Bell his downefall c. Vega. quaest 5. de meritis gloriae ex coÌ„digno f Cusan concord Cathol li. 2. c. 13. g Bellar. lib. 4. de Roman Pontif. ca. 22. h Stapleton relect controu 3. de prim subiect pot Eccles. q. 4. i Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 5. c. 1. k Walden doct fid li 2. art 3. quaest 78. Gerson de Pot. Eccles. consid 12. Sigebert in Chronic. anno 1088. l Idem in ChroÌ„ m Example of Blackvvell n Dâ—…y o Calv. instit l. 4. c. 1. sect 4 p Wald. doct fid l. 2. art 2. c. 27. q Ibid. praefat Concil r Lib. contra Anabaptist s Calu. Instit. l. 4. c. 2. sect 11. t Bez. quaest u Morn of the Church c. 9. x Lect. 23. in 5. ad Heb. y Cameracens quaest vesperiarum z Illyr in Catal. testium veritatis Carolus Miltitius being sent from Pope Leo to Fredericke prosessed that all the way as he came hauing sounded mens affections he found three to fauour Luther for one that fauoured the Pope and Luther professeth that the applause of the world did support him much all men being weary of the frauds extortiâ—…ns and wicked practises of the Romanists Praefat. oper Lutheri a Contra prof haeres novitat b See the Appendix to the third Booke of the Church and the 12 Chapter of the same booke c Serm. 33. in Cantica d Morn of the Church cap. 2. e Aug. de Baptism li 7. c. 51. f See the Appendix to the third booke of the Church g Aug. de Baptism contra Donatist li 1. ca 8 10. h Hier. contra Luciferianos i Page 344 k Hier. li. 1. contra Iouinian l Lib. 1. de Pont Rom. c. 11. m Lib. 3. cap. 1 n Greg. l. 4. Epi. 38. o Greg. li. 1. epist 24. p Concil Chalced act 16. q Hieromy ad Enagrium r Leo ep 53. 54. s Onuph annot in vit Bonif. 3. apud Platinam u 〈◊〉 Contra prof haeret novitat u Reuel 22. 15. x Page 380. y Pag. 3â—… z Pag. 372. a Pag. 566 b Orat. de caus dissens Eccles. apud Nilum c Gerson part 4 serm de pace vnitate Graecorum d Turecrem lib. 2. de eccles c. 93. Bellar. de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 11. e August de vera Relig. c. 6 f Lib. 1. de concil c. 10. g Gal. 1. h Pag 3. 75. i Pag. 376. k Loc. Theolog. lib. 12. fol. 445. l De tradit ex 1. decreto 4. sessionis m Whitâ—… disp de sacra script quaest 6. controu 2. cap. 6. n Page 381. 382. of the 4. book of the Church o Aug. de vera relig c. 55. p Theod. in ep ad Col. cit Synod Laod. q Revel 1. 10 r Tertul. de corona militis s Basil. de Spiritu Sancto c. 27. t Leo epist. 4. vniuers Episc. per Siciliam u Hieronym ad Marcell aduers. Montan. x In concord Evang ca 15. Greg. l. 1. epist. 41. z Hier. ad Lucinium a Greg. l. 〈◊〉 cp 9. b August in Ps. 11â—… c Euseb. l. 7. histor cap. 17. p Greg. l. 30. ep 30. q Appendix to â—…e 3. booke of the Church cap. 24 r Hieron contra Luciferian s Chap. 6. t Hier. vbi suprà u Acts. 2. x Bellar. de Sacram in genere y Acts. 20. z Reuel 2. a Vega. defens trident deer de justif l. 9. c. 7. b Ibid. cap. 46. c Ibid. ca. 8. d Bellar. de Concil c. 7. e Andrad de Script trad authorit lib. 2. f Cit. ab Andrad ibid. h Conci Carthag 6. 7. cap. 105. epist. Concil ad Celestinum i Concord cathol l. 2. c. 15 k Defens fidei Trid. l. 2. l De Concil Ecclesia l. 1. c. 17. In concil 2. 3. nulli suerunt ex occidente sed Damasus Caelestinus concilia illa confirmârunt nomine suo aliorum Episcoporum quos ipsi Romae collegeraÌ„t Constantinus pro 6. Concil scribit ad Agathonem ut mittat tres personas de sua Ecclesia 12 Metropolitanos de suo concilio Agatho rescribit cum uniuersis Synodis â—…biacentibus Concilio Apostolicae Sedis